Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 99 People are not plants and trees, they inevitably have emotions i (2/2)

They were no different from the cats or dogs owned by their masters.

Qin Niu too had been adopted by Old Man Liu, and to this day, he still didn’t know who his parents were.

Children like him are too many.

Child, this was discovered inside your clothes. It’s possible that your ancestors were from a family of elixir-makers, and your parents have likely perished in the chaos of war.” The old man, trembling in his right hand, took out two things from under his pillow.

Because he didn’t grasp them well, they fell directly onto the bed.

One was a piece of robe torn off his body, on which two lines of blood that had turned brown were written.

Yao Xiaoqing, hoping for a kind-hearted person to provide foster care, please treat her well.”

Besides that, there was also an ancient-looking jade plaque.

It could be determined it wasn’t a waist plaque but looked more like a family heirloom of some sort.

H

And this ‘Medicine King Classic’ was also found on you!”

The old man laboriously took out a yellowed cultivation technique scroll.

Xiao Qing and I both cultivate from this technique… cough cough…

Perhaps mentioning this technique had triggered old pains. Stuck in the Fourdfold mortal realm for most of his life, never making a single inch of progress was the old man’s lifelong regret.

This technique progresses slowly; cultivating it seems to have some benefits for recognizing mountain herbs! If Xiao Qing finds a better technique, she may discard this one.”

The old man had picked up Xiao Qing from the battlefield along with a cultivation technique and must have been thrilled at the time.

Who knew that after practicing, it would become a quagmire.

If he had made an early decision to buy a better technique with the money spent on elixirs, perhaps he could have achieved greater success.

But in this life, there is no elixir of regret one could buy.

Young brother, I’ve never asked anyone for anything in my life, but this time I beg you to take care of Xiao Qing. It’s fine if she serves you as a slave or maid, just please treat her kindly,” the old man pled with a begging look in his eyes at Qin Niu.

Before his death, this was the one thing he couldn’t let go.

Xiao Qing was still young, lacking the ability to survive on her own in society.

Once Old Man Liu died, if the child was targeted by evildoers, her fate would certainly be tragic.

Qin Niu’s willingness to give a Tempering Elixir selflessly to save Old Man Liu was enough to show he was a kind-hearted person. Plus, being a respected Insect Master with a secured income,

living with such a person, even as a maid, Xiao Qing would not have too bad a life.

Grandpa…

Xiao Qing wept even harder, still young, but she understood her grandfather might not make it. The child’s heart was filled with fear, afraid of losing her only family member and worried about being alone and helpless after the death of the old man.

Child, kneel before Insect Master and kowtow, beg him to take you in!”

The old man insisted on a breath, compelling the child to move Qin Niu by kneeling and kowtowing.

The little girl knelt down and kowtowed to Qin Niu.

“Xiao Qing, get up, I will adopt you. As long as I have a bowl of porridge to drink, you’ll have a mouthful to eat,” Qin Niu said, facing a difficult choice.

He, a bachelor, the burden of adopting such a little girl was significant.

Reason told him not to take on such a “burden.

But faced with the old man’s dying request and the little girl kneeling and kowtowing, he was a flesh-and-blood human, not one to have an utterly unfeeling heart.

The old man, hearing Qin Niu’s agreement, let his neck weakly tilt to one side and slowly closed his eyes.

On his face was a rare hint of a smile.

Being able to find a good place for his granddaughter before dying, he died without regrets.

Life is indeed very short.

The old man hurried through life, ultimately leaving nothing behind.

Grandpa!

The little girl threw herself onto the old man, wailing and crying out heartbreakingly.

However, Qin Niu couldn’t afford to give her too much time to grieve.

Xiao Qing, I must leave the city before dark to get back. So, I don’t have much time to take care of your grandfather’s aftermath, and we must keep things simple. I will go to ask around first, and I’ll be right back,” he told her.

The little girl couldn’t speak, only crying mutely as she nodded her head.

Fortunately, with Qin Niu’s status as an Insect Master, he quickly found out what to do.

There are multiple ways to handle the deceased.

Bodies without claim can be reported to the officials, who then take care of them.

In cases with descendants or relatives, one may hold a mourning ceremony, allowing the deceased’s friends, acquaintances, and progeny to express their grief.

Another option, like Xiao Qing’s situation, is to keep things simple.

One could hire specifically trained merchants for the job.

Qin Niu spent a whole four silver money for a simple coffin, and the burial team carried the body out of the city to choose a hillside for interment. Paying someone to handle these matters was straightforward and efficient.

Processing the body’s exit from the city required paperwork, all handled by the burial team’s leader.

They were well-acquainted with the officials handling these matters, clearly understanding all the necessary procedures, making the burial process very efficient.

Moreover, the grave had actually been dug in advance.

If the deceased’s family or relatives wanted a special feng shui spot, it would cost extra.

Paying for a feng shui master, buying burial ground, fees for the burial team’s effort, refreshments, the total could become an astonishing sum. Then there’s the tombstone which also costs money; a grand marble stone could exceed forty silver money.

Naturally, Qin Niu wasn’t going to make things complicated, opting for simplicity.

Four silver money spent, the old man was buried smoothly. No gongs, no music bands—nothing of the sort was part of the deal.

Big brother, could you put up a stone headstone for my grandpa? I’m afraid this wooden marker will rot away and he’ll be lost,” the little girl pleaded, kneeling in front of the fresh mound, having cried herself into a figure of tears.

Crying it out seemed to have made things somewhat better for her.

With her grief expressed, she appeared much calmer.

Thinking of the wood marker rotting showed she had regained her capacity for normal thought.

Boss, here are five pieces of silver money, please erect a blue stone monument for this grave,” Qin Niu agreed to Xiao Qing’s request.

While the funeral director was still around, he hurriedly agreed to upgrade to a stone headstone. The free package only included a wood-engraved tombstone.