The path to immortality through martial arts begins with being forced into marriage!

The next day, early in the morning.

Cui Yi got up very early, but this time he didn't sneak away on his own. Instead, he woke up Xu Yunyan and Tang'er.

The main problem was that he didn't know what to prepare for proposing marriage here, and he wasn't quite used to being an ancient person for the first time.

Since the fabric they had bought earlier had not yet been made into clothes, the two women could only wear their old clothes.

Xu Yunyan changed into her best and only unpatched lotus-colored dress, put her hair in a simple bun, and inserted a plain silver hairpin. She even used the rouge and face powder that Cui Yi had given her before.

Before coming to the Cui family, Xu Yunyan was already a well-known beauty in Xu Family Village. When she dressed up, she looked even more like a rich young lady.

Tang'er was wearing a plain-colored long dress, but because she was quite thin, it didn't fit her quite well.

Xujia Village is in another direction of Qinglin County, and it just so happened that Cui Yi brought two women to the county town to buy things.

Cui Yi's extravagant spending made Xu Yunyan nervous the whole way. He bought everything related to the marriage proposal according to the highest standards.

Tang'er stared wide-eyed as the shop assistants brought out things she had only ever seen in New Year's paintings.

Cui Yi bought two large loads, decorated with red ribbons and colorful ornaments, which were carried by two hired laborers following behind him and his two companions.

Upon arriving at Xujia Village, the bright red silk flowers were dazzling in the morning light, attracting the attention of villagers along the way.

"Isn't that the Cui family's kid? What's he up to?"

"Wow, this gift carrier... it's amazing!"

"Whose family are they going to propose marriage to?"

"Who else could it be? Look behind him...it's that girl from the Xu family! And that child bride is with him too?"

"Tsk tsk, didn't the Cui family fall into ruin? Where did they get such a large sum of money?"

After swaggering through Xujia Village for a long time, they finally arrived at a small courtyard.

Cui Yi stepped forward and knocked on the door knocker. Before long, the courtyard gate was pulled open from the inside.

The one who opened the door was Xu Yunyan's mother, Zhang Cuihua.

"Cui, Cui Yi?"

Upon seeing the newcomer, Zhang Cuihua's voice was somewhat hoarse as she couldn't help but ask, "What brings you here...?"

"Auntie," Cui Yi said, bowing slightly. He then stepped to the side and pointed to the two porters behind him.

"I, Cui Yi, have come today to propose marriage."

Hearing the noise, Xu Dashan, who was in the courtyard, quickly came out, carrying a half-woven bamboo basket in his hand.

Upon seeing this scene at the entrance, especially the glaring red silk and the heavy gift basket, Xu Dashan's expression changed instantly. He then frowned and pursed his lips into a straight line.

"You young men of the Cui family, you've gone too far!"

"My daughter has been with your Cui family for so many years. She's certainly put in a lot of effort, if not merit, and yet you still want to use her for a ghost marriage!"

"Even if your Cui family has done us the Xu family a great favor, you cannot treat someone else's daughter like this!"

"At worst, I'll give my life for yours!"

Seeing Xu Dashan's agitated state, Cui Yi was slightly taken aback, but then he understood.

This guy is mistaken!

After all that, the other person thought he was reminding his deceased brother...

Superstition is truly deadly!

"Father! You've misunderstood!"

Seeing Xu Dashan's anger rising, Xu Yunyan quickly explained, "Yi'er wasn't proposing marriage for his brother, but for his own sake!"

"For himself? But you're our only daughter..." Xu Dashan was stunned as soon as he finished speaking.

"Girl, do you mean he wants to marry you?"

Seeing that the time was about right, Cui Yi cupped his hands to Xu Dashan again and said, "Uncle, Yunyan has been in my Cui family for so many years, and there have been constant rumors outside, which is ultimately a bad influence on a daughter."

"My parents and elder brothers all died at the hands of demonic beasts, which has caused me to remain depressed and confused, and I have never been able to give Yunyan a proper title. This is the fault of my Cui family!"

"I've come today to give her a proper status!"

The commotion at the gate had already alerted the neighbors.

Of course, the most important thing was the two extremely conspicuous dowry items, which, like water dripping into boiling oil, instantly caused the news to explode in the small Xujia Village.

Before long, the Xu family's already cramped fenced courtyard was packed with villagers who came to watch the spectacle.

Xu Yunyan's extended family members, relying on their kinship, squeezed to the front, pointing and whispering among themselves.

"Wow, look at this scene! Is the Xu family about to strike it rich?"

"What are you posting! Don't you even know who's proposing marriage!"

"That Cui family brat, he's all alone now, and I heard their ancestral home is in such a dilapidated state, where would he get this mountain of gold and silver?"

"A marriage proposal? Although Cui Yan is dead, Yunyan is still nominally the widow of the Cui family! This... this is outrageous!"

"Exactly! What's the Cui family like now? Their house is practically collapsing. How can Yunyan have a good life with him?"

"I bet that Cui Yi somehow got some money and is trying to swindle Yunyan!"

"Yunyan is such a pitiful child. Her parents-in-law passed away early, and she's been a widow in the Cui family for so many years..."

The whispers outside the door pierced Xu Dashan's heart like steel needles.

This honest and simple farmer had always harbored resentment towards his daughter for insisting on staying with the Cui family all these years, and his shock turned into suspicion.

yes……

Cui Yi is the only son left in the Cui family. He has been frail and sickly for years, and I heard that he is also uneducated and incompetent. He lives in a dilapidated house, and his daughter always looks thinner when she comes back.

These things would cost at least several dozen taels of silver; where did he get the money?

Could it be that he sold his precious daughter to some kid?

As the wind shifted further and further, three black lines appeared on Cui Yi's forehead.

Prejudice in people's hearts is indeed a mountain. Is this the image he has in the hearts of the people of Xujia Village?

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose from the direction of the village entrance, accompanied by the clear sound of a gong clearing the way and the shouts of the yamen runners:

"The magistrate has arrived! All bystanders, make way!"

The crowd turned their heads and saw a group of yamen runners in official uniforms escorting a small blue sedan chair toward them.

When the villagers saw that it was the county magistrate, they were so frightened that they fell silent and retreated to both sides of the road, not daring to even make a sound.

Zhou Wenyuan alighted from the sedan chair, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, about to ask why they had gathered.

Suddenly, his gaze fixed on the front of the crowd.

"Young Master Cui?!"

Upon seeing Cui Yi, Zhou Wenyuan's face instantly lit up with joy, and he disregarded his status and quickly went to greet him.

"Haha, what a coincidence!"

"I was just thinking of visiting you in Cui Family Village another day, but I never expected to meet you here!"

His action stunned all the villagers, including Xu Dashan!

The county magistrate actually knows Cui Yi?

She even called him "little brother," acting so intimately!