CHAPTER 290: CHAPTER 221: ANCESTRAL HALL

The ancestors of the Zhou Family originally branched from the South, and later, when a collateral branch moved from Beijing to the Northeast, gradually formed a large village—this is the current Zhou Family Village. The newly renovated Zhou Family Ancestral Hall stands on the east side of the village.

Before the Liberation, the surroundings were still barren land. Now, not far from the ancestral hall to the east is the old Zhou Family house, with the production team office not far away on the side.

The car stopped at a flat ground in front of the production team office. Zhang Guoqing got out of the car, picked up the basket, and led Zhou Jiao towards the ancestral hall.

From a distance, the two vermilion doors of the ancestral hall could already be seen wide open. Beside the two stone lions at the entrance, clan members were standing watching.

Seeing Zhou Jiao and her husband coming, someone in the crowd had already begun to greet them with smiles.

Zhou Jiao looked at the crowd with a smile. Beside her, her ears caught the sound of her husband exchanging pleasantries with everyone. At this moment, scenes from her childhood memories reappeared in her mind.

Actually, the small room beside the ancestral hall is truly her childhood home. That small room was the safe haven where she spent the longest days, and the only place where she found peace.

Here, she could stay freely without fear of being schemed against. It was her paradise, with no one to stop her and no one to disturb her.

Zhou Jiao left Zhang Guoqing and wandered alone into the small room. The air still had the familiar musty smell, and everything in the room made her feel at ease. This cramped space had once been her refuge.

It was here that she penned her first words in life. It was here that she embroidered, painted, and memorized many firsts. Besides studying secretly here, it was here that she secretly curled up in the corner to lick her wounds and cry silently.

Here, facing the inaccessible memorial tablets, through those dark years, she silently confided her resentment, helplessness, and pain to her father.

It was also here that she first encountered Zhang Guoqing during her childhood.

It was also here that she held back tears and resolved to entrust her life to Zhang Guoqing.

Zhou Jiao walked to the corner, gently feeling the forcefully carved marks on the wall. Back then, she had used all her strength to carve her sadness and hatred here, and into her heart. As she recalled the past, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow for herself.

Blinking her eyes, Zhou Jiao looked up at the pillar on the ceiling, and she smiled faintly. Thankfully, her father had returned, and the memorial tablet no longer had her father’s name. She should be grateful, as she no longer needed to be consumed by hatred.

Seeing Zhou Jiao disappear, Zhang Guoqing exchanged a few words with others and immediately followed her inside. At that moment, looking at her back, he stepped forward, gently tapped her, and said softly, "Let’s go. It’s all in the past. Soon, we’ll remove dad’s old wooden tablet. Everything is over, we must look forward."

"Yes. It’s all over. We will never return here again."

Zhou Jiao walked out, taking a final deep look around the room, and gently closed the door. With a creak, the door closed as if sealing away the old memories.

Zhang Guoqing picked up the basket and took her back to the main entrance.

They stood watching as the clan leader and others busied themselves opening doors and windows, while female clan members whispered among each other. Today was the Zhou Family’s major day, reopening the central door to welcome new members.

Except for the women, the men were cleaning the ancestral hall.

Seeing the couple carrying the basket, the Zhou Family Patriarch smiled broadly and said, "The auspicious hour is not yet here. When your father arrives, we’ll enter you both onto the family register. You should wait a little while longer; they will be back soon."

Zhou Jiao smiled and nodded, gratefully saying, "Little Grandpa, I am sorry to trouble our clan members today, and sorry to ask for your hard work."

The Zhou Clan Leader shook his head repeatedly, saying, "It’s no trouble, we are all family. Child, it was our Zhou Family who failed to care for you, making you suffer and feel grievance. Good child, don’t forget you said you are a Zhou Family member. Always remember we Zhou Family members share the same blood and roots. If you encounter any issues, you must seek help from us old ones. Don’t bear everything on your own. Now that your father is back, your family is reunited. The ancestors are watching; they will surely bless your family."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiao nodded solemnly, saying, "Little Grandpa, I will indeed remember that I am a Zhou Family member. No matter where I go, I will always remember my roots, my home."

"Good, good child. With you and your father, having you in the main house is outstanding. You might have time to discuss with your father about whether to relocate your main house’s gravesite to the ancestral land?"

"Little Grandpa, I think maybe we should let it be. They are resting peacefully below; we shouldn’t disturb them. As long as we descendants know where our ancestors are and remember to visit during festivals, that’s enough."

Zhou Jiao understood the Patriarch’s intentions, but she didn’t plan to discuss relocating the gravesite with her father.

The surviving direct lineage was her father. He could personally sweep the grave in Beijing. Besides, Zhou Family Village wasn’t their true ancestral land.

The direct lineage had always been based in Beijing. The older generations were South people initially. It was said that Zhou Family Village was established because her great-grandfather’s brother stayed outside the pass after being an official.

To trace it back, no ancestors of the main house had been buried in Zhou Family Village. In contrast, Old Sir Zhou’s collateral branch should have returned to Zhou Family Village after her great-grandfather passed away and the family separated.

Now, those with the Zhou surname in Zhou Family Village are just closely related to the Southern ancestors, merely belonging to the same clan. To dig deeper, big households sometimes have bitter enmity, and it’s uncertain which generation might have been mortal enemies between the main house and collateral branch.

In Zhou Jiao’s view, the Zhou Family’s genealogy was messy enough, and their main house should have their genealogy.

She wondered how her grandmother Gu Mingzhu found the old clan leader of Zhou Family Village? How did her grandfather Zhou Jinyu the scholar account for his genealogy?

After being forced by Gu Family members, could they still trust the Zhou Family members? Would they dare entrust their son just because of the cousin relationship? No wonder her great aunt Liu Xizhi couldn’t find her father.

Who would have thought that the Zhou Family, who lived in Beijing for generations, would have ancestral land in the Northeast?

The Zhou Clan Leader understood that it was impossible for their main house to relocate the graves. But he still held onto a glimmer of hope, wishing Zhou Jiao might persuade her father.

This time seeing Zhou Xiao, the main house, prosper, would they relocate the ancestor’s graves to Zhou Family Village and unite with the collateral branch to create one lineage? Thus, making Zhou Xiaozheng certain to elevate clan members. If the Zhou Family encountered something, they would seek his help. Yet, it all got ruined by Zhou Jianren’s folly, destroying a promising path.

The Zhou Clan Leader guessed that the old clan leader had seen this opportunity and hoped the main and collateral houses would unite; he took the risk to shelter the child.

"Yes, you are right. Just remember to visit during festivals. I’ll head inside to see how the preparations are. When your father arrives, call me." The Zhou Clan Leader looked at her, knowing to press further would create resentment, so he said with a smile.

He returned inside, shaking his head bitterly at the two clan elders. Forget about convincing Zhou Xiaozheng; even Zhou flatly refused. This matter was truly hopeless!