After last night, the entire atmosphere in the old mansion of Zhang family seemed to be renewed at once …
What happened in the old mansion last night shocked all the disciples of Zhang family too much. On one hand, a disciple of Zhang family was promoted to manage the clan fund which had hundreds of millions of assets, which aroused people's envy. On the other hand, Zhang Fan, Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang's three cousins had been "exiled" to Liaozhou Province before finishing the funeral of the old man. They might not come back for dozens of years. The two treatments of heaven and hell instantly woke up all the disciples and relatives of Zhang family as they knew that Zhang family was different than before.
Meanwhile, Zhang Tie's words spread over the disciples of Zhang family overnight.
The two words "follow the rules" were deeply rooted in people's hearts at once.
Someone had already made an example of what would happen to those who didn't follow the rules at home.
After knowing the cause of Zhang Fan and those people who were thrown to Liaozhou Province, many Zhang disciples felt that it was shameless of them as they clapped their hands and cheered for them. Very few of them really sympathized with them. Anyone with normal IQ could understand that someone had already instigated the others to share those gifts before the old man finished his business. Such a person was either blinded by lard or felt that Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang were easy-going; otherwise, how could he be so unscrupulous and shameless?
…
"Zhang Fan's wife and the mothers of Zhang Zhukang, Zhang Zhufang and Zhang Lide wanted to see you last night; however, they were all stopped by my father. He had someone take them away from the old mansion and assigned someone to watch them. Before finishing the funeral of the old man, they were not allowed to leave the old mansion. Zhang Zhukang and Zhang Zhufang are the sons of the 4th uncle of the 2nd wife; Zhang Lide is the son of the 5th aunt of the 3rd wife. The 5th aunt just married in Golden Sea City. Her husband's family is also surnamed Zhang. Therefore, they always have a close relationship with the old mansion …"
On the next morning, before dawn, Zhang Tie had already gotten up before someone came to offer condolences. In the room, Zhang Tie was drinking the breakfast of gruel and salted vegetables provided by the mansion as he listened to Zhang Su's report about last night's treatment at home. As he drank the gruel, he slightly nodded.
Compared to Zhang Tie, Zhang Su drank the gruel as easily as drinking water. After finishing it, he put down his bowl and chopsticks and started to talk about what happened at home with Zhang Tie.
These days, as the mansion was dealing with the funeral affairs of the old man, the whole family just ate plain tea and rice. They didn't eat meat or fish. This was also the rule of major clans in Taixia Country. For 49 days, Zhang family members couldn't eat meat or fish or meat. This was called "filial piety". There were two expressions for "filial piety". One was that when the elders passed away, the juniors ate too much fish and meat which violated the etiquette. The other was that "filial piety" was to stop killing. During the period of "filial piety", major clans would stop killing for 49 days due to the death of their elders. As a result, numerous livestock, fish and shrimps could survive. This was also to accumulate blessings for the deceased elders so that they could ascend to heaven as soon as possible.
"Zhang Fan, Zhang Zhukang, Zhang Zhufang and Zhang Lide are already on the way. They're not allowed to get off the airship until they arrive at Liaozhou Province. As for those who wanted to cry, I told them that if they continued to cry, they would also be thrown to Liaozhou Province so that they could reunite with their family members. Then, they all became obedient. The second and third wives of the old man didn't say anything. If the rules of this family could be changed by a few people's crying, it would be improper. We should put an end to this evil practice at home …"
After finishing it, Zhang Tie put down his bowl and chopsticks. After wiping his mouth with a napkin, he said, "I've set a rule for my family members — — be a villain first. From now on, cousin, you have to manage the affairs in the old mansion. After this event, the others would not dare disobey your words. Previously, this family was a bit sloppy and always made some jokes. Later on, if there's anyone who doesn't know the rules, you have to deal with them …"
"I know!" Zhang Su took in a deep breath as he nodded.
…
Like yesterday, the moment the daybreak broke, the first people had arrived. They were the head of Sun Clan and two elders of Guide Prefecture, Youzhou Province. Sun Clan didn't have an airboat. After receiving the news, they had arrived at Golden Light City by airship for one day and one night. In order to show their sincerity, Sun Clan had been waiting outside the old mansion for a long time. The moment the sun rose, they had come to pay their condolence to the old man and sounded the first mourning drum today.
Sun Clan gifted 1 million gold coins to the old man.
After paying their condolence to the old man, Zhang Tie met the head of Sun Clan and some elders. After talking with them for a short while, Sun Clan's people left satisfactorily.
After Sun Clan, various people started to pay their condolence to the old mansion. As a result, the mourning drum outside the gate of the old mansion started to ring ceaselessly.
When it was close to noon, with the sound of the mourning drum outside the gate of the old mansion, the long and melodious voice drifted from the vestibule to the backyard of the old mansion.
Compared to the previous yells, this one was much more forceful. It was almost as if he was roaring.
"Yan Feiqing, the head of Fantasy Women Palace, Clouddream Mountain, Wuzhou Province, Taixia Country, and Guo Hongyi, the head of Guo Clan, Threespring Prefecture, Youzhou Province, are here to pay our condolence to the old mansion …"
After hearing this voice, all the people in the old mansion were shocked. Zhang Tie who was in the old man's mourning hall also became stunned for a second. Closely after that, he strode towards the vestibule.
However, Zhang Tie soon caught sight of Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi.
The two of them wore plain white dresses and were dressed very simply. When they walked together, they looked like a pair of beautiful sisters instead of a master and a disciple. As soon as the two of them walked into the old house of the Zhang family, they attracted the attention of countless people. Whether it was the servants and relatives of the Zhang family in the old house or the guests who came to mourn, all of them silently stared at the two of them.
Yan Feiqing looked calm; however, Guo Hongyi was a bit bashful at this moment. Watching Zhang Tie walking towards them, Yan Feiqing revealed a smile. After throwing a glance at Zhang Tie, Guo Hongyi lowered her head at once, causing her ears and neck to turn faint red.
Zhang Tie let out a sigh inside when he saw the two people. He wondered how they communicated with each other these days. However, it seemed that they would really call each other sisters in front of him.
"They're here?" Zhang Tie asked.
"Yes!" Yan Feiqing answered.
"If so, burn some incense for my grandpa!" Zhang Tie said as he led the two people towards the mourning hall in the rear.
After coming to the mourning hall, Zhang Haitian's juniors and some wives fixated onto Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi at once. Yan Feiqing remained as calm as before; however, Guo Hongyi's face turned redder.
"Wait a second!" Zhang Tie told Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi. Closely after that, he told a steward in the mourning hall, "Bring me two strips of hemp …"
After hearing Zhang Tie's order, the steward became faintly stunned. Closely after that, he responded to Zhang Tie's order as he rushed to the back of the mourning hall at the fastest speed and brought two white hemp strips to Zhang Tie in the blink of an eye.
Under the gaze of everyone else, Zhang Tie came to the front of Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi. After that, he gave one hemp strip to each of them as he said, "Put it on …"
On this occasion, it was the mourning dress of the granddaughter-in-law of the deceased. At this moment, all those women in the old mansion with hemp ribbons were the wives and concubines of Zhang Tie's cousins. The moment Zhang Tie took two hemp ribbons, he had already treated them as his wives.
The two hemp strips were more effective than any pledge of eternal love on this occasion.
Yan Feiqing took the hemp strip and tied it on her waist. Watching Yan Feiqing's action, Guo Hongyi also lowered her head as she took the hemp strip from Zhang Tie and tied it on her waist.
The moment they tied the hemp strips, all the members of Zhang Clan in the mourning hall had changed their eye light towards the two women. Zhang Tie let out a sigh completely. Something was not easy to say; however, if it could become a fait accompli, he would not have to worry about it in the future.
From then on, Guo Hongyi had become his wife officially. As for whether his reputation of being a dissolute and being criticized by some defenders of Taoism, it was not Zhang Tie's concern.
Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi knelt down, kowtowed and offered incense in the mourning hall according to the rules of his granddaughter-in-law …
After offering a memorial service to the old man, Zhang Tie introduced those wives of the old man to Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi. After that, he took the two women to the back of the mourning hall and told his parents to meet Guo Hongyi.
…
In the following days, more and more people came to Golden Light City to offer their condolences to Zhang Haitian. Their statuses grew higher and higher. Representatives of Gold and Power Law, elders of Heavens Fortune Sect, representatives of Lord Guangnan's Mansion, Commander Cheng Honglie, even representatives of Lord Xuanwu, Heavenly King Jingtian, Lord Dingxi and Lord Yian who had not met Zhang Tie before came here with generous gifts.
Watching so many dignitaries of major clans converging in Golden Light City because of the event of the old man, all the servants in Zhang Mansion became spirited like being injected with chicken blood these days, not to mention Zhang Tie's uncles and cousins.
On the fifth day, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sent someone to offer his condolences. Not only did he send generous gifts, but he also decreed that Zhang Haitian would be conferred the title of Earl, so that the old man could enjoy the glory after his passing.
According to the rule in Black Iron Age, only those who killed demons could be conferred the title of nobility. However, the imperial households of Taixia Country had the right to confer the title of "posthumous earl" to people after their death. The title of "posthumous earl" couldn't be inherited; instead, it was the honor of the deceased.
Because of Zhang Tie, Zhang Tie's dad was conferred the title of "lord" while Zhang Tie's grandpa was conferred the title of "posthumous earl". Therefore, the entire country knew how much the crown prince valued Zhang Tie.
(To be continued.)
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