A few days later...
"Mr. Yu, is the time here?"
Hu Tao respectfully asked a middle-aged man wearing a gray overcoat.
"Master Hu, there's no need to be so polite..." The middle-aged man smiled slightly and looked at the sky in the distance.
"It's about time; we can begin the farewell ceremony."
"Thank you for your hard work," Hu Tao said, nodding slightly to Jiang Mu beside her.
Jiang Mu understood and called out.
"The list of those to be punished has been posted; depart immediately!"
Upon hearing this, the waiters around immediately and skillfully packed the "food jar," which was the last offering of food, into a special porcelain jar, sealed it with red cloth, and handed it to an elderly guest to carry.
Immediately afterwards, several young waiters lifted the head of the coffin, and Hu Tao placed some mora under the coffin. He then personally used a new broom and dustpan to sweep away the loose soil from the coffin lid, carefully wrapped it up, and placed it under the bed. This was called "sweeping the coffin."
"Turn the coffin!"
Zhongli shouted loudly.
Several more waiters stepped forward, moved the coffin to the outside of the shrine, and slightly lifted the head of the coffin.
Zhongli served as the master of ceremonies at Master Hu's funeral. Dressed in a long black robe, Zhongli walked to the side of the coffin, his expression stern. He then began to speak.
"kneel!"
Hu Tao did as instructed and knelt down in front of the coffin.
"Offer incense!"
Jiang Mu handed the incense to Hu Tao, who respectfully offered it back.
"Offer a libation!"
"Serve the food!"
"Serve the soup!"
"Offer silk!"
After the pre-ceremony rituals were completed, Zhongli began to recite the sacrificial text.
"It is the fifth month, at the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), an auspicious time for the offering. The filial son (or daughter) stands and kowtows: We respectfully offer incense, candles, silk, sacrificial animals, wine, seasonal delicacies, and clear broth, all the usual rituals, to offer this sacrifice before the spirit tablet of our late father, the venerable Mr. Hu, who passed away at the age of eighty-three. We weep bitterly and write: Alas!..."
"..."
Everyone remained silent, listening as Zhongli finished reading the eulogy...
"Alas—may you accept this offering—your unfilial son, Walnut, kowtows—"
"Kowtowing—"
"Kowtowing—"
"The ceremony is complete! Rise and step down!"
Hu Tao stood up and stepped aside.
"The coffin will spin!"
Upon hearing this, the coffin circumambulators, who were specially assigned to the shrine, stepped out of the procession, took Hu Tao, and circled the coffin three times before stopping.
After the coffin was turned around, several middle-aged retainers who had worked at the funeral parlor for several years came out, tied the coffin with ropes, and closed the lid.
The funeral procession, composed of the guests of the funeral hall and the bereaved family members who volunteered to come, was also ready.
Hu Tao carried the banner, while a child from another distant relative of the Hu family held the memorial tablet. A group of bereaved family members carried mourning sticks wrapped in white paper. Jiang Mu, following Zhong Li's instructions, held the "stuffed food jar".
"Lift the bar!"
Zhongli shouted loudly.
Meanwhile, a guest advisor disassembled the pillow that Old Master Hu used and burned it inside and out.
Another trusted lieutenant of Old Master Hu tremblingly lifted the earthenware pot for burning paper offerings before the spirit tablet, then smashed it down hard, shattering it into pieces on the ground with a crackling sound.
Several porters lifted the poles, carried them on their shoulders, and walked forward step by step.
Outside the door, a set of prepared items, arranged in the order of the funeral, were moving towards the place requested by Old Master Hu…
Because it was at Old Master Hu's request, Hu Tao didn't follow the usual tedious order of "grass dragon - memorial banner - mourning lantern - auspicious lantern - release cage - memorial banner - incense pavilion - image pavilion - soul palanquin - paper bridge - band - coffin - bereaved family - monks and Taoists - golden boy and jade girl - funeral procession," but only made a few necessary paper offerings. However, due to Old Master Hu's extremely high prestige in Liyue, the number of funeral procession members was dozens of times greater than usual...
Even among the Seven Stars of Rebirth throughout history, this situation was rare, but it was quite common for the heads of the Hall of Rebirth throughout history to experience it...
………………
Following Zhongli's guidance, the group arrived at the burial place requested by Old Master Hu—a desolate mountain wilderness rarely visited by humans.
"Grandpa said that in this life, we are born and raised here. As children under the rule of the Rock God, returning to the earth is our best destiny..."
"Hu Tao murmured."
Arriving at the pre-dug pit, the pallbearers slowly lowered the coffin into it. Jiang Mu placed the jar he was carrying in front of the coffin in the pit, and knelt down beside it with Hu Tao. Watching the pitch-black coffin being covered by soil bit by bit, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart...
Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. May the departed find peace, and may the living find liberation...
"Oh……"
Jiang Mu shook his head self-deprecatingly.
"When did I become so bookish..."
A long line of people knelt down together as Old Master Hu was buried. Whether they were ordinary people or wealthy merchants, they all bowed their heads deeply.
The Hall of Rebirth is not in charge of simple funeral ceremonies. Decades ago, during a major epidemic, Old Master Hu, who had just taken office as the head of the Hall of Rebirth, overcame all objections and almost emptied the entire Hall of Rebirth's savings. He invited various doctors and pharmacists from neighboring countries and bought all the medicines he could, donating them all free of charge to the people of Liyue who were suffering from the disaster.
For those who tragically lost their lives during the pandemic, the Funeral Home provides free funeral services.
During that great epidemic, there wasn't a single case of someone dying in the wilderness...
Faced with numerous questions from the Hall of Rebirth, the then-young Hall Master Hu spoke with conviction.
"Since they came into this world with dignity, we should also let them leave this world with dignity. This is the responsibility that the Rock King Emperor entrusted to us, and it is also the reason why our Rebirth Hall has been able to be passed down from the ancient war between demons and gods to the present day."
"This legacy cannot be broken with me!"
Even now, Master Hu continues to uphold the rules set by his ancestors—to ensure that no one dies on the grounds of Liyue…
This is why people from the Rebirth Hall go out for a "stroll" late at night.
………………
The people of Liyue are grateful and will never forget the kindness shown to them by the Hall of Rebirth, or rather, by Old Man Hu.
Even before they passed away, the older generation was still murmuring these words to their children and grandchildren.
"We must never forget the kindness shown to the Hall of Rebirth..."
"As a person, you must not forget your roots..."
This is the legacy of Liyue...
………………
Finally, when the last layer of yellow earth covered the dark coffin, everyone understood that the beloved 75th head of the Hall of Rebirth had been laid to rest...
As per Mr. Hu's request, no tombstone was erected in front of his grave. He did not want his frail body to occupy any usable land...
That's what vision is all about!
The long line of people arrived at Grandpa Hu's "grave," bowed deeply, wiped away their tears, and slowly walked away...
After everyone had left, Jiang Mu stood up, bowed again to Old Master Hu on the ground, and then slowly helped Hu Tao, who had been kneeling, to her feet...
The moment Jiang Mu helped Hu Tao up, she threw herself into his arms.
She didn't make a scene; she just sobbed softly.
After a long while, he murmured...
"Jiang Mu...do you know..."
"I don't have a grandfather anymore..."
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