Changing Times, the Zhu Family Should Look Outward

The shame and flush on his face lasted only a moment before Ding Mao's true nature emerged again. Thick-skinned and unafraid of criticism, he even turned to find fault with Zhu Shian instead.

Ding Mao plopped down beside Huixin and sighed theatrically. "I waited outside the Daoist Temple until it got dark, so thirsty I could die, and the host doesn't even offer water. Sigh."

Zhu Shian poured him tea without exposing his weakness, and with a smile asked about his family: "Your Ding Family is also a hereditary tradition. How many disciples have achieved Entering The Dao in your generation?"

"Counting the branch relatives' brothers and sisters, there are always a dozen or so."

Ding Mao perked up again as he drank his tea. He'd already heard from little monk Huixin that Zhu Shian was the only one of her generation in the Zhu Family.

So Ding Mao thought, the Ding Family was still stronger than the Zhu Family by a few degrees.

Zhu Shian asked him again: "Your Ding Family traces back to the Maoshan Shangqing Sect. Between talismans and formations, which is the main focus?"

Just having been slapped in the face, Ding Mao answered much more carefully: "Talismans are the main focus. Formations aren't our specialty."

It turned out formations were also a main focus of the Ding Family, but several generations in a row weren't skilled at formations, and after a few generations the tradition was broken. The younger generations relied entirely on guesswork. By Ding Mao's grandfather's time, formations were already not much to write home about. By Ding Mao's time, compared to setting up formations, he was better at breaking through them.

Zhu Shian smiled faintly, making no comment.

Ding Mao tried to save face, saying: "I didn't fail to break the array just now. I was afraid my breaking technique would be too explosive and damage your Yuntai Temple buildings."

"Oh, how would you break it? Use talismans to open a path? If you can't find the way, blast one out?"

Ding Mao laughed: "Right, is that how your sect teaches breaking arrays too?"

Zhu Shian didn't answer that question, instead asking him: "If that's the case, why were you sent to Zhenshan County? Do you think you can repair the Three Pure Ones Taiji Formation?"

Ding Mao would tell the truth: "If you hadn't repaired the Magic Array, the main person responsible for repairing it after receiving the urgent message from Wangyun Temple should have been Li Qingyuan Li Daoist, the leader of the Southwest Action Team. I was only sent as his assistant. Now that you've repaired the Magic Array, there's no need for Li Daoist to come. He just sent me to check the situation."

Zhu Shian felt the name sounded somewhat familiar.

Huixin said: "The talismans in my master Mingjue Grand Master's hands were given by Li Daoist."

Setting aside formations, Ding Mao said: "Although my talismans aren't as good as Li Daoist's, my grandfather's skill level is comparable to his."

Zhu Shian asked Ding Mao again: "What organization is this Action Team? What do they do?"

"The Action Team is a national unit. People from our Xuan Sect who have ability can also eat grain from the emperor. If you want to join, I can be your recommender."

"Thank you, but I'll pass."

"I heard from my grandfather that the Zhu Family inheritors have never liked leaving Zhenshan County or participating in Xuan Sect affairs."

"That's true."

"Your Zhu Family isn't actually bad, but since you won't leave Zhenshan County, the Xuan Sect internally thinks your Zhu Family's strength is lacking and you're afraid to show your face. In my opinion, with your ability you should join the Action Team and let those who look down on people see that your Zhu Family is still strong, just like our Ding Family."

Zhu Shian wouldn't be moved by words like Ding Mao's. After hearing the information she wanted, Zhu Shian stood up to leave: "It's dark and hard to go down the mountain. You should stay overnight and leave tomorrow."

"Wait, I came to see the formation you repaired. After I see it, I can report back properly." Ding Mao chased after her.

"The Magic Array is right there. If you want to see it, go look yourself. I'm not stopping you."

"Miss Zhu! Master Zhu! Please, I beg you. You set up another formation outside the Magic Array to block people. Without you leading me, how can I get in?"

"If you can't get through such a simple formation, there's no need to look at the Magic Array either. Even if you saw it, you wouldn't understand."

Ding Mao tried to chase after her again, but the little white snake raised by the Zhu Family coiled on the threshold, head raised, hissing threateningly at him.

Ding Mao glared at it: "Move."

"Hiss hiss hiss!" No!

One must consider the owner when beating a dog. Ding Mao knew he couldn't defeat Zhu Shian, so he withdrew reluctantly. Forget it, why was he quarreling with an unintelligent little thing?

Xiaobai slipped into Zhu Shian's room and said: "That Daoist said if you don't take him, he's going to the Mountain Valley tomorrow to challenge the array. If he breaks your array, you can't blame him."

"Let him go."

After meeting Ding Mao today, Zhu Shian had even less interest in the outside world. She only wanted to focus on Dao Cultivation and improve her strength.

The more the Xuan Sect declined, the more valuable she became.

She had rejected Bai Youqian's recruitment from the Underworld and一心摆烂, which was just a tactic while she was still weak. Once she achieved success, this would become a bargaining chip in her negotiations with the Underworld.

Old debts haven't been settled yet, and they want to add new ones?

Hmph, did they think she would serve at their beck and call after reincarnating? They wished.

She was the only one left in the Taiyi Sect. One day, she would demand justice for the people of the Taiyi Sect.

The next morning, Zhu Shian went down the mountain early and returned home. Ding Mao couldn't find her and declared he would challenge the array anyway.

Still no one paid attention to him.

Ding Mao left angrily, and Huixin quickly followed.

Zhang Xuanqing said to Zhang Jie: "Look, if Miss Zhu of the Zhu Family becomes your master, whatever fraction of her ability you learn will ensure you have no worries for the rest of your life."

Zhang Jie had been brought to Yuntai Temple for some time now. Studying with the Master Advisor, he had learned a lot about the Xuan Sect and the Zhu Family, no longer as confused as when he first arrived.

"Master, will the Big Miss accept me?"

Zhang Xuanqing looked at his face that had filled out a bit and laughed cheerfully: "She will, she will. Any master would want to take a good child like you as a disciple."

Zhang Jie hummed, tugging at the Master's Daoist robe: "Master, teach me to read the scriptures."

"Hahaha, alright, Master will teach you to read scriptures. Today we'll read something new - the Huangting Classic."

At the Zhu Family main residence.

After ten days without seeing anyone, Zhu Fengqin saw Zhu Shian return and immediately said she looked thinner.

"Was the food at the Daoist Temple not good? Or have you been tired these past few days? Oh dear, it took so much effort to put some meat on your bones, and in the blink of an eye it's gone again. Are you trying to make me worry on purpose? You child."

Zhu Fengqin's words came so fast Zhu Shian couldn't get a word in. Zhu Shian whined: "The food outside doesn't have your cooking to recommend it. I have no appetite."

Zhu Fengqin laughed: "My cooking has nothing to be picky about. Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll make it for you."

"Anything. Whatever you make is delicious."

Zhu Fengqin was so pleased she rushed out, saying as she went: "Stay home by yourself. It's still early. I'm going to the Food Supply Station to see if there are any good vegetables."

Just as Zhu Fengqin left, Zhu Changfang rushed over anxiously, delighted: "Big Miss, we have a guest. I saw them get off the boat and hurried back to report."

"What guest has come?"

"The Song Family, the Song Family from Wushan County. When the old master passed away, Song Weiguo the fourth son of the Song Family came to pay respects." Saying this, Zhu Changfang added: "Oh, I forgot. When the Song Family got the news and came, you had already returned to the countryside, so you didn't meet."

Although Zhu Shian had never met Song Weiguo, she knew about the Song Family.

According to her grandfather, the Song Family migrated to Wushan County during the Qing Dynasty's Huguang填四川 migration. To make a living, two generations of the Song Family worked on the river, accumulating wealth and connections. The third generation of the Song Family bought boats and started their own water freight business.

At that time, the Zhu Family was in the medicine business, and shipping in and out required boats. The Song Family had a good reputation in the shipping industry, so the Zhu Family often used the Song Family's boats to transport medicine. That's how they came to interact.

To go deeper, the reason the Song Family and Zhu Family could maintain regular contact wasn't just because of the business partnership, but because of the Zhu Family's protective skills.

Making a living on the water, no matter how upright a person was, their heart would be uneasy at night. The Song Family knew the Zhu Family's abilities and often came to Sanqing Lane to request Peace Talismans. Their friendship deepened over time.

Her grandfather, Zhu Furu, was old friends with Song Weiguo's father. Song Weiguo's father died a few years earlier than her grandfather. Now the Song Family was led by two sons.

The current generation of the Song Family originally had four sons. It was said that only the youngest son, Song Weiguo, was kept to continue the family line back then. The three older brothers all went to war. Two died, and one returned.

The Song Family's integrity didn't need saying. Zhu Shian had a good impression of the Song Family.

"Did you send someone to notify the village elders?"

"Notified. Zhang Hui went. The two of us went to dig wild vegetables outside the county town. When we passed the road by the river, we saw Song Weiguo getting off the boat at the dock, so I hurried back to report. Zhang Hui took a boat to the clan."

Zhu Shian entered the courtyard, and Zhu Changfang followed. She said: "Big Miss, I'll go get the hot water thermos to make tea for the guest."

"Go ahead."

After the continuous spring rains in Zhenshan County, the weather had cleared these past few days and become warm. The village was preparing for spring plowing. It was the same in Wushan County, probably. Song Weiguo coming to Zhenshan County at this time, Zhu Shian thought something major must have happened. The Zhu clan thought the same.

When Zhang Hui went back to the clan to report, all the Zhu Family men and women were working in the fields. Zhu Changfeng and the elders hurried to the main residence in Sanqing Lane, their trousers and sleeves still covered in mud.

"Weiguo is here. It's been a few years. How is your family?"

Song Weiguo stood up quickly to greet them, helping Zhu Fujiang up with a smile: "Thank you for thinking of us. We're all well. You're getting on in years, why are you still working in the fields? Shouldn't you rest?"

Zhu Fujiang laughed: "I know my own body. Moving around is good, it loosens my joints."

Song Weiguo greeted the other Zhu clan elders, and then Zhu Changfeng stepped forward, calling out "Brother Song."

Song Weiguo nodded with a smile: "Living well?"

"Good, all good."

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone sat down in order. Only then did Song Weiguo state the purpose of his visit.

Song Weiguo said with a smile to Zhu Shian and the Zhu clan elders: "When the College Entrance Exam was reinstated last October, we had over a dozen relatives' children taking the exam. We were busy finding textbooks and finding teachers to tutor them, so we didn't have time to ask how things were going on your end. We also didn't get to congratulate the Big Miss on her return home."

"Hahaha, Weiguo, you're too polite. Between us, we don't need formalities. Besides, we didn't make a big fuss about the Big Miss's return. We only notified family and old family friends."

"We should have come. We're close as one family. We were so happy to hear about the Big Miss striking the bell." Song Weiguo had come today specifically to deliver a congratulatory gift.

Zhu Shian smiled her thanks: "Thank you for your trouble."

Zhu Changfang added tea for Song Weiguo, and served tea to each of the Zhu clan elders.

After the small talk, they got to talking about the children who passed the college entrance exam in their families. Song Weiguo said his niece was admitted to a school in Guangzhou. Because the place was far, she left the day after receiving the admission notice. Her older brother and sister-in-law personally accompanied her.

"I hear Guangzhou is lively. A lot of our region's scarce goods sell well there. There are also rumors that private small businesses will soon be allowed."

Zhu Changfeng was startled: "Really?"

"Don't know if it's true, but our elders think there's some truth to it. So many returning young people can't find jobs. If you don't let them find their own way to make a living and earn food, won't there be chaos?"

Zhu Shian caught Song Weiguo's implication: "If policies allow in the future, your family will restart the old business, won't you?"

Song Weiguo smiled: "That's the idea. I was thinking not just our family, but hopefully all our families will start up their businesses again and live prosperous lives."

The Song Family's boats had all been handed over to the country. If they wanted to restart the business, buying boats would be a huge expense. Even a broken boat has three jin of iron nails. The