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

Chapter 202 Sleepyhead, Stealing Talent

Xu Qing, a scholar of the Xu-Ji year, owner of the coroner's shop, the most conscientious entrepreneur in Jingxia Street, head of the Cat Immortal Hall, the Goddess of Lifesaving and Safe Childbirth, and the Goddess of Lifesaving in people's mouths, is standing on Wujiu Slope reciting scriptures to save people and deliver the souls of the dead.

After the sutras for the deceased were finished, Xu Qing began to recite the eulogy.

The yamen runner before us died for justice, unlike those mediocre people. He deserves a eulogy after his death to show our remembrance and respect.

Xu Qing was, after all, a scholar. Although he couldn't write a great essay, he could easily write a simple eulogy for a virtuous yamen runner.

"I have heard that loyal and righteous men are all upright and fearless in the face of death. Now, I recall Li Gong, a constable from Linjiang County, who was honest and upright by nature. Although he had no high salary, he still stepped forward and bravely sacrificed himself for his cause."
Although Li Gong came from a poor background, his loyalty and integrity still deeply move people's hearts. His name should be inscribed on a monument to illuminating future generations.

Xu Qing took out his knife and carved the inscription on one side of the stele: "An iron ruler to suppress villains, a heart full of passion to fulfill his duty."

The right side is engraved with a couplet praising and mourning the deceased. The first line reads: "Born with courage, he brought peace to the region during a time of crisis."

The second line reads: "To die for one's country is to achieve righteousness, and to serve as a model for all time in the village."

"Manager Xu is very kind."

Zhao Zhonghe and the other constables couldn't help but feel sentimental at the sight of the scene. No matter how well they did their jobs, they were still lowly servants, belonging to the lowest of the low.

Even if I die someday, it will be no different from a broken weed by the roadside; no one will care.

But if I could die with such glory, such pomp, and such respect, I would be content even in death!
On Wujiu Slope, the autumn wind was bleak.

Only the human touch has never disappeared.

That evening, at the coroner's shop.

Zhao Zhonghe, who had escorted Yuan Hu to justice, finally had time to come over.

"Manager Xu, I am very satisfied with the funeral arrangements you made for my brother today. This is a small amount of money for the funeral, but it is a token of our brotherhood."

Xu Qing weighed the silver ingot wrapped in red cloth; it weighed a full ten taels.

You should know that the "work and food allowance" of a constable in the yamen is only five or six taels a month, so these ten taels of silver are equivalent to two months' salary for Zhao Zhonghe.

"A thin coffin costs only a thousand coins, why should Officer Zhao spend so much?"

"I live a life of constant danger, and I never know when I might have to trouble Manager Xu." Zhao Zhonghe said with a light laugh, as if he were talking about something insignificant. "If there is any money left over, consider it a deposit. If any of my brothers accidentally fall into a trap, I would be extremely grateful if Manager Xu could help with the funeral arrangements!"

As he spoke, Zhao Zhonghe took out another red envelope.

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why is that?"

Zhao Zhonghe leaned against the counter, looked at Sha Zhu who was sitting in a daze at the shop entrance, and said, "Without his elder brother's care, Sha Zhu will probably have a hard time surviving. Brother Xu is kind-hearted and took in this child, but I, as the head constable, dare not take this child home."

Zhao Zhonghe was also helpless. His wife had just given birth to a child last year, and the little guy was not even a year old yet. His wife was already exhausted from taking care of the child alone. If he were to bring Shazhu, the mentally challenged child, back with him, the whole family would probably be in turmoil.
Xu Qing did not ask for child support from Sha Zhu, but he did collect the pension for Sha Zhu's brother.

"Brother Xu is good in every way, but he is too particular. It's just some gold and silver, why bother with all this politeness?"

Zhao Zhonghe clicked his tongue, still unwilling to give up: "I might as well tell Brother Xu frankly that I've always been lucky. I always manage to find silver on the street every now and then. Speaking of which, a couple of years ago I even found a very fine stick. It was made entirely of jade and was the most valuable and desirable item I've ever found. It's just a pity that it was stolen by some thief. Anyway, you really don't need to worry about the small amount of money, Manager Xu."

Xu Qing ignored Zhao Zhonghe. So much time had passed, yet he was still thinking about his stick.

"Keep this compensation money for Sha Zhu. If the constable really feels bad about it, just introduce me to a few more customers in the future and patronize my business."

Xu Qing smiled and declined Zhao Zhonghe's offer.

The latter chuckled and scolded, but did not refuse: "The government office deals with many dead people. If any family needs to hold a religious ceremony in the future, I will keep an eye out for it for Manager Xu."

Xu Qing was secretly pleased to hear this, and the constable said!
As Xu Qing saw Zhao Zhonghe off from the shop, he waved enthusiastically, saying, "Captain, come again soon!"

Zhao Zhonghe cursed and swore.

Although Xu Qing's shop does have good service, who would frequently patronize a dead person's shop just because it has good service?
As Zhao Zhonghe walked out of the shop and was about to leave, Sha Zhu, who had been sitting on the threshold in a daze, suddenly spoke seriously: "Captain, please come often in the future."

"."

Zhao Zhonghe was so angry he almost lost his temper. This silly kid, he doesn't learn the good things, but he learns the bad things very quickly!

Inside the shop, Xu Qing's eyes flickered.

Sha Zhu's medicine seems to be showing initial results, otherwise he would never have followed my example and greeted Zhao Zhonghe.

It's just that Xu Qing's words are not something a proper person would say, which makes Sha Zhu seem speechless.

But what if he was speaking normally just now?

Xu Qing called Sha Zhu to the shop. Sha Zhu had already changed into new clothes, and even his messy hair had been neatly trimmed by Xu Qing.

“Shazhu, I’ll find you a good master. You must learn from him well, so that your brother can rest in peace in the afterlife.”

In Xu Qing's eyes, although Sha Zhu's illness has been cured, his mental age is still only five or six years old.

The teacher Xu Qing found for Sha Zhu was none other than Gu Zixu, the immortal in charge of feng shui at the Cat Immortal Hall.

Inside the shop, Xu Qing stamped his foot, and the next moment an old man rushed in from the back of the shop in a hurry.

"What are your orders, Sect Leader?"

Xu Qing looked at the short, white-haired old man and smiled, "Old man, I've found you a good disciple, do you want him?"

Gu Zixu followed Xu Qing's gaze and looked at Sha Zhu.

The eight-foot-tall 'Guawazi' was taller than three of it stacked together, and Gu Zixu had to crane his neck to look at Shazhu.

"Silly Zhu, why don't you hurry up and greet your teacher?"

Upon hearing Xu Qing's words, Li Tiezhu knelt down without a word and kowtowed three times to Gu Zixu.

"Hey! There's no need for such a grand gesture."

Gu Zixu quickly helped the big, simple-minded man up. When he saw the red mark on the man's forehead, he thought to himself, "How can this kid be so honest!"

"Old Gu, from now on you'll take him with you and live in the funeral clothing shop. You can teach him to read and write more, and he can also help me run the shop. If Feng Shui Hall has any business in the future, you'll have a good helper."

Gu Zixu finally realized that this was not a disciple he had found for him, but clearly a shaman disciple arranged for him by Xu Qing.

After settling Shazhu in, Xuanyu strolled over to Xu Qing's side and asked curiously, "Where did you go today, Immortal Xu? And where did you find this big guy?"

Upon hearing Xuan Yu's question, Xu Qing suddenly remembered something.

He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small, black mole-like insect.

“Xuan Yu, this is a sleep bug. Take it for self-defense.”

The Sleepy Bug was obtained from Sha Zhu's gambling father. Xu Qing was puzzled at the time as to why such a thing would be rewarded from a gambling addict.
Xu Qing had conducted experiments and found that the sleep bug and the alcohol bug were similar, belonging to a semi-dormant state. They did not move normally, and could only play a role when used.

These two insects felt more like crafted magical artifacts to Xu Qing than real living creatures. Cats naturally love insects, and Xu Qing's gift of two insects each time touched Xuan Yu's heart.

Xuan Yu now has two insects: one is a dream-eating insect that can devour people's dreams and cause them to lose certain memories, and the other is a sleep-inducing insect that can fall asleep when it lands on a person.

Besides insects, Xu Qing also fed the cats many of the pills that were useless against zombies.

In Xu Qing's eyes, even the best elixir is no different from cat food.

As for those elixirs like the Power Pill, Blood Nourishing Powder, and Vitality Pill, they might be rare and precious medicines in the martial arts world, but for Xu Qing, they were nothing more than snacks for immortals.

Even the horses used to pull the hearse at the coroner's shop were fed rare and precious medicines that were priceless in the martial arts world.

The thoroughbreds kept in the backyard stables still have black jade plaster and dog skin plaster, the best kind of plasters used by the Fire Gate disciples for guarding the house, on their legs.

The swift horse was strong and agile; even sending away Sha Zhu's gambling father was just a matter of one kick, but that didn't stop Xu Qing from applying a screen protector to it.

For a vehicle like this, it's always good to do regular maintenance.

The next morning, the Wu brothers came to report the good news, saying that the yamen had captured the criminal Yuan Hu alive. Now, bringing down Yang Hong and clearing Wu Yaoxing's name would no longer be a difficult task.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing acted just like an ordinary citizen who was out of the loop, offering his congratulations and telling his two brothers to keep up the good work and to let him know if they had any firsthand information.

He's not someone who enjoys gossiping or watching the drama unfold; he simply cares about his neighbors.

Wu Zhiyuan breathed a sigh of relief and said, "This case needs to wait a few more days. We can't rush it. The Imperial Inspector has already arrived in Wanshou County and will surely come to Linjiang County in a few days. Only when the three courts hold a joint trial can we be sure of success."

"A joint trial by three courts?"

Wu Zhiyuan explained, "Before the autumn execution, all cases must be approved twice by the prefectural government. This year, the officials from the Mirror Bureau, the censor, and the county magistrate will all review the cases together."

Wu Wencai added, "I heard from my godfather that the Mirror Bureau is looking for someone. It seems they want to get some clues from those criminals."

In addition to these insider tips, the Wu brothers also told Xu Qing a rumor, almost as a joke.

"I heard that Yuan Hu's arrest was related to the Fertility Temple on Ziyun Mountain outside the city. The temple was built by the county magistrate, and the constables who arrested Yuan Hu said that the Goddess of Childbirth had transformed a tiger-head shoe into a giant tiger, which allowed them to capture Yuan Hu alive."

"It's quite a clever story. There were strips of cloth with petitions left on the tiger-head shoes, with the names of the worshippers written on them. They were just ordinary shoes, but the story is told as if it were the real thing."

"Tiger-head shoes?"

This time it was Xu Qing's turn to be puzzled. He had been so busy with business these past few days that he hadn't even noticed that anyone had left tiger-head shoes in the temple.

After the Wu brothers finished announcing the good news, Xu Qing returned to the coroner's shop and closed his eyes to observe the incense and the Dharma realm.

As Xu Qing closed his eyes, the statues in the Dharma Realm opened their eyes. At the same time, in the Baosheng Temple far away on Ziyun Mountain, the Yuanjun statue, which had been keeping its eyes down, suddenly gained some spirit, as if it had come to life.

A thin layer of red mist always lingers in the vision of the Dharma Realm. Xu Qing looked through the mist at the tiger-head shoes in front of the statue.

The shoes were tied with a petition that read: "May the benevolent and compassionate Goddess of Universal Salvation and Protection save you from suffering and ensure a safe delivery for mother and child. We, Qian Yulan and her husband Feng Junbao, sincerely pray for a healthy child, a safe pregnancy, and a smooth delivery."

There was also a note tied to the other tiger-head shoe, which read: If this wish is granted, we will definitely rebuild the goddess's golden statue and expand the temple, etc.

At the bottom is the signature: Husband Feng Junbao and wife Qian Yulan.

Xu Qing was speechless after reading it. Feng Junbao was none other than the real name of Feng Erye from Flower and Bird Street.

He recently sent a lot of Rejuvenating Pills and Qi-Boosting Pills to Master Feng, so why is he now petitioning at his Baosheng Temple?
If you say that Master Feng doesn't trust him, then he also owns the Baosheng Temple. Master Feng's worship of Baosheng Niangniang is no different from his worship of him.

But if you're talking about trust, then Master Feng wants to rebuild his golden statue and expand the temple, making it seem like he wouldn't help without these things.

"It seems I'll have to go back and change the feng shui of Second Master's house, preferably to a layout that's good for childbirth. I have to make sure Second Master has a pair of twins, don't I?"

Look at what you're saying! It's a good thing that Master Feng went to the trouble of praying to the Goddess of Life Protection, otherwise he might have missed a great opportunity.

The sun was setting, and Xu Qing left Xuan Yu to watch the shop while he rode his spirited steed at full speed, arriving soon at the village where Liu the midwife lived.

Baosheng Temple lacks a temple keeper to clean the temple. In addition, if a woman seeks help from Baosheng Niangniang, he also needs a "sister-in-law" under him who can come forward to handle the matter.

Xu Qing had planned beforehand that Baosheng Temple should hire at least one temple keeper, preferably one who could deliver babies and take care of infants.

People who meet these criteria are not easy to find.

Xu Qing's original plan was either to recruit Liu the midwife to his side, or to go to Liu the midwife and see if she could introduce some suitable candidates.

However, when Xu Qing arrived at the village where Liu the midwife lived, the villagers told him that Liu had already left the village and had gone to Sichuan to stay with distant relatives.

Going to Sichuan to visit relatives? Who delivered the county magistrate's child, and who suggested that the magistrate build a temple and distribute birth manuals? Besides Liu the midwife, who else would do such a thing?

Furthermore, Liu the Midwife is a disciple of the Python Immortal, and she has always lived alone. Where would she find relatives to rely on? Especially since they are from such a distant place as Shu.

With a belly full of questions, Xu Qing found Liu the midwife's residence.

The small courtyard was built with thatched eaves and bamboo fences, and judging from the moss inside, it did look like it had been uninhabited for some time.

Xu Qing used his Qi Observation Technique, but found no trace of human presence. However, he did discover a hint of demonic energy hidden in the courtyard.

Turning over and entering the courtyard, Xu Qing followed the eerie aura, lifted the haystack, and saw a rusty cast iron pot inside, with a white snake as thick as a child's arm coiled inside.

Xu Qing recognized the snake in front of him, because this white snake was the spirit of Liu the Midwife.

The white snake, who was seeking refuge from the heat, was startled. But when it recognized Xu Qing, the frightened snake immediately spoke in human language: "So it's you! I thought the snake catcher had come to capture me."

Snake catchers are a branch of mountain herders. These people are most skilled at catching snakes, and even some powerful snake demons sometimes fall into the hands of snake catchers.

Because many snake catchers have secret medicines that can control snakes.

When Bai She and Liu the Midwife were helping Li Mugen deliver babies, they had a brief encounter with Xu Qing.

However, the white snake didn't know where Liu the midwife had gone.

This was the first time Xu Qing had encountered a spirit who had been abandoned by a shamanic disciple.

"You're a celestial being, can't you sense her location?"

The White Snake replied, "Sister Liu was taken away by an old woman. Before she left, she said that the old woman was her benefactor who had helped her in the past, and that it was time for her to repay the kindness. On that day, she cut off all contact with me, but I could not find out where she went no matter what I did."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing tried to calculate Zi Wei Dou Shu (a Chinese astrological system), but to no avail.

Weird.

Xu Qing felt that something was not right, but he couldn't figure it out.

Shaking his head, Xu Qingfu looked at the white snake in the pot again.

“Little fairy, I see that you’re unemployed at home, which isn’t a good thing. If you’re interested, why don’t you come work for me? I can find you a female spirit medium to act as a spirit medium, and I’ll also give you a stable income from offerings. What do you think?”

(End of this chapter)