Chapter 54#

Then I’ll Marry Your Disciple#

When Su Ruhui was seventeen, he joined the Pioneer Guard and stayed until the end of the mining season, when the mine was closed, the Pioneer Guard broke camp, and returned to the Snow Realm Great Wall. After leaving the Pioneer Guard, Su Ruhui and Sang Chiyu didn’t see each other for several months. During that time, Su Ruhui’s maternal grandmother was ill, and he was summoned back to Lizhou to attend to her. He actually really didn’t want to go back to Lizhou. Once he returned to the old mansion, there were always all sorts of annoying aunts and uncles who would pull him aside to reminisce. The Dantain Jing branch was sparsely populated, but Dantain Jing had a bunch of uncles and aunts, and these people had many descendants, so the old mansion was filled with relatives whose names and titles Su Ruhui couldn’t recall.

Fortunately, his maternal grandmother’s birthday was approaching, and the mansion was busy preparing for the birthday banquet, with everyone bustling about. He finally found some peace, hiding in the courtyard, sleeping on the roof, and watching the stars. Suddenly, his communication compass rang, and his uncle’s cold voice came through: “The Star Official Grand Examination of the Stargazing Department is selecting Stargazing Attendants. Your maternal grandmother has signed you up.”

The Star Official Grand Examination, as the name suggests, was an examination for the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to select talented individuals. At that time, all disciples who practiced star formations from the forty-eight states would take the exam, and forty-eight people would be selected to enter the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, starting as the lowest-ranking Stargazing Attendants. The three great Star Officials currently in the Secret Sect court all came up this way.

“Maternal grandmother really is…” Su Ruhui said helplessly, “Uncle, you’re already the Grand Sect Master, can’t your nephew get in through the back door? Just put me directly into the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. You know my abilities, I won’t let you down, I promise.”

“No need to say more.”

Su Ruhui wasn’t interested in taking any troublesome Stargazing Department exam. He had no interest in the intrigues of officialdom; his dream was to open a restaurant where he would be the head chef. He agreed verbally, then complained, “After Grandma’s birthday banquet, can I go back to Biandu? It’s too annoying to stay in Lizhou. These past few days, my grandaunt keeps asking me about marriage, asking if I have someone I like. She definitely wants to set me up with someone, Uncle, can you find a way to manage her?”

“You get married,” Dantain Jing refused straightforwardly, “then she’ll naturally stop.”

“Then I’ll marry your disciple,” Su Ruhui said casually.

There was silence on the other end of the communication compass.

After a long while, Dantain Jing spoke, but not to Su Ruhui.

“Are you willing to marry Hui’er?”

Su Ruhui was stunned.

Sang Chiyu’s simple and direct voice came through.

He said, “I refuse.”

Su Ruhui later learned that Sang Chiyu was investigating many traitors and rebels within the Secret Sect at that time, and had to report daily to the court how many people he had investigated and how many he had executed. When Dantain Jing was communicating with Su Ruhui, he was waiting to report on the handling of the rebels, and suddenly heard Su Ruhui say he wanted to marry him.

His expression was indifferent, and he flatly refused, leaving no room for negotiation.

At the same time, he counted one, two, three in his heart. Sure enough, Su Ruhui had no shame at all. Su Ruhui’s wail immediately came from the compass on the table: “Brother Sang, didn’t we secretly promise each other when we were young…”

Sang Chiyu closed the compass, and Su Ruhui’s voice stopped abruptly.

That was Dantain Jing’s compass, and Sang Chiyu’s action was clearly impolite.

Dantain Jing frowned slightly.

Sang Chiyu bowed, “Su Ruhui’s words and actions are inappropriate, I fear they will pollute Master’s ears and eyes.”

Dantain Jing didn’t mind, spread out a piece of Xuan paper, and said, “Your grandmaster’s birthday, I cannot go in person, you go on my behalf.”

“Yes.”

“Hui’er is also in Lizhou.”

“I will avoid him,” Sang Chiyu said.

“No, I want you to deliver a message,” Dantain Jing wrote a family letter, “He must pass the Star Official Grand Examination, otherwise he can forget about marrying you in this life.”

“…”

In Sang Chiyu’s seventeen years of life, he had never disobeyed Dantain Jing’s orders, even if Dantain Jing asked him to go through fire and water. This was the first time Sang Chiyu wanted to refuse.

He was silent for a moment, then said, “Yes.”

Dantain Jing’s mother’s birthday. All the prominent figures from the vicinity came. The old mansion was decorated with lanterns and streamers, and warm lights, like rouge, flowed everywhere, reflecting joy on everyone’s faces. A stage was set up in the center of the courtyard, where a female impersonator and a young male actor sang melodiously and affectionately. With a flick of their water sleeves, a charming fragrance wafted onto the faces of the audience. Sang Chiyu walked past the stage expressionlessly, presented the birthday gift and family letter, and respectfully bowed to his grandmaster. The old lady, 120 years old this year, was still energetic and radiant. She took Sang Chiyu’s hand, muttering, telling him to take care of himself and be filial to his master.

Sang Chiyu respectfully thanked her and turned to leave. Following him to wish his grandmaster a happy birthday were his master’s aunt and a young girl. His master’s aunt was his grandmaster’s youngest sister, named Dantain Xin, in her early sixties. Sang Chiyu called her grandaunt, and Su Ruhui called her grandaunt. Her loud voice could be heard by everyone, “Oh, sister-in-law, why did you give the bracelet meant for your daughter-in-law to Susu? Although this child was chosen as a wife for Hui’er, she hasn’t married in yet.”

Sang Chiyu slightly furrowed his delicate brows.

His master was still without a wife or children, with only his nephew Su Ruhui, who caused trouble everywhere every day. No one knew why his master didn’t marry. His grandmaster had fallen ill several times over this matter, forcing his master to comply. His master was impervious to both soft and hard tactics, treating it as wind blowing past his ears. His grandmaster had no choice and had recently quieted down a lot. Rumors were circulating outside that Su Ruhui was going to change his surname to Dantain. Was it true after all?

“She’ll marry in sooner or later, giving it early or late is the same,” his grandmaster smiled. “Susu, Hui’er is a wild child, you’ll have to advise him more in the future.”

The girl shyly lowered her head: “Yes, Susu understands.”

Sang Chiyu no longer paid attention to that side, and took his seat, waiting for the banquet to begin. He sat silently in a corner, unnoticed, like a forgotten shadow. He had always been like this, with a very low sense of presence, often mistaken for scenery when he didn’t speak. Everyone was seated. He scanned the room but did not see Su Ruhui. Because he represented Dantain Jing, his seat was very high, sitting with a group of elders. He rarely experienced such occasions and felt somewhat uncomfortable.

He ate without tasting, and had no appetite. Suddenly, he heard laughter in the hall. It turned out that Su Ruhui had arrived and was toasting his grandmaster. As soon as he arrived, all eyes in the courtyard focused on him, and his grandmaster also smiled happily because of him.

“You, you, you’re not young anymore, it’s time to get married. The family line of your maternal grandfather rests entirely on your shoulders.” An elder earnestly advised him, “When will you change your surname to Dantain and return to your ancestors?”

“Later, later,” Su Ruhui said with a smile, “Didn’t my maternal grandmother want me to take the Star Official Grand Examination? I’ve been very busy these days.”

“Taking the Star Official Grand Examination is good,” everyone nodded, “The future is boundless. Although you don’t have secret arts, your star formation skills are obvious to all. Becoming a Star Official in the future will also bring glory to the family.”

Sang Chiyu turned his head, picked up some food, and chewed silently. Opposite him sat the grandaunt, a glamorous woman whose age had not diminished her elegance and beauty. Her gray hair was piled high, and her eyes were raised, giving her an arrogant demeanor. She smiled and pulled the hand of a young girl beside her, saying, “Our Hui’er is the successor of Master Ming, the White-Clothed Immortal. The Star Official Grand Examination is a piece of cake for him. In my opinion, the urgent matter now is not any grand examination, but a lifelong event. The Grand Sect Master doesn’t marry, how can the direct lineage of the Dantain family be cut off like this? Hui’er must marry, have a caring person by his side who knows his warmth and coldness, helps him manage the inner quarters, runs the household, and continues the family line. This is the most important thing.”

Someone next to her chimed in, “This girl looks so lovely, could she be the caring person grandaunt found for Hui’er?”

The girl lowered her head shyly, her cheeks flushed, as if heavily rouged.

Dantain Xin covered her mouth and laughed, “Oh, what caring person. This is Susu, my second brother’s youngest granddaughter, a cousin to Hui’er. She’s a bit clumsy, not as clever as Hui’er. But clumsy as she is, she has a somewhat useful secret art called ‘Cuisine’. The food she makes is delicious and beautiful. Hui’er has been busy studying these past few days, and Susu has prepared all the medicinal meals and nourishing soups. Hui’er always eats every last bit, the bottom of the bowl is so clean you can see your reflection.”

“Grandaunt, please stop,” Susu said softly, lowering her head, “I just made some wolfberry pork rib soup, it’s good that Cousin Hui likes it.”

Sang Chiyu slowly ate for a while, not eating much. He excused himself, saying he needed to use the restroom, and left the banquet to go to a quiet place. Su Ruhui was dealing with various elders, toasting and exchanging pleasantries, trying to figure out how to escape, when his peripheral vision suddenly caught Sang Chiyu walking out of the hall. That guy was also in Lizhou! Su Ruhui’s eyes lit up, and he called out, “Brother Sang!”

The hall was bustling with noise, and Su Ruhui’s voice was muffled by the clamor of string music and laughter, not very clear.

However, Sang Chiyu clearly heard Su Ruhui’s call, and his back stiffened. Sang Chiyu did not stop, but walked faster, disappearing into the crowd.