Chapter 1245

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

A group of people walked in a grand procession up this halfway-up-the-mountain spot called Zhuyuan Bei; wild grass and miscellaneous trees grew thickly here, and earthen burial mounds were scattered in disorder across the slope.

No one knew how the name "Zhuyuan Bei" came about — there wasn't a bamboo garden anywhere nearby.

Perhaps there had been a bamboo garden long ago, but after the washing of time, it had vanished without a trace.

Just like the people of Shangou Village who aged and died, turning into these burial mounds on the mountainside — even their descendants could no longer recall their names, let alone remember what they looked like.

"Li Jianjia, we've arrived at the new house! You just rest peacefully here!"

Lao Zan led the way at the front, calling out loudly.

The coffin was parked beside the rectangular coffin pit that had been hastily dug yesterday.

Lao Zan presided over the funeral rites.

He had the family circle the coffin three times to the left, three times to the right, then scatter yellow paper and throw coins.

Representing the winding paths of the Yellow Springs, the money to bribe Ox-Head and Horse-Face at the Naihe Bridge, and so on.

The ceremony was more or less complete.

It was time to lower the coffin into the ground.

"Lift the coffin!"

Lao Zan gave a shout, and the four coffin bearers lifted the coffin together, moving to place it into the pit.

Lao Zan chanted some farewell words from the side.

But right at this moment, the coffin hadn't even been lowered yet!

"Everyone stop, everyone stop!"

A halting shout suddenly came from the distance.

Everyone looked up toward the sound and saw Vice Town Mayor Zhong Hongtao rushing over with people in tow.

Zhong Hongtao's face was stern:

"Isn't this making a farce? What era is this, and you're still openly practicing earth burial! Who are the deceased's direct family members!"

He had just received a mass-report phone call and immediately brought people rushing over here in a flurry.

Earth burial has been explicitly banned for many years, yet a case like this suddenly pops up — it must be nipped in the bud with thunderbolt speed.

Otherwise, if others follow suit and one or two more start earth burials, it'll be troublesome to handle later.

Especially those buried for ten or eight days — digging them up again for cremation would be an absolutely cruel test that shocks the soul for the staff.

"Mayor Zhong, what's going on?"

Before Wang Xiaohua could step forward, Wang Erhai hurried over first to ask.

He was completely baffled — wasn't this just holding a funeral ceremony?

And what's being buried is a cenotaph, completely in line with national policy regulations — how did it provoke Vice Town Mayor Zhong Hongtao into coming over?

Seeing Wang Erhai, Zhong Hongtao's expression couldn't help but freeze for a moment; his tone lost its earlier bluster — after all, they were acquaintances — but the rules that must exist couldn't be broken, and with so many people watching, he absolutely couldn't choose to indulge and cover it up.

"Wang Erhai, you're here too — that makes it easier. Just received a mass report that you're doing earth burial here. You've served as a temporary village cadre, so you definitely know this is a violation — why are you still participating in this kind of activity?"

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

"Mayor Zhong, who's so bored out of their mind they'd come report us?"

Zhong Hongtao wore a look of righteous awe:

"I can't tell you that — I have to protect the informant's information! You hurry up and have them withdraw, then take the body to the crematorium!"

"Can't withdraw, can't withdraw!"

Wang Changgen jumped out anxiously:

"The ceremony's halfway done — how can you just call it off!"

Zhong Hongtao said coldly:

"Nonsense! Don't you know the law!"

Wang Erhai hurriedly explained:

"Mayor Zhong, this is my third brother's wife's funeral — it's not what you imagine. We're not doing earth burial."

"Your third brother's wife? Isn't your third brother the top scorer? When did he get married?" Zhong Hongtao looked at the short-statured man holding a black-and-white framed photo, his face full of puzzlement.

But looking at him, he did indeed resemble Wang Erhai quite a bit.

"If you're not doing earth burial, would the masses be so bored they'd come report it?"

Zhong Hongtao asked this one sentence.

Generally, mass reports are true eight or nine times out of ten — of course, there are also one or two cases of false accusation.

"Mayor Zhong, why don't you open the coffin and take a look."

Wang Xiaohua, who hadn't spoken until now, calmly put forth this sentence.

He knew that with the current situation, if they didn't open the coffin to check, there was no way to resolve this.

Zhong Hongtao nodded:

"That's exactly what I had in mind!"

Then he waved his hand, sending his subordinates to open the coffin, and even thoughtfully instructed:

"When opening the coffin, don't be so rough — try to keep the coffin intact!"

However, at this moment, Wang Changgen jumped out again:

"The coffin cannot be opened! The burial is about to take place; opening the coffin now would violate the regulations!"

Wang Zhanggen's face was dark, wearing an expression as if he were ready to fight someone to the death.

"You are the ones violating regulations with an earth burial — that is the true violation of regulations!"

Zhong Hongtao said coldly, and also complained:

"Honestly, so educated, yet still doing an earth burial!"

Wang Xiaohua did not explain, only said:

"You go open the coffin and see for yourself."

Wang Zhanggen, however, came over to scold Wang Xiaohua:

"You brat, do you still understand regulations or not? Doing this will startle your wife's soul; when the time comes her soul will scatter and she cannot reincarnate — it will all be trouble you stirred up!"

Wang Dashan held onto Wang Zhanggen:

"Dad, don't be so angry; this matter we can just communicate properly and it'll be fine!"

In Wang Dashan's view, they hadn't done an earth burial, so as long as they explained things clearly, Zhong Hongtao certainly wouldn't make things difficult for them.

Wang Erhai, on the other hand, went over to Zhong Hongtao and said politely:

"Town Mayor Zhong, we really didn't do an earth burial; this is just a cenotaph. On account of my face, don't open the coffin, okay? If you want the deceased's information, we'll provide it to you in a bit. My Third Brother's wife was cremated several months ago; we really have no need to deceive you!"

Zhong Hongtao, however, had become somewhat distrustful of Wang Erhai, mainly because Wang Zhanggen's reaction just now was too extreme, making it seem like a guilty conscience.

So he asked:

"Didn't do an earth burial, then what's your dad reacting so strongly for?"

Then he also said:

"This coffin, I'm afraid, still has to be opened for a look. It's not that I won't give you the Wang Family face, but I brought this many staff members over, and there were also mass phone reports. Regardless of whether you did an earth burial or not, according to proper procedure, the coffin must be opened for a look."

Wang Xiaohua didn't actually care whether the coffin was opened or not.

It was just that his father had been so excited just now, his reaction so intense, that it still exceeded his expectations.

But he also knew that today this coffin, I'm afraid, really couldn't not be opened.

So he said to Wang Dashan:

"Big Brother, you take Dad home first; I'll handle things here." To reassure Wang Zhanggen into leaving, he even told a lie, "Rest assured, I won't let them open the coffin."

However, Wang Zhanggen said coldly:

"I'm not leaving. My youngest daughter-in-law's funeral — what principle would there be for me to leave halfway! If I left halfway, wouldn't that violate regulations!"

Regulations, regulations, always regulations!

Wang Zhanggen is just this stubborn; no one can change his mind!

This is troublesome now!