Black Myth: Starting from the Destined One
Chapter 90 - 86: Proposal of Marriage

Chapter 90: Chapter 86: Proposal of Marriage

"Senior, you are truly brilliant!"

The crowd knelt down to thank Li Ping’an, their reverence and fervor surpassing the moment they first learned of his identity, especially the Xiao Family Sisters, who looked at him with intense ardor in their eyes, as if they wanted to melt him on the spot.

Li Ping’an, ignorant of having been chatting cross-server with someone for a long time, was completely bewildered, his face full of question marks, and after a long pause, he managed to muster a single word:

"Huh?"

"We will follow the senior’s advice and immediately go to welcome our father. Please, senior, wait for a moment."

Under the surge of excitement, Xiao Qingfeng and Xiao Yuechi led the Members of the Xiao Family to Qianjin Pavilion to meet the Imperial Censor, Xiao Wangba, leaving only Yiye Zhiqiu with a face full of admiration.

"It must be you, you beast, ruining my good fortune again!"

Every time Li Ping’an saw Yiye Zhiqiu, he felt suffocated with fury, convinced the man was sent by the heavens to torment him.

"Senior truly is as legendary as the tales tell! Today, junior has truly seen the light!"

Yiye Zhiqiu, with a bland smile, moved closer.

Li Ping’an thought Yiye Zhiqiu was referring to handling the Xiao Family Sisters, and said helplessly:

"If you wanted to learn my skills, you should have said so earlier. Why sneak around and spy with others? Fortunately, I didn’t do anything outrageous."

"Senior says not to sneak around when learning skills; I must remember this, quickly write this down!"

Yiye Zhiqiu made a note again as Li Ping’an slapped his hand away and walked out:

"Do you even need to note this? How insecure are you? Alright, alright, from tonight on, you must stay far away from me. I’m afraid you’re going to jinx me. Now hurry up and come with me to meet Lord Xiao!"

"How could junior bear to leave senior’s side? I wish I could always be at your beck and call."

Yiye Zhiqiu, already completely won over by the renown of Li Ping’an, also known as Zhuge Weiwei, wished he could be with Li Ping’an every day.

"Freak!"

Li Ping’an cursed in a way Yiye Zhiqiu couldn’t understand and then headed to Qianjin Pavilion to find the Imperial Censor, Xiao Wangba.

At Qianjin Pavilion, the Members of the Xiao Family indeed met Xiao Wangba, returning joyously from his business in Chang’an, just as Li Ping’an and Yiye Zhiqiu arrived.

"Who are these two...?"

Xiao Wangba, before everyone, looked at the approaching Li Ping’an and Yiye Zhiqiu.

"I am Yiye Zhiqiu of the Kunlun Sect..."

Yiye Zhiqiu, eager for others to know him, hurriedly replied, but Li Ping’an immediately interrupted:

"Who he is doesn’t matter; what matters is me!"

Li Ping’an promptly introduced himself to the elegantly dressed farmer, Xiao Wangba:

"I am Li Ping’an!"

"Li Ping’an?"

Xiao Wangba immediately became puzzled, turning his head to look at Xiao Qingfeng and Xiao Yuechi for answers.

Xiao Qingfeng stopped, stood proudly next to Li Ping’an, and introduced:

"This is the renowned Military Advisor of the Futang Group, the senior Zhuge Weiwei."

"What? You are Zhuge Weiwei?"

Xiao Wangba looked at Li Ping’an incredulously and in astonishment, finding it unbelievable.

Li Ping’an knew Xiao Wangba was not as easily deceived as others, especially because Xiao Wangba’s background was not small, being the leader of the Lanling Xiao Clan.

The ancestors of the Lanling Xiao Clan could be traced back to the Han Dynasty’s founding Prime Minister Xiao He, who later founded three dynasties during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period: Southern Qi, Southern Liang, and Western Liang.

The most famous among them were the founder of Southern Qi, Xiao Daocheng, Emperor Wu of Southern Liang, and the Monk-Emperor Xiao Yan. During the founding of the Great Sui and the Great Tang, Emperors married into the Xiao family, and in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, they were ranked among the foremost noble and prestigious clans, known as one of the "Five Noble Families and Seven Prestigious Clans."

In the second month of the seventeenth year of the Zhenguan era, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, created portraits of twenty-four meritorious officials in Lingyan Pavilion to commemorate those who had conquered the world with him, among whom Xiao Yu of the Xiao family was ranked ninth and this Xiao Yu was Xiao Wangba’s tenth ancestor.

The Xiao family’s influence was tremendous both in the south and north, which was one of the main reasons why Xiao Wangba dared to orchestrate an assassination on the State Preceptor and why the State Preceptor had to find solid evidence against Xiao Wangba.

Should Li Ping’an marry the Xiao sisters, solely based on lineage, the alliance with the noble Xiao family through marriage truly elevated his stance.

"No! No! No! I am Li Ping’an!"

Li Ping’an dared not impersonate the real person in front of Xiao Wangba and had to confess the truth.

"Li Ping’an?"

Xiao Wangba was even more baffled, wondering how one man could have two completely unrelated names.

Xiao Yuechi saw that her father was still confused and took the lead to shout:

"Li Ping’an is Zhuge Weiwei, and Zhuge Weiwei is Li Ping’an!"

The other members of the Xiao family started shouting too, and Li Ping’an was suddenly left speechless and helpless.

Xiao Qingfeng then explained the cause and effect quietly into Xiao Wangba’s ear.

"So that’s what it is!"

Xiao Wangba, staring at the promising young Li Ping’an, nodded incessantly, his eyes full of admiration. Li Ping’an didn’t even have to think to know that Xiao Wangba had been led astray by the ingeniousness of his own family.

"Brother Zhuge, please accept a bow from Xiao Wangba!"

Xiao Wangba suddenly bowed, harboring a particular thought; as a member of the Futang Group, he should bow upon meeting a military advisor. However, while bowing, he deliberately took a moment to observe the Red Sun Jade Pendant at Li Ping’an’s waist, and after confirming it, he was genuinely convinced.

"Lord Imperial Censor, please rise. This is not a proper place for discussion, let us return to Zhengqi Villa and talk details."

Two groups merged into one and headed back to Zhengqi Villa. On the way, Xiao Wangba asked Li Ping’an a soul-striking question since he had never seen Zhuge Weiwei’s true face but knew that Zhuge Weiwei had become famous sixty years earlier, yet Li Ping’an was only seventeen or eighteen years old.

Fortunately, Li Ping’an was skilled in nonsense, merely claiming that he was practicing cultivation and had already achieved the stages of cultivating one’s moral character and maintaining a youthful appearance.

In fact, on the way back, Li Ping’an really wanted to tell Xiao Wangba the truth, but seeing Xiao Wangba’s compliant and highly admiring demeanor towards him, he decided to continue impersonating Zhuge Weiwei for the time being, which was beneficial for proposing a marriage to Xiao Wangba.

Inside Zhengqi Villa, the Xiao family members guarded carefully, wary of the State Preceptor’s men. The Xiao sisters cooked for Xiao Wangba while Li Ping’an and Xiao Wangba chatted idly. Yiye Zhiqiu joined in the fray.

During this idle chat, Li Ping’an and Xiao Wangba learned that Yiye Zhiqiu had come with the purpose of following his master’s orders to protect Xiao Wangba and ensure his safety.

After a day of travel, Xiao Wangba had dinner, and as the night grew deep, everyone else was outside while only Li Ping’an and Xiao Wangba were inside the hall. Li Ping’an, thinking of proposing before leaving, coyly wrapped his arm around Xiao Wangba and asked:

"May I inquire whether Lord Xiao’s two daughters are already engaged?"

"Why would you suddenly ask that, Military Advisor Zhuge?"

Xiao Wangba looked at Li Ping’an suspiciously. Li Ping’an licked his lips and boldly said:

"I find your two daughters beautiful and they seem interested in me. As I have not yet married, I thought of proposing to them, and marrying both. I wonder what Lord Xiao thinks of this idea?"