Zhao An held up a finger:
“The first thing is to keep the Xianyao a secret.”
“A secret?”
Everyone expressed their confusion.
If no one saw it, then keeping it a secret would be normal.
But now everyone in Zhaojiazhuang has witnessed the effects of the Xianyao.
Why would it need to be kept a secret?
Isn't this like holding a lamp up to a blind man?
Zhao An shook his head and explained:
“The secrecy I'm talking about isn't aimed at our Zhaojiazhuang internally, but outside of Zhaojiazhuang.”
“Let me ask you, how many people in the world are seriously ill or disabled?”
Zhao Li, standing beside him, said without thinking:
“There are as many as there are grains of sand on the beach. In Zhen Ding County alone, there are thousands of seriously ill or disabled people. If we expand that to Changshan County, Ji State, or even the entire world, the number of seriously ill or disabled people is as countless as the stars in the sky.”
Zhao An nodded:
“My third brother is right. There are so many seriously ill and disabled people in the world. But if they learn that we have a Xianyao in Zhaojiazhuang that can cure all illnesses and disabilities, what do you think they will do?”
Everyone fell into thought.
They weren't fools, they understood the adage "A man with no crime has a jade in his bosom."
Although the Zhao family had some reputation in the Zhen Ding area.
But compared to Changshan County, Ji State, and the entire world, it was far from enough.
Zhao An sighed:
“You should have figured it out by now.”
“What if the major clans and families send people to demand the Xianyao from us?”
“Do we fight to the death? Or do we hand over the Xianyao to save ourselves?”
“First of all, the Xianyao is a divine artifact, we don't have the right to dispose of it.”
“Secondly, even if we give it away, who should we give it to? Such a precious Xianyao, no clan or family in the world wouldn't be moved by it, even the royal family wouldn't be an exception.”
“So no matter who we give it to, we'll offend others.”
“What if those who didn't get the Xianyao harass us? What should we do then?”
“And even if we give it all away, not keeping a single bit, will they still think we have some hidden away?”
The people present grew increasingly anxious as they listened.
Upon closer thought, they found it quite reasonable.
“Clan leader, based on what you're saying, doesn't that mean our Zhaojiazhuang will never have peace?”
Zhao An didn't answer, instead he asked:
“Before this, have you ever seen a Xianren (Immortal) besides the rumors?”
Everyone shook their heads.
How could one easily see a Xianren?
Didn't the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang send Xu Fu to seek Immortals and medicines in the East Sea?
In the end, wasn't it all a futile effort?
They were already luckier than the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang four hundred years ago, being able to see a Xianren and receive a gift of unlimited water and milk Xianyao.
Zhao An chuckled:
“That's why I told you to keep it a secret.”
“But everyone, don't worry, because this is both a crisis for our Zhao family, and a once-in-a-millennium opportunity for us.”
“This is also the second thing I want to talk to everyone about.”
At this point, everyone had a little bit of an idea.
“Clan leader, is this second thing related to the Xianren?”
Zhao An nodded:
“Yes, the second thing is how we can keep the Xianren in Zhaojiazhuang for a longer period of time.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone looked at each other.
“Clan leader, that's a Xianren, how can we ordinary mortals keep them here?”
“Yeah, if the Xianren wants to leave, can we tie them up and keep them from leaving?”
“Ahem, what are you all thinking about? I'm not talking about forcibly keeping them. Pay attention to your words and actions, although the Xianren isn't here, 'Gods are everywhere above our heads', the Xianren is always watching us.”
Zhao An coughed lightly and bowed towards the void, muttering words of apology.
With Zhao An's reminder.
Everyone realized that their previous words had been a bit disrespectful, and they quickly followed suit, bowing towards the void and apologizing.
After apologizing.
No one dared to speak casually anymore, instead, they cautiously asked:
“Clan leader, what do you say we should do?”
“Yes, we'll listen to you.”
“That's right, even if it means going through fire and water, we'll do it.”
Zhao An waved his hand:
“Alright, there's nothing much I can do about it, besides, what is there that the Xianren doesn't have? What can we, a bunch of mortals, give the Xianren?”
Everyone felt a wave of disappointment.
Indeed.
It was they who needed the Xianren, not the Xianren who needed them.
“So can't we do anything?”
Zhao An shook his head:
“No, we can do a lot.”
“Ah, what can we do?”
“Straighten out our thinking and attitude.”
“? What do you mean?”
Zhao An didn't rush to explain, but instead guided them:
“First, we need to understand our advantages.”
“What advantages?”
“This is the first time a Xianren has descended to the mortal world, and we are the first stop. Since the Xianren is willing to follow Zhao Yun to our Zhaojiazhuang, and bestow upon us unlimited water and milk Xianyao, it shows that the Xianren doesn't dislike us.”
“So what if they don't dislike us?”
Everyone looked at Zhao An with bewildered expressions.
Zhao An had a look of exasperation.
But there was no way around it.
The Zhao family was just a small local family, and it was already hard enough for their children to learn to read and write.
As for cultivating their talents?
That was truly asking too much of them.
With no choice, Zhao An could only lay out his thoughts:
“The Xianren doesn't dislike us, which means they won't leave Zhaojiazhuang immediately. As for how long we can keep the Xianren here, that will depend on their wishes and our own fate.”
“I said before, the Xianren lacks nothing, and we can't give them anything.”
“But that doesn't mean we can just sit back and do nothing.”
“We may not be able to give them actual objects, but we can straighten out our thinking and attitude.”
“From now on, our attitude towards the Xianren must be respectful.”
“Everyone should have learned the bow that the Xianren taught. When you go home, you can practice it with your wives and children several times. In the future, whenever you see the Xianren, you must bow first.”
“Secondly, take any task given by the Xianren seriously.”
“The Xianren was brought back by Zhao Yun and Zhao Lang. I've already arranged for Zhao Yun to attend to the Xianren, and in the future, if Zhao Yun conveys the Xianren's wishes, everyone must prioritize the Xianren's matters, no matter how important the task they have at hand.”
“Finally, everyone think carefully, the Xianren has only been in our Zhaojiazhuang for two days, and they've already brought us the magical box that can hold mountains in its palm, the divine armor that can protect its owner, unlimited water and milk Xianyao that can cure all illnesses and disabilities.”
“If they stay longer, wouldn't they be able to bestow more miraculous celestial objects?”
“Even if one day the Xianren ascends back to the Heavenly Realm, our Zhao family will be able to become a powerful force with these celestial objects.”
“Therefore, I hope everyone will never do anything that would disrespect the Xianren in the future.”
“Otherwise, you will be a traitor to our Zhao family, and I will expel you from the ancestral temple, never to be recorded.”
By this point.
If everyone still didn't understand, they were truly fools.
“Clan leader, you can rest assured, we will absolutely obey the Xianren's every word.”
“That's right, I'll go back and tell my wife and children that they must be respectful to the Xianren.”
“Of course, the Xianren gave us water and cured our diseases. If we still don't know how to be grateful, that would be too ungrateful.”
Everyone expressed their agreement in turn.
Seeing their earnest expressions, Zhao An nodded slightly, “By the way, let me tell you, in order to provide a better living environment for the Xianren, I've already cleaned up our ancestral temple and given it to the Xianren.”
“I moved the ancestral tablets to a smaller courtyard next door.”
“If anyone wants to pay respects in the future, be sure not to go to the wrong place and don't disturb the Xianren.”
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned for a moment, then began to praise.
“Clan leader, you did the right thing, the Xianren deserves to live in the best place.”
“Clan leader, our ancestors will definitely not blame you.”
“Yeah, although this matter does seem a bit disrespectful to the ancestors, but the ancestral temple was given to the Xianren, our ancestors will surely understand when they know.”
Ancestors?
They have to take a back seat in the presence of the Xianren.
“I've already apologized to the ancestors before cleaning it up.”
Zhao An shook his head, “Alright, everyone's been up all night, go back and get some rest.”
Everyone nodded and left in groups.
Zhao An also yawned widely, dragging his weary body home.
.........
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