Chapter 1410 - 708: The Old Man Passes Away
"In the face of numerous dangers, your calmness and fearlessness truly inspired me. It made me feel that as long as one lives with compassion, life and death actually don’t matter. Perhaps this is the highest realm of life? Like the other villagers, I really admire you."
Hu Yi kept praising Lin Beichen, making him feel a bit embarrassed. However, seeing that Hu Yi spoke from the heart, Lin Beichen just smiled at her and did not stop her from continuing.
After Hu Yi finished speaking her mind, Lin Beichen took her to the villagers and loudly said, "Listen everyone, those who wish to join the faith can head to the Daoist Temple. But I know you all have families and commitments, with elders and children, and may not be able to travel far at once."
This statement made some villagers feel torn. They indeed had families and responsibilities, making it impossible to stay at the Daoist Temple for long. Lin Beichen understood their difficulties; he didn’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
After pondering for a moment, Lin Beichen finally thought of a solution. He looked at Hu Yi with surprise and asked, "What do you think if I establish a Daoist Temple in the village?"
Hu Yi looked at Lin Beichen in surprise and said, "Master, you are so clever! Why didn’t I think of this solution? By establishing a Daoist Temple in the village, the villagers can join the faith without giving up their families. It’s truly a perfect solution!" Hu Yi wholeheartedly agreed with Lin Beichen’s approach.
Seeing that Hu Yi agreed with his idea, Lin Beichen was eager to implement the plan. However, building a Daoist Temple in the village was not something Lin Beichen could decide alone; he had to discuss it with the village chief, Wu Dazhu.
Lin Beichen, impatient and not wanting to delay, quickly went to find the village chief, Wu Dazhu. Upon seeing Lin Beichen’s visit, Wu Dazhu greeted him with a smile.
Lin Beichen respectfully looked at Wu Dazhu and said, "Village Chief, I have something I’d like to discuss with you. I’m sorry to bother you."
Wu Dazhu asked curiously, "What is it? Why so formal?"
"Since I arrived here, the villagers, including you, have been fond of me," Lin Beichen continued, "I wish to ask for your help in establishing a Daoist Temple in the village, for the convenience of the villagers who wish to join the faith."
"Some have families and children and can’t travel far to practice their faith. I’d like to make it easier for them," Lin Beichen explained, "But I’m not in a position to decide this; you’re the village chief, and I’d like to hear your opinion, which is why I came to you."
"Village Chief, what do you think? If there’s any difficulty, just let me know; I don’t want to trouble you," Lin Beichen said sincerely, "This is intended to be a good thing, and I want everyone to be willing, so please share your thoughts."
Wu Dazhu finally understood Lin Beichen’s reasons for visiting. Although he greatly respected Lin Beichen, he remained somewhat skeptical about Daoism.
Lin Beichen’s proposal was hard for Wu Dazhu to accept; he had his reservations. Wu Dazhu lowered his head and remained silent for a while, then looked at Lin Beichen apologetically and said, "As the village chief, I must always consider the villagers, so I can’t give you an answer right away."
"I need to seek the villagers’ opinions; this is no small matter, and I hope you understand. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I have my concerns too," Wu Dazhu said apologetically, "I’m truly sorry to make you come here for nothing, and I apologize for that."
"Please don’t be polite, Village Chief. Since you have concerns, I won’t insist; this doesn’t affect our relationship," Lin Beichen said courteously.
Parting ways with Wu Dazhu, Lin Beichen recognized the chief’s hesitation and didn’t want to pressure him. He turned to Hu Yi and said, "Let’s go."
Hu Yi nodded, following, though she felt some regret. She thought it a pity the village chief didn’t agree to Lin Beichen’s proposal, as this could have been a good thing.
But Wu Dazhu had different thoughts. Lin Beichen could only leave with Hu Yi, who looked at Lin Beichen regretfully and asked, "Master, are we just giving up like this? Won’t we try again? Or have you decided to leave here and not to bother the villagers anymore? It’s a bit of a shame, I think."
Lin Beichen smiled at Hu Yi and said, "Some things shouldn’t be forced; just let it be. Let’s go."
This simple sentence carried deep meaning. Silently, Hu Yi followed behind Lin Beichen. Just as they were about to leave the village, some villagers invited them to visit their home.
Lin Beichen glanced back at Hu Yi and said, "Since they’re inviting us, let’s go take a look."
Hu Yi nodded happily, and led by the villagers, Lin Beichen and Hu Yi went to the home of a villager to visit. They planned to assess the situation before making further plans.
Once Lin Beichen and Hu Yi arrived, the villagers enthusiastically hosted them, expressing great admiration for Lin Beichen. Their words were full of praise for him, also demonstrating an interest in Daoism.
Lin Beichen could see that these villagers were also drawn to Daoism, perhaps out of curiosity. But in any case, it was a good thing for both them and Lin Beichen.
While chatting with the villagers, Lin Beichen also inquired about the village’s situation, intending to learn as much as possible about it. The villagers readily answered his questions, finding the conversation very engaging; they felt as if they had met too late.
Lin Beichen felt that visiting the villager’s home was a good choice, as it allowed him to learn a lot about the village’s situation.