The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 1028: Chapter 1005: Honor Amid Chaos 73

Xiao Yuan said nothing more and turned to leave.

As he entered the main hall, he told Anning, ”Go with Fourth Sister-in-law to buy a good burial outfit, and also, go to the Silver Tower to buy a set of headpieces.”

Anning nodded and called Hui Family to go out together.

Xiao Yuan then said to Xiao Ling, ”Come with me to find a good coffin.”

Xiao Ling agreed and followed Xiao Yuan out.

Xiao Jin began leading the children of the house in various cleaning tasks, preparing the mourning hall, and getting offerings ready.

By this time, it was completely dark, and the shops outside had closed. Anning and Hui Family rode in a carriage, asking the servants along the way to find out where they could buy burial outfits, urging the driver to go faster.

They finally found a burial outfit shop, but it had already closed.

Anning sent people to knock on the door.

After knocking for a long time, the door finally opened, and the shopkeeper was shocked to see a carriage parked outside.

Anning got off the carriage, appearing especially friendly: ”Shopkeeper, do you have any good burial outfits?”

The shopkeeper, hearing they wanted to buy something, hurriedly said, ”I do have a set, but...”

Anning followed him into the shop: ”Show it to me.”

The shopkeeper looked troubled: ”That burial outfit was chosen by my mother.”

Anning then smiled: ”Your mother should be in good health, shouldn’t she? It won’t be needed now. Our elder passed away suddenly, and we really had no choice but to come seeking a burial outfit. Please be kind and let us have it.”

As she spoke, she bowed slightly and handed over a Silver Ingot: ”Take this, shopkeeper, and later make a good set for your mother. Let us have this one temporarily; you are doing a good deed.”

Her words were pleasing, and the silver she offered was ample. The shopkeeper thought for a moment and brought out the whole set that was of excellent material and craftsmanship: ”Here it is, you can take it if you want. My wife and I will work a few extra days to make another one for my mother.”

Anning quickly accepted it: ”The shopkeeper’s craftsmanship is truly outstanding.”

She praised him and handed the burial outfit to the maid, then politely bid goodbye to the shopkeeper before leaving.

After buying the burial outfit, Anning and Hui Family knocked on the Silver Tower’s door to buy a set of golden headpieces.

When they brought the items back, Xiao Yuan and Xiao Ling also returned with a coffin.

This time, the coffin was excellent; it was apparent that it was made of good material, and the size was much larger.

Xiao Yuan had the coffin placed in the mourning hall and called for Xiao Jue and several others to enter the inner chamber.

Anning also called Mrs. Zhao and Mrs. Wei inside.

She fetched a basin of warm water: ”Elder sister-in-law, you are the eldest daughter-in-law; you should be the one to wash and dress mother in her burial outfit.”

Mrs. Zhao hurriedly tried to avoid it: ”I can’t do it, I can’t handle this, I can’t do this.”

Xiao Yuan then nudged Xiao Jue: ”Then elder brother should do it.”

Xiao Jue rolled his eyes and fell to the ground.

When Mrs. Zhao saw Xiao Jue fall, she also fell to the ground.

Anning then said to Mrs. Wei: ”Second sister-in-law, you do it.”

Mrs. Wei was frightened and started to cry: ”I can’t, I’m a bastard’s wife; how could it be my turn...”

Before she could finish speaking, they heard the Old Master’s voice from outside: ”What a sin! Your mother has been gone for so long, yet you haven’t dressed her properly; this is making her restless.”

The Old Master spoke and cried at the same time.

Mrs. Wei said: ”This should be a daughter’s duty, but unfortunately, the Old Madam has no daughter.”

Lan Sijie didn’t enter the room, but she shouted from the main hall: ”In our village, if there’s no daughter, the granddaughter does it.”

She meant for Xiao Jue’s daughter to do it.

Then someone went to call Xiao Hui.

No matter what they said, Xiao Hui refused and insisted on pushing it onto Xiao Fu.

The Old Master saw the scene and cried even louder, wailing: ”Aren’t you afraid of retribution, afraid of divine punishment? You all will age too; let’s see what fate awaits you in the future.”

Xiao Yuan, seeing the situation was disgraceful, directly drove everyone out, and he himself washed and dressed the Old Madam in the burial outfit.

The Old Madam had been dead for quite some time, her body had stiffened, and even though Xiao Yuan used his skill to change her outfit, he sweat profusely.

After he finished, he came out and told everyone: ”Go inside and burn paper money.”

At this time, Xiao Hui rushed into the room, knelt on the ground, and cried loudly, her wails heart-rending, as if she was very filial.

The Eldest and his wife were no longer fainted; they also hurried over to act as filial children and virtuous daughters-in-law.

Xiao Fu and several others knelt behind, Xiao Yin pursed her lips, and Xiao Yi saw this and pulled her aside.

The room was filled with cries, truly earth-shattering.

Paper money began to burn in the brazier, and the people in the room cried and called for their mother.

After burning the first paper money, they needed to move the coffin, remove the door panel and place it in the living room, and move the Old Madam over there.

The room originally had a brazier and a charcoal stove, but they had long been removed.

The Old Madam was to be laid in state here; if the room were kept warm, it wouldn’t take long before the smell in the room would be overwhelming, so the room had to remain cold, forcing those keeping vigil, the filial children and grandchildren, to endure the cold.

Anning had already called in a few experienced old women to sew filial clothes and tear mourning cloth.

By midnight, everyone was already in mourning garb.

Anning pulled Hui Family aside from the mourning hall, and quietly said to Hui Family: ”Take Ke’er home first; it’s cold at night, don’t let the child freeze, let Ke’er eat something good at home, and come wearing warm clothes tomorrow.”

Hui Family was a bit worried for Anning: ”Third Sister-in-law, what about you?”

Anning smiled: ”I’m fine, I’ll send the children to go back with you soon, let them stay at your place, you take care of them.”

”Okay.”

Hui Family nodded, and Anning continued: ”Tomorrow, have them wear warmer clothes, don’t let them freeze, and before coming, put some jerky in their wallets.”

Hui Family seemed a bit troubled: ”Is it okay to eat meat?”

Anning waved her hand: ”Don’t think about it too much; the idea of abstaining from meat is just a formality, we can’t concern ourselves with that now, the children are growing, how can they manage without eating meat, furthermore, our boys practice martial arts, if they don’t eat meat, they’ll ruin their health, and truly, if we were strict about mourning, would your third brother want to fight in Yuechuan City? That indeed is committing wicked sin.”

Her few words made Hui Family nod repeatedly: ”Third Sister-in-law is right, I’ll listen to you.”

After Anning sent Hui Family and the children away, she leaned for a moment in the side room.

When it was nearly dawn, she went to the mourning hall.

In the mourning hall, Xiao Jue and his wife were nowhere to be seen, his three children were also missing, Xiao Su and his wife weren’t there either, nor were their two sons keeping vigil, only the ten children Xiao Jue had adopted were still kneeling there.

Anning glanced around, then went to find Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan was summoned to the Old Master’s room.

The Old Master held Xiao Yuan’s hand, crying and asking, ”Third, what should I do? I don’t want to stay here; can I live with you?”

Xiao Yuan’s face turned very grim.

”Old Master, it’s not right for you to live with a nephew instead of your own son.”

”Then what do you suggest?”

The Old Master pushed the problem onto Xiao Yuan: ”You’ve seen the state your elder brother is in, can you truly leave me in his care? Nobody even noticed when the Old Madam passed, I don’t want... don’t want to die without anyone to keep watch, I heard of those who neglect their elders, the old ones passed for several days unnoticed, until discovered, their bodies decayed.”

The Old Master was truly terrified and also disheartened with Xiao Jue and Xiao Su.

The Old Madam had favored Xiao Jue so much, yet once she passed, how did Xiao Jue handle it?

Not even buying a decent coffin or preparing proper clothes for the Old Madam, merely thinking of how to save money.

If it weren’t for Xiao Yuan and his wife being kind enough, how would the funeral proceed for the Old Madam?

Although Xiao Yuan’s actions might have been partly out of fear of criticism, he still wanted to ensure the Old Madam’s burial was dignified, far better than the eldest and his wife.

Moreover, giving the Old Master peace of mind was Xiao Yuan managing the Old Madam’s clothes, proving Xiao Yuan possessed compassion, even if deeply hurt, he still strived to provide the deceased her due respect.

Because of these things, the Old Master wanted to stay with Xiao Yuan.

He thought if he lived with Xiao Yuan, at least he would have someone to care for him after his death.