Chapter 438

"Proposing marriage for my granddaughter."

"Correct."

"The woman's side is going to the man's home to propose?"

"Heh, is that not allowed?"

"It's quite rare. Isn't the general custom for the man's side to go to the woman's home to propose first?"

"General customs are based on the idea of social standing, and one should follow local traditions. But in the marketplace of every trade, there is one truth that can never be escaped:

Good things must be seized.

If we truly adhered to modesty since ancient times, there wouldn't be so many stories of 'snatching a son-in-law from under the examination list'."

"Hahaha, Daoist, the way you put it—even bringing up 'snatching a son-in-law from under the list.' How about it? Is the grandson-in-law you've set your sights on really a top scholar?"

"Hehehe."

Sun Brother Baishen stroked his goat beard with great satisfaction; there was no other reason—it truly was the case.

Although the status of a provincial top scholar could not compare to that person's true identity, it at least carried some of the refined prestige of the Literary Star.

Writing a few lines about it into the sect's ancestral records would surely make the ancestors happy if they knew about it in the afterlife.

After all, the ancestors wouldn't know the specific difference between a current top scorer in the college entrance examination and the top scholars of their time.

When Sun Brother Baishen told Han Han Han Han Shuting his intentions, Han Han Han Han Shuting felt he was talking nonsense.

Daoist Sun himself knew how difficult this matter was, but what if?

It's like beating the trees to see if there are any dates; even if his proposal failed, given the prestige of the Long Wang Gate, it was impossible for them to spread it around and affect the reputation of his granddaughters.

The taxi passed Sianzhen and continued driving north.

Sun Brother Baishen began to change his clothes in the car, combing his hair and grooming his long beard.

The taxi driver had only been distracted for a moment while driving, and when he looked back through the rearview mirror, he was stunned himself.

The old Daoist with the sloppy Daoist robe he had picked up earlier—how had he suddenly become so noble and possessed such an immortal air?

"Dao... Daoist?"

"What is it?"

"No... nothing."

"Hmm."

Daoist Sun closed his eyes to rest.

After a while, the taxi driver couldn't help but ask:

"Daoist, could you please help me tell my fortune?"

"In what aspect?"

"My luck, I suppose."

"Luck is nothing more than two sentences."

"Which two sentences?"

"One is to look at oneself first, then at Heaven; the other is to look at Heaven first, then at oneself."

"Daoist, isn't what you said the same as saying nothing?"

"You have attained enlightenment."

"I..."

"You changed your clothes, and you felt my cultivation was high; you saw the rabbit and released the hawk. This is actually no different from releasing life in the river or lighting lamps in temples and Daoist shrines—abandoning the essence to pursue the trivial, seeking profit while discarding the foundation.

The righteous path of self-cultivation is to mold one's true self."

"You are becoming more and more profound; I don't understand."

"The two words 'true self'—one is 'true,' the other is 'self.'

Take you as an example: when you picked me up, you didn't use the meter and quoted a flat price. It is just like having a path but not following it, entering a side road—it is not 'true.'

I changed my clothes, my image changed, and your attitude shifted—changing from 'you' (informal) to 'you' (formal)—that is not 'me.'

The mundane world is full of mortals. Those who can attain luck have been few since ancient times, but those who are not their 'true selves,' even if they have luck, have no foundation to cherish it.

It is not impossible that among your peers, there are those who use the meter normally, provide convenience to others, and hold onto their 'true selves.' Because they picked up one passenger, they have already harvested marriage, family, and descendants, living smoothly and peacefully."

"Daoist, I understand."

"Hmm."

"You see that we are almost at the destination, so you want to haggle, right?"

Daoist Sun paid the fare and got out of the car at Shijia Bridge.

The taxi driver told him that if he walked a little further ahead and turned into the village road on the right, he would be at Siyuan Village.

Daoist Sun did not rush into the village but sat cross-legged by the bridge. He laid out a Bagua cloth, placed the Daoist ancestor in the center, lit incense and candles on the left, placed copper coins on the right, and began to chant scriptures, praying for blessings.

Visiting someone's home requires the etiquette of visiting someone's home.

Personalities are equal, but life is one's own.

You could, of course, walk up to the door carelessly, push open the courtyard gate without regard for small details, and wave your Daoist sleeve freely, shouting, "This poor Daoist has come to visit, open the door and welcome me quickly."

Then, if you are carried out lying down, don't cry injustice.

It's not just you lying down; your entire clan or sect might have to lie down and rest with you.

This prayer scripture was chanted for a long time.

There was not a hint of impatience on Daoist Sun's Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face as he continued to maintain his ethereal state of meditation.

"Mom, look at the bridge over there."

Li Li Juxiang followed her daughter Cui Cui's pointing finger, turned her head, and looked at Daoist Sun sitting there.

Because her own family was in this line of business, Li Li Juxiang understood the depth of things better. She had no cultivation herself, and without her mother, she wouldn't even be considered a beginner, but at least she could sense that this Daoist before her was likely someone with true cultivation.

Li Li Juxiang stopped the car and signaled for Cui Cui in the back seat to get out.

Cui Cui was not in school today; she had been selected by the school and sent to the city to participate in a math competition.

After picking up her daughter, her daughter said the problems were very difficult, she couldn't do many of them, and she might only get a third-place consolation prize, which was far worse than Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Hou Gege had been back then.

Li Li Juxiang comforted her the whole way.

Actually, Cui Cui was already very gifted in school; as a student who skipped grades, she could still pass the school selection to participate in the competition.

Li Li Juxiang's method of comforting her daughter was also very simple:

"Cui Cui, this isn't your fault; it's your mom's brain that held you back. Your Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Hou Gege's mother, that is, your Auntie Li Lan, was much, much smarter than Mom back then."

Daoist Sun slowly opened his eyes and saw the woman standing before him.

With just one glance, Daoist Sun's gaze sank. The woman's aura of a hard life, though mitigated, still had deep scars; it could not be changed by anyone other than a great master, and changing it seemed meaningless anyway.

"Daoist, how much does it cost to have a fortune told?"

"This poor Daoist does not accept money."

"Then please tell my daughter's fortune."

"Very well."

Daoist Sun looked at the little girl pushed in front of him by the woman.

"Hiss..."

Daoist Sun gasped.

And then he immediately became suspicious, wondering:

"Give me your birth date and time."

Li Li Juxiang reported it immediately.

Daoist Sun then signaled for Cui Cui to open her palm.

Cui Cui obeyed.

Daoist Sun's gaze fell on Cui Cui's bracelet, and the corner of his eye twitched immediately.

Which great master was helping her suppress her fate?

"Your daughter, there is no need to tell her fortune."

"This..." Li Li Juxiang reached into her pocket to get money. "Daoist, please name a price."

"It is truly unnecessary. Do not force what is not in your fate; what is in your fate will eventually come."

Li Li Juxiang looked puzzled.

Cui Cui: "Daoist, does that mean it's in my fate?"

Daoist Sun stroked his beard and smiled: "You are very intelligent."

If he hadn't seen that bracelet, Daoist Sun's next sentence would probably have been: Would you like to take this poor Daoist as your master?

Those with strange fates who enter the Profound Sect often die young, but many also achieve miraculous results.

Primarily, it depends on whether the person has the root of wisdom. This little girl did.

"May I ask, do you live around here?"

Li Li Juxiang: "Yes, Daoist, we live over there, Siyuan Village."

Daoist Sun opened his mouth, wanting to speak but stopping.

He had probably guessed which family had gifted this bracelet.

Only that family could make such a lavish gesture.

He had wanted to ask the other party to pass on a message, but he was afraid of being rude, so he suppressed the thought, closed his eyes again, and continued chanting scriptures to pray for blessings.

Cui Cui opened her schoolbag, took out the small bread and milk the school had given her during the competition, and placed them on the Daoist's Bagua cloth.

Daoist Sun: "Immeasurable Life and Longevity to the Heavenly Venerable."

Cui Cui got back into the car and left with her mother.

After entering the village road, Cui Cui spoke up: "Mom, the teacher leading our group this time, Mr. Xu, seems to be interested in you."

"You're just a child, don't talk nonsense."

"I can see it."

Li Li Juxiang had also sensed it; every time she went to the school for matters regarding Cui Cui, no matter which office she was in, that Mr. Xu would appear, even if he was supposed to be teaching, he would have the students do self-study first, then carry a water cup and pretend to pass by unintentionally.

They were both adults; they knew exactly what was on each other's minds.

Furthermore, Mr. Xu had even entrusted people in the village to sound out her opinion, only to be turned down.

However, Mr. Xu later continued to entrust people to come over, saying that he was a teacher and did not believe in that feudal superstition nonsense.

Whether he believed it or not, Li Li Juxiang did not care; she had absolutely no intention of remarrying.

"Mom, Mr. Xu is a decent person. It seems his parents were in poor health before, and he had to use his salary to support his younger brother and sister through school, which is why he hasn't married yet."

"Cui Cui, are you so eager to sell your mom off?"

"Mom, don't you also want to help sell your mom off?"

Passing by the village road in front of Li Sanjiang's house, Li Li Juxiang saw the crowd setting up a card table on the dam in the distance, and among them was her own mother.

"Mom, I want to find Sister A Li later. I've copied down all the questions I couldn't do on this exam, and I'll let Sister A Li answer them for me."

"A Li can do these questions?"

"Yes, hehe, Sister A Li doesn't just teach me how to draw; she also taught me my math competition problems. She's really amazing."

"She... she hasn't been to school, has she?"

"Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Hou didn't go to school for long either, and then with a 'whoosh,' he became a university student."

"Sigh, if only she could speak and her personality wasn't so withdrawn, that would be great. It's a real pity."

"Sister A Li can speak."

"She can speak? Does she speak to you?"

"No, but many times I can understand some of Sister A Li's meanings. Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Hou is even more amazing; he and Sister A Li can communicate using their eyes."

Li Li Juxiang couldn't help but want to laugh, which then turned into envy and warmth.

"I heard from your grandmother that Li Sanjiang has been trying to haggle over the bride price with Grandma Liu. Your grandmother says Li Sanjiang is simply inexplicable about this matter. The three sisters at their card table have long known that 'Sister Liu' couldn't possibly be short of money. It's just that Li Sanjiang lives so close every day and has never been able to see it clearly, remaining in a daze."

At the card table.

Liu Liu Jinxia had just shared the news about the teacher from Shigang Middle School entrusting someone to sound out her opinion.

Granny Sun Hua: "Has sick parents to take care of and still has to support a younger brother and sister? With conditions like that, you still have to consider it? You should be running away as fast as you can!"

Liu Liu Jinxia: "The parents have already passed away, the younger brother has started working at the Power Supply Bureau, and the younger sister is a teacher at an elementary school. He has no burdens now."

Wang Niu Lian: "That's not bad then, and he's also someone with responsibility and commitment."

Granny Sun Hua: "Indeed."

Liu Liu Jinxia: "Auntie Auntie Auntie Xiang Hou herself isn't willing, what can be done?"

Granny Sun Hua: "That's easy to handle."

Liu Liu Jinxia: "How to handle it?"

Granny Sun Hua: "You set an example for her first."

Liu Liu Jinxia: "See if I don't tear your mouth apart!"

After one round, it was Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei's turn to sit out.

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei picked up her teacup, glanced toward the southwest, drank her tea silently, and then flicked her fingertip lightly against the side of the cup.

On Shijia Bridge, the copper coin on the right side of Daoist Sun suddenly trembled.

Daoist Sun immediately rose with irrepressible joy, first tidying up his gear, then taking out his visiting card, holding it with both hands, and walking toward Siyuan Village.

Entering the village road, Daoist Sun scanned his surroundings, his gaze fixing on that peach forest—invisible to the naked eye of ordinary people—shining brilliantly out of season.

Even if the Old Lady of the Liu family didn't live there, that should be the gate to the Old Lady's temporary residence.

In fact, Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei's tapping had given Sun Sun Yuanqing directional guidance; Sun Sun Yuanqing could roughly determine Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei's location through the copper coin.

But, who told Sun Sun Yuanqing to be so well-versed in etiquette!

Walking in front of Grandpa Grandpa Hu Zi's house, Daoist Sun stopped, rearranged his Daoist robe, and took the opportunity to take a deep breath to regulate his Qi.

After everything was ready, he walked along the edge of the dam and entered.

Just as he stepped onto the dam, he and Benben in the crib, one old and one infant, stared at each other across the air.

Benben: "Mm..."

Daoist Sun: "Eh..."

Benben noticed that the old Daoist priest had a very deep color on him.

Daoist Sun saw the almost overflowing fortune on this child.

This fortune was so thick it reached an exaggerated stage; to put it bluntly, even if this baby were thrown into this house and the house were set on fire, this baby would probably be able to crawl out of the house unscathed.

However, here, encountering strange things or meeting special babies was all very normal.

Because Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan had taken A Li to Shigang Town to watch a movie early in the morning, Benben, who was nominally accompanying the young master and young lady to amuse them, had obtained a rare day off.

Being able to sit in a crib during the day, looking at the blue sky and the peach forest, instead of huddled under the bed, Benben cherished it very much.

Daoist Sun pointed at the peach forest.

Benben shook his head.

Daoist Sun understood and did not enter the peach forest.

Benben was somewhat surprised; this was the first time he had successfully persuaded someone to turn back.

Daoist Sun held the visiting card with both hands, faced the peach forest, bowed first, and then sent it off with both hands; the visiting card flew into the depths of the peach forest.

Qin An was drinking tea with Su Luo.

A visiting card landed steadily on his coffee table.

Qin An, holding his teacup, extended his little finger and pointed outside:

"Heh, another one treating me like a doorman."

Su Luo got up to pour tea and said: "This one this time is quite well-mannered."

Qin An opened the visiting card and glanced at it while drinking tea.

Seeing the end, Qin An laughed.

"Hehehe..."

Su Luo was confused.

"Go, tell him the visiting card is accepted, and let him go there himself to pay a visit."

Su Luo asked:

"Don't need to drag him in for a beating this time?"

Qin An shook his head:

"Dragging him back and forth, I'm tired of it too. Besides, this time, there will be someone who wants to beat him more than we do."

Su Luo got up and left; soon, he returned and reported:

"I had Huang Ying go and lead the way for him."

A corpse was currently leading the way for him.

Daoist Sun was not surprised by this.

In the Jianghu, there had always been a rumor that Long Wang Qin and Long Wang Liu had a different way of suppressing the evil spirits in their ancestral home compared to other Long Wang gates and major forces.

And this difference referred to...

Daoist Sun was brought to Li Sanjiang's house.

Qin Shu had gone out to deliver goods, and Liu Yi had gone to collect letters.

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei had not intended to let the other party wait so long by the bridge, but she happened to have no one around to run errands.

Signaling the three old sisters to keep playing and saying she was tired and needed a rest, Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei stood up.

After seeing Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei, Daoist Sun was about to bow solemnly, but was "lifted" by Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei's gaze.

Sun Sun Yuanqing immediately realized this was a "White Dragon in Fish Clothes" (a noble in disguise).

Daoists were also well-versed in entering and leaving the world, so he immediately stepped forward, recited his Daoist name, and said he had come to ask for a bowl of water.

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei pointed to the kitchen, signaling him to go himself.

Then, Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei walked into the living room, leaving ripples as she moved.

Ripples also appeared on Daoist Sun; after bowing, he followed her into the living room.

In the eyes of Liu Liu Jinxia and the others, Sister Liu had gone into the east room to rest, and the Daoist had left after finding water in the kitchen.

In reality, the two had already arrived at the second-floor balcony.

The autumn afternoon had its own unique style; the sun had restrained the irritability of summer and had not yet surrendered its gentleness to winter.

In this season, whether playing cards on the dam or blowing in the wind on the balcony, it was a very pleasant thing.

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei sat down in A Li's rattan chair, and Sun Sun Yuanqing first formally bowed to the Old Lady of the Liu family, then sighed from the bottom of his heart:

"I was nervous when I came, not daring to have too many extravagant hopes. Now that I can be received by you, it truly feels like a dream."

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei: "The predecessors of your sect have stood up for justice in the Jianghu many times and have old ties with both the Qin and Liu families. We can be considered family friends."

This was a very high affirmation; the Old Lady was truly giving him Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face and raising the status of his heritage.

In fact, under the Long Wang Order, there were many responders, especially the reputation of Long Wang Qin and Long Wang Liu, which was well-established. Even in times of difficulty, whether it was the Qin family or the Liu family, they would decide to cover the retreat and would never abandon their followers as meat shields in front.

Daoist Sun: "I dare not accept, I dare not accept, you are overpraising me."

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei: "It wasn't said to you, so what right do you have to make excuses for your own predecessors?"

Daoist Priest Sun: "To receive such affirmation from you, my sect's predecessors must surely be comforted and joyful in the afterlife."

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei: "Since you've come and we've met, just speak freely; otherwise, it's rather tiring."

Daoist Priest Sun: "Yes."

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei: "Sit."

Daoist Priest Sun looked at the empty rattan chair beside Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei, but he dared not sit side-by-side with Old Lady Liu.

Liu Liu Liu Liu Liu Yumei: "There is a stool over there; allow me to be presumptuous and sit a head higher than you."

Daoist Priest Sun revealed a smile, moved the stool over, and sat beside the old lady.