knife

Chapter 187 Moonlight Night
Li Dachui's bundle was like a treasure chest. Xiao Changche watched as he pulled out a bundle of incense sticks and rolls of joss paper from it.

Looking at the joss paper, it was even made with a mold in the shape of copper coins, which showed that Li Dachui had really put his heart into it.

"It's so kind of you to be so thoughtful; I never even thought of that!"

Xiao Changche, kneeling on the ground, took the lit incense stick from Li Dachui, raised it above his head, bowed once, then bowed again, then a third time, before finally sticking the incense stick into the ground in front of him.

"Haven't you ever offered sacrifices to them before?" Li Dachui asked.

Xiao Changche shook his head. "After the fire turned this place into a wasteland, I never came back. For so many years, I was busy fighting. When I had free time, I was thinking about how to make money. I never thought of these things! For me, killing a few more Yuan people was the best way to commemorate them. I neglected these formalities. Later, after I took Luo Hua back, Luo Hua took care of the sacrifices during festivals."

“Ancestor worship is more than just a formality!” Li Dachui shook a tinderbox, lit the joss paper, and placed it in a stone trough in front of him. “It’s not just about us living seeking spiritual peace; it’s more about the inheritance of our culture and bloodline. Family unity, cultural heritage, and personal morality can all be passed down from generation to generation through such rituals. I don’t believe in gods or fear ghosts, but I dare not forget my ancestors.”

"I remember, and I will definitely perform the sacrifices properly during festivals in the future!" Xiao Changche was very obedient this time.

"I'll take care of things from now on, just remember to attend!" Li Dachui laughed. "Judging from your attitude, I can tell you've never even considered this!"

Xiao Changche tilted his head and looked at Li Dachui.

"What is it? I didn't say anything wrong!" Li Dachui said.

"Aren't you going to kneel?" Xiao Changche asked softly.

Li Dachui suddenly realized what was happening, quickly lifted the front of his robe, knelt down next to Xiao Changche, lit three incense sticks, kowtowed three times, and then carefully placed them in the incense burner.

"Rest in peace, Father-in-law. I'll take care of Ningyu from now on, and I guarantee she'll live a happy and comfortable life." Hearing Li Dachui's words, Xiao Changche glared at him and said, "What do you mean, 'Father-in-law'? What title do we have now? Just call me Uncle for now!"

"It's only a matter of time!" Li Dachui reached out and grasped Xiao Changche's hand, saying, "After we get back this time, I'll go find the old man, and also Fu Qingzhu, and ask them to make arrangements for us and get us formally engaged. Didn't Old Man Fu say he wanted me to become the King of Guanwai before marrying you? So, getting engaged first shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Xiao Changche smiled sweetly: "King of the Pass? What if you can't become one?"

"Don't worry, even if it's just to marry you sooner, I'll work hard to achieve that goal as soon as possible!" Li Dachui laughed. "Of course, if you feel you can't wait, we can get married anytime. Old Man Fu can't control me. If he really wants to interfere, I'll have my godfather deal with him!"

"Who can't wait?" Xiao Changche spat at Li Dachui, sat down cross-legged, and looked at the ruins covered with green plants in front of him. His face showed sadness again: "It's just that I no longer have a father or brothers to send me off at my wedding!"

Looking at Xiao Changche, Li Dachui said, "Sometimes when I look at you, I feel like I'm still lucky."

"You were lucky there?"

“You have fond childhood memories, but it’s a double-edged sword. It can make you happy occasionally, but more often than not, it makes you sadder. The past is too painful to recall, that’s probably what it means!” Li Dachui said slowly, “I’m different. I’ve never met my parents, so I can’t talk about being sad at all. Even if I wanted to pretend, I couldn’t.”

"You really don't miss them?"

"How can I miss them?" Li Dachui retorted. "I have absolutely no impression of them in my mind. My godfather often tells me to take revenge, but to be honest, I don't really think it's that important!"

"Then why are you working so hard?" Xiao Changche asked, somewhat puzzled. "All these years, you've been working so hard to increase your strength, haven't you? It's all for revenge."

"No, I'm living better for myself! For the people I love and who love me to live better." Li Dachui said earnestly, "Whether it's practicing martial arts diligently, expanding my strength, occupying territory, or now wanting to become the King of the Pass, it's all essentially for this goal, to be qualified to be on the table and ordered, rather than becoming a dish on the menu."

"You can still think that way now, but as time goes on, I'm afraid these two things will become mixed up, and you won't be able to tell what the purpose is anymore!"

“Yes!” Li Dachui said with a bitter smile, “From now on, everything will be mixed up. Sometimes I feel quite shameless. I clearly have no feelings for my deceased parents. I even think it's ridiculous that they had such a good hand and still lost so badly. But every time I talk to my godfather about the past, I have to put on a longing act. Maybe when I really become the King of the North and am ready to march into the interior to fight for the country, I'll use them as a selling point. Ningyu, tell me, am I shameless and unfilial?”

"Have you said these things to anyone else?" Xiao Changche asked.

“How could that be?” Li Dachui shook his head. “I never told even a dog these things before. It’s only in front of you that I’m willing to be completely honest, because I want you to fully understand what kind of person I am. Just like I want to fully understand everything about you.” “These are clearly good words, but coming from your mouth, they sound a bit off.” Xiao Changche felt something was off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “Tell me about the hardships you endured as a child. I’d like to hear how Old City Lord Zhou raised you into the kind of person you are.”

"He's all about letting things run wild!" Li Dachui shrugged. "Besides making sure I don't get killed or starve, he lets me do whatever I want with him. He made me cultivate the Qi of Heaven and Earth. Do you know what he was thinking? He later told me that only by cultivating it could I avenge my parents. If I didn't, I'd die even if I lived to be a hundred, so I might as well die sooner!"

Xiao Changche chuckled: "This seems like something Old City Lord Zhou would do."

"Let's not talk about my business anymore, let's talk about yours! Back then you were the pampered young lady of the Xiao family, how could your father, oh no, old man, let you practice such a domineering martial art as the Heaven-Slaying Technique!"

"Back then, I was quite a willful little girl!" Xiao Changche rested her head on Li Dachui's shoulder, gazing at the bright moon in the sky, and said leisurely. "I preferred military attire to makeup, and my father indulged me. However, he didn't believe I could achieve anything significant. After all, there were many people practicing the Heaven-Slaying Technique outside the Great Wall at that time, but only a handful could reach the Qi Control level, let alone the Profound Origin."

“In a few more years, you’ll be at the Innate Realm!” Li Dachui laughed. “I really want to see what level Fatian will reach when he reaches the Innate Realm. Old Zhou said that the only person who could cultivate Fatian to the Innate Realm was the head of the Li family when he destroyed the Dayong Dynasty. Since then, no one has ever reached that level.”

"To reach the Innate Realm, I'm afraid we'll still have to rely on you!" Xiao Changdao said. "Back then, the head of the Li family probably had someone like you by his side. We can ask Duanmu Miaomiao about this later, otherwise why would she say that the person who hates Lian Fatian the most is also Lian Qiankun Yiqi!"

Li Dachui reached out and pulled Xiao Changche into his arms. Gazing at the other's stunning face, he suddenly burst into laughter.

"why are you laughing?"

“I’m laughing at the time when I didn’t even know you were a woman!” Li Dachui said. “Back then, your image would always pop into my head, so I thought there must be something wrong with me. How could I like a man?”

Xiao Changche chuckled.

"So how do you see me?"

"I don't even know what you looked like back then." Xiao Changche snorted. "All I was thinking about was how to raid your hideout and take all your money, until I found out about your relationship with Lord Zhou, and then I gave up. Luo Hua said that if there's anyone in this world who can make me lose my temper so easily, it's you. She always laughs at me!"

"Looks like you're quite interested in me too. We're a perfect match, aren't we?" Li Dachui laughed and leaned down to peck the other person on the cheek.

“My father and the others are watching you from up ahead. Aren’t you afraid they’ll come after you for bullying me?” Covering his feverish face, Xiao Changche peeked at Li Dachui through his fingers.

"His father will be all smiles and overjoyed to see that you've found him such an excellent son-in-law. Why would he come looking for trouble?" Li Dachui said.

"Bragging!"

“I’m not exaggerating, ever since I found out you’re a woman, I’ve felt that no one else in the world is good enough for you except me!” Li Dachui said.

"What about Zhang Qingyun? Didn't you claim that Zhang Ruo was your father-in-law? Now Zhang Ruo has turned his life around and is now a Vice Censor-in-Chief, a third-rank official!"

"It's just a temporary measure. Weren't you afraid you'd kill Zhang Ruo? By the way, Zhang Qingyun is a good and capable subordinate. The intelligence network in Chang'an is quite well established now. Don't be jealous and try to get back at her. There's nothing between us! As for Zhang Ruo's identity, it's helpful for us now and in the future. He can be a comrade-in-arms, a companion, a fellow traveler, but he will never become my father-in-law."

Xiao Changche chuckled.

"Let's wait and see! Li Dachui, I'm not a petty person. Besides, I know I'm probably not cut out to be a good wife and mother. So, who knows, I might even arrange a few concubines for you! Don't you think I'm very generous?"

"Really? You really think so! Then I'm so happy!"

"Luo Hua is right, there really isn't a single good man!"

"You're luring me in like a trap, setting me up for arrest! Ningyu, that's not fair!"

The two chatted idly for a while, and before they knew it, Xiao Changche had fallen asleep on Li Dachui's lap.

(End of this chapter)