Chapter 10

Everyone ate dinner without much appetite and, after returning to their lodgings, at Wang Xiaojun's suggestion, they decided to rest for the night to give everyone ample time to consider. They would hold a group discussion the next day.

The next morning, after breakfast, all team members gathered in the courtyard of the annex, sitting in a circle. Wang Xiaojun cleared his throat and said, "Everyone has had a night to think deeply. What are your thoughts on the proposal Mr. Zhong made yesterday?"

"Does being a Taoist require shaving one's head?" After a brief silence in the courtyard, Hu Xueying, the youngest member of the team, asked. She was Liang Ziyue's girlfriend, a recent college graduate who had yet to find a job. Her question clearly also concerned the other two women, as these beautiful and modern women would likely strongly oppose having to shave their heads.

"Taoism, as a native Chinese religion, still adheres to the ancient saying, 'The body and hair are gifts from one's parents and should not be easily damaged.' Therefore, Taoists do not need to shave their heads," Zhang Weixin explained.

"Oh!" The three women and a few men who were less familiar with the situation nodded, indicating they understood.

"I have no problem with it," Hu Xueying said straightforwardly, then leaned on Liang Ziyue's shoulder, silent. It seemed she had left the final decision to her lover. Another woman with similar thoughts was probably fashion designer Zhu Xiaoyuan, who was Zhao Dawei's wife. In such an uncertain and male-dominated era, having someone to rely on was the happiest thing. Assistant accountant Hong Yan, the only single woman among the three, was a different story, and it was unclear what she was thinking.

"Can Taoists get married? Will the Taoist priest teach us martial arts?" Wang Feng, a handsome man who considered himself as handsome as Pan An and skilled in martial arts, asked.

"Whether Taoists can get married is not certain, as different sects have different requirements. There are not as many Taoist sects now as there were during the Song and Yuan dynasties, when Taoism saw significant development. I'm not entirely sure about the specific rules now. However, our decision to become Taoists is just a temporary measure, not a real renunciation of the world, so these issues don't need to be overly considered," Zhang Weixin explained patiently.

"That's right, everyone doesn't need to worry about these things. As Mr. Zhong said, we are temporarily taking refuge in the Taoist temple, not planning to become Taoists for life. After some time, when our hair grows longer, we get used to the clothes of this era, and our behavior becomes less unconventional, we can obtain legal status through Mr. Zhong or other means, and we won't need to be Taoists anymore," Wang Xiaojun reassured them.

Wang Xiaojun's words seemed to truly touch everyone's hearts. After a lively and harmonious discussion, in the subsequent vote on whether the team members agreed to enter Yuxu Palace as Taoists in the near future, everyone voted in favor. Seeing this matter resolved satisfactorily, everyone was quite happy and gathered in small groups to chat. Wang Xiaojun called the other two members of the three-person leadership group, Zhang Weixin and Zeng Zhilin, into his room to discuss the details further.

Inside the room, they sat down, and Wang Xiaojun spoke first, his voice low. "Although we have decided to become Taoists, it doesn't mean our survival in this era is guaranteed. This is only a temporary measure and cannot be considered a long-term plan. Moreover, I always feel uneasy about Mr. Zhong's enthusiastic help. I have a sense that he has some ulterior motive, though I can't pinpoint what it is. Yesterday, I agreed to consider his suggestion out of necessity, as our primary concern is our immediate survival."

Zhang and Zeng nodded in agreement. Zhang Weixin thought for a moment and said, "Although we don't know what he's after, at least one thing is certain: he couldn't possibly know that we are from over a thousand years in the future. This makes things easier. I suspect he might think we have some special abilities due to our unusual appearance and wants to recruit us for his use or recommend us to others for his own benefit. Some ancients believed that 'a person with a strange appearance must have strange abilities.' Moreover, we do have some real skills, and our knowledge is far broader than that of people in this era."

Zeng Zhilin shook his head, thinking deeply, and countered, "Not necessarily. Isn't there an ancient saying, 'Unusual events must be demonic'? Mr. Zhong, seeing our strange appearance, might think we are not ordinary people but demons. He might fear our magical powers and dare not act against us here. Instead, he might be luring us into the Taoist temple to have the Taoist priest use magic to subdue us and then call the soldiers to capture us." It was clear that despite voting in favor, Zeng Zhilin still had reservations about Mr. Zhong's intentions.

"Uh...," Zeng Zhilin's interpretation left Wang and Zhang quite taken aback. They didn't know how to refute his idea, as most people in this era were superstitious, and such a thought was not entirely impossible. However, this idea was quite outlandish and hard for the two atheists to understand.

After a brief pause, Wang Xiaojun spoke first, carefully choosing his words. "Zeng Zhilin's point is not entirely without merit, but from my observations, Mr. Zhong doesn't seem to view us as demons. Of course, we should remain vigilant regardless of his intentions. I suggest we go to the Taoist temple but also take precautions. When the time comes, Zeng Zhilin and Wang Feng, along with Liang Ziyue, should be extra cautious. If anything unusual happens, you two will be responsible for blocking the enemy, while Liang Ziyue will clear the way to protect everyone and lead them to hide in the mountains. There are many mountains here, and once we get into the mountains, we will have more opportunities. However, this will put you and Wang Feng at great risk, so if you disagree, it's fine, and we can consider other methods."

Although Zeng Zhilin had been out of the military for some time, his instinct to protect others remained strong. Hearing Wang Xiaojun's somewhat distrustful words, he stood up, patted his chest, and said emotionally, "Xiaojun, rest assured. I, Zeng Zhilin, am not a coward. For everyone's safety, I am willing to risk my life."

Seeing Zeng Zhilin's commitment, Wang and Zhang were deeply moved and expressed their gratitude, apologizing for their earlier hesitation. They then called Wang Feng and Liang Ziyue to brief them on the plan, and both agreed. The group discussed the plan in detail, devising responses to various possible scenarios, and concluded by noon. During lunch, Wang Xiaojun informed Mr. Zhong of the team's decision. Mr. Zhong was pleased that everyone accepted his suggestion and promised to personally discuss the matter with the Taoist priest, Yuxu Zi, and asked everyone to rest assured. Wang Xiaojun and the others thanked him repeatedly.

That afternoon, Mr. Zhong set off for Yuxu Palace with two servants and some gifts. Yuxu Palace was not far from Huangshandian, about six or seven miles away in a straight line. However, the road was mountainous, taking twice as long to walk compared to flat ground. Since Mr. Zhong was driving, he couldn't take the mountain road and had to take the main road, detouring through Zhoukou Town, then turning towards the foot of Baoshan Mountain where Yuxu Palace was located, and finally climbing up the mountain. This route, though nearly twice as long, allowed him to drive most of the way, except for the last short stretch of mountain road. As a result, Mr. Zhong would likely not return that day, and the team would have to wait another night.

The next day, Mr. Zhong returned around noon. Upon hearing the news, everyone gathered in the flower hall to meet Mr. Zhong, hoping for a definite outcome. Everything went as smoothly as Mr. Zhong had said the previous day. The Taoist priest, Yuxu Zi, readily agreed to the arrangement, saying that after the disciples cleaned the rooms, everyone could move in the next day. The team members naturally expressed their gratitude, and Mr. Zhong also said it was no trouble.

After everyone calmed down, Mr. Zhong asked Wang Xiaojun, "From my estate to Yuxu Palace, there are two routes: one through the mountains and one on the main road. Which one do you prefer?" He then explained the conditions of both routes. Wang Xiaojun thought for a moment and said, "I think we should take the mountain route. Although it is more difficult, there are fewer people, which will help us hide and avoid unnecessary trouble."

Since the team was going to the temple to avoid attention, taking the main road through Zhoukou Town, where there were many people, would make them easily noticeable. Mr. Zhong nodded in agreement, saying, "Mr. Wang's suggestion is reasonable. You should set off early tomorrow morning. I will have my son, Shiweng, lead a few servants to guide you. First, to show you the way, and second, to introduce you to the Taoist priest, Yuxu Zi. I am old and not used to mountain roads, so I won't accompany you personally." Wang Xiaojun bowed in gratitude, saying it was not necessary to trouble Mr. Zhong further.

With the plan confirmed, the team returned to the annex and began packing. There wasn't much to pack, as they hadn't unpacked their bags fully, given the uncertainty of their stay. After packing, they had nothing to do and chatted in small groups. Wang Xiaojun gathered the main members to review the emergency response plan.

In the evening, Wang Xiaojun convened everyone to inform them of the emergency response plan developed by the leadership group and to distribute the team's weapons. Zeng Zhilin would use a Tang-style saber, Wang Feng would use nunchucks, Liang Ziyue would use a telescopic baton, You Yuan and Song Feiyang would use baseball bats, and Wang Xiaojun would use a crossbow. The others would cut thick branches as weapons once they entered the mountains, to avoid suspicion from the Zhong family. All weapons, except the branches, would be tied to their backpacks to avoid drawing attention. To prevent any accidents, Zeng Zhilin would mark the path as they went, and Wang Feng would stay close to Zhong Shiweng, ready to take him hostage if necessary. After all arrangements were made, everyone went to bed, with Zeng Zhilin, Zhang Weixin, Lu Yue, and Zhou Lei taking turns on night watch to prevent any unforeseen events.