Trees have roots, water has sources.
The corpse workers in Cui's Mill must also have their source; it's just uncertain whether it comes from people of the underworld or from fellow corpse drivers.
Smelling that familiar scent, Xu Qing estimated that the source wasn't far away, perhaps even within Cuiyun Building itself.
With the notion of "minding one's own business," he didn't want to investigate the origin of that incense aroma.
Gathering his thoughts, Xu Qing entered the private box in the embroidery tower and sat by the window. In front of him, crimson Sichuan brocade curtains hung down. Opening the curtain and hanging it on a silver hook would reveal the lively scene below the winding corridors.
The main hall of Cuiyun Building covered a considerable area. Some customers came for tea and amusement, sitting at tables below, watching young women enchant and dance on stage.
Upstairs, there were warm incense burners, and within, beautiful silk-clad companions.
Hearing light footsteps, Xu Qing lowered the curtain and turned to look at the screen painted with hibiscus flowers.
The tower he had chosen had an elegant name: Twin Hibiscus.
It was so named because the main attraction of the tower wasn't a single person, but a pair of twin sisters.
At this moment, the two sisters, gently stepping with lotus-like grace, made their entrance.
Upon casting a glance, Xu Qing saw one dressed in a purple silk dress with a charming figure, and the other in a pink jacket and white skirt, delicate and lovable.
"What are your names?" he asked.
"I am Zixi, (and I am Qiao Rui)," they replied.
When Xu Qing chose this tower, the name seemed familiar to him. Now, upon seeing these two girls and hearing their names...
Wasn't this the place that the County Magistrate's daughter, who possessed the Sacred Body for grinding tofu, often visited!
Tut, this Cuiyun Building truly encompassed everything.
Xu Qing perked up and began asking the twin flowers what special skills they had and what arts they excelled in.
Broad-minded Zixi smiled coquettishly, twisting her slender waist as she handed over a program booklet with illustrations.
Pouring himself a cup of tea, the steamy aroma mingled with a fragrant breeze. In the numerous services offered, Xu Qing chose the must-see performances of Furong Building: Twin Sisters Performing Hibiscus and Spring Chamber Complaint.
He quietly admired the first performance and realized it was actually a reenactment of the opera script with two phoenixes competing for the love of a mynah bird.
The second program was a musical piece telling a story about two young women in a boudoir yearning for love, playing music together. Naturally, during the singing and playing, there would be segments where the women would help each other resolve their emotions and relieve their inner turmoil.
"The candle drops fell, lightly furrowing delicate brows, slightly drunk.
The restless hearts, untangled silk threads, gazed down at dejected spirits.
The tide comes, the tide goes, sweet sleep under the moonlit night…"
Even with Xu Qing's extensive past life's experience, he couldn't help but admit his knowledge was lacking.
With such singing skills and grace, it was no exaggeration to call it art.
During the intermission, Xu Qing tapped his tea cup, signaling for the big teapot to bring more candles.
The big teapot, hidden behind the curtain, couldn't see inside and could only wonder why the candles burned so quickly today.
After hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but remind, "Sir, please be gentle. Don't exhaust our girls. If they get hurt, you'll have to compensate."
...
At dawn, his experiences enriched once again, Xu Qing stepped out of Cuiyun Building.
During his time there, he had observed many girls using the Palace's secret technique, Thirteen Methods of Identifying Female Chastity. But disappointingly, the twin flowers of Furong Building were not virgins, nor was the courtesan of the premier Brocade Simurgh Pavilion, despite her claim of selling art, not body.
But thinking it through, he became resigned. In a place like this, how could there be truly pure girls?
Even if there were, they would be as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns—a rarity among thousands of clients.
...
Leaving Long Lamp Street, Xu Qing walked through the market as if nothing had happened.
At a morning food stall, a group of diners were discussing last night's fire at Cui's Mill.
"I heard dozens of people died. Is it true?"
"Nonsense! The steward already clarified: it was just dozens of mules and donkeys. There were no human casualties!"
The speaker was nonchalant, but the listener paid attention.
Xu Qing found it odd. Earlier, he had seen officers from the Patrol Office heading towards the mill. Cui's Mill using walking corpses in place of mules must have been exposed.
But now, it seemed this incident hadn't been revealed?
Approaching a food stall, Xu Qing ordered a bowl of hot duck blood soup, with green onions and cilantro on top, which smelled decent.
Sitting at the stall, he continued listening to the customers' discussion.
Unfortunately, they only talked about trivial matters, nothing that could stir Xu Qing's emotions.
When he was superintending corpses and learning about their life stories, Xu Qing had witnessed far more intriguing events than what these common folk knew. His tastes had become quite refined; such inconsequential talk could no longer satisfy him.
While blowing the foam off his duck blood soup, ready to taste it, a wide hand, bearing the Guanzhong Treasure Saber three feet three inches long, suddenly slammed onto the table in front of him.
"Old Zhang, by the head, one bowl of lamb offal soup each, with two buns, and more green onions!"
Zhao Zhonghe sat down across from Xu Qing, their eyes meeting across the long table.
Zhao Zhonghe, reeking of smoke and fire, even had the scent of burnt corpses if sniffed closely.
His knuckle-thick hands were covered in charcoal-like soot, indicating he had just come from the fire scene, without having cleaned up yet.
"What are you staring at!"
An already irate Zhao Zhonghe glared at Xu Qing. Seeing Xu Qing lower his head and silently drink his soup, he spat and repeated what he had said upon first meeting him—
"A sissy, covered in powder, pfft!"
"..."
Xu Qing stopped drinking his soup and slowly raised his head to look at him.
He had placed a Mute Dog Spell on himself and sprinkled powder to mask the zombie scent, which had a similar scent to face powder, but what business was that of Zhao Zhonghe?
Zhao Zhonghe, seeing Xu Qing look up, snorted again, his anger inexplicable.
From the start, the two had taken a dislike to each other, and now, Xu Qing's mood soured further.
Repeatedly provoking him was bad enough; bearing the flaunting of his dream weapon daily was infuriating. But now, this fellow picked out the cilantro from his soup!
That he couldn't tolerate!
Xu Qing found fault like picking bones from an egg, got up, and went over to settle the bill with the stall owner.
"How much?"
"Eight coins."
"Here's twenty, keep the change."
Handing over a string of copper plates, Xu Qing stealthily used the Yang Pei Technique to swipe the stall owner's chimney-cleaning thin stick as he left.
Passing by Zhao Zhonghe, he deftly swapped the chimney stick for his dog-beating stick.
Then, he walked away without looking back.
When Zhao Zhonghe finished his lamb soup and reached to pay, touching his waist, something felt wrong.
It didn't feel right!
Groping his beloved stick, Zhao Zhonghe froze.
His hand was covered in charcoal soot!
The stall owner, witnessing this scene, quickly dismissed it, "Chief Zhao, if you like it, take it. I'll make another one later..."
Zhao Zhonghe's face turned darker than the soot on his hand.