Chapter 62: Zheng Family Funeral

“Yes, Zheng Zhuang’s mother is dead. I reckon she was driven to death by their family’s prodigal son. That bastard, right after his father died, took both stepmothers into his own room. His mother was furious. Before Zheng the butcher died, those two women were fighting with the old madam over him. After Zheng the butcher died, those two women even fought over his son. They’re really relentless.”

Shopkeeper Zhou said with a helpless look, then he looked at Li Chaosheng and said, “Ah, by the way, Brother Li, are you free tonight?”

“For what?”

Shopkeeper Zhou sighed and said, “Yesterday the haunting scared my assistant who plays the sheng. The lad ran off in the night. I am now short of a sheng player. If you are free, help me cover his duty.”

“I, I do not know how to do that,” Li Chaosheng said awkwardly.

Shopkeeper Zhou waved his hand and said, “You do not need to be very skilled. The Zheng family mainly wants my suona’s ‘Hundred Birds Facing the Phoenix.’ I will teach you a few little tricks. Make a bit of sound and it will do. I’ll give you one hundred wen as pay so you do not help for nothing. Then in the evening we can get a meal and some wine together. How about that?”

Hearing this, Li Chaosheng thought that since he had nothing better to do, stretching his legs would be fine. Besides, it would look bad to refuse to help the neighbors. Most importantly, the shopkeeper’s assistant ran off because he was frightened by those two paper men. If he did not help, Li Chaosheng would not be able to live with himself.

“Alright, I will help with this favor,” Li Chaosheng said.

Shopkeeper Zhou immediately looked grateful and said, “Thank you so much, Brother Li. You are doing me a great favor. If you did not go, I would not know where to find someone. Let’s meet at the city gate around 3pm this afternoon.”

“Alright, see you later.”

Li Chaosheng said this and went to the breakfast shop to eat. He ate and drank his fill, startling the breakfast shop owner who said, “I say, Brother Li, your appetite has grown again. You have eaten more than ten of those fried flatbreads. Aren’t you afraid of spoiling your stomach?”

Li Chaosheng smiled slightly and did not answer. *Spoiling my stomach, how could that be? I eat so much because I cultivate **Witch *Body-Refinement Techniques and my body needs more energy.

Li Chaosheng said nothing and only paid, “It is fine. I am only eighty percent full.”

The breakfast shop owner widened his eyes. Eighty percent full? Was he even human?

After finishing breakfast, Li Chaosheng went to the nearby pastry shop and bought some snacks: osmanthus cakes, rice cakes, both in various quantities and flavors, packed a bunch, and then went to Wang Er’s home.

Wang Er had not yet gone out. When he saw Li Chaosheng arrive and noticed Li Chaosheng’s large bundles, he hurriedly reached out to take them and said with a big smile, “Brother, you could have just brought yourself. Why did you bother bringing something too?”

Li Chaosheng smiled and said, “Cut it out. If I did not bring things, your smile would not be this bright.”

“Hahaha, brother, you are right. I have been wanting to eat osmanthus cake. My sister-in-law says they are too expensive and will not buy them. Now that you brought them, I will get my fill. Hey, someone in the house, my brother is here, come out and greet him.”

“Ah, coming.”

A reply came, and Wang Er’s wife, broad-shouldered like a big wrestler, came out. She was truly hearty. Seeing how much Li Chaosheng had brought, she looked a little embarrassed. Li Chaosheng waved his hand and said, “It is nothing, it is nothing. Where is the old master?”

Wang Er’s wife led Li Chaosheng to the inner room to see Butcher Fan. Old Fan lay on the bed with a bandage wrapped around his buttocks and could not move. Any movement caused his buttocks to hurt badly.

“The doctor has seen him and said he should rest for two months. Once the illness is cured, let the old man stay here. I will see if I can find a post for him in the magistrate’s office.”

Wang Er said this from the side. Li Chaosheng sat for a while, chatted about family matters with the old man, and then left.

Back home he practiced his skills. Soon it was afternoon.

Li Chaosheng arrived at the city gate and from afar saw Shopkeeper Zhou waiting there. Up close, Zhou held two instruments, one was his suona and one was the sheng for Li Chaosheng.

The sheng is made of a cluster of bamboo pipes of different lengths, which when blown produce different notes. Shopkeeper Zhou briefly taught Li Chaosheng what gong, shang, jue, zhi, yu mean and which groups formed which scales, then set off with Li Chaosheng.

Li Chaosheng was familiar with the route and reached the Zheng family estate in an hour on foot. The Zheng house was draped with white curtains and the gate was full of wreaths. The Zheng household’s big fat steward stood at the gate receiving visitors.

Li Chaosheng followed Shopkeeper Zhou here. The steward was taken aback and looked at Li Chaosheng, “I say, Brother Li, why have you come?”

Li Chaosheng shook the sheng in his hand and said, “I came to play a tune for the old madam.”

The steward looked at him and asked, “Brother Li, do not joke around. You know how to do this?”

“Ah, you do not trust me, do you? Just watch tonight,” Li Chaosheng said this.

The steward had no choice and let him in. Shopkeeper Zhou came closer and asked, “Do you know the steward?”

“Fairly well,” Li Chaosheng said with a smile.

Shopkeeper Zhou’s face darkened and he said, “Then it will be hard for us to carry out our bluff.”

Li Chaosheng laughed and said, “No matter, I will handle everything.”

Li Chaosheng said this and entered the Zheng family’s main courtyard. A crowd of old and young neighbors had come. The main hall housed the coffin of the family matriarch, the lid was not closed. By custom the body should lie in state for three days before burial.

At that moment, when Shopkeeper Zhou led Li Chaosheng into the yard, all eyes turned to the two of them. Why?

Because the dishes did not start until the funeral music sounded. Without the music, the hosts would not serve the food. Shopkeeper Zhou cupped his hands to those around and then started in with Li Chaosheng to play for the Zheng matriarch.

Zheng Zhuang knelt on the ground under the care of his two concubines, burning paper for his mother with tears streaming down his face. The two concubines nearby put on crocodile tears and squeezed out a few drops. They were delighted. After going one big round, the two had once again taken control in the role of matriarch.

Shopkeeper Zhou stood before the body and puffed out his cheeks to begin playing. In this part Li Chaosheng had few notes to play, it was largely Zhou’s solo. At the sound of the suona, the Zheng steward shouted, “Begin the feast.”

In an instant delicious food and drink, and all kinds of heavy dishes were brought to the tables. Villagers of all ages began to eat. The Zheng butcher’s family holding a banquet could not be simple. All sorts of hefty dishes were served.

For a moment the whole village ate heartily. Zheng Zhuang watched everyone enjoy the food so temptingly and could not help swallowing. He looked at the steward and said, “Steward, may I join in and eat a little?”

The steward frowned and said, “Young master, you cannot eat. If you eat, people will make fun of you.”

Hearing this, Zheng Zhuang looked aggrieved. The two concubines would not have it and said, “Hey, steward, have you gone mad? Even if the mother-in-law is dead you cannot mistreat our husband. Set us a table. We want to eat.”

“Yes, steward, Mother was bound to die sooner or later. My stomach cannot skip a meal. Even if I ate at this time, my mother would forgive it. Quick, prepare a table and feast for me,” Zheng Zhuang chimed in in agreement.