147 Proposing Marriage

Li Xintian arrived at Wang Chongwen's residence, and Wang Chongwen's mother welcomed him with immense warmth.

"Brother Zhixian, it was all my fault last time. Had I not foolishly believed the fortune teller's slanders, this calamity would never have happened, and my family would have almost been torn apart."

"Come, let me offer you a cup of wine to thank you for saving my life. Such profound grace cannot be adequately expressed in mere words," Wang Chongwen said, raising his cup.

"It was merely a trivial effort. Your constitution has not yet fully recovered, so you should consume as little alcohol as possible from now on. Although you may no longer continue your career in officialdom, there is still hope for the future," Li Xintian said, intercepting Wang Chongwen as he reached for the wine.

"What you say is entirely reasonable, Brother Zhixian."

"By the way, my younger brother's master wishes to meet you. I wonder when Brother Zhixian might have some leisure time?" Wang Chongwen put down his wine cup and asked with a smile.

"I have had matters at home recently and cannot easily get away. Furthermore, I am currently preparing for my own wedding." Thinking of the painted skin incident, Li Xintian answered guardedly without committing to a specific date.

"Then allow me to offer my premature congratulations and felicitations to you, Brother Zhixian." Not knowing of any connection between Li Xintian and Wang Chongwu's master, Wang Chongwen gave the matter no further thought.

After chatting with Wang Chongwen for a short while and finishing their meal, Li Xintian took his leave.

"It seems I must have Zouwu and Red Tiger keep guard at home so that I can go and propose marriage at Hu Qiuyan's house in peace," Li Xintian muttered to himself as he walked down the street. Upon reaching his front gate, he walked straight into his courtyard, where servants and maids bowed and greeted him as the eldest young master. Li Xintian merely nodded in acknowledgment.

"Zouwu, Red Tiger, come out." Once inside his courtyard, Li Xintian dismissed the servants and maids, instructed a servant to summon Li Qizong and the others to the main hall, and called forth Zouwu and the Flying Tiger King.

"Why have you summoned this king?" Because the Flying Tiger King had previously transformed into a cat and captured a white rat—which, although released by Li Xintian, had earned the tiger generous rewards from Li Qizong—it had grown quite plump.

"I need to be away for a week. You must guard the house properly. Do not remain indifferent if another practitioner of Daoist arts comes to our home seeking silver. If things go poorly for me, things will not go well for you either, understand?" Unwilling to let a repeat of the incident with Madam Wang occur, Li Xintian spoke with a sharp tone of warning, certain that both beasts had been well aware of Madam Wang's actions.

"Was it not you who said that we should avoid manifesting ourselves randomly unless absolutely necessary so as not to frighten others? How can you turn around and blame us now?" Having attained enlightenment and cultivated into a spirit, the Flying Tiger King had never suffered such grievance. It protested indignantly and resumed its true form.

"Because this time, I am going to properly introduce you to my family. Follow me." Recognizing the Flying Tiger King's discontent, Li Xintian spoke and led the way out of his courtyard toward the main hall. Along the path, servants and maids cast fearful glances at Zouwu and the Flying Tiger King. Inside the hall sat Li Qizong, Chen Shuxia, Li Shangyun, and even Chen Yuanwen, while Hu Qiuyan was chatting animatedly with Chen Shuxia.

"Father, Mother," Li Xintian called out as he entered the hall.

"Tian'er, you're here. Is there something..." Before Li Qizong could finish his sentence, he pointed behind Li Xintian with a look of terror.

"Father, Mother, you need not be afraid. This is Red Tiger—the very one that transformed into a cat. And this is Zouwu, whom you have seen before. Both of them are my companions," Li Xintian explained.

"Red Tiger truly resembles a cat in appearance, but what is the meaning of this?" Li Qizong asked, suppressing his inner terror as he looked at the Flying Tiger King, whose open jaws were wide enough to swallow a man whole.

"Brother, where did you find these? I want to ride Red Tiger!" Unafraid, Li Shangyun ran to Li Xintian's side, his eyes shining as he stared at the Flying Tiger King. Knowing that his elder brother feared nothing, Shangyun felt entirely secure even with his back to the fierce beasts.

"Father, Mother, Zouwu is a companion I found in the capital, while Red Tiger is a Flying Tiger King—a name I gave it—whom I encountered on the road back to Shuiwen County. Both are utterly loyal and trustworthy."

"Furthermore, since Qiuyan has been living in our home without a proper title, I wish to go to her family tomorrow to formally propose marriage. Therefore, I am leaving the security of our household in their care."

"Shangyun, stop making a fuss. You can play with them shortly," Li Xintian instructed.

"Very well," Li Shangyun nodded, keeping his eyes fixed on the Flying Tiger King.

Under Shangyun's intense gaze, the Flying Tiger King trembled inwardly, wondering if the boy intended to eat him, and could not help breaking into a shiver.

Meanwhile, hearing that Li Xintian intended to personally travel to her home to propose marriage, Hu Qiuyan blushed as brightly as a ripe apple.

"Tian'er, sending a matchmaker should suffice for a marriage proposal. How could you go yourself?" Li Qizong protested upon hearing of his son's plan.

"Father, my going in person demonstrates greater sincerity. I implore you not to obstruct me." With that, Li Xintian exchanged a meaningful glance with Chen Shuxia.

"The boy has his own ideas and determination. As his father, you ought to support him," Chen Shuxia said, catching Li Xintian's signal and immediately cutting off Li Qizong before he could speak further.

"Very well, your father agrees. However, you cannot go alone this time; you must take a retinue of guards with you!" Realizing this was Chen Shuxia's bottom line, Li Qizong relented with reluctant grace.

Knowing this was her husband's final compromise, Chen Shuxia pressed no further and urged Li Xintian to agree quickly.

"Many thanks, Father, Mother," Li Xintian acknowledged.

"Very well, Mother will arrange the betrothal gifts for you to bring along the journey. Since we are departing tomorrow, there is little time, so we must prepare properly before setting out," Chen Shuxia said from the side.

"I leave everything to Mother's arrangements," Li Xintian replied.

"The hour is late, you should all retire to rest," Li Qizong concluded.

As Li Xintian turned to leave, he noticed Li Shangyun following closely behind him.

"Alright, alright, Red Tiger, go along with my younger brother. Do not harm him, or I will strip your pelt," Li Xintian warned, looking directly at the Flying Tiger King.

"Damn it, why must it be this king? Can't Zouwu go instead?" the Flying Tiger King complained.

"Thank you, Brother! Come along quickly," Li Shangyun said, patting the tiger's front paw without a trace of fear.

"My younger brother has taken a liking to you; go on," Li Xintian urged.

Reluctantly, the Flying Tiger King trotted behind Li Shangyun.

"Zouwu, you will stay in my courtyard. There is no need to remain in the sky; shrink your body," Li Xintian instructed.

Compressing its form to the size of a kitten, Zouwu bounded up and perched upon Li Xintian's shoulder.

On the fifth day, Li Xintian and Hu Qiuyan mounted thousand-li steeds, accompanied by several dozen guards carrying betrothal gifts, and departed Shuiwen County toward the desolate studio of their past encounter.

Apprehensive of potential dangers along the way, Li Xintian was heavily armed, carrying both the tiger-maw gold-devouring spear and the golden wild-goose bow, while even the domestic servants were equipped with sabers. Chen Yuanwen accompanied the party as well.

This past ordeal had taught Li Xintian the necessity of extreme caution.

Passing through the county gates, he and a few guards rode at the vanguard, advancing at a moderate pace toward Xiahe Village.

Yet as they traveled along a narrow country lane, the thousand-li steed beneath Li Xintian suddenly let out a shrill whinny, reared up on its iron hooves, came to an abrupt halt, and grew restless and agitated.

"Eldest Young Master, what is the matter? Has the horse stepped on a stone and been startled?" A guard hurried forward, positioning himself to protect either side and prevent Li Xintian from being thrown.

Having ridden horses since his youth, Li Xintian was an expert horseman and was in no danger of falling. He immediately steadied his posture, pulled on the reins, and subdued the suddenly agitated mount.

Hu Qiuyan, too, had maintained her balance with ease.

"It did not step on a stone. The horse senses some impending danger, which is why it stopped," he observed. He noticed that his mount continued to dance on its iron hooves, refusing to advance and whinnying incessantly toward a small grove of trees ahead, evidently disturbed by some hidden menace within.

"Eldest Young Master, all is normal here; there is no danger," a guard said, scanning their surroundings with a hand resting upon his saber hilt. A thorough inspection yielded nothing unusual.

"There may be movement in that grove. Two of you, go and investigate," Li Xintian ordered.

"Understood, Eldest Young Master." Two guards acknowledged the command and immediately spurred their mounts forward.

Li Xintian cautioned them, "Proceed with care. If there is any danger, retreat immediately."

Nodding with grave expressions, the two guards approached the roadside thicket, yet still detected nothing amiss. As they rode closer to inspect the interior, one of them suddenly cried out in alarm, "There is a great cat in the woods..."

"Roar!"

Before the cry had faded, a tawny shadow burst forth from the grove accompanied by a thunderous roar. The beast leaped swiftly through the air, directly pouncing upon one of the guards with a speed that left no time for reaction.

Startled, the guard's mount reared up and neighed continuously, attempting to frighten away the sudden attacker. Failing to catch the guard, the ferocious tiger knocked the warhorse to the ground and set upon it with gnashing teeth.

Amidst the dying wails of the horse, the steed was slain within moments. Pale with fright, the unhorsed guard scrambled out of the woods, while his companion also turned his horse and fled in a panic.

"Do not panic, it is merely a beast," Li Xintian's eyes narrowed. He immediately unslung the golden wild-goose bow and notched an arrow. Having previously traveled alone, he had encountered no such tigers.

With a three-stone pull bow paired with steel-tipped arrows, one could slay not only a tiger, but an elephant as well.

"Whoosh!"

The arrow pierced the air, flying straight toward the beast.

Seemingly alerted, the tiger executed a swift pivot, dodging the projectile entirely.

"Oh?" Li Xintian felt a flicker of surprise. The creature possessed such agility as to evade his shot. His archery was first-rate; while perhaps not hitting willow leaves from a hundred paces, decades of martial training made striking a target within fifty paces effortless, and he was well within that distance.

"Roar!" Fixing its gaze upon Li Xintian, the tiger roared and charged directly toward him.

"Eldest Young Master, beware!" Crying out in anger, the guards rushed forward, drawing their sabers to combat the beast. Having recovered from their initial fright, they were fully prepared to engage the tiger.

Yet ignoring the converging guards, the tiger bypassed them with a mighty bound, jaws agape as it lunged through the air.

Unflinching in the face of danger, Li Xintian reached out and snatched the long spear from his saddle, thrusting it forward in a single fluid motion.

Swift as lightning, fierce and ruthless.

"Screech!"

The razor-sharp tiger-maw gold-devouring spear pierced straight through the lunging beast, impaling it completely as blood sprayed across the ground.

"Roar!"

Though mortally wounded, the tiger did not die instantly. It clawed frantically, attempting to mutilate Li Xintian, but no matter how it lashed out, it could never quite reach him.

Locking eyes with the beast, Li Xintian noticed its eyes were not the usual yellow, but an ink-black hue.

"This is no ordinary tiger," he thought to himself.

With a flick of his spear, the dying beast was cast to the earth, where it lay motionless, breathing its last.

"Load it onto the wagon, skin it, and tan the hide. The thousand-li steed beneath me happens to need a tiger-skin rug," Li Xintian commanded calmly.

"The Eldest Young Master is divine in his valor," the guards praised.

Slaying a tiger with a single thrust of a spear was a feat worthy of admiration.

"Resume our journey," Li Xintian ordered.

Fortunately, the attack had caused no human casualties, resulting only in the loss of a horse. Since the Li family maintained its own stables, the loss of a mount was trivial as long as everyone remained safe.

Yet why would a fierce tiger roam near Shuiwen County?

A sense of lingering doubt filled Li Xintian's mind.

As the procession continued onward, back in the grove where the tiger had appeared, atop a small hill stood an ebony stone statue carved in the shape of a tiger. Ancient in craftsmanship, it bore the distinctive style of the Qin or Han dynasty rather than the current reign.

The black stone tiger was no lifeless artifact; its obsidian eyes shifted slightly as it watched Li Xintian and his party depart.

Once they had vanished into the distance, the stone figure stirred, turned, and paced away into the depths of the forest.