Chapter 1232: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 1232: Seen Make-Up Weddings, Never Seen Make-Up Funerals

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Changgen's thinking was simple: since she had entered the Wang family's door, she must enter the Wang family's grave.

Li Xiulan's thinking, however, was different:

"You've gone senile. According to the rules, one who hasn't given birth cannot enter the ancestral grave."

Wang Changgen was stunned; it seemed there really was such a rule.

Just now he had clearly been a bit impulsive; he hadn't thought things through thoroughly, only wanting to show off his deep affection and loyalty, which was why he said those words.

"Then what do we do? We can't just let Jianjia wander outside as a lonely ghost, can we?"

Wang Changgen's expression turned heavy, and then he said:

"At worst we'll bring her back and bury her at Zhuyuan Bei in our Shanggou Village; as long as it doesn't border the ancestral grave, it'll be fine!"

Zhuyuan Bei is a Luan Zang Gang in Shanggou Village; an entire half-mountainside, densely packed with grave mounds — who knows how many deceased villagers of Shanggou Village are buried there.

Wang Erhai hurriedly said at this moment:

"Dad, you really don't need to worry about this matter; Third Brother already handled Jianjia's funeral arrangements long ago."

"How did he handle it?" Wang Changgen asked coldly: "With her situation, would the Li family accept her? Probably impossible — after all, a married daughter is like spilled water! She no longer belongs to the Li family!"

Wang Changgen had actually guessed correctly.

The Li family side indeed was unwilling to accept Li Jianjia's remains.

Upon learning of Li Jianjia's passing, the first thing they discussed was how to make Wang Xiaohua take Li Jianjia away; as for where to dump her, they wouldn't care at all.

As for Li Zhongxian, he could enter the ancestral grave, but because he bore the stigma of a corrupt official, he could only be buried in a side position, not the proper position, lest the feng shui be ruined.

They even prepared to quarrel with Wang Xiaohua over this.

Unfortunately, Wang Xiaohua didn't give them the chance at all; Wang Xiaohua directly placed Li Zhongxian and Li Jianjia's ashes in that apartment in the County Central Garden, never intending to let the father and daughter enter the so-called Li Family Ancestral Grave.

The Li family relatives thus punched cotton — their fists hitting nothing — and instead felt somewhat displeased.

Then Li Zhongxian's cousin Li Bofu, and his son Li Shunming, even tried to take advantage of the situation to seize that apartment in the Central Garden.

Unfortunately, Wang Xiaohua directly converted the apartment into a Yin Residence, foiling their plans.

"Dad, Jianjia and her father's ashes are currently placed in that apartment of theirs in the county town; there's no need for the Li family to receive them."

Wang Erhai faithfully relayed this.

Upon hearing this, Wang Changgen's first reaction was also that the house was being wasted:

"Such a good house, used to store ashes — isn't that too wasteful? Besides, that's a Yang Residence; how can it be used as a Yin Residence?"

Wang Changgen had visited that house several times before, and had even drunk a few cups with Li Zhongxian.

It really was a good house — not only spacious, but the layout was excellent too!

Wang Erhai said:

"That was Third Brother's decision; you just stop worrying blindly, okay?"

But Wang Changgen said:

"How is it blind worry? It's exactly what should be worried about! Such a good house — wouldn't it be better to live in? Isn't this just messing around!"

Wang Erhai muttered a sentence:

"A house where someone died — would you dare live in it?"

Wang Changgen was left speechless.

After a long silence, he finally said:

"No matter what, we must hold a funeral for Li Jianjia; after all, she is a woman who married into our Wang family — this is the rule!"

Wang Erhai was puzzled:

"It's been this long already; do we still hold one like this?"

This was indeed a problem.

If the person had just died, holding a funeral would be easy — summon the whole village, find a master of ceremonies, and follow the procedure.

But now the person has been gone this long, already cremated into ashes and placed in that house in the county town — how would we even hold one?

Wang Changgen didn't know what to do either.

This situation was the first time he had encountered in his entire life.

But he was very certain: it absolutely must be held.

Perhaps because he himself was a dying man, he was especially concerned about funeral rites.

He didn't want his own death to be cold and quiet; he wanted to depart amidst lively bustle, so the world would know he had once been here.

Not knowing how to handle it, he would go ask someone who does; there's always someone who knows what to do.

In the neighboring village there's a master of ceremonies named Lao Zan, already 96 years old; in the surrounding ten li and eight villages, many funerals are presided over by him.

So Wang Changgen said:

"Tonight I'll go to Lao Zan's house and ask; he should know how to handle it!"

But Wang Erhai said:

"Dad, why not ask Third Brother first, see what his opinion is — what if he disagrees?"

Wang Changgen said:

"Why ask him? He's just a little brat; what would he understand about such a big thing!"

In the blink of an eye evening arrived; after finishing dinner, Wang Changgen rode his motorcycle and set off for Lao Zan's house in the neighboring village.

Wang Zhanggen explained the situation, and Lao Zan frowned upon hearing it.

"To tell the truth, I've never encountered this kind of situation before. I've seen people hold a supplementary wedding ceremony, but this is the first time in my life I've encountered a supplementary funeral."

Lao Zan didn't know what to do about it either, so he said:

"Why don't you just stop fussing about it? After all, she's just a daughter-in-law, and she hasn't given you a grandson!"

But Wang Zhanggen said:

"No! Once she passed through our Wang Family's door, she became our Wang Family's person. This is the rules! Besides, she promised me she would give me a grandson. It's just that no one expected this kind of accident to happen!"

As he spoke, Wang Zhanggen handed over a red envelope he had prepared in advance:

"Granduncle Azan, please help me think of a way. Where there's a will, there's a way!"

Lao Zan pinched the thickness of the red envelope; there should be several hundred yuan. The expression on his face eased somewhat.

Then he pondered for a long time and spoke:

"If we're going to hold it, it's not impossible. We'll follow the procedure. If there are ashes, we bury the ashes. If there are no ashes, we make a cenotaph. As for the soul-summoning, crossing the bridge, burial and other procedures, we'll just follow the normal process!"

Wang Zhanggen asked:

"Meaning, we set out from home, then go straight to the mountain, and don't need to go to the crematorium, right?"

Lao Zan said:

"Of course. The person was cremated long ago. What would we go to the crematorium for?"

Then he added:

"You go back and check the almanac, pick a good day, then notify the whole village to come lend a hand. The wake, the banquet, and so on — proceed as normal!"

"Fine, fine! I'll go handle it tomorrow!"

Wang Zhanggen returned from Lao Zan's home and told Li Xiulan and Wang Erhai about this matter.

Li Xiulan had no objections to this.

Wang Erhai had objections but couldn't bring himself to say them directly.

This old man is a patient. If he wants to fuss, let him fuss. We just can't let him get angered into worsening condition.

But Wang Erhai still said hesitantly:

"Shouldn't we at least give Third Brother a call about this?"

Wang Zhanggen said:

"Not just give him a call — he has to come back! After all, it's his wife's funeral. Anyone can be absent, but he cannot!"

Wang Erhai didn't know whether to laugh or cry:

"Dad, Third Brother just started school. Making him run all the way back at a time like this isn't very appropriate, is it?"

But Wang Zhanggen said coldly:

"A funeral outweighs heaven! What's wrong with making him run back once? It's just asking for leave! I don't believe he'd be so heartless as to not even attend his own wife's funeral!"