The merchant's mansion was bustling with guests both inside and outside, with the banquet tables occupying two streets.
This did not even include the main hall and garden where the mansion received esteemed guests.
Xu Qing, accompanied by a curious young girl, toured and played along the way, greeted by acquaintances. However, most were people whom Xu Qing recognized unilaterally.
Officials, nobles, traveling knights, literary figures, chanteuses, and attendants...
Xu Qing once heard of a theory involving six people, stating, 'You and any stranger are separated by no more than five people.'
Though applying this theory was challenging, Xu Qing at that moment truly experienced the unusual sensation of 'finding acquaintances all over the world.'
The young lady of the Gu family before him was originally lost in the Ancient Yin River Dao, a descendant of the Eight Banner Marshals.
The old man of the garden, Cui Shiyuan, once met the grandmother of the Gu family's young lady.
Additionally, the eunuch at the wedding banquet carrying the Emperor's decree to congratulate, turned out to be the adversary of Liao Jinzhong's adopted son, Lou Xiaowu.
In the main hall, the figure of Zhu Huai'an's uncle, Yin Chengshan, flashed by. Xu Qing glanced sideways and saw him pulling someone behind the screen, seemingly conspiring about something.
Among these people, most did not know Xu Qing, but Xu Qing could call out their names.
Old customers of Li Si from Linjiang County, the Western Regions merchant Jiang Mingqi, along with his two attendants from the Western Regions, Yizhan Nu and Qifu Luo.
This information was obtained when Xu Qing was rescuing the broker Martial Master Li Fan.
Besides this, there were talented individuals from Jiangnan, military officers from Beizhao Prefecture, monks from Cizhao Temple, and officials who had returned from exile in the remote Yanzhou to Qianzhou.
Despite the unrelated nature of all these people, at this moment, they were like threads vibrating on a spider's web, resonating with the phantom lantern that Xu Qing had witnessed.
Mingling within the courtyard, the guests came and went like fast-forward images fleeting by, the entire wedding banquet resembling a scroll of ink painting, with Xu Qing holding the young girl's hand like the only colored brush stroke in this scene of worldly depiction.
At this moment, Xu Qing's Sutra of Salvation seemed to be a massive web woven from threads of memory, a vast star map stitched from memories of countless departed souls, where the tremor of any thread or shift of any trajectory would eventually transmit to his funeral shop.
Xu Qing halted his steps, and the worldly image around him seemed to freeze.
It turned out, he who had not traveled far, had unintentionally let his footprints reach places thousands of miles away.
And these footprints were not merely simple walks, or extensions in geographical dimensions, but transcended time barriers, spanning across ancient and modern eras.
Whether it be the palace intrigues of emperors and nobles, or the market scene smoke of common people, or even historical fragments sealed for millennia, at this moment, they all transformed into specks of stars on the star map, quietly spreading thousands of miles.
Xu Qing suddenly quickened his steps, the young girl beside him unprepared, had to lift her skirt and chase after Xu Qing in a near-running stance.
Ahead, a three-story building stood particularly eye-catching.
Xu Qing moved faster and faster, eventually grabbing the young girl's hand behind him firmly, purposefully striding towards the building.
In three steps merging into two, he ascended the staircase, reaching the highest point of the pavilion, from which all sights below, including the lively streets outside the merchant's mansion, could be seen clearly.
Wind swept across his temples, and Xu Qing smiled.
Beside him, the young girl, with beautifully tied hair, stared wide-eyed, mesmerized by the uniquely human perspective.
But compared to others, what Xu Qing saw was the rise and fall of every era, even every individual's peaks and troughs within the rolling waves of the mortal world.
...
Merchant's mansion wedding banquet.
Xu Qing, skilled in comprehensive funeral services, encountered the ceremonial officer hosting a red event for the first time.
The ceremonial officer was a staff brought by the merchants from the Ministry of Rites, someone who had previously hosted wedding ceremonies for many officials and nobles, with unquestionable professionalism.
Xu Qing was not adept with wedding events, finding them somewhat conflicting with him.
However, this did not prevent him from enjoying the lively scene of the wedding business.
Welcoming the bridal sedan, stepping over the fire basin, newlyweds bowing, drinking the union wine...
Xu Qing watched, feeling deeply touched.
This wedding banquet, compared to a funeral feast, demonstrated the same level of intricacy.
It was known that besides weddings, celebratory banquets also included birthday parties, full-moon banquets, benefiting parties, triumphant banquets, deer feasts, honor banquets, and various other festive gatherings.
Without expertise in the field, it would be truly difficult to understand the intricacies.
Red and white events, although essentially similar.
After witnessing the grandiose wedding ceremonies of wealthy families, Xu Qing felt he had found the answer.
When it came time for the guests to present their congratulatory gifts, Xu Qing thought for a while and gave away a piece of Bedroom Technique for Yin-Yang harmony he had previously acquired.
It seemed that this could be of some help to the newlyweds.
Beside him, Xuan Yu pondered for a moment, finally placing her pair of artistic walnuts onto the gift table.
Seeing this, Xu Qing interjected, "Since we're attending together, one gift is enough."
The gift ledger master laughed at the little lady's understanding and politeness, "As the lady is accompanying the gentleman, one congratulatory gift shall suffice."
"Furthermore, our host is generous towards guests, hence even if guests bring no gifts, it is perfectly acceptable."
The ledger officer laughed heartily, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, what title is this gentleman's gift under? It appears to be a book roll."
Xu Qing replied, without reservation, "This is a Bedroom Health Technique, worth a thousand gold."
"..."
The ledger officer's writing hand trembled, hesitated for a moment, and then resumed writing.