Even though Old Master Song had retrieved the emperor-bestowed jade ring, he felt guilty and dared not appear in front of Song Ci for two consecutive days. It wasn’t until New Year’s Eve, during the clan ceremony, that he appeared before Song Ci.
Song Ci glanced at him and snorted.
Old Master Song: "..."
A good man doesn’t quarrel with a woman, I’ll endure her!
During the annual ceremony, all the mbers of the Song Family, dressed neatly, from old to young, stood orderly in the courtyard of the Song Family’s ancestral hall, with Song Zhiyuan presiding over the rituals.
The ancestral hall was wide open, and in the center of the courtyard was a long offering table, fully equipped with all sacrificial items: various seasonal fruits and eight kinds of pastries, boiled plain-cut at, whole chickens and ducks, and top-quality sandalwood candles.
As always, it began with an opening address, followed by offerings to heaven and earth, ancestors, praying for a bountiful harvest, favorable weather, household prosperity, and then the three kneelings and nine kowtows.
This year, however, was different from previous years. There were new mbers added to the family tree. Then, the family rules were announced, with two new ones added and read aloud to the family.
When the new family rules were announced, Old Master Song almost jumped up. He had no idea about this. He wanted to question it, but seeing the glance from his eldest son, his neck shrank imdiately and he closed his eyes.
Pretend to be dead!
Anyway, at his age, the rule about not taking a concubine until forty was useless to him. Moreover, he couldn’t take another; his old wife guarded him tightly, and even the two concubines he already had were his spies. Adding another would just an one more spy. Pointless.
But he was astonished by how such a rule was added. Wouldn’t the children suffer holding onto only one?
As for Song Zhiqing, his face turned purple with embarrassnt, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into. His intuition told him that the added rule was because of the trouble he had caused.
The eldest was silently humiliating him.
How malicious.
Even Lu Shi, standing beside him, felt so humiliated that her face burned. In the entire Song Family, only their branch had concubines, which was utterly laughable.
As for the rule of girls learning martial arts at seven, it left everyone montarily stunned. Why teach girls martial arts until Song Zhiyuan recited what Song Ci had said, which left all the won silent.
Better to let her suffer when young than to lose her life when grown. Martial arts would make girls emotionally tougher, which was necessary.
With the new family rules added, the family tree was resituated in the ancestral hall for worship, with the male mbers entering to pay their respects, while the won waited in the courtyard.
As the Madam of the household, Song Ci naturally could enter the ancestral hall, but upon seeing the camphor wood shelf with only two tablets, belonging to Old Master Song’s parents, she was lost in thought.
Believe it won’t be over ten years before there will be a tablet for Song Ci there?
Song Ci gazed at those two tablets, feeling sowhat dazed and anxious, but as the candle flas flickered slightly, her spirit beca clear again.
Amitabha, may the ancestors of the Song family truly bless this large family, that all things of great concern beco insignificant, that small concerns disappear, and that the family prospers with many descendants. Thus, your offerings will continue without end.
A gentle breeze blew, carrying a faint whistling sound.
Song Ci imdiately concentrated and regained her composure, her face solemn.
Following Song Zhiyuan’s indoctrination speech to the n, preaching how the rise and fall of the family is everyone’s responsibility, that for the sake of the family, they must unite against external forces, and support the family, the complicated ceremony finally concluded.
As soon as the ceremony ended, Song Ci and the Madam, without even catching a breath, rushed to dress properly and head to the annual New Year’s Eve palace banquet.
Reviews
All reviews (0)