"Brother, you can go on your journey with peace of mind. As long as I am here, no one can take Fan Ji away from my nephew." Fan Yongcheng squatted in front of the coffin, putting paper money into the brazier from time to time.
The flames in the brazier shot out more than a foot high, lighting up his cheeks.
There were hurried footsteps in the yard, and soon the visitor arrived at the mourning hall and said respectfully: "Third Master, Chen Er is back."
Listening to the voice, Fan Yongcheng knew it was the steward from the outer courtyard.
The chief steward is not in the mansion, so all matters in the mansion are handled by the steward of the outer courtyard.
"Come here." Fan Yongcheng waved to a servant next to him, then gave the man the paper money in his hand and said, "Don't let the fire go out."
The servant leaned down and burned the paper money instead of Fan Yongcheng.
Fan Yongcheng dusted the paper in his hand twice, turned around slowly, looked at the steward of the outer courtyard, and said, "Who is Chen Er?"
He had just returned from the grassland and had no idea what Chen Er had done. This was the first time he heard the name Chen Er.
"Chen Er is a servant of the mansion. Before Third Master came back, my wife sent him to Zhuangzi outside the city and asked him to bring the chief steward and Feng Da'er of Xikuoyuan back to the mansion." The steward of the outer courtyard explained. .
Fan Yongcheng pondered for a moment and said: "Bring the person to the mourning hall."
The steward withdrew.
Fan Yongcheng said to the servant who was burning paper money in front of the brazier: "You continue to burn paper money and don't stop. When it's gone, let others get it."
"Yes." The servant who burned the paper money responded.
Fan Yongcheng walked to the round stool, lifted up his skirt and sat on it.
Not long after, the steward of the outer courtyard brought Chen Er to the mourning hall.
"I've met the Third Master before." Chen Er knew Fan Yongcheng and was the first to salute him as soon as he entered the mourning hall.
Fan Yongcheng looked Chen Er up and down and said, "Go over and put a stick of incense on the head of the family."
Chen Er walked to Fan Yongdou's memorial tablet, knelt down and kowtowed four times. After getting up, he picked up three incense sticks from the side, lit them and inserted them into the incense burner.
After doing all this, he returned to Fan Yongcheng.
"Ahem!" Fan Yongcheng covered his mouth and coughed twice.
The steward of the outer courtyard who noticed this scene called over a servant and whispered a few instructions.
The servant turned around and left the mourning hall.
Fan Yongcheng didn't pay attention to the servants who left the mourning hall. Instead, he faced Chen Er and said, "Why didn't the chief steward and those from Xikuoyuan come back?"
"The chief steward and Feng Tou... they are all dead." Chen Er's face was pale, with an expression of lingering fear on his face.
"What? Everyone is dead, but you saw it with your own eyes?" Fan Yongcheng frowned.
Chen Er hurriedly said: "I don't dare to hide it. On the way to Zhuangzi outside the city, I heard passers-by mention that the chief steward and Feng Tou and others were killed outside the city. In order to confirm the truth and falsehood, I went to the other party in person. As expected, the bodies of the chief steward and those from Xikuoyuan were found at the place mentioned."
"Do you know who killed them?" Fan Yongcheng believed that the servants in front of him would not lie to him. The chief steward of the Fan family and those people raised by the Fan family in Xikuoyuan should really be dead.
Chen Er said: "I asked the group of people, and they said that a group of cavalry in black armor and people using blunderbuss killed the housekeeper and the others."
"They are from the Tiger Flag!" Fan Yongcheng's eyes widened in anger.
Only the soldiers and horses of the Tiger Flag wear black armor and use a large number of blunderbuss.
He was now certain that the person who killed his brother was sent by the Tiger Flag. Even if Li Xin was not from the Tiger Flag, he must have been bribed by the Tiger Flag.
Chen Er added: "After the young one discovered the bodies of the chief steward and the others, he hurried back to report them."
At this time, a servant returned to the mourning hall carrying a bowl.
The steward of the outer courtyard took the tureen from the other party's hand, walked to Fan Yongcheng, bowed and handed the tureen over, and at the same time said: "Third Master, you have been back for so long without even having a drink of water. This is a villain. Take a sip of the freshly brewed tea to moisten your throat."
Fan Yongcheng felt that his throat was indeed dry and itchy, so he took the tureen from the steward's hand.
However, he did not drink immediately, but said to Chen Er: "You go down first, and don't say anything about the butler and the others for the time being."
"I understand, little one." Chen Er agreed respectfully, and then said, "Little one, please leave."
Fan Yongcheng nodded.
Chen Er bowed and took a few steps back, staggering a distance, then turned around and walked out of the mourning hall.
"Third Master, do you want to tell Madam about the housekeeper's affairs?" the steward of the outer courtyard asked in a low voice.
Fan Yongcheng, who was sipping tea, hesitated for a moment, and then said: "Let me think about it, don't say anything about my sister-in-law. I will tell her later."
"Everyone listens to Third Master," the foreign aid manager agreed.
At this moment Chun'er came to the mourning hall.
"Third Master, Madam called you over. I have something to tell you." Chun'er said softly.
Fan Yongcheng handed the tureen to the steward beside him, stood up, and said to Chun'er, "Lead the way, and I'll follow you."
Chun'er turned around, took lotus steps, and walked in front.
Fan Yongcheng followed him out of the mourning hall.
With Chun'er leading the way, the two of them quickly arrived at the Buddhist hall in the inner courtyard.
"We've arrived at the Third Master, Madam is inside." Chun'er said to Fan Yongcheng, and then entered the Buddhist hall first.
Rich families have female relatives who worship and worship the Buddha. Since they cannot go out often, they usually build a Buddhist hall at home specifically for the female relatives to worship the Buddha.
Fan Yongdou's wife was a believer in Buddhism, and the Fan family had no shortage of money, so they built a Buddhist hall in the inner courtyard of their home specifically to honor Mrs. Fan.
Entering the Buddhist hall, Fan Yongcheng respectfully shouted to Mrs. Fan who was kneeling on the futon: "Sister-in-law."
Mrs. Fan did not respond immediately, but finished reading the last verse, and then stood up from the futon with the help of Chun'er.
"Sister-in-law, are you looking for me?" Fan Yongcheng asked.
Mrs. Fan twisted the beads in her hand, looked at Fan Yongcheng in front of her and said: "Your brother is no longer here. From now on, you will be in charge of Fan Ji. If the uncles from the clan are pushing hard, my uncle can also take care of Fan Ji." Leave it to them, as long as my wife and your nephew have a stutter, it will be enough."
She knew that she as a woman could not support Fan Kee Company, nor could they, orphans and widowers, keep such a large family business as Fan Kee Company. Instead of being forced to hand over Fan Kee Company in the future, it would be better to hand over Fan Kee Company as soon as possible. Hand it over.
After hearing this, Fan Yongcheng said solemnly: "Sister-in-law, don't worry. Although my brother is no longer here, I am still here. The Fan Ji Company can only be inherited by my nephew in the future, and no one else can take it away."
He assured Mrs. Fan.
Mrs. Fan hesitated for a moment, then finally sighed and said, "I am a woman and don't know anything. My brother-in-law makes all the decisions."
"Sister-in-law, don't worry. Not only will I protect Fan Ji's business for my brother, but I will also personally take back my brother's revenge." Fan Yongcheng said seriously.
