Chapter 205: Xu's Temple, Fame Begins to Emerge

Xu Qing gave the horse at the Mortuary Service Shop a trendy name, "Zhuisang" (Funeral Chaser), a product of taking one character each from "Zhuidao" (mourning) and "Diaosang" (condolence), advocating going wherever there is a funeral.

"Zhuisang"—look at that name, how good, how suitable for his shop's signboard!

From now on, whoever borrows his horse will have to say: "I have an urgent matter, lend me your 'Funeral Chaser' horse."

The next day, when the Wu brothers were hosting their neighbors, Xu Qing led his "Funeral Chaser" horse and said he was going to Qiaojia Village in Qushui Township.

Among the guests who came today was a horse groom who worked under Military Commandant Wu. The other party saw the horse and was immediately amazed, calling it a "heavenly horse."

Hey! That horse was truly spirited!

The spiritedness of the "Funeral Chaser" horse didn't lie in how rare its appearance was; what truly made people feel it was rare was that the horse was filled with vitality from head to toe!

Look at those copper-bell-sized eyes, flickering like two pools of deep water; look at those muscular legs, taut like refined iron just forged in a blacksmith's shop; the bulging veins on its thighs were even more like the gnarled roots of an old tree. One couldn't help but wonder what kind of horse feed was used to raise such a spirited horse...

Xu Qing laughed: "My horse looks spirited, but it has one drawback: it brings bad luck to its owner. Look at the tear troughs under its eyes; don't they look like it's mourning?"

"..."

The crowd looked at each other. On such a joyous day, why did things always turn sour as soon as Shopkeeper Xu appeared?

"In short, if a living person wants to ride this horse, they must have a hard fate to suppress it, otherwise they have to let it do the work of pulling the dead. If you don't believe me, look at these tear stains. If a family doesn't have a filial son to mourn, and this horse stands there, it's a filial son through and through!"

Xu Qing was talking nonsense with a straight face. He didn't do this for any other reason than to spread the name of his shop; besides spreading the name, it could also prevent some unnecessary trouble.

The Beijing-Jinmen area is a place of outstanding people and spirits. As long as people are making a living in these two places, they all have their own unique skills.

The teahouse, to attract customers, racks its brains to hire storytellers to arrange programs, saying their teahouse is so magnificent that even the immortals in heaven have come to drink their tea.

The peddler, in order to sell things, learns a set of speaking, learning, teasing, and singing; as long as they put down their carrying pole, they can immediately recite a long, rhythmic monologue!

There are also those who can cut tofu with their eyes closed without a scale and be accurate to the ounce, those who can hit anything with a slingshot, those who perform magic tricks that change every day...

Most people admire unique skills and also like gossip and amusement.

Xu Qing had figured it out: in Jinmen, besides having ability, you also have to know how to attract people.

Today, he mentioned his "bad-luck horse" that could mourn and offer condolences at the banquet, and within a few days in Jinmen, just in the Linjiang area alone, it would spread.

People at this time just love to spread strange and bizarre things.

For the sake of a booming business, Xu Qing had used almost every trick in the book, open and hidden, fair and foul. Anyway, as long as it wasn't immoral, he would go for it!

At the banquet, the couple Wu Zhiyuan and Zhang Wan were together, and Wu Wencai's godfather, Yin Shan, got drunk and suddenly asked: "Now that the matter here is settled, when do you plan to resolve things with Yingmei?"

Yin Shan had no sons, only a daughter named Yin Nanying, which happened to be a homophone for "welcoming a male infant."

It's just that he hadn't expected that instead of welcoming a proper male infant, he had welcomed a godson over two hundred months old.

Yin Nanying was well-read and polite, and had learned needlework since childhood. One was a talented scholar, the other a beautiful lady; both were of marriageable age and lived under the same roof. To say they had no thoughts about each other would be a lie.

Previously, because the family's grievances hadn't been redressed, Wu Wencai had never responded directly. Now, suddenly hearing Yin Shan's question, the boy had a flash of inspiration, raised his wine cup, and said: "If Godfather doesn't mind, this child is willing to address you as father-in-law."

No wonder Magistrate Chen said there were many talents in the Xuji cohort; look at how he said that—how smooth!

Qushui Township, Qiaojia Village.

When Xu Qing arrived at Madam Jin's house, she was in the courtyard twisting incense and making incense.

For villagers living in the mountains and fields like this, most of the incense they made was "small four-harmony" or "small harmony incense," not the expensive calming incense, sandalwood incense, seal incense, or medicinal incense.

The latter were complex to make; the incense materials not only needed to be boiled in wine to remove dryness but also required sheep-shin charcoal to reduce the oily smell. After twisting and setting, they also needed to be sealed and cellar-aged for dozens of days to allow the fragrance to fuse before they could be considered successful.

Small harmony incense was much simpler and the cost was lower; it only needed bamboo strips, fragrant flowers, tree bark, and other things commonly found in the mountains and fields.

Therefore, small harmony incense was also called "poor man's incense," "mountain forest incense," or "grass and wood incense."

Xu Qing liked poor man's incense because the scent was closer to nature. If one were to ask what incense smelled best below spiritual incense, it would be this small harmony incense.

On this, no one had more say than Xu Qing.

As a zombie, he had eaten more incense than living people had eaten meals.

Mortals think simply, feeling that the more expensive the incense, the better, and the more the gods will like it.

But they never thought about what good things the gods hadn't seen? No matter how expensive earthly things were, in the eyes of true divinities, they were just like stones and weeds by the roadside.

Only returning to the original source was the right way.

After all, the first stick of incense lit in this world was made of the least valuable grass and wood.

Madam Jin had seen Xu Qing at the government office, but the two had never spoken directly.

Now that Xu Qing had visited suddenly, Madam Jin was at a loss.

"Officer, you've come today—is there something important?"

Xu Qing shook his head: "I'm not an officer; I'm the shopkeeper of the Mortuary Service Shop on Jingxia Street in Linjiang County. I usually do some business of welcoming and sending off."

So he was in the business of the dead.

As soon as Madam Jin heard "Mortuary Service Shop on Jingxia Street," she understood immediately.

This shop was famous; it was said that not only did they provide funeral credit, but they also handled funeral arrangements for lonely, helpless elderly people. Many people in the surrounding ten miles and eight villages had heard of it.

If other businesses were this famous and booming, they would have been targeted by others long ago, but this business on Jingxia Street was not targeted by anyone, nor could it be.

They were in the business of accumulating yin virtue, and there were no competitors; it didn't affect other people's business. Besides the funeral parlors, there was no one else.

Learning Xu Qing's identity, Madam Jin was somewhat puzzled. Why would this shopkeeper come to find her when he had nothing to do?

When she saw Xu Qing looking at the coarse incense she was making with interest, Madam Jin suddenly realized: "Could it be that you want to buy incense?"

Xu Qing was stunned, then smacked his lips: "That's possible."

Although Madam Jin had been a widow for many years and only had one daughter who had already married, her family was a military household, and her husband had performed meritorious service in battle back then. Even now, there were military register documents left in the family.

Otherwise, this family would probably have been eaten out of house and home long ago.

Xu Qing looked at the woman before him, and the more he looked, the more satisfied he was. This condition, this character—it was a perfect match for his Baosheng Temple.

Madam Jin answered Xu Qing's questions, and in a daze, she had a strange feeling, as if a matchmaker had come to her house to propose marriage back then.

"What exactly do you want to do by coming here?" Madam Jin, who was over thirty and nearing forty, really didn't believe anyone would come to have designs on her.

Xu Qing smiled and answered irrelevantly: "There is a temple on Ziyun Mountain that enshrines a statue of the Primordial Goddess. Madam Jin should have heard of it."

Hearing "Baosheng Goddess," Madam Jin immediately became spirited: "I naturally know of this. The Baosheng Goddess is compassionate. A few days ago, the Chen family's child was saved by the Goddess's manifestation."

Xu Qing sighed to himself: "Although this temple is good, it lacks a faithful believer to manage the temple daily. If this continues for a long time, not to mention whether there will be dust and cobwebs in the temple, even if someone in urgent need enters to seek help, the Baosheng Goddess might not know about it at any time."

"But if there were a temple keeper sitting in charge, it could ensure the temple is clean. If someone seeks help one day, she can also burn incense and pray to pass the message to the Baosheng Goddess. Don't you think so?"

Madam Jin felt the same: "That's the logic, but there is no temple keeper in that Baosheng Temple..."

Compared to investigating Xu Qing's purpose, Madam Jin was clearly more concerned about the Baosheng Goddess's affairs.

"If not, I will go to clean the courtyard for the Goddess often in the future; we can't let the Goddess's temple go to waste."

Seeing that the timing was ripe, Xu Qing smiled slightly and stood up decisively: "It's getting late. This is the money for the incense. If Madam Jin has more incense in the future, you can send it to my shop. I will take as much as you have."

"Are you really just buying incense?"

"I run a mortuary service shop; if I don't buy incense, what would I buy?"

Xu Qing laughed: "Madam Jin, no need to see me off. I'll be going back now."

After leaving Madam Jin's house and arriving at the village entrance, Xu Qing patted the horse's back, and the next moment, a white snake as thick as an arm crawled out of the saddlebag.

"Little Immortal, the next matter is up to you."

In Qiaojia Village, Madam Jin was still thinking about Xu Qing's words while twisting incense. When she thought of the Baosheng Goddess Temple overgrown with weeds and covered in cobwebs and dust without anyone caring, her heart always felt uneasy.

Such a kind Goddess—if she ended up in such a state, it would be too pitiful...

After thinking about it, Madam Jin simply changed into clean clothes, took a rag and a basin, and went out, heading all the way to Ziyun Mountain.

When she arrived at the Baosheng Temple, Madam Jin first burned incense and offered sacrifices, muttering some words, and then carefully wiped the statue with a rag.

There was a clear spring outside the temple. Madam Jin went back and forth several times to fetch fresh water. Besides the statue, she also cleaned the altar, the offering table, including the divine drum and the inscription tablet.

The weeds in the temple courtyard were pulled, and everything was swept. By the time everything was finished, it was past noon.

Madam Jin burned incense again and said some words of thanks to the Goddess. However, just as she intended to return, she suddenly heard an ethereal voice coming from the incense hall.

"Madam Jin, the Goddess appreciates your sincerity and wishes to appoint you as the temple keeper of this temple, to act on behalf of the divine office in the mortal world. As long as you fulfill your duties, there will naturally be incense offerings to supplement your household expenses. In addition, when the Goddess has time, she will entrust you with the methods of midwifery and protecting childbirth in your dreams. Are you willing?"

Madam Jin was first shocked and then happy, then she put her hands together and said with utmost piety: "If it is truly the Goddess manifesting, this believer is naturally willing."

"I am an immortal before the Baosheng Goddess, named Bai Xiaoxian. From now on, you and I will work for the Goddess together; Madam Jin will be the temple keeper, and I will be the protector."

Madam Jin looked up, looking expectantly in the direction the voice came from.

As a result, she saw a white snake slithering out from behind the statue.

And that ethereal voice came from the mouth of the white snake before her.

Outside Linjiang County.

Xu Qing suddenly felt something. He looked back at the direction of Ziyun Mountain, as if he saw the scene of Madam Jin and Bai Xiaoxian praying for the immortal to come out and establishing the heaven and earth document.

"The incense of the Baosheng Temple plus the incense of the Cat Immortal Hall should be enough for Xuanyu to survive this disaster."

Xu Qing smiled, pulled the reins to turn the horse, and rode back toward Linjiang County.

After solving a matter that had troubled him for a long time, Xu Qing was in a great mood. When he returned to the county, he patrolled along the street.

In Linjiang, the fish at Tongyue Restaurant is the best. Usually, there is no lack of guests from the prefecture city who come specifically to Linjiang County just to taste that fresh flavor.

Every time Xu Qing goes out to handle business and returns, he never forgets to bring back some things, mostly delicacies, and of course, some small gadgets for teasing cats.

It's just a pity that those things that attract ordinary house cats don't seem to have much effect on Xuanyu.

Even every time Xu Qing brings back some bells or ropes, he invites Xuanyu's disdain.

Arriving at Tongyue Restaurant, Xu Qing ordered the official-roasted sole and the sautéed fish slices.

While waiting for the kitchen to cook the fish, it happened that a fisherman came to deliver fish.

The fisherman had long hands and long feet, looking like a crab.

Xu Qing took a look; the fisherman was carrying a fish basket, and inside were all golden carp!

Even the restaurant shopkeeper, who was well-informed, couldn't help but be shocked: "So many golden carp, did you end up destroying the golden carp nest in the Baisha River?"

If it were usual, the shopkeeper would definitely buy these fish no matter how much it cost, but today he changed his past nature.

"Eagle-beak, don't cook this fish today. My wife just had a pregnancy a few days ago. This is heaven's favor; I must accumulate more virtue. Look at that door god statue; the boy and girl in their arms are holding big golden carp."

"This fish must be released. If I really cook this fish, I won't feel at ease." The restaurant shopkeeper covered the fish basket and waved his hand, telling Eagle-beak to release the fish back to where he caught them.

How could Eagle-beak listen to the shopkeeper? He caught the fish with such difficulty, and you say release them just like that?

You accumulate virtue, but the one whose money bag is empty and who is going hungry is him!

Seeing Eagle-beak's iron-blue face and his look of wanting to curse, the restaurant shopkeeper suddenly came to his senses. He reached into his bosom, took out some broken silver, and handed it to the fisherman: "Eagle-beak, in all of Jinmen, your ability to catch fish is the greatest. These few carp are nothing to you. Even if you release them, you can easily catch them back another day. Take this money; consider it as me buying the fish. When you go back to release them, don't have any crooked thoughts and sell them to the fish-killer again, otherwise, I won't buy your fish ever again!"

Eagle-beak took the silver, and his iron-blue face instantly broke into a smile.

"Got it! Shopkeeper, don't worry, I will definitely release the fish back into the water the same way."

Xu Qing watched this scene and felt it was quite interesting.

When the fish was cooked and Xu Qing was paying the bill with the food box, he asked casually: "What god does the shopkeeper believe in?"

Seeing Xu Qing's gaze flick toward the altar in the corner of the west wall, the restaurant shopkeeper laughed: "It's the statue of the Great Compassionate Baosheng Goddess. I just invited it this morning. Look at that ink; it was newly painted by a painter, and it hasn't even dried completely yet!"

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 206 =====