How to become a Taoist priest starting from a brothel

"You mean..." Liu Qinyu hesitated for a moment upon hearing her husband's idea.

"Could it be that you're still reluctant to give up the family business here?" Zhang Wen'an asked his wife provocatively.

"Nonsense! I did this all for you. If I wasn't afraid your mother would be driven to her death by you, I would have done it long ago." Liu Qinyu glared at him before softening her voice and saying, "Do you think I didn't want to? Back then, you refused to inherit the family business, which angered her to the point of near death. Later, you went on to do business everywhere, which made her even more furious that she refused to let you into the house again. Now that things have finally calmed down, if she knew that you moved because of Qinxue, she probably would never see you again in this lifetime."

"Don't worry about her." Zhang Wen'an's eyes dimmed upon hearing his wife's words. He thought of his argument with his mother. He had initially decided to rescue Qin Xue, but he never expected that his mother would not only poison him but also send a servant to force Qin Xue to her death. Fortunately, she was alright; otherwise, he probably would have followed her back then. Later, whether it was forcing him to marry Qin Yu or to become an official through a powerful family, she never listened to his wishes. He had already lost hope in his family when Qin Xue was sold. In the end, he chose to leave after making concessions step by step, taking his wife on a business venture. One of the reasons for doing so was that he wanted to find Qin Xue.

“If my mother hadn’t been worried about me bringing Qin Xue into our home back then, and had paid someone to sell Qin Xue to Huaicheng, neither you nor I would have had to search for her for so many years. If it weren’t for the chance encounter with her on the street, I’m afraid I would never have peace of mind in this life. Now that I’ve finally managed to help them, how can I back down like this? I’m also helping her atone for her sins.” Zhang Wen’an felt even more distressed as he thought about what happened back then.

Liu Qinyu didn't care at all about her husband's regret about what happened back then and the feelings he still seemed to have for his sister. She was also heartbroken about it. She always felt that she had stolen her sister's husband, and she always felt that if she hadn't been a member of the Liu family, her mother-in-law wouldn't have sold her off for fear of the reputation of sisters sharing a husband.

The couple knew each other's inner turmoil. Looking at each other, their hearts were filled with emotion, and they didn't know what to say for a moment. Liu Qinyu was the first to react, and smiled calmly: "She is your mother. Since you have made up your mind, go and make the arrangements."

Zhang Wen'an smiled at his wife, took her hand, and nodded gently. The couple sat together, enjoying their own tender moment.

Since the story of "Candy" began circulating in Huaicheng, those who frequented brothels and those who enjoyed playing around in the streets and alleys kept the story in their hearts. They shared this novel and easy-to-understand story with their friends and family.

Especially for the women at home, who had lived from one mansion to another from birth to death, the bustling city was a novelty to them. They loved it when the men who could go out came back and told them about the outside world, especially the playboys who loved to roam the streets. These were the men who were most popular with the women at home.

Upon hearing such a story, he naturally wanted to tell the women in his family something interesting. He then asked the fathers and brothers who were in charge of the household, and confirmed that there was nothing in the story that the women should not know. On the contrary, he believed that the story could be used to teach the women in the family not to do anything that would disgrace the family. So he stopped trying to stop them.

From then on, the story spread from brothels to the streets, then to the mouths of playboys, and finally to the mansions of wealthy families, eventually becoming a novel story known to most people in Huaicheng.

The most famous Wenyuan Academy in Huaicheng gathered the most renowned talents in Qinhuai City. Naturally, these novel stories that were circulating widely also came to the attention of these students who should have been oblivious to the world outside and focused solely on studying the classics.

"This can be called a story? The writing is so bad, the language so awful, I've never heard of anything like it." A man dressed in a scholar's robe embroidered with gold thread couldn't help but mock when he heard his two classmates talking about the most popular story in the city. "I advise my two brothers, Wenchang and Luren, to study hard. No wonder I can't even pass the exams if you read too much of this stuff."

"I think this article is simple in language, but the emotions in it are genuine. The author is a thoughtful person, not as bad as Brother Liu said." The man called Wenchang, who looked to be in his twenties, blushed a little at what the other party said, but he did not hesitate to raise his objection.

"This isn't simple vernacular at all; it's downright slang. As for the emotions, it's laughable. It's just writing about prostitutes." The man called Brother Liu laughed even harder.

“I think Brother Liu is mistaken. What about prostitutes? Why can’t they be written about? I think this book is well written. Simple language is not something that can be written casually. Although the words and sentences in this book are simple, it is full of skill and cannot be written by ordinary people.” Another man who was reading the book, called Lu Ren, also looked up and refuted Brother Liu.

"What's so difficult about it? Anyone with hands can write this. If I weren't studying the classics so deeply, I could probably write a hundred or eighty chapters in an hour, enough to make you cry your heart out." The man called Brother Liu raised an eyebrow and continued to mock.

"Since that's the case, Brother Liu, why don't you write one for us to see? It'll be a bit of entertainment for us when we're not studying." Wen Chang already disliked this guy surnamed Liu, and now he was thinking of digging a pit for him.

“Yes, Brother Liu, Brother Wenchang and I are also eager to read it.” Lu Ren and Wenchang always went out together, so they naturally shared the same hatred at this moment.

“Alright, I’ll write it. You’ll be amazed when the time comes.” The man surnamed Liu readily agreed, turned around and left, completely unconcerned about the reactions of those behind him.

Wen Chang and Lu Ren exchanged glances, then turned to the man surnamed Liu and exclaimed in unison, "Brother Liu, we look forward to your masterpiece tomorrow!"

The argument was overheard by Li Mozhu and Liu Ziheng, who were standing nearby. They looked at each other and Liu Ziheng stopped Li Mozhu from speaking, pulling him out to the bamboo pavilion outside: "Why do you have to get involved in their affairs? You'll only cause trouble for yourself."

Li Mozhu knew that the other party's words, though rough, were reasonable. After a moment of silence, he said, "The author of the book is that Liu Jianniang. I've heard the music, and it's indeed very well written, very much in line with her skill. I've also heard the story; it's very impressive. I think that Brother Liu is truly..."

Liu Ziheng naturally understood the unspoken meaning behind the other party's words, and felt somewhat helpless towards his friend who always pursued fairness the most: "I know, I know all, but this matter really cannot be interfered with. Forgive me for saying this, but no matter how talented she is, she is just a woman, not to mention she comes from that kind of place. There are many who look down on her, and you can't argue with every single one of them."

"Is identity really that important?" Li Mozhu naturally knew what her friend was thinking, and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

“Yes, it’s very important. If it weren’t important, why would we study or cultivate our careers? Isn’t it all about wanting to advance ourselves and our families?” Liu Ziheng knew that although his friend came from a merchant family, he was still naive because of his pampered upbringing. He often told him about everyday life and also liked to give him advice on important matters, hoping that his naivety would not cause him any harm.

"Candy" is indeed very popular; even Wen Shuyun and her brother, who have been studying at home recently, know about it.