The wedding banquet proceeded smoothly, with guests gradually leaving by evening.

In the main hall of the courtyard, Shen Yuan and his wife sat in the principal seats.

Shen Wenxing and Huang Lingxiu stood on either side.

Their gazes were all directed at Shen Wenyan and Zhao Xuan in front of them.

"My dear, why don't you say something?"

Shen Yuan lifted the tea cup in front of him and took a gentle sip.

Hu Yufen nodded slightly and looked at Zhao Xuan, who had just entered the family.

"Xiao Xuan, we are family now, so there's no need to be too reserved."

"There aren't many rules in the house, and since I've watched you grow up, I know you're a good girl."

"In the future, you two should live well together, and if you have any grievances, you must tell me."

Zhao Xuan, dressed in her red wedding dress, shyly glanced at her husband beside her and bowed respectfully: "Mother, don't worry, Xuan'Er will be sure to show filial respect to you and father."

As she spoke, she also did a slight bow towards Huang Lingxiu: "Sister-in-law is experienced, and I hope you can teach me more about managing the household in the future."

Huang Lingxiu was momentarily stunned, then smiled and said: "Our family doesn't require a lot, actually..."

Just as she finished speaking, she saw Shen Wenxing across the room giving her a look, and immediately corrected her tone: "Don't worry, sister."

"Alright, Ah Nu and Xuan'Er, you may go now." Shen Yuan placed his tea down and spoke.

The newlywed couple bowed and then left the main hall.

"Shi Tou, in the next few days go to town and hire some craftsmen."

"At first, we couldn't finish building the house because we ran out of silver, but now have them extend the courtyard at the back."

Shen Wenxing nodded: "I will handle it tomorrow."

"Lingxiu." Shen Yuan then turned his gaze to Huang Lingxiu and said: "Since you are with child, don't overwork yourself lately."

"Instruct Xuan'Er in some of the household matters and explain our family's rules to her as well."

"Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. It hasn't been easy for our family to come this far, and in these times, we need to be cautious."

Huang Lingxiu nodded slightly: "Rest assured, father. I understand."

Shen Yuan nodded and waved his hand: "You've been busy all day, you two should go and rest."

The couple lightly bowed and then exited the main hall.

With the children gone, Hu Yufen sighed with relief, turned to Shen Yuan and said:

"At last, another worry resolved."

Shen Yuan nodded, slowly stood up, and paced a few steps in the hall.

"Later on, look for some reliable children from suitable families in the village."

Hu Yufen asked puzzled: "For what?"

Shen Yuan smiled faintly and said: "We're something of a noble family now, and in the future, with many people and tasks, we need a few maids and servants, right?"

"Surely you can't handle everything yourself?"

Now that the second son was married, and the eldest was about to have another child, the daily necessities for the whole family were still all managed by his wife alone.

He was even hoping for Hu Yufen to spend more time on cultivation.

Although many signs showed his wife did not have a spirit root, it didn't mean she couldn't practice cultivation at all.

The thought of his wife possibly leaving him first, after entering the Postnatal Realm and enjoying another century and a half of life, made Shen Yuan inexplicably uneasy.

After being together for over twenty years, Hu Yufen could vaguely sense her husband's thoughts.

"Husband, do you wish to be like those rich landlords, indulging in the life of a master, served by a group of young and lovely maids?"

Shen Yuan turned around and sternly replied: "What nonsense are you talking about!?"

Hu Yufen smiled and pursed her lips without further teasing him and said seriously: "How many should we find?"

Shen Yuan thought for a moment, hands behind his back: "Three to five will do."

"One or two for the kitchen, two or three for the laundry and daily cleaning."

"Be sure to select them carefully, finding reliable ones."

Hu Yufen nodded.

The family had quite a few secrets; if they brought in people who couldn't keep their mouths shut, it would only add trouble.

"Alright, I'll handle this. You don't have to worry about it."

"It's getting late. You should rest soon."

Shen Yuan looked up at the night sky again and added: "Once we have maids and servants, you must devote more time to cultivation."

Hu Yufen said nothing.

She was originally uninterested in the path of cultivation and following it was merely a drain on the family's resources.

But she couldn't resist Shen Yuan's constant urging and agreed for now.

In the backyard, the wedding chamber of the second son.

Zhao Xuan sat quietly on the bed, looking at Shen Wenyan, who was silently reading a book in front of the desk, and couldn't help but speak:

"Husband... do you not find me appealing?"

Shen Wenyan's hands paused slightly, then he slowly turned around and smiled: "What makes you say that, my dear?"

Zhao Xuan fiddled with the corner of her clothing, looking down: "Since we are already wed, why hasn't my husband... why..."

Seeing her shy and embarrassed manner, Shen Wenyan recalled Lu Zhiyuan's words.

To fulfill filial duty with one's body, to serve the Literary Dao with one's spirit.

Indeed.

Among three forms of unfilial behavior, having no descendants is the worst.

He put down the book in his hand, blew out the lamp on the desk, and slowly approached the bed.

Seeing this, Zhao Xuan's delicate face blushed like a flower.

...

As midnight approached.

After Zhao Xuan fell asleep from exhaustion, Shen Wenyan carefully got up and went outside.

The night breeze was blowing, and as he looked at the vast stars and bright moon overhead, Lu Zhiyuan's words kept echoing in his ears.

"Heaven and earth's righteous qi forever persists!"

"Preserve the righteous qi... correct oneself..."

Heaven and Earth's righteous qi... Vast righteous qi...

Shen Wenyan closed his eyes slightly, gradually eliminating all distracting thoughts in his mind.

He felt some kind of change happening within his body!

Specifically, it felt as if his soul was slowly sublimating!

His mind cleared and his Spirit Platform was pure.

Gradually, he could hear the wind, the faint chirping of insects in the distance, and even slightly sense an ultimate pure and upright qi flowing between heaven and earth.

In that instant, his Divine Spirit seemed to break free from the constraints of his physical body, roaming between heaven and earth, traversing the long river of time from ancient to present.

The teachings of ancient sages admonishing their disciples were like wind across his face, the youthful yet forceful and steadfast recitations of scholars echoed from the depths of the void...

This astonishing feeling made him lose track of time.

Until the eastern sky grew pale with the first ray of dawn's light shining on his face, Shen Wenyan suddenly came back to his senses!

At the moment his eyes opened, divine radiance flickered within his eyes.

Those eyes were like two sparkling and translucent gemstones, clear and bright.

"Literary Heart..."

Shen Wenyan murmured to himself, unable to suppress a hint of a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, at the front courtyard.

Shen Yuan was still wondering why last night's hexagram first showed a "Great Luck Hexagram," but then, under his gaze, it suddenly changed into a "Great Misfortune Hexagram," and then the entire hexagram mysteriously disappeared.

Suddenly, a subtle tremor came from within the Sea of Consciousness, prompting him to immerse his awareness within it immediately.

To his astonishment, there appeared another light orb on the White Jade Turtle Shell.

When his consciousness touched the light orb, a vast amount of information melded into his soul.

After a long while, Shen Yuan slowly sat up.

"Literary Heart..."

"Could this be the pioneer the previous hexagram spoke of?"

His son actually, as a scholar, had devised a method of cultivating the Literary Heart of the Confucian Dao?

But what happened with last night's hexagram?

Having had the White Jade Turtle Shell for over twenty years, he had never seen the hexagram act so bizarrely.

After a moment of thought, Shen Yuan quietly got up, dressed, and headed to the back courtyard.

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