The snow is getting heavier.
Hua Zhi came out of the yard and entered the front yard through the second gate. Everyone she met along the way bowed deeply to her.
At this time, the Hua family was all wearing plain linen clothes, with white everywhere.
The door was wide open, and Nanny Chen was burning paper there, wiping her tears. She was unaware of the black and white lines on her face.
There were people looking outside the house. Hua Zhi guessed that they were either friendly troops or enemies, but she pretended not to see them. At this moment, nothing was more important than what she was going to do.
Xu Jie was standing there holding the horse in mourning clothes. The carriage was also decorated with mourning clothes. When he saw the young lady, he hurriedly bowed.
Hua Zhi saw the two carriages and curled her lips coldly, "One is enough."
"yes."
Hua Zhi got on the carriage, lifted the curtain and said to Nian Qiu who insisted on following her, "You stay here and ask someone to build a shed outside. It shouldn't be too big, just enough for one person to fit in."
How could Nian Qiu be willing to be left behind? Just as she was about to speak, she was stopped by the young lady's look. She had never seen such a young lady before. She didn't need to say anything, even her expression was the same as usual, but she didn't dare to say another word.
Hua Zhi looked at the four stout women in mourning clothes that she had specifically requested, "You have troubled me today."
"Don't worry, young lady. We have nothing else but plenty of strength."
Hua Zhi nodded, "Let's go."
Hua Jing could be considered to have married down at that time. The Song family was only a fifth-rank official family at that time. The old lady took a liking to them because they were both families with a long tradition of poetry and literature. Although Mr. Song did not hold a high official position, he was a man of good character. And Emperor Zhengzu of Song passed the imperial examination with his own abilities. He could truly be considered a promising young man.
But she didn't expect that people would change. It doesn't take much time for a decent person to become sophisticated. A young and promising person who has not achieved anything as he grows older will only become mediocre and then fall into the bottomless abyss.
Now Mr. Song is already a third-rank official. If the Hua family had not fallen, Hua Jing would still be able to rule the Song family. Unfortunately, things never go as planned.
Hua Zhi got off the carriage, looked up at the high door lintel of the Song family, and felt cold in her heart. If someone wanted to make fun of the Hua family, that would depend on whether she agreed or not!
"Xu Jie."
"Yes, big girl."
"Go knock on the door and tell the concierge that the Hua family is here to report a death. Please ask the eldest aunt of the Hua family to return home immediately to attend the funeral."
Hua Zhi's voice was clear, and everyone who was paying attention to this group heard it. When they realized who had passed away, there was an uproar. The Hua family had been hit by two misfortunes. The man had been exiled, and only an old lady was left to support the family, and she had passed away. What should the children and grandchildren of the Hua family do
The Song family's doorman did not dare to be negligent, and one of them accompanied another person outside to rush back home to report the news.
Hua Jing was competing with her mother-in-law at this time. After being suppressed by her daughter-in-law for so many years, Old Madam Song finally got her revenge recently. She was thinking of some ways to torture her eldest daughter-in-law, but Hua Jing was not a pushover. The fight between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was so chaotic that the husband became less and less willing to go home.
When Hua Jing heard the report from the concierge, her mind went blank. How... How could it be...
Old Madam Song felt relieved. Now that she had lost her last support, how could she still fight with her
However, she still wiped her eyes hypocritically, "Why did you suddenly... Hey, Jing'er, go back and help."
Hua Jing subconsciously didn't want to go back because she was afraid.
She didn't dare to deceive herself and comfort herself that her mother's sudden death had nothing to do with her. No, it had nothing to do with her. Her mother was already terminally ill, and it had nothing to do with her!
Hua Jing twisted the handkerchief and said, "My wife will go and prepare some things. There is no need to rush."
The doorman hurriedly said, "Please let the Madam know that the Hua family is waiting outside and asked you to go home immediately."
Old Madam Song was afraid that her daughter-in-law would move the Song family's things back to subsidize her parents' home, so she quickly replied, "The Hua family is probably in chaos right now. As the eldest daughter of the Hua family, they are naturally counting on you. Go back quickly. Tell me what you need to prepare, and I'll send someone to deliver it later."
Hua Jing gritted her teeth in hatred but she had no other choice. In the Daqing Dynasty, filial piety was more important than anything else. If she dared to refuse to go home for the funeral, the Song family would be justified in giving her a letter of divorce.
"I don't want to trouble you, mother. I'll go back to my room and change my clothes."
Hua Jing changed her clothes slowly and rubbed her eyes until they turned red. Because she had something to hide, she not only did not plan to bring her children with her, she even did not dare to bring her personal maid, for fear that the Hua family would say something that would ruin her reputation.
Hua Jing didn't come out for a long time, and the people who were watching overtly or covertly started to murmur, but Hua Zhi remained unmoved, her back straight, and her expression indifferent.
To the people in the capital, she was a stranger. One could only guess from her attire that she was a girl from the Hua family. She was neither the slightly talented Hua Xin nor Hua Ling, and she looked about the same age as them. People vaguely guessed that she was the little-known eldest girl of the Hua family.
Judging from her behavior at this moment, she doesn't seem to be a timid person. I just don't know why I haven't seen her out and about in all these years.
Amidst the indistinct conversation, Hua Jing finally appeared. She ran out with red eyes. Seeing the surprise hidden in Hua Zhi's eyes, tears flowed before she said a word.
"Zhi'er, mother she... mother she..."
Hua Zhi bowed and said, "Grandma is gone."
"Woo..." Hua Jing covered her mouth and cried, her eyes were full of tears, which made people feel sad.
Hua Zhi turned around and got on the carriage. Hua Jing's crying suddenly stopped and then continued again. Shouldn't she be asked to get on the carriage first
"According to the rules, a married woman should cry all the way home to attend the funeral. I don't want to break the rules. I think my aunt thinks the same way."
"..." Hua Jing was used to being so powerful in front of her family, and she was about to get angry when she frowned. She almost remembered that this was the Song family's door. She walked closer and gritted her teeth and said, "It's snowing right now..."
"Wearing the snow and crying all the way home, doesn't it show that my aunt is filial?" Hua Zhi lowered the curtain, "Let's go."
Before Hua Jing could say anything else, four sturdy women who were half a head taller than her had already sandwiched her and were pushing her forward without leaving any trace. From an outsider's perspective, it seemed as if she was walking forward on her own initiative.
Hua Zhi's voice came from the side, "Aunt, remember to cry, so many people are watching you!"
"Hua Zhi!" Hua Jing shouted angrily, "Is this how you treat your aunt?"
"My aunt taught me well. I am far behind her."
"Hua Zhi!"
"Let's go." The carriage followed Hua Jing slowly. She was not afraid of others saying that she was disrespectful to her elders, nor was she afraid of others using filial piety as an excuse. If a bad reputation could end Hua Jing's good days, she would be willing to do so.
What she was about to do had just begun.