Chapter 745 - 384: Frightened in the Mourning Hall

Chapter 745: Chapter 384: Frightened in the Mourning Hall

As the saying goes, "Even an honest official can’t settle family disputes." Although they were arguing until they were red in the face, from what Juhua could hear, it was all over unseemly matters—things that could have been resolved if they just sat down and talked calmly. It was nothing more than arguments about the old matriarch’s passing, unfair arrangements for the funeral and the Silver Coin, which led to talk of dividing the family estate.

Juhua watched with cold detachment as several people fanned the flames from the sidelines. Judging by their tone, they were from the other branches of the family, which only made the commotion worse. She couldn’t help but frown. Back when her great-aunt had visited her home to arrange a marriage for Qingmu, she could tell from what was said and what was left unsaid that the Yu family had several branches, and none of them were easy to deal with.

It seemed that as soon as her great-aunt was gone, these people couldn’t wait to jump out and cause trouble. ’Large families are just so complicated.’

The second son of the Yu Family, his eyes red, shouted at the eldest, "Then let’s divide the family estate! We’ll do it right here, in Mother’s mourning hall! While she still hasn’t been buried, let her bear witness!"

"Second Cousin, is that something a human should say? How could you even utter such words? Are you deliberately trying to torment my aunt, even now?" When Juhua heard it was her father, Zheng Changhe’s, voice, she sighed. ’Is this really something an outsider should meddle in?’ she thought.

Sure enough, another round of clamorous arguing erupted. Someone even commented sarcastically that the Zheng Family was now meddling in the Yu Family’s affairs.

Juhua grew impatient as she listened. These cousin-uncles from the Yu Family were far too easily swayed. Every time Zheng Changhe managed to persuade them into silence, some unsavory character would chime in with a remark, and they would fly into a rage all over again. ’How pathetic!’

Seeing that it was already getting dark and remembering she hadn’t eaten well at noon, her stomach started to feel uncomfortable. She and Pu Pao squeezed their way out from behind the wall of people, wanting to get some fresh air.

After a walk outside, they returned to the entrance of the main house. Pu Pao, seeing her looking worriedly toward the west room, whispered, "Young Madam, the banquet is starting over there. I’ll go to the kitchen and see if Madam He is there. I’ll ask her to join us, and then we can eat and go rest."

She remembered He’s instructions to be sharp and take good care of the Young Madam. Seeing the endless squabbling, she wanted Juhua to eat, go to sleep, and not get involved in other people’s business. ’Besides,’ she thought, ’the Young Madam’s parents are here. What’s there for her to worry about?’

Juhua replied absently, "I’ll wait for you here. Go take a look and come right back."

As Pu Pao’s small figure ran toward the temporary awning on the east side, Juhua began to wander aimlessly into the house. She didn’t enter the west room, but instead ambled toward the mourning hall at the back.

The mourning hall was empty. It was hard to say if everyone had gone to argue or to eat. Then she noticed someone kneeling on the left. Draped in white mourning clothes from behind, their face was hidden. Perhaps from utter exhaustion, he had slumped over one end of the long bench supporting the coffin and fallen asleep.

The coffin was placed lengthwise at the front of the hall. On the long altar table above it, two oil lamps cast a dim, yellow glow, making the dark red coffin appear almost black in the gloom. In the brazier before it, the paper money had burned to ash, though a few sticks of incense in a nearby burner still glowed faintly. In front of the brazier lay a row of five straw mats for worship, worn smooth and flat from use.

To the right of the coffin, a white curtain hung, partitioning off the space behind it. That area was originally for the female relatives to perform their ritual wailing.

Juhua stared blankly around the mourning hall. ’I remember Great-Aunt’s stern face,’ she thought. ’She’s dead now, not even buried, and her children and grandchildren are squabbling endlessly next door. It seems none of those cousin-uncles are capable of taking charge. It’s just like the saying goes: they aren’t the kind who can support a household. With descendants like these, once the pillar of the family is gone, the household will fall apart, maybe even beyond recovery.’

Just as she was thinking this, a sudden, sinister gust of wind swept through, causing the two oil lamps to flicker wildly. The white curtain on the right billowed violently. Juhua was so frightened the hairs on her arms stood on end. She glanced at the kneeling person, but he remained completely still and silent. Meanwhile, she was rooted to the spot, unable to move even half a step.

She then realized she had somehow walked right up to the coffin and was standing beside the straw mats. Facing the enormous, dark coffin, a wave of panic washed over her. Her knees buckled, and she fell onto a mat with a THUD. She began to mumble, "Great-Aunt, the cousin-uncles are so disappointing. They lose their composure at the slightest provocation. My father tried to reason with them, but it was useless."

As soon as she said this, she felt the sinister wind intensify. It blew an oil lamp right off the altar table, and it hit the floor with a CLANG. The flame was instantly extinguished. The strangest part was that the person sleeping nearby didn’t stir at all, and no one from outside came in to check on the noise.