He was wearing a blue jacket, as if he hadn’t seen the solar for a very long time, and his pores and skin was weak and pale. The physique can be slender and skinny, however his expression is calm and calm. He’s clearly sporting shabby garments, and the trail within the village is uneven, and there are even cow dung and rooster dung, however it simply makes him really feel like strolling within the courtyard.

It was the time of spring plowing, and everybody was busy plowing the fields for the time being, and there have been hardly any folks on the street within the village. Often, a lady who’s doing work within the yard sees the particular person strolling on the street from a distance, and solely after a number of fastened eyes does she acknowledge who it’s.

“Canine, the place is that this going?”

Xue Tingxiang appeared on the lady who was speaking to him, and mentioned with a smile: “Auntie, I will simply stroll round.”

It was only a informal sentence, the girl did not say something extra to him, she turned to get one thing within the room, the mother-in-law within the room requested her: “Third daughter-in-law, who have been you speaking to only now?”

“The canine of the second room of Xue Lianxing’s household. Hey, mom, you might be stunned. I did not acknowledge him when he knocked on the door simply now. I all the time really feel like a special particular person.”

Her mother-in-law did not take it significantly: “What are you able to change into, however you may’t change your physique, I keep in mind that child has been sick just lately.”

The daughter-in-law mentioned: “I see, perhaps I plan to go to the again mountain.” There’s a mountain behind Yuqing Village, the place all of the lifeless villagers within the village are buried, and the Xue household’s ancestral grave can be there.

Listening to this, her mother-in-law sighed: “Do not even point out it, it is a pity for the second little one of the Xing household. Each of them are gone. It is a pity to go away a child.”

That is simply gossip between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and whereas they have been speaking, Xue Tingxiang had already introduced Heizi into the again mountain.

*

Houshan is known as Houshan, the mountain behind Yuqing Village.

This mountain has no identify, and the mountain will not be excessive, however this can be very deep. Anyway, to date, no villager has been in a position to stroll backwards and forwards from this deep mountain and previous forest, most of them are actions outdoors the mountain.

The Xue household’s ancestral grave was constructed on a small hill not removed from the village. This Xue household will not be solely Xue Tingxiang’s household, however the ancestors of the whole Xue clan are buried right here.

On such a giant hill, the lineage of the patriarch is within the center, and the branches of the assorted households unfold out. The lineage of Mr. Xue is at a spot close to the foot of the southwest mountain.

As a result of the couple within the second room died younger, and Xue Qingsong died in an accident, they have been buried on the edge.

When Xue Tingxiang arrived on the place, he started to drag the grass across the grave mound casually.

There weren’t many weeds, they’d simply been cleared in the course of the Chinese language New Yr, so he gathered the grass at random and positioned it on the bottom, making the most of the chance and sat down in entrance of the grave.

A chunk of mountainous land, two small graves, in entrance of every of the graves stood a small bluestone stele, on which the names of the second household and the couple have been crudely written.

This monument was initially recruited to search out somebody to make it and set it up.

These days, there are three sorts of people that can’t erect monuments after they die, those that die abruptly, die younger, and haven’t any heirs. Xue Qingsong belongs to violent dying.

Though everybody would not say it, individuals who really feel that they died abruptly have resentment after dying, which isn’t conducive to the feng shui of the ancestor’s grave, so no monument is erected. I additionally need him to overlook who he’s, in order to not trigger hassle if he’s ignorant.

However on the identical time, there’s one other saying that after dying with out a monument, you’ll be a lonely ghost, who can’t stand the incense of future generations.

In the beginning, the funeral of the second spouse was organized by the Xue household, they usually acquiesced to observe the previous customs. At the moment, Xue Tingxiang was nonetheless younger and did not perceive these items in any respect, however Zhao’er understood.

She talked to Xue’s household about erecting a monument, however was blocked, and Xue’s household took turns to influence her. Later, Zhao’er did not inform anybody about it, and took the cash to ask somebody to make these two easy monuments and put them in entrance of the grave.

It was too late when Xue’s household came upon, they usually could not tear down the stele in entrance of the villagers.

The villagers have been additionally stunned once they noticed the stele, however after fascinated by how the Xue household’s second little one died, they might perceive it.

Subsequently, Xue Qingshan additionally gained a great repute. He would slightly threat his household’s feng shui to erect a monument for his brother.

With numerous ideas spinning in his thoughts, Xue Tingxiang took out a chunk of fabric from his arms and slowly wiped the tombstone.

The phrases on it have been nonetheless written by him, and the strokes are immature, however in spite of everything, folks can nonetheless inform what’s written on it.

…

Right this moment is the anniversary of Mr. Zheng’s dying. Zheng Hu introduced his two sons to the grave to worship.

The nation persons are not so specific, they simply ready some steamed buns, wine and meat, and the daddy and son burned the paper cash in entrance of the grave, so let’s overlook about it.

Zheng Hu had all the time had a deep relationship along with his father, so he was inevitably depressed, so he let his two sons return first, whereas he sat in entrance of the grave, smoking a pipe and speaking to his father.

After speaking for some time, he stood up and deliberate to return.

There was nonetheless work ready to be performed within the area, and Zheng Hu did not need to waste time, so he determined to take a shortcut. When he handed close to Xue Lianxing’s ancestral grave, he abruptly heard somebody crying.

There are graves on the 2 close by hills, one is of the surname Xue, and the opposite is of the surname Zheng. This sort of festive day will not be like Zheng Hu’s on the anniversary of the dying of an elder within the household, however nobody would come to this type of place.

Particularly, there could also be a whole lot of lifeless folks buried right here, the timber are dense, and generally the sky and day are gloomy. Listening to this unusual sound below such circumstances, Zheng Hu was so frightened that his hair stood on finish and his legs went limp.

In any case, he had lived for many years. He listened intently and calmly, and it took him some time to grasp that it was a boy’s voice.

Enthusiastic about who’s grave was right here, he bravely walked nearer, bypassed a giant tree, and noticed a younger man in blue garments sitting in entrance of the grave from a distance.

Subsequent to it was a giant black canine wagging its tail.

It is the canine of the second room of Xue Lianxing’s household.

Solely then did Zheng Hu heave a sigh of reduction, and the voice got here into his ears once more: “…Father, what do you assume I ought to do? Uncle needs to ship brother Juncai to the college on the town, I assumed I may do the identical.” Go… However my aunt got here to the home a number of days in the past, however she instructed me to let Brother Juncai, earlier than…”

The younger man’s voice was stuffed with hesitation and bewilderment, Zheng Hu didn’t anticipate to listen to the key affairs of the Xue household in such a spot. He was so stunned that the pipe in his hand dropped with out realizing it. He did not understand it till his foot was hit by the pipe, picked up the pipe in a rush and left.

He did not know that after he left, the lonely and helpless boy in his eyes stopped crying.

Prior to now few days, Xue Tingxiang has been pondering exhausting, looking for an acceptable alternative, and one way or the other he considered Zheng Hu.

Zheng Hu’s father, Mr. Zheng, died in the course of the spring plowing. It was not a cheerful funeral, however an accident. He was by accident squeezed to the foot of the sector by his personal cattle and fell to his dying.

The ridge was not very tall, and numerous villagers fell off the ridge yearly, and Mr. Zheng died unluckily. In the beginning, this incident was extensively circulated within the village, so Xue Tingxiang remembered it very clearly.

Because it was the anniversary of the daddy’s dying, the son Zheng Hu would undoubtedly come to go to the grave, and Zheng Hu used to love to take shortcuts, so he would undoubtedly go by this space, so who else is extra appropriate than him.

Crucial factor is that Yuqing Village would not appear large, however Xue and Zheng’s surnames have all the time been completely different from one another. Zheng Hu’s uncle is Li Zheng, and if he is aware of it, Zheng Lizheng will comprehend it too.

Xue Tingxiang did not keep any longer, and rapidly returned house with Heizi the identical manner.

The yard was nonetheless silent, he discovered a twig and put it in entrance of the door, and sat there quietly basking within the solar, fascinated by Zhao’er who went to the city.

*

Zheng Hu hurried all the best way, with out even returning house, he went to Zheng Lizheng’s home.

Zheng Li is the Lizheng of Yuqing Village and the top of the Zheng clan. Naturally, the household’s home is the one one in Yuqing Village. If it may be in contrast with it, it’s the home of Patriarch Xue’s household.

Yishui’s inexperienced brick and tile-roofed home, and the courtyard partitions are additionally manufactured from inexperienced bricks. Essentially the most conspicuous factor is the ancestral corridor of the Zheng household on the entrance, however this ancestral corridor is not going to be opened till a sure time. The 2 black doorways The paulownia gate is closed all 12 months spherical.

Going round to the facet is the courtyard of Zheng Lizheng’s household.

The yard is large, not like different homes the place the barn, barn, kitchen, and so forth. are all within the entrance yard, the entrance yard of Zheng Lizheng’s home is only a large empty yard, solely two sycamore timber are planted within the yard. Every time there’s any main occasion within the village, the courtyard will all the time be densely full of folks.

There are three foremost rooms going through the face, and east and west wing rooms on the left and proper, all of that are blue bricks and black tiles, that are terribly magnificent.

When Zheng Hu arrived, solely Zheng Lizheng and his spouse Tian Shi have been at house.

As quickly as Tian noticed his nephew coming, he greeted him: “Huzi, why are you right here right now? Do you’ve one thing to do along with your uncle?”

“Hey, there’s one thing mistaken.”

With that mentioned, Zheng Hu hurried into the home. Tian shook her head, pondering that there have to be one thing mistaken, since Zheng Hu is often very regular.

After Zheng Hu entered, he turned to the east room.

Certain sufficient, his uncle Zheng Li was sitting cross-legged on the massive kang within the east room, smoking dry cigarettes.

“Why, in a rush.”

Zheng Hu sat down on a pier below the kang, panting closely, unable to talk for some time.

Zheng Lizheng appeared to be in his sixties, with a protracted face and a pair of medium-sized eyes. From the looks, he’s simply an abnormal farmer’s previous man, even the garments he wears are abnormal. There’s solely that unmoving calmness, which might be seen as an individual who has been around the globe for a very long time.

With the cigarette holder in his mouth, he pushed the teapot on the kang desk ahead, Zheng Hu was not well mannered, stood up and poured a bowl of tea, and drank it down.

“Uncle, let me inform you, one thing occurred to me as we speak.”

“What is the matter?”

“Right this moment will not be the anniversary of my father’s dying. I took it with me early within the morning…”

Midway by way of Zheng Hu’s speech, Zheng Lizheng sat up from the kang, as if listening significantly.

Seeing his uncle like this, Zheng Hu knew he had come to the best place. After listening to what the one son of Xue Lianxing’s household cried, he realized that this was a chance, a chance to suppress the status of Xue in Yuqing Village.

He spoke in additional element, nearly repeating each phrase, whereas Zheng Li was smoking a pipe, his eyes narrowed.

*

Zhao’er did not come again till the second half of the afternoon, and when he got here again, he appeared a little bit sad.

Xue Tingxiang appeared on the basket behind her, each time Zhao’er got here again earlier than, the basket was all the time full, however as we speak he knew that there was nothing in it.

“What’s mistaken?”

Zhao’er was fascinated by it, when the little man requested him, he was greatly surprised for a second, after which mentioned: “It is nothing, I introduced you meat buns from the city, and I will warmth them up so that you can eat later.”

How may there be nothing, clearly there’s something.

Xue Tingxiang glanced at her face, however since she did not need to say extra, he did not need to press her.

Zhao’er went backwards and forwards to the city, lined in mud, she went to the kitchen to boil water, and took a shower within the toilet. The Xue household has a particular room for bathing, within the vegetable area within the yard. The home will not be large, three meters sq., the ground is paved with bluestone slabs, and there’s a drain within the nook, by way of which the bathtub water can circulate instantly into the vegetable area.

Taking off her garments, Zhao’er rubbed the cleaning soap horns on her physique, however a burst of melancholy got here to her coronary heart.

The truth is, one thing actually occurred, however she did not say it as a result of she was afraid that the little man would fear.

The best way she lastly discovered to get cash was robbed.

The one that robbed was none apart from the proprietor of the embroidery workshop who took her completed product and pocketed the embroidered sneakers.

The truth is, Zhao’er is sort of intelligent. He purchased rags from the proprietor of this embroidery workshop, however the completed product was not offered to this one, however to a different one. It is simply that she did not anticipate that the 2 bosses have been truly kin, and he or she did not know the way the opposite social gathering knew. When she went once more this time, the opposite social gathering was unwilling to promote her rags.