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

Chapter 354 Time is merciless, but people are compassionate

"Of all virtues, filial piety is the most important. Second Master has done a good job educating his child; he has a heart full of filial piety."

"So-so, so-so." Master Feng said with a big smile, "Xiaosheng, hurry up and pour tea for your Uncle Xu."

"Nephew, please have some tea, Uncle."

When a disciple is formally accepted into a family, tea is served. Feng Xiaosheng, being a clever boy, took advantage of the tea-serving time to secretly change his address from "uncle" to "father-in-law." This single word change brought them much closer.

Feng Xiaosheng didn't know why he did this; he just felt a sense of familiarity with Xu Qing from the first moment he saw him.

The last time he felt this way was when Master Feng and Madam Feng took him to Ziyun Mountain to fulfill a vow.

He was only seven or eight years old at the time. The moment he saw the statue of Baosheng Niangniang, he felt an instant connection to her. Even though it was just a cold statue on the altar, he still felt safe and warm, and felt that no one could hurt him there.

This feeling gradually faded as he grew older, but even so, Feng Xiaosheng still respected that goddess very much. Every year on the eighth day of the fifth lunar month, he would urge Second Master Feng to spend a lot of money to hold a "Baosheng Niangniang Festival" on Flower and Bird Street, imitating the "Sea Goddess Festival" in Tianjin.

The Goddess of the Sea's birthday is on the 23rd of the third month. People in Tianjin hold a Goddess Festival every year on this day.

This is a custom in Tianjin. In the early years, when Emperor Longping's father went to the south of the Yangtze River, he passed through Tianjin and happened to come across a fair at the Temple of the Sea Goddess.

This old emperor had never seen such a grand event before.

Lion dancers, stilt walkers, fire-breathing performers, and those with knives on their feet—you name it, they've got it.

The old emperor was delighted by what he saw, and in his delight, he bestowed dragon flags and yellow jackets upon everyone he met as if they were free.

Although the Sea Goddess Festival is called the Goddess Festival, it actually includes more than one type of local association. In fact, it has become a memory and custom ingrained in the bones of the people of Tianjin.

Anyway, ever since the old emperor came, the yellow jacket in Tianjin has become a common item. Almost every event has a yellow jacket to mark the occasion, and even the monkeys performed by monkey trainers wear yellow jackets!
And from then on, the Sea God Society became the Imperial Society.

The Feng family of three deeply respected and loved Baosheng Niangniang. They thought that since the Sea Goddess had a special venue every year, Baosheng Niangniang couldn't be left out, could she?

Even if the conference can't be held, we can choose another time and have a smaller meeting in the Flower and Bird Street area.

Perfect timing! May 8th is an auspicious day. On this day, the auspicious deity Si Ming Tian De shines down, symbolizing abundant vitality. Let's make this day the birthday of the Goddess of Life Protection!
To this day, the Baosheng Temple Fair has been held three times. Although it is not very popular and cannot be compared with the Shanghai God Temple Fair which is popular throughout Tianjin, it can still represent the deep affection of the Feng family.

Xu Qing had been in seclusion for many years and was clearly unaware of this matter.

Facing the tea offered by Feng Xiaosheng, Xu Qing rarely showed a gratified smile. This child had some connection with him. In his early years, when Second Master Feng had no children, it was he who prescribed a remedy to strengthen his body and also bestowed a blessing of incense and ancestry upon the old man and young woman in the Feng family.

"Good good!"

Xu Qing took the tea, took a small sip, and after setting down the teacup, he casually took out a small rice weevil he had bought from the flower and bird market from his sleeve and said:
“These are a few fat worms I picked out when I passed by a bird feed shop. Xiaosheng, you can take them and feed them to your uncle.”

Feng Xiaosheng took the small package, opened it, and saw that it was indeed a top-quality fat worm!

It's clear that his uncle, who's not really a celebrity, is quite the expert when it comes to chickens and birds!

While Young Master Feng was searching for his uncle, Xu Qing said to Second Master Feng, "Second Master, I won't be back for long this time. There are still things outside that I need to deal with. If Xiaosheng encounters difficulties in the future, he can go to the paper craft shop on Jingxia Street and find a man named Li Tiezhu. He is my disciple."

"Although Tiezhu can't be of much help in other areas, he can still lend a hand in times of crisis."

Xu Qing observed that Feng Xiaosheng, though seemingly playful, was actually not very cunning and was not a bad person.

Master Feng had a son late in life, which meant he was destined to have little connection with his descendants. If Master Feng were to pass away one day, the child and his mother, an orphan and a widow, would indeed need someone to take care of them.

"I've got it. Thank you, Brother Xu. It's truly my blessing to have made your friend in this lifetime."

Master Feng was a shrewd man, and he immediately understood what Xu Qing meant when he heard him say that.

He had previously been exposed to spiritual practices, being an shamanic disciple of his uncle, and knew some things beyond the mundane world.

Xu Qing, who was standing in front of him, was no ordinary funeral director. Although Master Feng was not quite sure how capable the other party was, he was certainly not an ordinary person!

Xu Qing's sudden mention of this was clearly a sign that he knew his lifespan was short and was giving him a heads-up, while also trying to put his mind at ease.

As people age, they become shrewd and wise. The two friends, despite their age difference, understood each other perfectly. Master Feng didn't mention anything that would spoil the mood, while Xu Qing thought that Master Feng had changed his nature after becoming a father in recent years and was no longer so timid and afraid of death.

But when Master Feng, with trembling hands, lifted the teacup and splashed tea everywhere, Xu Qing realized that the other man wasn't fearless, but rather had been suppressing his emotions.

Xu Qing reached out and patted Feng Erye's trembling shoulder.

“Brother Xu, Xiaosheng has only just turned eighteen. I haven’t seen him get married and have children, nor have I seen him settle down and start a family. How can I possibly let him go?”

Xu Qing frowned, about to speak, when she suddenly caught sight of the young master of the Feng family leading her uncle into the reception room.

His eyes lit up, and his brows relaxed as he said:
"Second Master, there's no need to worry. We still have Uncle! He's always been loyal to you and the Feng family. With him around, Xiaosheng won't have a bad time."

Following Xu Qing's gaze, Master Feng looked outside the hall. When he saw his uncle, his trembling shoulders gradually calmed down.

Outside the hall, Feng Xiaosheng's voice arrived before he did:
"Uncle, look at the eldest brother I'm feeding, isn't he incredibly handsome?"

Xu Qing looked at her uncle, who was so fat he looked like a ball and estimated to weigh about 20 pounds, and was speechless.

This big white chicken looks just like a miniature golden phoenix.

"You've raised him well; he's much more handsome than when your uncle was with your father!"

Master Feng was speechless, but Xu Qing was right about one thing: Xiaosheng was indeed more attentive to his uncle.

You should know that back then, in order to save his life, he ate his 'elder brother's' flesh in front of Eunuch Liao.

If it had been Feng Xiaosheng in that situation, he probably would have flipped the table, preferring death to being forced by that eunuch and living a life of ignominy.

As the moon rose, Xu Qing couldn't refuse Master Feng's warm invitation, so he had another dinner with the Feng family.

At that time, the octogenarian, with a full head of white hair, Second Master Feng sat in the main seat; the elegant and graceful Madam Feng, who was in her thirties and beautiful but not pretentious, also sat beside him; and finally, there was Feng Xiaosheng, who was seventeen or eighteen years old and in the prime of his youth.

Xu Qing found the meal incredibly awkward. It was only because everyone in the Feng family knew him that he would have a meal there; otherwise, an unsuspecting person would have thought it was a family of four dining together, three generations under one roof, a harmonious family gathering.
Fortunately, he forced himself to finish the meal. In any case, he would never agree to let Master Feng keep him in the future!

Even though Xu Qing fled the Feng family's gate as if escaping, he still couldn't forget the disappointed and regretful look in Second Master Feng's eyes.

Why is this old man, at his age, still thinking about following the trend and dyeing his full head of white hair a different color?
Is this appropriate?

Under the cover of night, Xu Qing arrived at Wang Lingyuan's house. The candles in the house were still lit. Every hour, Dou Yun and Song Tu would go to check on him, tucking in the blankets or removing excess wicks.

Taking advantage of Song Tu's absence, Xu Qing flashed to Wang Lingyuan's bedside and stood there for a while. When the first watchman's drum struck, Wang Lingyuan, who was lying on the bed, suddenly opened his cloudy eyes. He, who had been weak and unable to sit up easily before, was suddenly able to straighten up on his own!

Wang Lingyuan even felt lighter than ever before.

He turned to look inside the room, but apart from the flickering candlelight, there was no one else in sight.

Before long, Song Tu carried the lamp into the room again. When he saw Wang Lingyuan sitting up, looking energetic, he was clearly taken aback.

"Master, why are you up? It's quite chilly at night, you should lie down quickly!"

Wang Lingyuan spoke clearly and directly: "This matter is of no importance. Now that I am in good spirits, you should go and call Dou Yun to come over. I have something to tell you."

The next day, dawn was breaking.

After a busy night, Xu Qing was chatting with her cat to pass the time when she suddenly heard a knock at the door.

"Thump, thump, thump," three blows, neither too light nor too heavy, yet they sent a jolt through one's heart.

It should be noted that the coroner's shop is always open 24 hours a day, and even at night, a door is left open for the convenience of customers.

There's clearly a door left open outside, so who would have the time to knock three times and not come in?

Xu Qing sighed softly, patted off any nonexistent dust from his clothes, and walked to the shop entrance.

As soon as he stepped out the door, he saw Dou Yun and Song Tu standing outside, their eyes red, wearing mourning clothes, coarse linen clothes, and hemp ropes around their waists.

Upon seeing Xu Qing appear, the two grown men immediately knelt down in front of the shop door and began to wail without saying a word:

"Master! How could you bear to abandon your student and leave alone—"

"Your student is unfilial and foolish! Otherwise, how could Master have been willing to leave his student behind and depart this world?"

"."

According to funeral customs, the announcement of death should not be made inside the house; instead, mourning should be done outside the door.

Xu Qing himself worked in the funeral industry, so he was familiar with the rules. He quickly took two steps forward, one in each hand, and helped the two people up.

"My two junior disciples, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept this with compassion. If your senior brother could know from beyond the grave and see his junior disciples so grief-stricken, he would surely find no peace in the afterlife."

After offering some words of comfort, Xu Qing continued:
“My two junior disciples should go and inform our relatives and friends one by one. I will take care of my senior brother’s funeral arrangements. I will also take care of everything, such as the funeral hall, coffin, burial clothes and paper offerings. I will make sure that my senior brother does not suffer any hardship on the way.”

Dou Yun and Song Tu made a gesture to bow down in gratitude, but Xu Qing quickly helped them up, saying, "Don't act like children. Your senior brother's matter can't be delayed. You two should go and do your important business."

The various rituals of funeral arrangements are quite complicated, but Xu Qing did not find them troublesome. Firstly, it was his job, and secondly, the person he was to handle this time was his senior brother, Wang Lingyuan.

Early in the morning, before the roosters crowed, the cries of Song Tu and his brother woke up people on several streets.

Constable Zhao Zhonghe had been investigating cases all night and was taking a short rest in the Sibu Hall when he heard a series of cries coming from outside the side gate of the yamen.

Zhao Zhonghe, carrying a knife and cursing, came to the side door, yelling, "Who's making a scene here?" But as soon as he stepped out of the side door, he saw his two colleagues, coroners Song Tu and Dou Yun, suddenly kneel down before him.

"."

Seeing the other person dressed in mourning clothes and crying heartbreakingly, Zhao Zhonghe instantly came to his senses.

At this moment, the yamen runners on night duty also arrived one after another. When they saw this scene, their hearts skipped a beat, and they already guessed what had happened.

Wang Lingyuan served as a coroner in the yamen for half his life, helping the yamen solve many cases. It was said in the county that the Linjiang yamen had three upright officials: Chen Guangrui, who spoke up for the people; Zhao, the head constable who caught bandits and thieves; and Wang Lingyuan, the coroner who could make the dead 'speak'.

Now that a respected and upright official has passed away, everyone should pay their respects.

In Dongdaokou Hutong, Xu Qing brought a group of people from the coffin-carrying house, as well as a team of Taoist priests who specialize in performing rituals. It can be said that Xu Qing brought all the funeral personnel that could be mobilized in Jingxia Street!

This kind of setup and grandeur is something even the emperor himself might not be able to afford!

Bai Qiuyu, along with the spirits of Fengxian Hall, were responsible for guiding and summoning souls outside the house, while Xu Qing set up the mourning hall in the main hall.

The hall was draped with white mourning cloth, and a wooden memorial tablet was placed inside. The body was then covered with a cloth curtain to create a solemn and sorrowful atmosphere.

At this moment, Tie Zhu also took Wang Lingyuan's clothes from his lifetime, climbed onto the roof of the mourning hall, and faced north, which is the legendary location of the underworld. He used the clothes as a flag to guide the deceased back to his homeland.

At the same time, Tie Zhu began calling out the name of the deceased, intending to allow Wang Lingyuan's soul to return to his body.

This is the last thing a person can do. If the soul cannot be awakened by the summoning, then the servants can proceed with the funeral arrangements.

Such summoning of the soul is usually just a formality; for someone who has died of old age, even a deity would find it difficult to rouse them.

Xu Qing was dressed in a religious robe and had a solemn expression.

He has performed funeral rites for countless people, but never before has he carried such a strange emotion.

Bathing, eating, and being attacked.
Bathing is the act of washing the body of the deceased, trimming their nails and beard, so that they can depart in a clean state.

The practice of placing rice, shells, pearls, or jade into the mouth of the deceased is meant to ensure that the deceased does not die with an empty mouth or an empty stomach.

"Zhuoxi" means dressing the deceased in burial clothes.

The number of burial garments must be odd, not even. If the deceased is under fifty, only three burial garments can be worn, as this is considered an early death.

Those over fifty years old can have more items; the older and higher the status, the more items they can have, symbolizing both fortune and longevity, or the complete fulfillment of all three blessings.

Xu Qing had ulterior motives, so he dressed Wang Lingyuan in nine layers on his upper body and seven layers on his lower body.

When it comes to quilts, there is a rule of "seven parts on top and five parts on the bottom" or "nine parts on top and seven parts on the bottom," meaning that the upper body should have more fabric than the lower body. No one knows these rules better than him.

When Song Tu, Dou Yun, and the guests who came to pay their respects arrived, Xu Qing had already arranged everything in the mourning hall, including funeral banners, elegiac couplets, and ever-burning candles.

Even outside the door, paper flowers for all four seasons were displayed, and obituaries were posted.

Upon seeing the scene before them, Song Tu and his companion felt a surge of warmth in their hearts.

As always, Uncle Xu is reassuring!
(End of this chapter)