The restoration of Corpse Burners' Hall turned out to be even grander than expected.
At first, it was just a few craftsmen studying how to patch up the hole in the courtyard wall, which looked normal enough, but then more and more people gathered.
Dozens of people surrounded Corpse Burners' Hall in a dark mass, chattering among themselves, even Ren Qing sensed that something wasn't right.
Soon after, the craftsmen transported in newly fired bricks, and over a hundred catties of tiles, making it look like full-scale construction.
The corner of Ren Qing's mouth twitched, could it be that Clerk Zhao misheard? What I said was to repair the wall, not rebuild the whole place.
Bo Feng was even more anxious and fearful, worried that it was his own negligence that caused this.
Just then, Clerk Zhao walked toward Corpse Burners' Hall with a broad smile. Ren Qing hurriedly stepped forward and pulled him into a side room.
Clerk Zhao poured some tea and said proudly, "Brother Ren, still satisfied I hope?"
According to his plan, Corpse Burners' Hall would undergo a complete expansion, with Ren Qing's room made into an independent section.
Ren Qing asked with a blank expression, "Daoist Zhao, what do you want me to help with?"
Clerk Zhao gave an awkward laugh and rubbed his hands together, revealing a submissiveness even greater than when facing the county magistrate. "Well..."
"Out with it."
"Sanxiang City holds the provincial-level xiangshi exam every five years. This time it will be held at Qinghe Examination Hall in the west of the city and should be under our jurisdiction."
Afraid Ren Qing would refuse, he quickly added, "It's not much trouble really, I just want to ask Brother Ren to help keep watch."
After he finished, Clerk Zhao took a slightly helpless sip of tea.
The civil service exam was a major event in Sanxiang City.
Normally, after becoming a tongsheng (child student), scholars needed to pass the prefectural exam to become xiucai (licentiate). To become a juren (provincial graduate), they had to take part in this xiangshi exam.
Perhaps due to Xiangxiang being rather closed off, the exams were held infrequently, and reportedly, very few scholars were admitted.
As for the palace exams, they were unheard of, and no juren had ever gone to serve in posts outside the region.
Ren Qing asked with some confusion, "Why haven't I heard people talking about this?"
"Well, there's still half a month to go, and the temple fair in the west of the city has already started, so naturally people aren't paying attention to the exam yet."
The so-called temple fair referred to the one at the Temple of the Fertility Goddess, located in a remote part of the city's west.
People prayed to the Fertility Goddess for childbirth blessings. The incense offerings were usually quite flourishing, and the temple priestess was often invited to assist with deliveries, acting as a midwife.
From Clerk Zhao, Ren Qing learned the temple fair would last about seven days and would not overlap with the exam schedule.
He agreed: "It's just a small matter, no problem."
Clerk Zhao expressed his thanks repeatedly. As he left, he even quietly slipped a fifty-tael silver note under Ren Qing's teacup, full marks for worldly etiquette.
However, Ren Qing now had little interest in mundane silver. He casually tucked the note into the Prison Within the Abdomen.
In the following days, he stayed at Corpse Burners' Hall to practice the Dragon-Snake Spine.
Huang Ziwan visited once, but only for a casual chat, which left Ren Qing slightly disappointed.
Right now, what he needed most was to take on a few Restraint Officers' Hall tasks to earn some blood crystal.
But Sanxiang City was becoming increasingly stable, mainly due to the temple fair and the civil exam, which led to patrol constables swarming the west end of the city from morning till night.
Even the gangs were on their best behavior, quietly minding their own turf.
With nothing else to do, Ren Qing decided to relax by visiting the temple fair, something that only existed in the childhood memories of his previous life.
He deliberately picked the evening. The streets near the temple were lined with lanterns, and a rich scent of fireworks filled the air.
The scale far surpassed the shoddy "food festivals" of his previous world, it was truly lively.
Everywhere he looked were mouthwatering delicacies: sugar figurines, sesame cakes, braised snacks, stinky tofu...
The mingling aromas stopped passersby in their tracks.
Children ran around the streets, chased by their parents and relatives.
Ren Qing couldn't help but smile, feeling a little less of his usual anxiety, and a growing sense of belonging to this world.
He bought a stick of candied hawthorn and ate it as he walked. The flavor was mainly sweet and sour, with a touch of the hawthorn's natural astringency.
As Ren Qing approached the Temple of the Fertility Goddess, he saw many people gathered, but the atmosphere was strangely silent.
The crowd was made up entirely of women and children, from young girls to elderly grandmothers.
Ren Qing was instantly startled, fearing something had happened, and quickly moved closer.
At the temple entrance stood an elderly priestess who looked over seventy years old. She was distributing peanuts to the crowd, speaking words of blessing.
The old priestess's eyes swept over the outer edge of the crowd and landed on Ren Qing. She nodded at him for some unknown reason.
Ren Qing frowned slightly. He couldn't guess her intent, and it was surprising how much reverence the Temple of the Fertility Goddess received.
Looking around, he saw Zhu Ding clutching peanuts as he squeezed out from the crowd.
Ren Qing went straight to the ancient tree by the temple gate and waited until Zhu Ding emerged, then stepped forward.
"Runner Ren..."
Zhu Ding jumped in surprise, face flushed red, stammering awkwardly.
Ren Qing patted his shoulder and asked, "Zhu Ding, what are you doing here?"
"I came here because... actually, I was raised in this temple, though my mother died early, and I was brought up by Granny Luo."
"Granny Luo?"
From Zhu Ding's words, Ren Qing learned that Granny Luo was the elderly priestess, who had helped deliver many in Sanxiang City.
The temple also took in many orphans with no parents.
"Runner Ren, Granny Luo is a truly kind soul."
Zhu Ding scratched his head shyly.
He always saw Granny Luo as a mother figure, often helping with cleaning, and donating any surplus of his monthly salary to the temple.
"So that's how it is..."
Ren Qing smiled and then pushed his way through the crowd without hesitation.
The women and children nearby all stepped aside, quickly making way for him to stand in front of Granny Luo, who still wore a kindly smile.
Granny Luo scooped a handful of peanuts and placed them in Ren Qing's hand: "Child, hold out your hand."
Ren Qing cracked one open and ate it, it was just an ordinary peanut, even slightly damp, and not particularly tasty.
"Granny Luo, it tastes pretty good."
But that wasn't the point, he had come to make contact with Granny Luo.
Information surged forth.
[Luo Ji]
[Age: Forty-eight]
[Remaining Lifespan: Seven Years]
[Technique: Summer Grass Technique (For the Unafflicted)]
[Created by the Daoist Lord of Taisui. To cultivate this technique, one must ingest seventy-five types of colorless, formless diseases. Only after the stubborn illnesses are cured can the technique be completed.]
As Ren Qing walked and tossed peanuts into his mouth, his thoughts raced.
Cordyceps sinensis?
Do the "diseases" refer to bacteria? This technique is impressive, being unafflicted sounds like the Buddhist idea of being spotless and untainted.
Ren Qing had never really considered the birth rate in Sanxiang City.
Thinking about it now, in a world full of mystical techniques, childbirth might not be as dangerous as one would expect.
The Fertility Goddess could very well be a Restraint Officer, or even have reached the Yin Runner realm.
These waters really are deep..