CHAPTER 1306: CHAPTER 667: ACCIDENT

The second watch, asking for pinks.

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Due to the general attitude and understanding towards death and afterlife matters, arranging a coffin is something that never needs to be avoided. Although Old Master Lian was ill, the coffin-making still had to proceed as scheduled, even carrying a trace of celebratory fortune.

And Lian Shouxin specifically mentioned having Lian Shouli send more hands to help, naturally wanting to get the coffin finished sooner. It seems that Lian Shouxin wasn’t very hopeful about Old Master Lian’s health.

The family discussed plans for the next day for a while longer before returning to their respective rooms to sleep, without anyone bringing up Erlang’s matter again. With Erlang’s parents present, along with Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou, even as Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang being uncle and aunt, there wasn’t much space for them to speak on this matter. As for Lian Manman and the others, even less so.

Moreover, love and marriage are probably the most incomprehensible matters in this world. If both Erlang and Luo Xiaoyan are willing parties, what else could they do?

Lian Manman’s family were not the type who enjoyed forcing others to do things against their will.

The next day, Carpenter Luo was invited, personally led to the old house by Lian Shouxin. Soon, Lady Zhao arrived, and Lady Zhang brought out the fabrics. The two women discussed and cut the cloth, then began padding it with cotton.

Lian Yeye also came with Lady Zhao. Making the shrouds for Old Master Lian didn’t require several girls. Lian Zhizhi, Lian Manman, and Lian Yeye then went to sit in the west room, each working on their own needlework.

"I’ve heard about Brother Erlang’s matter," Lian Yeye spoke as she did her needlework.

"I was just about to tell you. Who did you hear it from?" Lian Manman asked.

"It was from our neighbor to the west, Fourth Aunt Wang," Lian Yeye replied. "Many people know, and they said they saw Brother Erlang going to Luo Family Village and even helping Old Luo’s family with farm work."

In the row of houses where Lian Yeye lived, there were only a few households, mostly new constructions in recent years. Now, Lian Yeye’s family had grown familiar with their neighbors, especially getting along very well with the Wang family in the courtyard to their west.

"No wonder we’ve missed seeing him when we’ve gone to the old house a few times," Lian Manman realized.

It turns out Erlang had long been in contact with the Luo family. But, of course, marriage is a big deal, and it’s unlikely the two would set things in stone at their first meeting. Lian Manman thought Erlang had been shrewd enough to arrange his own marriage.

"Sister Manman, why didn’t you go up the mountain today?" Lian Yeye asked Lian Manman.

"I’ll go later this afternoon. I’ve told Shen Jin that there’s some family matter these couple of days," Lian Manman said.

The three sisters talked while working on their needlework.

"Ladies, have some snacks and rest your eyes, you’ve been working for half the day," Xiao Xi came in with tea and snacks, smiling as they spoke.

"Indeed," Lian Manman put down her needlework, invited Lian Zhizhi and Lian Yeye to join her for some refreshments, and asked Xiao Xi, "Has my father returned?"

"Old Master hasn’t returned yet," Xiao Xi replied.

"Strange, he’s been gone for half the day. Wasn’t he just supposed to drop someone off and come back?" Lian Manman wondered aloud.

Just as they spoke, the sound of footsteps was heard in the courtyard.

"Old Master has returned," Xiao Xi glanced outside and said.

Lian Manman looked up and indeed, Lian Shouxin had returned.

"You all sit here, I’ll go have a look," Lian Manman got off the kang and headed to the east room. Lian Shouxin must have something to discuss after staying at the old house for half a day.

Sure enough, when Lian Manman reached the east room, Lian Shouxin was talking to Lady Zhang.

"... The Old Master doesn’t want to buy more wood. Just those two boards, one for him and one for the old lady, are just enough to make two coffins... He said tenant farmers should use things according to their status, or else it would be too grand. He wouldn’t rest peacefully even after being buried," Lian Shouxin told Lady Zhang.

They’d already spent over ten taels on wood, and combined with paying the carpenter and buying other materials, these two coffins would cost at least more than twenty taels of silver.

For tenant farmers, even for well-off families, spending four or five taels on a coffin was considered upscale. For instance, when Lady Gu passed away, the thin-walled willow coffin they bought only cost six or seven hundred copper coins.

"If it wasn’t for the old lady being so persistent..." Lady Zhang sighed.

In this era, male superiority over females was evident even in funerary matters, especially concerning coffins. Most tenant families rarely prepared a coffin for the old master in advance. Preparing one for the old lady was almost unheard of; old ladies in most tenant families never requested it. Many would buy a coffin only when they were nearing their end.