Chapter 180: The Matter of Marriage

“Master…” Duoyun lowered her head, silent, yet tears faintly glistened in her eyes.

Mei Qing gently embraced Duoyun, his heart filled with tenderness and guilt.

Ever since he had become intimate with Bizhen, Mei Qing had unconsciously started neglecting Duoyun to some extent. During his recent trip to Yongping, and especially after Bizhen’s reappearance, he had hardly thought of Duoyun at all.

Earlier, in the guest room, Mei Qing had been wrapped up in Bizhen for quite a while, caught up in passion. Just as things were heating up, Bizhen suddenly refused to go any further, saying that they were now in Mei Qing’s home and that everyone could see them—there was no room for recklessness.

Mei Qing felt deeply frustrated, thinking to himself, when had Miss Bi ever cared about such mundane opinions before? What he didn’t realize was that no matter how deep Bizhen’s cultivation or how lofty her demeanor, she was still a girl at heart—when it came to blushing and shyness, she was no different from any other girl.

After leaving the guest room and returning to his bedroom, he found the room brightly lit, Duoyun sitting alone, resting her chin in her hand, staring blankly into the candle flame.

“Young master…” Duo Yun lowered her head, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Mei Qing gently embraced Duo Yun, a mix of pity and guilt swirling in his heart.

Ever since he had become intimate with Bi Zhen, Mei Qing had somewhat neglected Duo Yun. This trip to Yongping, especially after Bi Zhen’s appearance, had left him with little thought for Duo Yun.

Earlier, Mei Qing had spent a passionate moment with Bi Zhen in the guest room, but when things were heating up, Bi Zhen refused to go further, citing the presence of family and the need for propriety.

Frustrated, Mei Qing wondered when Bi Zhen had started caring about societal norms. He didn’t realize that no matter how profound her cultivation or how lofty her demeanor, she was still a girl with her own moments of shyness.

Returning to his bedroom, he found the room brightly lit, with Duo Yun leaning on her hand, staring blankly at the candle flame.

When she saw Mei Qing return, a mix of surprise, shyness, and a hint of grievance flashed across her face, prompting Mei Qing to pull her into a tight embrace.

Duo Yun thought that the young master, having not seen her for a while, might be eager. She had wondered if he would stay in the guest room. Despite the strict moral codes, the fact that a girl dared to follow him home suggested she was serious about him.

Seeing Mei Qing return to his bedroom, Duo Yun was surprised. Feeling his tight embrace, she melted into his arms, realizing how long it had been since she last leaned against him. Tears welled up uncontrollably.

Mei Qing gently wiped her tears and suddenly said, “Duo Yun, am I a scoundrel?”

Duo Yun buried her face in his chest and whispered, “What are you saying, young master? You’re a good person. Everyone says so.”

Mei Qing traced her soft, red lips with his finger and said somberly, “Don’t lie. I should have been content with you. But now, there’s Zhen’er… I’m like a man who, having gained one thing, desires another. Isn’t that scoundrel behavior?”

Duo Yun straightened up anxiously, “What’s wrong with you today? You’ve always been so good to me. I’m more than content. Besides, I’m just a maid, how could I dare…”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Mei Qing gently covered her mouth, turning her face to gaze at her soft cheeks and delicate features. He leaned his face against hers and sighed, “I’m sorry, Duo Yun. I don’t like you calling yourself a maid. In my heart, a girl like you should be courted with flowers every day, begging you to marry me. Having your favor is a blessing I’ve earned over lifetimes. I should treasure you and make you happy every day.”

Duo Yun laughed, “What are you saying, young master! You’re the sky, and I’m the earth. Serving you is the blessing I’ve earned over lifetimes. What’s wrong? Did the young mistress upset you?”

“Young mistress?” Mei Qing was momentarily confused before realizing she meant Bi Zhen. “You mean Zhen’er? No, she hasn’t. She’s actually very kind-hearted. But she won’t marry me.”

“Young master!” Duo Yun was startled and struggled free, “How can you say that? Miss Zhen has followed you home… This is… not good…”

Mei Qing was taken aback, then laughed and pulled her back, “Silly girl, it’s not what you think. Do you think I’m the type to abandon someone after taking advantage? It’s not that I don’t want to marry her, but she can’t marry me. Zhen’er is a Taoist nun. She can be my Taoist companion, but she can’t be my wife.”

“What?” Duo Yun was stunned, unable to comprehend that the ethereal Bi Zhen was a nun, and that Mei Qing spoke of her as a Taoist companion. Was he planning to become a Taoist monk too?

“Then… what should we do?” Duo Yun felt her head spinning, “Can’t we ask the young mistress to return to secular life?”

“It’s not that easy. Zhen’er’s status as a nun was conferred by the emperor. It’s not simple to return to secular life,” Mei Qing shook his head.

“Conferred by the emperor?” Duo Yun was even more bewildered. In her mind, if the emperor had decreed it, it must be unchangeable. What about Mei Qing’s marriage?

“If it’s really impossible, young master, you could speak to the emperor. I’ll take her place as a nun and let her return to secular life…” Duo Yun said anxiously.

Mei Qing, seeing her wide-eyed earnestness, first chuckled, then felt a softness in his heart. He tightened his embrace and said, “Alright, silly girl, don’t worry. I’ll handle it. Today, I also spoke to Uncle Zhong about this. He said…”

“What did Uncle Zhong say?” Duo Yun, realizing her suggestion was impractical, was eager to hear what Uncle Zhong had to say.

“Uncle Zhong surely has a solution,” Mei Qing pondered, “Duo Yun, have you noticed that Uncle Zhong seems… not ordinary?”

Duo Yun smiled, “Of course, after being around you for so long, anyone would become extraordinary.”

“Daring to mock me, you deserve a spanking!” Mei Qing suddenly pressed her down on the bed, pretending to be fierce.

Duo Yun yelped in surprise, then burst into laughter seeing his exaggerated ferocity.

“Still laughing!” Mei Qing, seeing her charming demeanor, felt a surge of desire. He raised his hands and chanted, “Heaven and earth, spirits and ghosts, sever the five elements, haste!”

With his incantation, the candles in the room suddenly extinguished, and the surroundings fell into complete silence. The bed curtains seemed to be enveloped by something, isolating them from the outside world, even the moonlight became hazy.

“Young master, what are you doing?” Duo Yun asked in surprise.

“Better safe than sorry,” Mei Qing sighed, “There are too many powerful people in the house. If I want to do something naughty, I have to block all senses and sever the five elements. Otherwise, if a scandal breaks out, it would be a huge loss!”

In another room, Bi Zhen angrily threw a mirror aside, “What’s going on! The signal’s gone at the crucial moment! That old Taoist always gives me faulty goods!”

Her face, however, couldn’t help but blush.

“What? Let A Bi marry that brat Mei Qing!?” Sixth Master sneered, “You’ve got quite the plan!”

Uncle Zhong, sitting across from him, smiled confidently, “Why plan? Shouldn’t you be the one worried? If she doesn’t marry Mei Qing, who else can she marry? Can you control her?”

Sixth Master was left speechless, his eyes wide, “Are you here just to provoke me?”

Uncle Zhong chuckled, “Not to provoke you. Mei Qing returned today…”

“What!?” Sixth Master frowned, “How come I didn’t know? What are my people doing? They didn’t report this?”

He tapped lightly below, and soon, Wu Bing entered expressionlessly.

Despite Uncle Zhong sitting boldly across from Sixth Master, Wu Bing acted as if he didn’t see him, merely bowing to Sixth Master without a word.

“Mei Qing returned today. Find out what happened. Why wasn’t I informed?” Sixth Master said calmly.

Wu Bing bowed again and left silently.

“Why didn’t A Bi send any news?” Sixth Master muttered to himself, then suddenly looked at Uncle Zhong.

“Don’t look at me. The couple returned together and are now at the Mei residence,” Uncle Zhong spread his hands.

Sixth Master’s eyes widened again, growling, “You old fox, you’re here to mock me, aren’t you!”

“I came as soon as I could to discuss this with you,” Uncle Zhong feigned innocence, though he was laughing inside, “Ungrateful.”

Sixth Master fumed for a while before calming down, saying resentfully, “Old man, you know A Bi’s status. The emperor…”

“Enough, Sixth, don’t use that as an excuse,” Uncle Zhong dismissed, “If Mei Qing wants to marry A Bi, would the emperor really stop him? Do you believe that?”

Sixth Master sighed, “Even if the emperor doesn’t stop it, would A Bi agree to marry? She chose to be a Taoist nun. What can anyone do? Who wouldn’t want their daughter to marry gloriously? Do you think it’s easy to see your daughter only as a Taoist companion?”

Uncle Zhong chuckled, “Impressive, the mighty Commander Lu of the Imperial Guards, who can silence children and officials, can’t handle his own daughter?”

“Stop gloating!” Sixth Master roared, “If Lu Bing were so powerful, why would I play the role of Sixth Master? Do you think I can dictate everything in the world? Even the emperor has to weigh his decisions carefully!”

Uncle Zhong blinked, “Actually, I think A Bi might not truly enjoy being a Taoist nun. It’s likely she’s just rebelling against you. With this situation with Mei Qing, we might be able to push her to return to secular life and acknowledge you as her father. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

Sixth Master was moved, standing up abruptly, his voice rising, “Old man, in all the years I’ve known you, this might be the first time you’ve said something that makes sense. Let me think, is this feasible?”

He paced a couple of steps, then stopped and sat down dejectedly, “It’s useless. You don’t know how stubborn she is. When she became a nun, she vowed before the Three Pure Ones to dedicate her life to Taoism and never acknowledge me as her father!”

Duoyun thought that the master had simply missed her and couldn’t help himself after not seeing her for so long. Just moments ago, she had been wondering whether Mei Qing would spend the night in the guest room. Although etiquette was strict these days, the girl had already dared to return home with the master—she must have been determined to be his.

So when Mei Qing returned to his own bedroom, Duoyun was somewhat surprised. Then, when he pulled her into his arms, she felt herself flush all over, melting into his embrace. Suddenly realizing how long it had been since she had been held like this, a strange mixture of emotions welled up inside her, and before she knew it, tears had filled her eyes.

Mei Qing gently wiped the tears from Duoyun’s eyes and suddenly asked, “Duoyun, am I a really bad person?”

Duoyun buried her head in his chest and softly replied, “What are you saying, Master? You’re a good person—everyone in the family says so.”

Mei Qing slowly traced his fingers over Duoyun’s soft, rosy lips, his voice tinged with sadness. “Don’t say that. I should have been satisfied with having you. But now there’s Zhen’er too… I’ve gained the Lo River, yet I still long for the Shu mountains. A man like me, so ungrateful, deserves to be called a scoundrel.”

Duoyun raised her head anxiously and said, “What’s wrong with you today? You’ve always been so good to me—I’m grateful beyond measure. Besides, I’m just a servant girl. How could I possibly—”

“Don’t talk like that,” Mei Qing gently covered her mouth with his hand, slowly turning her face toward him to look at her gentle cheeks and delicate eyes. He leaned his face against hers and sighed, “I’m sorry, Duoyun. I hate it when you call yourself a servant. In my heart, a girl like you deserves to have me chasing after you with flowers every day, begging you to marry me. If I could win your affection, to have you by my side would be the result of countless lifetimes of blessings. I should treat you like a treasure and do everything to make you happy every day.”

Duoyun laughed and said, “Master, what are you saying! You are the heavens, and I’m just the earth. Being able to serve you is a blessing from countless lifetimes. What’s wrong with you today? Did the young lady give you a hard time?”

“The young lady?” Mei Qing was momentarily confused, then realized she meant Bizhen. “You mean Zhen’er? Not yet. Zhen’er is actually a very kind person. But she won’t marry me.”

“Master!” Duoyun was shocked and anxious, pulling away from him. “How can you say that? Miss Zhen has already come all the way here with you… this… this just doesn’t seem quite right…”

Mei Qing was taken aback, then laughed and pulled Duoyun back into his arms. “You silly girl, it’s not like that. Do you think I’d just abandon her? It’s not that I don’t want to marry her—it’s that she can’t. Zhen’er is a Taoist nun. Although she can become my spiritual partner in cultivation, she can’t legally become my wife.”

“Oh?” Duoyun was stunned. She never imagined that the fairy-like Bizhen was actually a Taoist nun, let alone that Mei Qing had mentioned something about being spiritual partners. Was the master going to become a Taoist priest himself?

“But… what should we do then?” Duoyun felt her mind going blank. “If it’s not possible, why don’t you ask her to return to secular life?”

“Do you think it’s that easy? Zhen’er became a nun by imperial decree. How easy do you think it is for her to return to ordinary life?” Mei Qing shook his head.

“Imperial decree?” Duoyun was even more shocked. In her mind, if the emperor had personally decreed it, it must have been a final decision—how then could the master marry her?

“If it really doesn’t work out, why don’t I go and become a nun instead, and let the young lady return to secular life?” Duoyun blurted out anxiously.

Seeing Duoyun’s wide eyes, Mei Qing couldn’t help but smile, then felt a soft ache in his heart. Not knowing what else to say, he just tightened his arms around her and said, “Alright, silly girl, don’t worry so much. I’ll figure it out. I’ve already discussed it with Uncle Zhong today. He said…”

“What did Uncle Zhong say?” Duoyun, realizing her own suggestion might not be practical, perked up at hearing Mei Qing mention him, thinking surely Uncle Zhong must have a plan.

“Uncle Zhong definitely has a way,” Mei Qing mused. “Duoyun, have you noticed that Uncle Zhong doesn’t seem like an ordinary person?”

Duoyun laughed. “Of course. Anyone who stays close to you for long becomes extraordinary.”

“Daring to mock me? You’re asking for it!” Mei Qing suddenly pinned Duoyun onto the bed, making a fierce face.

Duoyun let out a startled “Oh!” but seeing Mei Qing’s exaggerated expression, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Still laughing!” Mei Qing, seeing her charming expression, felt a surge of desire. He raised both hands and chanted, “Heaven and earth, spirits and ghosts, I command the elements to cease, haste!”

As Mei Qing chanted the spell, all the candlelight in the room suddenly extinguished, and the surroundings fell into a sudden silence. Within the bed curtains, it seemed as if a barrier had formed, separating them from the outside world, even the moonlight becoming hazy.

“Master, what are you doing?” Duoyun opened her eyes wide in surprise.

“I have to be careful,” Mei Qing sighed. “There are too many experts in this house now. The master wants to do something naughty and has to block out the five elements and sever spiritual perception, otherwise if someone leaks some scandalous photos, I’ll be ruined!”

In another room, Bizhen angrily threw a mirror aside. “What’s going on! No signal at the crucial moment! That old Taoist must have given me some cheap equipment!”

She blushed despite herself.

“You want me to let A Bi marry that kid Mei Qing!?” Sixth Master sneered coldly.

Opposite him, Uncle Zhong sat calmly with a smile. “Do you really think I need to calculate that? I think the one who should be worried isn’t me. If she doesn’t marry Mei Qing, who else can that girl marry? Can you really control everything?”

Sixth Master was momentarily speechless, his eyes wide with anger. “Are you here just to provoke me?”

Uncle Zhong replied, “Not provoking you at all. Today Mei Qing has returned…”

“What!?” Sixth Master frowned. “Why didn’t I know? What are my men doing, not reporting this?”

He lightly tapped his fingers below the table, and soon a door was heard opening. Wu Bing entered expressionlessly.

Although Uncle Zhong was sitting right there in front of Sixth Master, Wu Bing acted as if he hadn’t even noticed him, simply bowing to Sixth Master without speaking.

“That brat Mei Qing returned today. Find out what happened—no report at all?” Sixth Master said coolly.

Wu Bing bowed again and silently left the room.

“What about A Bi? Why haven’t I heard anything from her?” Sixth Master muttered to himself, suddenly recalling something and glancing at Uncle Zhong.

Uncle Zhong shrugged. “Don’t look at me. The two of them came back together and are now at the Mei residence.”

Sixth Master’s eyes widened even further as he growled, “You old bastard—you came here just to mock me, didn’t you!”

“Young Master…” Duo Yun lowered her head in silence, though a glimmer of tears could be seen in her eyes.

Mei Qing gently embraced Duo Yun, his heart filled with a mix of pity and guilt.

Ever since he had been intimate with Bi Zhen, Mei Qing had somewhat neglected Duo Yun. This time, after leaving Yongping and especially after Bi Zhen appeared, he had rarely thought of Duo Yun.

Earlier, Mei Qing had spent a long time in the guest room with Bi Zhen, their passion at its peak. However, Bi Zhen refused to go any further, insisting that they were in Mei Qing’s home, under the watchful eyes of his family, and they couldn’t act recklessly.

Mei Qing was greatly frustrated, thinking to himself, “Since when did Miss Bi care about the opinions of the mundane world?” He didn’t realize that no matter how profound Bi Zhen’s cultivation or how lofty her principles, she was still a girl and could be shy when it came to certain matters.

When Mei Qing left the guest room and returned to his bedroom, he saw the candles burning brightly. Duo Yun was sitting there, propping her cheek with one hand, staring blankly at the candle flame.

When she saw Mei Qing return, a mix of surprise, shyness, and a hint of grievance flashed across Duo Yun’s face. Mei Qing couldn’t hold back any longer and tightly embraced her.

Duo Yun thought that the young master, having not seen her for a long time, must be eager. Earlier, she had wondered if Mei Qing would stay in the guest room. Although propriety was highly valued, since the girl dared to follow the young master back home, she must be determined to be his.

Seeing Mei Qing return to his bedroom, Duo Yun was somewhat surprised. When he tightly embraced her, she felt a surge of warmth and melted into his arms. Realizing it had been a long time since she had been held like this, Duo Yun’s heart was filled with mixed emotions, and tears uncontrollably filled her eyes.

Mei Qing gently wiped away her tears and suddenly said, “Duo Yun, am I a scoundrel?”

Duo Yun buried her face in Mei Qing’s chest and softly replied, “What are you saying, Young Master? You are a good person. Everyone in the family says so.”

Mei Qing slowly traced his finger over Duo Yun’s soft, rosy lips and said with a hint of sadness, “Don’t talk nonsense. With you, I should have been content. But now, there’s also Zhen’er… Having one, I still desire another. A man like me, without a conscience, can’t be anything but a scoundrel, right?”

Duo Yun anxiously straightened up and said, “What’s wrong with you today, Young Master? You’ve always been so good to me. I couldn’t be more content. Besides, I’m just a servant, how dare I…”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Mei Qing gently covered Duo Yun’s mouth, then turned her face towards him, carefully examining her gentle cheeks and delicate features. He slowly pressed his face against hers and sighed, “I’m sorry, Duo Yun. I don’t like you calling yourself a servant. In my heart, a girl like you should be pursued with flowers every day, begging you to marry me. If I could win your favor and have you, it would be a blessing from several lifetimes. I should treat you like a treasure, making you happy every day.”

Duo Yun laughed and said, “What are you saying, Young Master! You are the sky, and I am the earth. Serving you is a blessing from several lifetimes for me. What’s wrong, Young Master? Did the young mistress upset you?”

“Young mistress?” Mei Qing was momentarily stunned before realizing Duo Yun was referring to Bi Zhen. “You mean Zhen’er? Not really. She’s actually very kind-hearted. But she won’t marry me.”

“Young Master!” Duo Yun was shocked and struggled out of Mei Qing’s embrace. “How can you say that? Miss Zhen has followed you home… This is… not good…”

Mei Qing was stunned, then laughed and pulled Duo Yun back. “Silly girl, it’s not what you think. Do you think I’m the type to abandon someone after taking advantage of them? It’s not that I don’t want to marry her, but she can’t marry me. Zhen’er is a Taoist nun. Although we can be Taoist partners, she can’t become my wife.”

“What?” Duo Yun was dumbfounded, unable to believe that the fairy-like Bi Zhen was actually a Taoist nun. She couldn’t imagine that the young master was talking about being Taoist partners with her. Was the young master going to become a Taoist priest too?

“Then… what should we do?” Duo Yun felt her head spinning. “If it’s not possible, can we ask the young mistress to return to secular life?”

“It’s not that easy. Zhen’er became a Taoist nun by the emperor’s decree. It’s not so simple to return to secular life,” Mei Qing shook his head.

“By the emperor’s decree?” Duo Yun was even more stunned. In her mind, since it was decreed by the emperor, it must be unchangeable. What about the young master’s marriage?

“If it’s really not possible, Young Master, you can talk to the emperor. I’ll take the young mistress’s place as a Taoist nun and bring her back…” Duo Yun said anxiously.

Mei Qing looked at Duo Yun’s wide eyes, first amused, then felt a softness in his heart, not knowing how to respond. He just tightened his arms around her and said, “Alright, silly girl, don’t worry. I’ll handle it. Today, I also discussed this with Uncle Zhong, and he said…”

“What did Uncle Zhong say?” Duo Yun also felt her earlier suggestion was impractical. Hearing that Uncle Zhong had something to say, she thought he must have a solution.

“Uncle Zhong must have a way,” Mei Qing pondered. “Duo Yun, have you noticed that Uncle Zhong seems to be no ordinary person?”

Duo Yun laughed and said, “Of course, after staying with you for so long, anyone would become extraordinary.”

“Daring to mock me, you deserve a spanking!” Mei Qing suddenly pressed Duo Yun onto the bed, pretending to be fierce.

Duo Yun let out a startled “Ah!” but then, seeing Mei Qing’s exaggerated ferocity, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“You still dare to laugh!” Mei Qing, seeing Duo Yun’s charming and adorable expression, felt a surge of desire. He raised his hands and chanted, “Heaven and earth, gods and ghosts, sever the five elements, now!”

As Mei Qing’s incantation ended, the candles in the room suddenly extinguished, and the surroundings became eerily silent. The bed curtains seemed to be separated from the outside world by an invisible barrier, and even the moonlight became hazy.

“Young Master, what are you doing?” Duo Yun asked in surprise, her eyes wide.

“Better safe than sorry,” Mei Qing sighed. “There are more and more powerful people in the house. If I want to do something naughty, I have to block the three lights and five elements, and sever spiritual senses. Otherwise, if a scandal breaks out, it would be a huge loss!”

In another room, Bi Zhen angrily threw a mirror aside and said, “What’s going on! The signal’s gone at the crucial moment! That old Taoist always gives me inferior goods!”

Then, she couldn’t help but blush.

“What? You want Ah Bi to marry that kid Mei Qing?!” Sixth Master sneered. “You’re quite the schemer!”

Uncle Zhong, sitting across from him, looked calm and smiled slightly. “Why scheme? Shouldn’t you be the one worried now? If she doesn’t marry Mei Qing, who else can she marry? Can you control her?”

Sixth Master was left speechless, his eyes wide. “Are you here just to provoke me?”

Uncle Zhong smiled. “Not to provoke you. Mei Qing returned today…”

“What?!” Sixth Master frowned. “How come I didn’t know? What are my people doing? They didn’t report this?”

As he spoke, he lightly tapped the table, and soon a door opened. Wu Bing walked in expressionlessly.

Although Uncle Zhong was sitting right across from Sixth Master, Wu Bing acted as if he didn’t see him. He simply bowed to Sixth Master and remained silent.

“Mei Qing returned today. Find out what happened. Why wasn’t I informed?” Sixth Master said calmly.

Wu Bing bowed again and left silently.

“Why didn’t Ah Bi send any news either?” Sixth Master muttered to himself, then suddenly remembered something and looked at Uncle Zhong.

“Don’t look at me. The couple returned together and are now at the Mei residence,” Uncle Zhong said, spreading his hands.

Sixth Master’s eyes widened again, and he growled, “You old fox, you’re just here to make fun of me, aren’t you!”

“I came as soon as I could to discuss this with you,” Uncle Zhong said with a look of innocence, though he was laughing inside. “You don’t recognize a good person.”

Sixth Master fumed for a while before calming down and said with some resentment, “Old man, you know Ah Bi’s status. The emperor…”

“Enough, Sixth Master, don’t bring that up,” Uncle Zhong said dismissively. “If Mei Qing wants to marry Ah Bi, do you think the emperor would stop him? Do you believe that?”

Sixth Master sighed. “Even if the emperor doesn’t stop it, does Ah Bi want to marry? She chose to be a Taoist nun. What can anyone do? Who wouldn’t want to see their daughter marry gloriously? Do you think it’s easy for me to see my daughter only as a Taoist partner?”

Uncle Zhong chuckled. “Impressive, the mighty Commander Lu of the Imperial Guards, who can silence children at night and make officials tremble, can’t even handle his own daughter?”

“Stop gloating!” Sixth Master roared. “If I were that powerful, why would I be playing the role of Sixth Master? Do you think everything I say goes? Even the emperor has to weigh his words carefully!”

Uncle Zhong blinked. “Actually, I think Ah Bi might not truly enjoy being a Taoist nun. It’s more likely she’s just rebelling against you. Now, with this situation with Mei Qing, if we push a little, she might happily return to secular life and even acknowledge you as her father. Wouldn’t that be a happy ending?”

Sixth Master was deeply moved, stood up abruptly, and said loudly, “Old man, in all the years I’ve known you, this might be the first time you’ve said something that makes a bit of sense. Let me think, is this feasible?”

As he spoke, Sixth Master took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and sat down dejectedly. “It’s no use. You don’t know how stubborn this girl is. When she became a Taoist nun, she swore in front of the Three Pure Ones that she would devote her life to Taoism and never acknowledge me as her father!”

Sixth Master huffed and puffed for a while before calming down, muttering bitterly, “Old man, you know A Bi’s status—what about the Emperor…”

“Forget it, Sixth Brother, don’t use that excuse,” Uncle Zhong said dismissively. “If Mei Qing wants to marry A Bi, do you really think the other side would stop it? Do you believe that yourself?”

Sixth Master sighed. “Even if they don’t stop it, do you think A Bi herself would agree to marry? She chose to become a nun. What can anyone do? Who wouldn’t want to marry off their daughter properly? Do you think I enjoy the idea of my daughter being just a cultivation partner?”

Uncle Zhong chuckled. “Wow, the mighty Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Lu Bing, feared by all, can’t even handle his own daughter?!”

“Don’t gloat!” Sixth Master roared. “If Lu Bing were that powerful, why would I even bother pretending to be Sixth Master? Do you think the entire world is under my control? Even the Emperor weighs every decision carefully!”

Uncle Zhong blinked and said, “Actually, I don’t think A Bi is necessarily truly devoted to being a nun. She might just be rebelling against you. Now that she’s involved with Mei Qing, maybe a little push could make her change her mind. If she returns to secular life and accepts you as her father, wouldn’t that be a happy ending for all?”

Sixth Master was deeply moved. He stood up suddenly, his voice rising. “Old man, in all the years I’ve known you, that might be the first time you’ve said something halfway reasonable. Let me think, let me think—could this actually work?”

As he spoke, he took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and slumped back into his seat, sighing. “No use. You don’t know how stubborn that girl is. When she first entered the Taoist order, she swore in front of the Three Pure Ones that she would cultivate for life and never recognize me as her father!”