"": 200,
"": "",
"": "Mao Yousan hummed a tune as he opened the courtyard gate, several bags in his hands.
Once inside the main hall, he began setting things up.
The three animal sacrifices were essential. Three whole animals would have been excessive, but the heads of a pig, an ox, and a sheep took up little space while still making a respectable display.
Mao Yousan arranged the fruit platters, pastries, incense candles, and all the other little necessities in their proper places.
The three Dao corpses moved as well, heading into the other rooms to bring out a tea stove and light a fire to boil tea.
An hour or so later, Mao Yousan finally had everything ready.
"Old man, I'm the star today. Sorry for the trouble, but let your disciple have your seat." Mao Yousan smiled with narrowed eyes at his master's living corpse.
Then he coughed. Two Dao corpses stepped forward and lifted the Grand Master's Chair, while the third picked up the stove. Without changing the chair's orientation, they moved it into a corner of the main hall.
Next, the three Dao corpses went into another room and carried out another Grand Master's Chair. This one was much newer. Mao Yousan went over and sat down, looking satisfied.
The tea came to a boil, and a Dao corpse poured him a cup.
Holding his teacup in one hand, Mao Yousan glanced at the table. Three boxes sat there, all uncovered.
The first box contained a talisman.
It was a wooden talisman, its inscriptions intricate. Two words were faintly discernible within them: one, goodness.
This talisman contained a special Taoist art.
The second box held a book. It was not particularly old and had no cover.
Mao Yousan picked it up and leafed through it,