Folklore simulation, starting with the mortician

"Sir, as you can see, this is what our esteemed master has said. Please feel free to share your thoughts."

Huang, the head clerk, turned around and spoke frankly with Mr. Lin.

"Ah, you are all officials, and you all belong to the establishment. You know the rules of the establishment. How can you so easily break your promise?"

Upon hearing this, Mr. Lin became anxious and was about to jump into the river.

To everyone's surprise, Huang, the magistrate, was neither in a hurry nor did he stop him. He simply watched Mr. Lin's performance from the sidelines. After a while, when Mr. Lin had calmed down, he said, "Sir, we are all serving our own masters and beggars for a living. Everyone has their own difficulties. We don't know why you would associate with such a young boy?"

"But let me tell you this: what you want, he can give; we can give even more. You decide for yourself."

After saying that, Mr. Lin suddenly turned around and bowed to Huang, the head of the household, and said, "I have wandered for half my life and finally gained the appreciation of a wise ruler. To tell you the truth, I am just an honest man in the household. If I had not fallen for that villain's trick, I would not have ended up like this."

"You're a knowledgeable person, so how would you like to explain this?"

Huang Da, the chief clerk, laughed. Having worked in the palace for many years, he had seen all sorts of people and was well-versed in human nature, especially adept at manipulating them.

"Being able to serve by your side is my greatest fortune!"

Mr. Lin bowed again.

"Stop being coy, just tell me, what do you want?"

Before Chief Judge Huang could speak, a crisp sound came from behind him.

When Huang Da, the head clerk, saw the person coming, he quickly bowed and stepped aside to make way for him.

Mr. Lin, with his head bowed and eyes looking upwards, discerned something from the man's features and was about to bow deeply when the young man waved his hand away.

"Speak!"

"Ten taels of silver for a life!"

The young man, who had been calm and collected, suddenly lost his composure upon hearing Mr. Lin's words.

Huang, the head clerk, was also stiff-faced. He had thought that Mr. Lin would at most ask for an official position or some good fortune, but he never expected that Mr. Lin would directly ask for ten taels of silver for his life.

Yes, I am a fortune teller, but that depends on how well I have money in my pocket and where I can sell my services.

"No……"

Mr. Lin glanced at Chief Huang, then at the young man.

The young man shook his fan and nodded at Huang Dazhang's desk.

Huang, the head clerk, nodded, his face ashen, and replied, "Ten taels it is..."

Mr. Lin stood up to bow in gratitude, but the head steward, Huang, hurriedly said, "Don't bow, don't bow..."

Only after watching the young man leave did Chief Huang breathe a sigh of relief.

"Then, sir, what should I do now?"

"Get out of here!"

Huang Dazhang said irritably, watching Mr. Lin walk away with a "Okay!" He had a bad feeling.

Mr. Lin, walking to the side, looked around to make sure no one was watching, then breathed on the clay figure in his hand, "Place your bets, place your bets, let's see what happens today..."

……

……

Li Feng stood on the sampan, taking steps, mimicking the momentum of a large pot being launched into the water. It worked well, at least he maintained stability on the sampan.

Looking at the man paddling across the river ahead, grinning at him, Li Feng ignored him, knowing he was a rascal.

There was no movement underwater, only this one lamp hanging at the bow of the boat illuminating the waterway. According to the river drifters, few people would travel by waterway; this was to deliver food to the mouths of the water monkeys.

Not to mention the undercurrents beneath the Milky Way, and no one knows what lies hidden there.

Although Li Feng was well prepared, his heart was still in his throat.

What I fear most is that when we clash with those thieves from the Ascension Cult, some unknown force might appear.

From the shore, one can see a thin layer of mist rising from the Milky Way, but there is no mist on the river itself; all that can be seen is the wide expanse of the river.

As the boat moved forward, Li Feng felt increasingly uneasy. The water in the river was no longer black, but had a fishy and foul smell.

Looking into the distance, one could see lights drifting by, and upon closer inspection, one could see boats carrying lanterns moving forward.

Li Feng frowned, and then he noticed that each of the boats had a bright green lantern lit at the front. The boats that passed by were all different; some were sampans, some were two- or three-story boats, and some even had opera singers on board.

It was truly more fascinating than any other aspect of human life. Li Feng, sitting on the deck, was somewhat bewildered. How did we get here?

"Here comes the Yellow Springs, have eaten your fill, hold the pole and don't look around. Spread three copper coins on the boat plank, cross the river, and don't look back."

A small boat with a black awning rowed up to Li Feng. The boatman, wearing a straw hat, stepped forward with a smile and asked, "Sir, are there any people on the shore who would pay you to cross the river?"

Li Feng simply smiled and asked, "How much?"

"Three copper coins, a fair price, honest and fair to all!"

The boatman replied in response.

"Can you guarantee wealth and status for the next life?"

Li Feng asked again.

"How can we not be sure? Our boat has carried countless people, and these days, they are all powerful and influential officials in the court!"

The boatman replied.

"I don't believe it! Look at those fancy boats floating on the river, those are for the wealthy. How much money could they possibly charge me to go back?"

Li Feng then asked.

"Ha, you're not very old, but you've got quite the nerve. When have you ever seen anyone return from the Yellow Springs? That's a change of lifespan in the Book of Life and Death—what a great favor!"

The boatman spoke in a sarcastic tone.

"Why are you taking me, a living, breathing person, to the underworld?"

As Li Feng spoke, he glanced at the boatman. He hadn't stepped on the boat, so he was just watching what the boatman was doing.

"Life and death are rules set by God; where there is life, there is death. How can we break these rules!"

The boatman, using his bamboo pole to push off the edge of the boat, had already quietly reached the side of Li Feng's sampan.

"But you yourself said it's a rule set by God, how can anyone dictate it?"

Li Feng was only looking at the boatman, and he had already gathered his strength in his hand. Just as he was about to make his move, his brows suddenly furrowed.

"Alright, alright, three copper coins it is. Let's go, I don't know where to go either, I'll just follow you!"

Under the boatman's astonished gaze, Li Feng stepped onto the deck. The boatman's expression softened slightly, and he said with a smile, "Yes, yes, past and present lives are all determined by fate! The underworld has its own explanation!"

The boatman used a bamboo pole to propel the boat towards the deeper part of the river.

Before long, they saw a lantern with a green light shining in front of them, and a covered boat behind it.

The boatman, also wearing a straw hat, rowed past Li Feng's boat, taking turns.

Li Feng stared intently at the person on the boat, and when he recognized Mr. Lin, he was startled.

Upon seeing clearly the two people beside Mr. Lin—one was Chief Judge Huang, and the other was a handsome young man—he was even more surprised.