Chapter 459 Funeral (VI)
The Zhang family stuffed everything edible on the table into their stomachs or arms like a gust of wind sweeping away fallen leaves. They had finished all the food on the table in less than a quarter of an hour.
Not to mention Zhou Daliang and Zhou Dahong who were responsible for serving dishes and steamed buns, even Fang and others who were secretly watching from the kitchen were stunned.
Fang thought that she had been in Old Zhou's family for a long time. Apart from anything else, she had at least spent a New Year there.
She had visited all the relatives of the Zhou family who were leaving, but she never remembered this person.
Fang swallowed and asked He, "Third sister-in-law, this, this Zhang family is grandma's family?"
He glanced outside and whispered, "You'll get used to it after seeing them a few times. Just avoid them when you see them next time."
"You'll burp if you eat so fast, right?" Fang asked uncertainly.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, several members of the Zhang family began to burp. However, they seemed to be used to it and didn't pay much attention. Instead, they looked around and shouted, "Why are there no steamed buns and vegetables? How did the people who served the food get here?"
Zhou Dahong immediately stepped forward and said, "The dishes served on each table are fixed, and so are the steamed buns. I've already added an extra basket of steamed buns for you. If you don't believe me, just look at the baskets on the other tables."
The Zhang family looked subconsciously and found that there was one less basket on the fifth table than theirs.
Zhou Dahong curled his lips and said, "Last year was a disaster year. This year, everyone's life is not easy. The food on each table is fixed, and you are all burping and not full."
"We've eaten the child yet."
"Then take out the steamed buns in your arms and give them to the children."
Boss Zhang subconsciously covered his chest.
The Zhang family started cursing, and Zhou Dahong put the tray of food heavily on the table. The young men sitting at the table nearby stood up in unison and stared at them with sharp eyes.
Humph, do you really think that the thugs in Qili Village are made of mud?
Three years ago, they were the top figures in and around Qili Village!
Of course, most of them are married now and have children as fathers!
The Zhang family members, some holding children and some older, were all silent for a moment, then sat down again without saying a word.
Zhou Dahong was satisfied and hummed, "We are going to clear the table, please make way, please make way."
This is quite impolite. At least no one would treat their guests like this.
Pian Zhang's family has always bullied the weak and feared the strong, so at this time they dared to be angry but not to speak out.
Zhang Laoer looked around to find Old Zhou to reason with him, but he found that the couple who were originally in the mourning hall had disappeared, and the cousins sitting on both sides seemed to be oblivious to the trouble they were in.
Zhang Laoer was furious and rolled up his sleeves to go and reason with them, but his grandson came in from outside, grabbed his clothes and said, "Grandpa, Grandpa, there's plenty of food outside."
Zhang Laoer narrowed his eyes and followed him out the gate. As soon as he went out, he saw at least twenty tables set up along the road in front of him. There were steamed buns and vegetables on each table. Unlike the way they ate as if they were fighting just now, they ate while talking.
Zhang Laoer was so sharp that he noticed Uncle Qian!
He narrowed his eyes and turned back to find his eldest brother.
It was already past noon and the Zhou family was hungry, so Uncle Lai asked his son to notify the filial sons and grandsons who were keeping vigil to go and eat first.
Zhou Dalang and his friends went to the kitchen to get some steamed buns to eat. Manbao stood between several tall and strong brothers, reaching their chests, and a steamed bun was also stuffed in her hand.
Fang poured her a spoonful of vegetables and explained, "Sister-in-law said you are not allowed to eat meat."
Manbao nodded in understanding and asked, "Do we still have to observe three years of mourning?"
"Ahem..." Not to mention Zhou Wulang and the others, even Zhou Dalang choked and quickly took a sip of water and said, "No, no, if you don't want to eat meat, just abstain for three or four days."
In fact, there are not so many particulars in the countryside. Old Zhou didn't think about this at first, because even when his parents died, he didn't avoid this.
If he could find a piece of meat among the leftover food at home, his sadness would be alleviated, let alone he would deliberately not eat meat.
It was only after I started studying that last night Big Head asked with a worried look on his face if his family would have to stop eating meat for three years, and if Uncle Wu would not be able to marry for three years...
It was the first time that Zhou Dalang and Xiao Qianshi heard such a statement, so they were both shocked.
Generally speaking, you can't get married or hold banquets. Isn't this only allowed when the emperor dies and the county magistrate stipulates that it's not allowed?
In fact, they did it in the countryside, but no one reported it. Even the county magistrate didn't know about it, let alone the emperor who was nowhere to be found.
So when the previous emperor died, although there were regulations prohibiting marriage and banquets, people still ate meat, drank wine, and talked about their relatives during festivals...
Manbao scratched his head and suddenly realized, "I know, the book says parents, and this is our uncle, so it's different."
The six brothers felt complicated and their expressions became complicated. Zhou Silang hesitated for a moment and said, "Manbao, how about you try not eating meat for three years?"
Zhou Erlang patted his head and said, "Don't give me any stupid advice. What if Manbao gets sick? It took a lot of effort for the family to raise her like this."
Manbao also touched his chubby belly and hesitated for a moment before saying, "I heard that the emperor only observes a three-month mourning period, one month equals one year."
"Yes, you are a fairy. Isn't it one day and one year for a fairy?" Zhou Silang said, "Why don't you just guard it for three days? It will be like three years."
Manbao asked: "Why am I the only one guarding and you guys aren't?"
Zhou Dalang said, "We will guard it together. He is our uncle, and we should be filial to him."
"Okay!" Manbao nodded seriously, "Let's guard it together."
As he was talking, Zhang Lao Er rushed in from outside. Seeing that Zhou Dalang and his brothers were holding steamed buns in their hands, and there seemed to be many more in the kitchen behind them, his eyes flashed slightly and he was about to squeeze in, "Dalang, what are you doing hiding here? Your uncle can't find you even if he looks for you..."
Zhou Dalang and Zhou Sanlang immediately stood in front of Zhang Laoer. Zhou Erlang, in tacit cooperation, stuffed the half-eaten bun in his hand into Zhou Silang's mouth and stepped forward to support Zhang Laoer. While using great strength to help him out, he said with a smile: "Second cousin, I would have come to find you even if you hadn't told me. I was just about to tell you something in private. Do you still remember the grain you borrowed from our family a few years ago?"
Zhang Laoer's body froze, and he muttered, "When? How come I didn't know?"
(End of this chapter)
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