books44 Chapter 107 Acting without contending, achieving without dwelling on success
Chapter 107 Acting without contending, achieving without dwelling on success
Zuo Renxin asked someone to find an auspicious day, and the grave was opened at nine o'clock in the morning.
Incense is lit on the altar, and paper money is burned to worship ancestors. The clan head prays about the reasons for the ancestors' migration and the new address, and asks for their blessings and protection for future generations.
When collecting the ashes, Gao Haoran wrapped the urn in a black cloth and took it out, while Zuo Renxin used a black umbrella to shield the urn from direct sunlight.
On the same day they returned to their hometown, the villagers saw them off again and again. Over the years, they had become accustomed to paying respects to the deceased at their graves, regarding them as their elders. Now that they were leaving, there was much reluctance, but they also understood that one must return to one's roots; the war was over, and the heroes should go home.
The clan chief repeatedly instructed Gao Haoran: "The ashes must not touch the ground. When encountering steps or bridges, you need to say the deceased's name and tell them to be careful." "When getting the urn on and off the vehicle, be sure to use a black umbrella to shield it." He also gave Gao Haoran all the precautions for burying the ashes.
Zuo Renxin insisted on accompanying the body back. They took the train back and changed trains, with Gao Haoran carrying the urn. The journey was smooth nonetheless.
As they approached the county town, Gao Haoran notified the owner of a general store, who was also an apprentice of the Gao family, without alerting Factory Director Mu. He feared that businessmen might have some reservations, especially about using his car.
Li Yang, Gao's apprentice, also happened to have a black sedan. He didn't mind: "There's nothing to be ashamed of about my own master. I treat them as if they're still alive. I feel honored that they can ride in my car."
Gao Haoran sat in the back holding the urn containing ashes, while Zuo Renxin, still holding the black umbrella, sat beside him to shield himself from the sun when getting on and off the bus. Originally, the umbrella should have been for Song Tingnan, but she was too short to reach her master and senior uncle.
Li Yang had prepared paper money, incense, candles, and offerings. Gao Haoran had Ting Nan tie a red cloth strip to the handle of the car's rearview mirror, and then they set off.
Even before reaching Gaojia Village, Gao Haoran saw many villagers waiting by the roadside, all dressed in plain clothes. As soon as the car appeared, a cannon shot rang out. "Brothers, we're home! Look, everyone's here to welcome you!" Gao Haoran got out of the car carrying the urn, while Zuo Renxin, holding an umbrella, placed the urn in the welcoming sedan chair. The return date had been announced by Li Yang.
The villagers all knew that the Gao family had gone to the front lines to fight against the Japanese. Chairman Mao said, "We are doing revolution to benefit the next generation, but for the sake of revolution, we have to leave behind our own next generation." The Gao family was just like that. Back then, all those who could go to the battlefield went, and a once prosperous family became sparsely populated and declined. Now that the Gao family heroes have returned, they are all waiting to welcome them.
Looking at the mourning tent erected at the house where he lived on the mountaintop, and the small colorful flags planted along the way, Gao Haoran thought: Ting Nan is right, justice resides in the hearts of the people, it is enough that the common people remember their brothers, and the honor they give is more genuine.
The entire funeral was overseen by Gao Wanli. Although he had a limp, he was highly efficient and arranged everything perfectly: the burial site was chosen by a feng shui master, the best planks were selected for the coffin, incense was lit, offerings were placed, and a banquet was arranged...
After being placed in the coffin, they bowed and kowtowed three times. Not only Gaojia Village, but also many villagers from the surrounding area came to kowtow... Gao Haoran led his brothers home in a grand procession. Amidst the sound of firecrackers and accompanied by his fellow villagers, he watched them return to their roots and be laid to rest. His heart finally settled down.
Don't be so attached. Good and evil will be rewarded accordingly. Perhaps he can start a martial arts school and carry forward the Gao family's martial arts. He wants to wait for Tingnan to grow up. Maybe one day, he will tell her a list he has kept in his heart. Maybe he won't have to wait for that day; everything will be revealed to the world. Who knows?
"To act without striving, to achieve without dwelling on success"—this is what he learned from this journey.