OBS Chapter 1229 Funeral and Wedding
Chapter 1229 Funeral and Wedding
Ever since Qin Hao became famous in Xi'an, the teachers and students of the primary school affiliated to the Normal School no longer had contempt in their eyes when they looked at this country boy. Even Lu Zhaopeng was no longer made fun of for his "country boy" background. Even Zhao Deliang and others who had quarreled with him before, shook hands and made peace.
"Brother Hao, Zhao Deliang said he can take us to the Forest of Steles this Sunday. Do you want to go with us?" One day after school, Lu Zhaopeng excitedly ran to Qin Hao's desk and asked.
Qin Hao paused as he was tidying up his books. He looked up at Zhao Deliang, who was standing at the door of the classroom with a nervous expression, and shook his head gently: "You guys go ahead. The manuscript that Qin Feng Daily asked me to submit has not been completed yet. I need to finish it over the weekend."
A trace of disappointment flashed across Lu Zhaopeng's face, but he quickly cheered up: "Then I will definitely do it next time! Zhao Deliang said that his father knows the manager of the Forest of Steles and can take us to see some precious inscriptions that ordinary tourists can't see!"
Qin Hao smiled without comment and watched Lu Zhaopeng run happily towards his new friends.
During the Spring Festival of 1912, light snow was falling on Bailuyuan.
As soon as Qin Hao stepped into the gate of the Bai family, he heard Xiancao's heart-wrenching screams coming from the wing room. Bai Jiaxuan paced back and forth in the yard, his face paler than the snow on the ground.
"Da, is Auntie going to give birth?"
Bai Jiaxuan then noticed that his son had returned and forced a smile: "Hao'er is back. You must be hungry. Ask your grandma to cook some noodles for you."
Bai Zhao was about to go to the kitchen, but was stopped by Qin Hao: "Grandma, I'm not hungry. How is Auntie?"
"Alas, the midwife said that the baby's position is a little abnormal. It's been almost two hours, and it's not out yet..."
Before he finished speaking, a loud cry of a baby suddenly came from the side room. Bai Jiaxuan's legs went weak and he almost fell to the ground. The midwife pushed the door open with a happy face and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Bai, it's a boy! Both mother and child are safe!"
Bai Zhao clasped her hands together and said happily, "May God bless us, and my Bai family will have another child."
Qin Hao took a quick look and suddenly found that Bai Bingde was nowhere to be seen.
Bai Zhao stammered, "Your father has been ill since the beginning of winter. He said it's not easy for you to be alone outside, so he didn't want to disturb you..."
Upon hearing this, Qin Hao hurried into the inner room and found Bai Bingde lying on the bed, looking much older than last year.
"Hao'er, is Hao'er back?" Bai Bingde tried hard to sit up, but only half of his body was raised. He was about to fall down, and Qin Hao rushed over to support his body.
"Master, it's me. I'm back."
Qin Hao looked at the old man who was almost at the end of his life. As the patriarch of Bailu Village and the head of the Bai family, he had fulfilled his duties. As a junior, Qin Hao also received a lot of his protection.
"Baby, how is your aunt?"
"It's a boy, sir."
"Good, a boy is good, our Bai family has a new addition."
At this moment, Bai Jiaxuan rushed in holding a swaddled baby and knelt down beside the bed.
"It's a boy, it's a boy."
Bai Bingde's wrinkled face bloomed with a relieved smile: "Good, good! My Bai family has a successor. In the afterlife, I can also face my ancestors."
The old man stroked the newborn's forehead gently with trembling hands: "Let's name him Xiaowen. I hope he will be well-educated and filial to his parents in the future."
On New Year's Eve, Bai Bingde suddenly had a high fever and kept muttering the ancestral teachings incoherently.
Mr. Leng was invited in overnight. After taking the pulse, he just shook his head and whispered to Bai Jiaxuan: "The old man is running out of energy. Prepare for his funeral."
On the morning of the third day of the Lunar New Year, Bai Bingde passed away peacefully in his sleep.
On the day of the funeral, Qin Hao, as the eldest grandson, walked at the front of the funeral procession holding Bai Bingde's tablet.
The cold wind was howling, paper money was flying everywhere, he stood straight, and walked towards the ancestral tomb step by step. The villagers of Bailuyuan followed him spontaneously, and the team stretched for half a mile.
Even Lu Taiheng, who had been fighting with Bai Bingde for half his life, watched him being buried from afar.
"Da, now that the position of the chief of Bailu Village is vacant, it should be our turn, right?"
Lu Taiheng glanced at his son and said, "Bai Bingde is gone, but the prestige of the Bai family is still there. If you want to become the patriarch, you have to work hard."
"Humph, I just don't believe that I can't be the clan leader!"
As soon as Bai Bingde's coffin was buried, Lu Zilin couldn't wait to start moving.
He wore his blue cloth gown and visited every household. Every time he arrived at a household, he would sigh and say, "After Mr. Bai left, our village can't be without a backbone!"
When leaving, they would either "accidentally" drop a few copper coins, or "happen" to bring an extra bag of flour.
Bai Jiaxuan sat on the millstone in a daze all day. Xiancao held Xiaowen, who had just turned one month old, and said to Qin Hao worriedly: "You can't go on like this. You should persuade him."
Qin Hao nodded: "Aunt, it's cold outside. You just came out of confinement. Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Thank you for your hard work. You have to worry about all the big and small things at home these days, and I can't help much..." Xiancao said with sincere gratitude. After the old man passed away, Bai Jiaxuan seemed to have lost his soul. Bai Zhao was also sick and bedridden, and Xiancao was in confinement after giving birth, so the responsibility of arranging the funeral fell on Qin Hao.
"Aunt, we are family and we should keep our differences. If you continue like this, you will treat me as an outsider."
Upon hearing this, Xiancao could only sigh inwardly: A child without a mother has to grow up early.
Qin Hao walked up to Bai Jiaxuan and said, "Da, I guess I haven't left yet. If I see you like this, I'll definitely be disappointed."
Bai Jiaxuan subconsciously raised his head, and his bloodshot eyes looked around blankly, but he only saw a vast expanse of white. The person who had always protected him from the wind and rain had left him forever.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel sad and burst into tears while hugging Qin Hao.
"I...from now on, I won't be able to do it."
When Bai Jiaxuan cried until his eyes were dry, Qin Hao said softly, "Da, my grandfather is gone. You are now the backbone of the Bai family. Your aunt just gave birth to a baby, and your brother is still so young. Everyone depends on you."
Bai Jiaxuan finally regained some of his spirit: "Yes, I can't fall... I can't fall..."
Seeing that Bai Jiaxuan finally had fighting spirit, Qin Hao whispered, "Da, during the days when Grandpa was holding the funeral, Zilinda was secretly active, probably aiming for the position of clan leader."
Bai Jiaxuan smiled bitterly: "Whoever wants to be the clan leader can be the clan leader. I have finally figured it out. Apart from being a burden, what good can one expect from being the clan leader?"
"But if he becomes the patriarch."
Qin Hao lowered his voice and said, "Within three years, the poor families in the village will have to sell their children. Have you forgotten the look on his face when he helped the government collect grain two years ago?"
Bai Jiaxuan's eyebrows jumped: "Forget it, it will rain if it wants to, and my mother will get married. As long as he doesn't come to mess with our Bai family, let him be."
Qin Hao stopped trying to dissuade them after hearing this. Moreover, it was Lu Zilin's many evil deeds that showed the benevolence of the Bai family. Otherwise, given his father's hatred of evil, if he directly became the patriarch, he would probably offend many people.
On the day of the election, the open space in front of the ancestral hall was crowded with people. Lu Zilin specially changed into a new satin jacket and slicked his hair. He stood on the steps, constantly bowing to the villagers passing by, like a peacock spreading its feathers.
Tian Fuxian, as the chief township councilor, presided over the election and just announced the start of the election.
Shitou jumped out and shouted, "I choose Bai Jiaxuan! Mr. Bai just left. Who else is qualified to be the clan leader except Jiaxuan?"
"Yes! Choose Jiaxuan!"
"The Bai family has been the patriarch for three generations and has never treated us unfairly!"
The noises got louder and louder, and Lu Zilin's face became uglier and uglier. He secretly winked at a few villagers he had arranged in advance, but they either lowered their heads and pretended not to see it, or stammered, "How about Jiaxuan?"
Amid the noise, Bai Jiaxuan slowly stood up. He was wearing plain white mourning clothes, his face was haggard but his eyes were clear: "My dear uncles and brothers, Jiaxuan thanks you all for your kindness. But I just left, and I really don't want to take on this important task."
He paused and looked at Lu Zilin, who was looking forward to it: "Zilin has been running around for the village for many years, why don't you..."
Before he finished speaking, Lu Taiheng suddenly stood up with his cane: "Wait a minute!" The old man looked around at everyone and said in a loud voice, "We, the Lu family, withdraw from the election for the clan leader!"
The ancestral hall fell silent for a moment. Lu Zilin froze in place as if struck by lightning, his face turning from red to white, and then from white to blue. He turned to his father suddenly, his eyes almost spitting fire: "Da! You..."
Lu Taiheng didn't even look at him and continued, "The third generation of the Bai family is a highly respected patriarch. Now that Brother Bingde has just left, if our Lu family takes this opportunity to fight for the position, are we still human beings?"
As he spoke, tears streamed down his face. "I, Lu Taiheng, am making this clear today. As long as I live, the Lu family will never have anything to do with this clan leader!"
The villagers looked at each other in bewilderment, and some whispered, "What is Mr. Lu saying?"
Bai Jiaxuan didn't want to be the patriarch, Lu Zilin wanted to be the patriarch but Lu Taiheng wouldn't let him. The two most prestigious families in Bailu Village didn't want to be the patriarch, and the rest didn't have the prestige. So the farce of electing a patriarch ended in nothing.
After returning home, Lu Zilin smashed the tea bowl to pieces: "Da! Are you getting old and confused? I ran so many errands for this matter and spent so much money? You want me to quit with just one word?"
Lu Taiheng banged his pipe on the table loudly: "You know shit! Bai Bingde just died, his body is still warm, and you are eager to grab a seat. The villagers are talking behind your back!"
"I don't care if they poke me or not!" Lu Zilin said with a red face, "Now that I have the position of clan leader, let's see who dares to say something!"
Lu Taiheng sneered: "Do you think the clan leader is the county magistrate? That requires the sincere support of the clan members! Don't you know what you have done over the years?"
Lu Zilin was so angry that he slammed the door and walked out: "Anyway, you just look down on me. No matter what I do, it's wrong..."
"Rebellious son...Alas, what sin did I, Lu Taiheng, commit in my previous life to give birth to such a thing!" Lu Taiheng was so angry that his heart ached.
After Lu Zilin slammed the door and walked out, he was hit head-on by a biting snowstorm, and his long blue cloth gown was covered with snowflakes in an instant.
He was just holding back his anger and was walking towards the village entrance, stepping through the snow. Suddenly, he heard someone shouting, "Brother Zilin! Where are you going in such a cold weather?"
Tian Fuxian, wrapped in a sheepskin coat, poked his head out of the carriage. Seeing his frosted eyebrows and livid face, he immediately understood: "Did you have a quarrel with the old man? Come on, come on, I'll buy you a couple of cups of wine to warm you up!"
Half a quarter of an hour later, the charcoal fire in the support station crackled.
Lu Zilin drank three cups of Shaodaozi in a row and knocked the cup heavily: "Bai Jiaxuan pretends to be noble and refuses to take the position, but I want to be a saint! He doesn't want to take the position himself, and he doesn't allow me to take the position. Is this position of clan leader too hot to handle?"
Tian Fuxian was slowly eating the mutton slices, and suddenly he sneered: "If you ask me, you might as well get a job as a village head instead of targeting a sesame-sized clan leader."
"Village covenant?" Lu Zilin looked up drunkenly, "The one in charge of collecting grain and taxes?"
Tian Fuxian dipped the tip of his chopsticks in chili oil and drew a circle on the table: "The clan leader is in charge of 300 households in Bailu Village at most, but he doesn't even have an official position." He drew another big circle, "The township head is a job that is officially registered in the government. Let's put it this way, one township head is in charge of ten clan leaders."
Lu Zilin immediately became excited when he heard this: "How can the village head be in charge of the clan leader? If I become the village head, can I be in charge of Bai Jiaxuan?"
"That's for sure."
Lu Zilin smacked his lips and said, "Mr. Tian, you are not so kind as to help me find a job for free, are you?"
Tian Fuxian smiled awkwardly and rubbed his hands: "It will cost some money to take care of everything, right?"
"How much does it cost?"
"At least one hundred taels."
Lu Zilin stood up at once: "How much? One hundred taels, I'm not worth that much even if you sell me. Are you crazy about money?"
Tian Fuxian quickly held him back and said in a low voice, "Brother Zilin, you can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a lamb. Don't underestimate this village agreement. To tell you the truth, if you become an official, you can earn back the money in a year or two at most."
"How do you earn it?"
"Look, who's above me? The county magistrate, of course, now he's called the county governor. Every year, there has to be someone to collect the various taxes in the county, right? Can the county governor collect taxes by stepping on the muddy ground?"
Lu Zilin shook his head blankly.
"Right, this tax won't go into the county magistrate's hands for no reason. Isn't it that we, the village officials, have to collect it from the villages and then hand it over to him? What are we working so hard for? There should be some hard work fee, right?"
After hearing what Tian Fuxian said, Lu Zilin immediately understood: "So it means to levy heavy taxes?"
"But how much money can those poor people get?"
Tian Fuxian stroked his mustache proudly and said, "Brother Zilin, you don't understand. Although the poor are poor, they are more numerous than us. If everyone takes out a little from their mouths, it will be enough for us to spend."
Lu Zilin was tempted, but in the spirit of doing business, he still cut the price: "Fifty taels, not a cent more."
Tian Fuxian's eyes flashed with cunning, but he said: "Brother Zilin, this is not a business, how can you bargain like this..."
"Just fifty taels, forget it if it doesn't work!"
Seeing Lu Zilin's resolute tone, Tian Fuxian had no choice but to pretend that he had suffered a great loss: "Forget it, forget it. We are good brothers. Fifty taels is fifty taels."
"But we have a deal. If you can't do it, you have to return every cent to me."
"Don't worry, there is nothing I can't do!" (End of this chapter)