Chapter 329: Heavier Than Carrying Gifts

While drinking with Mr. Chen, Zhang Xiaoliu didn’t quite know what he was thinking. He looked at the wine cup, then glanced at the gentle-speaking Mr. Chen.

It seemed as if nothing had changed.

And yet, it seemed like everything had changed.

At a certain moment of reminiscing, Zhang Xiaoliu recalled many things from the past.

He remembered being picked up from the snowy night by the Old Manager.

He remembered how Mr. Chen had once helped him out of a difficult situation.

He remembered when the Old Manager had him enter the Ancestral Hall to kowtow.

He remembered…

He remembered that day when he knelt before Mr. Chen, begging for Immortal Fate for his son.

Countless years had passed.

He lowered his head, gazing at the calm surface of the wine cup. He didn’t know what he was thinking about; maybe he was just remembering the past.

It felt like he had lost something.

Back then, he was also that child playing beneath the tree in the Civic District; in the blink of an eye, he could no longer return.

Zhang Xiaoliu wasn’t drunk. With a measure of sobriety, he descended the mountain.

As he left, he picked up the broom and swept the snow clean off around the mountain gate.

He clearly understood that he wasn’t that shop assistant anymore, nor was he that Xiao’er.

Some things left no room for turning back.

After Zhang Xiaoliu left, Chen Changsheng took a jar of wine and went to the Back Mountain.

He paid his respects to Xuan Huang. In the hundred years he had been at this place, he considered Xuan Huang the only one who had attained the Dao.

Chen Changsheng wasn’t one to like chattering. He sat with him for a few cups of wine, then picked up another jar of wine and went down the mountain.

Many weeds had grown in front of Zhang Wudi’s grave. The few small pine trees planted back then were now far taller than Chen Changsheng.

He too poured out wine, thinking of the countless who are no longer here.

Recalling these years, to Chen Changsheng, it didn’t seem like so much time had passed, yet everything was changed, people gone.

Xuan Huang was gone. Zhang Wudi was gone. The Zhang Xiaoliu who came to seek his help was no longer the straightforward old friend he used to be.

Chen Changsheng seemed to understand the hatred Zhao Yuqing once held for him then.

He gulped down several large mouthfuls of wine.

Then he collapsed in front of Zhang Wudi’s grave and fell asleep.

Chen Changsheng thought to himself.

Perhaps after Tao’er’s wedding, he could go out and wander a bit too.

There was also the matter he promised Xuan Huang – to find a successor for this Taoist Temple.

As for Moyuan, he should have his own affairs to tend to. Staying to guard the Taoist Temple… what kind of existence was that?

Chenghuang was now Moyuan’s younger brother. His cultivation was much higher than before, and with Moyuan protecting him, he’d have someone watching his back out in the world.

As for Changsheng himself, he simply wanted to wander around.

Just for himself, not for some so-called solution.

Chen Changsheng was afraid.

Afraid that one day, he truly would lose his feeling for the mortal world’s red dust.

He’d rather sleep soundly without ever waking, than become numb to the world.

…

When Chen Changsheng awoke, his surroundings were still empty and silent.

Only the gravestone remained by his side.

He should have felt lonely, but Chen Changsheng was long accustomed to such things.

Except for the moment of waking, he had always been alone.

He brushed the dust from his clothes, sighed softly, and walked back to Flowing Cloud Temple.

Tao’er had already swept the snow clean from the temple grounds.

Moyuan and Hu Junhan sat at the temple gate, bickering now and then, truly like Door Gods.

“Mr. Chen is back”

Chen Changsheng nodded slightly. “Why are you sitting here?”

Moyuan said, “It’s cooler outside.”

Hu Junhan glanced at him but said nothing.

Truthfully, they had just been chased out by Miss Tao’er for being too noisy.

Chen Changsheng didn’t press further. He glanced at the sky. “Better rest early. Tomorrow, a matchmaker will come up the mountain to deliver the betrothal letter. When they leave, remember to give them some celebration money. Don’t let people gossip.”

“Tomorrow?”

Moyuan thought for a moment, then thumped his chest. “Don’t worry, Mr. Chen. Leave it to me.”

Chen Changsheng agreed and entered the temple.

Hu Junhan spoke up. “Mr. Chen asked you to give celebration money. Don’t hand out any strange or weird things. Otherwise, it will be Miss Tao’er’s face that gets lost.”

“Isn’t it just money? I have plenty!”

Saying this, Moyuan shook out a shower of gleaming gold ingots.

“Enough?”

Hu Junhan glanced at them. “Don’t you have Copper Coins or something?”

Moyuan blinked. “Is gold not good?”

“Of course not!”

Hu Junhan said, “Giving that much gold is asking for trouble. Just a few dozen Copper Coins are plenty for celebration money.”

“I have hundreds, thousands of gold taels… but Copper Coins amounting to tens of coins…”

“If you don’t have any, go exchange for some.”

Moyuan smacked his lips, considering it. “Alright.”

For once, Moyuan was compliant. Where Miss Tao’er’s wedding was concerned, he was taking no chances. He went to exchange for copper coins immediately, working late into the night.

Two entire large boxes!

Hu Junhan couldn’t help but be stunned when he saw them. “Why did you exchange so many?”

“At first, I tried to go to a pawnshop. But they couldn’t even break such big units. So, I just visited a few mountain strongholds and liberated some bandits.”

“……”

Hu Junhan sighed helplessly.

This Moyuan had never done a single proper thing.

The night passed without further incident.

At dawn, the sky was grey and hazy.

No fog rose that morning. It was a fine day, splendid on the calendar as well.

The matchmaker arrived early in the morning, accompanied by over a dozen others – mostly neighbors and fellow villagers, carrying the betrothal gifts.

There was meat, wine, clothing…

The mountain path was a tough climb, but not one of them complained along the way.

No grumbling; that was the rule. Otherwise, it would be inauspicious.

Reaching the gate, the matchmaker saw two extremely handsome young gentlemen already waiting.

The whole procession paused briefly at the sight of these two at the temple gate.

“Such handsome young men.”

“Indeed, indeed.”

“Why haven’t we seen them before?”

Moyuan and Hu Junhan exchanged a glance. Moyuan spoke first, “Please, everyone, come inside. Our Mr. Chen has been waiting for you.”

“Yes, yes. Let’s go, go.”

So the procession, carrying their things, entered the temple.

The matchmaker and Master Tong’s parents took their seats. Opposite them sat Chen Changsheng.

“Mr. Chen.” Tong Caizheng called respectfully.

Chen Changsheng nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

The matchmaker looked slightly surprised. This Mr. Chen was remarkably young.

“Is the young lady’s teacher really this young?” the matchmaker said.

Chen Changsheng smiled. “Appearance looks young. I’m really not.”

In the ensuing conversation, the matchmaker spoke at length with Chen Changsheng, their words circling constantly around Tao’er and Tong Zhihuan.

The parents interjected from time to time. They were nervous in their hearts, afraid the matchmaker might say something wrong.

Moyuan hadn’t been idle either. After hauling out the two boxes of coins, he addressed the gift bearers.

“Don’t be shy, everyone. These two boxes… Take as much as you can! Consider it celebration money. I wasn’t really prepared; all I have extra is this bit of money.”

Hu Junhan couldn’t help but facepalm at this. He quickly edged away.

The gift bearers stared at the scene, momentarily stunned.

The sheer amount given was simply too much.

Later, after the matchmaker finished writing the marriage contract and delivered it to Mr. Chen, the group descended the mountain.

As they left, every one of them had pockets heavily laden.

Each step jingled dozens of times. Impossible to hide.

It was heavier than carrying the gifts had been.