After Xu Qing left the food shop, he headed directly towards the broker.
Previously, he had bought two coffins from Hu Baosong's Funeral Banner Shop to store the bodies he had exorcised.
Now that the coffins were filled, he had to find a way to deal with the bodies.
Xu Qing had thought about sending the bodies that no longer had any value outside the village to the Chaotic Burial Mound, but he ultimately gave up on that idea.
He gave up for two reasons.
First, when he followed Liu Youdao through the forests and graves, he encountered many strange and eerie things.
Going out to bury bodies, especially to the Chaotic Burial Mound, was too dangerous.
Second, the defenses by the river had recently taken shape, and the increasing number of refugees made it inevitable for the guards to check anyone entering or leaving. If he were found transporting so many bodies, it would surely cause trouble.
Xu Qing had considered burying the bodies in the backyard of the Funeral Shop, but that yard was too small and did not fit his business expansion ideas.
After much thought, he decided it was better to find a specialized place to handle the bodies.
When he arrived at the broker, Xu Qing had just entered when he heard Li Siye cursing inside.
"Those sons of bitches from the Jinmen Gang, it's one thing to take Lao Wu's territory, but they dare to reach into my business!"
"Third Brother, don't stop me! Today, I am going to the dock to settle this once and for all!"
In the cold, early spring weather, Li Siye, dressed in a scholar's robe, fanned himself angrily as he lifted the curtain to leave, but he retracted his leg the moment he stepped out.
Inside, Huang Sanye calmly poured himself a steaming cup of tea and said, "I'm not stopping you. If you're not angry anymore, come over and have some tea. Look at you, losing your temper when I'm just a common merchant and not in a hurry, but you, a scholar with official rank, are flustered."
Xu Qing, with his keen hearing, stayed back to avoid disturbing the scene inside.
He waved at a familiar broker's assistant, who came over, and Xu Qing asked, "What happened to Li Siye to get him so angry?"
The assistant sighed and shook his head, saying, "It's not a big issue, actually. Just a few days ago, Li Siye found an old acquaintance among the refugees. This acquaintance was a physician in Xiping County. When Li Siye was young and studying for exams, he fell seriously ill, and it was that physician's extraordinary needle technique that pulled him back from King Yama's grasp!"
"Li Siye has always remembered this kindness. Seeing his benefactor fall into such dire straits, he couldn't bear it, so he got a Tooth Card for him and set him up in a shop near the dock to continue practicing medicine."
"Who would have thought, the Jinmen Gang found out about it and deliberately sent a dying man to the shop. The patient hadn't even been diagnosed properly when he dropped dead."
"The Jinmen Gang then stormed in, claiming that Li Siye's benefactor botched the treatment and demanded his life in return."
As Xu Qing listened, he kept an eye on the commotion inside, and seeing the ongoing argument, he turned his attention back to eating his snack.
"And what happened next? Surely they didn't expect the old doctor to actually be harmed by the Jinmen Gang, right? Wouldn't they fear legal repercussions?"
The assistant bared his teeth in a wry smile and asked, "Legal repercussions? You think the Jinmen Gang has no backing?"
"They came from Jinmen Prefecture City, after all!"
Xu Qing nodded and continued to ask, "So what happened to the old doctor?"
The assistant turned his head and gestured toward the ground in front of them.
"Look, he's lying right there. His body might still be warm. Speaking of which, you came just in time; Li Siye might ask you to take care of the funeral arrangements..."
Xu Qing followed the assistant's gaze to the stretcher placed in the middle of the hall, covered by a white cloth under which a person lay.
He never expected that he would run into such a task while out on business!
Just then, Li Siye, having calmed down a bit, lifted the curtain and was surprised to see Xu Qing. He quickly motioned him inside.
Inside, good quality coal burned in the stove as Li Siye continued fanning himself.
It's hard to say if all wealthy people live this way.
"Shopkeeper Xu, you're here at the right time. I need you to handle..." After explaining the arrangements for the old physician's funeral, Li Siye closed his fan, tapping Xu Qing on the shoulder with it.
"This isn't like your usual corpse business. He was my benefactor, so take good care of him. Ensure he goes off peacefully and with great honor, you hear me?"
Xu Qing nodded and agreed to this task, using the opportunity to bring up his own matter while Li Siye was still available.
"Siye, besides my shop on Underground Street in Linhe, I have no other place to settle. I thought this wasn't proper, so I came to the broker to see if there's an unused estate available..."
"You want to lease an estate?"
"No, I want to buy it."
Li Siye raised an eyebrow and immediately called for the steward who handled land and estate sales. After learning that there were a few estates still unsold or unleased, he had the steward accompany Xu Qing to view them.
Xu Qing, not wanting to be inconsiderate, suggested taking care of the deceased first before discussing business.
Li Siye was moved by this gesture and stopped treating Xu Qing formally.
"Younger Brother Xu, no need for formalities. From now on, you'll have my full support!"
Xu Qing smiled, cupped his hands in thanks, but did not dwell on it.
Leaving the broker, he began mobilizing people.
Since the client wanted a grand funeral for the old physician, it was time to use his professional skills and contacts in the burial industry.
Arriving at Underground Street, Xu Qing first had Hu the Elder select a good coffin, then asked the Candle Shop's proprietress to summon a team from the Funeral House, including musicians and professional mourners.
Next door, the Paper Mache Shop's paper horses and floral wreaths, and seasonal funeral banners, all had to be prepared accordingly.
The next morning, Xu Qing led the entire team from Funeral Street, exuding an eerie atmosphere, to Li Siye's gate.
At that moment, Li Siye had just woken up and was having his maid assist him with his morning routine when he heard a heart-wrenching wail outside.
The loud howling was followed by the sound of various funeral instruments at the door, jolting Li Siye fully awake.
"Who? Who is wailing outside my door so early?"
Opening the door, his servants quickly approached him, "Siye, don't forget, today is the old physician's funeral. You drank heavily last night and went to bed early. Shopkeeper Xu didn't want to disturb you, so he arranged the mourning hall and kept vigil overnight."
"Now they've brought the Funeral House team to prepare for the burial."
Li Siye patted his cheeks to wake up fully, then hurriedly removed his ornate robe and instructed, "Quick, bring me the mourning clothes!"
Outside, a group of brothers were waiting for him. If he went out in fine clothing, how could he claim to value emotions and righteousness?
When the servant brought the mourning clothes, Li Siye, standing behind the curtain, tried to squeeze out tears by recalling all the sad moments of his life, but not a single tear came out.
In a moment of desperation, he turned towards the brazier, using tongs to add fresh coals, producing smoke.
Soon, his eyes turned red, and tears flowed freely.
With tear-filled eyes, dressed in mourning attire, Li Siye joined the crowd in the courtyard. Seeing their master weeping, the brothers grew sorrowful as well, some even secretly wiping their tears, thinking their master was truly a man of deep emotions!
Xu Qing guided the mourners to pay respects, and Li Siye rushed to the front to weep and eulogize.
He spoke of how he had lost his parents early, and without the old physician's life-saving help, he wouldn't be who he was today.
By all accounts, he should rightly act as a filial son to honor his benefactor.
Halfway through the ceremony, Huang San, Chang Wu, and the rarely seen Xue Er, well-known figures from the broker, arrived.
If Li Siye's father had passed, as brothers, they had to be there.
The ceremony host, Xu Qing, never expected such a large turnout. Not only had the entire broker office arrived within half a day, but even merchants acquainted with the broker's owners showed up.
With no other option, Huang San ordered the accountant to set up a place for collecting funeral money.
Li Siye's face was numb from crying, but he had to keep up the act.
He had asked Xu Qing to manage a grand funeral, but he hadn't meant this grand!
Now it really seemed like he'd lost a parent.
After the funeral, Li Siye collapsed into a chair, glancing at Xu Qing but unable to speak.
Finally, he waved his hand, instructing the assistant to take Xu Qing to the accountant to settle the funeral costs, making sure full payment was made.
"Siye is a man of principles."
Receiving the payment, Xu Qing chatted briefly with the accountant before returning to Underground Street.
Starting at the first Funeral Banner Shop, he settled payments with each business involved in the funeral. By the time he returned to his store, night had fallen, engulfing the last light.
Locking up the store, lighting a lamp, Xu Qing finally had time to count his earnings for the day.