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

Chapter 92 The beauty hidden in the golden house
Zhang family mansion in Baisha County.

The eldest son-in-law of the Zhang family stood at the foot of the wall, looking sinisterly at the talented Wu who was welcoming and seeing off guests outside the mansion.

"Top student, what a prestigious title! After all, you're just a poor scholar, a homeless chicken. Now you've climbed up high and become a phoenix."

Spitting, Yang Hong came into the room and happened to see his wife playing with the purse given by her lover.

Yang Hong became increasingly annoyed upon seeing this, and immediately sneered:
"Zhang Yao, you really didn't choose this name for nothing. Since you like prostitutes so much, why don't you give this huge estate to your sister and brother-in-law, and live in one of those prostitutes from now on? Wouldn't it be more comfortable than living at home?"

Zhang Yao frowned upon hearing this, her gaze fixed on her husband. "Yang Hong, why are you being so jealous? It's like you've never been to a brothel before. I don't care about you, but you're the one who's taking care of me!"

"It's not that I want to control you, but my good father-in-law has taken a liking to your new brother-in-law. Not only did he divide half of the house for the two of them to live in, he also hired a famous teacher to teach him, clearly wanting to train him to be the future master of the Zhang family."

"If this continues, what status will you and I have in the mansion?"

Zhang Yao was shocked when she heard this and said, "You've really enlightened me. Two days ago, I went to the account office to withdraw 200 taels of silver, but the manager only gave me 20 taels. He said that my father had said that the money was tight recently and that he had to focus on spending on my sister and brother-in-law first."

"My sister is his biological daughter. As his older sister, shouldn't I be subjected to such humiliation?"

Yang Hong sighed, "How can a kid from a paper-making shop be worthy of our Zhang family? It's a pity that my father-in-law didn't listen to my advice. Now, this poor kid really treats this place as his own home. Don't you see how popular he is now, as if he is the master of the Zhang family?"

Zhang Yao and her younger sister had never gotten along well, and now, hearing these words that added fuel to the fire, she felt even more jealous.

"You don't have to worry about this. He's just a poor scholar. It's easy for you and me to drive him away."

"What's your plan, ma'am?"

Zhang Yao smiled coldly, but the vicious woman was born with a heart that wanted to harm others. She came up with a vicious plan in just a moment's glance.

She motioned Yang Hong to come closer to her ear, and after they whispered for a while, Yang Hong couldn't help but applaud.

"My lady, this is a very good plan. If there's anything to blame, it's only because Wu Zhiyuan was born poor, yet he refused to be mediocre."

When Xu Qing and Hu Baosong arrived in Baisha County, they happened to meet Wu Zhiyuan and his bride preparing to meet their parents.

Wu Yaoxing, a country boy, had never seen such a grand occasion!

He couldn't even speak to those nobles, merchants and gentry.

Now seeing some acquaintances from the neighborhood coming over, he didn't care about what was happening in front of him and ran up to them.

Seeing Hu Baosong in such good spirits, Wu Yaoxing was also very happy.

"Brother Hu, you came at the right time. You and I have been neighbors for so many years. We are like family, even if we are not.

I don't have many relatives and friends here, and now that my brother is here, it's better than anything else."

Hu Baosong had previously rejected Wu Yaoxing's invitation due to poor health.

When the two met again today, they both had their hearts full of affection for each other.

Xu Qing looked at the old Hutou with a ruddy face and smiled as well.

"Congratulations, Brother Wu. I don't have much to give you, but I happen to have two amulets on me. I'll give them to you and the Wu family kid. As long as you and your son wear them close to your bodies, you can pray for peace."

"This talisman?"

Xu Qing watched Wu Yaoxing leave with the brocade bag containing the yellow talisman, and his heart moved slightly.

He could clearly sense a strange aura condensed on the brocade bag that did not dissipate, similar to the demonic aura of a spirit medium, but with a hint of purity and spirituality.

"Some little tricks of observing qi and face are nothing."

A nearby wedding ceremony was in full swing. Hu Baosong, observing the demeanor of Wu Zhiyuan and Wu Yaoxing, said, "Nations rise and fall, things succeed and fail, and individuals suffer misfortunes and blessings. There's a perverse aura about the Wu father and son, and this is an ominous aura. I'm afraid disaster will befall them soon."

"It's rare for me to be treated like a relative or friend, so I took the opportunity to give him two talismans."

"Is this talisman really that powerful? Old Hu, why don't you take out another one so I can learn more about it."

"Don't try to trick me. This talisman isn't anything magical. At least it won't be of much help to you. If you really encounter ghosts or supernatural powers, it may not be able to protect you."

"But I'm not worried." Hu Baosong said with a smile: "If you really encounter such things, I think you will not sit idly by."

"."

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow and said, "Old Hu, haven't you forgotten that we're going to the Huyang Ancient Tomb the next day? Who knows how long it will take? If they really run into trouble, I'm afraid I won't be able to help them even if I want to."

"That's true." Hu Baosong stroked his beard and smiled, "But it's okay. With my magic talisman, I think I can protect them."

"Didn't you say your talisman didn't work?"

"That doesn't work for you. If it were an ordinary person, it would work very well!"

"Look at what you're saying. Am I not just an ordinary person? Old Hu, why don't you consider drawing two for me? I happen to have some cinnabar talisman paper with me."

"Why are you bringing cinnabar talisman paper to a banquet?"

"Old Hu, you've strayed from the topic again. I run a funeral shop and often perform rituals for people. It's reasonable for me to carry some cinnabar talismans with me, right?"

Hu Baosong glanced at Xu Qing and said unhappily, "Then you might as well take the coffin with you. If you come across business on the way, you can also arrange the funeral arrangements."

Xu Qing chuckled and didn't respond.

Because he really had coffins on him, and more than one.

On the other hand, in Baisha County, Xu Qing was taking Lao Hu to the county magistrate's wedding banquet.

In Linhefang, a customer suddenly came to the coroner's shop, which usually had little business.

Wang Lingyuan walked into the shop with the yamen runners.

But he found that there was no one in the shop except a black cat.

He tried calling out a few times but no one responded.

After leaving the shop, Wang Lingyuan happened to see the proprietress of the incense shop eating melon seeds at the door.

The melon seeds and wedding candy were given to her by Wu Yaoxing yesterday.

The basket was full of gifts, which made her very happy.

"Have you ever met Mr. Xu, the shopkeeper from the coroner's shop?"

As soon as Cheng Caiyun saw the yamen runner, she hurriedly stood up and greeted him.

"I think Manager Xu went to Baisha County for a banquet. Today is the day when the young man from the paper-making shop Wu family marries into a daughter-in-law. The daughter is the daughter of the county magistrate."

"I received an invitation, but this shop has to be run by someone, otherwise I would definitely go and share in the joy."

Cheng Caiyun said this, but it was not because she was busy, but because she did not want to pay the gift money.

As long as she didn't go to the banquet, she only had to bring a basket of eggs to the paper-making shop as a gift.

But if you go to the county magistrate's house, you won't be able to enter without one or two taels of silver!
"This guy went to Baisha County and didn't even close the shop door. Isn't he afraid of thieves?"

The yamen runner who was transporting the corpse laughed and said, "Brother Wang, what thief would come to a funeral shop to steal things when he has nothing better to do?"

While the group was talking, a very pretty young lady in red clothes suddenly walked out of the coroner's shop opposite.

Now not only did the two yamen runners fall silent, but even Wang Lingyuan and Cheng Caiyun were stunned for a long time.

"Madam, who is this woman? Why did she come out of my junior brother's shop?"

Cheng Caiyun also stammered and couldn't explain clearly.

Wang Lingyuan thought to himself, could it be that his junior fellow apprentice has a lover?
After returning to the shop with the yamen runner, Wang Lingyuan was the first to ask, "I am a fellow apprentice of Shopkeeper Xu. May I ask who this young lady is and how she ended up walking out of my apprentice's shop?"

The woman in red opened her lips slightly, and her voice was very clear.

"I'm Shopkeeper Xu's sister. He's out on business, so I'm temporarily in charge of the store."

Xuanyu, possessing the female zombie, didn't dare speak carelessly, her face stern, like a pure and unworldly nun. "Junior Brother Xu's sister?" Wang Lingyuan asked in surprise. "I've never heard of that. Junior Brother never mentioned it. Could it be that they're from the same family?"

Xuan Yu nodded.

Wang Lingyuan was even more puzzled. They didn't look like a family!
"May I ask your name, young lady?"

Xuan Yu was silent for a moment. She had not yet given the female zombie a horse name, but Xu Qing had given her a name.
"Well, my name is Sun Erniang, you can just call me Erniang."

"Xu, Sun? Brother and sister?"

Wang Lingyuan suddenly understood.

I'm afraid that they are fake siblings, and hiding a beautiful girl in a golden house is real.

Xuanyu suddenly realized that he had spoken out of turn. He almost forgot that most human brothers and sisters have the same surname.

If I had known earlier, I would have said it was Xu Erniang.

Fortunately, Senior Brother Wang didn't seem to notice anything unusual, instead his smile became even more earnest.

"Sister-in-law, oh, it's Second Mother." Wang Lingyuan coughed lightly and continued, "These are the two bodies sent by the government. Don't be afraid, Second Mother. We will take care of them. You don't have to do it yourself."

After handing over the body, Wang Lingyuan couldn't help but shake his head and laugh as he left the shop.

His junior fellow apprentice finally got it!

Cheng Caiyun had been standing on tiptoe outside, craning her neck to look inside. When she saw Wang Lingyuan leading the yamen runners out of the shop door, she couldn't help but ask:

"My lords, this young wife is..."

Wang Lingyuan raised an eyebrow and said, "Her name is Sun Erniang. She is familiar with my junior brother and is not a stranger. You don't have to think too much about it."

"I understand, I won't think too much about it."

What do you understand?
Wang Lingyuan wanted to leave, but was stopped by Cheng Caiyun.

"You are Mr. Xu's senior brother, and I am also Mr. Xu's neighbor. My house was robbed the other day. I wonder if you, the officers, can help me."

"Oh?" Wang Lingyuan turned to look at Cheng Caiyun, who looked aggrieved, and asked, "Tell me what you lost? What did the robbers do to you?"

"That robber was so despicable! He didn't steal anything else but fifty pairs of eggs from the hens I keep in my yard. That's a sum I could have accumulated in half a month."

"."

Wang Lingyuan looked at the yamen runner beside him.

The two yamen runners looked at each other.

Although trivial matters like this are not uncommon in the government office, not many people actually report them to the authorities.

"We have taken note of this matter. Madam, please keep an eye on it. If you have any clues about the thief, please report it to the government office and we will come and arrest him."

The yamen runners were used to this kind of thing, so they could come up with some polite words at will.

Wedding banquet at Zhang’s house.

Wu Yaoxing and his nephew Wu Wencai were both drunk.

Hu Baosong also drank a lot of wine, but when he left the banquet, the old man no longer looked drunk.

He straightened his back and his eyes were bright.

"Xu boy, you are so cunning. You even use blindfolds to deceive others when you are drinking."

Xu Qing also calmed down from his drunken state, and after staggering out of the banquet hall, he returned to normal.

"You are very capable and have the methods to eliminate alcohol and eliminate stagnation. I am less capable and do not know these. I can only use some small tricks that are not worthy of being mentioned to avoid alcohol."

"You're not a bald monk, so what's the big deal if you drink a few cups?"

Xu Qing put away his smile and said seriously, "Drinking and having sex can lead to bad things. I've given up drinking a long time ago. Besides, I have to rush back overnight to prepare for your funeral, so it's best for me not to drink at all."

The Zhang family mansion is quite large. Now it is midsummer, and there are many flowers and green plants decorating the outside of the pavilions. Even in the pond, there are koi carps playing around the lotus leaves.

Seeing that there was no one around, Hu Baosong discussed his funeral arrangements with Xu Qing.

"Although the money I have saved is not much, it is enough for my coffin."

"If you're short of money, come to my shop and count from left to right on the shelf. The fourth and fifth urns contain all the money I've saved over the years."

"No matter how much it costs afterwards, you just take the rest."

Xu Qing agreed with a smile.

As the saying goes, killing and setting fires will bring you a golden belt. Xu Qing killed many people, and the silver he looted from the Tianxin Sect's rebel hideouts alone was more than ten thousand taels.

He is not short of money.

However, in the face of Hu Baosong's goodwill, Xu Qing gladly accepted it.

It’s like the snacks that the elderly are reluctant to eat and leave for the younger generation, or the money carefully wrapped in a handkerchief. Although it’s not much, it’s a token of their thought.

If you show impatience or rejection, it will be unpleasant.

"Don't worry, since I've accepted your money, I will definitely make your funeral a grand occasion."

Hu Baosong shook his head and laughed, "That's not necessary. I'm just an old man, why would I need all this fuss? I'd rather avoid all the fuss with musical instruments and other things if I can. As long as I can safely return to my ancestral tomb and recognize my ancestors, I'll be content."

"Besides, the Wu family's son just got married, and now is a festive occasion, so it's better to keep it low-key so as not to disturb the neighbors."

Xu Qing nodded and said: "In that case, then we will follow the usual configuration and prepare a set of burning things. As for the funeral banner and top cover..."

"After all, the Huyang family is a prestigious ancient clan. If you want to trace your ancestry, you can't be too compromising. Senior Hu is over 200 years old, free from illness and disaster, so he deserves a full life. He also has friends and neighbors to see him off before he leaves, so he has a perfect end."

"To achieve double blessings, why not take two four-season flower umbrellas, a paper horse, a pair of welcoming paper cranes, and one each of the Five Blessings Longevity Top Hat and the Crane and Deer Rejuvenation Top Hat. This way, we can live up to the family tradition."

Hu Baosong was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Manager Xu is very sensible and measured in his dealings, so this is as it should be. It's a pity that Manager Xu was born late. If he had been born earlier, I might have made an exception and accepted you as my apprentice, teaching you some life skills."

"Old Hu, it's not too late for you to teach me now. I think your skill in drawing talismans is quite good. If you are willing to teach me, I will definitely take you as my master right now."

"I am already exhausted today. If you really want to learn, please wait until tomorrow. If you can really wait until then, it means that we are destined to be master and disciple."

"Not to mention one night, I can wait even for a month. I'm just afraid that you will let me go."

Hu Baosong chuckled and got on the carriage. After the carriage left the Zhang family mansion, he curled up on the felt cushion in the carriage and took a nap.

Xu Qing learned the art of horse judging from Crown Prince Zhao You. In addition to being able to identify and judge horses, this art also allows one to control and ride horses. If one practices it to a high level, one can even sense the spirit of a horse and communicate with it.

With him as the master horse driver, the horse in front of him seemed to understand human nature, avoiding potholes and gravel along the way, choosing to travel on flat paths, and walking at an even pace, which greatly reduced the degree of bumps.

This way, the elderly in the carriage can sleep peacefully.

Therefore, the carriage was not moving very fast. It took Xu Qing half a day to drive from Baisha County to Linhe.

"Uu——"

Outside the coffin shop on Jingxia Street, Xu Qing lifted the curtain of his car and said with a smile, "Old Hu, we're home."

"Old Hu?"

"."

Xu Qing's smile froze. He looked at the thin old man lying motionless in the carriage, and it took him a while to come back to his senses.

　Happy New Year everyone!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)