Brokerage

The night was deep and quiet, the perfect time for digging for treasure and striking gold.

Inside the Corpse Driver's Shop, Xu Qing had searched high and low, turning over the bedding, the counter, the bottom of the stove, and the rice bin. Except for the two bound coffins against the west wall, which he hadn't dared to touch, he had scoured almost every place that could hide something.

"Where on earth did that old fox Liu Youdao hide the treasures for refining and nurturing corpses?"

Xu Qing looked at the meager haul from his half-day's work and sighed again.

A dozen taels of silver, a pile of copper coins, and the shop's deed found under the floorboards.

Other than that, there were no other materials or items in the Corpse Driver's Shop that could be used for nurturing or refining corpses.

"Could it be that the real treasures are hidden inside the coffins?"

At this thought, Xu Qing's gaze fell upon the two somber-looking wooden coffins standing by the west wall of the room.

One coffin was bound with red rope, tied in a crisscross pattern with three horizontal and two vertical strands according to the traditional method for securing coffins. It was tied up tight.

The other coffin was even stranger. It wasn't bound with rope, but with 'fake ropes' made from ink lines dipped in cinnabar water and rooster blood, marked with a chalk line. Eighty-one such lines, nine by nine, were drawn on it. Many yellow talismans were plastered on the coffin boards, making it look like it had lost a night of gambling, with strips of yellow paper all over its face.

The only similarity was that both coffins had banners draped over them, as if to seal something inside.

Xu Qing walked up to them, circling them several times. In the end, he obediently went back to slurping raw eggs.

Anyone foolish enough would dare to touch such an obviously malevolent thing!

As for him, a newly emerged little zombie, it was best to sit at the children's table.

Although raw eggs weren't the most effective, they were at least within the dietary range specified in the Corpse Nurturing Scripture.

After finishing his eggs, Xu Qing lit two sticks of Spirit Incense. Once he was full and satisfied, he went to the backyard to begin bathing in moonlight.

This life was too plain!

It felt just like the last few days of the month when he was working in his previous life, eating only radishes and cabbage, with no oil or fat.

After bathing in the Yin energy of the moonlight all night, Xu Qing's mouth felt so bland it was about to fall out!

He went to the stove, lit a fire, and started boiling water. He steamed the pig's blood he bought yesterday with beaten egg yolks, adding a sprinkle of chopped scallions, minced ginger, a little salt, and sesame oil...

However, by the time it was steamed, the four to five pounds of pig's blood had dwindled to less than a pound!

What happened?

Oh, it turned out that before the raw pig's blood was even put into the steamer, the cook had tasted it and scraped off three pounds with his tongue!

Raw blood really did taste better!

Xu Qing ate the remaining pound of steamed pig's blood in the pot, but his mind was still on the taste of the raw blood.

At this rate, who knew how many years it would take to cultivate an Ironclad Body.

The so-called Ironclad Body originated from the three types of Wandering Corpses described in Corpse Sayings: the Ironclad Wandering Corpse, the Silverclad Wandering Corpse, and the Goldclad Wandering Corpse. This was the first stage of a zombie's evolution.

The external manifestation of an Ironclad Corpse was skin as hard as iron and stone, impervious to ordinary weapons.

Xu Qing extended his thumb and tried to slice his fingertip with a kitchen knife. As he increased the force, his skin was cut by the sharp blade, leaving a thin gash.

Although it was indeed much tougher than an ordinary person's, it could still be cut with a little force.

He estimated that his current physical strength was far from even the lowest tier of Wandering Corpses. At most, he was only at the stage where he could be kicked back by a corpse driver the moment he crawled out of his grave.

"Forget it, there's still a long way to go. I'll take it slow!"

Xu Qing knew that rushing would only make him anxious. The materials for nurturing corpses weren't something that could be obtained just because he wanted them. What was most important for him right now was to obtain an Identification Plaque. Once he had this small plaque, he would be able to search for materials in Linhe Fang more conveniently.

Linhe Fang was, after all, the most prosperous water and land trade hub in Great Yong. As long as he could establish a firm foothold, would he still be afraid of not being able to find things for nurturing and refining corpses?

The cock crowed at dawn.

The sky was just about to lighten. Early in the morning, the Night Soil Collectors were already pushing their carts, collecting 'night fertilizer' from house to house.

Night Soil Collectors were also called Tippers, and it was a very lucrative position. The Dream of the Capital Record once recorded a passage about a certain place: "The population was numerous, and households in the streets and alleys mostly lacked latrines, using only chamber pots. Every day, there were people who would come to empty them, called 'Tippers.'

Furthermore, the competition among these Tippers was fierce. They each had their private clients and dared not encroach on each other's territory. If there was any encroachment, the owner of the waste would surely dispute it, and in severe cases, it would lead to a lawsuit in the prefectural court. Beyond that, there were also boats loaded with night soil and manure, transporting it in fleets..."

From this, one could see how sought-after and profitable this trade was!

Unfortunately, people's joys and sorrows were not shared. After becoming a zombie, Xu Qing's sense of smell was far more acute than that of ordinary people. At this moment, as the Night Soil Collectors returned with their wooden buckets sloshing with liquid, the 'smoky' stench was enough to choke an elephant!

Although he liked the "smell of human fireworks," this was not the kind of smell he meant!

When the sky was fully bright, the mysterious Night Soil Collectors had disappeared. As usual, before going out, Xu Qing set up a bronze mirror and applied various rouges and powders to his body, not forgetting to reapply the powder to remove corpse qi.

Once he was adorned to look lifelike, Xu Qing finally went out to handle his business.

He had three things to do today. First, to see if the Brokerage had any channels for obtaining an Identification Plaque. Second, to visit the market and see if he could find any ingredients that zombies could eat.

The third task was to purchase a dressing table, which would be convenient for his future makeup and grooming needs.

Upon arriving at the Brokerage, Xu Qing first surveyed the environment. He found that there were quite a few things that could be handled here: brokering land sales, purchasing agricultural products and textiles, and lending money at usurious rates.

There were also those who brokered shipping and hired boats, claiming to be the owners of the wharf and fish market, managing the water affairs of thousands of fishermen along the Baisha River.

Further inside, Xu Qing even saw people openly engaged in the human trafficking business!

However, after thinking about it, he felt relieved. The Brokerages in Great Yong were official institutions, likely backed by powerful figures. As long as there was profit to be made, let alone selling people, someone would even dare to go to the tomb of an emperor from the previous dynasty to pull out his gold tooth and deliver it!

Someone might ask, if I wanted a tooth from the current emperor, would someone take the job?

The answer is yes, it can be done, but you'll have to wait a few years. Once the Great Yong Dynasty is overthrown, people will dare to smash and deliver even the Emperor's skull, let alone a single tooth, if you can afford the price!

The prerequisite is that you must be able to afford it.

Someone might ask, "What if I don't have money?"

It doesn't matter if you don't have money. As long as you enter a brokerage, you can find a deal.

Look over there, in the corners – brothels, casinos, and gentlemen's clubs. There's always something that suits you.

Xu Qing took a stroll and got a general idea.

Although this brokerage seemed like a place that would swallow you whole and never spit you out, it could also be used to accomplish many difficult tasks if utilized properly.

Perhaps, besides the identification plaque, he could also find materials for nurturing corpses here.

After familiarizing himself with the brokerage's environment, Xu Qing found a clerk to inquire about replacing his identification plaque.

The so-called identification plaque was a form of identification at this time. Without it, one could hardly move.

The identification plaques of the Great Yong Dynasty also had their distinctions. The identity plaques of court officials were mostly made from ivory and gold, showcasing their high status and taste.

Wealthy landlords and gentry mostly used animal bones, copper, and iron.

As for commoners, as long as they stayed in their villages and didn't usually conduct business in the city, they wouldn't need such a thing. However, if they needed to travel far or move to a town or city, they would absolutely need an identification plaque as proof of identity.

The clerk clearly knew about these matters and began to probe for information.

"Are you new to Linhe Fang, sir?"

Xu Qing nodded. "I'm doing a small business. Having an identification plaque would be more convenient."

"Heh, indeed. To be honest with you, sir, in a couple more days, when the city walls outside the district are sealed, this identification plaque will truly become a necessity!"

While the clerk spoke casually, Xu Qing, who was listening intently, inquired, "Perhaps I'm just ignorant. You seem very knowledgeable. Do you know anything about this?"

"What could it be? It's just that Yaozhou is suffering from a famine, and they're afraid all the refugees will come here!"

While making small talk, the clerk didn't forget the main business. "The identification plaque will definitely be more expensive then, but I like you, sir. I'll still give you yesterday's price: one hundred and twenty copper coins."

Hearing the quote, Xu Qing initially didn't think it was too expensive. But when he was about to complete the transaction, he discovered the problem.

"Sir, you don't have a travel permit? It's difficult to handle without a travel permit!" The brokerage clerk immediately put down the wooden plaque and stamp he was holding. "A travel permit needs to be registered at the government office. Without a travel permit, I dare not process your identification plaque."

Xu Qing immediately caught the implication in the clerk's words.

The clerk only said it was difficult and that he dared not do it, but he didn't say it was impossible. This meant there was room for negotiation.