Chapter 10: Ancestor Worship (1)

At this point, apart from the identity of the legitimate grandson, the sickly heir has left nothing behind

Like most people in this city, Cheng Jinzhu climbed out of his warm bed when the sky was still pitch black

Today, Cheng Yun'an appeared increasingly composed. Upon seeing Cheng Jinzhou, he slightly nodded and simply said: "When responding, be concise and do not look around. Do you understand?"

Perhaps it is precisely due to the pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship that the pace of technological innovation in ancient China has slowed down. The artisans, representing the pinnacle of societal standards, compensated for the deficiencies in technology with their skills

Cheng Yunan's vehicle was not merely a light carriage; rather, it was fundamentally a ceremonial carriage, constructed entirely of hardwood. With a cabin exceeding 10 square meters, its sturdy and spacious interior resulted in a cumbersome and slow speed. Although people at that time had yet to comprehend the importance of shock absorbers, the smooth roads laid by the Cheng family ensured that the exquisitely crafted wooden wheels would not jolt.

Without any preamble or conclusion, a voice from outside the carriage was heard, breathless and urgent: "Young Master, Young Mistress, Third Young Master, we have arrived at our destination"

Cheng Jinzhu walked back and forth like his father. Those present were all members of the Cheng family, and their conversation was quite casual. Cheng's mother also wore a broad smile

In those early days, the ancestors in the ancestral hall aspired to establish a career in the capital. As a tradition of valuing one's homeland, it was only natural for the ancestral hall to remain in the village outside the city

The major affairs of the state lie in worship and defense. The same applies to noble families

In the Great Xia Dynasty, the regulations stipulated that carriages drawn by two horses or palanquins carrying two or more people could only be used by those with official titles and ranks, with very few exceptions

Seeing that Father Cheng had no further words, Mother Cheng smiled and took Cheng Jinzhou's hand, saying: "It is getting late, let's go"

It is unclear when it began, but the three major factions of the city have routinely participated in the Cheng family's ancestral worship ceremony. During the peak of the Cheng family's prominence, even officials from the provincial government would send representatives to attend.

Cheng Jinzhu stepped out of the carriage in confusion, and the brightness before him immediately made him cover his eyes

Moreover, Mr. Cheng Yunan's only concubine was also a maidservant who accompanied his mother as part of her dowry. In this regard, it is likely that aside from the remarkable skills of Madam Cheng, it is more a testament to the exceptional self-control of His Excellency Cheng Yunan.

Certainly, the aspect that displeased Cheng Jinzhu the most was Cheng Yunan's lack of concern for his son. As one of the leading civil officials in the city, Cheng Yunan's educational background is beyond question; however, he could not even ensure the continuity of the most basic academic assessments, let alone provide serious guidance. The sickly Cheng's academic performance lagged behind others, and he bore some responsibility for this, resulting in Cheng Da having to start from scratch to earn his doctorate today. More importantly, as the son of a governor, he had very few opportunities to wield power through his father's influence, which was intolerable for someone who had traversed worlds.

On the stone-paved road, a flurry of two-horse-drawn four-wheeled carriages can be seen, along with the rare sight of an eight-bearer sedan chair. Further away, there are small sedan chairs carried by two people and two-wheeled carriages. There are few guests arriving on horseback, which makes the stables set up in the training ground appear rather empty

Fortunately, this does not significantly affect the daily life of the entire family

Two robust white horses began to trot, and the coachman only shouted once before falling silent. Cheng's mother slightly adjusted her attire and started to explain to Cheng Jinzhu the matters he needed to pay attention to, detailing everything from the pace of walking to the position for bowing. These were all lessons taught in etiquette class, and Cheng Jinzhu listened attentively to a few points, though the sickly Cheng's memory was not so perfect.

Cheng Jinzhu secretly chuckled twice, obediently following behind his mother, and glanced up to sneak a look at his father, who was supposed to be a sickly figure.

Cheng Mu began her preparations earlier than Cheng Jinzhu. The elaborate attire, composed of 16 parts, requires 30 minutes to don. To ensure that the seven headpieces do not produce annoying and impolite jingling sounds, the maidservants must discreetly insert additional supports into her hair. Even the maidservants waiting for her to attend the ceremony are enveloped in new garments, and with the addition of umbrellas and spare items, she is equipped like a soldier of the American army during World War II.

Indeed, the Cheng family today has lost its former grandeur, yet its influence in Shaonan City remains formidable. Governor Cheng Yunan (father of Cheng Jinzhou), Chief Clerk Cheng Yunquan, and the Master of the Sacred Hall, Cheng Huafu, are all from the Cheng family. With their participation, the ancestral worship day has almost become a public holiday for various government offices and the Sacred Hall.

As they spoke, it was still Cheng Yunan who took the lead. The three of them boarded a four-wheeled carriage, while his concubine followed in a two-wheeled carriage at the back

In a tone that was entirely instructive, Cheng Jinzhou let out a dissatisfied "hmph," showing little interest in engaging in a contest with him

Outside each room, red lanterns are hung, with wicks the size of yellow soybeans emitting a dim light, obscuring the patches of peeling wall.

In the past, during the Western Jin Dynasty, the wealthy Shi Wang Doufu, one of Shi Chong's notable achievements was "using wax instead of firewood". However, the current display of the Cheng family is even more extravagant.

Please follow me this way. The servant standing in front of the soft curtain began to guide the guests from the entrance

In fact, under conditions of very slow speed and with well-crafted wooden wheels, the comfort level of a horse-drawn carriage far surpasses that of the inferior automobiles of the 21st century and the * illustrated * books.

The journey is not far, but the carriage is more about showing off a certain grandeur. When the outside became noisy with voices, Father Cheng quietly said: "You are already 12 years old; there are many matters that you must decide for yourself."

The sky was still dark, yet the lit candles illuminated the entire main residence as if it were a football field under the night.

The four maids who rose earliest helped him dress with the utmost speed. In addition to the usual dressing, putting on boots, and cleansing his face, they also arranged each strand of hair in its proper place. Had it not been for Cheng Jinzhou's disfavor, his face would have been coated with a layer of white powder and a cream made from animal fat.

As for Cheng, the doctor’s degree, he focused on observing the young men of similar age. Regardless of the circumstances, he would remain in the Cheng family, and whether his stay would be pleasant largely depended on the competition among his peers

When the family is prosperous, the confident head of the household often takes to grand construction projects as a matter of routine. They always believe that this prosperity can continue—or rather, they hope that it can continue. However, in reality, there will come a day when their descendants will be unable to even afford the maintenance costs.

Cheng's mother was momentarily taken aback and inexplicably followed behind Cheng Yunan

Regrettably, by today, the Cheng family has long abandoned the thought of becoming a prominent family in the capital. Coupled with some unexpected security incidents, the ancestral hall has ultimately been relocated to the city, though not in the capital, but in Shaonan City, which is a thousand miles away.

The ancestral hall of the Cheng family was moved to the city a long time ago, which not only attests to the long history of the Cheng family but also signifies a shift in the family's focus

From an outward appearance, Governor Cheng Yunan is quite an imposing man, just over 30 years old, exuding vigor and strength. His bearded cheeks add to his mature demeanor. Fortunately, this is the case; otherwise, Cheng Jinzhou's mindset would indeed be difficult to change.

The Cheng family's situation is relatively good, with family members in employment providing some financial support, allowing for a rough balance between income and expenditure. However, with a residence spanning over a thousand acres, it is still impossible to carry out frequent maintenance. Even for ancestral worship, they cannot allocate much money for embellishments, especially for the back courtyard, which is unlikely to attract the attention of guests.

Over the course of more than a month, Cheng Jinzhu had not had many opportunities to meet with his so-called father. Governor Cheng Yunan was clearly a person whose career ambitions outweighed everything else. This might be the norm in the aristocratic world, but to Cheng Jinzhu, it was quite an uninteresting life. As the head of the government, holding both the positions of Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor, Cheng Yunan appeared overly low-key, and there was little in the way of gray income filling his pockets. This might indicate that he still possessed a strong drive for advancement, yet even his concubine numbered only one, which was somewhat inadequate among the aristocracy.

At least several hundred taels of silver for the candle expenses, Cheng Jinzhou thought to himself