Tao and Heaven

Chapter 266 The Sixth Son of the Gu Family
Because of his fiancée's matter, Gu Wen was called to the lobby by his father. He walked through the quiet corridor. All the maids and servants along the way made way for him and bowed their heads.

Gu Wen didn't find it strange. If the house was made of reinforced concrete, he would find it strange to do so.

At this moment, his heart was as calm as still water, without any ripples.

It is as if all emotions and desires have disappeared and all desires have turned into nothingness.

This feeling was very comfortable. He no longer had to worry about anything and just needed to gaze quietly into the distance.

Memories began to emerge in my mind, as if they had appeared out of nowhere.

The Gu family, a Nanshui family, has been officials for generations and managed a county, far away from the disputes in the Central Plains. They have gone through four dynasties and fifty-six emperors, and have been passed down for a thousand years.

It can be said that dynasties come and go, but the Gu family remains forever.

But the Gu family was not a giant, at most it was just a local tyrant. The inheritance of 800 years was like standing halfway up the mountain, even if it fell it could only roll twice.

As long as you are not standing on the top of the mountain, it is difficult to fall to death.

Walk through the corridor and enter the lobby.

Antique chairs were arranged in a square pattern. Above the hall hung a plaque with the words "Self-discipline and Virtue". Below sat a middle-aged man with a mustache who looked exactly like Gu Wen.

Sitting next to him was a charming woman.

There are five remaining young men with 6% appearance, different dress and temperament.

A stream of thoughts came to my mind again.

Gu's father, a county sage with both virtue and talent, was known as the great scholar of Nanshui and the head of the family.

Gu's mother, his mother, was an ordinary woman in ancient times.

Gu Da'ai, a gentle and elegant brother, a talented eldest son, and the future heir of the Gu family.

Gu Ernu, with a burly figure and a face full of flesh, is a master of martial arts. He always talks about passing the exam to become the top martial arts champion and become a general.

Gu Sanyou has a gentle temperament and often looks worried, but he is extremely intelligent and has read all kinds of books.

Gu Siju is short and timid.

Gu Wuseng was a jealous man. His foot was run over by an ox cart when he was young and he was a cripple.

This is his family, and this is all he has.

Seeing Gu Wen coming in, everyone's eyes were focused on him in an instant. Gu's father had a serious face and scolded: "Sixth son, why did you get up so late again? You are now at the age to get married. How long are you going to be idle?"

"Father, please calm down. I've heard that people who practice Taoism are quiet and peaceful. With my personality, my sixth brother might be a good match for the girl from the Yu family."

A handsome man named Gu Daai stood up and calmed down Gu's father's anger with just a few words.

"And Sixth Brother, first, he doesn't like gambling, and second, he doesn't use stone powder. Just being idle can actually help him protect the family business. Throughout history, many families are not afraid of lazy people, but hardworking people."

Gu Er, standing aside, said in a voice as loud as a bronze bell: "Father, why don't you hand over your sixth brother to me? I will teach him martial arts and help him conquer the world."

Gu Sanyou objected, "The world is unpredictable. It depends on 70% luck and 30% ability. Second brother has 80% ability, but not even 1% luck. Sixth brother cannot follow you."

It seems that I am quite popular in this family.

Gu Wen took his seat and listened in silence to the people around him discussing the court's imposition of additional taxes.

Daqian has existed for two hundred and fifty years, and now it looks like the end of a dynasty, with successive disasters causing many civil unrests.

Fortunately, the Gu family was far away from the Central Plains and did not need to participate in it. Also, due to the abundance of resources, it was unlikely that there would be a large-scale famine. At most, there would be a flood, a poor harvest, and some people would starve to death.

The only danger is the imperial court.

These were not what Gu Wen cared about, but his family insisted that he care about them and often asked him questions.

The eldest brother asked about the sufferings of the people in the world, the second brother asked why heroes rise up to fight for the world, the third brother was worried about where the Gu family would go, the fourth brother was terrified and the fifth brother just stared.

Gu Wen’s answers to this are:
"None of my business."

Everyone was helpless and then turned to other topics.

There is a vicious bandit roaming around Nanshui recently. You should not go out at night.

After hearing this, Gu Ernu was very excited and wanted to go out with his weapon to pursue him. But Gu Wen did not go with him, so he could only shake his head and said with regret: "Sixth brother is not with me. Even if I have the power to move mountains, I don't know where to use it."

"I heard that the evil bandit was eight feet tall, with a strong build and broad shoulders. He was able to hold his own even when surrounded by hundreds of soldiers. It seems he must be a martial arts master."

Gu Wen said: "For a cultivator to take a person's life, it can be done by picking up a flower or a leaf. What's the point of having high martial arts skills?"

"What do you mean by cultivating immortality?" Gu Er asked in confusion, "I have been traveling the world for so many years, but I have never seen anyone taking someone's life by picking up flowers or flying leaves. The most amazing thing was an old monk who beat me so hard that I was dizzy."

"That old monk is known as the best master in the world, the most respected in the world."

Gu Wen became interested and asked, "Where is the person that Second Brother mentioned now?"

"It's just a small temple outside the city. Why did Sixth Brother become interested in it?"

"Let's go and see it together."

Gu Wen stood up, and his empty heart was filled with some fame and fortune.

Why can't I be the most respected person in the world?

Gu Er laughed loudly, stood up with his body as strong as an iron tower, and walked out of the mansion with Gu Wen.

"Absolutely not." Gu Sanyou muttered a catchphrase and quickly stood in front of the two people: "Now it is a famine year, and there are refugees everywhere outside the city."

"Go away."

Gu Er angrily slapped Gu Sanyou away, and the latter fell heavily to the ground. The rest of the family turned a blind eye to this. Relatives should live in harmony and brothers should not touch each other.

But in Gu's family, it seems to be a common thing.

It is useless to worry too much when you are angry.

"Hey, think twice before you act. How can you take risks just because of a little strength?" Gu Sanyou squatted on the ground, dejectedly saying, "Just because you have some strength, you think you are the best in the world. In the end, you are still a reckless man."

"Do you know how powerful that old monk is? What if I beat him? What if I beat him?"

"Winning is winning, why bother with so many reasons!" Gu Er clenched his fist in anger, and said in a voice as loud as a bell: "If I were the best in the world, there would be nothing I couldn't do, nothing I couldn't do, and nothing I couldn't accomplish."

"It won't work. It won't work."

Gu Siju suddenly spoke.

"The more you do, the more mistakes you make; the less you do, the better. Second brother, have you forgotten how much trouble you got into when you killed the county magistrate's son?"

"That damn Zhao family bullied me, how can I not repay blood with blood?"

"But why don't you take it slow and wait until Liu'er's fiancée comes back? The Yu family is an aristocratic family, so they must have the means to subdue the Zhao family."

"Fuck your grandma!"

Gu Er yelled in anger, which was very consistent with his appearance as a rough martial artist.

"Don't even mention the Yu family. Even if they die, it doesn't matter. We should fight for our lives."

As the word "qi" came out, Gu Ernu's body swelled again by three and a half feet, like a little giant.

The fierce murderous aura overwhelmed everyone else in the family, and even Gu Daxi was unable to compete with it.

"enough!"

Gu's father stood up, and Gu Er's anger was suppressed in an instant.

"What's the point of making such a fuss? There's nothing wrong with thinking twice before acting. If it weren't for San'er's caution, how could the Gu family have escaped danger so many times? There's nothing wrong with fighting for one's dignity. How can you continue to be a beggar after getting a fortune?" He looked at Gu Wen meaningfully.

"Liu'er, if you want to go, go ahead."

Gu Er angrily pulled Gu Wen away, rode two big horses directly out of the Gu family, and galloped out of the city.
-
Temple outside the city.

The temple is simple, with a gate that can only accommodate one person. Through the door, you can see a clay Buddha inside. There are only three incense sticks in the small palm-sized incense burner, and the offering is no more than three steamed buns.

The ancient plaque reads [Zhenru Temple]

Two tall horses came galloping over, pulling the ropes and raising their front hooves high.

Gu Er angrily jumped off his horse, dressed in military uniform and looking as imposing as a tiger, he stood with a spear in his hand and shouted, "Old bald donkey, come out and fight me!"

A light breeze blew by, blowing down some fallen leaves, and then the sound of a distant bell could be heard.

"Amitabha."

A monk as skinny as an old tree walked out of the small door of the temple. He had pale eyebrows, squinted eyes, and a kind smile on his lips.

"Donor, you have come here over and over again 98,300 times, once a day. You and I have been fighting for nearly a thousand years, and I have lost for a thousand years."

The Gu family has a history of thousands of years. On the first day that the Gu family appeared, Gu Ernu came to challenge the old monk.

"Bah! The old monk looks so thin, but he's so arrogant. I'll beat you today, even if it takes a thousand years or even ten thousand years!"

Gu Ernu shook the spear in his hand, and took a step forward, causing sand and rocks to fly. His nearly nine-foot-tall body moved as fast as a cunning rabbit.

The shot was fired like a dragon crossing the river.

The old monk kept smiling, raised his hand slightly and pinched the tip of the gun, saying: "Donor Gu has more killing spirit than Buddha spirit. Why don't you go to the temple and practice in seclusion for a few days? Who knows, you may become a Buddha and let this killing method turn into the appearance of a wrathful Vajra."

"roll!"

Gu Er angrily put away his gun and approached the old monk again, fighting with him for thirty rounds. He only attacked and did not defend, while the monk only defended and did not attack.

In this world where only fists and feet can matter, their every move can actually cause strange phenomena.

In the end, Gu Ernu was defeated. Even after exhausting all his strength, he was unable to hurt the old monk.

He could only sit on the ground, waving his hands and saying, "Let's stop today. We'll fight again another day."

"You bastard, just stop beating me when you're tired, and don't even step into my temple."

The old monk snorted coldly, then turned his gaze to Gu Wen, who had been watching without any reaction.

He smiled and said, "This should be your first time here, young monk. Would you like to come to my temple and stay there?"

Gu Wen replied indifferently: "Not interested."

"All living things have desires, so how can they have no interest?" The old monk shook his head and said, "The layman has a heart of the primordial Dao, and should cultivate the supreme Dao. But you are still in the mortal world. Look at your relatives, they are all greedy, angry, and stupid."

"Your second brother is as angry as a demon, and his words and actions can be affected by external things. And your father is very pedantic. Everyone claims that he is a virtuous man, but he has raised such a group of unruly sons."

The old monk was scolding his son for being his father, and Gu Er was furious. He stood up and shot again with his gun. This time he only lasted 10 rounds before being defeated.

Gu Wen seemed much calmer. He looked around the temple and said:
"You are called the Buddha, and your name is so resounding. How can it not be considered greed, anger, and ignorance?"

The old monk shook his head and said, "I have been given the title of the Buddha, and I live in a clay Buddha temple. If I didn't have the title of the Buddha, how could my small temple be glorious?"

"rational."

Gu Wen nodded in agreement and took a step forward, but was pulled back by Gu Ernu the next moment.

"This old bald donkey has bad intentions. He can attack anyway. There is no need to attack now."

The two men left, and before parting, Gu Ernu still did not forget to make some harsh remarks.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said with a smile: "Old bald donkey, you were able to defeat me with one move the first time, but now you can't defeat me in thirty rounds, what will happen a thousand years later?"

After saying this, he rode away.

The old monk stood there for a long time in silence. Suddenly, a white arm wrapped around his neck from behind, and a warm breath assaulted his ears.

The charming voice fills the ears, and everyone who hears it will fall into endless desire.

"Zhenru, he's right. A thousand years can't tame him. Instead, he becomes stronger and stronger. Who can guarantee that after a thousand years, he won't twist your head off?"

"And he is just one of the seven emotions and six desires. He can fight with me thirty times. You, an old bald donkey, might end up losing more than you gain."

"hehe."

The old monk laughed in a low voice and said, "If he doesn't have such ability, why should I tame him?"

Put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha immediately.

Some people say that what you put down is the butcher knife in your heart, and what you establish is your own Buddha.

But if what the Buddha said is really true, these are all bullshit. How can we say Amitabha Buddha if we don’t commit the sin of killing?
There is a Nifo Temple outside the city, in which the Buddha is enshrined, and behind the temple there are beautiful women.
-
The next day.

Gu Daxi came and handed him a red book, smiling and said, "Sixth brother, this is your marriage certificate. Please check if there is any problem. If there is no problem, I will send it to the Yu family together with the other three books."

"You've made all the arrangements, and you're asking me if I have any questions?"

Gu Wen was still lazy, he just changed his posture and continued to rest with his eyes closed.

His brother was not annoyed, but explained very considerately: "After all, it is a major event in your life, just take a closer look, it won't take much time."

Gu Wen opened his eyes and saw the neatly written words and his and Yu Hua's names on the bright red marriage certificate.

【Gu Yu and I are getting married. We signed a contract together. Our marriage is eternal. We are a perfect match. The peach blossoms are so bright today. It is a good match for the family. I predict that you will have a long and prosperous life in the coming years. I hereby write this promise of a lifetime on a piece of red paper. I hope that the covenant of red leaves will be recorded in the love genealogy. This is the proof.】

"The promise of growing old together, written on a piece of red paper, haha..."

An untimely laugh was heard, and Gu Wuseng walked in with a limp. The scar on his face caused by being run over by an ox cart looked like a centipede.

He repeated the marriage certificate in a strange tone.

"It's well written. It should be written by my elder brother. But can we really live together forever if we write so well?"

Gu Daxi frowned and said, "I'm not a matchmaker, so I can't guarantee it."

"Why write if you can't guarantee it? It's all just false."

Gu Wuseng speaks in a very harsh way and no one in his family likes him. Only Gu Wen will talk to him.

Most of the time he was the one who talked, and Gu Wen listened quietly to his complaints about everything.

It's stupid, but it's human nature.

That night.

Gu Wen was sleeping when he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

The sound of "dong dong dong" continued. Every night someone would knock on the door, and it had been going on for a long, long time.

There is a rumor that if someone knocks on your door at night, don't open it, otherwise...

Finally, Gu Wen got up and opened the door. A petite figure came into view under the moonlight and suddenly fell into his arms.

At the same time a fist hit him hard in the stomach.

"Damn it, I've been waiting for so long, and you finally opened the door."

Gu Wen was certain that he would be beaten if he opened the door at night.

(End of this chapter)