Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Funeral at the Shen Mansion
The Shen residence was desolate and cold, with white silk hanging on the door plaques and beams. Servants dressed in white swept the threshold. A mourning hall was set up for people to pay their respects, and many people gathered around it.
Lu Suizhu was dressed in plain white, without any makeup, except for her shiny black hair that reached her waist. Her plain attire made her look even more beautiful and charming. She followed her parents closely and walked in slowly.
My grandmother passed away three days ago due to a relapse of an old illness, and the coffin is still being kept at vigil. Although Lu Suizhu does not remember her grandmother, she still kneels respectfully on the cushion according to the rules and kowtows three times with great piety.
"My daughter Wenjia has had a difficult life and has been wandering for many years. Now that I have returned home, I have come to pay my respects to my mother's spirit."
He stood calmly at the back, enunciating each word with a firm voice, and clarified Lu Suizhu's identity to the spirit tablet of his deceased mother and the elders of the Shen family.
Everyone knew that County Magistrate Shen had been searching for his daughter for many years. Although he didn't say it, everyone knew in their hearts that the young girl in the flood might have died long ago. They never expected that she would suddenly appear after so many years.
So everyone was shocked.
A slightly plump middle-aged man immediately stepped forward and said, "Oh, niece Wen Jia has been missing for so many years, how come she has returned at this critical moment? Could it be that Big Brother just found a daughter to deceive the elders?"
If you ignore his posture, he looks a bit like Shen Zhuo, but his words are full of aggression.
"You——" He waved his hand, his broad cuffs shaking, and he was so angry that he couldn't say a word.
"Everyone knows the rules of our Shen family. When an elder dies, the children divide the family property. Even virgin girls are included in the division of this family property..."
Chen Feng narrowed his eyes, which were fat as a slit, and deliberately did not say the following words. Anyone could understand his deep meaning.
"I, Shen, have served as a government official for many years and have always been upright. I am definitely not the despicable person you claim covets our family property. If the elders and my second brother do not believe my daughter's origins, I, Shen, am willing not to take a single cent of our property. I can provide written evidence as proof."
His face was serious, his posture was upright, he was calm and proud, and his powerful voice echoed in the mourning hall.
"Hey, hey, hey, this is what my eldest brother said himself. All the elders have heard it, so you have to help me bear witness." Chen Feng grinned and bowed to the seated elders of the clan.
"Wait a minute—"
The woman's voice was soft and gentle. Lu Suizhu watched silently for a long time before finally understanding the situation. She folded her slender white fingers at her waist and slowly walked to the opposite side of Shen Feng, chuckling: "Second uncle is really shameless."
"You, you, you...how can you talk like that, youngster?" He took a long time to utter this complete sentence.
Not only was Shen Feng stunned, but everyone present was stunned. They didn't expect that a woman like her who was at the center of the storm would dare to stand up and say such harsh words.
"Dad was willing to give up the family fortune because he was honest and kind, and didn't want to argue with Second Uncle. But I didn't inherit Dad's selfless dedication."
She turned her body in a different direction and faced the elder of the Shen family without any shame: "To be honest with you, I am indeed not married yet, so this money should be mine."
Lu Suizhu's voice was gentle but neither humble nor arrogant. She had been trying to get the skin of a tiger in the East Palace for a long time, so she was not worried or afraid when facing such a small matter.
She had seen many greedy people like her second uncle, and they were everywhere in Louyue Pavilion. It was only because he saw that her parents were kind and easy to bully that he dared to be so presumptuous.
"Wenjia, please go down first while the elders are talking." Shenzhu's face flushed red as he stepped forward and tried to pull his daughter back.
Lu Suizhu frowned slightly, her body motionless, and she changed her tone to a more tactful one: "Dad is kind-hearted and only cares about Second Uncle, but have you ever thought about Mom, me, and my brother who's far away in the capital?"
Shen Zhuo was stunned for a moment, not knowing what she wanted to say.
"Father has been in Fanxi for a long time and doesn't know how expensive food and fuel are in the capital. The Spring Examination is approaching. If brother really does enter the officialdom, do you know how much it will cost to manage relationships, make friends with the powerful, and prepare for banquets hosted by high-ranking officials? How much will it cost to enjoy wine and drinks with classmates, play polo, and go outings? If brother, with his brilliant talent and handsome appearance, is chosen by a young lady from an official family, how much will the betrothal gift cost?"
Looking at his daughter who was so thrifty and organized, Shen Zhu was stunned for a moment and couldn't say a word of blame.
"You say you are Shen Wenjia, you are Shen Wenjia, what proof do you have? My dear elders, I see she is sharp-tongued and is clearly here to swindle money! I'm afraid she has even deceived my eldest brother and his wife!"
"What Shen Feng said is not without reason. After all, it concerns the bloodline of our Shen family, so we should be cautious. County Magistrate Shen and his wife should indeed prove the identity of this woman."
The clan elder who had been silent all this time also stood up and spoke, defending Shen Feng as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Of course I know my daughter. How can I prove it?" Lin Yan was eager to protect his daughter and stood in front of Lu Suizhu.
But this statement is not convincing at all.
Seeing this, Chen Zhuo was filled with anger as he sternly addressed the elders who couldn't distinguish right from wrong, "I can guarantee with my official hat that she is my daughter, Wen Jia."
Then he strode up to Chen Feng, his eyes filled with oppression and a hint of grief.
"Second brother, if you look at your conscience, I have been very kind to your family. During the famine years after the flood, your family was given food first. I also paid for Dalang to study at the academy. Mother has always been partial to you, secretly giving you money. Your sister-in-law and I have always turned a blind eye."
"You proposed dividing the family property before Mother even died, and we agreed to give you this house. Now, before Mother's body is even cold, you're harassing my only daughter right here in the mourning hall. Are you so embarrassed over a small sum of money that you're even causing a quarrel between brothers?"
It was rare to hear Shen Zhuo say so many words at once. Lu Suizhu was stunned while listening. Seeing her mother sighing repeatedly, she knew that what her father said was true.
When the situation was at a stalemate, a young man came back from outside. He was also in mourning. He waved his sleeves, knelt down and kowtowed three times. When he stood up, he saluted Chen Zhuo, Lin Yan, Shen Feng and all the elders.
"Uncle, aunt, second uncle, elders—the woman before us is Wen Jia."
The man's voice was loud and clear. Lu Suizhu felt it was familiar when she first heard it. When the man turned around and she saw his face clearly, she was surprised to find that this man was the hospitable Mr. Wu on the boat.
Fangdian also looked surprised, with her fingers stretched in the air.
As soon as he entered the door, Wu Lianjin heard a commotion. He almost immediately recognized Lu Suizhu in the crowd and smiled at her. Although she was wearing mourning clothes, she was still dressed as a woman, and he was really amazed.
"I never thought that Brother Lu was actually a woman. I'm really confused."
She felt a little guilty about deceiving Lu Suizhu before, but seeing that he had no grudges, she smiled and nodded in response.
"To be honest, when I was returning home from the capital by boat, I met..." Wu Lianjin paused, as if considering his address. "I met Wen Jian. She was disguised as a man on the boat, and I didn't recognize her. I chatted with her all the way, and she told me she was here to look for her relatives."
"I have never revealed my relationship with the Shen family during casual conversations, which shows that this matter cannot be faked."
"Everyone knows that you've lived with your eldest brother since you were a child and are very close to him. I think you're clearly after his wealth!"
Seeing that they were outnumbered and he was about to lose the upper hand, Shen Feng became anxious and started to bite Wu Lianjin's nose.
"Second uncle, you are wrong. I have been staying in the Shen Mansion since I was a child. I am the same as both uncles. How can there be a question of who is closer to whom?"
This unhurried attitude choked back the words that Shen Feng was about to say. His thick neck turned red from holding back. How could he admit in front of so many people that he was not nice to Wu Lianjin?
"Okay, don't say anything. Let's follow the ancestral system. Each person gets half of the family property. Since the house is given to Chen Feng, County Magistrate Shen has another daughter, so he can get more money."
"No, this isn't fair..."
Chen Feng stiffened his neck and tried to argue, but was interrupted by a stern look from the clan elder. He walked over to Chen Feng and said softly, "That's enough. If Wen Jian really wins the top spot and becomes an official in the capital and comes back to cause trouble, we'll all be in big trouble."
"Then maybe my son Dalang can also get into high school..." His voice was a little weak, and he fell silent angrily until he was given another look.
The matter was a done deal, and seeing that there was no room for maneuver, Shen Feng immediately threw up his sleeves and left, not forgetting to turn around and say, "After the funeral, big brother and sister-in-law should move out quickly."
Without any outsiders disturbing them, they finally had a moment of peace. Lu Suizhu walked up to Wu Lianjin and performed a female ceremony.
"Thank you, Master Wu."
Lin Yan also stepped forward to introduce Lu Suizhu: "This is your aunt's cousin."
Lu Suizhu had heard it from the conversation just now, and now she heard her mother introduce it again, but it was such an unfamiliar name that she opened her mouth but couldn't say it out loud.
Seeing her frowning and embarrassed look, Wu Lianjin smiled and said, "My cousin just came back, there's no need to rush. She needs to adapt slowly. Why don't you give her to me temporarily? As her half-brother, I can take her around."
The calm couple looked at each other and nodded: "Okay, you young people have something to say, just follow your cousin."
Wu Lianjin had just helped her, and Lu Suizhu didn't hesitate and happily followed him. The two of them walked side by side, one in front and the other behind, talking and laughing, looking very harmonious.
Shen Yan, who had been observing from behind, couldn't help but smile.
"Lian Jin grew up under our care. He's neither arrogant nor impetuous, and handles things appropriately. I've noticed he's very warm towards Wen Jia. If he's truly interested... they'd be a good match."
At this point, Lin Yan felt sad again. Looking at the silent Chen Zhen, her eyes were slightly moist. "Master, I really don't want her to leave us again. We really owe her too much over the years."
Seeing that there was no one around, he calmly put his arm around Lin Yan's shoulders, patted her gently to comfort her, and sighed.
"Matters of love are not something we can decide, so don't overthink it. I've noticed just now that Wen Jia looks weak but is very opinionated. She can explain things about entering officialdom so clearly, which shows that she has extraordinary experience."
Watching the two of them disappear, Chen Zhuo sighed deeply, his expression grave and serious. "She hasn't said a word about what happened over the years, which shows she doesn't trust us completely."
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