In 1868, Gu Fuchang was very old. He couldn't bear the chill and had been bedridden for many days. During the day, he heard that 100,000 tons of rice had arrived in Nanxun. He cheered up and insisted on getting up and going to the street to take a look. That night, Gu Fuchang's physical condition gradually declined.
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Although it was warm in Gu's house, there was no charcoal fire in Gu Fuchang's room. He was so weak at this moment that a little charcoal fire would make him breathless. He was covered with a thick silk quilt, and there were several things stuffed in the quilt.
Tang Pozi, but he still felt cold.
Doctor Ding checked Gu Fuchang's hand pulse and shook his head slightly. He came out and said to Shousong: It seems that your master can escape tonight, but not tomorrow.
After dinner, Shousong came to visit his father in his room as usual, and Shousong's wife followed behind, holding the bird's nest porridge she had cooked by herself.
Gu Fuchang reluctantly drank a few mouthfuls of bird's nest porridge, and said to Shousong's wife: "Don't cook it anymore. I can't eat it, so don't waste it."
Shousong's wife said: Dad, if you can take a bite, it is not considered a waste. Even if it is a waste, our family cannot afford to waste it.
Gu Fuchang weakly waved his hand and asked Shousong's wife to go out first. He had something to say to Shousong alone.
Shousong sat sideways on the bed, letting his father lean against him.
Gu Fuchang said: Shousong, I'm afraid I won't be able to survive tonight.
Shousong comforted him and said: This is an old problem you have. It happens every winter. Can't you get over it? Just wait until spring. It will be fine. The top doctor also said just now that the old problem is not a big problem.
Gu Fuchang said weakly: I know my own health well, and I really can't survive it this time. While I can still speak, I have to tell you some things in advance."
Shousong said: "Speak slowly, I'm listening."
Gu Fuchang said: In life, being a human being is the most important thing. As businessmen, trustworthiness is the most important thing, and trustworthiness is beneficial. You must learn from Brother Guanjing about this. He does not put interests first when doing things.
This is called thinking about yourself in the first half of the night, and thinking about others in the second half of the night. Sooner or later, you will get retribution for making dirty money.
Shousong said: Yes. Don't worry, we all know.
Gu Fuchang added: "It's not easy for your mother-in-law. She suffered with me in her early years. After I leave, you must honor her well and not disobey her."
Shousong: Well, don’t worry
Gu Fuchang continued: I have asked the patriarch to allocate the Gu family's property a long time ago. I divided it into four shares. You are the eldest son, you get two, Shouzang and Shoupeng each get one. You are the eldest son, and the eldest son is the eldest.
We must have a grand appearance, we must be united among brothers, and we must be harmonious among neighbors. Harmony brings wealth.
Shousong said, "Yes, I will keep my father's teachings in mind for my son."
Gu Fuchang was already exhausted.
Shousong said: Dad, please stop talking now and have a good rest.
Gu Fuchang said intermittently: I, I am leaving. The funeral cannot be a big one. It is better to take the money to buy more rice for disaster relief. Close relatives and friends, please come and burn incense in front of my soul.
But after saying that, he slowly closed his eyes.
Shousong saw this and shouted loudly: Hurry! Someone is coming quickly.
All the men, women, and children of the Gu family crowded into the room, shouting and screaming. Mrs. Gu Fuchang, Mrs. Zhu, cried her heart out.
Neighbor Uncle Zhang often helps people change clothes after a family member dies. After dinner, he and some neighbors come to stay overnight. At this time, he also came in and said: Don't panic, otherwise we will be in chaos.
First, bring him hot water to wash his face and body, and then change his clothes.
All arrangements are in place.
The entire Gu family mourned, and Shousong honored his father's orders and put a white paper saying "Thank you" on the door. However, there was still an endless stream of people coming to express condolences, so Shousong had to guard the door himself, repeating Gu Fuchang's will one by one to everyone who came, and resolutely
No memorial ceremony was held, no funeral banquet was held, only three pillars of incense and a handful of paper money were burned in front of Gu Fuchang's body.
When he learned that Eunuch Gu had passed away, Liu Yong was as sad as if his father had passed away. He took three sticks of incense, knelt in front of Gu Fuchang's coffin, and cried bitterly: Eunuch Gu, you are my role model in life. You taught me how to be a human being.
When you were seriously ill, you were still working hard for the suffering people. When the people had rice, you smiled and felt relieved, but you left.
Liu Yong's words made everyone present cry bitterly.
On the day of Gu Fuchang's funeral, the funeral boat was walking in the water. There were huge crowds of people on both sides of Nandong Street and Nanxi Street, all dressed in plain clothes and white flowers, mourning Eunuch Gu Liu. In addition to silk industry colleagues, silkworm farmers, local people, and even many refugees knelt on the ground.
, cried bitterly and said: My benefactor, have a good journey!
That scene was very rare.
Everyone in the town praised Eunuch Gu Liu for his kindness, doing good deeds throughout his life and benefiting countless neighbors.
Gu Shousong, who was holding the coffin, was deeply moved when he saw such a scene. This was the last lesson his father taught him about being a human being. Although his father ordered that the funeral ceremony be exempted, such a grand scene could not be achieved with money.
On this day, Liu Yong specially brought An Lan and An Jiang to see him off early in the morning. They knelt there at first, and after the coffin was lifted, they followed the farewell procession. Looking at the crowds of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait who were crying goodbye,
Liu Yong asked An Lan with emotion, An Jiang said: What do you two brothers think when you see this scene?
An Lan said: "Wei'er knows what my father's intention is."
Liu Yong said: "What's the purpose? Come and listen."
An Lan said: In this kind of scene, many people are not just watching the fun, but commemorating Taigong Gu from the bottom of their hearts. It reflects the value of Gu Taigong's life.
An Lan added: Some people are dead, but they are still alive. Some people are alive, but they are dead.
An Jiang, who is only 7 years old, said more vividly: Since ancient times, there has been one death in life, and death must be worthy of death. When people die, they must die under people's feet, not in the hands of people. Although Gu Taigong
He is dead, but he will always live in people's hearts. People will always love him.
Liu Yong nodded with satisfaction. He said with emotion: Yes. Today I have taught you a lesson that is not in the books. In life, you don’t want to be famous forever, but you don’t want to be infamy for thousands of years. Today, most of the people who came to attend the funeral of Eunuch Gu are the same as
He has never been acquainted with him, and not everyone has received his kindness, but people have him in their hearts because he is a good person. People have a steelyard in their hearts, and they can clearly distinguish what is right and what is wrong.
The funeral procession passed by Sihangdai, and all the silk industry colleagues waited at the gate of Silkhangdai. When the funeral procession passed by, Liu Yong and other self-organized funeral processions followed behind and took them all the way to the cemetery.
After returning from the cemetery, Liu Yong took An Lan and An Jiang back to the Gu Mansion, kowtowed three times in front of Gu Fuchang's mourning hall, and then went home.
On the way, Liu Yong said to his two sons again: Taigong Gu is my teacher in life. I give away thousands of gold to others every year, not to seek blessings, but to cure my illness. The way of heaven and earth is that if the accumulation is strong, it will be discharged.
I don't wait for it to ejaculate and I ejaculate myself first, so I will punish you. If your skin is swollen, you will know the disease yourself and take the medicine early.
After returning home, An Lan washed his face and went directly to his study. He took out his notebook, picked up a pen, and wrote his thoughts on "The Philosophy of Life". This chapter has been completed!