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Chapter 23: Xue Family Funeral

After finishing his meal, Geng Xuan walked back home with unsteady steps and just lay on the bed, thinking about what Chen Rongshan had revealed. He felt complicated and had trouble falling asleep for a while.

After Chen Rongshan’s personal narration, Geng Xuan finally knew the whole truth.

This was not a unilateral and forceful pressure from Kangleji, but a carefully designed conspiracy between internal and external forces.

Kangleji acted as the bad guys and took 40% of the vendors’ daily earnings.

However, Kangleji will not take it all, half of it will be returned to the various workshops.

The monthly salary of five taels of silver for the twenty places, including Geng Xuan, all comes from here.

The year-end dividends also come from here.

If there is more left, you can distribute more; if there is less left, you can distribute less. It is very flexible.

Why does Kangleji know the operating data of every vendor so well that it has the confidence to say "not a penny less, not a penny more"?
Because people like Chen Rongshan are always watching, all the transactions are under their noses, how could they not be aware of it.

After Chen Rongshan and others had summarized and passed on the business information of the vendors in the same neighborhood, Kangleji entered the scene with the image of a villain and began to collect debts by force.

The division of labor can be said to be very clear.

If it had happened before this banquet tonight, Geng Xuan could have just sneered and cursed calmly.

"A bunch of vampires!"

But now?

He himself was also a participant in the enjoyment of this blood meal.

After a long moment, Geng Xuan suddenly chuckled.

"I'm really full. I'm still walking on a tightrope, with no stable landing, and I dare to think about this kind of problem. Just a few dishes, and you drink like this?!"

Thinking this in his mind, Geng Xuan turned over in bed, threw these troubles aside, closed his eyes and fell asleep.

But my sleep tonight was still a little shallow, half asleep and half awake.

I don’t know how much time has passed.

In a daze, he seemed to hear the sound of gongs and drums, the sound that was engraved in his previous life's memory, startled Geng Xuan so much that he sat up from the bed.

The whole person is completely awake.

Geng Xuan pricked up his ears and listened carefully, and finally became convinced that it was not an illusion, but that there was really the sound of gongs and drums coming from afar.

In addition, more noisy sounds were heard one after another.

Children cry at night, adults talk, run, open and close doors...

Because the memories of his previous life were too overwhelming and intense, Geng Xuan shivered uncontrollably.

In the memory of my previous life, ever since I learned of the news of my father's death, when I was confused and ignorant, this voice has always lingered in my ears.

It was my previous incarnation that completely linked the sound of gongs and drums with death.

"Someone died in the neighborhood?"

When this thought came to his mind, Geng Xuan was stunned at first, then he quickly got up and left the house.

As soon as I came out of the house, I saw Chen Rongshan opposite me, putting on his clothes and tying his belt, striding out of the yard.

Geng Xuan quickly followed.

"Uncle Chen, is this a dead person?"

"Well, it should be."

At this moment, the sounds of gongs and drums became clearer, and the noisy voices became louder and louder.

"Can you tell me who died?"

"There are several families in that direction. You won't know until you go and see them."

The two stopped talking and walked quickly.

Soon, they arrived near the sound of gongs and drums.

The crowd here also became dense.

I also learned about the deceased by listening to the discussions of people around me.

"The one who died was Xue Tuozi." Someone sighed.

"Hey, why is it him? Although his back is a little hunched, he is in good health.

I saw him at the entrance to the square this afternoon, pushing his wooden cart, walking faster than me. How could he just disappear like that?!" Some people couldn't believe it.

"Who can tell for sure who God will take away?"

"..."

Hearing this, Geng Xuan's steps became a little stiff and his face became a little tight.

Following Chen Rongshan closely, he entered a small courtyard.

A lot of people had already gathered in the yard, and they all spoke in low voices to the people around them; no one spoke loudly.

In a corner, a band consisting of several people were concentrating on beating gongs and drums to bid farewell to the deceased and quickly spread the "obituary" throughout the neighborhood.

Geng Xuan followed Chen Rongshan into the house and found that there were quite a few people gathered in the house.

In the middle of the main room, there was a bed board, and a figure with a white cloth covering his head was lying there motionless.

Master Li was standing beside the bed. He lifted the white cloth and looked at the deceased carefully for a moment, then reached out and pressed the neck and throat of the deceased.

He said to an old woman next to him:
"It should be that the sputum blocked the airway and he suffocated to death."

The old woman's wrinkled face was still wet with tears, but she was no longer crying. She just blamed herself in a hoarse voice:
"I should have discovered it earlier. Every night he doesn't cough and wheeze a few times.
After coming back from work today, he didn't eat, saying he was a little tired and didn't want to eat. He just fell asleep on the bed without coughing, wheezing or snoring. I also slept peacefully, and I thought he was finally beginning to understand me... When I woke up in the middle of the night, I found that he was dead!"

"If I had discovered it earlier, it wouldn't have turned out like this..."

The old woman was there feeling sad and blaming herself, while two women from the neighboring families were whispering to comfort her.

After examining the body, Master Li was about to cover it with the white cloth again when a young voice came from behind him.

“Can you tell the exact time of death?”

In such an occasion, a young person who speaks so rashly would easily be scolded.

However, Li Fangzhu found that the person who spoke was the Geng family boy, and his family had just finished the funeral and had not even seen the body of his deceased father. In comparison, what happened to the Xue family tonight was nothing.

He then patiently said a few more words.

"He should have died more than an hour ago. As for the more accurate time, I can't do anything about it."

Master Li shook his head to indicate that he did not have that much ability.

Geng Xuan nodded and said nothing more, as if he was just asking out of curiosity.

Taking this opportunity, before Master Li covered the body with the white cloth again, Geng Xuan also saw the face of the deceased clearly. It was indeed the hunchbacked old man who had left a deep impression on him at the gate of Changpingfang that afternoon.

Geng Xuan's gaze swept over the old woman's head calmly again, and there was only a faint red glow, far below the average level.

So, this heartbroken old woman is not fake.

Although he was full of doubts, there was no abnormality on Geng Xuan's face.

As more and more neighbors came, the main hall became more and more crowded. Geng Xuan had already followed Li Fangzhu, Chen Rongshan and others out of the main hall.

"This is your Uncle Liao, this is Uncle Li..."

"Uncle Liao, Uncle Li..."

In the courtyard, Chen Rongshan introduced Geng Xuan to several middle-aged men and listened to their whispered conversation.

I'm talking about the allocation of quotas. Everyone was very efficient and used up all their allocated quotas as soon as possible.

Geng Xuan stood by and said nothing, just listened quietly.

Not long after, accompanied by a loud noise, several people were seen carrying a coffin and walking quickly into the yard.

Several people stopped talking, and Master Li directed them to carry the coffin into the house.

With the quick actions of several people, the bed board was quickly removed and the deceased lying on the bed board was placed in the coffin.

Geng Xuan didn't know if it was an illusion, but he felt that the sound of gongs and drums in his ears had become louder.

Chen Rongshan saw Geng Xuan's confusion and explained to him in a low voice while standing outside the yard.

Changpingfang was a neighborhood with a population of over 2,000, and many people died every year, so coffins were always available. Anyone who needed one could go get one and pay the cost, which was much more convenient than each family preparing their own.

Anyway, ordinary people are satisfied with having a coffin to sleep in, and no one would ask for a custom one.

After the deceased is settled, the rest of the matter will follow standard procedures and be handled by professionals, so there is no need for others to worry about it.

Geng Xuan and Chen Rongshan did not stay any longer and walked back home.

"Ah Xuan."

Geng Xuan was about to open the door and enter the house when Chen Rongshan called him.

"Uncle Chen?"

"The timings these past two days are unfortunate, so someone must be watching Kangleji at all times.

The weather is so hot now, Xue Tuozi won't stay at home for long, he should be buried soon. When I'm not at home, your aunt may be asked to help in the kitchen, please help me keep an eye on Chen Yu, don't let her get lost. "

Seeing Uncle Chen was serious, Geng Xuan also responded seriously: "Okay Uncle Chen, I will watch over her."

Geng Xuan knew that what Uncle Chen said at this moment was no joke at all.

For parents in this world, the most important common sense they should know is also a fear deeply rooted in their souls, which is that they must always keep a close eye on their children in crowded, bustling and noisy environments.

If you disappear in a blink of an eye, you may never see it again.

The kind where you never see the person when he is alive and never see the body when he is dead.

Not to mention in a place like Kangleji, even in the neighborhood where people have a basic trust in each other, this is something that parents must keep in mind.

……

early morning.

The aunt was wearing smart clothes, holding a wide-brimmed sun hat in one hand and holding the pouting Chen Yu's hand with the other. She walked her into Geng Xuan's yard and said to Geng Xuan at the door, "Xuan brother, thank you for your help."

Geng Xuan smiled and said, "Don't worry, Auntie. I promise that she won't be lost even if I lose her."

My aunt burst out laughing, put her sun hat on her head, and said, "Then I'll go."

After walking two steps, she suddenly said to Geng Xuan:
"Remember to come early. There are many people here today, so it's a bit chaotic. The Xue family doesn't have a young man to take care of things. When the time comes, just come by yourselves."

"Okay." Geng Xuan nodded.

Then he took Chen Xiaoyu into the house.

At first, she was a little "shy", but soon she let Geng Xuan see how troublesome a four or five-year-old girl could be.

Glancing at the two large packages thrown in the corner of the room, Geng Xuan thought, today seems to be completely ruined.

It was almost noon when Geng Xuan got up and took out a heavy, clinking bag from the bedside.

It contained all his current assets, seven hundred and sixty copper coins.

It seems like a lot, but if converted into silver, it is less than one tael, just a little more than seven cents.

The reason why they were all changed into copper coins is simply because they appear to have more weight.

Geng Xuan carefully counted out the hundred coins, then took Chen Xiaoyu by the hand and walked towards Xue's house.

According to the old custom in the neighborhood, if someone in the neighborhood dies, no matter how close the relationship is, every household must send at least one representative to attend. If the relationship is not particularly close, a gift of 100 coins will suffice to attend.

There are dedicated people to take care of everything and control the income and expenditure, so that everyone can basically enjoy a sumptuous banquet without the host having to spend extra money.

Of course, there would be no surplus. Even the most stingy people would not make a fortune from this.

This was something he had personally experienced not long ago, and now, he had become a participant in this large-scale ceremony.

There is no sadness.

Before I got close, I could hear the noisy voices and the sounds of gongs and drums, creating an inexplicably cheerful atmosphere.

Geng Xuan and Chen Xiaoyu were considered to have arrived late, and they saw that all the tables arranged along the road were full of people.

Geng Xuan held Chen Xiaoyu's hand tightly and looked around, trying to find an empty seat that was not occupied.

"Geng family kid..."

The sound of a leak reached Geng Xuan's ears.

Geng Xuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a large round table hidden under the shade of a tree. Seven or eight old men were sitting there casually.

Compared with other square tables that can only seat eight people and are placed in the open air under the scorching sun, this large round table can easily seat more than a dozen people and is specially arranged in a shady and windy place. It is simply a super supreme seat.

Just as Geng Xuan was looking around, the old killer with sparse hair and even sparser teeth waved at Geng Xuan, "Looking for a seat? Come and sit here! There are seats here."

Geng Xuan didn't hesitate and walked over holding Chen Xiaoyu's hand.

"Master Chai." Geng Xuan shouted.

The old killer’s surname is Chai, nothing wrong with him.

The old man nodded, grabbed some dried fruits and candied fruits on the table and put them in Chen Xiaoyu's hand, then continued to listen to other people's gossip.

From their casual conversation, Geng Xuan learned that Xue Tuozi had already been buried.

Because she had no children and because Mrs. Xue was extremely sad and weak, she collapsed on the bed and couldn't move shortly after Geng Xuan and others left last night. Not to mention taking care of everything, she herself needed someone to take care of her.

In the second half of the night, all the idle people dispersed, except for the continuous beating of gongs and drums in the yard. The coffin was parked in the house without even a person keeping vigil. Today, when he went out on the road, there was no filial son or grandson to pound pots and banners to celebrate.

It seemed lively to others, but when the old people at this table talked about this matter, they all felt it was cold and bleak.

An old man shook his head and sighed, "I don't think that old woman Xue can hold on for many more days. It looks like the Xue family is going to be closed down."

If all the people in a family died out, all traces of their lives would be wiped out quickly, and even their houses and other properties would be disposed of immediately by the community.

This may seem ruthless, but it is an approach that everyone agrees with. It can't just remain vacant forever, right?
If this is the case, with the efficiency with which this world devours human lives, within a few decades, the number of vacant homes in the entire Changpingfang will be more than the number of homes with living people.

As they were talking, the aroma had already filled the air and the food and wine began to be served. The old killer took the initiative to take on the responsibility of distributing chopsticks. He grabbed a handful of chopsticks and handed out a pair to each person.

"Eat."

At his command, pairs of chopsticks quickly moved back and forth on the table.

Poor appetite due to old age?
As an elderly person too, seeing the Xue family’s appearance, he felt depressed, so he had no appetite?
nonexistent.

The momentum was so overwhelming that if Geng Xuan hadn't done it for her, Chen Xiaoyu would have found it difficult to even have a few bites of the hot food.

"You are here." A voice sounded behind him.

"Mom." Chen Xiaoyu, who was gnawing on a bone, shouted happily.

But her mother finally had some free time to come and see her daughter. Because she had been working in the kitchen for a long time and the weather was hot, her cheeks were red and she was sweating all over. Although she looked wet and sticky, she exuded the unique beauty that comes from hard work.

Logically speaking, with Chen Rongshan's ability, she could have completely refused such an activity that would bring no rewards except fatigue.

But in the minds of the people in the neighborhood, this kind of collective activity has nothing to do with how much wealth your family has. If you refuse to participate, you will be alienated from the entire group.

After a few times, you will naturally be classified as an "outsider".

What's more, looking at her state, it is obvious that she is not opposed to it, and even enjoys it.

Seeing her daughter jumping off the stool and about to throw herself into her arms, she quickly dodged.

He said to Geng Xuan, "Xuan'er, you can go back after dinner. Grandma Xue is lying in bed with no one to take care of her. I will be back later."

She left after giving her instructions, but an old man stared at her plump buttocks and was reluctant to look away.

"Bang!" The old killer hit him hard on the head with a chopstick, and while struggling with a rib, he muttered and cursed:
"Old man, you still can't change your lustful nature even at this age."

The old man who was hit by the chopsticks was not angry, but shook his head and sighed:
"How can this be called lustful? I feel sorry for my son, but why did I let that bastard Chen Rongshan take advantage of me?"

"Ah, this Zeng Rou...what a pity, what a pity."

Chen Xiaoyu and Geng Xuan stopped at the same time.

Chen Xiaoyu heard someone scolding her father. She was eating seriously, but then she glared at the other person fiercely.

Geng Xuan was a little surprised, "Zeng Rou?"

The old killer glanced at him and said with a chuckle, "You don't even know her name, do you? I see you call her auntie very affectionately."

"Hey……"

……

After dinner, Geng Xuan did not stay long and took Chen Xiaoyu home.

There was no other plan in the afternoon, so I continued to play some boring games with Chen Xiaoyu.

Zeng Rou didn't come back until around four or five in the afternoon, and she brought food to Geng Xuan and the others.

Seeing her holding Chen Xiaoyu's hand and returning to her yard, Geng Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Taking care of children at home is really more tiring than digging holes for a whole day!

After two days of delay, Geng Xuan went out at dawn the next day carrying two large packages.

When the sun set and the sky was only slightly bright again, Geng Xuan returned home empty-handed and exhausted.

After opening the gate and preparing to enter the house, he suddenly stopped.

But he saw a small figure curled up behind the dilapidated gate of his house.

Geng Xuan was startled.

"Chen Xiaoyu?! Chen Xiaoyu?!"

Chen Xiaoyu woke up dazedly, rubbed her belly, and said to Geng Xuan pitifully, "Ah, I fell asleep, I'm so hungry."

Geng Xuan asked, "Where is your mother?"

Chen Xiaoyu said: "I went to Grandma Xue's house."

Geng Xuan, who had felt something was wrong the first time he saw Chen Xiaoyu, immediately felt his hair stand on end when he heard this, and asked hurriedly:
"When?"

"Hmm..." Chen Xiaoyu thought for a moment and said, "Not long after I woke up from my nap."

Geng Xuan stood up suddenly, feeling as if tangible electric currents were running wildly through his scalp.

(End of this chapter)