Chapter 33: The funeral (1):

Chiu Yeung's perspective:

To be honest I was pretty moved by his speech, too moved. But his father's death must have been a huge hit on him. But wasn't it rumoured that he and his father don't have a good relationship? So why is he so upset? Uh, I'm seriously gonna break his heart saying this but I need to reach my goal... Eh, he didn't refuse why? Oh of course it is his father's last wish. The dead should always be respected. "Tian You I'll send Chiu Yeung with you in representing me to pay respect to your father? Do you agree?" father asked. Again he nodded has he given up on life already? Let's hope it's just a feeling and not the truth.

Li Tian You's Perspective:

I had sent word to people at home that my father has died and I'll be heading home with his coffin to be buried next to my mother. So the procession was long but everyone had made way for us making it quicker than normal. We arrived at Su province after a week in between rest. "Ge Ge, mei-mei" Tian An chorused as she met us at the door. " This is Princess Chiu Yeung," I introduced. "where's the others?" I asked ' I remember sending word ahead'. " they are all in the ancestral hall waiting for your arrival," she replied " All mirrors have been removed," she added.

After much hassle father was placed down in the ancestral hall. Tian An had done a good joy in changing the red decorations into white*(1). The bathing ceremony was already done in the capital so the father had new clothes and was freshening up. ' oh God I need to speak to Chao Xiang's family to postpone the marriage to after 100 days. In the end, we were all kneeling in front of the father's coffin in status order. The princess and I first and then Tian An, Tian Yao, Tian Ming and Tian Xia behind us. 'Where was that concubine?'. Tian Ming had rushed back home from the Imperial Academy when he heard the news. " Tian Ming where is your mother?" I asked. "I'm not sure ge ge but I have sent someone to look for her. How about we continue first and mother would join us shortly," he suggested as I nodded. I commanded the three kowtow*(2) for father. We were all dressed in white symbolising that we were mourning, white chrysanthemums symbolize lamentation or grief... We also burnt some joss paper*(3) for the father. In turn, we also lit some incense, 3 at a time.

At the end of the ceremony Concubine, Shi had still haven't arrived "Right, where exactly is your mother?" I asked Tian Ming furiously "Even if she is only a concubine she should be here paying respect,". Someone came in and shouted "Young master, Young mistress please hurry up and come over to Madam's room something happened!" he was dressed in the servants' attire.

A dark grey hanfu with dark blue outlines and a belt with a hat in the same design. Dark blue trousers. For a female, it was the same design just lighter grey and lighter blue, without the hat.

Link for reference:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32799049910.html

We all hurried over to Lily Pavilion where Concubine Shi resides. As we got closer and close shrieks grew louder as many people were shouting things like " Madam please get down,". "It's dangerous,". " No I would not Let go of me I wanna join Old master*(4). Since he's dead then there is no point in living anymore," answered a high pitched voice.

A middle-aged woman wearing white with her hair tied in a bun with no assecories. The old woman was standing on a stool holding a white cloth tied together dangling from the ceiling in an attempt to kill herself, whereas many maids and servants were trying to convince her not to. She was shouting with the kneeling maids, two other maids were trying to drag her down. This was the exact scene that entered our eyes when we arrived at Lily Pavilion. Everyone had followed me apart from Chiu Yeung as it was not appropriate for her to come over as it was Prince Zi mansion's inner dispute. When we reached this scene, Tian Ming immediately grabbed a pebble from the ground towards the chair, it wobbled and Concubine Shi fell but she was caught by nearby maids. "Niang*(5), what are you doing?" Tian Xia asked running to her side immediately with her brother. "Xia'er*(6), Ming'er*(7) I don't want to live anymore, Prince is dead already so what's the point of living?" she cried ' what a fake show we are seeing, uh never mind might as well indulge her, after all, it's the mourning period. "Are you sure you want to die?" I asked, walking nearer to her I grabbed the cloth and stretched it a bit. Silky cloth, even if she wanted to die the cloth would not be able to stand her weight. ' Gosh, she is a bad actress. " How comes none of you guys came and told me what was happening?" Tian Ming asked. " Madam told us not to alert you guys as you were in the middle of the ceremony," a maid replied. "Everyone wait in the main hall. I need to read out father's oral will and written will I found in his study," I commanded. Everyone went off leaving the old woman in her room I walked nearer to her and whispered ever so quietly " If you wanna die, can you please choose a wiser way and thicker cloth that can kill you. Besides wouldn't you want to know what your father left your kids? You might not want to live for yourself but you would want a bright future for your kids no?" with that I left the room and headed towards the front hall...

Glossary:

1. Traditionally red is considered the colour of happiness, so the family does not wear any red clothing or accessories during mourning.

2. If you bow three times traditionally, it means you pay very great respect to the one you bow to.

3. The fake money is burnt mostly to enable their deceased family members to purchase luxuries and necessities needed for a comfortable afterlife. The money is believed to be deposited in an afterlife bank of sorts, from which the deceased spirits can make withdrawals. Joss paper, also known as incense paper, is papercrafts or sheets of paper made into burnt offerings common in Chinese ancestral worship. ( Found on google).

4. Only legal wives or lovers would call their husbands by their first name or endearment names or titles. However, for Concubines, they would call their late husbands as Old masters.

5. Ancient way to say mum in mandarin.

6. Tian Xia's nickname.

7. Tian Ming's nickname.