It was already dark when the portrait was completed.
Except for Hua Bolin, the other members of the Hua family only just realized that the eldest girl had such sophisticated painting skills and her paintings were so vivid. Even the famous Hua Xin and Hua Ling had to admit that they could not compare with her.
The one Hua Zhi painted was not the old lady Hua who had passed away on the bed, but the mistress of the Hua family who was well-maintained, rich, and had a kind smile before the accident.
At that time, her cheeks were still plump, her face didn't have so many lines, her hair hadn't turned gray, and she looked energetic, just like the one Hua Zhi painted her.
Several old ladies stared at the person in the portrait in a daze, resisting the urge to touch their temples and their eyes all turned red.
Weren't they also so energetic at that time
Hua Zhi looked at it quietly for a moment, then turned around and left the house, standing in the corridor.
Human emotions are really strange. Even though they have been strangers for so many years and have only relied on each other for a few short months, they can still feel so much reluctance and sadness in their hearts.
"Zhi'er..."
Wu followed her out, hesitated for a moment, and patted her arm gently, "Don't be sad."
"I don't understand how my grandmother could bear to do that. With such a large family and my grandfather not coming back yet, how could she get so angry that she died over such a thing?"
Mrs. Wu stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with her, watching the servants working nearby and far away. "Doctor Chu said that mother's health was not good to begin with, and she acted like this out of anger. If mother's health had improved a little, she might not have come to this."
How could there be so many ifs in the world? Hua Zhi sneered in her heart. She could only blame Hua Jing for this.
Housekeeper Xu walked in quickly from the courtyard gate, holding up his skirt, "Miss, the monks from Dazhuo Temple have arrived at the alley entrance. There are a total of forty-nine people."
Even Hua Zhi was stunned for a moment, not to mention Wu, who exclaimed, "Forty-nine people? How could it be? Are they all masters from Dazhuo Temple?"
"Yes." Although he was the one who invited them, and he had been happy all the way, he was still a little excited now. "They are all great masters from Dazhuo Temple, and the leader is Master Prajna."
"Go and get them ready to welcome us." Hua Zhi turned back and went into the house. "Berlin."
"Yes, elder sister."
"Take my brothers and go to the front yard to welcome the mage into the mansion. Be quick."
"Yes." Hua Bailin picked up the youngest, Bai Jun, and asked the other older ones to lead the younger ones and walk and run out of the house.
Hua Zhi had to go too. She looked at Hua Xin and the others and said, "Be smart and keep the eternal lamp burning."
Several people nodded repeatedly.
Hua Zhi bowed to the three aunts and uncles again, "My sisters are all young, please take care of them."
"Don't worry, we're here."
Hua Zhi tried to walk faster. She didn't care about the pain from the friction on her leg. She also wanted to walk as calmly as possible. Now everyone in the family was depending on her. Only if she stayed calm could everyone stay calm.
A team of forty-nine magicians was not considered large in the capital. When a powerful family performed a ritual, the maximum number of magicians was usually ninety-nine.
For the Hua family today, being able to invite forty-nine people was already beyond everyone's expectations, not to mention that they were monks from the Dazhuo Temple.
Hearing the faint sound of Buddhist chants and wooden fish, Hua Zhi paused before continuing to move forward.
It seemed that until this moment, listening to the Buddhist chanting, smelling the sandalwood in the yard, and looking at the completed mourning hall, she had the real feeling that her grandmother was gone. The old woman who had never let her down in the slightest even though she had never done anything to bring honor to her grandfather, was really gone.
Outside the gate, forty-nine monks were beating wooden fishes, chanting Sanskrit, and walking slowly and rhythmically towards the gate of the Hua family. It was solemn and dignified. Even Hua Jing, who had countless thoughts in her mind, knelt on the ground, not daring to move.
Hua Bailin led his brothers to kneel respectfully on the left side of the gate. Hua Zhi knelt alone on the right side of the gate, listening to the Sanskrit sound approaching and passing by her into the gate. Then she stood up and followed behind with her brothers.
This lingering atmosphere gradually dissipated until we entered the mourning hall.
In the mourning hall, Butler Xu had already placed the cushions, and forty-eight people sat down on both sides. The Buddhist chanting and the sound of wooden fish began again.
Hua Zhi led her brothers to kneel in the mourning hall. She didn't know if it was right to do so, but she vaguely felt that it was the right thing to do.
Master Prajna opened his eyes which had been slightly closed, without even looking at Hua Bailin, but looked directly at Hua Zhi and nodded slightly to her.
Hua Zhi bowed deeply. She didn't understand why Dazhuo Temple sent so many people, and could only attribute it to the master.
The ritual did not last long. As soon as the Buddhist chanting stopped, Butler Xu led the servants to serve vegetarian food and tea, and directed the servants to add braziers to the mourning hall.
“No need for that.” Master Prajna gently refused. “People like us who practice pure cultivation can stand this little bit of cold. Besides, the old lady’s spirit will be resting soon. Too much warmth will be bad for her Dharma body.”
Butler Xu quickly signaled to the servants to take the brazier away.
"You guys should get up too and put on more clothes. We have to stay up all night. The spirit will be moved at 3 pm."
The group of monks who were eating vegetarian food looked at the master with some surprise. Master Prajna practiced silent meditation and was famous for his few words, but he treated the Hua family very differently.
Hua Zhi didn't know all this, but she could vaguely feel the master's kindness. After paying her respects, she remembered but couldn't get up because she was very tired.
"Elder sister." Hua Bailin, who was kneeling beside her, hurried forward to help her up.
Hua Zhi pushed him aside without leaving a trace and stood up. She patted his hand soothingly and said, "Take the brothers to dinner. They should eat more."
Hua Bailin opened his mouth, but finally swallowed all the words and heartache, and left with his brothers. Anything he said now would be redundant. All he could do was to do as much as possible so that his eldest sister could have more time.
Master Prajna looked at her and waved at Hua Zhi when she looked over.
Hua Zhi took a few steps forward and bowed, "Master."
"I heard from old donor Hua that you are just like what he said." Master Prajna said, taking off the beads in his hand and handing them to her, "May you be healthy."
"Thank you, Master." Hua Zhi took it with both hands and bowed deeply. At this moment, any bit of kindness would be engraved in her heart.
"The Hua family is blessed with great fortune, and good times will surely come."
"Yes, my daughter thinks so too." If she can't wait, she will earn it herself!
Master Prajna nodded and closed his eyes again. Hua Zhi bowed again and put the beads on her wrist. She borrowed the master's auspicious words and hoped that she would be healthy and not have any illness, as she could not afford to be sick.
Outside the mourning hall, Butler Xu was waiting there.
"How is Hua Jing?"
"Stay in that shed and cry when someone passes by."
Hua Zhi's expression gradually turned cold. "Have someone send her another bed and quilt, the same as the previous one, just as long as it looks thick. Also, have someone send the charcoal with great fanfare."
"yes."
Hua Zhi looked at the white hair of the old man when he lowered his head, and remembered that he was the same age as her grandfather. She felt a little sorry for him, so she softened her tone and said, "Let Xu Jie do anything. Walk slowly. The road is slippery in the snow, don't fall."
Xu Dongjin's eyes were slightly red, he was touched and grateful, "I have served the old master all my life, now I want to do more, otherwise I really feel..."
Hua Zhi looked up at the dark night sky and stopped talking.
PS: Don’t lower your head, or you will cry.