Chapter 65 [VIP]
Qingyun looked at her mother, bewildered, holding the jade pendant.
Judging from its color alone, this piece of jade is incredibly valuable. In ancient times, gold and silver were considered precious, but fine jade was priceless. This piece of jade could be exchanged for a large house in Tianyang County.
"This, this is too precious, Yun'er cannot accept it."
Qingyun quickly put the jade pendant down.
Li Cheng picked it up and placed it in his niece's hand, saying, "Take it. This was given to you by your maternal grandfather. Your mother's word doesn't count."
In the end, Qingyun accepted the jade in a daze, and carefully put it in her purse and wore it close to her body for fear of dropping it.
The old man talked for a while longer before getting tired.
Li Shu helped her father lie down, saying, "You rest for a while. We won't leave. We'll stay home with you for the next few days."
Everyone left the room, leaving only two old women to serve them.
The eldest sister-in-law, Madam Wen, was a thoughtful woman. Knowing that the brother and sister had not seen each other for so many years and had nothing to say to each other, she took the initiative to pull Madam Li into a conversation.
"You haven't come back for so many years, but the old man has always missed you."
“It’s my fault. I only thought that my father resented me and didn’t want to associate with us, so I never dared to come back.”
"How could that be? You are the youngest daughter in the family. Your father loves you dearly, how could he resent you?"
In fact, the Li family had a total of four children. The eldest was Li Cheng. The second and third children did not survive, as they died young due to illness. That's why Li Shu's parents loved her so much and were so strict with her.
Back in the front hall, Madam Wen instructed the servants to prepare a meal, saying, "You must all be tired after your journey. Eat and rest early."
During the meal, another cousin, Li Bingwen, also returned. He now works as an eighth-rank clerk in the yamen. Although he is a minor official, he still has to report for duty on time every day.
This man was quite outgoing. When he saw Chen Qingyan, he warmly stepped forward and hugged her, saying, "You look just like my father, even more like my brother and me!"
Madam Wen smiled and said, "A nephew resembles his uncle, of course he'll look like him."
"How many days has it taken you to travel this far?"
Chen Qingyan said, "On the fifth day, the road will be difficult to travel due to accumulated snow."
"It's so far away. When we have time, Bingchen and I will visit your area. I heard there's a particularly famous spring in Longquan County."
There is indeed a very large spring near the county seat. Legend has it that a dragon once lived in this spring hundreds of years ago, and Longquan County was named after this spring.
"If my cousin comes, let me know in advance, and I'll take you guys there for a visit."
"Okay, I'll definitely send you a message in advance!"
Li Cheng, who had been silent all along, suddenly put a piece of food on his sister's plate, coughed lightly, and said, "Since you're here, stay a few more days. Father's health is much better than before since you've come back."
"Okay." Li Shu nodded in agreement.
Wen also said, "I couldn't eat for the past few days, but today I actually drank half a bowl of rice porridge. Maybe I'll feel better when the weather gets warmer."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than someone outside shouted, "Something terrible has happened! Grandpa is dying!"
Everyone rushed to the backyard without even having time to eat.
Because Wang Ying was pregnant, she was afraid of catching a cold. Chen Qingyan pulled her, her sister, and her brother back, saying, "You two stay by my side and help me take good care of her!" After saying that, she hurriedly went into the house.
Inside the room, Old Master Li was no longer able to speak. He had lost all his energy and spirit from before. His eyes were closed, and he was breathing heavily with his mouth open, making a gurgling sound in his throat.
As soon as Li entered the room, she knelt down by the bedside, holding his hand and crying incessantly, "Father, Father, what's wrong? Wake up!"
Hearing his daughter's call, the old man slowly opened his eyes and pointed a finger at his son.
Li Cheng also knelt on the ground, choking back tears, and said, "Father, please tell me what you need to tell me."
With all her might, the old woman placed her son's hand in her daughter's, patted it gently twice, and then closed her eyes forever.
"Father, Father!"
The brother and sister burst into tears, just like when they were young and complained to their father about being wronged. Unfortunately, this time no one could help them up and comfort them.
After a long illness, Mr. Li passed away peacefully, and his coffin and burial clothes were already prepared.
According to custom, children and grandchildren should help the elderly change their clothes. Li Hui dismissed everyone in the house and, with his two sons, helped his father change his clothes. Then, suppressing his grief, he instructed the servants to hang a white banner at the door and go to inform the relatives of the death.
The filial sons and grandsons began to change their clothes. For funerals, red and green should not be worn; the simpler the better.
The two sets of clothes Wang Ying brought were both in dark colors, so Li Bingwen's husband lent him a plain dress he had worn when he was pregnant.
After changing clothes, they began to set up the mourning tent, moved the old man's body to the outer hall, with his head facing east and his feet facing west, covered it with a burial cloth, and placed an ever-burning lamp on his head.
Li and Wen knelt beside him, weeping and burning paper money. Li Bingwen and Li Bingchen's husband and wife also knelt behind him, weeping together. Wang Ying was also supposed to come and weep, but he was too pregnant to kneel properly, so he was sent back to the backyard.
Not long after the news of the death was sent out, people came to pay their respects in an endless stream, including not only relatives but also many literati who came because of his reputation.
Old Master Li was highly respected in Tianyang County, and people of all kinds came to pay their respects; even the county magistrate sent someone to offer condolences.
Li Cheng, disregarding his grief, busied himself entertaining the guests, while Chen Qingyan helped out alongside his two cousins. It wasn't until late at night that the mourners gradually dispersed.
The men were to keep watch, and the women and their husbands were relieved of their duties.
Chen Qingyan helped her mother up, saying, "Please take good care of yourself."
Li's eyes were red and swollen. She nodded weakly. The maids and servants helped her to the backyard, where Wang Ying, Qingyun, and Qingsong were already waiting.
"It's so late, why aren't you home resting yet?"
Wang Ying said, "They were worried about you and insisted on waiting for you to come back."
Li sat wearily in a chair, and Qingsong quickly brought her a bowl of hot soup.
Li didn't have much of an appetite. "I might not be able to take care of you two these next few days. You two take good care of your sister-in-law."
"Um."
"Qingyun, put the jade pendant away carefully. There are many people around, so don't lose it."
Chen Qingyun quickly took out the jade pendant from her bosom and handed it to her mother, saying, "Please keep it; I'm afraid it might break if I drop it."
Li took the jade pendant, and couldn't help but recall her father's words. Tears fell drop by drop onto the jade pendant. After a long while, she finally stopped crying. "It's getting late. You should all go back to sleep. I'm going to rest too."
Wang Ying comforted her mother-in-law for a few moments before returning to her room; she simply couldn't hold on any longer. Perhaps due to her pregnancy, coupled with several days of travel, her back ached terribly, and both her feet were swollen, making walking painful and cumbersome.
Back in the house, he didn't even bother to wash up; he just took off his coat and fell asleep.
In the middle of the night, I vaguely heard the door open, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that Chen Qingyan had returned.
Just as she was about to get up, he pressed her down, saying, "Go to sleep, I'll come back to check on you."
Wang Ying grasped his hand, "Why is it so cold?"
"I just went out with my older cousin to see a guest off."
"Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Mmm." Chen Qingyan tucked the blanket around him. "You must be tired today."
"It's alright, but my lower back is a little sore and my feet hurt a bit."
Chen Qingyan reached under the covers and rubbed his lower back. "You've had a hard time these past few days."
"I'm fine, but please keep a close eye on Mother. I'm worried she might fall ill from excessive grief."
"Yes, I know." Actually, compared to Li Shi, Chen Qingyan and his younger siblings didn't feel much sadness. After all, this was the first time he had met his maternal grandfather, and he was practically a stranger to him.
But her mother was different. She already felt guilty, and now that her maternal grandfather had suddenly passed away, she couldn't accept it for a while.
There were voices outside; it must be someone else coming.
Wang Ying: "What time is it?"
"It's just past 1 AM, so sleep a little longer. I'll have Qingyun bring you some food when it gets light. I'm busy outside during the day, so you can stay in the house with the two of them."
"Um."
Chen Qingyan bent down and kissed his forehead. "I'm going now. Go to sleep."
Wang Ying took a nap, and when she opened her eyes it was almost noon.
After a night's rest, I felt much better. The funeral for Old Master Li would last for seven days, and we wouldn't be able to go back until after the funeral procession. Counting the days, I would have to spend the Lantern Festival on the road.
The next day, the Li family had even more guests. The Li family was a large family, and Old Master Li was the third son in his generation, with two older brothers and one younger brother.
There are more than a dozen uncles and aunts on my direct line, and others who are serving as officials in other places and cannot come back. There are even more cousins below them, and the house is almost overflowing.
The two children stayed inside with Wang Ying; there were too many people outside, so they didn't dare go out.
Qingsong picked up a book to read, while Qingyun listlessly flipped through her handkerchief. "Sister-in-law, I miss home..."
Wang Ying beckoned her to sit down next to her, "Hold on for a few more days. We've just managed to ease tensions with your maternal grandparents' family. We can't leave now."
"I know, I was just muttering a few words." The little girl is very sensible.
I saw Chen Qingyan at lunchtime. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he hadn't slept much for two nights. He didn't even have the strength to speak.
After dinner, his uncle Li Cheng sent him back and told him to go and rest.
It wasn't until the seventh day, the day of the funeral, that Wang Ying, Qingyun, and Qingsong changed their clothes and went out with the crowd.
A large crowd had already gathered in the courtyard, all dressed in mourning clothes. The men were discussing who would carry the coffin, while the women and their husbands were also huddled together, debating how extravagant the funeral would be and how much it would cost.
When Li saw Wang Ying and the child come out, she quickly went over and asked, "Are you cold?"
"It's alright." I'm not cold, just my face is a little chilly.
The weather wasn't good today. A strong wind started blowing early in the morning, and the sparse snowflakes stung my face.
"Don't leave the city later. Just drop us off at the city gate and then go back."
"Why."
The Li family's ancestral graves are located halfway up a mountain outside the city. Wang Ying dared not be reckless, as the graves would have to be carried all the way there.
The time was almost up, and the men shouted as they went to carry the coffin. As the daughter, Li had to help carry the coffin and instructed Qingyun and Qingsong to take good care of Wang Ying.
With the sound of a gong, Li Cheng waved the banner and cried out, "Father, you're gone!"
The eldest grandson, Li Bingwen, smashed the basin, and sixteen men carried the coffin towards the door.
Paper money filled the sky and fell gently along with the snowflakes.
The women’s cries suddenly rose up, like a lament passed down from ancient times.
A note from the author:
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