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Xu Qing followed his words and tried to smooth things over. "It was all because I was careless and lost the travel permit issued by my native township. I can't get away at the moment either. What a mess this has become. Looks like I'll have to think of another way."

As he spoke, he turned to leave.

"Sir, don't rush off. It's true that you can't obtain an identification plaque without a travel permit, but nobody said the travel permit itself can't be obtained!" The broker's assistant caught Xu Qing with his words. Seeing him actually turn back, he immediately put on an affected air. "However, this travel permit costs more than an identification plaque. I'll have to make that clear first. The price is this much!"

The assistant held up two fingers.

"Two hundred copper coins?"

"Two taels of silver!"

Xu Qing turned and left at once. When he reached the door and saw that the assistant had not followed, he returned as if nothing had happened.

Taking out two taels of silver, Xu Qing weighed them in his hand and said, "I have the money, but your identification plaque and travel permit can't be fake."

"That's impossible. We're an official brokerage. Everything has been approved by the Prefectural Yamen. See this seal? It was issued by a proper government office. Absolutely genuine!" The broker's assistant was the sort who saw money and forgot everything else. Now that business had arrived, he naturally sang the praises of the place. After offering a string of assurances, he invited Xu Qing into the inner room.

Obtaining a travel permit was no small matter. The assistant could not make the decision himself. The broker's manager had to inspect the person in person, and only after deciding that there was nothing wrong with him could they "fabricate" the document.

There were five managers at the Linhe Fang brokerage, each handling a different area. Some managed brothels and gambling dens, some oversaw fishing profits and river affairs, while others handled all kinds of businesses and trade along Linhe Street.

The person the assistant was taking Xu Qing to meet was Fourth Master Li, who was in charge of the various miscellaneous trades in Linhe.

It was still early. Aside from Fourth Master Li, Third Master Huang and Fifth Master Chang were also at the brokerage.

From his dress, Fourth Master Li looked like a refined scholar. He wore a Confucian scholar's long robe and an indigo scholar's cap, and he usually kept a folding fan at his side.

When he learned that Xu Qing wanted to replace his travel permit, Fourth Master Li raised his eyes and gave him a brief appraisal.

He seemed to have caught the scent of cosmetics on Xu Qing. Suddenly, he smiled and said, "You look like a delicate sort, not someone who causes trouble. I'll approve your travel permit."

With that, Fourth Master Li had the assistant bring ink, seals, and paper, then began asking Xu Qing about his birth date, birthplace, and name.

Xu Qing used Little Stone Village, where Liu Youdao had lived during his childhood, as his native township and filled in Xiangyin County as his place of origin. In roughly the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the travel permit and identification plaque were both ready.

It had to be said—when you had money, things got done with astonishing speed!

Fourth Master Li cheerfully accepted a little over two taels of silver. The money was not much, but it came far more smoothly than usual.

In the past, those obtaining travel permits and identification plaques had always been stingy and hesitant when paying. They were nothing like today's customer, who handed over the money without the slightest ambiguity, settling every copper coin in full.

"Brother Xu is a straightforward man. What sort of business do you run? Perhaps I might be able to look after you a little someday."

Xu Qing put away his identification plaque and shook his head. "I'm afraid ordinary people wouldn't be able to look after my business."

"Could it be that you think I'm joking? Tell me, then. I refuse to believe that here in Linhe, there's any business our brokerage can't look after!"

Xu Qing looked at the unconvinced manager and assistant. He could not help finding it amusing.

"It's nothing unusual. I've simply opened a Corpse Driver's Shop. On ordinary days, I handle corpse collection and preparation, Spirit Relocation and Burial, and the like..."

When Fourth Master Li heard this, his breathing caught. The nearby Third Master Huang and Fifth Master Chang, however, were delighted.

"Didn't Fourth Master just say he could look after Boss Xu's business? Why don't you skip going home tonight, lie down in a coffin, and let the brothers carry you to Boss Xu's shop to show our support?"

After Third Master Huang finished speaking, the brokerage instantly filled with cheerful laughter.

"Huang, don't mock me. So what if he does Undertaker Business? I can still get my hands into it!"

Fourth Master Li spat to the side and turned toward Xu Qing.

"To be honest, Boss Xu, our brokerage often travels the streets and alleys. We know how many people and dogs live on every street, and whose Young Wife ran away with someone else. We know everything by heart! Let alone when someone in a household dies. If Boss Xu is willing, I can have my men make the introductions. From now on, whenever there's a funeral job, we can invite Boss Xu to handle it."

A broker's assistant had another identity as well: a middleman, much like an intermediary or headhunter. They were best at weaving connections and profiting in the middle.

Xu Qing did not think the other party was being so kind as to introduce business to him for free. There was surely some trick hidden in this!

Sure enough, Fourth Master Li immediately added, "Of course, our brokerage can't make the connection for nothing. If Boss Xu is willing, we'll split it fifty-fifty. How about it?"

Taking half the profit! If this had happened to anyone else, they would certainly have been a hundred times unwilling.

All you did was make the introduction, while someone else handled all the real work and hardship, and afterward you still demanded half the profit. That was shameless beyond words!

Xu Qing, however, was not an ordinary person. He was not very interested in how much money he made. What mattered was the introduction to "dead people."

After all, he could transcend corpses and scrape rewards from the Duren Sutra. As long as there were enough dead people, why would he fear earning too little money?

Xu Qing agreed on the spot. Fourth Master Li fetched paper, and the two of them signed an agreement. After this entire exchange, Third Master Huang and Fifth Master Chang could only stare in bewilderment.

Brilliant. Truly brilliant!

There were no shortage of wealthy people in Linhe Fang, and nobles and high officials abounded. If someone in one of those households died and needed Spirit Relocation and a funeral, they certainly would not be stingy. They would surely hold a grand ceremony!

If there was one funeral a month, that would mean twelve sources of income a year. Thinking of the profits hidden within, the two masters grew envious.

He really was worthy of having studied and passed the county-level scholar examination. Fourth Master truly could bring Undertaker Business to life!

After this small interlude, Xu Qing's thoughts began to stir as well. He asked Fourth Master Li whether there were any channels here for purchasing corpses. As long as there was supply, he could buy it all.

As for the price, they could negotiate.

Fourth Master Li's breathing caught again when he heard this. Boss Xu's path was a little wild!

"I misjudged you. I never realized Boss Xu was an expert."

Before this, rumors about the Corpse Labor Mill had circulated through Linhe Fang. Although the authorities had suppressed them later, that did not mean the matter had come from empty air!

As an official broker, Fourth Master Li naturally knew some secrets.

Perhaps this fair-faced young man was involved in the underworld trade, or perhaps he was a true expert with connections to that line of work!

"Boss Xu, I've heard a little about the business you mentioned. The Yi Zhuang outside, where corpses are stored and transported, deals in this sort of thing. An unclaimed corpse generally costs between one hundred and five hundred copper coins.

"Whenever there's an Autumn Execution, there are also people at the yamen who collect the corpses. But you have to make arrangements in advance. After all, an intact corpse and one that's been beheaded don't fetch the same price."

At this point, Fourth Master Li could not help baring his teeth. Even though he was well-informed, he truly did not understand much about matters involving those unorthodox underworld trades.

"Heh, we don't know what those people collect the corpses for, either. Maybe they take them into the mountains to dig coal, or into a mill to push the millstone..."

"But none of that matters. Our brokerage only handles introductions and acts as the middleman. As for how each shopkeeper conducts their business..." Fourth Master Li smiled meaningfully. "That's their own affair. We don't concern ourselves with it."

Xu Qing understood what he meant. So the brokerage only cared about collecting its money. Whether that money was clean had nothing to do with them. If anything went wrong, he would bear it himself!

They said that no merchant was honest, and it seemed the saying was indeed true. The profession of broker and middleman was the pinnacle of that principle!

Although the deal had been struck, Xu Qing still had to make a few things clear beforehand.

"I naturally trust Fourth Master's abilities, but I have a few requirements regarding the sources. They must be unclaimed corpses. They can't be stolen, robbed, or dug out of someone's grave in the middle of the night. I feel that would damage one's virtue.

"After all, the dead were people too..."

Xu Qing claimed that he was worried about damaging his virtue, but the main reason was that ownerless corpses were less likely to cause trouble.

As the saying went, wherever there were people, there was Jianghu. When someone had just died, the waters of the Jianghu would grow even more turbulent. If you brought in an owned corpse without the family's consent, who knew how the deceased's relatives and friends might cause a scene afterward?

Therefore, for Xu Qing, who was just starting out, it was best to avoid trouble whenever possible!

Fourth Master Li thought it over and did not object.

There were so many condemned criminals executed by the government every year. In the end, their corpses were either buried or sold, and hardly any family members came to collect them.

Once the two had settled the deal, Xu Qing had also made himself known. He felt that if one of the masters at the brokerage kicked the bucket in the future, they might send the corpse here for preparation and a funeral. After all, he was practically one of their own now, and they would surely give him some discount when the time came.

After leaving the brokerage, Xu Qing felt refreshed all over.

In less than half an hour since he had left, he had not only obtained an identification plaque but also found a new source of goods for his business.

Could it be that a person's luck improved after death?

Xu Qing was speechless. Perhaps it was not that luck improved after death, but that he had been too restrained while alive, to the point that it had affected his own feng shui.

This was mentioned in Arts of Civil and Martial Geomancy as well.

Now that he was a zombie, he had no car payments or mortgage weighing on him. With an open and unburdened heart, he would naturally influence his fortune indirectly.

When he reached the vegetable market, Xu Qing looked toward a raised platform. That was where Autumn Executions were carried out, and it was also called the Execution Ground.

It was the first month of the year, and the Execution Ground stood empty and deserted. Below it, however, many vendors were selling vegetables and miscellaneous goods, presenting the lively scene of a bustling morning market.

"The Corpse Nurturing Scripture says that old persimmons gather the essence of moonlight at night. When they ripen, extreme yin gives birth to yang, and their flavor changes from astringent to sweet, like eating honey. They can make zombies drool..."

Xu Qing made a circuit but did not see any vendors selling fresh persimmons. He did find two shops selling persimmon cakes, though.

"Hiss—sweet!"

Xu Qing tasted a persimmon cake covered in white frost. His mouth immediately filled with saliva. Although he did not feel any obvious change in his body after eating it, it was still a perfectly edible delicacy for satisfying a craving.

Besides persimmons, Bayberry Fruit was also part of a zombie's diet.

There was no other reason. Bayberries also possessed the effect of gathering moonlight.

That was why, whenever Xu Qing passed the Incense and Candle Shop, he always felt a powerful urge to gnaw on candles.

The reason was simply that the candles in the Incense and Candle Shop contained Bayberry Fruit oil and animal fat among their raw materials.

Both happened to be materials that zombies could eat.

After buying the ingredients, Xu Qing browsed the streets and picked up several objects that could improve feng shui.

Things like the Four Treasures of the Study and auspicious-beast wood carvings. Besides that, he asked the vendors at the flower-and-bird market to send several pots of Clivia and Money Trees to his shop whenever they had the time.

In any case, he was not short of money for the moment. Even if he squandered all of Liu Youdao's coffin money, he still had the Golden Clapper and Silver Clapper he had received as a backup after transcending beggars at the Corpse Labor Mill.

Of course, he certainly was not going to hold the clappers and perform lotus-fall songs to beg for alms. He could simply pawn them at a pawnshop, or melt and cut them into scraps of gold and silver. Wouldn't he have money again then?

It was just a pity that, when he had transcended a beggar back then, the reward he had received was the Dog Beating Staff.

At the time, to evade the constables chasing him into the alley, he had been forced to throw the Dog Beating Staff and the iron bowl he used for begging outside the alley.

The Dog Beating Staff itself was nothing extraordinary. The main point was that, in both his previous and present lives, Xu Qing had never seen such a straight staff.

It was simply the staff of his dreams. He would never forget it in either lifetime!

Perhaps there really was some mysterious connection at work. Just as Xu Qing was lamenting the loss of the Dog Beating Staff, several constables patrolling the streets came from the opposite end.

The constable leading them was holding a polished, smoothly curved staff and tapping it against his other hand.

Before Xu Qing could take another look, the constable, who had the fierce brows and tiger eyes of a thug, turned his head toward him.

"What a girly-looking man. Reeking of cosmetics. Bah!"

Patrol Captain Zhao Zhonghe wrinkled his nose and spat to the side.

Xu Qing staggered at his words and forcibly restrained himself from looking back.

If he had not needed to disguise himself and prepare corpses, who would waste their time applying powder and moisturizing?

He's carrying my staff, and he still dares to sneer at me. Xu Qing memorized the other man completely.

Keep showing off. One day, when you're lying flat on a plank, let's see if I don't scrape several layers of white powder across your face!

Back at the Corpse Driver's Shop, Xu Qing removed the four door panels. While waiting for business to come knocking, he began preparing his next zombie meal.

He sliced the candles bought from the Incense and Candle Shop into thin pieces and arranged them neatly on a plate. The remaining candle tips with cotton wicks were placed in the middle and lit as decoration.

The persimmon cakes covered in white frost were placed on a new plate. He drizzled egg white in a circle around them, and they instantly became translucent amid their whiteness, as if a snail had crawled across them, crystalline as snow.

The main dish was a bowl of steamed pig's blood.

After dinner, he would burn a stick of Spirit Incense. It would be the height of comfort!

The only pity was that no business came to the shop for two days in a row. It was not only Xu Qing's place—even the neighboring Paper Craft Shop and Incense and Candle Shop were cold and deserted, with hardly a soul passing through their doors.

With nothing else to do, Xu Qing began tending flowers and plants, while also giving the shop's feng shui a thorough overhaul.

He did not arrange it according to the feng shui of a Yang House, however. Instead, he used the feng shui of a graveyard to arrange his Yang House.

He was a zombie, after all, so he naturally had to adapt to local customs. The heavier the yin energy in the shop, the more comfortable he would be!

That day, Xu Qing opened the shop's doors early. He had thought that getting one business deal before nightfall would count as a flourishing trade, but before even the time it took to drink a cup of tea had passed, two constables carried a corpse wrapped in an old cloth bundle into the shop.

After asking about their identities and the reason for their visit, Xu Qing learned that Fourth Master Li at the brokerage had exerted some influence. The corpse was that of a criminal who had died in prison the previous day.

"Fourth Master said that collecting corpses from you was both convenient and fairly priced, so we came. Normally, someone would have to go to the yamen and deal with the corpse personally. As for the price, one corpse would cost at least two or three taels of silver..."

Xu Qing did not investigate whether the two constables were telling the truth. He simply went to the counter, took out three taels of silver, and handed them over—no more and no less.

The two constables instantly broke into delighted smiles.

"Fourth Master was right. Shopkeeper Xu really is straightforward! Nothing else to say—when we have more goods next time, we'll definitely come back to look after your business."