"This matter isn't much, it's just that when I was eleven, I roamed the martial world with a sword..."
"Wait! Roamed the martial world with a sword at eleven?"
"Ahem, I ran away from home."
"..."
Xu Qing gestured for Shang Shaoyang to continue.
"That year, as I was traveling, I happened to encounter a group of bandits robbing on the road. Those people were extremely fierce, unlike regular bandits, more like they came from the military..."
At this point, Shang Shaoyang suddenly paused, shook his head, and said, "I was young at the time, unaware of the intricacies, thinking they were just evil bandits oppressing the good. So, I charged forward with my sword to challenge the bandit leader."
"When the bandit leader saw me, he turned and left with his men without saying a word, apparently intimidated by my presence. At that time, that girl... uh, the young lady of the Gu family from Huainan, was just standing among the dead."
Xu Qing was skeptical and interrupted, "An eleven-year-old boy, scaring off vicious bandits? I'd believe you if you said the bandits had a conscience when they saw your youth and let you go peacefully."
Shang Shaoyang blushed, stiffened his neck and said, "What do you know? At that time, I roamed the martial world with a sword, followed by a dozen of my family's guards..."
Shang Shaoyang abruptly stopped talking, then said, "Forget about those details, anyway, the result was that the Gu family got along well with my family. Later, she lived with us for half a year, seeing each other day and night. I, being a rare handsome man, naturally won the heart of that lady. But I didn't expect her to be this persistent."
"A hero rescuing a beauty, and the damsel giving her heart, it's indeed not your fault." Xu Qing nodded in understanding.
A hero saving a damsel? On the side, Xuan Yu looked up at Xu Qing, then glanced at the copper mirror on the counter.
Inside was a pitch-black cat, almost like a lump of coal.
For some reason, Xuan Yu recalled its previous human owners, who gave it the names Coal and Charcoal.
Now, it's clear — the hero can only save Coal.
Hearing Xu Qing's words of agreement, Shang Shaoyang cleared his throat, looking slightly unnatural, "It's not entirely like that, perhaps it's because she always knew about my several furtive peeks while she bathed but never mentioned it."
"If the Gu family hadn't come to propose marriage this time, and I hadn't run away from the arranged marriage, I might have remained blissfully ignorant."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's face immediately turned dark.
This wretched second-generation brat, truly despicable!
"Scram, scram, scram, don't bother me while you're alive!"
Shang Shaoyang, knowing he was in the wrong, still made a sincere remark before leaving, "How ignorant I was in my youth. Now looking back, I realize how many reckless acts I've committed."
He sighed, shedding his previous carefree demeanor, and said, "Nowadays, there's a shortage of benevolent people and an abundance of the cruel. My family isn't particularly known for kindness, but I aspire to use my flesh and blood to rectify the wrongs. If I indulge in romantic entanglements now, it will only harm myself and others in the future."
Xu Qing frowned slightly. Hearing Shang Shaoyang's words, he suddenly understood some things.
No wonder the heir of the Shang family purchased a burial plot at his place, making arrangements for after death, and it also explains why he would refuse the Gu family's proposal and flee here.
Turns out, this person had no intention of dying peacefully!
"Young Master Shang, I'm merely a shopkeeper at a funeral shop. I don't understand these things. But if anything unfortunate befalls you one day, I assure you, I will fulfill my duties, and ensure that you won't be left exposed in the wild, prey for wild dogs."
"..."
Does this person even know how to speak? Will speaking auspicious words cost a piece of meat or what?
"Shopkeeper Xu, just you wait, my injury has healed, today I shall confront that dead eunuch once and for all!"
That's what he said, but Shang Shaoyang knew his own limits; confronting Liao Jinzhong was merely to insult him and disgust the old eunuch.
If he could drive the old eunuch away, that would be a victory!
As for why Shang Shaoyang held such a grudge against Liao Jinzhong... there was no other reason than that the magistrate and magistrate's wife of Linjiang County often mentioned the abuse of power by the Mirror Viewing Bureau in the county. Shang Shaoyang, living at the magistrate's home, couldn't sit idly by upon hearing this.
If Xu Qing hadn't intervened, there was a real chance Liao Jinzhong would have been driven away by Shang Shaoyang's tactics.
"Wait a minute!" Xu Qing stopped the suddenly nimble Shang Shaoyang, half-jokingly asking, "What if Young Master Shang wins? And what if you lose?"
"People say a mission should have a proper reason. Since Young Master Shang is going, there should at least be an explanation, right?"
Shang Shaoyang halted, pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Alright!"
"If I can break the old eunuch's leg and return intact, I'll marry Miss Gu!"
"..."
I see you never intended to take responsibility for Miss Gu, Xu Qing's gaze towards Shang Shaoyang showed a hint of disdain.
"What's with that look, Brother Xu? Could it be that you think so little of me?"
"In that case, I wish you a safe journey, Young Master Shang!"
"..."
Shang Shaoyang cursed and left the Funeral Shop. Xu Qing watched his departing figure, shaking his head with a smile.
Today, he unexpectedly played the matchmaker, but judging by Young Master Shang's behavior, even upon learning of Liao Jinzhong's death, he might still not easily agree to the Gu family's proposal.
After the commotion, Xuan Yu inquired, "Does the Xu Immortal Family think that Young Master Shang and Miss Gu will marry?"
Xu Qing smiled slightly, "Yes, since I've promised Miss Gu, I will definitely see this business through."
"After all, a posthumous marriage is still a marriage."
Xuan Yu seemed to understand, yet it memorized Xu Qing's words.
...
In the mortuary, on the cold slab.
Faced with the old eunuch's corpse, Xu Qing didn't feel repulsed.
In his eyes, no matter how filthy a corpse was, it was part of his work.
He was always dedicated.
The old eunuch's life, simply put, was mainly about the dirty political fights in the deep palace, or engaging in questionable relationships with concubines who were out of favor, lonely palace maids, or even fooling around with some young or old eunuchs, and sometimes even princes.
Xu Qing disliked this, much like when he first saw Liao Jinzhong as a seven-year-old being mutilated; just seeing it made him feel uncomfortable all over.
The corruption in the palace often mirrored the era's ethos; when the top was corrupt, the bottom would follow suit, as the saying goes, "the top leads by example, the bottom imitates."
However, when Emperor Longping became old, the atmosphere at the bottom somewhat normalized, although some older concubines still secretly engaged in foolish acts.
Liao Jinzhong, having seen it all, occasionally turned a blind eye, while keeping it in mind to use later when it would be beneficial.
The more Xu Qing read, the more uneasy he became. Who could imagine that a grandmaster and awe-inspiring Chief Eunuch would be such a spiteful, mean-spirited person?
If it weren't for the fact that the other was a grandmaster, fearing missing some crucial information, Xu Qing might have sped up to skip to the end for the rewards.
With furrowed brows, when Xu Qing saw a certain scene, he suddenly stopped.
No, he just thought he heard a very familiar sentence.
Turning back the pages of the Sutra of Salvation, the time went back to when Liao Jinzhong had just become the Head of the Internal Affairs Bureau.
On that day, Emperor Longping suddenly summoned him, ordering Liao Jinzhong to come forward quickly.
At that time, Emperor Longping was already over seventy, and seeing that he didn't have many years left, the court's attention shifted to fostering the successors.
But the Third Prince, Zhao Rong, continued to focus on Emperor Longping, caring deeply for the Emperor's health, and supporting the Emperor's secret pursuit of immortality.
Hearing that the villagers in a certain area of Jin Sect lived unusually long lives, Zhao Rong shared this with Emperor Longping. Hearing this, the old emperor, against all opposition, put state affairs aside to visit Jin Sect, residing in the rural area for half a month.
Before returning to the capital, Emperor Longping named this area "Longevity."
Aside from visiting Longevity Village or Township, Zhao Rong specifically inquired about the lifestyle and diet of those elders, documenting everything to present to the Emperor.
These things were not particularly special, but when Liao Jinzhong was summoned to the palace, Emperor Longping entrusted him with a task —
"Eunuch Liao, I have something for you to do. North of Yunmeng Mountain, there is a Longevity Village called White Cage Village. It is said the ancestors of this village received the Immortal's Legacy in Yunmeng Mountain and possess the secret of immortality..."
"Rong'Er has been keeping an eye on it for me. The White Cage Village promised two years ago to concoct for me a Longevity Pill promising extended prosperity and longevity, but it always lacked an ingredient."
"Now that the ingredient has been found; apparently, it is a Nine-Life Profound Cat. With this ingredient, the pill can be completed, and I can live nine more lives!"
"Eunuch Liao, I want you to quickly go to Yunmeng Mountain and assist the Immortal in White Cage Village to successfully create this medicine and bring it back without fail!"