Chapter 2, Digging Pits

This old fellow is exploiting child labor

Li Xin sat slumped on the ground, gasping for breath

Your great-uncle has no sons, according to the rules, a depth of three feet and nine inches must be dug, and then a bit deeper.

Charcoal burning is, in fact, a technical skill

He got up from the ground, his expression serious, and bowed to the old man, saying: "Elder, rest assured, this matter I will take on. You saved Li Xin's life, and in the future, Li Xin will take care of you in your old age."

The charcoal seller lowered his head and coughed once, then said in a muffled voice: "Just see me off in my final moments, there is no need to support me in my old age. You, young man, are penniless and nearly froze to death; what right do you have to provide for an old man like me?"

The elderly man took a sip of wine, then stood up from the stone and wrapped Li Xin's uncle in the straw mat he held in his hands

When he woke up, Li Xin probably told the old man selling coal about his own situation, and also mentioned the circumstances of his uncle, thus the old man learned that his uncle had no sons

Simply igniting wood does not produce charcoal; it only results in carbon ash

Moreover, he currently has no substantial clothing and not a single penny to his name. If he were to walk out of here, it would be all too easy for him to end up frozen to death, just like his uncle.

The old man sat beside the bellows, coughing as he spoke: "This year is particularly cold, and many people in the city are buying coal. I, an old man, cannot manage alone. Seeing that you have no particular place to go for the time being, I would like you to stay and help me. This year's work is not bad; if you help me produce more coal, it will earn you an extra pair of chopsticks."

... ...

This charcoal seller is evidently a very kind person. In this era, no poor family would allow an extra person to eat at their table.

Deeper.

After viewing the memory of "Li Xin," there was only one thought in Li Xin's mind

The charcoal seller skillfully sat in front of the bellows, tossing pieces of wood into the furnace, preparing to start the fire

Although the sun was out at this time, the weather remained extremely cold. Due to the cold, the surface layer of the ground was frozen soil, making it very difficult to dig. Fortunately, the weather here was not of the extreme cold variety, so only a small portion of the surface was frozen. After breaking through the frozen soil on the surface, it quickly became loose. By noon, Li Xin had managed to dig a pit about 0.5 meters deep. He measured it with his hands and felt it was deep enough, so he prepared to place his uncle into it.

Li Xin indeed has no place to go now. His great-uncle has passed away, and his mother has also died. He cannot return to his hometown in Yongzhou for the time being, and that unreliable "scoundrel father" in the capital is even less dependable. After thinking it over, he can only temporarily stay here to help the elderly with charcoal burning.

The key is to close the furnace door halfway through the burning process, preventing the charcoal inside from continuing to burn, and then allowing it to carbonize slowly

After a person dies, it is absolutely forbidden to come into direct contact with the soil; this is a grave taboo. In ancient times, even the poorest individuals would find ways to procure a coffin for themselves. At the very least, they would wrap their bodies in a mat, which is already the most "economical" way to die, and there could be no further savings on this matter

Now, it has been three days since he crossed over to this place, during which he was in a state of deep sleep for two days. In this state of slumber, the memories of this unfortunate child, whose soul he has inhabited, played out before him like a movie.

He nodded to the old man and smiled, saying: "Thank you, old sir, for giving this young man a meal."

Li Xin, feeling helpless, could only wipe the sweat from his brow and continue digging the hole with the hoe

At the foot of the North Mountain, located in the northeast of the capital, there is a simple wooden house with a thatched roof. The house is surrounded by a fence made of branches, and it is situated in a desolate area, with not a single household within ten miles.

This young man is Li Xin, who has traversed into this world

Dying from drinking is truly a disgraceful way to die

An aged voice came from beside him. Li Xin turned around and saw the old charcoal seller who had rescued him, holding a somewhat worn straw mat in one hand, sitting on a stone nearby, while the other hand held a yellow gourd, occasionally tilting his head to drink a few sips of wine. Judging by the situation, he had been watching Li Xin dig the pit for quite some time.

This wooden house contains a total of two rooms and two beds, but both beds are located in one room. The other room features a clay stove, beside which there is a wooden bellows.

He was originally an ordinary office worker from another world. After seven or eight years of navigating the workplace, he had climbed to the position of deputy manager in a company of moderate size, and not long ago, he was promoted to manager. Thus, he went to a bar with his subordinates to celebrate, and then... there was no further development!

Starting from tomorrow, you will go to the city in the morning to sell charcoal, go up the mountain in the afternoon to chop wood, and return in the evening to burn charcoal

The charcoal seller smiled kindly and said: "In the future, when the old man is no longer here, you must dig a grave for him to rest in. Remember, the old man has a son, and the grave should be four feet three inches deep. Be sure not to make a mistake."

A young man, dressed in not particularly thick clothing, is at this moment tirelessly wielding a hoe behind the small house, digging a pit in the ground

After three days of heavy snowfall, the sun finally peeked out from behind the thick clouds

Thus, while Li Xin was digging the grave, the charcoal seller was giving instructions beside him. By noon, the grave pit was barely finished. The old man walked around the grave, took a look, and nodded in satisfaction.

The old man raised his eyebrows

Compared to digging a pit, burying the soil is obviously much easier. Under the guidance of the elder, after about an hour, Li Xin had piled up a beautiful grave mound. After bowing a few times in front of the grave mound, he followed the elder back to their wooden house.

Three feet and nine inches, which is over one meter deep, and under the guidance of this old man, both the length and width are of significance. This is no small undertaking. Li Xin, being still young and having not eaten much for several days, has completely collapsed on the ground.

However, there is no time to consider matters of the past for now, as he must confront reality, which is that he must survive in this world

In the eyes of people in this era, if a corpse comes into contact with the soil, it is only slightly better than being left to rot in the wilderness

The old man walked around the tomb a few more times, feeling even more satisfied. He turned back to Li Xin, who was sitting on the ground, smiled, and then said: "The old man has saved your life, and you must repay him."

In ancient texts, this is referred to as burning wood to preserve its nature

Li Xin sat on the ground, breathing heavily. The little girl, showing great understanding, ran a few steps forward and handed the bamboo tube hanging at her waist to Li Xin. Li Xin opened his mouth and gulped down several mouthfuls of water, which helped him regain some strength. He looked up at the charcoal seller and forced a smile, saying: "You have saved my life, old sir. If you have any conditions, just let me know. I will do my utmost to fulfill them."

The child is quite good; upon waking, he did not forget to collect the body for your uncle. He is a filial child, and the old man did not save you in vain.

The elderly man tilted his head back and took a sip of wine, then continued speaking

This is truly an unfortunate child

Although he is a modern person, he has completely inherited the memories of this unfortunate child, and thus naturally knows how to communicate in this era, or rather, in this world, so there is no problem at all in the conversation

Therefore, when he woke up from his stupor and barely regained some strength, he went to that dilapidated temple and carried his great-uncle back, intending to dig a pit to bury this elderly man who had been frozen to death.

The elderly person spoke while assisting Li Xin in placing the body of the uncle into the grave pit, and then sat down on the large stone nearby, instructing Li Xin to begin covering it with soil

Li Xin was momentarily taken aback, and then he saw the deep wrinkles on the face of the coal seller, whose hair had turned snow white. He immediately understood the meaning of the old man.