Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Lin Yongle Returns Home (2)_1 Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Lin Yongle Returns Home (2)_1 Lin Yuan didn’t understand until her little aunt explained it to her with a smile; only then did she laugh out loud with joy.
It turned out that rain during the roof-raising ceremony was considered auspicious.
In ancient times, rain was a treasured element; rain symbolized money falling from the sky.
Especially during significant events such as the roof-raising ceremony or moving into a new home, it was believed by the homeowners to be an overwhelming blessing, almost as if the heavens were conveying good news.
Moreover, the rainwater was thought to wash away various malignant auras, bringing peace and prosperity to the family.
Although these were superstitious beliefs, they were still taken as good omens.
Lin Yuan happily enjoyed the cleansing by the rain.
However, Lin Jiaxin had only recently seen some improvement in his leg condition, and Lady Liu couldn’t afford to get wet, so Lin Yuan still ushered Lady Fan and Lady Liu inside the house.
Xia Zheng fetched a straw raincoat and bamboo hat for his future father-in-law, looking more filial than a son.
Far from damping spirits, the autumn rain seemed to excite everyone even more.
Chief Sun directed the young men in the roof-raising, and perhaps buoyed by the auspicious sign of the rain, he recited the blessing with extra vigor, “Granted an auspicious moment for the roof-raising, may the heavens and earth open their granaries, may the shade of the scholar trees reach this spot, bringing utmost auspiciousness.
First take the leading beam high, congratulations to the nobility for their flowing prosperity, then raise the trailing beam, bestowing blessings on the monarch for an everlasting reign.
No sooner had Chief Sun finished speaking than the young men who had been waiting eagerly outside ignited the firecrackers tucked under the eaves.
With the crackling sound of firecrackers, the roof-raising ceremony was finally completed!
With the roof beam in place, they started on the roof.
Carried by the momentum of the successful roof-raising, Chief Sun shouted, and the working men enthusiastically climbed the ladders to get busy.
Strangely enough, the light rain that had fallen during the roof-raising had now slowly stopped.
Nevertheless, looking at the darkening clouds gathering on the horizon, Lin Yuan knew that even if it didn’t rain now, it was bound to pour later that night, and most likely quite heavily.
Chief Sun naturally also noticed this and sighed with a tinge of regret, “If it weren’t for this rain, we could finish the house in another five or six days.
Now, well, if the rain is heavy, we’ll have to wait for it to dry a bit before we can start work again.”
Lin Yuan understood the reasons, but there was nothing they could do against the forces of nature.
They just had to do as much as they could today before the rain started.
As expected, Chief Sun’s prediction was accurate.
By the afternoon, dark clouds had already covered the sky above the Lin family’s hollow.
Chief Sun hurriedly called the men to move the lumber into the newly constructed house.
Although it had no roof, the new house was at least somewhat safer.
These timber pieces didn’t mind getting wet; the fear was that a heavy rain might wash them away.
The roof was far from finished, so there were still many red bricks left in the courtyard.
At first, Chief Sun was worried that someone from the village might covet them and sneak in at night to steal the bricks, so they had been stacked in the yard ever since their arrival.
But now that the house was taking shape and with many miscellaneous materials strewn about in the courtyard, there was no place to keep the bricks.
Moreover, no one had attempted theft, so they moved the remaining red bricks to the entrance.
Fearing that the heavy rain might topple the neatly piled red bricks, Chief Sun picked two particularly attentive young men to restack the bricks, and only then, with peace of mind, did he lead his men home.
After seeing off Chief Sun, Lin Yuan struggled to close the large gate.
It had been kicked open by someone from the old house and later pushed open carelessly by Xia Zheng.
Now it was full of holes and cracks.
Even after Lin Yuan strenuously tried for a long while, she still couldn’t make it close as seamlessly as it did before.
“Don’t strain yourself.
I already have a new gate prepared for you,” he assured, “just waiting for your house to be completed before delivering it.”