Chapter 19

Chapter 19

As the Chen hour struck, the paper ox and paper horse were led out first, a tradition passed down through generations.

With Chen Qingyan having no direct heir, his younger brother Chen Qingsong led the procession, breaking the burial bowl and holding the funeral banner, while Chen Qingyun and Wang Ying followed, wailing in mourning.

All the clan relatives had gathered today. They recalled attending Chen Qingyan’s wedding just two months prior, and now the joyous occasion had tragically turned into a funeral. Shaking their heads and sighing, they grieved for the young man.

Chen Biao stood to the side, directing the servants and hired helpers bustling about the courtyard, assuming the air of the master of the house.

Anyone with discernment could see that the Chen family’s main household was likely to change hands. Unfortunately, even if this matter were brought before the authorities, little could be done, as the main household now lacked an adult male to uphold its lineage.

Chen Rong stayed by Li Shi’s side, secretly shedding tears. Observing her Second Brother’s demeanor, she feared that the child had indeed been murdered, just as Eldest Sister-in-law had suspected.

As the appointed hour drew near, Chen Biao immediately ordered the coffin sealed for the funeral procession.

“Don’t seal the coffin! You can’t take my brother away!” Chen Qingyun stepped forward, blocking the men.

Tian Mama quickly intervened, pulling her back. “Second Young Miss, please don’t make a scene. Don’t delay the auspicious time.”

Seeing her daughter could not be restrained, Li Shi threw herself onto the coffin, weeping, “Oh, my poor child! Your mother cannot bear to let you go…”

Third Aunt joined in the crying. “Sister-in-law, why prolong this suffering? Let the child rest in peace.”

Chen Biao grew anxious. Until Chen Qingyan was buried, he could not claim the main household’s property. He swiftly instructed the hired helpers to pull Li Shi away.

Just as the coffin was about to be closed, Wang Ying lifted the hem of his robe and leaped inside. “Let’s see who dares to seal it today!”

“Heavens above, what is he doing?” The relatives cried out in alarm. They had never witnessed such audacity—someone daring to jump into a deceased’s coffin!

Chen Biao’s patience wore thin, yet he maintained a benevolent facade. “The man is dead. What are you trying to achieve by obstructing the funeral? Surely you don’t wish to disturb Qing Yan’s peace?”

“Fourth Uncle hasn’t arrived home yet. It’s not too late to delay the burial until he returns!”

“You notified Chen Jing?”

“Yes.”

“But he couldn’t possibly arrive so soon. Laizhou is over six hundred *li* away. By the time he gets here, Qing Yan’s body will have begun to decay. Come out now, and let them carry him away for burial.”

“Why are you in such a hurry, Second Uncle? Afraid your shameful deeds will come to light?”

Chen Biao’s expression shifted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Wasn’t it you who gave the arsenic to Tian Xiaoliu? Have you forgotten so soon? Or should I summon Xiao Liu Zi to clarify matters?”

The surrounding relatives erupted into a clamor. “Arsenic? Wasn’t Chen Qingyan ill?”

“This… this is utterly outrageous! How could he do this to his late elder brother?”

“No wonder he’s been so busy helping—he had ulterior motives all along!”

Tian Mama, hiding in the back, had attempted to flee the moment Wang Ying finished speaking, but before she could even reach the second gate, she was intercepted by Clan Uncle Chen and Qiu An, who had been waiting there.

One covered her mouth while the other bound her, silently dragging her into the woodshed, where Old Man Tian and Tian Xiaoliu were already held captive. These two had been hiding at home when Huang San apprehended them, bound them, and delivered them to the Chen family.

By now, Chen Biao was drenched in sweat. He had no idea how Wang Ying had learned about these matters, but the most urgent task was to bury the body quickly. Otherwise, if the authorities were called and a coroner examined the corpse, it would spell disaster!

“He must have gone mad! What are you all standing around for? Pull him out and proceed with the burial!” The hired helpers stepped forward, intending to drag Wang Ying out.

Wang Ying produced a knife from somewhere and held it upright before him. “Let’s see who dares lay a hand on me! I’ll make this clear right now: if anyone moves, I’ll fight them to the death! Killing one is breaking even; killing two is a profit!”

As the saying goes, the ruthless fear the reckless, and the reckless fear the desperate. Wang Ying’s fierce demeanor truly intimidated them, and the crowd retreated. It wasn’t worth risking their lives for such meager gain.

Lying inside the coffin, Chen Qingyan calmly observed the person beside him. Dressed in white, his clothes billowed dramatically in the wind, his snow-white hair ribbon fluttering with his hair, his refined features both stern and resolute.

The lines “There is a noble gentleman, / His ear-plugs of jade so fine, / His cap’s adornments like stars” flashed through his mind.① His heart felt as if it had been struck a blow, its rhythm thrown into disarray.

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Chen Biao could no longer maintain his pretense.

“I kindly helped arrange Qing Yan’s funeral, and not only are you ungrateful, you even slander me! This is utterly outrageous!”

Wang Ying sneered. “Would you be so enthusiastic if not for coveting our family’s property? Do you dare swear before his spirit that you won’t touch a single coin from the main household?”

“Wang Ying, if you had been obedient, I might have let you stay in the Chen family and given you food to eat. But now, it seems I cannot keep you. After the funeral, I will send you to a convent to purge our household!”

Convents were places where women and males who had committed grave errors were sent. Once entered, without family to pay for their release, they could never leave.

Wang Ying laughed bitterly. “And you think you have the right?”

Chen Biao spread his hands. “Whether you’re willing or not, doesn’t this household still fall to me? It’s a pity Chen Qingyan was so ill-fated. If he had lived properly, it wouldn’t have come to me, would it?”

Chen Rong could no longer stand it. “Second Brother, what kind of talk is that?! Qing Yan’s body is not yet cold—how can you treat his husband like this?”

“Shut up! You’re a married woman—what right do you have to speak here?”

Chen Rong was so angry she nearly fainted. She hadn’t expected Chen Biao to disregard their sibling bond so completely. Then again, someone who would murder his own nephew for money had no room for family affection.

“A widower with no maternal family to rely on, and you still want to oppose me? So what if I did poison him? What can you do to me?”

Wang Ying smirked. “Second Uncle has finally admitted it with his own mouth.”

“Admitted what?”

“Chen Biao!” A furious shout came from outside the funeral canopy, startling Chen Biao so much he trembled. He turned around in disbelief.

A middle-aged man walked into the funeral canopy. He was not very tall, had a goatee, and wore a dark brown narrow-sleeved robe.

This was none other than the fourth son of the Chen family—Chen Jing.

Without a word, he walked up to Chen Biao and, before the latter could speak, slapped him hard across the face, sending him stumbling backward. “This slap is for Eldest Brother.”

Then he swung again, hitting him so hard that blood streamed from his nose and mouth. “And this slap is for Qing Yan!”

“You beast—unvirtuous, unjust, disloyal, and unfilial!”

Chen Biao’s ears rang from the blows. Covering his face, he stared in disbelief. Chen Qingyan had only been dead for seven days. The journey from Laizhou to town also took seven days. Could he have known in advance and come early?

“F-Fourth Brother, there must be some misunderstanding! Qing Yan’s death has nothing to do with me!”

“Nothing to do with you? Qing Yan, come out and tell everyone what your dear Second Uncle has done!”

“Yes.” Chen Qingyan’s voice emerged from the coffin.

This time, everyone was stunned. Those who were easily frightened were terrified—how could a dead man speak?

Then Chen Qingyan slowly sat up from the coffin, supporting himself on its edge, and greeted Chen Jing. “Nephew pays respects to Fourth Uncle.”

Chen Biao’s eyes widened. “You… you’re not dead?!”

"Afraid I've disappointed you, Second Uncle, but this nephew of yours is hard to kill."

"Then what... what is all this?"

"Naturally, we set the stage for a performance just for you." Wang Ying smiled as he helped Chen Qingyan out of the coffin.

Chen Biao instantly understood everything—they had known all along that he intended to poison Chen Qingyan, so they deliberately staged this act. In an instant, the color drained from his face, and he collapsed weakly to the ground.

"What did you promise me when Big Brother passed away? Didn't you promise to look after his widow and children? Is this how you keep your word?!"

Chen Biao continued to shake his head in denial. "No, it wasn't me. They're setting me up."

Uncle Chen dragged Tian Xiaoliu over and kicked him to the ground before the funeral altar. "Tell us everything you know!"

Tian Xiaoliu, already scared out of his mind, shut his eyes and shouted, "They gave me the arsenic! Second Uncle said he'd give me half the farmland after the young master died. I was tempted by greed and did something stupid—please spare my life, Master!"

"Slander! When did I ever say such things?!"

"I have proof!" Tian Xiaoliu tremblingly pulled the contract from his robe.

Chen Jing snatched it and read it, his rage instantly flared up. He lifted his foot and kicked Chen Biao. "You're lower than a dog!"

"Don't kick my father!" Chen Qingling rushed over to attack Chen Jing but was restrained by several guards.

Seeing that the plot had been exposed, Chen Qingfeng was so frightened he turned to run, only to find a circle of constables waiting outside the mourning hall. He had no choice but to turn back dejectedly.

Knowing there was no use in saying anything more, Chen Biao decided to give up completely. Tears and snot streamed down his face as he cried, "What right do you have to hit me? I deserve a share of this family's wealth! Our parents were biased—they gave you the money when the family division happened, gave the main house and farmland to Big Brother, and left me with only five unprofitable shops!"

"We're all born of the same parents—why shouldn't I get my share?"

Chen Jing gritted his teeth. "Father wanted to give it to you, but could you have managed it? How many of those five shops do you have left now?"

"Qingfeng lost them gambling—what could I do?"

"A child's faults reflect on the father. Why didn't you discipline him the first time he stepped into a gambling house? Oh, and now that you've lost the family fortune, you think you can just take Big Brother's estate? Since when is that how the world works?"

Chen Biao adopted a defiant, 'what more can you do to me' attitude. "You've outsmarted me, Nephew. At this point, I have nothing more to say. Do whatever you want—beat me, kill me, I don't care."

Wang Ying looked nervously at Chen Jing. On one side was his own second brother, on the other his own nephew. Not even a fair official can judge family matters—who knew which side he would take?

Chen Jing shouted, "Chen Biao attempted murder. Come, take him away to be charged and make a confession!"

"Fourth Brother, what—what are you doing?" Chen Biao began to panic. He scrambled up and grabbed Chen Jing's arm. "Qingyan isn't dead—can't we just drop this?"

"Let it go? This time he was lucky enough to uncover your plot in advance. What if he hadn't?"

"I swear I’ll never do anything like this again! I know I was wrong, Fourth Brother—Fourth Brother, I’m your own brother!"

Chen Jing shook him off. "Take him away!"

Wang Ying's anxious heart finally relaxed. Chen Rong and Li Shi stepped forward, tears in their eyes. "Fourth Brother..."

"Sister-in-law, you've suffered."

Chen Qingyan knelt and kowtowed. "Nephew thanks Fourth Uncle for helping me seek justice!"

Chen Jing quickly helped him up. Seeing his thin, sickly appearance filled him with shame. "I've failed Big Brother—I didn’t take good care of you all."

Li Shi said tearfully. "How can we blame you, Fourth Brother? You’re so busy with official duties, yet you traveled all this way back. I’m grateful beyond words."

"This must be Ying'er?"

"My respects, Fourth Uncle." Wang Ying imitated Chen Qingyan and bowed to him.

Chen Jing took his arm. "Good child, this is all thanks to you this time." He already knew the whole story from the letters.

"I only did what was proper, Fourth Uncle. You’ve traveled a long way—please come inside for tea, and we can talk more."

"Alright, let's go inside."

Only Third Aunt was left utterly confused. "What exactly is happening?"

Author's Note:

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Annotation ① "Odes of Wei · Qi Ao" from the *Classic of Poetry*