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

Chapter 352 General Dingyuan, Sentimental Yet Heartless

Several laborers from Zhongzhou followed Xu Qing into the coroner's shop in a daze, and then left the shop where the black cat was kept in a daze.

On the street below the mine, the thin, pale man leading the group looked bewildered. Unlike when they arrived, he and his henchmen now each held a membership card.

"Why can't I remember what happened at the shop?"

A follower nearby reminded him, "Didn't the Commandant go into the private room alone and sign the contract with the funeral manager?"

"Is that so?" The thin, pale man, referred to as the captain, shook his head, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, as if he had been drinking all night.

"Yes, the captain even told the funeral director about our hometowns in detail, and we signed some kind of family package, saying that the funeral arrangements for three generations of our families would be contracted out to them in Jingxia Street."

"."

The thin, pale man was startled. He turned around and asked, "I did it too?"

Several subordinates cast questioning glances at him. Was the funeral business not part of the captain's plans?
The thin, pale man immediately realized what was happening. He said in a deep voice, "All of this was exactly what I expected. As long as we obtain the iron certificate for his coroner's shop, we can legitimately appear in Jingxia Street and fulfill His Majesty's orders."

As they were talking, the owner of the mortuary, a middle-aged man dressed in white, came to the street and nodded and smiled at them.

The look in his eyes was as if he were looking at his own money deposited in a money exchange, ready to be withdrawn at any time once the term was up.

"Captain, should we follow them?"

The thin, pale man pondered for a moment and then said, "Wolf Tail, you stay here. Wolf Waist, Wolf Fang, you two come with me!"

Xu Qing walked along the street, stopping frequently whenever he came across a food stall selling wontons, river crab noodles, fried dough rings, tofu pudding, or tea soup.

For the past ten years, Xu Qing has not eaten or drunk anything, but now that he has stepped into the mundane world, he has completely opened his mouth to food.

Of course, it's not that the food in the market is particularly delicious, but living in the mundane world inevitably evokes some past memories.

Xu Qing ate her way from one end of the street to the other, and then continued eating after moving to a different street.

Xu Qing didn't care about the few people following him not far behind. Back at the coroner's shop, he had already used the True Word Pill to extract the information he wanted from the thin, pale man.

This group of people were all spies and informants of the current emperor, Zhu Huai'an, and belonged to the Inspection Office.

The Inspection Office, also known as the Embroidered Robe Office, had four ranks of official titles: Embroidered Robe Envoy, Embroidered Robe Captain, Embroidered Robe Gentleman (Left Gentleman, Right Gentleman), and Embroidered Robe General.

The pale, thin man was a military officer in the Imperial Inspectorate. Before Zhu Huai'an established the Imperial Inspectorate, he was ordered by the emperor to come to Tianjin to monitor Jingxia Street.

Their only task was to wait for Xu Qing to appear. As soon as he showed up in Jingxia Street, the Inspectorate would immediately report the matter to the Emperor.

Xu Qing could roughly guess why Zhu Huai'an cared so much about him. It might be because of the friendship between the "Four Great Talents" of Tianjin, or it might be because of the brocade pouch that Zhu Huai'an gave him before he went to the northern frontier.

In short, after learning that the thin, pale man and the others meant him no harm, Xu Qing put the matter out of his mind.

As long as it doesn't affect his own business, Xu Qing doesn't bother with them.

"This funeral director really has a big appetite!"

"Absolutely! And he has to be a connoisseur, look at how he dips the fried dough rings in soup, so authentic!"

At this moment, the few people who had been watching Xu Qing all day were hungry. One of the embroidered envoys from Zhongzhou followed the same way Xu Qing had eaten fried dough rings, filled a cowhide bag with a bowl of soy milk, and ate it along with the fried dough rings as he walked.

"Ugh—Ptooey! It smells like swill!"

One of the embroidered-robed envoys from the capital spoke up: "What a waste! This is what soy milk tastes like. Do you even know what it is?"

"Stop talking, he's gone again, hurry up and catch up!"

Xu Qing arrived at the incense and candle workshop on Changdeng Street. As soon as he entered the workshop, he saw people making incense and candles, pulping and papermaking, and refining cinnamon oil, all working at a bustling pace.

"Hey buddy, could you please take me to see your boss? I need to talk to her."

Upon hearing this, the waiter immediately waved his hand and said, "There are plenty of people looking for our boss. If you want to discuss business, go find Manager Xing. As for those coming to propose marriage, well..."

The waiter sneered and said, "Our boss is no ordinary woman; she's a woman of great courage. She has never liked those who come to her seeking marriage. If you're here for this, I advise you to give up the idea as soon as possible!"

Is it so hard to even see that Wang family girl now?
Xu Qing stopped the shopkeeper who was about to leave and said again, "I am an old friend of your boss. You just need to go and tell her that the shopkeeper from Jingxia Street has come to visit, and she will understand."

Upon hearing that the shopkeeper was from Jingxia Street, the waiter's perfunctory attitude vanished immediately, though he still seemed somewhat suspicious:
"The shopkeeper of Jingxia Street? Jingxia Street is where our boss started. I haven't heard of any new shopkeepers there in recent years. There was a very famous woman named Sun Erniang, but her husband disappeared without a trace ten years ago. I heard he went to another place, but couldn't escape the chaos of war and died there."

Xu Qing frowned. He knew who Sun Erniang was; she was the pseudonym of the female zombie possessed by Xuan Yu while he was tending the shop.

But what about Sun Erniang's husband who disappeared ten years ago?

Xu Qing asked in bewilderment, "Where did Sun Erniang get a husband? Who told you that? What's her husband's name?"

The waiter blurted out, "How would I know? That's what everyone's saying. As for her husband's name, I think his surname is Xu."

Xu Qing clicked his tongue as he listened. He knew that people from Tianjin were quick to talk and liked to spread rumors, but this news was just too bizarre!
He was only away for ten years, so how did he become a married person as soon as he came back, and even cancel his household registration?

"Let me tell you, Sun Erniang has been a widow for ten years, and she and the incense shop owner are both considered chaste and virtuous women. Boss Cheng hasn't remarried in thirty years. Putting everything else aside, don't even think about the women in Jingxia Street!"

Judging from Xu Qing's appearance and age, and after hearing what he was asking, the young man assumed that Xu Qing was there to propose marriage!

Just as Xu Qing was about to explain, a middle-aged man in his forties, about the same age as him, suddenly came closer.

"Hey! It really is Manager Xu! I haven't seen him for over ten years, I almost didn't recognize him!"

"Brother, who are you?"

The man in the gray robe said, "I am Xing Sihai. More than ten years ago, I fled to Tianjin and had no money to bury my mother. It was you who personally arranged my mother's funeral and provided her coffin."

Xu Qing thought about it carefully and seemed to have some recollection, but he had buried too many people and the time interval was too long, so he really couldn't remember it immediately.

"What are you doing now?"

“I work in this workshop now, and it’s related to the funeral industry. Sir, please look at this incense and candle workshop. Over the years, the incense and candles sent to Jingxia Street have all been the best here. Even the cheap incense for the poor is made according to the Quanzhou small-batch incense making technique.”

Xu Qing nodded and said, "I have been away studying for many years and only returned yesterday. Tianjin has indeed changed a lot. Manager Xing, I have come here to meet your boss. Is that convenient?"

"No problem! Sir, you're no stranger here. I'll take you to find your employer right away!" After Xu Qing left, the waiter turned around and started talking amongst themselves with the other waiters and craftsmen.

This is the atmosphere in Tianjin. They talk about abandoning wives and children, returning home in glory, or fleeing from disaster. Even Xu Qing's ten years of cultivation in the Yin River is not as exciting as these people's stories.

In the workshop's study, Wang's youngest daughter, twenty-three years old and in the prime of her life, was dipping her brush in ink and writing and drawing on the newly made paper.

At this moment, Wang's youngest sister was wearing a dark green silk dress, and her every move exuded the air of a well-bred lady, dignified and gentle.

When Xu Qing entered the study, he didn't recognize that this gentle and reserved woman, yet mature and dignified, was the same young girl with yellow hair from the incense and candle shop years ago.

The saying "a girl changes drastically at eighteen" is not without reason!

Xu Qing gave Manager Xing a wink, and the latter understood. The two of them stood at the entrance of the study, waiting for the person inside to finish writing the calligraphy.

At one point, Wang Yue'e, who was writing, seemed to sense something. She looked up and saw a familiar person standing not far away in the swirling smoke from the incense burner.

The two were separated by the purple smoke from the incense burner. Although they were only a few steps apart, Wang Yue'e inexplicably felt that the other person was thousands of miles away. The swirling smoke was like layers of mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, making people hesitate to approach.

At one point, the smoke thinned slightly, and Wang Yue'e looked at the middle-aged man whose face already showed signs of aging, her vision blurred for a moment.

Although the other person no longer looked young, their familiar expression and features remained unchanged.

For a fleeting moment, Wang Yue'e even felt that the other person hadn't aged at all.

"May I ask if you, young lady, are the owner of this place?"

Xu Qing chuckled, pretending not to recognize him, and cupped his hands in greeting as he inquired.

Wang Yue'e's eyes flickered, and she smiled gently, saying, "It's only been a few years, how come Mr. Xu doesn't even recognize me?"

Setting down her pen, Wang Yue'e stepped forward gracefully, her smile as gentle as spring water, and said, "Could it be that, like Brother Yue'e, you have already forgotten me?"

Wang Yue'e spoke lightly, but Xu Qing still saw the disappointment in her eyes through the younger sister's joke.

Wang Liang followed Zhu Huai'an to the northern frontier, where he stayed for more than a decade. Now that the country has been pacified, General Wang Liang of the Great Yan Dynasty was ordered by the emperor to go and pacify the southwest. When he swore an oath to go to war, even when he passed through Tianjin, this General Wang did not stop for even half a day.

No one knew the grievances in Wang Yue'e's heart, and Xu Qing, the only one who pulled her out of the abyss, was gone for another ten years.

Over the past decade, she has become increasingly reserved, gathering all her emotions into a jumbled mess, like a tangled ball of yarn, which she keeps hidden away in a corner of her heart, unwilling to untangle them.

Now, Xu Qing's appearance is like a heart-strengthening tonic, making her, who is used to facing everything alone, inevitably want to rely on someone again.

Xu Qing looked at the girl who had grown up completely and said with emotion, "Your family suffered a misfortune in your early years and you fled from Wanshou County all the way here. Even when your brother Wang Liang went to Wanshou County, he could not find any news about you and your grandmother."

"Besides, with all the chaos of war these past years, and you've grown into a young adult, your appearance is quite different from before. Even if he wanted to find you, it wouldn't be an easy task."

At this point, Xu Qing suddenly asked, "The current emperor rose from humble beginnings, and your brother Wang Liang followed him ten years ago, helping him to pacify the world. This is a meritorious service of supporting the emperor, how could he be unknown?"

"In the past two years, haven't you heard any news from your brother or taken the initiative to contact him?"

Wang's younger sister bit her lip tightly, her expression complicated, and said, "He abandoned me and my grandmother back then, and he was gone for more than ten years. If he still has a heart, he should take the initiative to come and find me."

“If he won’t even eat this snack, then he’s not my brother. What’s the point of acknowledging him?”

"."

A young woman's thoughts and feelings are truly beyond the comprehension of a zombie like him.

Xu Qing shook his head, deciding to stop trying to persuade him. He then asked, "Have you practiced the cultivation technique I gave you before I left?"

Wang Yue'e's expression darkened, and she replied, "I don't have the aptitude Mr. Xu mentioned. Even if I sit upright for a long time, I can't enter a meditative state. Later, Master Yizhen from the coffin shop personally guided me, and only then was I able to calm my mind. But I haven't made any progress in the past few years, and I can't even grasp the Qi sensation that you mentioned."

Xu Qing gestured for Wang Yue'e to raise her wrist. He sensed her hand and found that the girl's physique was the same as most ordinary people. It was neither a good immortal physique nor a bad one that made it impossible for her to cultivate.

The reason why the other party has not made progress in cultivation is that there are too many distracting thoughts in her mind and accumulated resentment. In other words, the youngest sister of the Wang family can only cultivate life cultivation at most, but cannot cultivate sexual cultivation.

After taking her pulse, Xu Qing discovered that the young girl's pulse was weak and thready, clearly indicating that she had been overworked for a long time and had depleted her qi and blood.

Furthermore, excessive thinking leads to a weak pulse and insufficient vital energy, as well as signs of liver qi stagnation, internal injury from overwork, and qi stagnation.

Xu Qing said helplessly, "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

Wang Yue'e pursed her lips and remained silent.

Shaking his head, Xu Qing took out two Huangya Dan pills, a bottle of Qingliang San, and some calming pills from his pocket and gave them to the other person, saying, "You need to take these medicines as I tell you to, on time. Also, you don't need to worry about your brother's matter."

"In the past, King Yu passed by his home three times without entering. Your brother, Wang Liang, is also a loyal and righteous man. However, he places too much importance on loyalty. When the emperor appointed him to guard the capital's gate, he regarded it as his highest principle."

At first, Xu Qing felt a sense of disappointment towards Wang Liang. This kid clearly had remarkable talent and could have devoted himself to cultivation, but unfortunately, he was focused on other things.

However, after so many years, Xu Qing has long since come to terms with it.

Everyone walks their own path, and each person has their own way of cultivation. Even without Wang Liang, he still has Tie Zhu as his disciple.

The martial arts traditions he possesses can still be practiced by some.

"Now that the Great Yan Dynasty has been established for two years, the borders are mostly stable. Your brother has fulfilled his loyalty to the country; now it's time to fulfill his filial duty."

"I think it won't be long before he comes back to find you."

Wang Yue'e raised her eyes and looked at Xu Qing, asking ambiguously, "Sir, are you a man of deep feelings?"

Xu Qing was stunned.

Is he a sentimental person?
After pondering for a while, Xu Qing shook his head and said, "I don't know, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But everyone has their own scale in their heart, sometimes light, sometimes heavy, who can say for sure?"

Wang Yue'e lowered her eyes, feeling somewhat downcast.

How could she not see that in her husband's eyes, she was no different from his godmother, Cheng Caiyun? Perhaps they were friends, but there were no other feelings involved.

The next moment, Wang Yue'e suddenly raised her head, smiling radiantly, and said, "Would you like to take a tour of my workshop, sir?"

(End of this chapter)