The next day, Meng Hao sent a housekeeper to Zhang's mansion and invited Zhang Jingzong to come over for a while. Zhang Jingzong heard that Meng Hao was in a hurry to find him, so he hurried to Meng's mansion.

In front of the hospital bed, Zhang Jingzong moved a stool and sat down at random, and asked, "Brother, is there something wrong with calling me in such a hurry?"

"Brother Zhang, do you remember what you said to me that winter when you first returned to Lin'an?" Meng Hao didn't answer, but just asked a question that couldn't be beaten by eight poles.

"Is it a child's business?" Zhang Jingzong pondered for a moment and asked uncertainly.

"Yes, at that time, you said that you were not in good health and wanted to sign a marriage contract as soon as possible, so that Xue'er could have a good home. Meng Hao said eloquently.

"Dude, I know what you mean. In the future, I will take care of Ran'er, so don't worry. ”

"With my brother's person, I am relieved. It's just that, given what you said earlier, I'm a little worried about your body......"

Zhang Jingzong was slightly stunned, sighed, and said: "Alas, I don't know if I can last until that time, I just hope to see the two children combine in my lifetime, so that I have no regrets." ”

Meng Hao waved his hand, "Well, the child has his own blessings, so we don't have to worry about it." It's just that I didn't think that I was going to leave so early, and I was really unwilling. I also want to watch Ran'er grow up and watch him marry Xue'er and have children......"

"Alas......"

Both fathers were worried about their children, and when they thought of the depths, they couldn't help but sigh at the same time.

"That's it, don't talk about these things, cheer up, hold on for a few more years, and at least watch the two children grow up a little more. Zhang Jingzong comforted.

"Alas, don't say these self-deceptive words again, my body I know for myself, and now this body is terminally ill, unless Ah, the gods come down to save me, and nothing else is of any use. ”

Zhang Jingzong stretched out his hand and patted Meng Hao's shoulder, "Don't worry, everything will be fine, don't worry too much." All you have to do is stay in bed. ”

Meng Hao bowed his head slightly.

After the narration, Meng Hao fell into a deep sleep, and Zhang Jingzong stayed for a while, and then retreated.

In the luxurious living room of Zhang's mansion, Mrs. Zhang was sitting there, and when she saw Zhang Jingzong enter the door, she asked eagerly, "Master, how is the Meng Mansion over there?"

"What's going on?"

"Is it Meng Hao's illness?

Zhang Jingzong's face instantly lengthened, glanced at Mrs. Zhang, and said coldly: "No matter how you say it, it's also a family member, is there anyone who talks like this?"

Mrs. Zhang did not restrain herself, "In the past, he was a magistrate, but now he is just a commoner." It's better to dissolve the marriage contract while he still has a breath, so that Xue'er will suffer with their family in the future. ”

"Shut up. Zhang Jingzong roared angrily, "You immoral and short-sighted woman, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. ”

"Yes, you're right, I'm immoral and short-sighted, but I won't push my daughter into the fire pit with my eyes open. Mrs. Zhang showed no weakness.

Zhang Jingzong laughed angrily, "Hahaha, that's a good point." But Cher is my daughter, what does it have to do with you? You don't need to be pretended!"

"You finally said it, you finally said it......" Mrs. Zhang trembled and kept repeating the sentence on her lips.

"Hehe, you don't need to act like this, I know very well what you think in your heart. If you want to climb, you marry your mother's daughter, and Hugh wants to fight Cher's idea. As long as I'm alive, as long as I have a breath left, you don't think about it. ”

After Zhang Jingzong said this, he turned around and left.

I saw Mrs. Zhang's beautiful face instantly hideous, looking at her husband's back with a look of resentment, and muttering: "As long as you are still alive?" How long are you going to live? How long are you going to protect that dead girl?"

The mournful sound of resentment echoed in the empty room, ghostly and terrifying.

......

On the tenth day of the sixth month, a crow flew from the big tree in front of Meng's house, and the people shouted to drive the crow away, but the thief bird refused to fly away, so the people had to report the matter to Mrs. Meng.

After hearing this, Mrs. Meng just wept silently.

In the evening, Meng Hao's throat was stuck with a mouthful of thick phlegm, and he couldn't breathe, he kept hissing, and his whole face was already red, slowly turning purple.

Mrs. Meng called out to all the people in the house.

The crowd gathered around the bedside, weeping and lamenting.

Meng Hao coughed violently, spit out thick phlegm, and resumed his breathing. Soon after, Meng Hao suddenly became very energetic, and stretched out his hand to signal his son Meng Ran to come to him.

Meng Ran walked to the head of the bed and listened with his ear, Meng Hao said weakly: "Ran'er, no matter what truth you know in the future, don't seek revenge, you must let go of your grudges, okay?"

Although Meng Ran was puzzled, he only nodded fiercely.

Slowly, Meng Hao's eyes began to disintegrate......

Mrs. Meng endured her grief and put on a longevity robe for Meng Hao with the maid, wearing a white shirt and pants, then a black cotton shirt and cotton pants, and a black robe on the outside. The whole outfit must not be buttoned, and all should be fastened with straps, which means "straps", which means that there is someone who has a successor.

After changing into a shroud, everyone worked together to move Meng Hao to the spiritual bed in the main house and protect him through the last moment of his life.

There was another cough, Meng Hao wanted to say something, but he couldn't say anything, his chest was like a fanning bellows, 'snorting' kept ringing, slowly stretched out his hands, and held his son Meng Ran's hand tightly, but he still refused to breathe.

Mrs. Meng and the housekeeper Fu Bo stepped forward to guess and persuade them, but they didn't say it, and finally Meng Ran said: "Father, I know what you mean, I will definitely help Mr. Qi fulfill his long-cherished wish." ”

After Meng Ran finished speaking, Meng Hao nodded slightly, and then swallowed.

The crowd wept aloud.

After the initial funeral, the people of Mengfu first summoned spirits in accordance with local customs. The people of Shenzhou Dalu believe that people have souls, and after death, their souls are called ghosts. There are ancient books that say: ghosts, return. Therefore, after the first death of a person, in order to verify whether the deceased is really dead, and in order to comfort the surviving person, a spiritualist ritual is performed. One of the most important aspects of the conjuring ceremony is to take the most important clothes of the deceased, stand in the northwest corner of the highest roof, call the name of the deceased three times, and then throw the clothes into the courtyard, at which time someone in the courtyard will receive the clothes with a box and spread the clothes on top of the corpse. If the deceased is not really dead, but temporarily detached from the body and becomes a living soul, then he will be frightened and return. The ancient books record that he died in a suitable room and was buried in a burial suit. The reverter is a person, with a hairpin in the clothes, and the left is the one who is collared in the belt; he rises from the former Dongrong and the middle house, and the north side is recruited with clothes, saying: "Gao - a certain Fu!" Lower the clothes in front, receive the use of the basket, ascend from the ranks, and clothe the corpse. The reverter descended from Hou Xirong. If the deceased does not return to the soul, then proceed to the next step, setting up the curtain, that is, arranging the mourning hall and laying the ground.

Mrs. Meng wore Meng Hao's official uniform before her death, stood in the northwest corner of the roof, and shouted three times...... After that, the official uniform was spread over the corpse.

Immediately, everyone began to arrange the mourning hall and erect a memorial plaque.

Zhang Jingzong, who rushed to hear the news, was still at the corner of the street, and saw two white flags hanging on both sides of the gate of Mengfu, and the long white silk danced in the wind, desolate and sad in this still bright night.

Zhang Jingzong's heart ached, and his eyes were a little moist.

After entering the mansion, Zhang Jingzong endured the pain in his heart and discussed the obituary with Mrs. Meng. Because it was late and it was inconvenient to go out, the two agreed to send someone to inform relatives and friends early the next morning.

On this night, the Meng Mansion was brightly lit, white cloth was hung everywhere, all the red things were put away, and everyone was busy in grief......

After dawn, Mrs. Meng sent her son to report the funeral. The day of mourning is set for June 12.

According to local funeral customs, the coffin should be stopped for at least three days. It is said that it is hoped that the dead will be resurrected, and if they cannot be resurrected for three days, the hope will be completely shattered.

On June 12, Meng's relatives, neighbors and friends came to mourn. Condolence means that relatives and friends mourn after receiving the obituary, and condolences to the family of the deceased, and the family of the deceased should cry the body in the room, kneel down to thank the people who come to mourn and greet them as a gift. Generally, mourners carry the clothes and quilts of the deceased, and hang a note with the words "XX Zhi" written with a brush with a pin on it.

A "funeral drum" was set up at the gate of Meng's house, and the mourners beat the drum twice as soon as they entered the door, and Mrs. Meng cried to greet her when she heard the drum.

The mourning and crying of the ladies in the mourning hall filled the entire mourning hall. Meng Ran wore linen and filial piety from beginning to end, kneeling beside the spirit case to accompany the sacrifice. Those who come to mourn must bow to the deceased in the sound of mourning music, except for the elders who do not kneel, even the younger generations have to kneel.

The condolences began, the battle broke out in unison, the ceremonial procedures were very exquisite, the people of the hanging sacrifice were wearing plain clothes, in the order of proximity and respect, one family, the family sacrificed first, the outsiders sacrificed later, all knelt down and bowed, the elders were in front, the younger generations were behind, and a special praise ceremony was set up to hold a bouquet of incense, standing in the east. And there was another sanitizer standing on the west side. Finally, firecrackers are set off to mark the end of the worship ceremony.

The people who came to mourn have comforted Mrs. Meng and Meng Ranjie to take care of their health.

The end of the condolences is to bathe, that is, to clean up Meng Hao's body. Then put a jade in Meng Hao's mouth, and said that the rice was contained.

When everything is ready, it's time to get small. The small burial is also used as a small burial, that is, to put on layers of clothes for the deceased. Then wrap the deceased in a cloth. According to the "Book of Rites and Funerals": "The small cloth is twisted, the shrinkage is one, and the horizontal one is three." "And then there's the big take. On the third day after the death of a person, the deceased is tied with a knot to prevent the clothes from falling apart, and then the deceased is placed in the coffin. After the corpse and burial objects are placed, the coffin lid should be nailed, which is called "town nail" by the people. Seven nails are used to carry out the nails, commonly known as "offspring nails", which are said to make future generations prosperous.

Finally, there is the ready-to-wear. The dress is also on the third day, and the relatives of the deceased change into mourning clothes, and the clothes and hair accessories have not changed before. "Rites and Funerals" contains "three days, dressed in clothes, staff, worship the king's order and guests, not worship the gift in the coffin".

After the body is collected, the coffin should be sent to the burial place for burial, which is called funeral, also called "funeral", commonly known as "funeral".

After the first funeral, crying, seven, funeral and other ceremonies, the last link is the burial. This is the last moment of the deceased in the world, and it is usually very solemn.

Blowing and blowing all the way, Meng Hao was finally buried in the ancestral tomb of the Meng family.