Hengcun is very large and also lives near the water. From a distance, it can be seen that the large white walls and green tiles are reflected in the lake together with the thick ink stone slabs and light ink green hills.
But don’t underestimate the villages here——
In this place, whether merchants, rich people or dignitaries, most of their families live in the countryside rather than in the city. Therefore, almost every village is populated by people with the same surname. Without mixing in other surnames, a village is like a huge village.
In a small city, it is rare for a family like Lin Jue to live in Shucun despite having a foreign surname.
Hengcun's surname is Wang, which is quite prominent. There are still members of the clan serving as officials in the court. People these days pay great attention to respecting ancestors and filial piety. More than 20 ancestral halls have been built.
There is one main temple, two main branch temples, and there are branch temples below, and some people even have family temples in their homes.
The strange thing that happened this time was a main temple.
After Lin Jue made some inquiries, he arrived at a large courtyard and met Mr. Wang.
This is a spacious hall, with a patio above the head for lighting, a water tank below, and a tortoise. There are a few couplets on the pillars on the wall. The main seat has a vase in the east and a west mirror. The old man is dressed in luxurious clothes and sits on the imperial chair.
Lin Jue looked at Lin Jue below:
"Which family are you a descendant of? You can't afford to pay for being frightened."
"This junior is from Shucun, and his surname is Lin."
"Oh, the one named Lin."
"yes."
"You are quite brave..."
"Always bold."
Lin Jue tried his best to stay calm.
No matter how brave I was, now that I'm here, in a strange place that I don't know much about, and listening to the village elder's strange stories in the pavilion, I can't help but feel a little uneasy.
The anxiety comes from the unknown.
"At your age, studying and earning a Ph.D. is the most important thing. Don't frighten your body just for some money or a moment of bravery." Old Master Wang warned.
"Junior wants to see it."
"Really want to go?"
"I really want to."
"You are quite courageous. It just so happens that you have company today." This fellow countryman spoke in a calm and unhurried tone. He did not seem to be too worried about the problems in his ancestral hall, and it seemed that in his opinion, this was just a matter of fact.
Something strange but not very rare and scary, "Have you had your supper yet?"
"Back to the old man, not yet."
"You are here to help our Wang family. Don't dare to neglect. But what do you want? Tell me now."
"It's best to have a sword."
"Give him a hatchet."
"Thank you, old sir."
"What else do you want?"
"..."
Lin Jue thought for a while and then said: "It's cold at night, so I need another quilt."
"What else do you want?"
"No more."
"Good boy!"
After speaking, the old man of the Wang family waved his hand and ordered both Lin Jue and a servant next to him: "Prepare a bedding for him, have a meal here, and then take him to the ancestral hall."
A scholarly family means being particular about things.
Bamboo stewed with mountain bamboo shoots for dinner.
I haven't had such a good meal in a long time.
During the meal, Lin Jue also saw the other companion mentioned by Mr. Wang. He was a big man with an unshaven beard who smelled of alcohol and was a bit depressed. It seemed that he was also here for the ten thousand reward. This was a good thing for Lin Jue.
I felt a little more stable in my heart.
Most of people's uneasiness comes from isolation.
It's much better to have someone to keep you company.
After the meal, someone took them to the ancestral hall.
Passing through the village, there are smoke and lights.
"Just go forward and go to the end."
It was already getting late at this time, and the servants were obviously hesitant in their steps, as if they didn't dare to get any closer. They just pointed to the front and said to them, holding an oil lamp in the other hand.
Lin Jue looked in the direction he pointed.
Ahead is a straight and narrow alley.
Next to the alley are the firewalls of houses. They are built very high. The walls were originally white. Over time, the rain washed away the black bottom underneath, revealing a mottled ink color. At dusk, whether the sky is dark or not, the walls are high.
In addition, the alley is narrow and not long, but it gives people a very deep feeling.
"..."
Lin Jue took a deep breath.
But after carefully thinking about what I had heard, and thinking about the illness of my uncle at home, I felt that there was really nothing to be afraid of, so I said decisively:
"The butler will send it here."
"Huh? Oh okay..."
The servant handed him the oil lamp in his hand.
"Thank you..."
Lin Jue took the oil lamp and started walking again.
Holding the bedding in the hand holding the oil lamp, and holding the hatchet in the other hand, he walked into the alley and kept going.
He just didn't look back.
Soon we arrived in front of the ancestral hall.
Lin Jue looked up.
The door of the ancestral hall is open, and in the dusk light, it can be seen that it is very empty inside. You can directly see the innermost portrait wall, which seems to be empty.
Lin Jue didn't let himself think too much and stepped in.
Stepping through the high threshold, there is indeed a bit of coolness, but the feeling is similar to that of an ordinary house. It is not as gloomy as imagined. Behind me are the footsteps and voice of another man:
"It's nothing..."
It was obvious that he was comforting himself.
Lin Jue didn't respond. He still walked in and looked up at the ancestral hall.
The ancestral hall in Hengcun is similar to the ancestral hall in Shucun. They both have a three-entry structure: the first entrance is the ritual gate, with a small space for storing things, which is equivalent to two rooms inside, one large and one small, one low and one high.
The first room is a hall with tables and chairs, generally called the Xiangtang, where clan members can discuss affairs, praise outstanding people, and punish bad people. The wall behind blocks the second room, and the first thing Lin Jue saw was the hanging on the wall.
This is a portrait of the ancestor of the Wang family.
He is a middle-aged man with quite a bit of grace.
Then he looked at the couplets hanging on the pillars on both sides:
Be filial to your brother and respect human ethics;
The clan is committed to peace and harmony.
Go around from the side to the back and go up the stairs to the second room, which is slightly smaller than the first room. It contains the tablets of the ancestors of the Wang family and is called the dormitory.
The ancestral hall also has a patio that can let in light and the moon, and it is beautifully decorated with carved beams and painted pillars.
It's just that the tiles above the head are a bit messy.
To be continued...