Chapter 12: The Book of Life and Death

“Here, Brother Xu, try this. It’s not easy to get fresh tea during the harsh winter months,” Han Du said as he poured tea into two cups. “I heard that a woodcutter found it in a warm valley. One of my men spotted it and bought it to show their respect to me.”

Xu Lian lifted the cup, sipped lightly and praised, “Good tea.” In truth, he didn’t know much about tea, but he made the polite remark to keep the conversation smooth.

The two chatted casually, mostly about matters concerning the quarry.

“This quarry is just a pile of rocks,” Han Du said in a seemingly casual manner. “As managers, we don’t have much to do. We just drink tea and make sure the quarry runs smoothly. Isn’t that right?”

Although Han Du’s words seemed relaxed, Xu Lian could feel the probe underneath. He was testing whether Xu Lian knew the deeper secrets of the quarry.

“Brother Han is right,” Xu Lian replied calmly. “The stones are only the surface. What they really value is the soil beneath.”

Hearing this, Han Du’s expression changed slightly, confirming that Xu Lian was in the know. He no longer held back. “This quarry should be nearing the time of excavating the ground flesh. That’s why the quarry patrol inspector paid us a visit.”

Xu Lian now understood why the white fox had appeared here. However, there was one question that still remained on his mind – the falling rocks that killed the original host and almost crushed him to death. This matter felt like a thorn in his side.

He asked directly, “Does the extraction of the ground flesh require blood sacrifice? How are the candidates selected?”

Han Du pulled out a ledger from his drawer and handed it over. “It’s simple. This blood sacrifice business is decided by us managers. If there is someone Brother Xu dislikes, just mark them in the ledger and I’ll have my men arrange a little accident. If you don’t have anyone in mind, I’ll pick at random.”

Black.

What a damned villain… Xu Lian finally understood.

Now it all made sense. The original host’s death was probably due to one of Han Du’s random choices – just bad luck. The second incident with the falling rock? Probably Han Du’s “cleanup crew” making sure there were no loose ends.

The book in front of him was like the fabled Book of Life and Death-whoever’s name was marked would die.

Xu Lian asked, “Won’t the frequent deaths cause suspicion or panic among the workers?”

Han Du chuckled. “Suspicion? Panic? So what? People need food to survive. As long as the quarry provides grain, no matter how often someone dies, there will always be enough people willing to work here.”

Xu Lian fell silent. Grain was monopolized by the Yi Sect and wealthy families. The commoners were like fish on a chopping block, at the mercy of their superiors.

Flipping through the book, Xu Lian noticed several names already marked, including Li Jinshui and the original host.

“Why aren’t there any overseers’ names in this book?” Xu Lian asked, handing it back to Han Du. He kept his tone casual, even though the question was deliberate.

Han Du replied, “The overseers keep order in the quarry. Of course, they are excluded from the sacrifices.”

Xu Lian replied, “I think it might even be helpful to include an overseer once in a while. It could dispel the workers’ suspicions and improve the overall operation.”

Han Du raised his eyebrows, catching the implicit hint. “Which overseer has crossed your mind?”

There was no point in hiding it. Xu Lian said openly, “Liang Yan pretended to be kind by lending me fifteen taels of silver, only to ambush me later and rob me of the money, forcing my family into debt.”

Han Du paused before laughing. “It is common for overseers to use their position to oppress workers and take advantage of their families. If Liang Yan was foolish enough to offend you, then he deserves to disappear.”

Han Du pulled out a smaller ledger and handed it to Xu Lian, who took it without hesitation. He flipped to Liang Yan’s name, dipped the brush in ink, and decisively marked a check next to it.

Returning the ledger, he said nothing more.

“Don’t worry, Brother Xu,” Han Du promised. “I guarantee that Liang Yan will not live to see tomorrow’s sunrise!”

Xu Lian didn’t answer. Leveraging the quarry’s blood sacrifice rules to deal with Liang Yan saved him the trouble of handling it personally.

They moved on to discussing Xu Lian’s new position and salary.

“My monthly salary is twenty taels. Brother Xu, as the assistant manager, will also receive twenty taels. How does that sound?” Han Du offered.

Xu Lian knew that this was a gesture of respect. He quickly refused, “Brother Han is the manager, while I’m just an assistant. How could it be the same? Fifteen taels would be enough.”

After some back and forth, they agreed on eighteen taels. Han Du, mindful of Xu Lian’s household situation, even advanced his first month’s salary.

Xu Lian expressed his gratitude with a bow to Han Du.

Han Du chuckled and offered some advice. “As the boss of the quarry, we are in charge here. The salary is just a formality. The real profits come from the tributes – silver, grain, and even women. All of it will find its way to you.”

Xu Lian nodded, signaling his understanding.

At noon, the kitchen staff delivered lunch for the two “big bosses” of the quarry.

The spread included fish, meat, and wine – far superior to the workers’ meals.

Before leaving, Han Du stopped the kitchen helper. “My brother Xu has just been promoted. I haven’t prepared a proper gift. Get some chicken and fish from the pantry for him to take home after work.”

The helper nodded quickly and cast a curious glance at Xu Lian before leaving. It was clear that the staff were also puzzled about his sudden rise to power.

“Thank you, Brother Han,” Xu Lian said sincerely. He knew better than to refuse – refusing a gift from a senior might be considered an insult.

Han Du invited Xu Lian to drink and feast with him, and the two of them indulged in the lavish meal.

Outside of their quarters, the overseers’ meals were certainly not as sumptuous. Outside, the workers’ rations were pitiful – just a bowl of thin porridge and two dry buns.

It was a stark reminder of an old adage: The farther one is from the center of power, the harsher life becomes.

After their hearty lunch, Han Du and Xu Lian took a leisurely sip of tea to aid their digestion. Satisfied, Han Du led Xu Lian on a tour of the quarry.

Wherever they went, the workers quickly bowed their heads and concentrated on their tasks. Only from the corners of their eyes did they sneak curious glances at the new assistant manager.

When they reached the area where Zhang Yuan and Yang Ye were working, Zhang Yuan seemed worried. He wanted to approach Xu Lian, but hesitated, intimidated by Han Du’s presence. Feigning ignorance, Xu Lian looked up at the sky as though he hadn’t noticed.

Yang Ye, on the other hand, was all smiles. He hadn’t expected Xu Lian’s sudden promotion to such a high position. Just yesterday, Xu Lian was hauling stones like any other laborer, and today, he was the assistant manager of the entire quarry. 

Yang Ye’s thoughts quickly turned to his daughter, Chan’er. If she could please Xu Lian tonight and win his favor, their family’s fortunes would change overnight. This marriage would no longer be worth just eighty-five catties of grain; it felt more like eight hundred and fifty catties.

After completing the inspection, Xu Lian returned to the office with Han Du. The two of them spent the rest of the afternoon sipping tea and chatting idly until evening.

At dusk, Han Du gave the order to end the day’s work and open the granary for distribution.

As the kitchen helper brought three large roosters and three fresh fish to Xu Lian, the envious glances of the workers burned like embers. Their eyes, red with longing, tracked the bounty.

Xu Lian loaded the chickens and fish onto his small black donkey cart and intended to take Chan’er back to his home tonight.