Chapter 532 Another Mid-Autumn Festival
Today is the Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival.
The Ghost Festival is the Taoist name for it, while in Buddhism it is called the Ullambana Festival.
On this day, people worship their ancestors and commemorate their deceased relatives. They also burn paper money, release river lanterns, and those with faith worship the local earth god.
Those with substantial wealth would also hire Taoist priests or monks to perform rituals, intended to deliver the souls of the deceased and grant them liberation.
When Li San Niang woke up this morning, the sky was overcast, and it looked like it was about to rain.
Before it rained, Li San Niang woke Lu Zhu'er up early and helped her get dressed and washed.
"Today is the Ghost Festival, Zhu'er. We need to get up early so we can go with your grandparents to offer incense to our ancestors."
Dewdrop rubbed her eyes and mumbled in response to Li San Niang.
However, before going to see the Li family, Li San Niang took out a charcoal brazier and, just like she did when she first transmigrated last year, burned paper money for the deceased Li San Niang.
(Chapter 34 plot)
Li San Niang also taught Lu Zhu'er to kowtow to the charcoal brazier, saying, "I have been in this world for a year. Taking over your body is the cause, and I must repay you with a consequence."
Although I am a materialist, I have nothing more to say about the fact that something like time travel has happened to me.
I don't know if you've already returned to the underworld and been reincarnated, or if our souls have swapped and you've returned to my modern world.
Regardless, things have come to this. Don't worry, I already consider Dewdrop my own child, and I will definitely watch her grow up healthy, safe, and happy.
I will also take good care of your parents and see them off in their old age.
I only wish that your life will be as you desire. If you are to be reincarnated, may you be born into a good family. If you are to travel back in time, then may you experience a unique life in modern society.
After offering a private prayer to the original owner of the body, Li San Niang led Lu Zhu'er to the main hall.
As in the previous year, after meeting up with the Li family, Li's father led the group to pay respects to his parents, offering incense and bowing three times before their memorial tablets.
On this day every year, there is not a trace of a smile on Li's father's face. Not only is there no smile, but his face is also filled with sadness and pain.
At times like these, only Li's mother could stay by Li's father's side to offer comfort.
Last time, Li San Niang and Li Er Xiong went to ask Li Da Xiong about it, and this time the two of them went to find Li Da Xiong again.
But Brother Li was very reluctant to talk about the entanglements of the previous generation, and only said to the two of them: "That is a matter of the previous generation. Now that our family has reconciled with Uncle's branch of the family, let's not talk about the past anymore."
That's what Father meant too. He doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't want to tell you, so you should just let it go and live your lives well.”
Li Erxiong neither agreed nor disagreed with Li Daxiong's words, but instead gave Li Sanniang a meaningful look.
Seeing this, Li San Niang stopped asking, knowing that Brother Li wouldn't tell her anyway.
"Alright, hurry up and get ready. There will definitely be a lot of people on the road today, so we need to get to Xuandu Temple as soon as possible."
Yes, Li's mother's spirit of worship has returned. How could she not go to Xuandu Temple to worship on such an important festival?
However, because Mr. Li was in a bad mood that day, he said, "I'll stay home with Xiao Wu. You can go ahead."
Don't worry, we can definitely get food for lunch.
Xiao Wu is still a bit too young. It's fine for you to take him out on ordinary days, but today is the Ghost Festival (July 15th of the lunar calendar), so it's best not to take him out.
Do not take young children out, especially after dark, because as the old saying goes, a child's eyes are the clearest and purest, and they can see things that ordinary people cannot see.
People were afraid that the unseen wandering spirits would bewitch the children, so they didn't let the children go out.
Looking at Lu Zhu'er standing beside Li San Niang, Li's father didn't say anything, but his meaning was that it would be best to let Lu Zhu'er stay at home as well.
Even as a little girl, Lu Zhu'er was already adept at reading people's expressions. Seeing this, she immediately clung to Li San Niang's leg, meaning, "I can't stay at home like Xiao Wu!"
Li San Niang patted Lu Zhu'er's head and smiled at Li's father, saying, "Father, it's alright. Lu Zhu'er is already over three years old, and we're going to a place like a Taoist temple. We won't linger outside. We'll get a peace charm and come home as soon as possible."
Li San Niang had originally invited the old doctor Liang and the young boy from Shaoyang who lived in the backyard next door, but the two said they had something to do, "My old friend recently came to Chang'an, and we arranged to meet at a place outside the capital, so we won't be with you today."
Li San Niang looked at the young boy from Shaoyang and said, "I went with my master, and my master's old friend also brought his disciple along."
As soon as the young boy from Shaoyang spoke, Li Sanniang understood. He wanted to have a battle, probably something like, "My disciple is better than your disciple."
As for Wu Qiaolan and Baoya, who were staying at the Li family's house, they would naturally go with Li's mother.
As for the neighbor, Madam Qin, Li's mother had already asked her beforehand. Madam Qin said she was going to her daughter's house, so she would not be coming from the Li family.
Thus, only Li's father and Kogoro remained at home.
However, a grand spectacle was about to unfold when everyone went out.
Kogoro was held in Li's father's arms, watching helplessly as Li's second brother and sister-in-law walked out.
After turning one year old, Xiao Wulang could already call out "Aye" and "Mother," and his cries were so loud and pitiful.
His face was covered in tears and snot, and Kogoro's eyes, in particular, looked at Li Erxiong and Li Ersao as if they were villains who had done bad things. If Kogoro could speak more fluently, he probably would have said, "Ah, Father, Mother, you are so bad! You don't take me out to play, and you leave me at home! You are so bad!"
Li Ersao hesitated and said to Li Erxiong, "How about I don't go?"
I'll stay home and take care of Xiao Wu.
Brother Li had taken care of all the children in the Li family. Little Wulang was not as formidable as Brother Li was when he was young, so Brother Li saw through him at a glance.
“If you don’t go, who will go and ask for a peace charm for him?”
Don't worry about him. He'll cry a couple of times, and then when his father brings him food, he'll be smiling again.
Sure enough, after everyone in the Li family had left, Li's father, who was holding Xiao Wulang and standing at the door, turned around and walked home when he could no longer see anyone. As he walked, he took out a handkerchief to wipe Xiao Wulang's face and said, "Don't cry. I'll give you something good to eat. How about we go out for lunch?"
Upon hearing that he could still go outside, Kogoro immediately stopped crying and took the handkerchief from Li's father's hand to wipe his tears.
Li San Niang sat in the carriage, watching the bustling crowds and shouts on the street. Although the weather was gloomy, it did not dampen people's festive spirits at all.
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