A Negligence Amidst Perfection

"Take a detour up ahead. We'll go to Zhang An's home first."

Not long after the carriage left the side gate of Sun Mansion, Sun Shaozong lifted the curtain again and gave the order.

Having mistaken Xing Xiuyan for Zhao Zhongji earlier had reminded him of the funeral at Zhang An's home.

The past two days had been filled with one incident after another, leaving him no time to spare. But counting on his fingers, the First Seventh Day and burial were not far off. He ought to show his face there again.

In those days, even how long a coffin was kept before burial depended on one's station. Poor families often buried their dead after three days, while those with a little money generally kept the coffin for seven.

As for the truly wealthy and noble, they had to make up seven times seven—forty-nine days—before it could be called a grand funeral.

"Whoa!"

Just as he was musing over local funeral customs, the carriage abruptly stopped again. Sun Shaozong lifted the curtain and looked out, only to see roughly a hundred people crowded ahead, blocking the already narrow back street completely.

What had happened now?

Sun Shaozong gave a look, and Zhang Cheng immediately jumped down from the carriage to investigate.

He soon returned to report that an old house belonging to a certain family had collapsed under the heavy snow in the latter half of the previous night.

Though the elderly couple living inside had suffered no serious harm, their children and grandchildren, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, began arguing as they shoved responsibility onto one another. Now an uncle and nephew had even come to blows regardless of seniority, drawing the surrounding neighbors to watch.

Tsk.

No matter how often people preached that filial