This caught Liu Zhizhong completely off guard.
The situation had changed in a bizarre way, taking one by surprise.
Subconsciously, Liu Zhizhong still whispered in a low voice, "I can fully empathize with Mr. Xuan's emotions. So... maybe we should just forget it?" This update ıs available on 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍
Qian Xuan immediately slapped his wheelchair, his face the picture of seriousness, brimming with menace, "You say forget it and just expect it to be done? We've built up the atmosphere to this point and you want to just drop it? After all the effort I've poured into this, you think you can just call it quits? Don't you have any conscience or sympathy?"
He didn't roar, his tone was deep to the point of seeming jocular.
Liu Zhizhong had no choice but to stand at attention, bow his head obediently, with a serious expression, like a reprimanded puppy.
It was already a favor that the eccentric hadn't started bellowing in the garden of his manor.
At this point, anything other than silence could provoke his mood.
Qian Xuan closed his eyes, nodded and said, "When the time comes, call Shi Jing and Xu Jiao first, let them warm up with an hour's singing. Consider it a preheat for you, and then..."
What he suggested seemed perfectly reasonable, and of course, Liu Zhizhong nodded in agreement.
Qian Xuan seemed very pleased, wiped away his tears, then smiled faintly in the morning breeze, "Let's go, time to head back for breakfast. Enjoy your meal..."
With that, he adjusted himself and, aye, his wheelchair sped up.
This meant Liu Zhizhong had to jog to keep up with him, all the while calling out, "Mr. Xuan, slow down, slow down..."
"I can't slow down, not too slow... I'm happy, I'm excited..."
The way he said it seemed to have quite a lot of meanings, and all Liu Zhizhong could do was laugh weakly...
For the following three days, Liu Zhizhong stayed carefree at Qian's Manor, well-fed and entertained, pampered by Qian Xuan like an ancestor, often grinning in his presence. The couple invited him to dine, fish, and even ride horses together.
In any case, Liu Zhizhong was determined to truly rest and build up his strength!
Meanwhile, in Yangzhou, the funeral of Old Secretary Zhang Dingkang proceeded according to plan, with everything from visits to offer condolences, presenting wreaths, holding memorial services, to the burial, going smoothly.
Over in the Provincial City, Luo Tianlin naturally went to pay his respects. A vice-provincial official went down as well, giving the proceedings a high profile.
Zhang Hongyang held the guide flag, walking at the forefront of the funeral procession. Behind him was his father, Zhang Zhengchang, carrying the spiritual tablet and portrait, and only then did the coffin and the lengthy funeral procession follow.
Luo Tianlin was a prominent figure in the procession, standing in the first row behind the coffin, at the very front of the crowd.
His expression solemn, he sometimes glanced at the coffin, sometimes at the shadows of Zhang Hongyang and Zhang Zhengchang, sighing to himself...
Zhang Hongyang was his biological son, a secret that might not come out until many years later, perhaps only when Luo Tianlin passes away and descends to meet the old leaders in the afterlife might he admit his fault?
Allegedly, on the morning the mourning was announced, Yangzhou City managed to have empty streets everywhere, with the main streets stretching for miles to see off the secretary. At sunrise, a heavy downpour began, turning into a drizzle that lasted until the burial was over.
According to popular fengshui metaphysics, such weather indicated that the deceased's descendants were likely to prosper and at least someone would stand out. As for which one would become prominent, that remains uncertain. Many people believed it would surely be Zhang Hongyang. Being young and serving as the County Mayor of Shadong County with day-by-day growing clout, he could rise straight to the top given increasing credentials.
These feudal superstitions, well, people in officialdom sometimes really believe in them. Sometimes, the more powerful figures tend to be all the more particular about them. Whether it's for weddings or funerals, they choose auspicious dates; for tomb construction or house building, they consider fengshui layouts, which is an age-old practice.
Not to mention, when constructing an office building, no matter the level, from township to provincial city, the site selection and orientation are meticulously considered.
Beijing University offers courses related to fengshui studies, Tsinghua has courses on I Ching architecture and fengshui, believe it or not?
And recently, the academic field of funeral services has become popular, with high entrance scores required, believe it or not?
At the moment when Grandfather's nanmu coffin was laid in the granite vault, that bastard Zhang Hongyang did something very sinister, truly unexpected, something Liu Zhizhong hadn't foreseen either, sigh...