Chapter 4 A distinguished guest arrives at Pengmentu,
After reciting the last sentence of "Ksitigarbha Sutra", the Taoist Chi slowly opened his eyes.
Before he got up, he noticed something strange behind him. As the chanting stopped, the silence in the mourning shed was immediately broken, and various greetings came out.
"It's the old man..."
"I've seen the old man..."
"Little old lady An..."
"That's the eldest man in the twelfth room..."
Many muttering sounds were mixed together, and even if everyone kept their voices down, it still seemed a bit chaotic.
Dao Chi did not return to the west hall immediately, but turned around to face everyone.
The Wang family has been reproducing in Anlu for more than a hundred years, and has many descendants, many of whom have a long life and a high seniority. They can be called "Old Master" by many village heads and stewards, but there is only one person who does not add the head of the house and the ranking, and that is
The head of the Wang family - Mrs. Wang Qianwang.
"I've met Mr. Wang, the donor..." Dao Chi said a Namaste to Mr. Wang.
"It's the Taoist little master, but the master asked you to come here?" Old Mrs. Wang asked with a warm expression and a hint of love.
You must know that the Wang family is the first family among the gentry in Anlu. Thirty percent of the land in Anlu Prefecture is under the name of the Wang family. There are hundreds of descendants of the Wang family. Mrs. Wang, the patriarch, is also the head of the Wang family.
Such gentleness and kindness towards a young monk really made the onlookers' eyes fall.
However, the village heads and managers who have been stationed at the foot of Xishan Mountain for a long time have probably heard about the good reputation of Xishan Temple and are surprised. However, they also feel that the rumors are true.
The most surprised person was the middle-aged man who came with Mr. Wang.
I went back to my hometown today to pay my respects to the clan leader, my uncle. I got an order out of nowhere and came to offer sacrifices to the old servants of the Wang family who had been released.
His uncle even specially ordered him to go home and change into plain clothes.
Although there are currently about ten people from the Wang family who are serving as officials, they can participate in politics from the third level at a young age. Middle-aged people can be considered to be at the forefront of the clan's achievements.
He had never met or heard of this old servant, so why did the patriarch ask him to follow him?
Servants are loyal to their masters and are praised by their masters, but they are not worthy of such solemnity.
The middle-aged people only find it strange and puzzled.
The Taoist idiot had already responded: "It was Master who asked me to come over and chant sutras."
Mrs. Wang nodded and said to Wang Fuping: "I want to put a stick of incense on my brother."
When Wang Fuping heard this, he couldn't help being shocked and hurriedly said: "Old Master, how did this happen?"
Even though the Wang family has long been a good citizen, they are still old servants of the Wang family, and even their surnames were given by the Wang family. In this world, as long as slaves worship their masters, how can there be any reason for masters to worship slaves?
The distinguished guests had arrived, and the knowledgeable neighbors had already quietly left. The village head and stewards who were left behind looked at each other in confusion.
The head of a dignified clan not only attended the hanging ceremony in person, but also called him "brother" and offered incense himself. What is the background of this Mr. Wang?
Didn’t he say he was just an old servant of the Wang family?
Because it has been so long, everyone is just following what others say, and no one really knows what kind of errands Father Wang did in the Wang family in his early years.
Although Mrs. Wang had a gentle face, after all, he had lived in the world for a long time and had his own dignity. With only one look, Wang Fuping stopped his words to dissuade him and honestly lit three sticks of incense and offered them to him with both hands.
Mrs. Wang took it, took two steps forward, and stood still in front of the coffin.
Wang Fuping and his brothers and nephews all knelt down in the place of filial son and filial grandson.
Mrs. Wang faced the coffin, her lips moved slightly, and then she bowed solemnly to salute.
When Wang Fuping saw this, he and his brothers hurriedly brought their children and grandchildren to kowtow in return.
After finishing offering the incense, Mr. Wang turned around and said to the middle-aged man: "Qinghong, Mr. Wang has an old relationship with your father and deserves your respect."
The middle-aged man named Qinghong was none other than Mrs. Wang's cousin, Wang Qinghong, the head of the twelfth room of the Wang family. The surprise on his face could no longer be concealed, and a turmoil arose in his heart.
"Ji Shou" is the heaviest kneeling salute among the nine salutes, and is used to show high respect to the other party. Traditionally, this salute is usually performed when ministers are facing the emperor, or when the son is facing his father.
Although he was full of confusion, looking at Mrs. Wang's respect for the deceased clearly showed that the deceased was extraordinary.
Wang Qinghong already believed what his cousin said. He also understood why his cousin brought him here specifically to offer sacrifices.
Thinking of this, the surprise and confusion in his eyes receded like running water, leaving only respect and shame.
Since the other party was kind to me, I should repay him as soon as possible. His father did not mention this matter during his lifetime. Not only did he not know about it, he even didn't know that there was a person named Wang.
He stepped forward in response. Wang Fuping's hand passing the incense was trembling and very unsteady.
Wang Qinghong nodded in greeting, and did not take the incense directly. Instead, he knelt on his knees, covered his right hand with his left hand, cupped his hands on the ground, and said respectfully to the coffin: "Old man, my nephew Qinghong is here to greet you." As he said that, he slowly nodded his head.
As for the land, a big ceremony was made.
There was only the sound of breathing in the crowd.
The Taoist idiot stood aside. Seeing Mrs. Wang's arrangement, he couldn't help but look more highly at the old patriarch of the Wang family.
Confucian ethics and education attach great importance to status and hierarchy.
Mrs. Wang values kindness and kindness, regardless of the difference between superiority and inferiority, and treats Mr. Wang so kindly. This kind of heart is worthy of admiration.
As for Wang Qinghong, who obeyed orders and performed the rituals honestly, he seemed to have a gentle face, but the majesty unnaturally exuded from his body was even heavier than that of Mrs. Wang, which showed that he was a person with authority.
But he carried out the seemingly "outrageous" instructions of his elders without hesitation; and because he knew that the deceased was kind to his father, he showed no trace of hypocrisy in his gratitude and guilt.
Regardless of his temperament, at least Wang Qinghong achieved the principle of "pure filial piety".
Seeing Wang Qinghong like this, Mrs. Wang nodded slightly, seeming to feel relieved.
Brothers Wang Fuping and Wang Fu'an were frightened to the point of losing their minds. The eldest son of the twelfth room of the Wang family, even though the two brothers met for the first time today, they had already known his name.
Wang Qinghong passed the Boy's Examination at the age of thirteen, passed the examination at the age of seventeen, was named on the gold medal list at the age of eighteen, passed the Jinshi Examination, and ranked among the top three flowers.
If Ding You had not been delayed for several years because of Ding You's return to his hometown to maintain the system, he might have become a high-ranking member of the party. Even so, his achievements are remarkable. At the age of forty, he had already joined politics from the third rank.
Among the members of the Wang family who served as officials, his rank was second only to the second master of the clan who served as Minister of Justice in Beijing.
Every time the Wang family members mentioned the great master of the Twelfth House, they expressed all kinds of envy and reverence.
Even the people with foreign surnames in Anlu Prefecture know that there was once a young man from the Wang family who married a young lady from an official family in the capital. He became a high official in the outside world and his future was limitless.
When such a legendary figure performed the ceremony of bowing his head in front of Father Wang's coffin, the Wang brothers were not surprised, but frightened.
Mrs. Wang seemed to have noticed the restraint of brother Wang Fuping and did not want to overwhelm the guests and interfere with the funeral. He was welcomed into the hall and had a few sips of tea, then excused himself as it was getting late and left with Wang Qinghong.
Before leaving the gate, Mr. Wang couldn't help but look at the Taoist idiot who was chanting sutras in front of the soul, and then looked at Wang Qinghong, but he didn't say anything.
After leaving Wang's house, Wang Qinghong got into Mrs. Wang's carriage.
After the carriage left the Wang Kiln, he finally couldn't help but ask about the relationship between Father Wang and himself.
It was not that he doubted that Mr. Wang would lie, but he was a little confused as to why his father never mentioned this matter before his death.
Although my father was somewhat rigid in his behavior during his lifetime, he would never be able to put his kindness behind him.
Old Mrs. Wang said: "Your father doesn't know Mr. Wang. He received the great favor from Mr. Wang unintentionally. As for the details, they involve other people. As for whether I can tell you and when I can tell you, I still don't know.
We have to wait and see." Having said this, he drooped his eyelids, not wanting to speak.
Wang Qinghong became more and more confused after hearing this, but he didn't want to be verbose. He could only suppress his curiosity and wondered whether he should go back and ask his mother to see if he could find any clues.
Since I have received a great favor from the other party, I should have repaid it early. It was understandable that I didn’t know it before. But now that I know it, I must repay the favor...
At this moment, the carriage had stopped.
Opening the carriage curtain, Mrs. Wang looked at the stone road going up the mountain, turned to Wang Qinghong and said: "Qinghong has traveled thousands of miles and returned today. He accompanied the old man for another round. It's not enough to come back. Let's go back to the city to rest and send people."
Tell your elder brother that I will rest in Xishan tonight and come back tomorrow."
Wang Qinghong just returned home in the morning, and he was indeed tired. But looking at the winding green plank road in front of him, he felt uneasy and said: "The mountain road is rugged and it is getting dark. If my uncle wants to go up the mountain for something, my nephew should do it for me.
?”
Mr. Wang waved his hand and said: "I can still walk these few steps. Don't be nagging anymore and go back quickly. You have been away from home for many years, so you have many things to worry about."
He had a serious face, and Wang Qinghong could only accept it honestly, and he had to order the accompanying servants to look good and serve him. After watching Old Mrs. Wang go up the mountain, he turned around and got into his carriage and went back to the city...
In the Wang family's mourning shed, when the Taoist idiot finished reciting the Ksitigarbha Sutra for the seventh time, it was already mostly dark.
Even though he knew that in addition to the old monk, there was Wang Fu'an's son on the mountain, Dao Chi was still a little worried.
He didn't even use the fast food. He carried a white lantern prepared by the Wang family and went up the mountain in the dusk.
At the foot of the mountain, he met Wang's son who was coming down the mountain. Only then did he know that Mrs. Wang had gone up the mountain earlier and was staying in the temple tonight.
Dao Chi's pace, which was slightly hurried at first, became sluggish. Because Mrs. Wang went up the mountain many times, Dao Chi had seen him many times, and always felt that his eyes as he looked at him were somewhat profound.
When we met in front of the mourning hall today, this feeling became even stronger.
But he asked himself how he behaved normally without showing anything wrong, so why did the old man look at him more and more weirdly every time?
After thinking about it for a while, Taoist Chi finally couldn't figure out the reason, so he gave it up.
The frequency under his feet has returned to normal. If you can't think about it, don't think about it. Although he is very satisfied with his current leisurely life, he is not afraid of trouble. At most, it will be blocked by soldiers and covered by water...
*
In the northwest of Zhoucheng, there is the 12-room Wang family's old house, Shangfang.
Because Wang Qinghong came home late, dinner was late, so the dining table was removed just now.
After all the children had gone down, Wang Qinghong suppressed the bitterness in his heart and said, "Hui Niang, is it time for someone to bring Shiro back..."