Chapter 38

"Talent?"

Liu Dongzhu gave a self-mocking smile, her face full of ridicule; from childhood she had heard the word "talent" more than anything else, ever since Wang Ruhai began her enlightenment, he often said he had talent in studies.

"Indeed."

"As expected, his talent for study is not just good; he could leap the dragon gate, pass the imperial examination as third-place laureate."

"Just that."

"No matter how good his study talent is, it ultimately cannot hide his beastly character."

Liu Dongzhu said expressionlessly: "Our Ping'an is just an ordinary person; I don't know if he has talent in studies, I think he probably doesn't, and all I want is for our Ping'an to grow up safe and sound!"

Luo Man looked at Liu Dongzhu in surprise, not expecting her to say such things; nowadays Daxia is basically a peaceful prosperous age, families that are somewhat well-off send their children to school to study.

"Isn't it because studying is the only way to rise above others!"

"Not expecting to be like Wang Ruhai who passed the imperial examination as third-place laureate; as long as one has an official title, for ordinary families it's a way to change fate."

"Who made Daxia's preferential treatment of scholars so great!"

"Old Master Wang..."

Luo Man could only say Liu Dongzhu's view was that of a woman, long hair short sight; before he could say anything, Wang Lin interrupted: "Manager Luo, our Ping'an's affairs are managed by our Dongzhu; since she doesn't want our Ping'an to take the imperial examinations, our Ping'an won't take them!"

"He couldn't possibly not know the benefits of the imperial examinations; ever since Wang Ruhai showed his talent for study, Guo Xuesong has often mentioned the benefits of studying at their home."

"Saying it's the golden road of leaping the dragon gate is not an exaggeration!"

"Just that."

"Liu Dongzhu's opinion, he must respect!"

Liu Dongzhu spoke again: "Manager Luo, if your elder and our Ping'an are arranging a childhood engagement, hoping our Ping'an will have a future like his father, able to win some title like third-place laureate, I advise you to go back and persuade your elder, because I intend to let our Ping'an become a Daoist rather than study for the imperial examinations!"

"Become a Daoist?"

Luo Man exclaimed, took a deep look at Liu Dongzhu, seeing he didn't seem to be lying, in his peripheral vision he saw Wang Lin and Zhang Guihua silent, obviously knowing Liu Dongzhu intended to let her son become a Daoist.

"And he doesn't oppose it either!"

Luo Man's mouth twitched slightly, his face full of bewilderment; no matter how he thought, he couldn't understand: giving up being a proper scholar to run off and become a Daoist?

"In this world, there are not a few talented Daoists, but those who truly succeed in cultivation cannot be said to be extremely rare, yet they are still few."

"One hundred—no, one thousand—no, maybe among ten thousand people there might not even be one with the makings of a Daoist."

"As for scholars, as long as they are willing to work hard and put in effort, even if they cannot achieve fame and success like his father who passed the imperial examination as third-place laureate, at the very least they can have an official title."

"If they can't even earn an official title, they might as well switch careers early."

"Exactly, become a Daoist!"

Liu Dongzhu gave Luo Man a faint glance; only then did she roughly guess why Luo's elder would arrange a childhood engagement with their Ping'an.

"First, his father passed the imperial examination as third-place laureate; who makes most people firmly believe the old saying: dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, rats beget children who dig holes!"

"Second, the reputation of their Ping'an as a Great Virtuous Person has spread, even attracting spirit cats, showing their Ping'an is no ordinary person."

"Given all these circumstances, with Luo's elder's shrewdness, doing such a thing is quite normal."

Wang Lin looked at Luo Man's complexion, roughly able to guess his thoughts, and said: "Manager Luo, why not go back and discuss this engagement with your elder?" "Okay, okay, okay... Old Master Wang, I'll go back and discuss it with my elder right away!"

Luo Man knew that his elder, on a whim, prepared to settle accounts with the Wang family, because he knew Wang Ping'an was a reincarnation of a Great Virtuous Person, able to attract spirit cats besides, and also because of his father, hoping Wang Ping'an would follow his father's old path.

"Study for the imperial examinations and pass as top scholar!"

"If their elder found out that the Wang family isn't preparing Wang Ping'an to study but to become a Daoist, he might well have objections."

"This matter still needs to ask their elder's opinion!"

"I won't disturb Old Master Wang and your family!"

Luo Man rose to leave, hadn't taken a few steps when he seemed to think of something, turned to look at Liu Dongzhu and said: "Madam Wang, by rights, as an outsider I shouldn't meddle in your arrangements for the young master, but being a Daoist isn't that easy!"

"Manager Luo, I know!"

Liu Dongzhu smiled.

Luo Man didn't say more, knowing Liu Dongzhu's attitude, whatever he said would be useless; he turned and left with a group of Luo family warriors.

Zhang Guihua watched Luo Man's party gradually disappear from the hall, withdrew her gaze, and complained: "Dongzhu, they came to our door to propose a childhood engagement for our Ping'an, that's a huge blessing, why did you refuse?"

"This novel you have arrived"

Liu Dongzhu said: "Mom, they want our Ping'an to participate in the imperial examinations!"

Zhang Guihua didn't say much about the imperial examinations, because she knew Liu Dongzhu's thoughts; although she didn't agree, she felt sorry for Liu Dongzhu, and changed her tone:

"No matter what, Luo Elder is a well-known wealthy man in our Qingyang County; since he has taken a liking to our Ping'an, perhaps we can negotiate, so our Ping'an doesn't need to take the imperial examinations, right?"

"Mom, actually, even if Luo Elder doesn't demand anything from our Ping'an, I still wouldn't agree to this marriage!"

As soon as Liu Dongzhu finished speaking, she saw Zhang Guihua open her mouth; actually she knew her mother's thoughts, a tear slid down her eye socket, and she wept silently:

"Because I don't want my own matter to happen again to our Ping'an, and also to that girl whose name is still unknown!"

"Ding! You feel Mother Liu Dongzhu's profound affection, congratulations on gaining Physique+1!"

A mechanical, cold voice echoed in his mind, yet Wang Ping'an showed no hint of joy.

Just now, while lying in his mother's embrace cultivating the Purple Qi Classic and listening to opera, regarding someone coming to arrange a childhood engagement for him, he actually wasn't opposed; rather, he was happy.

"Who let his past life be a solo from the womb; even though he had seen many male-female oppositions, deep down he still somewhat yearned for love."

"But."

"In his past life he was merely a lowly member of society; not that no woman would glance at him, but most were just playing around, hoping for marriage was impossible."

"Betrothal gifts, house, car... which of these could someone like him, a lone individual, possibly produce?"

"He never expected that shortly after arriving in this world, a childhood engagement would come to his door; how could he not be happy, yet he didn't expect his mother to refuse it; he wouldn't blame his mother, only didn't expect her refusal would be because of his own matter."

"He feared that he or that unseen girl would repeat what happened to his mother."

"For a moment, Wang Ping'an felt uneasy inside."

"(End of chapter)"