Druid Fairy

Chapter 41 Marriage
Li Erni, whose real name is Li Hong, is the second daughter of Uncle Li Fang.

Upon hearing this name, Li Pingfu immediately pictured the face of a simple, honest woman.

Putting everything else aside, just looking at her face, she's definitely Uncle Li Fang's biological daughter. As for her personality, it's similar to Uncle Li Fang's—honest, down-to-earth, and not good with words.

Li Pingfu wasn't stupid. He guessed that Li Yuan's question meant his family wanted to match Li Erni with him, so he asked first.

"Marriage is a major life event, decided by parents and matchmakers; I cannot make my own decisions."

They adopted a delaying tactic.

"Okay." Li Yuan was a little disappointed and embarrassed for not getting the answer he wanted, so he casually changed the subject, "My sister Li Qian is also going to have her spiritual root tested after the New Year."

Only after saying that did she realize that Li Pingcan had failed the spiritual root test. She had brought up the very thing she shouldn't have, making things even more awkward.

Li Pingcan didn't mind and said, "This is a good thing."

He explained the process of testing spiritual roots in detail again, which gradually relaxed Li Yuan, and they started chatting and laughing.

As the sun began to set, the girls finished playing shuttlecock, their bodies covered in sweat.

"Brother, I'm hungry!"

Li Qian was young, but her appearance and frame resembled Li Fang's. She was quite sturdy, and when she clung to Li Yuan's leg and acted coquettishly, it was like a little bear rolling around, making Li Yuan grimace.

"You little brat, are you hungry? Pingfu, we're leaving now, see you tomorrow!"

After greeting Li Pingfu, Li Yuan scooped up his sister and laughed, "Let's go, brother will take you home!"

…………

"Brother, what do you think of Li Erni?"

At the Li family dinner table, Li Pingcan's curious words drew the attention of the entire family.

Li Pingfu then repeated what Li Yuan had said that day.

"My son has grown up and is now at the age where he's trying to steal other people's cabbages."

Li Rongzhou sighed, "In the blink of an eye, my child has grown up and is ready to start a family."

After pondering for a moment, Madam Qin said, "Ernizi is honest, hardworking and capable. She is good at managing the family business, but it depends on whether Pingfu likes her."

In Peach Blossom Village, marriages are usually between well-matched families. Li Erni is someone I've practically watched grow up; I know her well and consider her a suitable candidate.

But suitability is not the only criterion. She herself married Li Rongzhou because she liked him, so naturally she also hopes that her son will find a soulmate.

Li Ping'an was unusually silent, seemingly lost in thought.

Li Pingcan looked at Li Pingfu. He felt that Erni's dull personality might not be suitable for his clever and quick-witted older brother. In his opinion, his older brother deserved the best woman in the world, while Erni was too ordinary.

The whole family stopped eating and stared intently at Li Pingfu.

Since he was given the decision to make, Li Pingfu said frankly, "I don't plan to get married so early. I want to focus on practicing martial arts."

He didn't actually have any feelings for Li Erni, or rather, he didn't have any feelings for any girl in the village. He was still innocent and his mind was full of thoughts about how to improve his martial arts skills and strive to open a martial arts school.

Where can a woman find the fragrance of martial arts?

In martial arts, although there is no such thing as "virginity training," according to the experience of predecessors, before the Divine Fiend Realm, especially the Qi and Blood Realm, it is best not to break one's essence, as this will make cultivation faster.

“Alright,” Li Rongzhou replied, as he also harbored the ambition to open a martial arts school.

Although Qin felt regretful and wanted to have a grandson soon, she did not want to pressure her son.

Seeing that his parents did not object, Li Pingfu patted Li Ping'an on the shoulder and teased, "Second brother, the great responsibility of carrying on the family line is now entrusted to you!"

"Is this something you, as the older brother, should say to your younger brother?"

Li Ping'an slapped his elder brother's hand away without ceremony, but what he was thinking was something else entirely. If his elder brother's martial arts school went well, his fiancée's family might be able to rise to a higher level, expanding their family's network. Every bit of the family's wealth could potentially become a boost to his own advancement.

Reading not only enlightens the mind and clarifies principles, but also makes people see certain seemingly insurmountable gaps. As he grew older, he increasingly understood that some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth, and can obtain things that he could never achieve through hard work and struggle.

Lying down might be easy, but his goal of becoming a celestial official never changed.

"Father, Mother," Li Ping'an announced in a deep voice, "Master Xie said that my current level of study is sufficient for me to take the autumn examination."

The family looked delighted.

Li Rongzhou said with relief, "Go ahead and try it. Your mother and I will prepare food for you after the competition."

The imperial examinations for scholars were divided into three stages: the preliminary examination, the provincial examination, the metropolitan examination, and the palace examination. If one passed all three preliminary examinations, one would receive the title of Xiucai (秀才), which would exempt one from some taxes.

Li Pingcan knew that Master Xie was a rigid and upright teacher who was quite strict about studying. He said that his second brother's ability to pass the exam meant that he was already 90% confident.

If you pass the preliminary exam, you may still be able to pass the provincial exam.

My second brother is really good at studying!

He could fall asleep just looking at that pile of complicated ancient books!

…………

"If only the little mushroom could have communication capabilities, like a simplified version of a fairy's jade slip for communication. If my second brother suddenly forgets the meaning of the scriptures during an exam, I could secretly read a few lines to him."

Li Pingcan thought that he should try to understand the spore system more often, so that each family member could carry a small mushroom when they went out.

The ideal is beautiful, but reality is cruel.

At least in the short term, the second brother can only rely on his own efforts and talent.

…………

The autumn examinations began soon, taking place in Yunshui County, requiring participants to ride horse-drawn carriages from the town.

Li Rongzhou and Li Pingan went for three days. When they returned, Li Pingan had lost a lot of weight.

His already thin frame became even more withered, and now he didn't look like a gentleman of bamboo, but rather a skinny stick.

Qin was heartbroken and shed tears, then hurriedly prepared a delicious meal.

Once they sat down at the table and started talking, everyone learned what had happened to Li Ping'an.

He was unlucky and was assigned to the stinky cell. The stench made him lose his appetite, and at night, wrapped in a thin blanket, his hands trembled from the cold. The space was cramped, the floor was hard, and he couldn't sleep well.

Why can't we bring blankets? It's not allowed in the exam room, because they're afraid candidates might try to bring their own stuff.

Fortunately, he had the [Breath of the Tree], which allowed him to maintain his body's heat balance even in the coldest weather, preventing him from fainting. Several older examinees, for example, couldn't even last three days before collapsing in the examination hall and being dragged out.

"Practicing martial arts is indeed a good thing."

Li Ping'an said with emotion, "If my father hadn't forced me to practice the health cultivation technique, I probably would have died with regrets on the day of the autumn exam."

"Then second brother, you should practice with me more often in the future."

Li Pingcan immediately said that he dared not ask his second brother how the exam went. He was being smoky and cold, and was suffering both physically and mentally. How could he possibly do well?
This was not a fault of the war effort.

Just when his family thought Li Ping'an had failed his autumn exams, seven days later, the sound of gongs and drums echoed from the village gate all the way to Li's house.

The villagers gathered in groups at the doorway, peering out curiously. A round-faced man with a cheerful appearance, a red silk ribbon slung across his waist, shouted happily:

"Li Ping'an from Peach Blossom Village, you've passed! You've become the top scholar in the county!"

(End of this chapter)