Chapter 81: The dead yearns for the joy of living
There was a time, long, long ago, when Liyue Harbor was not the hub of prosperity that it's known for today. Instead of being the center of trade where goods from all corners of Teyvat flow to and fro, Liyue Harbor was nothing more than a land filled with the stench of death.
It was during a time when the entire world was plunged into chaos.
The Archon War, a now bygone era where peace was nothing but a dream, a period where conflict is the norm, rife with power struggles between gods and other higher beings. Some fight for their own survival, some fight to protect those they hold dear, while others simply fight for the sake of fighting.
But most of them are fighting for one thing, and one thing only.
The promise of absolute power and authority, of sovereignty over the lands of Teyvat, given by none other than the ones sitting atop the world's hierarchy.
For years, the gods fought each other, unleashing their boundless power as they tried their absolute hardest to eliminate one another, leaving the mortals to suffer in the wake of their senseless destruction.
Not a single land within the world of Teyvat was spared from bloodshed, and Liyue Harbor was not an exception to that.
Bodies upon bodies began to litter the wilderness surrounding its land, dyeing its beautiful green pasture red. As the bodies continued to pile up, a new problem in the form of a mysterious disease began to plague the people of Liyue, plunging them into a state of misery.
While the paranoid ones are content to proclaim it to be a curse from the gods, a select few people disregard their notion as nonsense and continue to persevere, relentlessly searching for the light at the end of their proverbial tunnel.
Until one day, they eventually found their answer.
The rotten smell permeating the land began to disappear little by little, replaced by the calming fragrance of crushed herbs and flowers that slowly but surely purified the lingering disease in the air thanks to the effort of skillful perfumers.
Numerous men covered from head to toe with multiple layers of thick robes started dragging the dead bodies with their gloved hand towards the pyres they've set up, before throwing the deceased straight towards the roaring flame that lasted for weeks, perhaps even months.
Over time, the number of deaths began to steadily decrease. This knowledge reinvigorated the people that were on the verge of despair, causing them to actively join the effort of these brave men and women to eradicate the plague once and for all.
These people, the ones who pioneered a method to deal with a disease previously unknown to anyone, would eventually band together to found their own parlor, one whose legacy would be continued by their successors for generations to come as they tirelessly maintain the precarious balance between life and death.
And thus, during those turbulent times, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was born.
___________________________________
The opening hours of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is always filled with a sort of boisterous atmosphere unbefitting of a place that deals with the dead, but for the undertakers working diligently within the parlor, it was simply how things are ever since the 77th director took the helm.
Initially, some were filled with doubt as to whether or not a young lady such as Hu Tao could ever succeed her predecessor. Because unlike the previous director, who conducts himself with measure, Hu Tao was a free spirit, one that tackles her work with a sort of laissez-faire attitude that anyone who lays their eyes on her doubts whether or not she's even capable of doing her job properly.
Of course, that line of thinking was quickly shot down the moment they saw Hu Tao on her first time leading a funeral ceremony.
There was not a trace of her usual playful personality as she stood ceremoniously amidst the lamp-lit alleys, leading her undertakers along the entire procession with such dignity, making sure that each and every detail is according to the will of her client.
She knows the responsibility of her work more than anyone in the parlor.
All who depart deserve a ceremony that would do them honor. This is the parlor's philosophy, one that Hu Tao always adheres to.
Which is why she's currently standing in front of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, wearing down the last bit of patience of the official in front of her.
"For the last time, Director Hu, we cannot allow Wangsheng to conduct the Rite of Parting on Yujing Terrace."
"You're a lot more persistent than I thought," Hu Tao grumbled, tapping her foot against the ground impatiently before she threw her hands into the air. "Fine, fine! It seems that you're really driving a hard bargain. How about… two high quality coffins for the price of one? And if you're ordering in bulk, it would be three for the price of two!
"And that's on top of our on-site cadaver collection service covering nearly all regions within Liyue! Of course, we charge a bit of a premium for more dangerous areas, but I can promise you, this deal is the best anyone will ever get!"
Putting on her best smile, the director pointed towards the woman in front of her in a grandiose manner, "And all you have to do to get this once-in-a-lifetime offer is to allow Wangsheng to rent the place for an entire day!"
The official stared at the director unamused, before she eventually let out a sigh.
"Look, Director Hu," the woman pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, "the Qixing has declared the place a crime scene, and it will continue to be one until the Millelith are finished with their investigation. You understand that, don't you?"
"But where else are we supposed to conduct the ceremony? It's the Rite of Parting, you know?! It's not just your run-of-the-mill ceremony!"
"I know, director, but the higher-ups' decision is final, and there's nothing you can do to change that."
Hu Tao frowned, muttering something under her breath while the official patiently waited for her to speak.
"...will they change their mind if I offer them an exclusive partnership?"
"No."
"Damn."
In the end, after a fruitless negotiation, Hu Tao left the premises.
"No luck, director?"
Outside, three undertakers from the parlor waited patiently by the stairs. The moment they saw the director, one of them called out to her in greeting.
"Nope, they wouldn't budge. Guess we're just gonna have to skip the venue for now," Hu Tao shrugged.
"That's… unfortunate…." she heard one of the undertakers say. Meng, she remembered his name was.
"Unfortunate indeed." The director sighed, skipping down the stairs before she sat down next to Whiskers. "I wasn't really holding much hope anyway, so I guess it's not that bad." Hu Tao began to fan herself with her hat, patting her friend's hard fur as she did so. "Oh well! At least we can focus on the preparation now."
The undertakers nodded as they began to convene around the director.
"Let's see… this time, we need five things: a high-grade Noctilocous Jade, an Everlasting Incense, a perfume, seven kites, and several wild Glaze Lilies." Hu Tao let out a thoughtful hum, her fingers raised as she listed the items required.
She glanced at the three undertakers in front of her before she pointed towards the only other girl in the group.
"Shu, you'll be responsible for the perfumes. Go to the Scent of Springs and order several of the types we've discussed before. After that, please consult Zhongli for which one we should end up using as the offering."
"Yes, director."
Hu Tao nodded, before she moved towards the newest member of the group.
"Meng, you'll be responsible for the kites. Granny Shan should've already received the details for its design, so all you have to do is pay her once you've confirmed everything is in order. Did you have the Mora the Ferrylady handed to you?"
"Ah! U-uhm, yes, director!" The man nearly jumped in surprise, rummaging frantically through his pocket before pulling out the small bag he was entrusted with. "I have it right here!"
"Yes, yes, I can see that," Hu Tao chuckled, before smacking the poor guy's shoulder hard. "Don't be too nervous! You'll do just fine!"
Meng opened his mouth but nothing came out of it. Instead, he chose to simply nod his head as he muttered words of encouragement for himself.
"As for you, Fang," the director turned towards the eldest of the group, to which the man slightly bowed his head in response, "I'll leave the matters of the jade to you. Remember, it should at least be of radiant grade. If you have any trouble, don't hesitate to ask Zhongli for help."
"As you wish," the elderly man nodded.
"In the meantime," Hu Tao stood up, patting Whiskers one final time before moving to the whining Mittens, "I'll be handling the lilies and the incense, though I'd like to ask you to request more funds from our sponsor, Fang."
"Certainly. How much Mora should I ask for, director?"
"Last time I checked, the Everlasting Incense goes for three million Mora, so try asking for double that amount and go down from there." The face of a certain ginger-haired annoyance popped up in her head as Hu Tao started to laugh with a devilish grin. "Surely mister moneybags won't mind such a small request if it's from our best consultant, right?"
"I'm sure he won't," Fang chuckled alongside her, much to Hu Tao's satisfaction. "And how would you like to allocate the leftover Mora, director?"
"Put it into our emergency fund just in case something unexpected happens."
"By that, do you mean Mr. Zhongli?"
"Of course. Who else could so confidently strut into a store, buy a bunch of old, expensive things while educating the owner, and suddenly leave without ever paying a single Mora?"
The undertakers all nodded as they remembered the times when the parlor started to inexplicably lose Mora whenever Childe wasn't around to accompany him.
"Well, that's it for your assignment!" Hu Tao loudly clapped her hand, gathering their attention once again. "Since we've yet to have a set date thanks to the Qixing, there's no need for any of you to rush. Take as much time as you need to make sure the preparations are perfect."
"Yes, director!" the three answered in unison.
"Good," Hu Tao nodded, satisfied at their enthusiasm. "Let's get going then!"
The entourage from Wangsheng finally left, though not before the director bade her farewell towards her two friends, much to the confusion of some passersby.
After all, why would anyone say goodbye to a pair of lifeless statues?
In contrast to them, the guards, who were already used to Hu Tao's antics, showed no visible reaction. While bearing witness to the director playing with the statues – giving those two a bath, even – were perplexing at first, they were now lamenting the fact that they would have to regularly clean those statues again now that she stopped visiting so much.
'They've all grown up now,' the director said, when one of the guards questioned her. 'They can take care of themselves.'
Meanwhile, the undertakers had split up from Hu Tao, all three of them heading towards Chihu Rock while Hu Tao herself made her way towards the city's gate, past the usually crowded harbor that is now as empty as the abandoned village she passed by often.
Just as she was approaching the gate, Hu Tao noticed a distinct smell in the air.
Excited, the Wangsheng director began to look around, expecting to meet her (self-proclaimed) best buddy, Qiqi–
"Oh ho? What's this?"
–only to have her eyes glued to the newcomer that's been quite the talk among the people, mainly for the strange mask he wore, and how rare it is to meet anyone that hails from Inazuma.
"I never thought I'd find such a unique smell on an outlander of all people," Hu Tao tilted her head curiously as she rubbed her chin in thought. "I wonder what your story is, what kind of person you are?"
She saw him approaching his group alongside Ganyu, before all five of them slowly floated towards the air and began to fly across the skies, gradually disappearing towards the horizon. Hu Tao let out a whistle, impressed by his display of power.
"Are you similar to my precious friend Qiqi, or are you more like her doctor who thinks he can defy the natural order?"
Seeing that someone from the Qixing is going alongside a couple of famous outlanders, Hu Tao held hope that perhaps the matter of the investigation would be finished much faster than she thought.
"Hah… I shouldn't have spent so much time playing in the mountains. If not, I could've found out about this sooner, " Hu Tao huffed indignantly while continuing her walk towards the gate, noting that the other lady accompanying Ganyu had disappeared without her noticing. "Eh, whatever. There'll be other opportunities for us to cross paths."
Feeling giddy with anticipation, the Wangsheng director happily skipped past the guards, congratulating them both on a job well done, and went on her merry way towards her next destination.
"Ah, I cannot wait for us to meet, dear customer."
___________________________________
There used to be a village by the foot of the slope of Wuwang Hill.
It was the last remaining sign of life in the perpetually haunted place, infested by spirits of the dead that lived in the woods just above the village.
There was a time where the sound of kids playing can be heard throughout the day, messing around by the small stream of water as their mothers kept a close eye on them, gathering amongst each other to share mundane stories while their husbands worked on tilling the fields, feeding their livestocks, or venture into the woods' outskirts to gather some firewood.
Now, the place where all these people gathered and lived in peace, have turned into nothing but ruins.
Fables of old state that the younger generation started to disappear one by one as they threw themselves into the nearby Bishui River, enchanted by a whale-like song of a faraway sea monster until only the elderly remained.
And as time passed by, they too left the mortal world one after the other.
To an ordinary person, this is a place that they must always steer clear of.
But to Hu Tao, it is simply a place she passed by on her way to work.
As always, the director walked past the decaying houses and muddied ground towards the center of the village, where she prayed for any souls that still have lingering attachment towards this place to quietly pass on to the afterlife.
Once she finished her routine, she climbed the steep rock face with the help of a ladder and followed the dirt path deeper into the forest.
Despite the current time being close to noon, the forest of Wuwang is as dark as ever. It was as if something was blocking the sunlight from entering its depths. On top of that, an ever-present fog further obscures her already limited vision, with the only source of light being the wisp of blue flames that's present in all corners of the forest.
Truly, the atmosphere alone is enough to scare even the bravest of adventurers.
"Oh boy, the weather's perfect!"
Of course, there's always an exception to the norm.
The sound of crunched leaves broke the silent spell placed on this haunted forest as Hu Tao continued her walk nonchalantly, "Looks like everything would be smooth sailing today! What do you think, little one?"
A ghostly apparition flew out of her pocket, screeching happily as it flew around the Wangsheng director.
"Ah, you're right! There are no hilichurls this time around! Great observation as always, my friend!" Hu Tao exclaimed energetically, raising her hand towards her ghostly companion. "High five!"
The ghost, whose face was etched with an eternal smile, once again let out a screech, butting its head repeatedly against Hu Tao's palm.
"Aww… aren't you just the cutest little thing ever?"
"Scree~?"
"Of course you are!" Hu Tao exclaimed, her expression one of mock surprise. "How could you ever accuse me of that? You are and always will be the most adorable ghost I've ever had the pleasure of meeting!"
"Scree~!"
"I promise, I promise!"
The ghost tilted its body, its squinted eyes inspecting the director closely, before it flew towards Hu Tao and began to nuzzle her cheek, letting out intermittent screech that resembled that of a cat's purr.
"Ha-! Ahaha! I-I know, little one," the director involuntarily laughed as the ghost buried itself deeper into her neck, "I know you like me the best– haha! S-so please, stop! Haha!"
The ghost ended up pestering her the entire way.
Once it willingly let go of Hu Tao, it quickly hid itself inside of her hat at her urging. After making sure that it's safe and sound, only then did the Wangsheng director step into the cave in front of her.
Despite its unassuming appearance, it's actually a place that separates the line between life and death, one whose location is a closely guarded secret by generations of Wangsheng directors.
They call it the 'border.'
As the current Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao is responsible for many things, but arguably the most important duty that she must fulfill is to guard this border.
The border is not quite an underworld where the souls of the dead were granted eternal rest. Instead, it serves more or less a sort of waiting room, a gathering place for spirits to rest before they'll eventually be sent to the other side.
It could be compared to how the ministry works when it comes to dealing with civil complaints. People would visit their office one by one, patiently wait for their turn, and have their issues sorted (hopefully) by the official on standby.
Of course, there's a huge difference in that their 'issues' would always be 'sorted' in a more permanent manner, but the basic gist of it remained the same.
"Alright then. Let's see what kind of people we're dealing with this time."
Stopping in front of a large gate, Hu Tao pushed them open with ease despite the size difference. The moment she took a step inside, the previously dank and gloomy temple was nowhere to be seen as she arrived at the place where the departed gathered, waiting for someone to guide them towards their next destination in the cycle of life.
The place was brightly lit as if the sun itself existed inside this realm, providing a comforting warmth on top of the already serene atmosphere, while a giant luscious tree sat in the middle of the open area, the shadow it casts gave the temporary inhabitants a sense of peace as they patiently wait for their departure.
Hu Tao's arrival didn't go unnoticed, as several ghosts stopped what they were doing and looked towards her direction.
Recognizing who she was, some of them gave her an amiable nod before returning to their previous conversation, some of them greeted her ecstatically as they moved to surround her, while a few had a sad look on their faces, knowing exactly what her arrival meant for them.
"Now now, everyone!" Hu Tao loudly clapped her hands, pushing past the ghosts surrounding her as she moved towards the center. "Please calm yourselves down! I'll be here to send each and every one of you off, so please wait patiently as I go about it in order, okay?"
Taking advantage of their eagerness, Hu Tao asked for one of the more enthusiastic ones to help form a line while she moved up the stairs towards the makeshift stage to prepare for the ceremony.
Standing in the middle of a giant circle, Hu Tao raised her hand, causing the slightly distorted ley lines within the border to lit up. Suddenly, a table slowly started to materialize alongside two other chairs on both sides.
Taking her seat on one of them, Hu Tao placed the bag she brought with her on the table, making sure that the things she brought were in order before she started calling out the names of the departed.
"You're first, Uncle Zhang!"
With that as the signal, the commotion from downstairs died down as a man that looked to be in his fifties slowly walked up the stairs.
"Miss Hu," the old man stammered, his body trembling slightly as he carefully matched his pace with the cane on his hand. "Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule for this old man."
"Nonsense, Uncle Zhang!" Hu Tao waved his apology with a smile. "You and the other's well being is important to me, so please don't say something like that."
"I'm glad you think so, miss."
Once old man Zhang sat down, Hu Tao pulled out an incense burner and placed it between the two of them as she spoke.
"How has life treated you, Uncle Zhang?"
"Splendidly, Miss Hu," the wizened old man answered with a smile. "After years of hard work, the trading business I've worked so hard to establish has turned into one of the more successful ones in a place like Liyue Harbor. Safe to say, this old man never expected the seed this one planted from a young age to have bloomed so splendidly."
"It's a testament to the effort you put into your life's work, Uncle Zhang." Hu Tao opened the lid on the censer and filled it with a blue powder made out of artificially planted Glaze Lilies and stamped them evenly with a small metallic pad. "Your family must be so proud of you."
"Family, huh…?" Uncle Zhang let out a wistful sigh as he shifted his sight to the sky above. "Speaking of which, how are they faring, Miss Hu? Does that son of mine still like to come home drunk in the dead of night?"
"He's become quite the hard worker after your passing, old man." Placing a metal weight on top of the powdered Glaze Lily, Hu Tao carefully scooped out a small spoonful of grounded Sandbearer Wood into the gaps on the weight, slowly forming an intricate pattern. "I heard he swore off alcohol and started to put all his focus into making sure your life work didn't go to waste."
"About time, that damned rascal," the old man huffed in anger, yet the small twitch on his lips betrayed how he really felt. "All those scoldings and lectures… who knew that the only thing that managed to set him straight is my death?"
"Are you disappointed?"
"Judging by your description of him now? Hardly. I was a bit worried about leaving him behind, but now I can finally rest in peace," the old man chuckled as he turned his gaze back towards the brunette. "Reminds me of that thing Old Hu likes to say. Hmm… what was it again?"
Recalling the memories of the kind yet stubborn grandfather of hers, Hu Tao couldn't help but smile, "'Only once you know and respect death can you truly understand the value of life.'"
"That's the one."
"I suppose it describes your son's situation perfectly, doesn't it?"
Once everything was set, Hu Tao conjured a spark of flame on her finger before igniting one end of the now completed incense. As the scent of wood mixed with Glaze Lily started to permeate across the table, the thin smoke coming from the incense slowly started to thicken, before it eventually turned thick enough to resemble a cloud.
Thanks to the condition of the border's ley lines, alongside the inherent nature of Glaze Lilies – even the less potent artificial ones – the blue cloud surrounding Hu Tao and Uncle Zhang started to form images, one depicting a young man filled with ambitions as he took his first step into the harbor of commerce.
"Ah, how nostalgic," old man Zhang remarked, moving his gaze from one picture to the next, his youthful visage growing older each time. "Who knew that the silly dream of some boy from the sticks could actually come true?"
"Your hard work didn't go to waste, Uncle Zhang, I told you that already, didn't I?"
The cloud surrounding them started to rotate faster and faster, the many images it depicted merged into a blurry mess before finally settling into one giant picture, a memory that the old man had always cherished in his lifetime.
"Ah, Little Qian…."
Uncle Zhang stared at the image, of a man in the prime of his life holding onto his newborn baby, while the most beautiful girl in the world laid right next to him.
He could feel the emotions he repressed coming back in droves, the resolve he built up during his stay in this place crumbled in an instant.
He wanted to cry.
He wanted to scream.
He wanted to do something, anything, to be able to live his life once again; to be able to fall in love with his wife all over again; to experience the joy of being a father for the first time just like he did back then.
But he knew that it's impossible. Nothing he could do will ever change that.
His time in the waking world is over.
"Zhang Weiying," Hu Tao addressed the now young man in front of her in a solemn tone as she offered her hand, the many rings she wore glittered amongst the shadow of his memories. "You have lived your life to the fullest, but it's now time for you to move on."
The young man stared at the Wangsheng director's hand. Slowly, he reached over towards it, before he suddenly froze, letting his hesitation take over.
This mental tug of war continued for some time, before the young man finally took one last look towards the memory he held close to his heart.
"I'm sorry, Little Qian."
Zhang Weiying let go of his hesitation and grabbed the director's hand, no longer able to hold back his tears.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you anymore."
With the deceased finally releasing his attachment to the world, Hu Tao started to recite her prayers.
Sparks and embers gradually turned into a roaring flame as it slowly made its way from Hu Tao's arm and into the deceased, the heat purifying his soul caused his already fading body to disappear bit by bit.
"I… I don't want to die, Miss Hu."
"Nobody does, Uncle Zhang. Death is an inescapable part of our life. It will always follow us, no matter where we are in this world."
Hu Tao continued in a soft voice, gently squeezing the man's hand with a reassuring smile, "But that doesn't mean you have to be afraid of it, uncle. After all, without death, how can we ever appreciate the beauty of life?"
The man lowered his head, staring at his gradually disappearing body. Eventually, he let out a small chuckle, raising his head to stare at the blossom-shaped pupils of the Wangsheng director with a smile on his face.
"'The beauty of life', huh?" he sniffled, blinking back his tears. "I suppose you're right, Miss Hu."
The vortex of smoke around them started to spin even faster, the precious memory depicted onto it disappeared as it became one with the cloud.
"Do you think… I'd be able to meet my wife again?"
"I don't know, uncle. Despite my expertise, I'm not privy to what is on the other side." Seeing that only his upper body remains, Hu Tao lowered the intensity of her flames, causing it to slowly recede towards her direction. "But with how much she loves you, I'm sure she's already waiting to welcome you into her arms."
"That… would be nice."
The thick cloud coming from the incense gradually disappeared while the purifying flames conjured by the eyes of the gods are now nothing but embers. The apparition of the man once known as Zhang Weiying is but a speck of how he once was.
"To think… that the little girl I knew… would be sending me off like this…."
In the last moments of his unlife, the simple boy who yearns for the big city, the young man who pursues his ambition wholeheartedly, and the old man who lived the remainder of his life virtuously, gave his ferrylady a bright smile.
"Old Hu would be so proud of you, Hu Tao."
And just like that, the ceremony was over, and the soul of someone who was once friends with her predecessor was sent off to the other side.
"Rest in Peace, Zhang Weijing."
With her surroundings cleared once again, Hu Tao slowly stood up, clapped her hands together, and bowed towards the now empty chair, praying for the newly departed to be granted a resting place he rightfully deserved.
"May the heavens grant its blessing to you, even in death."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Evfrnet
Evfrnet The ceremonial incense thing is inspired by the numerous meditation video I saw in my YouTube Shorts feed. I have absolutely no knowledge of Chinese funeral traditions or anything related to it.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone