Chapter 177 Branching out
177 Branches and leaves
He actually agreed to accept Wang Yihang as his registered disciples. After sobering up, Gao Yuan didn't remember what he had said at all. It was not until Xiang Jiannan gloated and proved it many times that he explained categorically that he was drunk at the time and it was just a joke.
He wanted to expel Wang and his entourage from the sect, on the grounds that he could not drag a young man from a good family into the fire.
"I've already kowtowed, can you still regret it?"
When they were talking, Xiang Jiannan had just finished dinner. He felt that the old Taoist priest should not go back on his word, and he almost poured out the ginger tea in his hand while arguing.
Gao Yuan had just walked out holding the door frame when he solemnly reminded his master of the good news. Seeing that his master was dumbfounded as if he had been struck by a bolt from the blue, he was actually secretly happy in his heart.
He didn't mind having another junior fellow apprentice and a registered disciple. Compared to himself, Wang Yixing was still free.
The main contradiction is the reason why the old Taoist wants to regret. He cannot drag the children of good families into the fire pit. Does this mean that he is not a good person? The young and old men in Ping'an Town all know that Xiang Jiannan is famous for being law-abiding. He cannot agree with his master's words. The old man does not care about his reputation, but it does not mean that the young people below will follow suit.
As to whether Ping An Temple is a hellhole, it remains to be observed in the long term, although in my heart, I feel that the old Taoist priest is telling the truth.
He spoke the truth in a desperate situation and had a very clear understanding of their Taoist temple.
"I didn't see it, so it doesn't count."
He stretched out his right hand, waiting for Xiang Jiannan to bring the ginger tea to him. Seeing that his disciple disagreed with his idea, Gao Yu sat on the stone bench weakly:
"Master, I know what Wang Yihang is thinking. He is just coveting this little thing from me! This boy has no fate with the Great Dao. If his status is not removed, it will harm him in the end."
I was greedy too, but I didn’t get it.
He handed the ginger tea to the old Taoist priest and watched him drink it in big gulps. Seeing that his complexion had regained a little color, Xiang Jiannan then sat down on the stone bench opposite.
He prepared today's dinner, which mainly consisted of leftovers from lunch.
Li Si walked out of the backyard about an hour and a half ago, looking sober. Before leaving, he said a few words to himself from the bottom of his heart: "I didn't expect that the carrier pigeons of our Demon Subduing Division are so chewy. I didn't know about it for so many years."
"The old Taoist priest's alcohol tolerance is about the same as mine. It's getting late, so there's no need to see me off. Remember to tell your master for me that today's wine is good."
After leaving the temple, the figure quickly disappeared, leaving him with only a very direct feeling. After today's farewell, the carrier pigeons in the Demon-Suppressing Division might be in trouble after Li Si returns.
"That's not a good reason. Wang Yihang was so excited that he even hit his head."
Thinking of the scene where Wang Yihang knelt on the ground excitedly to become his disciple, and the sound of kowtows echoing in his mind, Xiang Jiannan turned around and said to Gao Yuan while holding the chopsticks.
He didn't know whether Wang Yihang had a destiny with the Tao, but he thought that the old Taoist priest shouldn't be so cruel.
Regardless of whether he was sober at the time, the person who promised to accept Wang Yihang as a registered disciple could not lie.
It has only been a few hours since he made the promise and he has changed his mind. This behavior hurts the feelings of a good young man.
What the old Taoist did was tantamount to admitting that he had no credibility. It might not matter to him, but he should still think about the long-term.
The disciple-taking ceremony has already been held. It is not so easy to get away from it. It is your own fault.
"Why didn't you stop Master Dian?"
After hearing what Xiang Jiannan said, Gao Yuan couldn't help but complain:
"I should have agreed to accept you as my disciple a long time ago. Why wait until today?"
"Disciple, you should wake up your master."
"I called you, but you couldn't hear me"
At this moment, he felt very comfortable because of the regret on the old Taoist's face. He didn't know why he was so resistant, so Xiang Jiannan had no choice but to tell the truth.
He had indeed reminded his master to think twice before, but he didn't expect that the old Taoist priest would not give Xiang Jiannan any face at all.
Originally, I took Wang and his party to find a way to shirk responsibility, but when we entered the backyard, we saw the old master sitting on a stone bench in a daze.
After Wang Yihang once again took the initiative to state his purpose, he agreed without even thinking about it.
Afterwards, despite repeated dissuasion from his official disciple, he tilted his body and performed the ceremony of accepting a disciple.
"Seeing that you are sincere, I, Gao Yu'an, will make an exception today and accept your party."
"I will temporarily be your registered disciple. Why don't you kowtow to me and offer me tea! Disciple, go boil a pot of water..."
Although Xiang Jiannan was the only witness, his words were not light and he even made a guarantee in the end.
"I, the Taoist priest, have very high expectations for my disciples, but since I have agreed, I will not regret it."
"The teacher is really drunk today."
After listening to Xiang Jiannan's mumbling and sighing to the sky, Gao Yuan seemed to be at a loss.
After that, he returned to the house without having dinner. The lights in the room flickered several times.
Xiang Jiannan felt that it wouldn't be that necessary.
It was just accepting a nominal disciple, there was no need to act as if it was a big mistake. If a big mistake really happened, the old Taoist would not be so sad.
No words were spoken that night.
The next day, Xiang Jiannan got up early, opened the gate of the temple with a big knife in hand, and was slightly shocked by the scene in front of him.
There was a group of people standing at the steps outside the temple. All of them looked unhappy. Most of them could be called by name, including the heads of several large families in the town.
After he walked out of the Taoist temple, a group of people immediately went up the steps, said hello, and then wanted to go in and talk to the old Taoist priest.
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"Master hasn't finished cleaning yet."
He could feel that everyone was suppressing their anger. When he came out to open the door, the old Taoist priest was practicing boxing in the backyard. Xiang Jiannan tried to persuade him while holding Guan Gong's sword in one hand.
He knew it was Wang Yihang's fault. No matter how much enlightenment he had, this kid was still the town's big talker.
The apprenticeship event must have been publicized after returning home yesterday, otherwise it wouldn’t have caused such a big fuss.
He was not the only one in Ping'an Town who wanted to be the old Taoist priest's apprentice. He had anticipated today's situation last night.
"We just want to ask the old Taoist priest why he didn't inform us about such a big thing as accepting a disciple."
"My Erniu is obsessed with Taoism. Today he finally got his chance. Little Taoist..."
"Brother, my mother asked me to bring you some eggs. If they're not enough, we have more at home."
"Go away, you can't even read a few words. Why are you joining in the fun so early in the morning? Senior brother, excuse me for disturbing you. Can you tell me when our master will be done with his work?"
"Everyone, stop arguing and go in first!"
They were just trying to show some mercy to Xiang Jiannan. After several shoves and tugs, they were able to enter Ping'an Temple. Those who were eager to become his disciple did not express their resentment.
They were very dissatisfied with the fact that Wang Yihang was able to become Gao Yuan's registered disciple. How could a groom like him become such a disciple?
Since he could successfully become the old Taoist priest's disciple, there's no need for me to say more.
Who doesn't have understanding?
This is not going to end well. Even if we deal with one of Wang's entourage, there are still thousands and millions more.
Holding the Guan Gong sword in hand, Xiang Jiannan watched everyone leave, smiling bitterly as he thought it would not be appropriate to enter the temple for the time being.
The worst situation has already happened, and he is not capable of dealing with so many people for his master. He can only selectively avoid them and wait until the temple becomes quiet.
This might be what the old Taoist priest was worried about yesterday. The best solution right now is probably to accept all the people from the future and suppress the public anger first.
They are just registered disciples. There is no difference between one and a hundred. They are just given a title. Who are these people? Why is the leader wearing a Taoist robe?
"Brother, good morning!"
After approaching with fruits in his hands and a Taoist robe that looked extremely awkward, Pei Dafa said with a smile: "I have asked my family to prepare food. After you pay homage to me, you and Master can go to my house for dinner."
"I, Pei Dafa, am not like my second senior brother, who forgot even the most basic etiquette after becoming his disciple!"
"You are the mayor, how can you join the Taoist sect!"
Unexpectedly, Pei Dafa also came to join in the fun. Thinking that the Great Zhou Dynasty had clear regulations, Xiang Jiannan was convinced.
It is impossible for Pei Dafa not to know this. The mayor is an official of some kind, and he still had a chance in the early years.
"From today on, I'm no longer like that. I've already submitted my resignation to the county before coming here. How can a mere position of mayor compare to the great truth I'm about to comprehend?"
He spoke with disdain, but when he heard the noise in the yard, Pei Dafa became a little anxious. Relying on the fact that he had not yet completely stepped down from his position, he smiled and was the first to cross the threshold.
However, the peach wood dagger behind him was not held firmly, and fell to the ground with a clang before its owner entered the temple. If Xiang Jiannan had not bent down and picked it up in time, it would have been shattered under the crowd's trampling.
(End of this chapter)