Courtyard House: Starting by inheriting the tradition and suppressing the barbarians.

The Intermediate People's Court, the Jia family.

The dimly lit room was filled with the musty smell and medicinal odor of a room that hadn't been opened for years.

Jia Dongxu lay on the bed, his eyes bulging, staring intently at the roof beam.

A strange "clucking" sound came from his throat.

That was the sound of phlegm blocking the trachea, and also the struggle in the last moments of life.

"Bang Geng...my son..."

He wanted to shout, but he couldn't.

My entire life flashed through my mind:

From a spirited fitter to a bedridden, disabled person...

And now, her son is in prison and her family is broken and dead.

It all started when we provoked Li Xuan!

Resentment, anger, and regret mingled together, transforming into a final surge of turbid energy that rushed to the top of the head.

"Well!"

Jia Dongxu suddenly straightened up.

Then it fell heavily!

Those cloudy eyes were still wide open, their death unresolved!

And beside him.

Qin Huairu was lying face down on the table, crying her heart out over the matter of the stick, completely unaware of her husband's movements.

It wasn't until Jia Zhangshi entered the room to pour water that she saw Jia Dongxu's strange expression.

"Dongxu?"

"Dongxu, what's wrong?"

When Jia Zhangshi reached out to check his breath, she froze instantly.

It's out of breath!

"Ah! Dongxu! My son!"

Why did you leave like that?!

How could you bear to let your mother, an old woman, bury her son?!

A heart-wrenching wail shattered the tranquility of the courtyard.

Bang Geng's imprisonment has already dealt her a heavy blow.

Now her son has died too, how can she bear this!

Qin Huairu suddenly woke up with a start!

She rushed to the bedside and saw her husband, who was already cold, and burst into tears.

Although Jia Dongxu has a bad temper and beats his wife.

But at least he's a man, a pillar of support in name only.

At least I can receive some money every month.

With his death, the Jia family was truly left with only a widow and a child in prison.

......

Jia Dongxu is dead.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the entire hospital.

Although everyone usually dislikes the Jia family.

But since someone has died, this is a funeral.

According to old custom, neighbors should all express their gratitude in this way.

Upon hearing the news, Yi Zhonghai came over, leaning on his cane and trembling.

After being deceived by his "son" last time, he recovered, but his health deteriorated day by day.

His mental state, in particular, fluctuates wildly, sometimes erratically, sometimes normally.

After looking at Jia Dongxu's body, Yi Zhonghai recalled the past and tears streamed down his face.

After all, Jia Dongxu was his apprentice and someone he relied on for retirement.

Now... everything is gone!

"My dear sister-in-law, Huai Ru, please accept my deepest condolences."

Yi Zhonghai sighed.

He has no power or influence now, but he was once a big shot.

When faced with this kind of situation, I still instinctively want to take charge.

"Since he's gone, he should leave in style."

"We need to set up a mourning tent, hold a banquet, and notify relatives and friends..."

"Yes! We must hold a grand celebration!"

Jia Zhangshi stopped howling, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her triangular eyes.

Although she was heartbroken by the death of her son, what she cared about even more was money!

Banggeng went to jail, and the family ran out of money.

This funeral is a perfect opportunity to make money!

As long as each neighbor in the courtyard contributes one or two yuan.

With the factory's compensation money, wouldn't we be able to make ends meet?

"Old Yi, we're a widow and her children, and we don't have anyone to rely on."

"This matter still needs your help to arrange!"

Jia Zhangshi held Yi Zhonghai's hand and cried, "Especially about the matter of giving money as a gift."

"You have to help us push for them; we can't let people look down on Dongxu!"

Yi Zhonghai nodded, also making plans in his mind:

Holding a funeral might help ease tensions between neighbors.

Could they even use moral blackmail against Li Xuan?

After all, respect for the dead is paramount!

......

the next day.

A makeshift mourning tent was set up in the middle court and covered with white cloth.

A table was set up at the entrance, where Yi Zhonghai sat with an account book in front of him.

Yan Bugui also came; after all, he was the one who had to handle these kinds of accounting matters.

"Everyone, please contribute a gift to send Dongxu off on his final journey!"

Yi Zhonghai shouted.

The neighbors in the courtyard were unwilling, even though they were a hundred times unwilling.

However, due to the traditional concept of "respect for the deceased," people still came one after another to give their condolences.

"50 cents."

"Sanmao".

"I'm also a 50-cent party member."

Everyone's smart enough to know that the Jia family is so well-liked that giving them 50 cents is already more than enough.

Dressed in mourning clothes, Madam Jia knelt in the mourning tent, her face turning ashen as she listened to the sparse reports of accounts.

"How come there's only so little?"

"That's incredibly stingy!"

She stared menacingly at the backyard.

The real big money is in the backyard!

Li Xuan!

He's a top expert and a senior director!

If he were to give a gift, it would have to start at least ten or twenty dollars, right?

Just then.

Li Xuan pushed the cart, leading He Yushui and Li Tian out, ready to go to work or school.

"Oh, Director Li is out!"

All eyes immediately turned to Li Xuan.

Yi Zhonghai stood up, blocking the way, and said with a sorrowful expression:

"Xiao Xuan, Dongxu is gone."

"We've lived as neighbors for so many years."

"Shouldn't you go and offer incense, give a gift, and send him off?"

Madam Jia Zhang also knelt there and shouted, "Li Xuan! You're a big leader!"

"If you don't give us a generous gift, you're disrespecting us, a widow and her orphan!"

"Dongxu's spirit in heaven will not forgive you!"

This is blatant moral blackmail and a curse!

Li Xuan stopped and glanced at the black and white photograph in the mourning hall.

Then I looked at the greedy Jia Zhangshi and the moral hypocrite Yi Zhonghai.

He smiled.

"Give him a gift? Or see him off?"

Li Xuan shook his head. "Yi Zhonghai, have you forgotten?"

"Jia Dongxu is a criminal who hired someone to break my legs!"

"Although he's dead, his sins haven't been absolved!"

"You want me to give a gift to someone who wants to kill me? And a very expensive one at that?"

"Are you out of your mind, or do you think I, Li Xuan, am easy to bully?"

"You...respect the dead! When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; all grudges should be let go!"

Yi Zhonghai said urgently, "If you do this, people will talk about you behind your back!"

"Respect for the dead? That's only for good people!"

Li Xuan's cold voice echoed throughout the hall, "Evil people, even in death, remain evil spirits!"

"Not setting off firecrackers to celebrate at his memorial is already the greatest act of mercy!"

"Want money? Not a penny!"

"You! You cold-blooded animal!"

Jia Zhangshi was so angry that she jumped up and was about to pounce on him.

Li Xuan's eyes flashed with a sharp light, but before he could even make a move...

Li Tian stepped forward from behind him and stood in front of his brother!

"Trying to mess with my brother?"

"Get past me first!"

"Xiao Tian, ​​don't be impulsive."

Li Xuan smiled slightly and reached into his pocket to pull out a stack of things.

Jia Zhangshi's eyes lit up, thinking that Li Xuan wanted to take money.

As a result, Li Xuan raised his hand.

"Splash!"

What was fluttering in the air wasn't a large sum of money, but a stack of yellow—ghost money!

"Since we're neighbors, I can't just leave without saying anything."

"Consider this stack of ghost money as my travel expenses for Jia Dongxu."

"Spend wisely, inflation is quite severe down here."

Yellow paper fluttered everywhere, landing on Yi Zhonghai's head, on Jia Zhangshi's face, and on the offering table in the mourning tent.

The entire room fell silent!

That's so mean!

That was so satisfying!

"Ah! Li Xuan! I'll fight you to the death!"

Madam Jia was so angry that her eyes rolled back and she almost fainted.

Qin Huairu was so ashamed and indignant that she covered her face and couldn't even cry.

"Let's go."

Li Xuan dusted off the ashes from his hands and left with his younger brother and sister-in-law.

"Remember this, don't bother me with Jia family matters anymore."

Watching Li Xuan's departing figure, and then looking at the yellow papers scattered all over the ground.

The neighbors looked at each other in bewilderment.

Xu Damao shouted from the crowd, "Director Li is right!"

Why give a gift to an enemy? I don't have any money!

"I'll take this fifty cents back!"

After saying that, he actually ran to the table and grabbed back the five cents he had just given away!

With one person taking the lead, the other neighbors also realized the situation.

"Yes, the Jia family has taken advantage of us quite a bit in the past!"

"I'm not giving this money! I'll keep it to buy candy for the kids!"

Immediately, everyone wanted to take the money back.

Looking at the chaotic scene and the pile of worthless yellow paper in his hand, Yi Zhonghai was utterly desperate.

The Jia family's funeral not only failed to bring in any money...

Instead, they lost their entire life savings and became the biggest joke in the entire Nanluoguxiang area!

......