Zhao Siqi brought two people to Tang Xiaoyu.
Tang Xiaoyu greeted calmly: "Fellow Daoist, long time no see, I hope you are well."
Zhao Siqi laughed: "I'm doing fine, but you have changed a lot. Why did you give up being a sect leader and come here to be a charlatan?"
Tang Xiaoyu was still calm: "Whether a sect leader or a charlatan, it's just an identity. I'm just an ordinary person walking on the path."
"Fellow Daoist, please come inside the hall for a cup of clear tea," he gestured politely.
Zhao Siqi did not move, looking at him curiously: "This isn't like you. You weren't like this before."
"Yes, I've changed, but it wasn't my intention."
Tang Xiaoyu gestured again: "Fellow Daoist, please."
This time, Zhao Siqi did not refuse and followed Tang Xiaoyu into the hall.
"Whose statue is this? Did you just make it up to fool people?"
Tang Xiaoyu said solemnly: "The sages should not be insulted. Please take back what you just said."
Zhao Siqi laughed: "Why should I take it back? What can you do about it?"
Tang Xiaoyu said lightly: "Then the Qingshan Daoist Temple does not welcome you. Please leave."
Zhao Siqi laughed louder: "Haha... Everywhere you are is our Yinming Sect's territory. It's you who should leave!"
Tang Xiaoyu was not angry and said lightly: "Our Daoist temple has been registered with the government and is not under your sect's jurisdiction."
Now Zhao Siqi wanted to argue with Tang Xiaoyu: "Whoever has the harder fist makes the rules. You understand that."
Tang Xiaoyu blurted out some inexplicable words: "Why do you cultivators always look down upon the masses from the high ground? Why don't you allow dissenting voices? Why do you always target me?"
"What are you cultivating into immortals? What heaven are you defying?"
"The Buddhist door hides under the guise of saving all beings, deceiving people's kindness everywhere, but you turn a deaf ear. I'm just eliminating harm for the people, yet you make things difficult for me in every way."
"Why should I cater to your wishes and listen to your commands?"
Tang Xiaoyu spoke calmly without a trace of anger, but his words were full of anger.
"My friends, I'm very busy today, so please leave!"
Zhao Siqi apologized: "Tang Xiaoyu, I was just joking with you. Don't be like this."
Tang Xiaoyu said lightly: "We are just people on two different paths. No need for too much explanation."
Tang Xiaoyu bowed: "Life-saving grace, I shall never forget. I will repay you with my life if I have a chance."
"Do as you wish."
Then he went back to his chores, while Zhao Siqi did not mean to leave but watched Tang Xiaoyu work.
The busy Tang Xiaoyu was chatting with everyone, joking and acting to make people laugh loudly. From time to time, people asked him to sing a few lines, which Tang Xiaoyu never refused.
He used to trample his dignity to sing for others to make a living. But now it's because he likes singing and sings for those who want to listen.
"Maybe this is his true self. But what has he experienced to make such a person once choose to give up his life?" Zhao Siqi could not figure it out.
Why would someone change so drastically, so extremely?
"He has changed, but it wasn't his intention. I have also changed, but I'm following my heart. Maybe that's the difference between us."
While Zhao Siqi was lost in thought, someone shouted: "Master Tang, sing us a romantic song. We love listening to those!"
Everyone else also smiled wickedly: "Master Tang, sing us one!"
Tang Xiaoyu joked: "With those wicked smiles, you just want to laugh at me!"
"But you've miscalculated. Back in White Tiger City, I was known as the Prince of Love Songs."
The kids shouted: "Uncle Tang is bragging. Uncle Tang is bragging."
Tang Xiaoyu rolled up his sleeve: "People always doubt my singing skills. The powerful will always be doubted. If I don't show my true skills today, you won't know the ceiling of the singing world!"
"Today I will sing you all 'Seeing Her Off When She's Getting Married'."
"On the hill before your house."
"Wildflowers have blossomed again."
"How I wish to pick one to place in your black hair."
........................
"I said on the day you get married."
"Just let me see you off."
"You nod without a word."
"Tears flow down your cheeks."
.....................
"The one who should be welcoming the bride."
"Has become the stupid one seeing her off."
...........................
What a sad story it was. Everyone felt so sorry for Tang Xiaoyu and many shed tears.
There was no applause or cheers. Tang Xiaoyu wondered:
【Is there something wrong with my throat recently? Why is no one reacting?】
A little girl ran over to wipe Tang Xiaoyu's tearless eyes.
"Uncle Tang, don't be sad. When I grow up, I will marry you."
Tang Xiaoyu was puzzled. What's the situation?
"Master Tang, don't think too much. When I go back, I will introduce you to some water spirit girls."
Tang Xiaoyu asked in bewilderment: "Have you misunderstood something? The person in the song is not me."
"Master Tang, no need to explain. We understand."
"Oh Master Tang is such a good man! Is that girl blind?"
Tang Xiaoyu did not explain further. It was impossible to clarify the misunderstanding.
Zhao Siqi murmured: "So Tang Xiaoyu has such a past. How heartbroken he must have been!"
Her apprentice sister also said: "Senior Sister Zhao, let's not make things difficult for him. Look how pitiful he is!"
"Yes, Senior Sister Zhao, let's allow him to have his Daoist temple here!"
Zhao Siqi nodded: "Let's go back! I didn't expect he had such a pitiful past."
The news spread through Qingshan Town like a rocket.
"Have you heard? Master Tang became a monk because his bride left him."
"I knew it already. And I even know he saw her off personally."
Another added: "I heard they were childhood sweethearts since little. That girl married someone else for money."
"Oh, poor Master Tang!"
"I know right!"
When Tang Xiaoyu learned about all this, things had already gone beyond repair.
"I'm not upset, I'm not upset. Monks don't care about rumors."
"The Dao that can be told is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name." Tang Xiaoyu started reciting the Daode Jing to calm himself down internally.
But before Tang Xiaoyu could fully calm down, the official from the government who helped him register the Daoist temple came.
Seeing Tang Xiaoyu, the first sentence she said was: "Master Tang, please accept my condolences."
Tang Xiaoyu almost spat out a mouthful of blood, but still smiled: "Laywoman, no..."
"Good lady, you jest."
"I'm not joking, I'm serious."
"You are joking."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Tang Xiaoyu could no longer hold it in: "No one died in my family. What condolences?"
The official lady then realized: "I'm so sorry, Master Tang, that was a slip of my tongue."
Tang Xiaoyu was calm again: "No problem. Just be more careful next time."
"Master Tang is magnanimous."