Chapter Ten: Mourning Matters

  I finally couldn't resist the temptation of the sumptuous feast and stepped into the main hall, despite the corpse still lying there. The chef hired from the countryside was indeed skilled, and the braised meat was tender and golden in color, arranged on a platter that whetted my appetite. Originally, these dishes were prepared for the next day's banquet to entertain relatives who came to pay their respects after the old man went up the mountain. However, due to my master's presence, the host family decided to set up a table of wine and food first, to treat this Taoist priest from afar with great hospitality. They only hoped that he would be careful when reciting scriptures at night, so as not to misread them.

  "Didn't I tell you, Master?" The master sat in the first position and gestured for me to sit beside him. After filling my bowl with various dishes with a flick of his chopsticks, he took advantage of the opportunity to whisper in my ear.

  Yesterday, apart from a few pieces of candy and the bun at night, I didn't eat anything else. With delicious food in front of me, who still cares about what the old man is muttering? I picked up my chopsticks, inserted a piece of braised pork belly, opened my mouth and took a bite. Until the fish meat in the bowl was swept clean by me, I let out a satisfied burp and raised my head to look around this house made entirely of earth bricks.

  The house was a single-storey building, with two rooms on either side of the main hall. Passing through the main hall, you would come to the kitchen. The house wasn't big, but it gave people a cool feeling. In order to prevent the interior from being pitch black, the owner had deliberately removed a few tiles from the roof and embedded a piece of glass in them. As a result, even if the doors were closed during the day, sunlight could still pass through the glass and shine into the house, preventing it from becoming too dark.

  "Later, let a young boy go up the mountain to pick a three-foot-long bamboo stick and bring it back. Don't touch the branches and leaves, just bring them back as they are, I have use for them tonight." After drinking three rounds of wine and eating two plates of meat, the master gave instructions to Xiaozhi and the villagers who were accompanying him.

  "Besides, have you borrowed the tables and chairs from home? After dinner, leave a few young people behind to help set up the stage. You several filial sons discuss and see who is more handy, tonight bring your father to cross the Naihe Bridge!" The master held chopsticks, dipped in the oil and water on the plate, drew patterns on the table, and said to the several filial sons beside him with a strong smell of wine.

  In rural areas, when there's a wedding or funeral, people will go to their neighbors' homes to borrow tables, chairs, and benches. Since everyone in the village is related to each other, borrowing something for a happy occasion makes it seem like they're close. It also indirectly informs others that we have good news, so you should send gifts! Moreover, at that time, there were no hotels or restaurants, so who would keep so many tables, chairs, and benches at home? That's why the master asked this question.

  "Isn't it said that only the eldest son or grandson can do this effectively?" The youngest of the filial sons spoke up. The filial sons were dressed in mourning clothes, with grass belts around their waists and holding small flags over three feet tall, moving back and forth on the high table and chairs set up for the occasion. Everyone had seen this before at other people's funerals, it was a miserable sight. Seeing that the master was also preparing to do this, the youngest one's thoughts became active, wanting to push the responsibility onto his older brother, and just help out a bit himself, so as to get through the old man's funeral.

  "This is for you to discuss among yourselves, as long as it's the elderly family member's bloodline, they have the qualification to take over." The master looked at the filial son with a glance and shook his head secretly, saying to the crowd on the table.

  "Then let the eldest go, after all, you are the eldest son. This room's main house is given priority to you. Father has passed away, and you should also fulfill your filial piety." Soon, several brothers reached a consensus. They all pointed their spears at the silent eldest brother. In rural inheritance, only the eldest son or grandson has the qualifications to divide the main house. Therefore, whenever there is something in the family, the brothers will use this as an excuse. Sometimes, being the eldest is not that easy either.

  Of course, from another perspective, these tasks are a representation of status and honor for the elder. However, at this moment, any status or honor is less important than being able to slack off and comfortably send the old man up the mountain. At least that's what this family thinks. In their opinion, holding a memorial service is just a show for the living. When someone dies, it's like a lamp going out; there's no point in exhausting the living for a dead person. Thanks to the blessings of sweeping away cow ghosts and snake spirits, they have lost all sense of reverence.

  "You just take care of the hospitality, and entertain those relatives and fellow villagers who come to mourn. I'll go take care of the matter of Father's funeral procession crossing Naihe Bridge!" The eldest brother threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out, then looked up at his brothers.

  "The old father has passed away, after all, it's only right that I, as the eldest son, send him off to the mountain. He suffered for a lifetime, let me see him off on his final journey." The master of the house thought to himself.

  Also, leave someone to watch the wine and dishes. Getting up to let his own half-grown kid go out to break off a bamboo skewer, the eldest also instructed his brothers again. At that time, these fish and meat dishes were not common things. Except for festivals and weddings, it was impossible to eat such a sumptuous feast. If there was no one watching, the things placed in the outer shed could be taken away by the villagers with big bowls and small basins. Of course, there were also shadows of their own family members. Anyway, the funeral expenses were shared equally among everyone, so taking a little more for themselves would mean occupying a bit more advantage, wouldn't it?

  As for the big brother's order, several younger brothers responded with a mouthful of agreement. They didn't have the heart to sneak home and steal food and wine, nor could they let others take advantage of them cheaply? This money was shared equally among everyone. Several brothers thought so in their hearts. As for who was the king of eggs, who stole from whom, that was a different story.

  The men may think so in their hearts, but it doesn't mean that the women at home will think the same way. As they smell the tempting fishy aroma from their noses, the women's minds become more active.

  "Leaving it there, on such a hot day, would be a waste and the old man would get angry. Why not bring some back for dinner to treat ourselves? Besides, our bodies need nourishment too, and the kids at home are growing up! They quickly came up with these excuses while squatting in the latrine. Why were they squatting in the latrine? Because it's one of the quickest ways to slack off. As soon as they see others starting to work, the lazy ones would scatter to the big and small latrines around the village. One squat is half an hour! By the time they come out, the busiest time has already passed."

  As the saying goes, "it's better to take action than to be moved", the women quickly reached a consensus on stealing fish and meat. Moreover, they rarely coaxed their own men like children, only after coaxing them away did they have the opportunity to take action against the fried fish and braised meat in the basin. After everything had become a fait accompli, at night, they would "reluctantly" agree to some excessive demands from their husbands. After two cups of wine, they wouldn't care whether the fish and meat were stolen or taken back.

  Everything is going on in an orderly manner, whether it's the arrangement of the funeral or the stealing of fish and meat. Everyone is doing their own thing, without disturbing anyone else. Except for the occasional sobbing sounds coming from the women who came to mourn, everything seems so harmonious.

  It's almost time for dinner, and the eight pallbearers have arrived at the host family. The eight pallbearers refer to the people who carry the coffin. Two in front, two in back, and two on each side. Usually, six young and strong men are hired, plus two experienced elderly men. Of course, those two experienced ones can't be old and weak, or they might not even make it to the burial site. What if they die halfway there? Would you then bury them together with the deceased?

  These eight people, of course, need to be served at a separate table. Each person gets three feet of good white cloth and a pair of white glue shoes, the kind that can withstand heavy use! Soap and towels are one set per person, this set alone costs tens of dollars. When eating, one's mouth is short, but when receiving something, one's hand is soft. Only by serving these gentlemen well will they exert themselves when carrying the coffin tomorrow. Only if they are willing to exert themselves will there be no accidents on the way to the funeral. At least, you don't have to worry about the coffin falling to the ground.

  The fish meat from lunch hasn't been digested yet, so I didn't have much appetite to compete with those seven aunts and eight uncles, men and women of all colors, for the greasy food on the table. On the contrary, my master was pulled by several coffin bearers to drink together. In theory, they should belong to the same system, right? After all, they are all serving the dead. At this moment, it's just right to take advantage of the host family's wine and dishes to bond with each other. Who knows, next time there's a death, they might be able to work together again.

  The night color gradually enveloped the small village, except for the shed under the jujube tree and the hall where the corpse was laid out, which were still lit. Other places were basically in the category of not being able to see five fingers when stretching out one's hand. The fish meat not only attracted people but also cats! Especially those wild cats in the mountains and forests. After a rustling sound, in the grass thicket between the trees, several pairs of cat eyes shining with a faint light appeared vaguely. Some stared at the fish meat, while others... stared at the corpse!

  "Don't leave tonight, trouble everyone to help keep watch. Let's play some cards and have a midnight snack of egg noodles." When the banquet was about to disperse, the eldest son, with red eyes, brought his own children out to bow to the eight tables. This is the custom: on the eve of the funeral, it must be the more vigorous men who come to keep watch. What they are watching and why they need to watch, except for some superficial understanding by the elderly in the village, most young people just treat it as an indispensable procedure.

  But the master, he opened the rattan box. With a dazed expression, he began to wipe the inside of a peach wood sword, a copper bell, and that one black scabbard! Faintly, I saw in the box, apart from the peach wood sword, there was also a cold light flashing iron sword lying there! It wasn't until after I inherited these things that I found out it wasn't an iron sword, but a blow-hair-cutting treasure sword!