SCT-Novel #365 - Oh no! What a beast!
#365 - Oh no! What a beast!
"Then the scholar said to the old man: ‘I am well-versed in the classics, how could I not recognize a single word?’"
"The old man said, ‘This book is not of the human realm, how could you recognize it? What is recorded above is the marriage register of all the men and women in the world!’"
Da Hei struck a pose, looking quite the part, and said, "The scholar then asked what was in the bag."
"The old man said: ‘These are red threads, used to tie the ankles of husband and wife. When a man and a woman are born, they are already tied together. Even if they are enemies in the future, with vast differences in wealth and status, mismatched in appearance, or separated by thousands of miles, they will inevitably become husband and wife!’"
"Heh heh." Although Xu Chengxian knew the origin of the Old Man of the Moon Shrine, he hadn't really understood it in such detail.
Now, listening to Da Hei say this, he couldn't wait to urge his horse to leave this place immediately.
Good heavens, with just these few words, he could think of so many unhappy couples.
Not to mention anything else, as soon as the phrase 'mismatched in appearance' came out, the BGM of 'Big Brother, drink your medicine' started playing in his mind.
"That scholar…"
"Grandpa Hei! That scholar's name is Wei Gu!"
The Four-Legged Snake, Ao Runji, crawled out from the corner of the carriage and shouted.
"Is that so?" Da Hei was taken aback.
"Yes, it is! I've heard this story for decades, I remember it most clearly!" Ao Runji bowed and said, "It's also written on the wall of the Old Man of the Moon Shrine."
"I'll go take a look!" Da Hei flashed out of the carriage.
It had to tell the story perfectly!
"…Tsk, at such an old age, still so competitive." Xu Chengxian shook his head slightly.
But he didn't stop it.
He would inevitably go to the Heavenly Realm in the future. Even if he didn't meet the Old Man of the Moon, he would definitely encounter gods in charge of marriage.
Listening to more stories might come in handy.
Then, he turned his head and saw a small green face, baring two small pointed teeth, smiling at him.
"Huh?"
"Daoist Xu!" Ao Runji repeatedly bowed.
It had been squatting in Xu Chengxian's courtyard all this time.
Afraid of being caught back to Liangjie River to be punished.
After all, whether it was the loss of the Qiankun Cauldron or the later true and false Pan Mengdie, it couldn't escape responsibility.
But seeing that Daoist Xu's affairs were about to be completed, if it didn't come out to ask for a place to stay, it was afraid it would have nowhere to hide afterwards.
"Why are you still here?" Xu Chengxian raised an eyebrow when he saw it appear.
After the matter was settled, he had told the Four-Legged Snake to stay at the bottom of his well, but later, seeing that it refused to leave, he couldn't be bothered to care.
Anyway, it was living in the Prefectural Governor's mansion.
So, at this time, asking this question casually was just a question.
"Immortal Xu, hehe. Would it be good to dig a well at the White Snake Goddess Temple too?" Ao Runji hopped over and asked with a smile, "It would be even better if you would let me be the Well Dragon King!"
"You want to be the Well Dragon King in my well?" Xu Chengxian raised an eyebrow, "Good heavens, you want me to drink your foot-washing water?"
"No, no, no, I'm not that…"
"Wait!" Xu Chengxian raised his hand to stop him, thought for a moment, and nodded, "It is indeed necessary to dig a well in the temple."
Digging a well would benefit the surrounding people and also attract some popularity.
If the water quality was good and the reputation of being able to prolong life spread, then there would be prosperity for hundreds of years.
This was equivalent to saving a sum of fixed-term financial management for Xiao Cui.
"What about the Well Dragon King matter, what do you think?" Ao Runji rubbed his hands and mustered up the courage to ask again.
"You have to take good care of the well for me." Xu Chengxian said, "Keep it clean, and don't put anything in it."
"Yes, yes, yes! I guarantee I'll take good care of the well!" Ao Runji said happily, "I also know some medicine. If I can open up a yard behind the temple and plant some medicinal herbs, I can take good care of it too."
"Well, that's a good thing. Put some medicinal herbs in the well water so that people who come to drink water can also get some benefits." Xu Chengxian smiled with satisfaction.
This coincided with what he thought.
Of course, such medicinal herbs would be ordinary medicinal herbs, not related to spiritual plants.
However, planting medicinal herbs that have the effects of calming the nerves, nourishing the blood, and replenishing qi, and occasionally irrigating them with divine power, would definitely have the benefits of warding off evil spirits and calming the mind for those who drink it regularly.
When people's hearts are calm and their qi and blood flow smoothly, they are more likely to live a long life.
"I'll listen to Daoist Xu's instructions!" Ao Runji said happily.
It could be considered to have climbed onto a powerful thigh.
It didn't expect to get great benefits from Xu Chengxian. As long as it lived in the temple, it would prevent the White Dragon King's people from coming to arrest it casually.
Its biological father was getting older and more worried, and he would definitely not provoke Daoist Xu, who was of unknown origin but very strong, and looked like he had an extraordinary background, for the sake of this insignificant son.
"I'm back!" Da Hei shouted and rushed in.
"Did you see clearly?" Xu Chengxian asked.
"Saw clearly, saw clearly." Da Hei put its hooves on its hips and said, "It's a scholar named Wei Gu."
As he said that, he raised his hoof and patted Ao Runji's shoulder, "You kid, you didn't stay at the Old Man of the Moon Shrine for nothing!"
"His surname is Wei, huh." Xu Chengxian narrowed his eyes, shook his head slightly, "Alright, get out of the carriage and take a look at the temple."
It was a good time to pick a good place to dig a well.
At this time, the carriage had already stopped.
"Immortal Xu, should I wait here?"
The servant driving the carriage outside couldn't see Da Hei, but he heard voices talking in the carriage, and he was so frightened that he shivered.
However, the carriage was still driven very steadily.
It could be seen that, for ordinary people, the Prefectural Governor, who held the power of life and death, was more powerful than ghosts and gods.
He was so scared, but he still asked bravely.
He didn't dare to run away.
"Yes, yes, thank you for your trouble." Xu Chengxian smiled, raised his hand, and threw a string of copper coins over.
This thing was more courageous than wine.
Sure enough, the coachman's expression immediately calmed down, and he thanked Xu Chengxian repeatedly.
Xu Chengxian waved his hand and stepped into the temple.
"My story isn't finished yet!" Da Hei shouted as he flew beside him.
"Then continue telling it." Xu Chengxian flicked his horsetail whisk.
Listening to the story wouldn't delay his work.
"Alright!"
Da Hei was happy, and then continued from where he left off.
"The old man said that what he was holding was not a mortal object, didn't that mean he was a god? Wei Gu certainly couldn't believe it easily, but seeing that the old man did indeed have a somewhat immortal demeanor, he was skeptical."
"Da Xu, isn't this what you said about appearance being very important?"
It not only paid attention to telling the story vividly, adding things to enrich the plot, but also interacted with the audience.
Seeing Xu Chengxian nod, he continued, "Wei Gu curiously asked the old man: ‘I am not yet married, why doesn't the old immortal take a look and see what my future wife's family name should be?’"
"Then the old man flipped through the book and told Wei Gu that the daughter of Chen Po in Songcheng is currently three years old and will marry him when she is sixteen years old." Da Hei said, "At this time, Wei Gu is having someone propose marriage to him."
"They are talking about the daughter of the high official Pan Fang." Ao Runji, who was following at Xu Chengxian's feet, started to play the role of a supporting actor.
"That's right." Da Hei nodded, "The old man said that this woman has no fate with Wei Gu."
"Wei Gu calculated that the woman was sixteen years old, and he was over thirty years old. How could there be so many years of difference?"
Therefore, he didn't believe the old man's words even more, so he asked if he could see this little girl.
The old man led him to a grass market and saw a woman with one blind eye, holding a ragged little girl, walking unsteadily.
Then he pointed to the little girl and said to him, this is your wife.
"Wei Gu was angry and said, ‘How can someone of my background marry the vulgar daughter of a rustic, disabled woman? It's better to kill her.’"
"Oh ho!" Xu Chengxian praised, "What a beast!"