CHAPTER 187: CHAPTER 187: ANCESTRAL WORSHIP

187 Ancestor Worship

Just as the stick was about to strike, Sun Mei and Zhao Dong rushed over.

Sun Mei snatched the stick from Mrs. Wang’s hand and shielded the three children behind her.

Zhao Zhitong, who had been acting tough just moments before, burst into tears the instant Sun Mei and Zhao Dong arrived, wailing her grievances, "WAAAH... Boo-hoo... Daddy, Mommy, Zhao Cai... Zhao Cai dirtied my clothes, and she hit me..."

Her cries were a symphony of misery and pitifulness.

Zhao Dong’s heart nearly shattered. He quickly picked up Zhao Zhitong and began to comfort her.

Zhao Yue, who had been cheering Zhao Zhitong on just moments ago, was speechless.

Even Zhao Cai, who had been crying on the other side, stopped and stared at Zhao Zhitong. If it weren’t for the lingering pain where she’d been hit, she might have even thought she was the one who had bullied Zhao Zhitong.

Then, she too closed her eyes and began to wail, as if competing with Zhao Zhitong.

Sun Mei looked expressionlessly at Mrs. Wang and Xiao Wang, saying, "Mother-in-law, why would you try to hit the children without first finding out who was right or wrong?"

Mrs. Wang, looking every bit the vile mother-in-law, sneered, "Pah! I am her grandmother! If the little hussy misbehaves and makes a mistake, don’t I, as an elder, have the right to discipline her? What, do I need to report to you when I discipline my own grandchildren? Who do you think you are?"

Mrs. Wang using her seniority to pressure her made Sun Mei’s eyes turn cold. It seemed that during tomorrow’s ancestor worship, she absolutely had to sever this relationship in front of all the clansmen. Otherwise, this woman would continue to use her status to cause trouble for their family.

This was an era where filial piety was paramount. Although she wasn’t afraid of Mrs. Wang, the woman was like a persistent pest and could bring endless trouble.

Sun Mei, casting all caution aside, retorted with a cold snort, "Pah, elder? What kind of elder are you? Let’s have everyone judge whether you’re a qualified elder or not!"

Then she shouted to the onlookers, "Everyone, come and see! Come and judge for yourselves!"

"Two children were quarreling, and many neighbors saw that it was your third son’s child who started it. My children can’t just stand there and be bullied, can they? They were just defending themselves! How did it become my children’s fault in your eyes, to the point where you want to beat them so severely?

"Even if you’re jealous of my husband because you’re his stepmother, you don’t need to try and annihilate our entire family! You truly have a vicious heart!"

Then, mimicking the dramatic displays of village women, she began to cry and wail, "Dear heavens! This is no way to live! My stepmother-in-law is trying to drive us to our deaths!"

The surrounding people began to whisper and point fingers.

Seeing Sun Mei steal her signature dramatic act, Mrs. Wang’s face turned green with rage.

"Mrs. Wang," someone from the crowd mediated, "everyone is watching. It’s true that your third son’s daughter started it. Zhao Dong’s daughter was just defending herself. It’s not a big deal, so just let it go. It’s the New Year; it’s not good to damage the harmony."

"Yes, yes, we should all get along during the New Year."

"Mrs. Wang, you’re Zhao Dong’s stepmother, not his biological mother. Don’t concern yourself so much. Look, you’re not young anymore. Just let them be. They can educate their own children. Wouldn’t it be better for you to just relax and enjoy your later years?"

...

The surrounding villagers continuously tried to mediate.

However, it was clear that most of them sided with Sun Mei’s family.

Mrs. Wang and Xiao Wang were seething. Is it just because they see Zhao Dong’s family doing better? Now these people are starting to suck up to them.

Just wait and see! Our vegetables have already been harvested. Although it’s not much, we heard our son has taken them to build connections with influential people. By then, these people wouldn’t even be able to curry favor with us anymore!

In the end, Mrs. Wang and Xiao Wang said nothing more, turned with dark faces, and left.

Zhao Cai’s crying intensified. If there was an element of pretense before, now her tears were genuine.

She had only put one black handprint on Zhao Zhitong’s clothes, but Zhao Zhitong had not only smeared her clothes with soot from the bottom of a pot but had also pinned her to the ground and beaten her.

Never mind that she was still in pain; her clothes were filthy from rolling on the ground, covered in disgusting mud and black soot everywhere. Yet her grandma and mother had let Zhao Zhitong off so easily! She refused to accept it!That little wretch should wash her clothes! No, she should buy her new clothes and then kneel and apologize to her!

Her wailing annoyed Mrs. Wang, who started to scold her.

Then, muttering curses, they returned home.

After Mrs. Wang and her group left, Zhao Zhitong also stopped crying, leaning on Zhao Dong’s shoulder, still sniffling intermittently.

When Zhao Yue quietly peeked at her from below, she was still hiccupping from her sobs but grinned at him, baring her teeth.

Zhao Yue: "..."

Then he quickly made a mental note: never, ever provoke Zhao Zhitong.She was terrifying when she hit Zhao Cai just now.

Because her clothes were dirty, Zhao Zhitong’s mood was somewhat dampened, so they didn’t play anymore and all headed home.

Sun Mei told her the black handprint on her new clothes could just be washed from the shoulder. After drying them by the stove, she could wear them again tomorrow. Hearing this, Zhao Zhitong’s last trace of unhappiness vanished, and she cheerfully went to play with her older brothers and older sisters.

「With the bursts of firecrackers at midnight, the new year arrived.」

Zhao Zhitong and the other children couldn’t stay awake through the night. They fell asleep at some unknown point, not even woken by the continuous bursts of firecrackers.

「The next day was the first day of the New Year, and the Zhao Family was to perform the ancestor worship.」

Early in the morning, Sun Mei and Zhao Dong were called by their clansmen to help.

Zhao Zhitong, Zhao Cheng, Zhao Yu, and their other sibling, after finishing breakfast, locked the door and headed to the Ancestral Hall together.

Zhao Zhitong curiously looked at Zhao Yu’s bulging chest and asked, "Xiao Ge, what did you bring?"

Zhao Yu mysteriously whispered, "I brought some peanuts. After the ancestor worship begins, I want to give them to our ancestors first so they can bless us."

Zhao Zhitong said joyfully, "Wow, then I’ll also give my candy to our ancestors."

...

The four little ones chatted and laughed as they made their way to the Ancestral Hall. By now, the area outside the hall was already a sea of people.

Basically, half the families in Zhao Village had come. In Zhao Village, as long as one’s surname was Zhao, they were generally considered part of the clan, though some families were by now distant branches of distant branches.

Sun Mei and the other women were preparing various meats and dishes for the sacrificial offerings, while Zhao Dong and the men were arranging the Ancestral Hall.

「With a long string of firecrackers, the sacrificial ceremony began.」

First, the eldest sons from each branch of the clan entered the Ancestral Hall to offer incense to the ancestors.

Then, from their side, as expected, Mrs. Wang pushed Zhao Chun forward.

Seeing this, Zhao Dong immediately stepped forward and said to Mrs. Wang, "Mother, this isn’t according to the rules, is it? Now that Elder Brother is gone, I should be the one to represent our branch in worshiping the ancestors."

Hearing this, Mrs. Wang snorted coldly and looked at the clan leader standing nearby.

Mrs. Wang had already spoken to the clan leader about this. Therefore, the clan leader smiled and said to Zhao Dong, "Since you have already separated from the main family, we—all of us—discussed it and unanimously agreed that it would be more appropriate for Zhao Chun to do it."

Zhao Dong deliberately persisted, "Why?! Even if I’ve separated from the family, I am still the eldest son. I should be the one to worship the ancestors!"