The An Family

Song Chengan left Xuanqing Temple.

He played with the Demon Subduing Staff in his hand.

The more he interacted with Master Ciren, the more he felt the monk's Spiritual Power was vast.

Putting aside other things, his Artifact Refining skills alone were divine.

"However, Master Ciren doesn't seem to be on the same path as the monks at Xuanqing Temple."

Song Chengan looked up.

Among the pilgrims, the monks of Xuanqing Temple, despite their monastic attire, wore robes and kasayas made of the finest materials. Unlike Master Ciren, who wore a worn-out monk's robe.

"But Master Ciren's seniority must be very high."

Song Chengan shook his head and returned to Lingqiu County.

Master Ciren had now recommended him to the Demon Suppression Division, and he just needed to wait for their reply.

Was this a case of good deeds being rewarded?

Song Chengan figured Master Ciren must have thought he was like him, which was why he recommended him.

But Song Chengan felt that Master Ciren might have misunderstood.

Because Song Chengan's initial motivation was actually just for the hundred taels of silver.

At that time, he didn't know that silver wasn't very useful to cultivators. He wanted to earn money to cultivate, so he went to Zhao Family Village to kill that Monster.

Then, by chance, he was recognized by Master Ciren in the Ghost Market.

"This Master Ciren is a truly eminent monk."

Song Chengan left Xuanqing Temple and returned to Lingqiu City.

"Want to go fishing?"

"Forget it, it's a bit late today. I'll go fishing tomorrow morning."

"I'll go see my sister."

Song Chengan hadn't seen his sister in a while, so he decided to visit her.

He bought some pastries and headed towards An Manor.

"Song Chengan, why are you here again?"

"The master is busy today, don't cause trouble."

An Manor.

Several people waved at Song Chengan when they saw him.

Song Chengan wasn't annoyed.

"I'm here to see my sister."

"See your sister? I think you're here to borrow money again."

Song Chengan felt a little helpless.

These brats are so troublesome.

"Song Chengan..."

Just then.

A carriage approached.

A man in his sixties stepped out of the carriage, accompanied by a young man in his twenties.

The young man glanced at Song Chengan with a detached expression and walked straight into An Manor.

"Young Master!"

"Young Master!"

The household servants bowed respectfully.

An Mingxin?

Song Chengan knew who he was.

Steward An had no son in his thirties, so he took two concubines. Whether it was the concubines bringing good luck or something else, the First Madam gave birth to An Mingxin that year.

Later, An Mingxin was found to have spiritual roots and was taken away by an Immortal Master to cultivate.

Is he home?

"Brother-in-law!"

Song Chengan cupped his fists.

Steward An glanced at Song Chengan expressionlessly: "You don't need to call me brother-in-law. What business do you have here?"

He was truly fed up with Song Chengan.

Yet Song Chengan was so clueless, always coming to the An family for no reason.

"I haven't seen my sister in days, so I bought some pastries to visit her."

"Your sister is busy."

"She's not seeing visitors lately."

"Give me the pastries, and I'll take them to her for you."

"Thank you very much, brother-in-law."

Song Chengan handed the pastries to Steward An and left.

Steward An said his sister was busy, so he naturally wouldn't be able to see his sister Song Cui now, but it was fine, he could just visit again in a few days.

To put it bluntly, it was because his reputation used to be too bad, and he wasn't welcome.

Steward An walked into An Manor.

"Master!"

"Master!"

He casually handed the pastries to a servant.

"Take these and eat them."

At the dinner table.

"Come, Mingxin, this is the braised pork you loved when you were little!"

"Mother specifically asked the cook to make it."

The First Madam said with a smile as she served dishes.

An Ruifeng also smiled, "You've grown so tall, you're taller than Dad now."

"That's right," the First Madam chuckled. "They say the student surpasses the master; Mingxin should be taller than you."

An Ruifeng chuckled.

"Oh, right. Father has found someone to invite Captain Wu for dinner tonight."

"You'll accompany him. If nothing unexpected happens, you're guaranteed one of the spots in the Demon Suppression Division this time."

"Master, you got a spot?" the First Madam asked happily.

She had heard that even the prominent families in Liangzhou had to go through a lot of trouble to get a spot!

Everyone knew that entering the Demon Suppression Division meant a bright future.

"I spent quite a bit of silver to buy a spot from someone else."

"Now all we need is Lord Wu's approval. I've asked someone to arrange a dinner with Lord Wu."

"Then I'll just need to offer Lord Wu some more silver, and that should be enough."

"That will probably cost a lot of money, won't it?" the First Madam said.

"What's money? For Mingxin, it's all worth it."

The First Madam looked at An Mingxin with a doting expression, "Of course. He's the most promising one in our An family."

"Master Mingxin wrote to me, saying that Mingxin will be able to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the future."

"Before, when I told others that I saw heavenly fire fall into the An family when I gave birth to Mingxin, they didn't believe me and laughed, saying I was dreaming of giving birth to an immortal."

"Now they all envy me. They call me Madam An whenever they see me!"

"They used to look down on me, thinking I was just a merchant's wife, but now they all speak to me politely!" Madam An beamed.

An Mingxin said helplessly, "Mother, when you talk, please don't put more braised pork in my bowl. It's too greasy."

In his bowl.

The braised pork was piled up like a mountain. Every time his mother spoke, she'd add another piece.

"It's all Mother's fault."

"If you don't like it, don't eat it. What do you want to eat? Mother will tell the cook to make it for you tonight."

An Mingxin shook his head, "Whatever, I'm not a picky eater."

The few of them were enjoying a harmonious meal.

The Second Madam, Madam Wen, ate her meal quietly.

As for the Third Madam, Song Cui, she carefully accompanied them with her son, An Mingxu.

She had heard today that her brother had come to see her again and was seen by An Ruifeng, so she was worried Steward An would be angry again.

However, amidst her worry, a sense of sorrow welled up within her.

She didn't have any thoughts of having her son compete with An Mingxin for the family fortune; as a concubine, how could she dare to have such ambitions?

She was just sad.

Other people's sons were heavenly prodigies, while her son was foolish, and her brother was also disappointing.

When it came down to it, she wasn't even as well-off as Madam Wen.

Madam Wen, though only a concubine from the Wen family, still had the Wen family backing her. The First Madam always treated her with courtesy.

Only she, Song Cui, had nothing, was nobody.

"Mother, don't eat meat."

Song Cui snapped back to attention and saw her son looking at the braised pork in the bowl.

"Sorry, Mother forgot you don't eat meat." She quickly moved the piece of braised pork back.

Song Cui's son, An Mingxu, was simple-minded.

At four or five years old, he still couldn't speak.

And he had a peculiar habit since childhood: he never ate meat. This resulted in him being thin and weak even at twelve or thirteen years old.

"Mingxu, this is your eldest brother."

Their conversation drew the attention of An Ruifeng and the First Madam.

An Ruifeng, rarely smiling at his simple-minded youngest son, said to An Mingxu, "Mingxu, quickly greet your eldest brother."

Song Cui quickly pulled An Mingxu along, saying, "Greet him!"

"Hurry and greet him!"

Song Cui was a little anxious.

But An Mingxu remained silent, not saying a word.

"Why should he greet his eldest brother? He doesn't even greet his father,"

An Ruifeng said, slamming his chopsticks down heavily.

"Let's eat."

Song Cui's face turned pale, but she didn't dare say anything.

"Oh, right, Master, when Mingxin was gravely ill, we made a vow," the First Madam suddenly said.

An Ruifeng blinked. "What vow?"

"When Mingxin was three years old and had a high fever, you vowed that if Mingxin grew up safely, you would send someone to a temple to cultivate and serve the Bodhisattva. Did you forget?"

An Ruifeng suddenly remembered.

"You're talking about that."

"Let Mingxu go," the First Madam continued.

Song Cui's chopsticks clattered to the floor.

"Master, Mingxu isn't very bright. He'll be bullied at the temple."

"Can we choose someone else from the An family instead?"

Song Cui pleaded urgently.

An Ruifeng hesitated.

But he quickly made up his mind. "Let Mingxu go."

"After all, this is about the Bodhisattva. If Mingxu goes, it will show more sincerity."

"Master, people at the temple will bully him. He doesn't talk much," Song Cui was truly desperate.

"We've donated so much incense money to Xuanqing Temple. How could anyone bully him?"

"Besides, he's not very active. Going to the temple to chant scriptures is perfect for him."

"Let's not discuss this anymore. It's decided."

An Mingxu continued eating, not understanding what going to a temple meant.

Only Song Cui looked utterly despairing.

Her son was simple-minded, but as a mother, she didn't want him to become a monk.

"Why don't you eat meat? Why!"

In the corridor.

Song Cui hit her son for the first time, pinching his arm and demanding, An Mingxu pouted. "Mother... killing pigs is cruel. I don't eat it..."

Song Cui froze.

But in the end, she said nothing, only rubbed his hand and pulled him away.

"This outfit looks great!"

"It will surely captivate the young ladies in the city," the First Madam said as she tidied her son's clothes.

An Mingxin looked somewhat helpless.

He returned this time because his master told him about the Demon Suppression Division's selection process, urging him to try it if he had the chance, calling it an excellent opportunity.

His master wasn't a person of much status or standing within the sect.

An Mingxin would continue to stay in the sect and wouldn't achieve much in the future.

Even if he reached Foundation Establishment, it would be the same.

Because in that sect, Foundation Establishment cultivators weren't considered much.

But joining the Demon Suppression Division was different.

The world, after all, belonged to the Chen Kingdom.

His master told him to come back and try.

So he came back.

And now, the so-called young talents in the city had organized a gathering.

It was scheduled for tomorrow, and he had received an invitation.

He didn't want to go.

But his mother insisted he go, saying he needed to consider his own lifelong happiness.

"Mother, why do you insist on sending Mingxu to the temple?"

"Isn't that going too far?" An Mingxin said, allowing his mother to fuss over the clothes that felt rather uncomfortable, though his mother claimed they were very expensive.

He actually disliked An Mingxu quite a bit.

Because after An Mingxu was born, An Ruifeng favored the young An Mingxu more.

At that time, An Mingxin felt neglected and began to dislike An Mingxu.

Furthermore, An Mingxu was later mentally handicapped, so they rarely spoke.

But now, An Mingxin saw no particular feelings towards this younger brother, as An Mingxu was a fool. He didn't need to hold a grudge against a foolish brother.

The First Madam's expression shifted upon hearing this.

But in the end, she felt there were some things she had to tell her son.

"After An Mingxu was born, Mother kept dreaming of a person with an unclear face chasing you."

"Every night, Mother woke up terrified."

"Mother couldn't see the person's appearance clearly."

"So many years have passed, and Mother still occasionally has that dream."

The First Madam's expression was extremely serious.

An Mingxin said helplessly, "Mother, that's probably because of poor Blood Essence circulation, causing nightmares."

"I'll write to Master and ask for a pill for you."

"Mother, do you really think Mingxu would harm me just because of a dream?"

"No, no, Mingxin," the First Madam said. "Mother isn't a cruel person."

"But as your mother, Mother cannot allow any possibility."

An Mingxin said, "Mother, you've always believed in these superstitious things."

"Fine, do as you please."

"But this will inevitably cause resentment in the Third Madam's heart."

The First Madam scoffed upon hearing this, "She's just a concubine, giving birth to a fool, what resentment could she possibly have?"

"Could she possibly give birth to a Foundation Establishment son at this age?"