The snow fell and it was freezing cold.
On top of the nine-story stone tower, a firepot was set up in each of the side alleys of the ancestral temple. It burned and made the ancestral temple warm, producing a pine-nut smell that calmed one's mind.
After being called over by the Clan Head Liu Tao, all six Elders of the Liu family came over and each of them sat on one stool.
Liu Erhai ate his nails to replenish the calcium in his body while Liu Sanhai was immersed in digging his earwax. Liu Dahai, Liu Wuhai, and Liu Liuhai had a cigarette pipe each and were busy smoking.
The spark in the smoke pot was flickering, and the smoke that was produced shrouded their faces.
Liu Erquan did not smoke. Neither did he eat his fingernails and dig his ears. That was because Liu Xiaoxiao was still young and, as a father, he could not be a bad example.
Therefore, what he liked was to smell his armpits. Occasionally, he would raise his arms and take a deep sniff of the pits. Woe! It was smelly, very smelly. He had not showered for three days… it smelled really good!
Yang Shou'an was the topic of the meeting and was waiting at the ancestral temple.
That was his first time meeting all the Elders of the Liu family. He looked at them in respect and was fearful.
The experts had some weird habits.
The six Elders were extremely weird. They liked to eat their nails, smell their earwax, and some liked to smoke. He had never encountered people with these weird behaviors.
Especially Liu Erquan, the Elder who liked to smell his own armpits. He exuded a strong aura of a grand martial arts master and caused Yang Shou'an to fear.
"The Liu clan is really powerful!" Yang Shou'an exclaimed.
Counting Liu Tao, there were two grand martial arts masters in the clan.
At this moment, Liu Tao knocked on the table and began the meeting.
In the meeting, Liu Tao praised the Elders who'd completed their tasks on time and affirmed their efforts positively.
"Liu Dahai, Liu Erhai, Liu Wuhai, and Liu Erquan shall be awarded 2200 tales of silver each!"
Upon Liu Tao announcing the rewards, they were exhilarated.
Only Liu Sanhai frowned and looked disheartened.
That was because he did not complete his mission and was unable to receive any reward.
Liu Tao looked at Liu Liuhai and smiled.
"I would like to praise our Sixth Elder, Liu Liuhai!"
Liu Liuhai's excited face flushed red. He raised his chest and was ready to be praised!
Liu Tao said loudly, "The Sixth Elder was a responsible and serious worker. He takes note of details. The Scythe Army has now expanded to 3000 soldiers. He even managed to recruit Black-Handed Zhang and Iron-Footed Li. He has accomplished a huge feat."
"I heard the people say that on the day when the Sixth Elder recruited the Scythe Army, in order to persuade the fighters to join the Liu family, he spoke until he spat out blood and fainted on the ground!"
After hearing that, Liu Dahai and the rest took a deep breath.
Sixth Elder was too crazy!
Liu Liuhai saw the astonished look on the rest's faces and wanted to say, "I also didn't want that to happen. It was forced by the Ancestor!…"
Liu Tao continued.
"In the past month, the Scythe Army led by the Sixth Elder had caught 312 spies in Black Street and avoided 13 riots plotted by our enemies. They had also stopped violence more than 1000 times and helped establish the Liu clan's name in Black Street!"
"Come, everyone, clap for our Sixth Elder!"
"Clap clap clap!"
Everyone clapped for Liu Liuhai.
"Since he did a good job, he shall have a reward!" Liu Tao said as he looked at Liu Wuhai and Liu Erhai.
Liu Wuhai walked out and took out 3000 tales of silver. He said as he placed them in front of Liu Liuhai, "Congratulations, Sixth Elder!"
He was in charge of the finances for the Liu clan.
Liu Liuhai accepted the silver excitedly. Three thousand taels of silver could allow him to drink many bottles of alcohol!
At this moment, Liu Erhai walked over. He was holding a thick book of paintings of beautiful women.
Some were sexy!
Some were slutty!
Some were chubby!
Some had a baby face!
…
The women ranged from teenagers to 60-year-old ladies. There were over 3000 beautiful ladies of all types.
"All of the ladies in this book exist in real life. Pick a lady you like, Sixth Elder, I will matchmake for you!" Liu Erhai said.
After he said that, Liu Dahai and the rest looked at Liu Tao, faces full of envy.
Since when did the Liu clan provide such welfare? Why didn't they receive it?!
Liu Tao explained, "This is a secret welfare that is given only to the best-performing individual!"
He was the head of the clan.
He held the most powers.
He was the one who made the final decision!
Liu Dahai and the rest were extremely envious when they saw Liu Liuhai picking among the ladies.
Liu Liuhai was so excited that his fingers were trembling, rendering him unable to flip the booklet. Liu Erhai smiled and helped him.
Liu Liuhai began to take his pick and would exclaim occasionally.
"Wa! This one is 18 years old. She has phoenix eyes and has a good figure. She is also a virgin…"
"Wa! This one, so young, really…"
"Oh oh oh! There are even widows — no wonder she looks like she will bring bad luck to her husband, no way, no way…"
"Tsk tsk tsk! Although Niu Cuicui from Xiawa Village is a little ugly, she is the motherly and virtuous type…"
Liu Liuhai's eyes lit up in excitement. He looked at the book as though he was looking at
He began to pick on the ladies while commenting. That scene caused Liu Dahai and the rest to grit their teeth in anger.
"Finish your selection in three breaths or I will nullify your reward!" Liu Tao said with a frown. "Don't embarrass yourself in front of our ancestor!"
Liu Liuhai panicked. He was getting dizzy from over 3000 beautiful ladies!
Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he remembered what Yang Shou'an had said. The older the woman, the better!
Liu Liuhai pointed at the last woman in the book and said excitedly, "There! I choose her!"
Liu Erhai looked at the woman and said in shock, "Are you sure?!"
"Ma Fangfang, 53 years old, the master of the Ma family. She likes to eat red chili and garlic, has a bad temper, doesn't like to shower, and even said that she hasn't showered for 30 years. She hopes to find a guy who does not like to shower to spend the rest of her life with…"
Liu Wuhai read the description word for word.
In the end, his eyes widened as he looked at Liu Liuhai in disbelief.
Despite having known the Sixth Elder for so many years and smoking with him, they did not know that he was someone with that kind of taste!
Liu Erquan, Liu Sanhai, and Liu Dahai were in disbelief too.
Liu Tao looked at the Sixth Elder, then at Yang Shou'an. He was deep in thought.
"Yang Shou'an is really something. He managed to spread the ideology of how women are better when they are older to Sixth Elder!"
Liu Liuhai felt diffident when he saw the expressions on the others' faces. He looked up at Yang Shou'an and said with a quivering voice, "Is this woman I picked very bad?"
"From my experience, the woman you picked is amazing!" Yang Shou'an paused before continuing, "However, she is a little too young!"
"Fifty-three years old, and she's too young?"
"A little!"
"Sigh! I should have chosen Wang Caifeng, the 60-year-old lady…"
Liu Liuhai slapped his knees and sounded as though he regretted it.
When Liu Dahai and the rest saw that, they thought Liu Liuhai regretted not choosing a young and beautiful woman.
Liu Erhai put away the book and made a promise to Liu Liuhai.
"One month, that's the maximum amount of time I'll need to help you settle this marriage. I promise you will get the girl you want!"