Abandoning Life for Kin, Selling Oneself to Bury Kin

Tongxin Town lay east of Chaoyun Manor, only three or four li away—practically within arm's reach.

Since Chaoyun Manor often purchased supplies from the various shops in Tongxin Town, the manor had a rather good relationship with the town. Even the fact that the manor had changed owners was known to many people in Tongxin Town.

So when they saw Song Ankang arriving in Tongxin Town with the maid Qiushi and the guard Jiang Yunhe, not many people found it surprising. They were even quite welcoming.

"Is this the new owner of Chaoyun Manor, the son-in-law of the Tang Family's eldest miss, Mr. Song Ankang, Capital's Foremost Filial Son? Would you three like to come have a bowl of tofu pudding? My sweet tofu pudding is famous throughout Tongxin Town."

"Great Filial Son Song, these fried dough sticks were just made by my family. Have a taste—they're free."

"Kid, when you grow up, be someone like Great Filial Son Song. Be filial to your parents and respect your elders. That's how good families' daughters will be willing to marry you."

"Does Great Filial Son Song eat mountain eggs? If you want them, half price will do. People like you, great filial sons, are who I admire most. My parents were talking about you again this year."

All along the way, many people in Tongxin Town hurriedly greeted Song Ankang, leaving him somewhat stunned. He had not expected the original owner's reputation in Tongxin Town to be so great.

Song Ankang could tell that everyone genuinely respected and admired him. They were not merely going through the motions, nor were they currying favor because he was the owner of Chaoyun Manor. It was clearly all because of the original owner's identity as Capital's Foremost Filial Son.

Xia Kingdom governed through filial piety and placed great importance on filial conduct. Song Ankang had not had much of a concept of this while at Chaoyun Manor, but only after coming out did he truly feel it firsthand.

Song Ankang was a little overwhelmed by everyone's enthusiasm. He hurriedly led Qiushi and Jiang Yunhe toward a nearby fabric shop, but before leaving, he still heard the discussions drifting over from around him.

"You don't even know Great Filial Son Song? You're truly ignorant and ill-informed. Then have you heard the stories of Abandoning Life for Kin and Selling Oneself to Bury Kin? They're about Great Filial Son Song."

"Ah... so that gentleman just now was the protagonist of Abandoning Life for Kin and Selling Oneself to Bury Kin. I heard that both deeds have already been included among the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars. The protagonist has even been faintly hailed as Xia Kingdom's Foremost Filial Son. I never expected it to be that young master."

"Mr. Song's filial deeds move Heaven and Earth. Capital's Foremost Filial Son is a title he truly deserves. Even looking across the whole of Xia Kingdom, no one should be able to match Mr. Song in this regard. No wonder so many people call him Xia Kingdom's Foremost Filial Son."

"Good people are rewarded. Otherwise, why would the Tang Family's eldest miss have taken a liking to Mr. Song and accepted him as her husband? Now he has finally come through hardship into sweetness, becoming the owner of Chaoyun Manor and sitting atop a thousand mu of fertile land. He will enjoy endless glory and wealth from now on."

"This is what Great Filial Son Song deserves. Others can be jealous all they want, but they'll never have it. If I had a son like that, I'd die with no regrets."

Was I really that filial? No, was the original owner really that filial?

Song Ankang fell silent. Though he had already learned from the original owner's memories about many things he had done, he had initially scoffed at them, feeling that the original owner had been overly pedantic.

Moreover, these filial deeds did not seem to be particularly well received by many people, nor did they appear to be of much use. Otherwise, he would not have been sent away to Chaoyun Manor. Yet he had not expected them to wield such great influence among the common folk.

After taking a walk around Tongxin Town, Song Ankang finally realized just how astonishing the wealth the original owner had left him was. Perhaps this wealth was not tangible resources, but it could invisibly bring him enormous help and countless conveniences.

Among all virtues, filial piety came first. That was true not only on Earth, but in another world as well.

This greatly changed Song Ankang's impression of the original owner. He suddenly felt far more in tune with him, and faintly sensed that both his soul and spiritual will had grown stronger.

Especially in relation to this world, it seemed that many of the barriers between them had lessened.

Although he on Earth had indeed burst forth with an incomparably brilliant radiance during the final stretch of his life, his counterpart in this parallel world had not been some worthless waste either. He had even shone more brilliantly than his Earthly self.

Perhaps the reason he had been able to transmigrate and be reborn, inheriting everything from the original owner in this parallel world, was not because his own obsession had been great, but because the original owner of this world had possessed a great obsession.

It was precisely so that he could fulfill the original owner's wish that Song Ankang had been able to come from Earth, bringing with him the unimaginable Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance.

At the best fabric shop in Tongxin Town, Qiushi and Jiang Yunhe were both selecting suitable cloth for Song Ankang. The Imperial Merchant Tang Family's main business was silk, satin, and clothing, so they were naturally extremely knowledgeable about fabrics.

As one of Tang Yelan's four maids, Qiushi was an expert in this field. Jiang Yunhe had also picked up considerable skill through constant exposure. Only Song Ankang was a complete layman.

Seeing the two choosing with such enthusiasm while knowing nothing about it himself, Song Ankang wandered around nearby, not daring to go too far.

Although daytime was relatively much safer, and Demonic Creatures and Ghosts preferred to emerge at night, Song Ankang, having been given another life, did not dare to be so careless.

He had already died once. Being able to transmigrate and be reborn once was a blessing stolen from Heaven; a second time was probably impossible.

Once he died, he would likely be truly dead. Song Ankang was afraid.

Yet many things would not simply fail to happen because you were afraid of them, or because they rarely happened.

When he reached the side of the fabric shop, Song Ankang discovered in surprise that a small alley paved with bluestone had been hidden there. He had passed by this place earlier, yet somehow failed to notice it.

A fine drizzle wove down through the alley. It was a Rainy Alley, and within the Rainy Alley stood a Girl Like a Lilac.

The moment Song Ankang saw that graceful girl standing with her back to him beneath an oil-paper umbrella, Dai Wangshu's poem immediately surfaced in his mind.

I hoped to meet a girl like a lilac, knotted with sorrowful resentment. She possessed the color of a lilac, the fragrance of a lilac, the melancholy of a lilac.

For no apparent reason, Song Ankang walked toward the Rainy Alley, hoping to see Miss Lilac's face. Her back alone was so beautiful; surely her face would not be bad either.

But why did something feel strange? It was as if something was not quite right.

Before Song Ankang could think it through, he saw Miss Lilac sway her waist. Her alluring movements drew his attention, quickening his steps as he plunged headfirst into the Rainy Alley beneath its drifting drizzle.

"Patter, patter..."

Song Ankang's footsteps were somewhat heavy, startling Miss Lilac, whose captivating back faced him. She stopped walking, and Song Ankang's heart leaped with joy as he quickened his pace.

Just as he was about to catch up to Miss Lilac and see her profile, he discovered that she had turned around and flashed him a radiant smile.

What kind of face was that? It was covered in holes and blanketed in filth. As she grinned, maggots fell from those holes.