Zhao Qi opened his mouth to speak, but Zhang Jun, who was standing by, quickly interjected protectively, explaining to clear Zhao Qi's name: "Brother Xu, you've misunderstood. My master is just angry; he absolutely does not intend to drive me away."
"..."
Xu Qing silently watched Zhang Jun trying to absolve Zhao Qi. It's often said that rivers and mountains are easy to change, but a person's nature is hard to alter. Today, he truly witnessed it.
"Enough. I'm too lazy to deal with you. But considering our acquaintance, I give you a membership Iron Token, in case no one sees you off in the future."
Zhang Jun took the Iron Token and glanced at it, finding it somewhat familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
"Many people in Linjiang County know the purpose of this Iron Token. You can inquire freely. If you're truly unsure, just go to any notice board inside or outside the city. The use of the Iron Token is naturally written on it."
Zhang Jun raised his head to speak, but found Xu Qing had already turned away and left.
Nearby, Fourth Master Shao, holding a walnut playfully, frowned and asked, "Is that your friend? Quite an odd fellow."
Zhang Jun felt complex and puzzled. In his lifetime, he had met many people, but in the end, the only ones who truly regarded him as a normal person were Xu Qing.
"Yes, he's a friend. Besides Fourth Master, only Brother Xu is willing to treat me like a human."
Fourth Master Shao raised his eyebrows and casually asked, "What business is your friend in? When I have the time, I'd like to patronize his trade."
"..."
Zhang Jun followed beside Fourth Master Shao, chuckling dryly, "His business is rather niche; it's best if you don't worry about it, Fourth Master."
"That's a peculiar thing to say. Is there any business in Linjiang that I, Fourth Master, can't take care of? Didn't he say he has some fame in Linjiang? If you don't tell me, I'll find out myself when I have time!"
Zhang Jun couldn't overcome Fourth Master's stubborn nature, so he had to say tactfully, "Fourth Master, Brother Xu's business is on Underground Street. You might have heard of it..."
Underground Street?
Fourth Master Shao raised his eyebrow; this place name was more than just familiar.
On his first visit to Jin Sect, while listening to a storyteller in a teahouse, not even halfway through the story, they inserted a tidbit about how professional, considerate, and prestigious the affairs handled on Underground Street were...
After all, anyone who wasn't enshrouded and buried through the hands of Underground Street missed a significant life event, leaving their life incomplete!
Initially, Fourth Master Shao thought it was the storyteller making a joke, using Underground Street as a punchline. But after residing in Jin Sect for a while, Fourth Master finally realized something was off!
Underground Street wasn't just popular words in teahouses but even posted on notice boards by the city gates and walls beside Sea Arrest Warrants, had advertisements for Underground Street.
That wasn't all. Anyone living in Jin Sect for some time could constantly see children, holding sugar sculptures and windmills and other free trinkets, running and skipping down the streets, singing eerie nursery rhymes, all about Underground Street funeral shops.
It's said those free trinkets were given by teahouses, and the lyrics were taught by storytelling masters...
Fourth Master Shao, unknowingly impressed, sensed a hidden business opportunity.
To quickly establish himself in Jin Sect, Fourth Master Shao copied the method, hoping to spread the fame of his calligraphy and painting studio in the same way. But the storytellers refused, saying it was a rule set by Mr. Guo Dongyang that when telling stories from his scripts, they must follow his rules!
For this, Fourth Master Shao even personally approached the legendary figure in the storytelling circle, Mr. Guo Dongyang.
But he also refused.
Also, the funeral advertisements on the notice boards by the city gate, astonishingly had special permission from the Government Office?
Fourth Master Shao didn't understand how a Funeral Shop could have such grand presence!
Now, once again hearing the three words Underground Street, Fourth Master Shao, in disbelief, said, "That Mr. Xu is the Shopkeeper of the Underground Street funeral business?"
Zhang Jun nodded: "Before I headed to the capital, I was still working as a Government Official, and Brother Xu was already in this line of work. It's been at least twenty years now."
Fourth Master Shao made a grimace: "That's one business we gentlemen truly cannot patronize!"
"Unless we die someday..."
"Pah, pah, pah! Such words must not be spoken carelessly. We gentlemen have long lives ahead of us, and if there's death, it's the servants who should die before the master."
"Stop spouting nonsense! If we gentlemen die after you, who will send us off?"
Zhang Jun opened his mouth but then had a flash of inspiration, taking the membership Iron Token from his pocket and handing it to Fourth Master Shao, saying, "This Iron Token is for you, Fourth Master. Didn't Brother Xu say with this Iron Token, the farewell matters will be handled for you..."
"..."
Instinctively, Fourth Master Shao took the Iron Token, but upon regaining his senses, he threw it back to Zhang Jun, then began a string of curses.
"I don't need your Iron Token. You may not find it inauspicious, but I do! Even if one day I do pass away, it won't be because of your kindness!"
The master and servant playfully bickered as they walked into a workshop in Long Lamp Street. Fourth Master Shao ran a calligraphy and painting studio, buying daily spirit incense and various papers from Boss Wang at this place...
Flower and Bird Street, North Gate Alley.
Xu Qing wandered down the street, stopping to buy a fruit basket and a package of grain mealworms specifically used by hobbyists to feed chickens and birds.
These mealworms were extremely expensive, usually feeding on tree cores, and within the hobbyist circles, they were called mealworms because a bushel of rice could only exchange for one worm, considered premium feed for prized birds.
This was also the reason Xu Qing was initially reluctant to keep a Golden Simurgh.
In the Jin Sect Flower and Bird Market, insects were indeed more expensive than grains!
Arriving at North Gate Alley, Xu Qing confidently made his way to the residence of Second Master Feng.
Upon giving his name, the gatekeeper informed someone.
Shortly, a middle-aged butler about the same age as Xu Qing came out to greet him.
"Mr. Xu, please, come inside!"
Xu Qing found the butler's features familiar and asked, "What relation is Butler He to you?"
The butler quickly replied, "The gentleman you mentioned would be my father. He passed away a few years ago, and now I am the butler here."
Xu Qing remained silent. In just a few years, many familiar faces had left the world. Imagine a hundred or more years...
Going around the screen wall, Xu Qing hadn't yet reached the front hall when he was met by a spirited old man with a head full of white hair.
"Younger Brother Xu, it truly is Younger Brother Xu! How I have missed you!"
"How's Second Master Feng faring nowadays?"
"Good, very good! Quite well!"
Second Master Feng, with a rosy complexion, exclaimed, "With the health tips you gave me, I've been feeling younger with each passing year!"
Xu Qing smiled rarely; this naturally timid Second Master Feng indeed heeded his advice, keeping himself fitter than the average youngster.
Still, becoming younger wasn't exactly accurate. Xu Qing's prescriptions and medications merely helped Second Master Feng stave off illness within his limited lifespan, enhancing some bodily functions, that's all.
With that, Xu Qing followed Second Master Feng through the corridor, and before walking far, they encountered a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth carrying a birdcage, playing with a walnut, strutting leisurely outwards.
Upon seeing the youth accompanied by two or three servants ready to wander out, Second Master Feng immediately frowned and said:
"Xiaosheng, quickly come over and greet your Uncle Xu. Where is your sense of observation?"
Second Master Feng, having this precious son in his old age, cherished him dearly.
Feng Xiaosheng had never seen his father truly angry, and suddenly being glared at, he felt a sudden panic — did his escapade to the Chunxiang Courtyard get discovered by the old man?
Though, come to think of it, when had he ever hidden his doings from his father? Strolling flower markets, playing with crickets, walking birds, and fighting dogs, which hadn't he done openly?
Feng Xiaosheng, who ran around frequently, was quite astute. Noticing Second Master Feng's expression, combining with the name 'Brother Xu' his father often mentioned frequently, he understood the situation.
Ah-ha! My actual uncle has returned!
"Nephew greets Uncle Xu!"
Without further ado, Feng Xiaosheng lowered his birdcage, put away the walnut, and knelt before Xu Qing, kowtowing fervently.
"..."
Xu Qing was taken aback; he quickly rushed forward to help the youth up while glancing at Second Master Feng.
This child is excessively well-mannered!
Second Master Feng was equally confounded. This child who yields to no one readily knelt upon seeing Brother Xu?
"Good child, truly distinct in appearance, with both nose and eyes!"
Xu Qing intended to praise Feng Xiaosheng for being a young talent, but upon seeing his features, he refrained from uttering such insincere words.
With mismatched eyes, an upturned nose, and a mouth whose teeth seemed to harbor individual opinions, Xu Qing was genuinely at a loss for words to describe him.
Managing to help the child up, Xu Qing reached into his pocket, handing the child a small denomination silver note from the Dayong era, thus resolving the situation.