The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 79

He hadn’t understood before. He had just thought being an official’s husband was prestigious. Now, he realized that he was only willing to live this ordinary life with Li Wenxuan.

“Momo, hurry!” Le-ge’er hugged Wenxuan’s head and shouted back at Xiaoman. Without noticing, Xiaoman had fallen behind.

“Coming!” Tian Xiaoman shouted back, no longer daring to walk so quickly. No matter how far behind he fell, he knew Li Wenxuan would definitely wait for him!

As they neared the temple, the crowd grew larger. Some were heading up the mountain, while others were coming down. 

Since all the incense, candles, and paper money were with Li Amu, they waited in a quieter spot.

The temple had red tiles and yellow walls, making it particularly beautiful. Several side halls bordered the main hall, where devout believers held incense with solemn expressions.

The fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air, and the faint sound of bells rang from the furthest hall, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Tian Xiaoman was quietly chatting with Li Wenxuan when a voice suddenly interrupted, “Well, if it isn’t the Butcher Li and his pig husband. You two came to worship the Bodhisattva too?”

This unkind tone immediately raised an alarm in Tian Xiaoman’s mind. He looked up and saw Tian Xiu’er’s cousin, Tian Yu’er.

“If you can come, why can’t we?” Tian Xiaoman looked around and realized he was the only one he recognized. The other usual gossipers from the village weren’t present.

“Buddhists hate killing the most. Your family slaughters pigs every day. Aren’t you afraid of Buddha’s disfavor?” Tian Yu’er sneered, glaring at Tian Xiaoman. He had always been considered the best-looking ge’er in the village until Xiaoman arrived. Now that Xiaoman had married a butcher, he acted even more boldly.

Tian Xiaoman felt a deep annoyance. Why did everything have to be about killing pigs? 

“You talk like you don’t eat chicken, duck, fish, or meat. You talk about killing, but have you ever stepped on an ant? Have you ever swatted a mosquito? Why don’t you let mice build a nest in your house?”

“Those are all bad things!” Tian Yu’er snapped angrily.

“I’ve heard monks say that before the Buddha, all living beings are equal. You’re dividing good and bad now? Then I think you’re bad. Does that mean I can kill you?” Tian Xiaoman retorted.

“You… you’re talking nonsense!” Tian Yu’er didn’t know how to refute, so he switched to the attack he thought Xiaoman minded most. “So what if you’re glib-tongued? You still only married a butcher!”

“Yes I married a butcher. But who would marry you? You’re sixteen, right? Why haven’t I heard anyone come to your family to propose marriage? Ha, Isn’t it because you’re ugly?” Xiaoman shot back, anger flaring. 

If you hit me, I’ll hit you back.

The Tian family wasn’t particularly good-looking, and they cared a lot about appearances. After hearing Tian Xiaoman’s words, Tian Yu’er, enraged, lunged at him, ready to fight.

Li Wenxuan, who had been listening to the argument, saw the two about to clash. Without hesitation, he stood up and blocked Tian Xiaoman.

He remembered this ge’er. The first time he saw Xiaoman, Xiaoman had been chasing him out with a stick. But now things were different—Xiaoman couldn’t fight.

However, Li Wenxuan didn’t plan to fight either. He simply stood in front of Tian Xiaoman, protecting him.

Tian Yu’er, intimidated by Li Wenxuan’s presence, backed off. Looking at Tian Xiaoman smugly, he cried out, “Shameless! You two ganged up on me!” Then, without further words, he ran off.

Tian Xiaoman and Li Wenxuan exchanged puzzled looks. 

What just happened? They hadn’t even touched him—how did it turn into two ganging up on him?

At that moment, Li Amu arrived. “What’s going on? Who was that just now?”

“Amu, don’t mind him. He’s a little mentally ill!” Tian Xiaoman quickly took the basket from Li Amu and placed his arm around her. “Let’s go in quickly!”

Li Amu nodded and, ignoring what had just happened, headed into the hall. Inside, a solemn and majestic Bodhisattva stood before them, gazing down as if pitying the world.

Li Amu placed the incense and candles on the Buddha’s altar. With so many incense sticks burning, they would be collected by the monks for regular use. 

Tian Xiaoman and the others quickly followed suit, lighting their incense.

Le-ge’er, staring at the incense in Li Amu’s hand, tugged at his trousers. 

“Okay, give our little ger one too,” Li Amu said with a smile, handing him an incense stick. 

Although Le-ge’er wasn’t thrilled, it was better than nothing.

In the crowded hall, Li Amu finally found a cushion and knelt, offering his prayers. “Buddha bless, may my husband’s illness recover quickly, and may the couple live in harmony. Bless my second son and Xiaoman with a happy life and a healthy child. Bless Le-ge’er to grow up quickly and be lively and cute.”

As Li Amu prayed for his family, he forgot to pray for himself, but he believed that the happiness of his family was his greatest joy.

Tian Xiaoman and Li Wenxuan, following Li Amu’s lead, inserted incense sticks at each Buddha they worshiped. 

The ceremony moved quickly.

After finishing their rounds of worship, the group returned to the main hall. 

Li Amu took out a tael of silver and tossed it into the merit box. This year, his wishes were greater, so he contributed more. In previous years, he had usually donated only two or three hundred coins.

“You all wait outside. I’ll go ask for a lot,” Li Amu said, squeezing his way through the crowd. The temple was known for its spirituality, and the lot was a key part of its power.

After a while, Li Amu returned with three lots, each costing twenty coins. He first drew one for the whole family, then one to ask about Lian Meng’s illness, and finally, one for Xiaoman regarding offspring.

Xiaoman’s lot was an upper-upper lot. The poem read:

Heaven and earth open, forming a good match,
On an auspicious day all things complete.
This lot is no trivial matter,
Walk righteously and even the emperor will proclaim.

Li Amu didn’t recognize the characters, but hearing it was upper-upper, he was delighted and asked the monk to interpret it first.

The monk recited: “For household blessings, excellent. Wealth and fortune favorable. Great luck in autumn and winter. Business and marriage successful. Childbirth brings a son. Travelers return. Livestock prosper. Missing people found. Lawsuits fortunate. Lost items in the northeast. Illness healed. Ancestral graves auspicious.”

Everyone understood only half of it, but Li Amu exclaimed happily. Smiling at Xiaoman, he thought this marriage was perfectly matched—Xiaoman’s future child would be extraordinary.

The second lot, for the family, was also good—overall an upper lot, indicating misfortune turning into fortune.

The third, the illness lot for Lian Meng, made the monk’s face stiffen. This lot was fine for other matters, but for illness it was not favorable.

It was a lower lot:

The way ahead seems bright yet not bright,
When unclear, do not treat it as truth.
A mud wall collapses, returning to dust,
Even with divine help, the path is hard.

It meant that unless there was complete enlightenment, even divine aid would be useless. He explained truthfully. 

Li Amu’s heart sank. Could it be that Eldest Son’s husband…

“Amu, what’s wrong?” On the return journey, Xiaoman noticed his worried expression.

“It’s nothing,” Li Amu reassured him, patting his hand. 

“Is it because the lot was bad? Don’t worry—those things are all nonsense!” Xiaoman said. He remembered drawing a terrible lot back in his hometown temple two years ago, yet things still turned around.

Li Amu smiled, grateful for his optimism. He kept his thoughts to himself, believing that even in the face of difficulties, the family would find a way through. He didn’t need to worry everyone.

After sorting out his thoughts, Li Amu joined the others in conversation and they continued their journey, chatting as they went.