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

Chapter 261 The Barracks, the Child

At the end of June, several porters came to Jingxia Street. These men all had bulging shoulders and looked like they were heavy laborers who often lifted heavy objects.

What heavy objects are in the coffin room? Besides the dead, heavy corpses, there are only the coffins that hold the bodies.

When the group arrived at Jingxia Street, they saw their former colleagues. The funeral shops along the street were filled with beautiful flowers, and as they walked by, the air was filled with a fragrant and refreshing floral scent.

If it weren't for the fact that all the flowers were in elegant colors like white, yellow, and ochre, who would think this was a funeral street?

When the pallbearers arrived, Xu Qing was still in the coffin shop on the street, spraying water on the spider plant with his homemade spray bottle.

Xu Qing wasn't worried about the coffins getting damp. The coffins were decorated with fire-avoidance talismans and the paint was waterproof. The layout of the entire coffin shop was also quite interesting.

Right in front of the door is a large, varnished coffin that serves as the shop's centerpiece. Once inside, you'll find all kinds of coffins—some on the floor, some hanging from the beams, and some standing in the corners. No matter what size coffin you're looking for, you can find one that suits you perfectly!
To mask the smell of paint and aged wood, Xu Qing cultivated flowers and carefully tended to the seeds he obtained from the gardener. Over two years, he harvested the seeds several times, and the whole street was now covered in colorful flowers.

With this scene, Manager Xu's name becomes even more recognizable.

Everyone knows that there is a funeral director on Jingxia Street who loves flowers. If it were anywhere else, so many flowers displayed by the roadside or doorway would surely attract some unscrupulous people to steal them. But even if the flowerpots on Jingxia Street are placed by the roadside or in the wild, no one takes them home.

Forget about moving flowers, occasionally a naughty child would pick a flower and put it on their head. When they got home, their parents would casually ask, "Where did you pick that flower?" The child, with snot bubbles coming out of their nose, would say, "Jingxia Street, the flowers there are so pretty."

After the child finished speaking, a meal of stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork was inevitable.

"You think you're so great? I'll teach you a lesson! Those are dead people's flowers, and you dare bring them home? Don't you think they're bad luck? You're not allowed to go to Jingxia Street again, remember that?"

In this way, the scenery of Jingxia Street becomes more and more unique.

Xu Qing was delighted. Who would have thought that a zombie could be so refined, not only passing the imperial examination but also loving to grow and cultivate flowers?

If this gets out, nobody will believe it!

Meanwhile, on Jingxia Street, Xu Qing was cultivating his mind and taking care of the flowers in the coffin shop when Sha Zhu rushed over in a flurry, saying that a lot of people had come to the coffin room and wanted to talk to him!

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, but didn't take it seriously and continued spraying her own flowers.

"Didn't you ask them what they specifically wanted to see me about?"

"I asked, but these people wouldn't say. They only said they wanted to see the manager of the coroner's shop. I didn't tell them that the master was here." Sha Zhu used to be stupid, but since he gained his wisdom, not only is he no longer stupid, but he can also read and write, and he even understands a lot of classical texts.

Besides these, Sha Zhu also learned martial arts while following Xu Qing. Compared to Wang Liang, Sha Zhu, who was focused on staying in Jingxia Street, actually learned more and more comprehensively from Xu Qing.

Over the years, Sha Zhu's martial arts skills have progressed to the Condensation Realm.

This is inseparable from Sha Zhu's diligence and eagerness to learn, as well as Xu Qing's frequent and effective remedies.

'Fools are often blessed,' many of the elixirs obtained through rituals were useless against zombies, which benefited the little animals of the Cat Fairy Hall and shamanic disciples like Tie Zhu.

“Many of our colleagues have left Linjiang County in the past two years. Now there are only two funeral homes in the city, one is us, and the other is the coffin maker’s shop.” Xu Qing put away the spray bottle and pondered, “Judging by the time, it’s about time. Go and invite them over.”

Although Sha Zhu was no longer stupid, he still didn't quite understand what Xu Qing meant. However, a teacher is always a teacher, and he, as a student, only needed to listen and do as he was told!
"Okay! I'll go right now!"

The leader of the pallet troupe was named Zhuang Laoshi. He was short and stocky with tanned skin. He was sturdy and hardworking, and looked like an old hand who had done heavy and tiring work.

As soon as Zhuang Laoshi entered the coffin shop, he smelled a peculiar odor. It wasn't the smell of coffin wood, nor the smell of incense and paper money unique to funeral shops, but rather a scent that could only be found deep in the mountains.

It is delicate and fragrant, with a slightly cool and refreshing scent. If I had to describe it, it would probably be the smell you smell in the yard the morning after a night of rain when you open the door in spring.

Looking further into the shop, various flowers and plants were arranged along the path pieced together from coffins. Several potted plants were even hanging from the beams at both ends of the room. In the middle of the beams, a double-thick coffin was suspended.

So elegant!
Even Zhuang Laoshi, who had been working in the funeral industry for nearly thirty years and was only a teenager carrying a coffin, had never seen such a scene.

As Zhuang Laoshi approached the coffin shop, he saw Manager Xu, dressed in a blue shirt and white robe.

He was in his early twenties, a fair-skinned young man. Judging from his demeanor, he was completely unlike these rough men who carried the coffin; he really looked like a priest performing a ritual.

This is judging a book by its cover. Besides performing rituals, Xu Qing has also done his fair share of things like carrying coffins, digging up graves, and robbing tombs!
"So it's Zhuang, the head of the brothel, and Wang Bu'er. I've heard a lot about Li Jinshi."

Upon seeing the visitors, Xu Qing immediately called out the names of several guests.

Zhuang Laoshi was surprised and couldn't help but ask, "Although Manager Xu and I are in the same industry, this should be the first time we've met. How does Manager Xu recognize us?"

Xu Qing smiled and said, "The more we are in the same industry, the more we need to understand each other. Although you have never met me, I have stopped on the street more than once and seen you carrying coffins in your funeral processions."

"I've long heard that Zhuang Gangshou's eight henchmen are capable of lifting coffins weighing a thousand catties."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Laoshi's face flushed slightly. Their funeral parlor had so many people and a good reputation, yet in the end, they were defeated by a young man. Although this was related to the fact that the funeral parlor had opened a "charitable hall" and was constantly reducing the profits from funerals, his other shops, such as those selling paper money, incense, funeral clothes, and coffins, were still profitable.

This is the advantage of a monopolized industrial chain. Although the brothel also has paper incense and candles, they are far inferior to those from the street in the well.

Besides operating on a low-profit, high-volume model, the coroner's shop also had a very effective advertising campaign!

At the city gate tower and vegetable market entrance, teahouses and storytelling venues are filled with advertisements. Is this an idea that anyone could come up with?
The key person actually figured it out!
The bulletin boards outside the city gates and the notices at the market entrance are nothing special, but having storytellers and entertainers in teahouses broadcast funeral advertisements is something that no ordinary immoral person could come up with.

This idea is so wicked and so biased, and what's worse, the audience in the teahouse actually falls for it!
The inside story is quite simple. Storytellers are known for their humor, so they tell all sorts of things, and joking around is commonplace. What used to be considered unlucky, like death, has become a source of amusement. Regular customers are used to hearing this and would even be happy if you told them a story. They would laugh and tease each other, but that would be the end of it. They wouldn't actually get angry; on the contrary, it would subtly deepen their impression of Jingxia Street.

When Zhuang Laoshi passed by the teahouse today, they were still talking about Manager Xu's business!

Zhuang Laoshi was preoccupied at the time, so he stood at the door and listened for a while. He heard the storyteller say, "When it comes to the dead, everyone thinks it's unlucky, but birth, aging, sickness, and death are things that everyone has to go through sooner or later, so there's no need to be afraid of them. For example, in our Linjiang County, there's a shop called Xu's Shop." "They emphasize 'sincerity' when handling funerals. They truly treat the dead as if they were alive. Even if they don't have a penny in their purse, the mortuary will still provide the funeral on credit. Why? So that no matter how much hardship or poverty a person has suffered in their life, they can die with a proper ending!"

"The funerals held in Jingxia Street aren't for money; they're just to put the living at ease and the dead at peace. This isn't just empty talk. If a person dies without having Jingxia Street handle their funeral arrangements, then they've truly lived a wasted life! But if they do have Jingxia Street serve them at their death, they're guaranteed to want to go a second time in their next life!"

Laughter and curses filled the teahouse, but no one was truly angry, except for Zhuang Laoshi.

If things continue like this, the labor camp staff will really be starving!
That's not all. When they're not carrying coffins, many of their regular customers come to buy incense and candles from their shop.

But in the last two years, a particularly efficacious Baosheng Temple has appeared outside the city. It was built with funds from the county magistrate. There is a Sister Jin in the temple who is the temple keeper. When Sister Jin purchases incense and candles, she does not use incense and candles from other places, but only from Jingxia Street.

Later, a rumor spread from who-knows-where that the incense and candles from Jingxia Street were of good quality, and that the Goddess of Childbirth loved the smell of them. It was said that whoever used the incense from Jingxia Street was blessed with twins the following year.

The worshippers were initially skeptical, but when they asked the temple keeper, they learned that the incense and candles used in Baosheng Temple were purchased from Jingxia Street.

What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. Over time, the worshippers gradually began to use the incense and candles from Jingxia Street.

Nowadays, at temple fairs in Tianjin, or on the streets, vendors selling incense and candles will display the name "Jingxia Street" regardless of whether their incense and candles are actually from Jingxia Street!
Can a brothel use this name? Absolutely not! Everyone else can, but they can't!
If it's really hung up, there really won't be any more Shi family mortuaries in Tianjin.

Of course, it's almost gone now.

Zhuang Laoshi was the head of the Shi family's porter shop. He came to Xu Qing's shop for the sake of the future of porters like them.

"Manager Xu, I'm here for no other reason than to ask if you could spare a bite to eat for us brothers."

He spoke in such a humble tone that Xu Qing was not in a hurry to reply. Instead, he asked, "You came here, do you think the mortuary would agree to this?"

Zhuang Laoshi said dejectedly, "They're gone! The master has all left, and the land of the brothel has been sold off cheaply to the brokerage firm. It's not a matter of whether they agreed or not."

"Gone? Even if the pawnshop closes down, there are other businesses you can run. How can your manager be so willing to sell off your business at such a low price?"

Old Zhuang shook his head and said, "The north is in turmoil, and Tianjin is not peaceful. The Red-Clothed Cult and the Cangyi Gang are causing trouble everywhere in Tianjin. I'm afraid they'll cause trouble sooner or later. Old Manager, you have businesses in Jiangnan Road. The northern rebels might attack Beijing and Tianjin at any time. Our place is right next to the capital. If that really happens..."

Zhuang Laoshi sighed: "The old shopkeeper is getting old, has a family to support, and is afraid of war and the Red-Clothed Cult. Not long ago, the old shopkeeper's youngest son went out and didn't return for half a day. Around dusk, a woman in red came back carrying the young master, saying that she wanted the old shopkeeper to help bury a few people. The Red-Clothed Cult is a rebel group that the imperial court is after."

After listening to Zhuang Laoshi's words, Xu Qing finally understood the whole story.

Chaotic times breed monsters. In the past, the Heavenly Heart Sect alone was enough to keep people from having peace. Now, the Red-Clothed Sect and the Cangyi Group have also appeared. Who knows how chaotic Tianjin will become in the future?

Xu Qing agreed to Zhuang Laoshi's request. He had been planning to hire people anyway. Since the reputation of Xu's shop grew, customers from all over Tianjin, in addition to Linjiang County, had been visiting his business. He was already struggling to keep up with the demand from the neighbors in Jingxia Street alone.

In times of chaos, the number of corpses sent in will only increase.

"Zhuang Laoshi, come with me to the brokerage firm."

Why go to the dentist?

“There are eight or nine of you, plus the temporary porters we hire during busy periods, making at least a dozen or twenty people. I don’t have room for you to stay here.”

Xu Qing led Zhuang Laoshi and the others all the way to the brokerage firm.

When Li Siye saw Xu Qing, he no longer called him Manager Xu, but instead addressed him as Brother Xu. Not long ago, the funeral parlor had sold land to him, and now the Xu family's funeral business was practically the only one in Linjiang County. From now on, everyone would have to hire someone to handle their funeral arrangements.

Even Master Li was no exception.

"Brother Xu, it's been a while since you've come. I was just thinking of hosting you sometime and inviting you over for a get-together. I never expected you to come today!"

Xu Qing glanced at Master Li in surprise, still wondering why this man had suddenly become so enthusiastic.

"Is something the Fourth Master need?"

"It's nothing, I'm fine. I just wanted to have a few drinks with my brother. We've known each other for years, it's always good to get together."

Master Li chuckled and asked, "Brother Xu, what brings you here today?"

Xu Qing immediately brought up the matter of the mortuary: "I'd like to take over the storefront of that mortuary. If it's convenient for you, Fourth Master, please name a reasonable price."

"Hey! I thought it was something serious. I bought that brothel owner for three hundred and fifty taels of silver. If Brother Xu needs it urgently, you can pay on credit first. We can't leave the brothel owners with nowhere to go, can we?"

Xu Qing knew that Master Li was just being polite; he would only stay in the house on credit, and he wouldn't give out the house deeds or land deeds!
The two eventually agreed on a price of 360 taels of silver. As Xu Qing and the others left, the accountant was still asking Master Li:
“We’ve been busy all this time, and even if we don’t care about the effort we put in, we’ll only earn ten taels of silver. Fourth Master, you’re really like someone who runs a charity.”

Master Li glanced at the accountant and said, "We brokers are not afraid of anything above ground; we can handle anything. But from now on, everything underground in Linjiang County will be under Manager Xu's jurisdiction. Let me ask you, won't a person who earns so much money die? Don't you plan to leave this world in style?"

The accountant suddenly realized that he and Fourth Master were already at the age where half of their bodies were buried in the ground!
If we could build a good relationship with Manager Xu, who knows how grand the funeral would be!

The brothel was about four or five miles away from the pawnshop. Xu Qing went to familiarize himself with the route, took a spare set of keys, and then headed back to Jingxia Street alone.

Passing by the yamen and through the market, just as they were about to return to the coroner's shop, Xu Qing suddenly turned around and looked behind him: "Come out!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a boy of about five or six years old with a pigtail sticking up in the air emerged from behind the pile of old sacks at the alley entrance. Then a little girl wearing a white dress and with a red ribbon in her hair appeared.

The little girl was only two or three years old and was a bit shy. After coming out, she hid behind the boy, her little hands tightly gripping the boy's clothes. She seemed extremely afraid of Xu Qing and wanted to pull the boy away quickly.

(End of this chapter)