The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 865 - 820: Song Mansion Funeral (First Update)

The Mid-Autumn Festival should be a night of reunion, but the Song family was adorned with white mourning decorations throughout the mansion.

Having just arrived in the Capital today, Wen Wan had no prior preparation for her mother-in-law’s funeral arrangements; she was so busy that her feet rarely touched the ground, leaving her no time to grieve.

Zhao Xunyin stayed to help with the arrangements, fearing that the servants at the Song Mansion wouldn’t manage it well, he brought over ten maids and servants from his own mansion.

Aunt Xie nearly left in anger upon hearing what Song Qi had said. When her sister-in-law collapsed and couldn’t be revived, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were frightened and at a loss; at this moment, they were busy inside and out with the daughter-in-law Yang.

Old Mrs. Liang was excessively frightened and fainted once before being revived by the household doctor, after which Wen Wan arranged for a servant to send her back.

Funeral arrangements are cumbersome, especially for a grand event for a first-rank official widow. Despite so many servants running errands, Wen Wan still had much to worry about, missing this one moment, and that the next.

She was so tired that she couldn’t straighten her back. Just as she found a moment of respite, intending to ask Linglong to massage her, she saw Song Wei sitting outside the memorial hall.

Surrounded by the busy figures of maids and servants, he sat quietly on the stone steps, blankly staring at a line of ants crawling across the ground, his eyes vacant.

"Husband," Wen Wan called softly as she walked over, knowing he was distressed, she tried her best not to show her own sadness.

Back in Ningzhou, Wen Wan had a premonition. When Granny Song demanded to return to the Capital, the couple knew then that this calamity couldn’t be avoided.

Granny Song, being such a strong-willed person, had broken down due to the deaths of Song Jiao and her child, her heart full of anger suppressed without release, she wouldn’t let it go.

So actually, both husband and wife understood that they had to be prepared to arrange a funeral as soon as they returned.

But when that day truly came, Wen Wan hadn’t expected it to strike her husband so hard.

He was sitting right next to her, yet she could no longer feel his previously unyielding determination.

No matter how many times he didn’t make it into the examination hall, or when he was scolded to his face for not dying in place of Da Lang couple after his brother and sister-in-law passed away, he was never dejected or disheartened.

But now, he was as fragile as an eggshell that could shatter with a slight squeeze.

Wen Wan didn’t urge him to grieve less; with one’s mother just passing, who can truly grieve less? She simply said softly, "Before, you were alone, but now you have me. No matter how big the trouble, we’ll face it together. What matters most are the living."

Indeed, the living are what matter most. She is the mother of three children, the mistress of the Song Mansion; everyone approaches her for instructions in their tasks. She has to worry about everything, and at times like these, she cannot afford to be weak, or the family would fall apart.

Her mother-in-law, who always had a sharp tongue and a soft heart, was gone. Wen Wan felt uneasy in her heart.

But seeing her husband beside her, no matter how uneasy she felt, she had to hold it in, unable to show even a trace.

"After traveling for so long, you must be tired. Husband, go back to the room and rest," Wen Wan said, "I’ll take care of the matters ahead."

As she spoke, Wen Wan reached out to support him.

Song Wei sat still, then suddenly said, "Wanwan, I want to go home."

Though Wen Wan had maintained her composure well, hearing this, her nose immediately turned sour.

After so many years together, they were tied by a common heart. With just one sentence, she understood the deeper meaning.

He regretted taking the imperial examination, regretted becoming an official in the Capital.

Though he could protect the people, he couldn’t protect his family, and this would be a pain he couldn’t erase for a lifetime.

Choking up a bit, Wen Wan said, "We’ll go back when the coffin is returned to the hometown. I’ll accompany you home."

Granny Song had once said that if she were to die, she wanted Song Wei to take her back to Ningzhou for burial.

After all, it was still longing for home. Even though Song Wei bought a burial site in the suburb, the elder wasn’t willing to stay.

Song Wei’s head suddenly tilted slightly, "Lend me your shoulder to lean on."

Feeling the little weight on her shoulder, Wen Wan couldn’t speak.

She wanted to curse the heavens, even wanted to curse the heavens directly. Song Wei had been unlucky since he was in his mother’s womb—a difficult ascension to the path of the imperial examination at twenty-eight, climbing to where he was today wasn’t easy. She thought his official fortune could dispel the bad luck clinging to him for two or three decades, yet it didn’t; the higher he climbed, the more things went wrong, and the bad luck grew wildly, worse than before.

The death of her mother-in-law undoubtedly became the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

A husband tormented by bad luck for years finally collapsed.

Why? Why!

Why is the heavens so unfair? Why do evildoers live long, while good people don’t get rewarded!

From birth till now, my husband has never done anything morally wrong, yet even though he has reached a high position, he is plagued with misfortune, resulting in a troubled household and family separation.

...

After having Song Wei sent back to his room to rest, Wen Wan had to continue with her tasks.

Zhao Xunyin, seeing this, was full of concern, "Wanwan, take a break, will you? Mother is here, I’ll handle things for you."

Wen Wan forced a smile, "Keeping busy is good, no time to think too much."

"Where is Third Son?"

"He’s exhausted." Wen Wan said, "I had him sent back to rest."

"You should go too." Zhao Xunyin still urged, "You rushed back nonstop from Ningzhou, and the bench hasn’t even warmed before you had to take care of your mother-in-law’s aftermath, even a strong body can’t stand it. Listen to your mother, go rest first. I helped to organize your uncle’s massive state funeral, so why wouldn’t I manage your mother-in-law’s properly?"

Wen Wan shook her head, "Mother, I really can’t rest. We’ll soon have the funeral, and with all our relatives and friends close to Third Son, you might not recognize them all, and missing one wouldn’t be good. Besides, I am the matriarch of this family; if I were to go rest in the room at this moment, the servants would have thoughts, even if they don’t say it out loud, and might not do their work diligently?"

Zhao Xunyin sighed, "Mother is worried you’ll wear yourself out."

"With you all by my side, I’ll be alright."

As mother and daughter were talking, Second Lang’s wife’s voice suddenly came from the courtyard gate, "Third sister-in-law!"

Wen Wan turned her head to see Second Lang’s wife running over with a pale face, her hair disheveled, likely having just woken up and rushing over upon hearing the bad news.

"Second sister-in-law." Wen Wan’s expression was indifferent.

"Third sister-in-law, is it true... is mother-in-law really... gone?"

Wen Wan pointed to the white lanterns under the eaves, indicating it was no joke, and said, "The memorial hall is in the outer courtyard, and the coffin hasn’t been covered yet. If you want to see mother-in-law one last time, there’s still time."

"Ah—ah, ah, ah—" Suddenly, Second Lang’s wife covered her face with both hands and squatted down, her cries trembling, "Having raised such a deplorable daughter, how can I even face her?"

When Second Lang’s wife first entered the city, she passed out from crying over Song Jiao’s death and just woke up recently.

She thought she’d manage to calm down somewhat, but reality dealt her a heavy blow. The maid said the old lady was angered to death by the second girl.

In that instant, Second Lang’s wife felt as if the sky had collapsed.

Towards this mother-in-law, she had grievances, she had hatred, she had dissatisfaction, but ultimately more admiration.

Covered in glory without arrogance, treating people and things openly, neither hypocritical nor cunning, calling a spade a spade.

Though she never showed anyone a good face, the daughters-in-law understood in their hearts that mother-in-law was cold outside but warm inside, and once trouble struck, she would never sit by idly; otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed to let Third Son bring them into the Capital during the earthquake years ago, or the subsequent two-house union, which were actually all manifestations of the old lady hoping for family harmony and successful affairs.

But the second branch ultimately let her down in her wishes.

Song Qi, that little wretch, why doesn’t she just die!

Wen Wan looked at Second Lang’s wife crying in distress, her face expressionless, "Now is not the time for sorrow, there are so many tasks awaiting, like when the funeral cortege departs, and the coffin needs to return to our hometown, how to set the route, how to have people escort it, how to convince inns along the way to let the pallbearers in for meals and lodging, these are issues that need attention, Second Sister-in-law, you should focus on the present!"

"Indeed!" Zhao Xunyin also said, "The Da Lang couple passed early, and now the old lady is gone, leaving just you two daughters-in-law. We can’t let everything fall on Wanwan’s shoulders. As the sister-in-law, you should take action and help share the load."

After hearing this, Second Lang’s wife gradually stopped crying, wiped her face, stood up, and looked at Wen Wan, "What should I do? Just tell me, Third sister-in-law, and I won’t slack off."

"You have a lot to do." Wen Wan said, "After the funeral, guests will arrive to offer condolences one after another, differing in their status. Naturally, the tea you serve and the cups you use must vary. Which servants are responsible for boiling water and making tea, where to arrange the guests to rest, which servants are serving tea, how to adjust the arrangement of items in each room, you must prepare a list to plan these in advance, or else the servants will run around like headless chickens, making us look bad."

Second Lang’s wife nodded, "I understand."

Wen Wan noticed she was somewhat troubled, feeling slightly annoyed, "I urged you to learn to read before, and you didn’t. Now, when things happen, I can’t help with everything. Go find a maid in your courtyard who is literate; have them carefully prepare a list. You may not read, but you recognize the names of the servants at least. Have them read it, and you arrange things. Make sure everything is done properly, or if something goes wrong, I will hold you accountable."

Just as Second Lang’s wife was nodding, Ye Ling’s voice came from the side, "Mother, let me handle this!"

With those words, Ye Ling quickly walked over to Wen Wan’s side.

Having been staying at Harmony Pavilion earlier, she felt uneasy and was worried about arbitrarily leaving, fearing upsetting her mother-in-law. However, she barely stayed an hour when news of the grandmother’s passing came from Rong’an Hall.

Ye Ling couldn’t sit still any longer, hurriedly came out, first helping to set up the memorial hall in the outer courtyard until she could find Wen Wan.