Chapter 492: Chapter 254 Visiting the Grave_4
"Dad," at the foot of the mountain, Wu Lang caught up with Lian Shouxin, "wait for me... I will move my uncle’s grave back." And that child, I won’t let him stay there all alone.
Lian Shouxin smiled, a very reassured smile. He patted Wu Lang on the shoulder and shook his head.
"... When I’m old, when I’m gone, just remember not to forget to tend his grave," said Lian Shouxin.
"Sister Manman, what about my parents in the future?" Lian Yeye asked Lian Manman, somewhat bewildered.
If Lian Shouli and Lady Zhao couldn’t have a son in the future, as members of the Lian family who had established their own households, they would still be entitled to be buried in the Lian family’s ancestral grave.
However, as a daughter, Lian Yeye was only allowed to visit their graves during the funeral and on the several major festivals in the first year after death. This included the Ma Gu Festival, a day exclusively for women to tend the graves of newly deceased relatives. After that, she would not be entitled to participate in any annual ancestral worship or grave-sweeping ceremonies.
"Things depend on us, Yeye, don’t think too much. When the time comes, do what you think is right!" Lian Manman encouraged Lian Yeye.
How powerful are the forces of tradition and custom?
Lady Zhou was a formidable woman who almost single-handedly dominated the Lian Family. But even she could only watch her youngest son be buried alone behind the mountain and was unable to secure better posthumous welfare for him. Besides Lian Shouxin and Old Master Lian, did anyone else in the family remember that there was a relative buried there, one connected to them by blood?
Did Lian Shouxin not grieve for his little brother, his young son? Yet he had to follow tradition and could not erect a grave for his youngest son. His expectation for Wu Lang was simply not to forget to tend the graves of these two people. No, he only mentioned not to forget his younger brother, without bringing up the child who died young. Such a child had not only no grave but also wasn’t entitled to offerings of spirit money and incense.
And if Lian Yeye wanted to do what she wished, it would inevitably require breaking through numerous worldly and artificial barriers to become a person seen as unconventional in the eyes of others. In this era, that was not a pleasant label for girls.
On the way home, everyone walked in an exceptionally solemn silence.
Lian Manman, Wu Lang, Xiao Qi, and Lian Yeye were each preoccupied with their own thoughts.
For the children, their heavy hearts would not last long, and as soon as they stepped through the gates of the Lian Family home, they were cheerful again.
Lady Zhou had already started cooking with the daughters-in-law, while Lady Zhang brought over a piece of pork.
Returning from the grave-sweeping, the Lian family was to have a reunion meal.
"Dad, I’m building a house over there, I need to have lunch with the workers. Otherwise, they’ll complain," said Lian Shouxin.
As Lian Shouxin wouldn’t be eating at the old house, Lady Zhang and several children just said they were going to cook without staying longer.
Old Master Lian thought Lian Shouxin made sense and did not stop him; Lady Zhou accepted the pork and said nothing.
On Qingming Festival, thanks to the blessings of their ancestors, this large family had the most peaceful of holidays.
At night, Lian Manman had a dream where two children, one big and one small, were holding hands and running happily through the woods. In the dream, she couldn’t see their faces clearly, but she felt their joy.
After Qingming, the weather truly warmed up, and the farming season finally arrived.
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Ruoyan’s book recommendation for completed farming novels:
Title: "Rebirth: When Flowers Bloom and the Moon is Full" (complete with extras) (A direct link is below; click to visit directly).
Synopsis: Transmigrated as a widow falsely accused of losing her virtue, carrying a little bun, and leading a sweet life with an economical and practical man.
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Two Chapters combined into one, asking for support. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
