Chapter 6: Unreasonable

A person dressed as an attendant placed a eunuch chair in front of the offering table, Pei Si Yan looked back at Li Qing Dye behind her, and he gestured for her to sit over.

The main hall was surprisingly quiet, even the sound of the wind passing through the hall was faintly discernible. Pei Si Yan didn't dare to raise her head to look at anyone, the beating of her heart was about to exceed the range of tolerance, and a burst of tinnitus made her even more uncomfortable.

"Regarding the matters of tomorrow's funeral," Li Qingyan opened his mouth to break the silence, not knowing who coughed, "My subordinate has discussed with the young lady, as well as the guards dedicated to the young lady's well-being, and has decided to send out three carriages, with the young lady travelling in one of them in order to avoid the assassins."

Upon hearing that there might be an assassin, Pei Si Yan panicked and looked towards Li Qing Dye, his black eyes were as calm as the water, no expression was visible on his clear and handsome face.

"How could there be an assassin? You're overthinking it." The one who opened his mouth was uncle, his cloudy eyes danced with flames of anger, Pei Siyan glanced at him endeavouring to pretend to be oblivious as he lowered his head.

He continued, "According to the rules, the young lady must walk at the front of the funeral procession with the spirit tablet in her hand to show filial piety. If others were to see that the young lady is not present, there is no telling what unsavoury words would circulate amongst the city and affect our Tantai family. What's more, there are many guards in the house and they are highly skilled in martial arts, so what is there to fear from an assassin? Don't let people make fun of the Tantai family for being cowards! Is this something you can afford to do, Li Qingyan?"

Uncle-sama's words were almost harshly caustic as he spoke.

"Uncle-sama is right." A woman roughly in her forties or fifties stood up and said, "It's just as well that the young lady hasn't been guarding the spirit hall for a few days, isn't she even fulfilling her final filial duty? But ... I see that the young lady's face is rosy, it doesn't look like she's not feeling well ah?"

"If the young lady is harmed by an assassin, can you bear the responsibility?" Li Qingyan sneered back, "As the heir of Wuban, would you take lies to fool people?"

"I'd like to speak up for the guards, what do you take them all for?" The middle-aged woman sneered, "Besides, aren't you the one who has been escorting the young lady?"

Pei Si Yan heard the ambiguous deep meaning contained in her words and frowned.

"Miss, please don't listen to Li Qingyan's one-sided words, for the sake of the Tantai family's face consider not taking the carriage." The middle-aged woman added, "Miss, why don't you say something."

Pei Si Yan bristled and raised her head, but didn't know what to say.

Li Qingyan relieved her, "What I relayed before was what miss meant, Lady Yueruo."

Lady Yueruo's long eyebrows rose slightly, "I want to hear it from Miss herself."

"Yue Luo, is there a way for you to speak to miss like this?" A middle-aged woman in the first seat on Pei Si Yan's right hand side said in a loud voice, glaring unhappily at Lady Yue Luo across the room.

Pei Si Yan thought hard about the album portrait and remembered that she was 'aunt' Lady Yue Ruoxi, who was also a direct descendant of the long house.

"Seeing that our long house is now alone and left with the two of us, Miss and I, you all feel good about bullying, don't you?" Lady Yuexi's stern gaze swept over everyone present as she stood up and walked to the centre of the main hall, "Yue Luo, even though you're Miss's aunt, don't forget that Miss is the future Wu Pan!"

The main hall was quiet again, most people hung their heads and did not speak. Lady Yue Luo clenched her teeth and looked at Lady Yuexi, half unable to utter a word.

Uncle Ancestor's face was horribly grim, and he furiously tapped the ground hard with his cane, but the floor was covered with a dark massed carpet and didn't make any jarring ringing sounds.

"Miss, think it over again for yourself, and don't forget what kind of status you have in the Tantai household now! Everything must be considered in the grand scheme of things ..."

Lady Yuexi looked back at Uncle Ancestor and smiled, "Protecting Miss's safety is the big picture."

Uncle Ancestor was so angry that his beard went askew, and his hands were trembling.

"What's in your minds, think I don't know?" Lady Yuexi scoffed, slowly scanning each face once again, "Thinking that if the eldest house dies out, so that you can take its place is that it?"

Pei Si Yan looked at "auntie" in shock, she even made it clear? How can we all get along under the same roof in the future?

The faces of the clansmen more or less changed, some coughed, others hung their heads even lower, while others were expressionless or still sobbing quietly.

"Yuexi, what did you say!" Lady Yueruo droned, "I think you're trying to sow discord between the young lady and the houses so that you can reap the benefits, right?"

"Hmph," Lady Yuexi ignored her and walked over to Pei Si Yan's side, her slender white hand pressed on Pei Si Yan's shoulder as she continued, "Miss, in the future, you can't just leave the wanton fellows alone, or sooner or later they'll ride over your head."

Pei Si Yan lowered her eyes and felt a throbbing pain in her head.

Arguing over the matter of the funeral into this state, even pulling out things with evil intentions, everyone here are blood relatives, why should everyone get into such an awkward situation?

She looked at Li Qingyan and Lady Yuexi, and then looked back at the white cloth gently fluttering in the wind, clenched her teeth, took a deep breath, and then stood up.

"I've decided ...," Pei Si Yan firmly looked at her uncle, who was the highest ranking person in the Tantai family, "Tomorrow, I'll be at the front of the line." Although she wasn't her real parents, she wanted to do her last bit of filial piety for Tantai Yan. Regarding the issue of assassins, she was also really scared, but with Li Qingyan around perhaps there wouldn't be any problems?

"Miss, you!" Lady Yuexi exclaimed.

Pei Si Yan struggled to keep her voice from trembling, "I understand your and Li Qingdan's concerns, but Uncle Ancestor and Aunt Yue Luo are right, I really should fulfil my filial duties and not let anyone outside have gossip in order to affect the Tantai family's lintel, so I've changed my mind." Then, she sidled up to Li Qingyan and said, "With you here, I'm sure nothing will go wrong tomorrow."

As soon as the words left her mouth, someone snorted coldly, which Pei Si Yan ignored.

"Yes, subordinate understands, please don't worry miss." Li Qingyan nodded his head, his face devoid of any expression.

Uncle Joe and Lady Yue Luo tacitly went silent and did not speak.

Next, Li Qingye said some more precautions during the funeral, and those present sat in their seats and were just responsible for listening. After everyone had dispersed individually to get ready for tomorrow. The only people left in the main hall were Pei Si Yan and Li Qing Dye, Lady Yuexi.

"I'm sorry for making you all ...," Pei Si Yan blamed herself.

"Silly child," Lady Yuexi interrupted, lovingly stroking Pei Si Yan's long hair, "Auntie understands in her heart, you don't need to blame yourself, brother and sister in law can see you being so filial, they can also rest in peace with a smile in their nine springs."

Pei Si Yan bit her lips and did not speak.

Li Qingye said, "Miss, my subordinate will first send you back to Write Autumn Xuan and then go prepare for tomorrow."

"I'll accompany Xiaoyan back," Lady Yuexi lightly smiled, appearing kind and amiable, "So many affairs of the Tantai family need you, the grand housekeeper, to take care of, it's kept you busy, right, you should also remember to rest."

"My subordinate is in charge of his own affairs. Your Ladyship has also worked hard for many days, please return."

"Yesterday I wanted to come to Write Autumn Xuan was stopped by Yun Qi from entering, I haven't spoken to Xiaoyan for several days." Lady Yuexi said, pulling Pei Si Yan's hand.

Her hand was soft and warm, making Pei Si Yan feel comfortable.

Li Qingye insisted on refusing to back down by half, Lady Yuexi had no choice but to let go of her niece's hand and said, "When the funeral is over, I'll come back to look for Xiao Yan alright. Light Dye, I'm really relieved to have someone as dedicated as you by Little Yan's side."

Li Qingye bowed and saluted, then gestured for Pei Si Yan to leave first.

"I'll go back first." Pei Si Yan nodded to Lady Yuexi and walked out of the main hall.

The air outside was fresh, Pei Si Yan exhaled a long breath and was about to walk towards Write Autumn Xuan, but suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked around.

"Where is Write Autumn Xuan heading?" She asked. She was a complete road blind, when going out, she must be accompanied by someone or figure out the route beforehand, otherwise she wouldn't be able to distinguish between south-east and north-west halfway, and could easily go in the wrong direction and get lost.

"This way, miss." Li Qingye pointed to the right side of the road.

"Oh." Pei Si Yan answered, just took a step and prepared to trot over and then remembered her current identity, so she had to switch to walking slowly.

The next day, when Pei Si Yan walked out of the Tantai family's front door wearing mourning clothes and a white veil on her head, holding the spirit tablet in her hand, she saw a white procession stationed in front of the door, stuffing the entire street!

The Tantai family's subordinates were holding white banners with the words "Wuban" or "Dien" written in black, the maids of honour were holding baskets full of white flowers and there were also oboe players and drummers at the front of the procession. Behind them were two heather coffins, each carried by eight stout men, decorated with white flowers and satin, solemn and dignified.

Behind them again were the neatly arranged clansmen, standing respectfully in the order of each house. And at the end of the procession were several horse-drawn carriages with a dozen or so huge chests on them, stuffed with burial goods prepared by their own families and bestowed by the Emperor.

There were also numerous guards scattered on both sides of the procession, responsible for defence.

Pei Si Yan looked at the nanmu coffin, remembering that so far she didn't know what her "parents" looked like, but unfortunately the coffin had already been nailed on, so she couldn't see it with her own eyes, but in a few days, when the main hall was hung with their portraits, she would be able to know.

"Miss, please." Li Qingyan said softly.

Pei Si Yan was silent and walked to the forefront of the procession, Li Qing Dye changed into mourning clothes and wore a sword on her waist, standing behind Pei Si Yan.

The funeral song sounded, Pei Si Yan stabilised her mind and walked forward. The funeral procession followed behind her with great vigour, the pedestrians on the streets made way and saluted respectfully.

The cemetery was located outside the city at Yanjing Mountain, where the graveyards of the Tantai family's successive matriarchs and direct lineages were located.

White flowers along the way danced in the sky with the wind, spilling out and falling to the ground, as if they were flying snow in the middle of winter, ethereal and void under the bright sunlight.

Yan Jing Mountain, in the luxurious and huge cemetery, the big men placed the coffin into the chamber, then the burial goods were also put in, and then it was time to seal the door of the tomb.

Watching the tomb door sealing a little bit, some people cried their hearts out, some people remained indifferent.

Pei Si Yan felt the cold sadness in her heart, remembering Tanya Yan whom she buried by the river with her own hands, she wanted to cry but not a single tear came out.

Lady Yuexi wrapped her arms around her shoulders and wept silently, her beautiful eyes looking at the graveyard for an instant.

Pei Si Yan suddenly wondered, years later, if she hadn't returned to the world where she was supposed to honestly stay, would she have also been nailed into a beautiful coffin and buried in some luxurious tomb ...

She closed her eyes and shook her head.

The future was something that really didn't want to think about much.