Shang Shaoyang and a normally-dressed Red Robe Cult disciple followed behind the carriage, chit-chatting about the situation in Dayong and the future development of the Red Robe Cult.
Xu Qing never chimed in; he was merely a funeral escort and part-time maternity nurse, attending to the dead, children, and mothers, but other people's rebellion, defections, and revolutions had nothing to do with him.
Including the recent rumors from the northern borders about the division of the world's fortune into two parts, with one falling in the north and the other in Dayong, Xu Qing absolutely denied having anything to do with it.
Upon reaching Chaotic Tomb Ridge, Xu Qing directed Silly Zhu to dig graves for burial, and Shang Shaoyang eagerly volunteered to pick up a shovel and dig too.
The Red Robe Cult disciple responsible for supervision saw this and said, "Alright, I'll join in too!"
The three of them dug quickly, and within about half an hour, several new grave mounds were erected, and on each one, a simple wooden sign was inserted into the stone pedestal.
Various burnt offerings, scattered paper money, and the Red Robe Cult disciple acted as dutiful mourners, wailing and crying.
Xu Qing kindly reminded, "You can cry collectively for these people, no need to cry and mourn individually."
The Red Robe Cult disciple was earnest, insisting on crying individually, saying they died for the people, they were heroes, and if he couldn't bring himself to cry while mourning, was he even human?
Alright, you cry then!
Xu Qing stepped aside to feed sugar beans to the mourning horses, while Shang Shaoyang tried several times to snatch food from the horse but failed.
Eventually, Xu Qing couldn't bear it anymore and tossed a Strength Pill to Shang Shaoyang. The pampered heir was truly reckless, feeding his little terrier the pill without asking what kind of medicine it was.
"..."
In Chaotic Tomb Ridge, the Red Robe Cult disciple was still crying, but how could one person manage to cry for over ten grave mounds?
In the first quarter-hour, he was truly sad; brothers and sisters who once shared the same ambition were now separated by life and death in the blink of an eye, claiming he wasn't sad was a lie.
But after crying for a bit longer, suddenly he wasn't as sad anymore, the tears stopped flowing, and he only felt his throat growing hoarse and sore.
Looking at the grave mounds again, there were still two graves left to cry for.
This was truly a tough spot!
By dusk, as the sky darkened, Chaotic Tomb Ridge suddenly turned chilly, and the surrounding woods occasionally rustled with noises accompanied by murmuring calls resembling a woman's sleep talk.
"Go home, go home..."
Xu Qing furrowed his brows, turned his head to glance in the direction of the sound.
Shang Shaoyang also heard the noises, and the nearby Red Robe Cult disciple croaked, "Maybe it's some bird? Listen, it seems to only make this one sound."
Before leaving Chaotic Tomb Ridge, Xu Qing glanced back one more time.
"Brother Xu, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Xu Qing drove the carriage back to Linjiang County. Once they entered the city, the Red Robe Cult disciple left first, while Xu Qing accompanied Shang Shaoyang to the Government Office.
Near the Government Office, Xu Qing suddenly halted the carriage, seeing not far from the entrance, a little girl was pulling a boy's sleeve, walking away.
"Chen Liu'Er?"
As soon as the words left Xu Qing's mouth, Shang Shaoyang also noticed Chen Liu'Er.
"Where's this little one headed in the dark?"
Shang Shaoyang was momentarily stunned, then loudly shouted, "Chen Liu'Er! Come back here!"
But hearing the shout, Chen Liu'Er only ran faster, as if being pulled and urged to run!
Shang Shaoyang jumped off the carriage and quickly chased after.
Seeing this, Xu Qing patted the mourning horse's neck, telling it to go back to the Funeral Shop on its own, while he followed Shang Shaoyang.
Chen Liu'Er ran faster and faster, and Shang Shaoyang vaguely sensed something was wrong. But as he prepared to use his full speed to chase, Xu Qing stopped him.
"Just follow and see!"
The two, along with a little terrier, followed Chen Liu'Er through twists and turns, eventually arriving under an old locust tree.
"Chen Liu'Er, why are you running here?"
Chen Liu'Er looked confused: "A girl invited me to play at her house, I followed her here, but then she disappeared."
Shang Shaoyang frowned, about to say something, when he saw his little terrier panting heavily as it dug furiously under the locust tree.
In no time, a large pit was excavated beneath the locust tree, and who knew where this little terrier got such strength!