“Second Master Yu.”
She slightly raised her voice. “It’s true that I never said anything out loud, and I have a recording to prove it. But I know Deputy Director He was trying to use my mouth to teach you old fossils a lesson.”
He Guilan’s expression changed. “What do you mean? You’re the one who can’t keep your mouth shut. What does that have to do with me?”
Qiuyun stepped forward and stopped in front of them. “The Yu family is Madam’s maternal family. No matter how ill-mannered I may be, I would never say something so brainless in public, especially where Deputy Director He, who already has a poor opinion of me, could hear it. Do you really think everyone is as stupid as you?”
“You!” He Guilan was livid.
“That’s enough!” Second Master Yu shouted. “The ancestral hall is a solemn and sacred place. Is it somewhere for you to bicker? All of you, get out!”
Qiuyun did not move. Determined to show this old traditionalist what true tradition looked like, she smiled and said, “Guests should be welcomed, and anyone entering the hall should offer incense. Surely Second Master Yu hasn’t forgotten even that basic rule?”
Second Master Yu paused, then said irritably, “Then go offer a stick.”
Qiuyun agreed. She calmly walked to the altar and took a pack of wet wipes from her bag. “One should cleanse one’s hands before offering incense. But since your household hasn’t prepared anything, I’ll have to make do.”
Second Master Yu’s face twisted slightly. Her words made it sound as if he did not understand the proper rules of worship.
After cleaning her hands, Qiuyun took three incense sticks and lightly tapped them three times against her palm, straightening the stems. She then raised them to brow level, closed her eyes, and gathered herself for a moment.
Next, she turned slightly to the side, lit the incense over the candle flame, and gently fanned out the fire, leaving only a thread of blue-gray smoke.
Holding the incense with both hands, her left hand on the outside and her right on the inside, she pressed her thumbs against the stems to support the ends while the remaining four fingers cradled them. She raised the incense above her head, lowered her head without bending at the waist, and bowed reverently three times.
Finally, she bent down and placed the incense in the burner. Every movement was so steady that not a single speck of ash fell.
They said actions spoke louder than words.
Qiuyun completed the ritual with effortless grace. Her movements, expression, and rhythm were all flawless, almost like something from a ceremonial manual. She gave off a sense of solemnity and propriety that seemed to have been lost for generations, leaving the entire hall utterly silent.
Watching her worship, one might have thought this was not the ancestral hall of a small family in Quanshi, but that of a venerable century-old clan. She was not praying for favorable weather or a good harvest in the coming year, but for the family fortune to prosper and the family name never to fall.
At the same time, the group’s loose and haphazard behavior had been made to look like a complete joke in front of their ancestors.
After offering the incense, Qiuyun retreated three steps, then turned sideways and left the altar. With a courteous smile, she said, “Second Master Yu, I won’t disturb you any longer.”
“Wait.” Second Master Yu had always taken the family’s ancestral rites very seriously, so he called her back.
Qiuyun turned around. “What is it? Is there something else?”
“You seem to know a great deal about the rules of ritual worship.”
“Rituals of state concern warfare and worship, and the elders in my family have always attached great importance to them.”
Hearing mention of elders like himself, Second Master Yu’s expression softened. He also looked at Qiuyun more kindly. “Your elders must be refined and capable people.”
Qiuyun thought of the elderly couple in Singapore and replied sincerely, “You flatter them.”
“Then take a look around. Is there anything improper about the way our ancestral hall is arranged?”
Qiuyun smiled. “One should not discuss right and wrong in front of the ancestral hall. As long as one’s heart is sincere, that is what matters. Once your ancestors have been sent back to the immortal realm, you can take your time discussing the finer points of ritual.”
Second Master Yu nodded in approval.
That was indeed how things should be.
At the same time, he became even more certain that the shout just now had absolutely been He Guilan making trouble out of nowhere and yelling nonsense on her own.
Qiuyun left the ancestral hall, and Jiang Chuling took the opportunity to follow her out.
Once she had left, Big Brother and her own brother also withdrew.
Only Yu Xiang, standing beside her parents, found it difficult to leave early.
“Sister Xiaoqiu, you looked so impressive when you offered the incense! Even more impressive than my etiquette teacher!”
Every part of her posture had been natural and relaxed: her head, neck, shoulders, arms, spine, and slender waist had all settled perfectly into place. She looked tall, graceful, and dignified.
Qiuyun modestly replied, “It’s just putting on an act in front of other people. I’m not like this normally.”
Even back when she had lived in the Duke Protector’s residence, she had only been so fully prepared and ceremonially proper when entering the palace or helping her mistress put on a good show. The rules had been engraved into every strand of her hair.
In everyday life, she was much more relaxed.
Jiang Linzhi clicked his tongue in amazement. “Knowing how to do something and being able to bring it out whenever necessary are two entirely different things. Assistant Qiu’s versatility is truly beyond imagination.”
Qiuyun refused to let him flatter her into trouble. “Fourth Young Master, you’re exaggerating. There’s no such thing as an all-rounder in this world. Everyone has shortcomings. For example, I can’t learn English or mathematics at all. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have left school and started working before finishing high school.”
“...”
That was an impressive degree of one-sidedness.
“I can!” Jiang Chuling raised her hand. “I’ll teach you, Sister Xiaoqiu!”
Qiuyun tactfully declined.
There was really no need to burn more brain cells.
After the ancestral rites ended and the ancestors had been sent off, He Guilan was lectured by the grand-uncle, the second uncle, and her own father-in-law. They warned her not to cause trouble for no reason again.
Her scheme had backfired, and He Guilan was gnashing her teeth in hatred. Then her eyes shifted, and another wicked idea came to her.
Afterward, Second Master Yu found Qiuyun and asked her what aspects of the ancestral hall failed to comply with proper rules.
Qiuyun began by praising him. “Actually, every detail of the ancestral hall shows how filial and respectful you are, Second Master. Everything has been arranged properly, and there are hardly any taboos you’ve violated.”
Then she pointed out two insignificant issues. “Still, our ancestors did place importance on the distinction between three for the divine and four for the spirits. Since the fruit platter counts as a dish, it would be best for the number of plates placed before the altar to be odd in the future. Also, regarding the incense ash, there’s a saying that ‘when incense ash falls to the ground, gold and silver scatter.’ In the future, you could replace the burner with a larger one so that the ash won’t spill onto the table.”
“Quite right, quite right.”
Second Master Yu had always placed great faith in people who understood feng shui, and he immediately took note of her suggestions.
Finally, Qiuyun offered one more gentle reminder. “Offering incense is the medium through which descendants communicate with their ancestors. Placing incense is like planting a banner, so it’s rather disorderly to have everyone sticking theirs in wherever they please. Once you have a larger burner, you could arrange the incense in the form of a taiji symbol, inserting the sticks clockwise. But be careful: the main stick should be placed in the center and stand the tallest. Don’t disrupt the order of seniority.”
“Exactly, exactly.” Second Master Yu felt that she had put it perfectly. “I’ve learned something today.”
He cheerfully sent her away. Qiuyun felt that surely no one would be foolish enough to make trouble for her again.
That evening, after dinner, Qiuyun went with the young miss to set off fireworks and took quite a few photographs.
Since the two young masters had taken some of the drivers and assistants with them, there were plenty of guest rooms available. No one had to share, so everyone slept in separate rooms.
Qiuyun was a light sleeper. In a daze, she seemed to sense someone tampering with her door and instantly woke up.
There was a rustling sound outside. Qiuyun looked around the room, picked up a stool from beside the desk, and waited behind the door.
At last, just as her arm was beginning to ache from holding it up, the person outside finally managed to pick the lock and slipped inside.
Qiuyun did not hesitate. She swung the stool straight down onto the intruder’s head.
