The Tang Dynasty Was Over

This man must be here to harm me.

"I don't want a wife. I don't want a wife."

Lu Bian came out of the courtyard and waved his hands repeatedly at Gao Youlai.

"I'm used to living alone. One person eats their fill, and the whole family goes hungry. If you make me marry a wife, that'll be one more burden. And if we have a child, that'll be two."

"What are you saying?" Gao Youlai looked at Lu Bian in surprise.

"Other people would be thrilled. How come you're so disgusted by the idea?" Gao Youlai asked.

"I'm just asking what you think. Don't rush to refuse. How about you meet her first, then decide?"

"Come with me~!"

Gao Youlai stepped forward, grabbed Lu Bian by the wrist, and pulled him toward the packed dirt road.

Gao Family Town was twenty li from Lu Bian's home. It wasn't especially far. Gao Youcai had come to Fuling Mountain that morning and had just reached town before lunchtime.

Elder Gao's family was very influential in Gao Family Town. Lu Bian didn't want to offend them, so he let Gao Youlai bring him over.

But in his heart, Lu Bian had already decided to refuse.

He knew why Elder Gao's family had taken a liking to him.

First, he was a man with no roots or ties, perfect for marrying into a family. Second, Lu Bian was handsome, more than seven chi tall, strong and sturdy—the perfect beast of burden for hard labor. Finally, he was educated. He might not be much of a calligrapher, but he could read and had an impressive way of speaking, enough to bring prestige to the Gao family.

Even if Old Master Gao's family let Lu Bian go, other families would come looking for him.

But Lu Bian had never considered taking a wife.

Women were simply too much trouble for him.

He wasn't the only one who thought that way. The other members of the Chat Group shared his view.

Shi Tianwu was still deceiving the group.

He was using his earliest life experiences to fool his fellow group members, playing the part of his younger self, who had only reached thirty-five heavens of magnetic-field strength.

His "story" was currently "unfolding" at the point when he was escorting Xiao Yu and the others to Silver Capital.

At that point in time, Shi Tianwu had been bewitched by Beisha and caught in a tangle of confused feelings with Xiao Yu.

Edward Newgate had never told the group about his romances when he was young. He'd only told them that women couldn't be trusted too easily.

Bruce Wayne was living alone now. When he was young, he'd once thought he'd found true love, but in the end, a woman had dumped him.

Son Gohan... He was still a child and didn't understand any of this.

As for Kakashi Hatake, he said... they should just read the latest issue of Icha Icha Paradise.

Kakashi Hatake: [Have we arrived? Is the livestream ready to start?]

Lu Bian: [You really want to watch?]

Edward Newgate: [Of course I do~!]

Bruce Wayne: [I've got the popcorn ready. Hurry up and start the livestream!]

Shi Tianwu: [Actually, what's so bad about getting married? It could give you more insight into life.]

[Lu Bian started a video chat...]

Only Lu Bian's video feed appeared in the Chat Group. Everyone else spoke with their microphones on. That was how their group livestream worked.

At lunchtime, they arrived at Grandpa Gao's home, and Lu Bian immediately sat down to eat with the family.

The head of the household wasn't there, but Grandpa Gao, the old gentleman, joined them for the meal. The girl they wanted to marry off to Lu Bian was the second granddaughter of Old Master Gao. Her name was Gao Zhenzhen, and she joined them at the table as well. There were also four or five others, including an uncle and an aunt.

When they met Lu Bian in person, they were all smiles. They were extremely pleased with him as a prospective son-in-law.

The second young lady of the Gao family, Gao Zhenzhen, also kept sneaking glances at Lu Bian, putting on a shy act.

Lu Bian: [Friends, isn't she lovely?]

Shi Tianwu: [She looks blessed. Brother, you're in luck.]

Just judging by her name, Gao Zhenzhen sounded lovely.

To describe someone's looks as "blessed" was a tactful way of saying "fat."

Lu Bian was numb to it all.

The second young lady of the Gao family's appearance and figure only strengthened his resolve.

It was better to live alone.

At first, he'd thought he was Marshal Tianpeng. Turns out the second young lady of the Gao family was the one who fit the bill.

Well... Gao Family Town worshipped the Altar Cleansing Envoy. Maybe they considered plumpness beautiful?

...No wonder they wanted a live-in son-in-law. Maybe no one had been willing to marry her when they'd tried to arrange a match the usual way. Lu Bian thought darkly.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Elder Gao. But I'm from the Eastern Land, and I plan to return to my hometown. Once I've saved enough for the journey here, I'll set off." Lu Bian came up with an excuse to refuse.

"Oh! So you're from the great kingdom to the east?"

"Ah, well."

"If you don't mind, my Gao family will pay for your journey home," Old Master Gao said, with the air of a man of great virtue.

"How could I accept that?"

"Don't refuse. This old man is merely doing good and building up merit."

"You're so capable at such a young age, traveling the world alone. Your future is bound to be limitless. If you were stuck here in Gao Family Town, a dragon confined to shallow waters, it would be a great shame."

Old Master Gao lowered his head, looking regretful.

"Youlai, go to the storeroom and fetch some loose silver and gold."

Gao Youlai hurried off and was back in a blink, carrying a square wooden tray. He presented it to Lu Bian.

"Don't refuse," Old Master Gao said.

"..."

How had things turned out like this?

Lu Bian was at a loss over how the day had unfolded.

Did Old Master Gao's actions mean he didn't want Lu Bian living near Gao Family Town anymore?

Lu Bian sensed a gaze coming from behind Old Master Gao.

So he was thinking of his granddaughter after all?

Lu Bian: [Friends, what should I do?]

Shi Tianwu: [My advice is to take the money and go.]

Kakashi Hatake: [That old man isn't just worried about his granddaughter.]

Kakashi Hatake: [Group leader, you're like a wild boar charging into a herd of domestic pigs.]

Kakashi Hatake: [All the sows in the herd have their eyes on you, the burly wild boar, while the domestic boars have been cast aside by the sows.]

Lu Bian: [No wonder they call it Gao Village.]

Following his friends' advice, Lu Bian accepted Old Master Gao's kindness.

Old Master Gao even sent two servants to help Lu Bian buy all the supplies he'd need for the journey in the town market. He generously gave him a map of the eastern lands and helped plan his route.

A donkey, a two-wheeled cart, and three days later, Lu Bian was all set to head east.

Back then, after the Tang Dynasty monk crossed Two Worlds Mountain and reached Gao Village, the journey had taken him from bleak late autumn to the warm days of early spring. At a brisk pace, it would take three months to reach the great kingdom in the east.

"Warrior Lu, farewell."

Before Lu Bian set off, Old Master Gao personally came to see him off.

"The Great Song Kingdom is prosperous and flourishing now, and Song merchants travel the world. I hope we meet again someday."

"!?" Lu Bian blinked.

The Great Song!?

The Tang Dynasty was over. It was the Song...