The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 469 - 458: Mourning (Six)

Chapter 469: Chapter 458: Mourning (Six)

The Zhang family members, with the ferocity of a gale sweeping fallen leaves, crammed everything edible on the table into their bellies or pockets. In less than fifteen minutes, they picked the table clean.

Not to mention Zhou Daliang and Zhou Dahong, who were responsible for serving dishes and steamed buns, even Ms. Fang and others who clandestinely peeked over from the kitchen were astonished.

Ms.Fang considered herself a veteran at Zhou’s household, having been around long enough to have spent a New Year there.

She had met all of Zhou’s relatives who were due to leave, but she never remembered meeting these people.

Ms.Fang swallowed hard and asked Ms.He beside her, "Third sister-in-law, are these Zhang folks from grandma’s side of the family?"

Ms.He glanced outside and whispered, "You’ll get used to it after seeing them a few times. Just steer clear of them from now on."

"Eating in such a hurry, won’t they get hiccups?" Ms.Fang said, unsure.

No sooner had she spoken than several members of the Zhang family began to hiccup. They seemed accustomed to it and unconcerned. Instead, they looked around and called out, "Why are there no more steamed buns or dishes left? Who’s serving this meal?"

Zhou Dahong immediately approached, "The dishes for each table are fixed, as are the steamed buns, and I’ve already added an extra basket for you all. Look at the baskets on the other tables if you don’t believe me."

The Zhang family members instinctively looked and noticed that the fifth table had one less basket than theirs.

Zhou Dahong sneered, "Last year was a year of disaster. Times are tough for everyone this year, and the food for each table is fixed. Besides, you’re all hiccuping and still not full?"

"We’ve eaten, but the children haven’t."

"Then take out the steamed buns you hid and feed the children."

Zhao First instinctively covered his chest.

As the Zhang family started to curse and grumble, Zhou Dahong slammed the serving tray onto the table with a thud. The young men seated at the adjacent table stood up together, eyes glaring at them intently.

Hmph, did they really think the local toughs of Qili Village were made of mud?

Three years ago, they had dominated Qili Village as the top figures!

Of course, by now, most of them had settled down and become fathers!

The Zhang family members, either holding children or the not so young among them, all fell silent at once and then quietly sat down without saying another word.

Zhou Dahong was satisfied. He snorted, "We need to clear the tables now, hurry up and make some space."

This request was quite discourteous—at least, no household would treat guests this way.

But the Zhang family members had always been bullies who feared the tough, so they dared not speak out at the moment.

Zhao Second looked around for Old Zhou to complain, only to find that the couple who had been at the mourning hall had disappeared, and their cousins sitting on both sides pretended not to see their predicament.

Zhao Second was furious. Rolling up his sleeves, he was about to go argue with them when his grandson squeezed through from outside, tugging at his clothes, "Grandpa, Grandpa, there’s lots of food out there."

Zhao Second squinted his eyes and followed him outside. Once they stepped out, they saw at least twenty tables lined up along the road ahead, each table with steamed buns and dishes. Unlike their battlefield-like feasting earlier, they were eating while chatting.

Zhao Second even spotted Eldest Uncle Qian with keen eyes!

He narrowed his eyes and turned back to find his older brother.

By now, it was past lunchtime, and the Zhou family was also hungry. Uncle Lai let his son notify the mourning relatives to go eat first.

Zhou Dalang and others went to the kitchen to grab a few steamed buns to gnaw on, Manbao, standing amid her tall and sturdy brothers, reached their chests and was also handed a steamed bun.

Ms.Fang handed her a spoonful of vegetables, explaining specifically, "Your eldest sister-in-law said you are not allowed to eat meat."

Manbao nodded understandingly and asked, "Does that mean we also have to observe three years of mourning."

"Cough cough..." Not only Zhou Wulang and others choked, but even Zhou Dalang did too, hastily taking a swig of water and saying, "No need, no need. If you don’t want to eat meat, just abstain for three or four days."

Actually, in the countryside, there weren’t so many formalities. Old Zhou hadn’t even thought of it initially because even when his own parents died, he didn’t observe such abstinence.

If he could find a piece of meat in the leftovers at home, it would alleviate his sadness somewhat, let alone deliberately avoiding meat.

It was only after reading some books that Datou asked them worriedly yesterday evening if their family should abstain from meat for three years and whether Fifth Uncle could not take a wife for that long...

Zhou Dalang and Junior Ms.Qian were hearing such assertions for the first time and were thus stunned.

Not marrying or hosting banquets, wasn’t that only when the emperor died, and the county magistrate issued such a decree?

In their rural area, if it was done, no one would report it, and the county magistrate wouldn’t know, let alone the emperor somewhere far away.

So when the last emperor died, although it was decreed not to marry or host banquets, during festivals, people still ate meat, drank wine, and sought matches as usual...

Manbao scratched her head, suddenly realizing, "I understand. The books say it’s for parents. This is our uncle, so it’s different."

The six brothers felt a mix of emotions, their gazes turning complex. Zhou Silang hesitated and then said, "Manbao, why don’t you try not eating meat for three years?"

Zhou Erlang slapped him on the head, "Don’t give ridiculous ideas. What if Manbao gets sick? We’ve only just managed to nurse her to health."

Manbao also touched her little chubby belly, hesitated, and then said, "I heard that the emperor only observes three months of mourning, counting a month as a year."

"That’s right, you’re a fairy, aren’t you? Isn’t it one day as one year for the gods?" Zhou Silang said, "Well, why don’t you observe for three days, and it’ll count as three years."

Manbao asked, "Why only me? Why don’t you guys observe?"

Zhou Dalang said, "We are observing together. It’s our uncle. It’s our duty to show filial piety."

"Okay!" Manbao nodded earnestly, "Let’s observe it together."

While they were talking, Zhao Second barged in from outside and saw Zhou Dalang and his brothers holding steamed buns. Observing that there seemed to be plenty more in the kitchen behind them, his eyes flashed. He squeezed forward, "Dalang, what are you hiding here for? Your cousin has been looking for you..."

Zhou Dalang and Zhou San immediately blocked Zhao’s path, while Zhou Erlang, in a display of perfect coordination, stuffed the half-eaten steamed bun in his hand into Zhou Si’s mouth and then stepped forward to support Zhao Second, gently pushing him toward the outside with great force while smilingly saying, "Second cousin, I was about to come find you too. I wanted to have a quiet word with you. Do you still remember the food you borrowed from our family a few years ago?"

Zhao Second stiffened and mumbled, "When was that? I don’t recall."