Li Mutian, with his hands clasped behind his back, had just arrived at the front of the Tian Family courtyard when Tian Yun, who had been humming a song while squatting and picking vegetables, looked up and saw him, then shyly smiled and said:
"Uncle Li!"
She put down the vegetables in her hands and quickly stood up, calling into the house:
"Dad! Uncle Mutian is here."
"It's me."
Li Mutian replied with a smile, sizing up Tian Yun from head to toe.
Over these three years, the girl had blossomed beautifully, with a full and shapely figure. Though not stunningly beautiful, she had a well-proportioned face and a unique charm when she smiled.
"Not bad, not bad." Li Mutian lifted the hand behind his back, revealing that he was holding a big goose.
"Uncle Li, you are too kind."
Tian Yun, upon seeing Li Mutian bringing something, was startled at first, and upon a careful look, she exclaimed in surprise:
"Is that a goose?"
The "Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial" says: "For the marriage proposal, the betrothal gift should be a goose."
In Yue Country, when a man wishes to marry a woman, he would present a goose at her home, a ritual known as betrothal.
In the farming families and smaller households, they could not afford such elaborate customs. In Lijing Village, most common families, if not bringing an empty-handed proposal, were already numerous; this was Tian Yun's first time witnessing a betrothal, and only now did she react.
"Do you fancy our Li Xiangping?"
Li Mutian chuckled, teasing her.
Tian Yun's cheeks had already turned crimson, spreading to her neck. Out of reserve and shyness, she stammered, trying to cover up her feelings, but afraid that Li Mutian would take it seriously, she had to say:
"I do!"
Tian Shoushui had just come out of the house, and upon hearing this, he breathed a huge sigh of relief, as a weight that had long been on his heart finally fell to the ground.
How could a father not see that his daughter's heart had long been hung on that Li Xiangping! Only, that boy was always so inscrutable, giving away no hint of his feelings. Tian Shoushui had been worried his daughter might end up embarrassed, so he had always kept silent.
"Big brother!" Tian Shoushui called out with a big laugh.
Tian Shoushui had been following behind Li Mutian since he was five years old, and by twelve, they had joined the army together under Ren Ping'an. The three of them had clung to each other in the military seeking survival, closer than brothers.
Later, when they returned to the village, they took down the affluent Yuan Family, washed their hands of their past deeds, and turned to farming. Li Mutian had taken even more care of him, dividing his land, and even acting as a matchmaker for him to find a wife.
Tian Shoushui's destiny was intertwined with the Li Family's; even Li Changhu had been personally raised by him, dearer to him than his own children.
How could his daughter marrying into their family be anything but advantageous?
Tian Yun had no idea of the thoughts swirling in her father's heart. Seeing her father come out, she retreated as if fleeing, eliciting a hearty laugh from Li Mutian.
"Big brother, besides this happy event, there is another serious matter," Tian Shoushui said with a helpless shake of his head, turning serious.
"What is it?"
Li Mutian looked up, somewhat puzzled.
"A few days ago, on my way up the mountain, I passed by the Yuan Family's ancestral grave and heard some noises. When I went back to check, I didn't find anything."
"Are there any members of the Yuan Family we didn't finish off?" Li Mutian's eyebrows raised, and he spoke in a somber tone.
"I think it's just some distant relatives or those with some connection daring to secretly offer sacrifices,"
Tian Shoushui said uneasily, trying to reassure himself.
"Right, what you say makes sense," Li Mutian gradually relaxed and nodded at Tian Shoushui: "Back then, we did inquire properly; the Yuan Family had five members, and no one was missed."
"Big brother, I shouldn't be speaking such ominous words on a day like today!" Tian Shoushui slapped his own mouth, amusing Li Mutian who chuckled softly.
As he stepped out from the Tian Family and walked along the dirt road, Li Mutian's face remained calm as he thoughtfully looked towards Da Li Mountain.
————
After discussing the marriage proposal, Li Mutian hummed and hawed his way back into the courtyard, striding through the front yard, where only his three brothers were idly chatting at a wooden table.
The youngest, Li Chijin, was inside the room with his eyes closed, cultivating. Although the moonlight was weak during the daytime, making progress slow, Li Chijin practiced diligently day and night, not wasting a single moment.
In the courtyard, Li Xiangping was flipping through the "Guidance Technique" back and forth. The fabric was so crumpled from misuse that the ink had begun to blur significantly.
"Little brother, do try to be gentle with it," Li Tongya chuckled as he lightly scolded, his hands never ceasing their work, silently etching onto the wooden slip.
Big brother Li Changhu was sitting nearby scrutinizing land deeds and calculating accounts. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow and said,
"He's been at it all morning."
Li Mutian stepped over the threshold, picked up the clear tea from the wooden table, and casually sat down on the steps, carelessly saying,
"I went to propose to the Tian family."
At this, Li Xiangping leapt up from his chair, staring anxiously at his father.
"What did the Tian family say?"
"Tian Yun said she fancies you," Li Mutian slowly sipped his tea, sighing comfortably.
"Good, good, that's great," Li Xiangping nodded excitedly.
"Hahaha....." the two older brothers couldn't help but laugh.
"Listen to me," Li Mutian began, putting down his teacup and turning serious, "The celestial path is indeed wondrous beyond compare, but who knows what horrors and dangers lurk within? Our Li family is short on kin; if something happens to you, who will carry on the Li family name?"
Seeing that the young men had become earnest, Li Mutian gestured dismissively,
"This Dharma Mirror is both our family's opportunity and our potential misfortune."
"I hastily arranged a marriage for Changhu and had the wedding, hoping he would produce offspring quickly, fearing that if something happened, our Li family would still have a chance for survival."
"It's the same for you," Li Mutian pointed at Li Xiangping, then sighed helplessly as he looked at Li Tongya.
"As for Tongya, I'm old now and can't tell you what to do anymore. You're not interested in the women from our village, but you should still have some children..."
Li Tongya nodded silently, took a few breaths, and then said,
"Don't worry, Father, I'll take care of it."
"That would be for the best."
Li Mutian wiped the white hair at his temples, filled with worry.
He was nearing sixty, strong and free from concerns about food and clothing, but the world is unpredictable. It was best to arrange family affairs sooner rather than later!
"Father!"
A crisp call broke the somewhat oppressive atmosphere in the yard; Li Chijin rushed out of the room and stood before his brothers.
"I'm about to refine eighty-one strands of moonlight and condense my Xuanjing Wheel!" Li Chijin said, lifting his head proudly.
"My Chijin is impressive,"
Li Mutian had already heard his youngest son prattle on about the Fetal Breathing's Xuanjing Wheel. He couldn't help but hug him joyfully, laughing heartily at his child.
The brothers were also infected by this joyous atmosphere, all cracking smiles. Li Changhu even pinched Li Chijin's cheeks until the boy complained before he finally let go.
"The next Talisman Seed correspondence won't be until the summer solstice."
Li Tongya watched the cheerful scene unfold in the courtyard and smiled, pondering,
"I wasn't prepared for the New Moon. The next chance is the summer solstice, just a few more days to wait."
"On the path of cultivation, Li Tongya has arrived,"
He quietly etched the "Guidance Technique" on the wooden slip, his heart surging with excitement.