Chapter 993: Chapter 993
Chapter 993: Chapter 991: Moving the Grave Requires His Consent?
Wang Yongzhu smiled, “I’ll first take the prepared rouge and powder to the palace for Her Ladyship to try. How could she not know the benefits of this rouge and powder? In this world, the money spent on women’s cosmetics, clothes, and jewelry is the easiest to earn. Which woman doesn’t love beauty? I don’t believe that the noble ladies and young ladies of the capital, knowing there’s such good rouge and powder, wouldn’t be tempted.”
“As long as they’re tempted, why worry about not selling this rouge and powder? Since Consort De could appreciate the fabric I printed back then, how could she not see the benefits of this Rouge and Powder Shop? Just borrowing her name, we could earn a lot of clean silver, why wouldn’t we want that?”
Imperial Doctor Du shook his head, “Do you think the ladies in the palace are in need of that little silver of yours?”
“It’s still like what the apprentice just said, who in this world has nothing against money? Even His Majesty the Emperor, I estimate, has times when the silver isn’t in hand. Moreover, there are many places in the palace where money is needed. Even if Consort De has enough money now, once she is pregnant with a dragon son, I’m afraid no amount of silver will be enough…”
“Silence!” Imperial Doctor Du listened, terrified, hurriedly stood up and gestured at his lips. If not for avoiding suspicion, he would have covered his apprentice’s mouth.
How dare you speak of such things? Are royal affairs something they can discuss as well?
Wang Yongzhu blinked and shut her mouth, even made a sealing gesture.
Only then did Imperial Doctor Du whisper, “In the future, don’t discuss royal matters. If this gets out, one could lose their head, understand?”
“Alright, bring me the recipe tomorrow, I’ll consider it carefully, then make a batch to present. If Consort De truly agrees, it would be best to open your shop in the capital. If you truly have this idea, you really need to discuss it with Ninth Master Lee.” Imperial Doctor Du agreed helplessly.
“Thank you, Master! Then I’ll bring the recipe tomorrow!” Wang Yongzhu, having her wish fulfilled, smiled as she bid farewell to Imperial Doctor Du and returned home.
The next day, she gave the recipe to Imperial Doctor Du.
Imperial Doctor Du had already spoken to Lady Qi about this matter, and Lady Qi was delighted, saying nothing else, she felt Wang Yongzhu was filial and knew how to conduct herself.
Therefore, she urged Imperial Doctor Du to carefully consider the recipe, adjusted a few ingredients, and upon trial, the rouge produced was even more moisturizing.
With this, Wang Yongzhu was full of confidence and immediately went to Shopkeeper Wu, asking him to send a letter to Ninth Master Lee, inquiring if he had time to come to Jing County for a business discussion.
Shopkeeper Wu now had great admiration for Wang Yongzhu. Initially a country girl, who didn’t even know where to sell Yellow Pine Mushrooms and needed people to introduce her, but within a year, she now had a considerable fortune.
The key was that any business she did made money, from dyeing cloth to tea leaves.
He immediately agreed wholeheartedly and sent someone to Qingzhou Prefecture to deliver the letter.
Unfortunately, Ninth Master Lee was still in the capital, so they had to wait for his return.
Wang Yongzhu was not in a hurry for this; currently, she and Song Chongjin were worried about Qi Huan’s relocation of the grave.
Lady Huang had already sent over the transferred land deeds some time ago; the whole family went to see the garden and estate and were satisfied.
The original hands were examined, and except for a few who were dishonest, most seemed honest and were kept on to continue caring for the garden and estate.
Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin also entrusted someone to find a teacher to go up the mountain and pick a good spot, which was on the mountain, not too far from the estate. Standing at the spot, one could see the estate and garden, with excellent scenery.
A date was chosen, and the teacher listed a sheet of things that needed to be prepared.
Wang Yongzhu busied herself with purchasing and arranging everything.
As Qi Huan’s interment had been nearly twenty years ago, according to what Song Hong said at the time, it seemed full interment was done, and it was unlikely any good wood could be found then. Over the years, it was probably decayed.
Therefore, many people were sought, and finally, some good wood was found, and someone was hired to carve the tombstone.
A large amount of burial goods was purchased, including spirit money, the Ksitigarbha Sutra, and four golden toads, among other things, all prepared properly.
As for the helpers, Yang Zongbao quietly arranged them.
On the auspicious day, the family, along with the helpers, grandly arrived at the back mountain of the temple.
The day before the auspicious day, Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu, along with Old Granny Zhang, came to the temple and had already told the temple they wanted to relocate Qi Huan’s grave.
Originally, Song Chongjin had explained with good intentions, clarifying that Qi Huan was his biological mother, and he wanted to move Qi Huan’s grave elsewhere, also wrapping silver as incense money, thanking the temple for its care over the years.
Generally speaking, if someone buried on the back mountain had relatives, they would relocate the relative’s remains back to their hometown when they had the means, also giving the temple some incense money, and that was it.
Song Chongjin initially thought this was how it would be, but unexpectedly, the temple abbot repeatedly refused.
After several attempts, anyone could see that the abbot was intentionally blocking the relocation of the grave.
Wang Yongzhu became impatient, “Never heard of a son and daughter-in-law needing outsiders’ consent to relocate their biological mother-in-law’s grave. All these years, thanks to the monks in the temple taking care of my mother-in-law buried on this back mountain, we are very grateful! We didn’t know before, but now that we’ve found out, we’ve selected a good spot elsewhere for my mother-in-law, so she won’t be alone here. Why instead block us? What sense does this make? If the abbot doesn’t give a satisfactory explanation today, I’ll report to the Government Office and ask if there’s really such a rule in this world? That a son and daughter-in-law can’t decide where to bury their biological mother-in-law after death?”
This speech rendered the abbot flushed and speechless and could only say evasively, “When that female benefactor was buried, the benefactor instructed that if the grave is to be moved, it must have his consent to do so…”
Old Granny Zhang couldn’t help jumping out, “Bah! I’ve lived these decades, and it’s the first time I’ve heard of such a thing. Aren’t you monks supposed to be outsiders, cutting off worldly attachments and concentrating on Buddhism? How come I hear you sounding like you’re meddling very broadly, even in people’s family affairs? What kind of monks are you?”
And she shouted towards outside the hall, “Fellow villagers, come look, come see—this monk is too domineering, not allowing my daughter and son-in-law to move his biological mother’s grave—”
They came on a worship day, so there were many pilgrims.
Upon hearing this shout, they looked at each other and gathered around, asking one after another, “Sister-in-law, is this really true?”
“No way? Aren’t monks supposed to be outsiders? How do they manage other people’s family affairs?”
“Exactly, the son and daughter-in-law want to relocate the grave, what does it have to do with them?”
The abbot was immediately flustered and chanted a Buddha’s name hurriedly, explaining, “As a monk, how could I do such a thing! Laymen, please don’t misunderstand—”
“Misunderstand? How am I misunderstanding? Is it not you blocking my daughter and son-in-law from moving the grave? Everyone, judge for yourselves! My son-in-law didn’t know his family background years ago. He now knows his biological mother is buried alone on this back mountain. Out of filial piety, he and my daughter bought a piece of blessed land, wanting to relocate my in-law there, so during festivals, they could have a place to burn paper, is that not so?”