Chapter 202: New Case, Old Case, Joint Trial in Court

Corpses lie dormant by day and emerge by night; even an old corpse that has matured and fears no sunlight still instinctively retains this habit.

Xu Qing's corpse is likewise a night owl; this is quite similar to Xuan Yu, proving that birds of a feather flock together.

Yet this very corpse has recently been swamped with affairs day and night, busy from dawn till dusk, with feet never touching the ground whether day or night; within the corpse clan, this is truly a heretic disrupting the clan's ecology!

As the saying goes, when the head is busy, the feet are busy too; once Xu Qing, the leader, gets busy, everyone under the Cat Immortal Hall must also get busy.

Other immortals or disciples who ride beasts, seeing the Hall Master so busy, simply assume Xu Qing is naturally like this, and it is no wonder he can be the Hall Master.

But is the truth really so?

Xu Qing, riding a horse with the little snake demon, jolted all the way, nearly shaking the little white snake's bones to pieces.

This horse hadn't been out to frolic in ages, so it ran with all its might along the way; yet even so, Xu Qing traveled all day without finding a suitable temple keeper.

Those midwives either lacked skills in delivering babies or failed on moral grounds; Xu Qing interviewed one after another, yet none truly met his approval.

The little white snake said it was not in a hurry; matters regarding riding-beast disciples could wait three or five months without issue, since demons live long lives, where one month feels like a single day, and three or five months are merely three or five days, nothing significant.

Xu Qing disagreed; three or five months without work, how could that be? Perhaps by then Xuan Yu would be short on incense for those three or five months.

Indeed, the reason Xu Qing was so busy, acting as both father and mother all day, was for the cat at home.

When Xuan Yu first met Xu Qing, it already possessed four hundred years of cultivation; now, after a year or two of practice, plus the excessively high quality of cat food eaten daily, Xu Qing has noticed that Xuan Yu is not far from its five-hundred-year Tribulation Crossing.

Back then, when the cat heard he was to undergo Tribulation Crossing, it ran day and night for him, clearing rat infestations for people, saving every scrap of incense earned for his exclusive use.

Now, seeing that it is Xuan Yu's turn to face the tribulation soon, Xu Qing naturally must make all preparations for it, lest this stupid cat get struck by lightning.

Besides planning for Xuan Yu's future, Xu Qing has also constantly pondered Xuan Yu's past.

Unfortunately, the cat always refused to reveal the specific details of how it once lost a life; Xu Qing had plainly told it back then that he was not a vengeful person, that it was merely one cat's life, and how could he possibly seek revenge!

Yet the cat told him the corpse's head had been stitched on backwards.

Xu Qing, who was then preparing the face of a condemned prisoner for Autumn Execution, immediately lost his composure.

I am speaking to you seriously about matters, yet you tell me the head was not stitched properly?

In any case, Xuan Yu never told him the truth in the end.

Everyone has secrets; Xu Qing hides many things as well. Since Xuan Yu does not wish to speak, he will wait until the day it wishes to speak, then he will listen.

After all, regarding collecting corpses, Xu Qing never considers it too late.

In his eyes, even the most formidable enemy will eventually grow old and gasp for breath.

By then, when this corpse jumps onto the opponent's face, who will win and who will lose remains uncertain.

The little white snake was abandoned by the midwife Liu; now it is one snake eating its fill, leaving the whole family unfed, so how could it understand Xu Qing's feelings?

"Little Immortal, three or five months may seem insignificant in your eyes, but in mine, it is a race against time."

Hearing these words, the little white snake fell into thought.

"What you say makes sense; human lifespans are short, so three or five months should seem very long in your eyes."

Xu Qing chuckled lightly and offered no explanation.

This little white snake's understanding of him is still too superficial; only when this Little Immortal becomes an Old Immortal who can no longer walk will it perhaps understand certain things.

When Xu Qing brought the 'Little White Snake', thick as a child's arm, back to the Coroner's Shop, Xuan Yu several times hesitated as if about to speak.

It was curious in its heart: why does Immortal Xu always bring back some strange and bizarre things whenever he goes out?

Previously bringing back tigers, rats, and insects was one thing; yesterday he brought back a foolish giant, and today he dragged back a white snake hissing and flicking its tongue; Xuan Yu felt that if Xu Qing brought back a monkey or a circus troupe in two days, it would not be surprised.

To keep the little white snake, which had experience in delivering babies, Xu Qing wrote a temple invitation for it in advance; however, incense could not be advanced for now, as he had other major uses for it recently.

As for various other pills, Xu Qing was not stingy at all; in this regard, everyone received similar treatment, after all, the horses pulling the hearse in his shop still ate plenty of 'sugar beans' every month.

Xu Qing's only regret was failing to find a suitable midwife.

Whether it be the Cat Immortal Hall, the Bao Sheng Temple, or even the funeral shop he opened, he only hired people he could trust and who possessed good morals; without these two qualities, he would rather spend extra effort himself and do the work personally.

But this work of delivering babies, he truly did not wish to do.

He is a grown man; if a lady were to beg at the temple, delivering a baby in his own form would be impossible; in this era, that was no joke, and calling him a lecher would be the lightest accusation.

A woman's chastity was more important than life itself; otherwise, the imperial physicians of the palace would not have passed down the supreme skill of pulse diagnosis via a silk thread.

So what to do? Aside from cross-dressing as a woman, what else could be done? Could one simply stand by and let someone die?

Xu Qing pondered that a midwife must be found; if absolutely necessary, he would seek someone of good morals and personally train her for the post.

Late July, the season when grasshoppers have only a few days left to jump.

Xu Qing leaned back in the armchair, squinting as he looked out at the street.

To be honest, the chair the county magistrate sits on feels simply different.

Xu Qing even thought that if the government office ever came to ask him for the chair, he would say it was lost, unseen; if they demanded compensation, he happened to have a redwood coffin as well, and dragging one away to offset the debt would not be unacceptable.

That coffin used far more wood than the armchair.

However, Xu Qing was merely thinking that way; it was just one chair, and no matter how comfortable, could he truly keep it?

Sitting in the armchair, Xu Qing could just see the activity at the incense and candle shop diagonally across the street.

These past two days, the incense and candle shop had been much livelier than usual, with at least more human presence.

Young Master Wang and Boss Cheng, one small and one large, supported each other, truly like a mother and daughter, living their days more and more properly.

Inside the incense and candle shop, when Cheng Caiyun splashed water onto the street, she happened to see Xu Qing tilting his head, smiling as he watched the two of them.

"This Licentiate Xu's cousin visits him only once every few days; whenever she comes, he is not at home, making the young lady watch the shop for him; I wonder what he is thinking," Cheng Caiyun muttered upon returning to the shop, speaking to Young Master Wang who was learning needlework.

Wang Yue'e smiled and said, "Mr. is no ordinary person; he must have serious business to attend to when he goes out."

"What serious business could be more important than a lifelong matter? Look at him, happy all day long while alone, showing no sign of worry."

Hearing this, Wang Yue'e put down her needlework, gazed steadily for a while at the front of the Coroner's Shop, then said strangely, "But I feel the Mr.'s shop is very lively, livelier than any other shop on the street."

Hearing these words, Cheng Caiyun felt a chill run down the back of her neck: "My good Miss, do not speak such frightening words again in the future; in that Xu boy's home, aside from coffins, there is only a cat; no matter how lively, could it be livelier than the two of us?"

Young Master Wang said earnestly, "But I truly feel it is lively, as if there are many people inside; if you don't believe me, Godmother, look, Mr. seems to be speaking with someone right now." Cheng Caiyun shifted her gaze and indeed saw Xu Qing on the armchair twisting his face, seemingly talking to someone, and nodding his head from time to time.

July and August, the season that is neither cold nor warm, where the autumn tiger occasionally shows its ferocity, is still far from the time of freezing cold and solid ice, yet Boss Cheng shivered nonetheless.

A young lady has clear eyes and a sharp mind; since the coroner's shop deals with so many corpses daily, she might have seen something unclean.

Inside the coroner's shop, Xu Qing was currently listening to Huang Xiaoliu of the Hall of Transmissions report on the major and minor news of Linjiang County.

For instance, the Imperial Inspector had arrived in Linjiang County yesterday; furthermore, Wu Yaoxing, the Shopkeeper of the neighboring paper effigy shop, had already been arrested and brought to the Linjiang County government office for trial.

Additionally, there was another piece of news: Shang Shaoyang, who was temporarily staying at the Magistrate's residence, had once again stood up for justice the day before yesterday and beaten up people from the Mirror Reflection Bureau.

This time, the 'arrogant and overbearing' Young Master Shang had kicked an iron plate; it was heard that he was now locked up in the government office's prison.

Xu Qing didn't take it too seriously; in Shang Shaoyang's eyes, the government office was just like his own home. Locking him in the government office's prison would only make him behave for a few days; could it possibly make him reform his heart and become a true second-generation heir?

After all, this eldest Young Master Shang was a direct descendant of the Shang family of Qianzhou. Xu Qing had heard that none of the leading officials in charge of the Mirror Reflection Bureau had any guts; even if you lent them a few more, they wouldn't dare offend the Shang family.

The deterrent power of a thousand-year-old family was no joke!

That day, Xu Qing planned to go out again to visit suitable candidates for the role of Temple Keeper. Before leaving, Xuan Yu asked him hopefully what he intended to bring back this time.

Xu Qing found this utterly baffling; he wasn't some old scavenger woman who picked up everything, so how could he possibly return empty-handed every single time?

On this side, as soon as Xu Qing stepped out and hadn't walked far, he saw a crowd coming noisily down the street at the bottom of the well.

Three carriages and horses, accompanied by a dozen servants and Retainers; when the carriage arrived in front, the person inside hurriedly lifted the curtain.

Xu Qing glanced over and saw an official wearing a formal hat and sash, dressed in a dignified robe with a square patch embroidered with a flying bird.

This official was no one else but Wu Zhiyuan, the young man from the Wu family who had gone to Fucheng to take the imperial exam with Xu Qing in the past.

They say a man relies on his clothes and a horse on its saddle; now, regarding this young man from the Wu family, Xu Qing must address him as my lord Wu.

"A Licentiate of humble rank greets my lord Wu in person," Xu Qing said, clasping his hands in greeting.

"Do not do so, absolutely do not do so; Brother Xu, you are killing me with shame!" Wu Zhiyuan's face turned crimson with embarrassment at Xu Qing's words.

Without Xu Qing, who knows where the ghosts of his two brothers would be drifting; his sister-in-law, uncle, and aunt would certainly not have been able to survive.

After teasing the two brothers, seeing that they truly had not forgotten their roots, Xu Qing's tone finally returned to normal.

"Zhiyuan, does wearing this official robe mean you are planning to go to Pingqiu County to take up your post?"

Wu Zhiyuan shook his head and said, "There are still unjust matters in the family that need to be vindicated; how can I simply go to take up my post? Moreover, the previous official has not yet completed his term; waiting for a vacancy anywhere is the same for me."

Wu Wencai, standing nearby, smiled and said, "Brother Zhiyuan doesn't have many leisure days; these past few days, the Imperial Inspector has been presiding over trials. We two are planning to go today to appeal our grievances. Once this matter is settled, Elder Brother should go to Pingqiu County to take up his post."

Hearing this, Xu Qing instantly perked up: "When does the trial begin?"

"When the elderly mother of the family is taken to the government office, that will be the time the court opens for trial."

"Wencai, Zhiyuan, how can you two wear official robes when going to be tried?"

The two brothers of the Wu family were young and spirited, full of vigor, and had not noticed such trivial details.

Having worked in the Yin Gate profession for so long, Xu Qing's mind possessed a bit more steadiness than that of the Wu brothers.

Seeing the two did not understand his meaning, he thought for a moment and casually offered advice: "If Zhiyuan wears this robe to go there, others will think you are relying on official authority. After all, when this case occurred, you were all commoners; if you stand before the court in official attire during the trial, how will others view it?"

"You must wear your ordinary clothes. If you truly wish to feel proud and vindicated, wait until you leave the government office, board the official carriage, and have your servants and attendants change you into your official robes. Then, appear before your superiors in your official capacity; would that not be better? Perhaps this could even leave behind a fine story."

Wu Zhiyuan was stunned by this, and only after a long while could he blurt out a sentence: "Brother Xu's insight is profound!"

After picking up the Wu family's elderly lady, the two brothers no longer rode in the carriage; they simply instructed the servants to deliver the carriage, horses, and official robes to the outside of the government office a bit later.

Hearing that the Wu family was going to beat the drum to appeal for justice, many neighbors followed along. Everyone knew Wu Yaoxing's character; some had even watched the Wu brothers grow up. Now that the two were going to the government office, everyone naturally wanted to help boost their momentum.

Upon arriving at the government office entrance, many commoners were already gathered outside the hall, where a case was currently being tried.

Ordinary people cannot enter the government office; court officers stand in two rows holding staves to act as a barrier. As soon as Xu Qing arrived at the government office entrance, a court officer made way for him to pass.

Seeing this, Xu Qing felt a smile in his heart; he hadn't expected to have a reserved seat just for watching the show.

He was truly making something of himself.

"Hey, hey, Brother Xu!"

Xu Qing heard the voice and turned around; it was quite familiar.

Indeed, wherever there was excitement, Guo Dongyang was there.

"Old Guo, stand quietly outside; don't rush forward for everything."

Guo Dongyang felt unwilling inside, thinking: How come you can go in, but I am not allowed to enter?

Xu Qing chuckled and said, "That's different. If the court uses severe torture later and someone dies, I, as a Mr. of funerals, can still lend a hand to collect the body. What use is a storyteller like you coming in?"

"Unless you stand in front of someone, beat a board, tell a story, and can bring a person back to life?"

Guo Dongyang was left speechless and could only watch enviously as Xu Qing walked up to the hall and stood with the coroners and scribes.

This seat for watching the show was truly making him envious.

As soon as Xu Qing walked up to the hall, Wang Ling reached out and pulled him to his side. The two fellow disciples dared not make loud noise; they nodded to each other and then fixed their gaze on the hall.

The case being tried in the hall was also familiar to Xu Qing: Chen Feng and his entire family from Qushui Township, the woman named Jin from Qiao Family Village, and a baby wailing loudly in a swaddling cloth.

To speak of it, it was strange; as soon as Xu Qing arrived at the hall, the baby in the swaddling cloth inadvertently saw Xu Qing's figure and immediately stopped crying, instead revealing a radiant smile.

Not only that, the infant even stretched out a small hand, reaching out towards Xu Qing from a distance.

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Xu Qing bared his teeth and flashed a smile like a great demon king at the baby, trying to scare him.

However, he didn't expect that the baby was not easily teased; instead, he laughed even more happily.

They say that an infant's fontanelle is not yet closed, allowing them to see demons and ghosts; now it seems this saying has no basis. Otherwise, how could this unlucky child not even distinguish between a man-eating zombie?

(End of Chapter)