Fergus's view

All the mirrors were removed from our house as soon as we arrived. We picked a casket up from the funeral home figuring we would need one as the angel said nothing about providing one for her. At the very least we could keep it for another person death. It was a lovely rosewood coffin lined with white silk and padding.

The coffin was put in our palanquin, and we walked home as if holding a funeral procession.

"Who died?" we were asked repeatedly.

"My mother died," I said.

"Oh, our condolences, when you hold the funeral please invite us. May we visit for the wake?" they would ask.

I nodded, though I did not know what I was agreeing to. Dr. Hack's funeral was small and understated as we followed our customs, not theirs. It seemed to me we would have to hold at least something akin to a traditional Chinese funeral.

"Ying?" I whispered to my wife as we walked.

"Yes, Fergus?"

"Do you know what to do in the case of death?"

"Yes Fergus, don't worry, we will handle it all," Ying said and her face went white, "Oh, I saw the reflection of the casket."

"Huh?" I said, "I thought you were supposed to see a reflection if you walk past something reflective."

"Well yes, I am not that silly, it is just I have been avoiding raising my eyes anywhere as I do not want to be burdened with more grief than I already feel. Mama was good to me, and she even allowed you to marry out of your class," Ying squeezed my hand then.

It seemed to me then, everyone who saw us seemed instantly sadder, maybe what Ying said was true for them, seeing the reflection of the casket meant they would grieve more. As soon as the people of the town found out Mum was dead, they plastered all the religious statues with red paper, and when we got home all the entry ways were covered in white cloth.

Boa, after welcoming us back home and enquiring as to why we had a coffin, was shocked upon hearing the news of mum's death. He placed a small gong on the right side of the main entrance explaining to me it was in preparation for the wake.

The rest of the family that had stayed behind at the manor were shocked twice. First by the empty coffin, and then by the body found where the angel said it would be. We left the body in that room, after placing it in the coffin we bought, until Xin came. A candle was lit behind the coffin and kept alight the entire time the body was there. The lid of the coffin remained off so that people could come and pay their respects.

Everyone in the town came, and the soldiers that had been healed by Xinye when she prayed for them returned with Maelgwyn setting up a tent city outside our manor. Everyone that came gave us a white envelope full of money, even those that could not afford it gave something. If they did not do this, they planted white irises outside our home and along the road to our home.

As I was unfamiliar with this custom, I would send them away with a small parcel of food as thanks. They all promised to attend the official wake, and I wondered if we would have enough room in our manor to hold everyone. Xinye had made quite the impression with the number of lives she had saved.

Although Taiji did not come, he sent a mausoleum to house Mama. The local stonemasons got to work so that it could sit soundly on the ground. I am pretty sure Mama would have been embarrassed by such an outpouring of generosity, expecting to only be buried in the ground with a plaque saying this was where she was buried.

During this time our whole family wore black, our staff blue as we considered them family, and everyone else wore white. No other colours were seen around the area for the time it took to bury Mama. Prayers were offered at both our home and the local temple for Mama, as everyone sincerely wished for Mama to go to heaven. It seemed strange though, as I was sure that was exactly where she went with the presence of the angel who took Mama's body home.

I did not understand the point of folding prayer paper into coins, but Ying, Wei, Bao and Xin all diligently folded them and burnt them in a bowl in front of the coffin.

On the day of the funeral, we all prayed in front of the coffin and Bryce rode beside the casket, and we all followed. I did not understand why Bryce was there not Xin, but I followed what they wanted. If this was how they grieved, and held funerals who was I to interfere?

We mourned officially for 100 days all wearing black. Xin never changed out of black again, as if in a permanent state of mourning. This did not stop him from carrying out his duties as the next head of the Fang family. I heard that his father was very distressed at him for killing his mother, but strangely enough his actions were supported by Taiji when his father informed Taiji privately of the matter by a imperial edict being sent out honouring Xinye as a lady of first rank. 

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