Unyielding Bone of Dust

The sturdy man had truly pondered the question Lin Suqing had just raised, but as he spoke, he suddenly realized that the example he had given was somewhat inappropriate and felt a bit guilty, hastily reminding everyone.

"Let's keep this talk among ourselves, brothers. Don't mention it to anyone else. If a meddlesome person hears it and starts rumors, I could be accused of criticizing the Emperor, and I would lose my head for it."

Lin Suqing nodded in agreement, "Don't worry, I won't mention it to anyone."

The example given by the sturdy man indeed posed a contradictory dilemma. He couldn't help but reflect on the sturdy man's words.

The crux of the problem was the opportunity to demonstrate one's abilities. Opportunity was the answer.

In the example provided by the sturdy man, whether it was the Emperor or that commoner, it was only when their talents were put to use that they were positively recognized.

Lin Suqing thought of himself, having once described himself as a crocodile waiting for its prey, clamping down hard when the prey came near. What he needed, too, was an opportunity, a chance to showcase his own abilities.

But when would such an opportunity come his way? He really didn't want to be seen as weak any longer.

Unknowingly, he had arrived in Four Fields County.

Four Fields County was not as bustling and illustrious as Floating Jade City, and even the placename lacked a grand archway. There was just a large stele erected at the crossroads, with the words "Four Fields County" roughly inscribed in black lacquer, the characters hurried and the paint peeling away.

At that moment, the skinny little guy asked Lin Suqing, "Young brother, do you know where the household you need to deliver the letter to is located?"

This stumped him, as he only knew the family was surnamed Xu and that they had a daughter-in-law about to be forcibly married by the Ye Family; he had no clue of their exact location.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not too sure myself, I'll have to wait for daylight to come before I can start looking."

"Oh... I see..." The skinny little guy pondered for a moment, then suggested, "It's the dead of night and pitch dark; you won't find an inn. Us itinerant traders know a few familiar folks in every place, which comes in handy for finding somewhere to stay when we travel at night. If you don't mind, why not come with us?"

"Big brother, you are too kind!" Lin Suqing quickly thanked him with clasped fists, not bothering with formality in the face of this timely help.

Ever since the three of them had traveled together, perhaps due to their collective spirit, they hadn't encountered any demons or ghosts on the way. Now, with the night deepening and their company, it was certainly for the best.

"Then come with us. We'll also help you ask around when we set up our stalls at dawn. Let's go, let's go."

With that, they led him to the very first household in Four Fields County, which seemed to have anticipated their arrival, for despite the darkness of the late hour, when all other lights were extinguished, their house remained lit.

...

The place they sought shelter was a reasonably spacious quadrangle courtyard, constructed from ordinary green bricks and gray walls. White lanterns hung at the entrance, with the character "Offering" written in black ink on them. It turned out not to be a deliberate wait with the lights on but rather a result of circumstances.

Lin Suqing briefly counted the funeral banners hanging in front of the door and calculated that the person who had passed away must have been only around twenty-two years old. Such a pity to die so young.

"Uncle Xu." They knocked on the door with a familiarity derived from frequent visits.

Lin Suqing was surprised. This family was named Xu? Could it be the very one he was looking for?

Soon the door opened, revealing an old man in a white linen robe, holding a candlestick and rubbing his bleary eyes as he took a look at them.

"Ah, it's you guys." He suddenly noticed Lin Suqing's unfamiliar face and asked with curiosity, "But who is this...?"

The others stepped aside to make way for Lin Suqing, and the skinny little guy introduced him, "We picked him up on the road; he's come to Four Fields County to deliver a letter."

"Oh... Well, I'm afraid you can't stay tonight. Our few vacant rooms have been taken by relatives." Uncle Xu indicated the Copper Coins spread on the ground and the white lanterns and funeral banners hanging outside, as if simply stating a household affair, "Ah, you've seen for yourselves."

The skinny little guy sighed and said, "Uncle Xu, we indeed came at an inconvenient time."

Yet, instead of giving up and looking elsewhere, the skinny one handed over a string of Copper Coins, "Uncle Xu, it's pitch black, and we've nowhere to seek lodging. Could you maybe clear a space for us brothers to huddle for the night?"

The sturdy man chimed in, "Yeah, any place where we can lay our heads will do; we don't need a whole room just to rest for the night."

Uncle Xu hesitated only briefly before accepting the Copper Coins. Who would turn down money, especially since they had not specifically asked for separate rooms.

"If you don't mind, there's an empty room behind the spirit hall that you can use."

The tall one said with a simple smile, "As long as we can rest and sleep, we don't mind where it is."

Lin Suqing, however, felt uneasy within. It turned out that the deceased of this house was the daughter-in-law, and it appeared she had died quite recently. The room behind the spirit hall was originally meant for family members to rest during the head-shaving ceremony. Staying there as outsiders, wouldn't they be practically neighbors with the corpse?

Uncle Xu looked at the other two men, and both the sturdy man and the skinny little guy nodded in agreement, willing to stay behind the spirit hall for a night. Lin Suqing hesitated, but it seemed his opinion wasn't considered by Uncle Xu.

Seeing that the three had agreed, Uncle Xu stepped aside to let them in, saying, "Alright then, follow me."

As Uncle Xu led the way, trembling slightly, he explained, "My daughter-in-law died suddenly from an illness, and it wouldn't be right to use my own coffin for her, would it? The new coffin that had been rushed hasn't arrived yet, so her remains can only be kept in the spirit hall. I hope you all won't mind."