Chapter 219 [VIP]
After several days of travel, they finally arrived at their hometown in Qingshui Town. It had been six years since Wang Ying and the others last came back, and their fourth uncle hadn't been back for almost thirteen years.
When I came back this time, it had really changed a lot. The originally bumpy dirt road was much smoother, and a layer of gravel had been laid on it. With these gravel, the road wouldn't be too muddy on rainy days.
Many of the shops along the street had been renovated, and there were even a few three-story buildings. As the carriage approached, it turned out to be newly opened restaurants and inns.
When I passed by my own shop, the signboard had been changed to a new one. It was still Chen's General Store, but the shopkeeper inside looked unfamiliar.
Chen Ershun stopped the carriage and went forward to inquire. Upon hearing that a member of the Chen family had returned, the man immediately exclaimed excitedly, "Second Uncle, don't you recognize me? I'm Hu Zi! Is it Master Dong who's back? I'll go tell Father right away!"
"Hey, slow down."
Sitting in the car, Chen Qingyan and the others lifted the curtain and looked out. "Tiger has grown so much."
No wonder Er Shun didn't recognize him. When he came back last time, Hu Zi was only eleven or twelve years old. Now, six years have passed and he has grown into a young man.
The group drove to the front of the old house, where Chen Dashun was already waiting. Just like his father had been for many years, he stepped forward to greet everyone.
Upon seeing his elder brother, Chen Ershun excitedly rushed forward and hugged him, exclaiming, "Big Brother!"
"Second brother, we've been waiting for you to come back."
The others disembarked from the carriage one after another, and Chen Dashun quickly pulled his son forward to kowtow and pay his respects to the master.
"Please get up quickly." After many years apart, everyone looked at their familiar home and were filled with mixed emotions.
The courtyard was spotless and tidy, just as it was when I left it.
As early as the end of the year, Er Shun wrote home to tell his elder brother that the landlord might be going back after the New Year. So Chen Da Shun cleaned the front and back yards and all the houses early on, and even took the time to replace the window paper and broken tiles.
Upon entering the main hall, Chen Dashun asked his son to make tea. Because there were so many people, and they were all quite tired from their journey, there wasn't much small talk. After a brief greeting, they went to the backyard to arrange their lodgings and rest.
When Wang Ying lived in the old house, she felt it was very spacious, and it wasn't crowded even if more than a dozen people lived there. Now that there are more people, the old house suddenly feels small.
However, they can only stay for a few days; they can squeeze in if they want.
Fourth Uncle and the others stayed in the front yard and chatted with Chen Dashun, inquiring about the changes in their hometown over the years and whether any major events had occurred.
"Speaking of changes, they are indeed quite significant. Not long after the master passed the imperial examination with top honors, many people from other places came to the town, saying they wanted to see what the place where the top scholar lived was like."
Those people not only came to the old house to look around, but some also found out about the ancestral hall in Chenjiazhuang and went there specifically to worship, hoping to absorb some of the scholar's literary aura.
As time went on, more and more people came, and it wasn't sustainable to keep worshipping at the ancestral hall. So, the villagers discussed it and decided to build a temple to Wenchang Dijun (the God of Literature) on the nearby mountain. Now, the temple is very popular, and this year, especially before the county examination, many people came to worship. Many of them stayed overnight in town after their prayers, so many new inns opened up there.
Chen Jing stroked his beard and said, "I see. No wonder there were so many more inns in town when I came here."
Originally, Qingshui Town was just a small town that wasn't very wealthy. Because of its remote location and lack of transportation hub status, its development was very slow.
The tourism industry has developed so much that things have changed dramatically. People from other places stay at hotels, eat at restaurants, and buy local specialties, which increases revenue.
Don't underestimate the spending power of people in ancient times. Back then, Li Shi was willing to donate hundreds of strings of cash to temples to pray for her son's safety. Those who wanted to pray for their children to pass the imperial examinations were naturally willing to spend money on incense.
Chen Dashun continued, "The temple has collected a lot of incense money in the past few years, and every penny is recorded in the accounts. The year before last, my father took the lead in rebuilding all the roads in our Qingshui Town. The road from the town to Chenjiazhuang has also been paved. It used to take three hours to go back, but now it takes less than two hours."
Everyone praised the project, saying that the road construction made things convenient for both tourists and local residents, a truly meritorious act.
Chen Qingyan said, "We've been talking for so long, where is Uncle Chen Xi?"
Chen Dashun paused, his eyes reddening slightly, and said, "Last September, my father suddenly fell ill and passed away..."
Upon hearing this, everyone sighed, "Brother Chen, please accept our condolences."
Standing to the side, Er Shun also started sobbing with red eyes. He only received the news of his father's death later. Because the old man passed away so suddenly and was too far away to come back in time, his eldest brother and sister-in-law took care of all the funeral arrangements.
Chen Ershun also came to pay respects at his father's grave, as his biggest regret was not being able to be there for his father in his final moments.
Da Shun patted his younger brother on the shoulder, “Father knows you are serving the master, but he doesn’t blame you. Before he died, he asked me to tell you that a good servant does not serve two masters. The master, mistress, and young master are all very good people. They are kind and tolerant. You must serve them well.”
Chen Ershun nodded. He knew all too well that if he hadn't come out with his master and son back then, he might still be farming in Chen Family Village.
Over the years, he had seen the world in the capital city and knew how honorable it was to be a steward in the homes of the wealthy.
At noon, Chen Dashun ordered food at a restaurant. In the past, there were no large restaurants in Qingshui Town, only a few small eateries where the food was generally mediocre.
I heard that the owner of this newly opened restaurant came from the prefectural city, and the dishes he makes are all in the style of Jizhou Prefecture. They taste pretty good.
After dinner, Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan took Yuanbao back to their familiar courtyard to rest. Since Yuanbao was too old to sleep in the same room with them anymore, Wang Ying cleaned up the west room for him to live in alone.
*
After a night's rest, everyone got up early the next day to prepare the items for the sacrificial ceremony.
This time when I go back, I will not only pay respects to my ancestors, but also celebrate the sixtieth birthday of Qingyan's father.
The sacrificial offering, also known as the funeral offering, was a very elaborate ceremony in ancient times. It required the preparation of three sacrificial animals in advance: a pig's head, a fish, and a chicken, as well as pastries, seasonal fruits, tea, wine, and so on.
In addition, incense, candles, and paper money are also essential for the ritual; these can be bought ready-made from incense and candle shops.
After buying everything, the carriages set off in a grand procession towards Chenjiazhuang.
On the way, Li Shi, Chen Rong, and Chen Jing kept their eyes glued to the window. It was too much trouble for them to come back now that they were getting old. They probably all knew that this might be the last time they came back, and the next time they would probably have to wait until a hundred years later.
When we arrived at the village, we found that it was even better developed than we had imagined.
Every household has built a neat tiled house. Although most villagers still make a living by farming, the imperial court has exempted them from taxes. Apart from paying a small amount of grain each year to repair the ancestral hall, the rest of the grain belongs to the individual. As long as they are hardworking, they will live a good life.
Upon hearing that the owners had returned, everyone came out of their homes. An old woman with a cane and a full head of white hair knelt down and kowtowed when she saw Wang Ying.
"Absolutely not! Old man, wouldn't that shorten my lifespan?"
The old lady grinned, revealing a few uneven teeth. "Young master, do you still remember me?"
“I remember, how could I not remember? Mu Tou, come and see Grandma Li.”
The tall young man standing behind Chen Ze stepped forward and said, "Hello, Grandma Li."
"Oh! This child has grown so much!" The old lady held the child's hand and looked him up and down. "He has really grown into a young man. Now your parents and grandparents can rest assured."
She was only eight years old when she delivered the wood, and now ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Chunsheng also went to visit his parents to catch up. Perhaps because he had been away from home for too long, he had become somewhat estranged from his family and didn't know what to say when they met.
Over the years, he has sent a lot of money home, asking his parents if they have received it.
Chen Shugen nodded cautiously, "I received it. That's the money I used to build the house."
"Take good care of your health, you and your mother. I will send you money later."
"No, there's no need to send it. Keep it for yourself. You'll have plenty to eat and drink at home."
Chen Chunsheng's family has many children. He is the third child, with two older brothers and several sisters. His family couldn't raise so many children, so they sent him here to find a way out for the children.
Now that their child has grown up so well and is dressed in clean and presentable clothes, the couple is relieved.
The group walked towards the ancestral hall, followed by a large entourage of people from the village, as well as many people from other villages who had come after hearing the news, all eager to catch a glimpse of the top scholars and successful candidates in the imperial examinations.
Upon arriving at the main entrance of the ancestral hall, Chen Jing looked up at the tall archway commemorating the top scholar and exclaimed, "This archway is truly magnificent; it must have taken a lot of work and materials!"
Wang Ying said, "It was arranged by the county. Six carpenters were hired and it took more than a month to make it."
As the heavy gate opened, the Chen Family Ancestral Hall came into view.
This was Chen Jing's first time here. When he stood in the main hall and saw the memorial tablets of his father and mother, he could no longer hold back his tears. He lifted his robes and knelt down, saying, "Your unfilial son Chen Jing has returned. I pay my respects to our ancestors!"
The other Chen family members behind him also knelt down and kowtowed.
A draft through the room ruffled his hair, as if an invisible hand was gently caressing his face, telling him of the longing he had felt over the years.
It was too cold for him to kneel for long, so Chen Qingyan and Chen Qinghuai helped him up. "Fourth Uncle, don't be sad. If Grandpa and Grandma knew in the afterlife that their grandchildren had done so well, they would be happy."
Chen Jing wiped away the tears on his face. "You're right, they'll definitely be happy!"
Everyone offered incense in turn. When it was the youngest, Yingying's, turn, Chen Qinghuai helped her put the incense stick into the incense burner. The Chen family did not have the custom of favoring boys over girls; both girls and boys could enter the ancestral hall.
After they finished offering incense, the villagers also began to offer incense to their own ancestors, because the ancestral hall not only enshrines the ancestors of the Chen family, but also the ancestors of the entire village.
After paying respects to the ancestors, it was time to hold a birthday celebration for Chen Xian. The children couldn't stay behind, lest they be disturbed. The old women took them to play in the village.
Chen Qingyan laid out the three sacrificial animals he had prepared in advance, and Chen Qingsong and Chen Qingyun also arranged the offerings one by one. The three siblings knelt down and bowed to their father's memorial tablet once again.
"Father, your sixtieth birthday is just around the corner, and I've come back especially to celebrate with you." Chen Qingyan filled a cup with wine and placed it on the memorial tablet.
For the first time, Li didn't shed tears. She squatted down and lit paper money. "Brother Xian, in the years you've been gone, the children have all been doing well. They've all started their own families and careers, and I haven't had to worry about them. Now my grandson has even passed the imperial examination. If you know this in the afterlife, you can rest in peace."
Chen Jing took out a pre-written eulogy from his pocket and began to read it aloud:
"Alas! The flowers of the pear tree are so bright and beautiful. My brothers and I were once as close as hands and feet."
I remember studying together in the cold winter, with the dim light of the lamp and the yellowed pages of books, my brother would often cover my shoulders with his coat; in years of famine when cooking fires were scarce, and we had only simple food like bean soup and bamboo baskets, my brother would always let me eat first.
My brother's nature was like still water, his character as pure as autumn frost. He served his parents with warmth in winter and coolness in summer, and taught his children with righteousness and integrity. Alas, Heaven has not protected me, breaking my precious branch and snapping my flock. From now on, who will share the dogwood with me on this high place?
Now that I am governing a region, I must keep the well-being of the people in mind. I have returned to my hometown and find the plain curtains desolate and the old bed covered in dust.
Alas! The wild geese have lost a wing; what could be more painful!
May your soul ride the phoenix and crane to the celestial paradise, alas! May you rest in peace! ①
After reading the eulogy, Chen Jing was already sobbing uncontrollably. How long ago was it that he and his brother were like Qingyan and Qingsong...
A note from the author:
Note ① is based on the Lesser Odes of the Book of Songs.
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