I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 101 Qiu Zhan, Old Friend

During the days when Xu Qing was not at the coroner's shop, in addition to Prince Zhu who came to visit several times, Wang Lingyuan from the inspection office also came once and brought some river fish.

The period from June to August in Linhe is a good time for fishermen in the port to prepare for fishing and hunting. If you wait until September to November, the port will be even more lively.

Because this period is the golden season when fish grow fastest and the meat is fatter and more delicious.

Xu Qing asked Xuan Yu, "Did Senior Brother Wang mention anything about the embroiderer?"

Seven days ago, when Xu Qing sent the embroiderer to the Shuimen Bridge Villa, he mentioned to Wang Lingyuan that the embroiderer's body had been burned. Now that his senior brother Wang sent the fish over, it must be that there has been progress on this matter.

"Brother Wang said that destroying the body is a serious crime. Except for the few missing ones, the rest of the evildoers who burned the embroiderer's body were executed."

The missing ones were probably the ones who were scared to death by the embroiderer, and the rest were probably the ones who escaped the net and the embroiderer had no time to scare them.

Xu Qing nodded when he heard this. To be honest, there were quite a few people who were sent to prison directly or indirectly through him.

Whether it was Liu Jiayuan's family or Sai Yuxian's unfaithful husband, they were all imprisoned behind bars, waiting for the autumn execution, when their heads would all fall to the ground.
"It seems that autumn is really a good time for harvest." Xu Qing sighed.

Xuan Yu agreed and said, "Senior Brother Wang said that fish are the most delicious in autumn. I really want autumn to come soon."

Although the zombie and the cat are not thinking about the same thing, it does not prevent them from looking forward to autumn together.

"Has the government sent any new goods during this period?" Xu Qing asked.

As the acting shopkeeper, Xuan Yu naturally knew what the new goods Xu Qing was talking about were.

"Only a few fresh fish were delivered. There's no new stock."

"What about fresh fish?"

"Hmm," Xuan Yu blinked, "They ran into my stomach."

"If you want to eat some, I can go to the port and catch a few for you."

Seeing Xu Qing shaking his head, as if he had no interest in the most delicious food in the world, Xuan Yu couldn't help but wonder, "Could it be that the Xu Xian family has lost their appetite because they haven't collected any corpses recently?"

Xu Qing was stunned for a moment, then he laughed dumbly and said, "That's not the case."

"Look, there's a couplet hanging at the entrance of that clinic, which reads, 'May the world be free of illness, so why not let the medicine on the shelf gather dust?'"

"Although this is a coroner's shop, it would be a good thing if we could reduce the number of people who died unexpectedly and unjustly."

What Xu Qing said was not wrong. After all, in addition to the bodies of those who died unexpectedly, his shop also provided funeral arrangements for those who died of old age.

Those who are in a hurry, no matter whether they live for fifty years or a hundred years, will one day lie quietly in the mourning hall or on the cold couch, and the undertaker will put on the final makeup of their life.

In other words, those potential customers may pass by his shop thousands of times without entering, but as long as they step in just once, his shop will not be open in vain!

Now the only thing he is worried about is his colleagues in the gang room.

The funeral house in Linhefang is an old brand. It has been engaged in the funeral business for a long time. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a family business with an orderly inheritance.

Ultimately, his coroner's shop had not been open long enough and had not been promoted effectively enough, otherwise, there would have been countless corpses waiting for his attention just in the funeral business.

"Is that so? Then the Xu Xian family still wants to eat fish, right?"

Xuan Yu opened his eyes wide, his ears fluttered, and there was a bright light in his cat eyes.

Xu Qing didn't know what was wrong with the cat today. It kept asking him if he wanted to eat fish. Could it be that the fish Wang Lingyuan brought aroused the cat's appetite?
"We'll eat the fish later. I have a little gift for you."

Xu Qing fumbled in his sleeves and took out a small gadget with exquisite workmanship.

It was a chicken feather shuttlecock, made from a bunch of golden and red feathers that Xu Qing had secretly plucked when the Golden Luan was weak. Otherwise, the Golden Rooster would not have seen Yi Zhen as if he had seen a savior and reported him to the authorities.

When Yizhen saw that the feathers on Jinluan's body were much sparser, he asked him about it, but Xu Qing evaded him by saying that it was due to toxin invasion, illness and weakness, which led to hair loss.

After all, he is very good at medical theories.

"What is this?"

Xuan Yu looked at the golden-red shuttlecock in front of him, and a light flashed in his cat-like eyes.

Xu Qing's shuttlecock is made according to ancient methods. The part below the shuttlecock that connects to the round disc is a small, white, fluffy ball. At the time, this little gadget had another name: a shuttlecock ball, or a toy for throwing feet.

Xuan Yu gently fiddled with the shuttlecock with his claws, fearing that he would accidentally damage it.

Xu Qing smiled upon seeing this and said, "This shuttlecock feather is made of the feathers of a golden phoenix. It's as hard as gold or stone, yet still flexible. You can play with it without worrying about damaging it."

"By the way, if Xuanyu wants to kick and play like a human, he can also possess the body of a disciple who is a spirit medium."

Xu Qing was like a male host who brought gifts to his wife and children after returning from a long journey, constantly refreshing his impression in Xuan Yu's mind.

He felt that as long as he continued to keep doing this, the day when the cat would be free would get closer and closer.

"By the way, a few days ago, someone claiming to be a friend of Xu Xian's family came from Tianjin."

Tianjin? Xu Qing was a little confused at first, but when he heard Huai'an's name, he immediately realized, isn't this Prince Zhu of Changting Palace?

Why did this little fat guy come to him when he had nothing to do?

Xu Qing glanced at the sky. It was already night.

Shaking off irrelevant thoughts, Xu Qing informed Xuan Yu, then left the coroner's shop and headed towards Shuimen Bridge.

The corpse cremation case has been resolved, and it is time for him to go and see the female ghost kept in the other courtyard.

Watergate Bridge Villa.

Xu Qing walked on the courtyard wall as if it were flat ground.

This was the gecko wall-climbing skill he had acquired when he was praying for the souls of the swallows in front of the house in the other courtyard and when he broke into two thieves in broad daylight.

Knowing the route well, Xu Qing avoided the traps on the wall. Before he even went deep into the house, he heard the sound of a loom running in the west wing.

The creaking sound of the loom being pulled back and forth was particularly harsh in the middle of the night.

Xu Qing raised his eyebrows and walked quietly into the side room.

Inside the half-open door, there was a woman in a gauze dress with a slender waist. She was sitting in front of the loom, working with her back to the door.

Xu Qing walked closer, but the other party was still unaware. She just kept pulling the shuttle rope and pulling the loom. The cloth in her hand kept stretching and getting longer as she stepped on the pedal.

"Where did you get the loom?"

In the room where there were only the sounds of a female ghost and weaving, a man's voice suddenly rang out.

"Oh!"

The embroiderer who was concentrating on weaving was suddenly frightened and screamed. She turned around and saw Xu Qing standing beside her, staring at her.

"Why are you walking so quietly? You're trying to scare me to death!"

"You are already dead."

Xu Qing's tone was gloomy.

The embroiderer spat and said angrily, "You can't be so scary."

"I'm not scary, at best I can only be considered a scare-demon."

Xu Qing turned around and leaned back on the loom, saying, "You haven't answered my question yet. Where did you get this loom?"

"Don't sit on it, you've messed up the threads."

Seeing Xu Qing's eyes narrowed slightly, the embroiderer felt uneasy and her voice became softer and softer.

She said softly, "You left me here and didn't care about me. I had nothing to do, so I thought of bringing the loom from home here so I can weave some cloth when I'm bored."

"If I have the cloth, I can make you some clothes."

Hearing this, Xu Qing suddenly remembered that the embroiderer's family owned a tailor shop. "How much cloth can you make with that little silk? I'm afraid it won't even be enough to sew a pair of undergarments."

"When I have some free time tomorrow, I'll go get some fine Shu silk and buy some colored thread for you to use."

The embroiderer was delighted when she heard this and said, "In addition to silk thread, we also need a ruler, scissors, a scraper, dyes, and sewing needles of different sizes."

"stop!"

Xu Qing's eyelids twitched, and he asked, "You don't have these things at home?"

When the embroiderer heard this, her smile froze, like a frost-bitten flower, wilted.

"During the few days I was away, everything in the house was ransacked. Even the small tree my father had planted in the yard was cut down."

Xu Qing was speechless.

If his guess was correct, the one who embezzled the embroiderer's family property was not her relative, but the constables in the yamen.

There is no one left in the embroiderer's family. Her relatives are either dead or imprisoned, and there is no one to inherit the family wealth.

Those items would have to be embezzled and divided equally by the yamen runners. Even her house would be put into the warehouse and resold by the pawnshop.

The only thing to be thankful for is that the old tailor's loom is still there.

Xu Qing shook his head helplessly.

"These are all small things, just some small things like needlework and scissors. When I have time, I can buy another set."

"Compared to this, I have something to tell you."

At the door of the wing room, the clear moonlight fell into the room through the crack in the door.

Xu Qing told Xiu Niang the news that the corpse burning case had been solved.

After hearing this, the embroiderer was stunned for a while, then suddenly squatted on the ground, hugged her knees and burst into tears.

But when she calmed down a little and raised her head, Xu Qing did not see tears on her face. Instead, there was a wisp of black energy filled with evil and resentment flowing out of her eyes.

Xu Qing's heart moved slightly. He looked carefully and saw that the hideous black lines that had been clinging to the embroiderer's cheeks and neck had faded away. The embroiderer's ghost body was now more clear and the yin energy on her body was obviously purer.

After the dusk, the world begins to quiet down.

The second watch of the Hai hour is exactly the time for people to watch the clock.

In the distance, the night watchman struck the gong and clappers. There were exactly two gong sounds and two clapper strikes.

Zhu Huaian received a report from his subordinates and learned that he had already learned the news of Xu Qing's return.

He tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, so he decided to go and visit under the cover of night.

Outside the coroner's shop, Zhu Huaian vaguely heard crackling sounds coming from the backyard of the shop. He knocked on the door for a long time, and although no one opened the door, he heard a woman's voice asking questions not far away.

"You little fat boy again. Why are you knocking on my door in the middle of the night instead of sleeping at home?"

Zhu Huaian and the guards following behind him glanced sideways and saw a woman in red clothes with a cold temperament standing outside the coroner's shop and questioning them.

The woman seemed to be holding a handful of brightly colored pheasant feathers in her hand.

"It's Second Mother. I heard that Brother Xu had returned today, so I couldn't help but come over to visit. If I've offended you, please forgive me."

Xuan Yu blinked and said, "Then you are late. When he came back, he only stayed for half an hour before leaving again."

Zhu Huaian didn't believe it. He looked at Xuan Yu suspiciously, and the expression on his face didn't seem fake.

But he still couldn't believe that his luck was so bad.

Zhu Huaian took two steps back and faced the coroner's shop. The next moment, the little fat man returned to his nature and started howling at the top of his lungs.

"Brother Xu! Brother Xu! It's me, Huai'an!"

For the first time, such a bright voice was heard in Jingxia Street, which was always as quiet as a desolate mountain at night.

The proprietress of the incense and candle shop across the street, who was sleeping soundly, suddenly jumped up in shock, causing her bulging underwear to flutter. She thought that the thief who stole eggs and vegetables was coming to steal her.

"Who is it? Someone died in the house in the middle of the night, why are you crying like a ghost?"

Cheng Caiyun could no longer sleep. She held the scissors hidden under her pillow in one hand and the purse containing the amulet in the other, feeling confused and uncertain.

"Brother Xu, Brother Xu, are you deliberately hiding from me?"

Seeing that no one in the coroner's shop agreed, Zhu Huaian had no choice but to turn and look at Sun Erniang.

As a result, he just happened to see Er Niang lightly climbing over the roof ridge where the coroner was laying the roof.

Er Niang's clear and sweet voice could be heard from the air.

"I already told you that my cousin is not here. Come back tomorrow to look for him. Also, stop barking like a dog!"

"."

What Zhu Huaian didn't know was that to Xuan Yu, anyone who could make her say the word "dog barking" must have really annoyed her.

You should know that under normal circumstances, the cat fairies in the Cat Fairy Hall never swear.

"Your Highness, how about we come back tomorrow?"

The guard beside Zhu Huaian felt his mouth was dry and cold sweat was already on his forehead.

He was a Ning Gang martial artist, but he had never noticed anything unusual about the woman in red.

There are only two reasons that could cause this situation. One is that the opponent's martial arts level is not inferior to his, and the other is that the opponent's method of concealing his breath is far better than his.

Zhu Huaian turned around helplessly, but before he took a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

"I'm not going back! I'll stay here tonight. I don't believe I won't be able to wait for Brother Xu!"

"."

All the guards looked at each other.

The next morning, Xu Qing left the villa and felt refreshed.

Last night was a full moon, a perfect time for evil spirits to sense the heaven and earth and welcome the moonlight.

When he was practicing, black smoke rose from his head and black mist filled the tip of his nose, like a giant snake spewing fog and moisture in the clouds between the mountains.

When the embroiderer saw him like this, she thought he was possessed and was trembling with fear, not daring to move. It was not until the sky gradually brightened that she was sure that Xu Qing was just practicing normally.

Xu Qing still remembered the questions the embroiderer asked him when he left the villa.

"Are you a ghost too?"

Xu Qing had never seen such a stupid female ghost. He pointed at the shadow that was vaguely visible on the ground under the dim light of the sky.

"Hey, it's not a ghost, then could it be a monster? I heard that monsters can transform into human form after practicing for a long time."

At that time, Xu Qing did not choose to explain, but raised his hand and gave the other party a sugar-roasted chestnut.

Apart from a scream of pain and some noise, the world suddenly became much quieter.

After leaving Shuimen Bridge, Xu Qing took advantage of the bustling morning market and went to Caishikou to buy some small items.

When it was completely light, he drank the half-cooked duck blood soup that he had asked the vendor to cook, and staggered towards the street below.

When we arrived at the street, the door of the coffin shop was closed. Since the lecture seven days ago, Hu Baosong had not left the house. No one knew what the old man was tinkering with.

Only Xu Qing knew that the old man had been diligently preparing lessons for Senior Sister Yizhen. As for him, he was at most an auditor, and the old man would not worry so hard about him alone.

Halfway across the street, when he was almost at the coroner's shop, Xu Qing suddenly saw four or five visitors with very unusual temperaments squatting in a row against the wall in the posture of farmers in front of his door.
(End of this chapter)