I was a charlatan in India

Chapter 21 The Sacred Union

There's a saying that only when things are confronted directly can people truly understand their own feelings.

The moment Dana uttered those words, Vasudiv understood.

He didn't want his daughter to die.

Despite his previous domineering and autocratic ways, showing no regard for his daughter's feelings, he suddenly became clear-headed at this crucial moment.

Vasudiv jumped up and hurriedly said, "Dana, Brother Dana!"

"It's my fault, I didn't discipline her properly, but no matter what, please don't hurt Mina."

"I...I can compensate! Money, resources, anything is negotiable, anything is negotiable!"

"By the way, I will resolve this matter in the fastest and cleanest way possible! I will absolutely not let this stain tarnish the Nabu family's reputation! I..."

He never imagined he would say such things.

Ever since he was old enough to understand, Vasudiv has been thinking about revitalizing his family.

For this purpose, family and friends are merely tools, and even he himself is no different.

Let alone Mina, he would be willing to sacrifice himself for his family.

She's just a daughter; she'll be married off to someone else sooner or later. She's not worth feeling sorry for.

Can……

Hey!

Dana glanced sideways, but remained noncommittal.

Seeing that Dana remained silent, Vasudif eagerly offered all the conditions he could think of.

"The engagement...we'll cancel the engagement. We can cooperate in another way, yes, cooperate!"

"Whatever your family needs—reputation, resources—I can coordinate it all, even without taking any profit!"

He spoke with such urgency, almost as if he were confessing.

"The Saraswati family also holds permits for three inland waterways, one in the west of the city..."

Dana slowly raised his hand, interrupting his cheap father-in-law.

"Patriarch Vasudiv, you misunderstand. I did not mean to hold you accountable."

"Besides, even if we cooperate, I will not let your family suffer losses."

"A slow and steady relationship without shared interests is unreliable, and I'd rather not have one."

Vasudiv froze on the spot, forgetting to straighten his bent back, and looked at him in bewilderment.

A genuine smile slowly spread across Dana's plump face.

His smile was warm and friendly.

"What I want to say is, I want to marry Mina, and I want to marry her in a grand and glorious way."

"Let all of Varanasi, no, let the entire region of Kashi look on with envy and welcome her as their bride!"

Vasudiv was completely stunned.

He suspected that there was something wrong with his ears, or that he was hallucinating from being too frightened.

No man can accept his fiancée getting pregnant before marriage.

He actually said he would not only marry her, but he would marry her in a grand and spectacular way?

...Could the adulterer be Dana?

No, impossible. This guy is old and ugly, and has absolutely no charm.

Even if Mina cheated on her husband, she would never be interested in this fat guy...

Dana clapped his hands gently, his smile deepening.

"Bring them all in."

Soon, servants filed in and presented the gift box to the front.

Inside were the finest saffron, heavy brocade embroidered with gold thread, and precious objects befitting a royal wedding.

Gazing at that dazzling array of jewels, even Vasudiv, whose body was tense, couldn't help but swallow hard.

Being of a high caste does not necessarily mean being rich.

In Vasudiv's mind, money is the god that can solve all problems.

This is his faith.

At this moment, even the other person's fleshy face looked exceptionally prosperous under the reflection of the jewels.

Mina is a perfect match for him!

Vasudiv had feelings for his daughter, but only to the extent of saving her life.

As for happiness.

With so much money, how could Dana not give you the life you want?

Moreover, they are so magnanimous that they can even tolerate your premarital pregnancy!

You shameless, filthy daughter, where did you find such a good husband!

marry!

Head of the Dana family, no, good son-in-law, good brother!

From now on, we'll each call each other by our own names. I'll call you brother, and you'll call me dad!

Reasonable!

"but……"

Dana's slow and deliberate words made Vasudif's excited heart leap into his throat once again.

"I have a small request before the wedding."

Vasudiv swallowed hard. "Go ahead," he said.

He already had a vague guess in his mind.

"You've probably heard the recent rumors; there are many different versions, it's quite a spectacle."

"One version is quite interesting, saying that the Great Deity sent someone close to him to be reincarnated to protect the Dharma, as a way to connect the two sides' righteous teachings."

"What do you think, Head of the Vasudiv family?"

Vasudiv's heart tightened.

really.

Dana was planning to capitalize on the hype surrounding this rumor.

But this question was difficult for him to answer.

To be honest, he didn't believe in gods, but as a member of the sacrificial caste, he couldn't openly admit it.

After much deliberation, I can only give a very official answer.

"I believe that everything is God's arrangement."

"That's right."

Dana's eyes gleamed with shrewdness as he seized the opportunity to back down.

"Everything is arranged by Heaven."

"My request is simple: the Saraswati family needs to step in and use Miss Mina's identity to cover up this rumor."

"If handled properly, your Saraswati family will become a holy site, and as for our Nabu family..."

"As your subordinate who serves you faithfully, Miss Mina's protector will naturally also benefit from your good fortune."

After his daughter's life-or-death crisis subsided, Vasudiv's intelligence gradually returned to its peak.

Although in his heart, he felt that his daughter was not wronged at all by marrying Dana, and that the two families joining forces would also benefit the family's development.

But this matter is undoubtedly fraught with hidden dangers.

Faith is the most likely thing to breed extreme madness, and as a priest, he had a deep understanding of this.

If you're not careful, not only will other priestly families come to seize your territory, but those fanatical believers will also likely cause a lot of trouble.

It's possible that he might destroy the family business that's just started to improve.

But it's not that we can't talk about it.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "This matter requires careful consideration."

He neither agreed nor refused.

First, see what the other party has to say and whether they have a comprehensive plan. If all else fails, the two sides can sit down and discuss it together.

Dana smiled slightly.

"I understand your concerns, but we can proceed with caution."

Dana stood up and began pacing around the living room.

He likes people to think this is his own way of thinking, but in reality, he has already thought of what to say and his mind is completely blank at this moment.

He spoke slowly.

"You see, the Moonless Festival has just passed. We worshipped our ancestors and cleansed ourselves of the past."

"Next comes the full moon of Magadha, which symbolizes the union of new life and divinity."

"And there are still fifteen days until the full moon. That's plenty of time for us to probe and manipulate the narrative step by step."

Dana was slow and deliberate.

"We can start with the ancient prophecy brought by the caravans from the west, which only says that a holy embryo will appear in Kashi, without specifying the direction or family."

"At this time, all the temples and families in the city will be restless."

"Some people will spontaneously identify with us, attack each other, filter out the most fervent opponents, and also help us generate buzz."

Dana's tone grew increasingly confident, like that of a prophet.

"Once they've stirred up the waters themselves, we'll release a second wave of information, hinting that the signs are related to an ancient sacrificial lineage."

"At this point, the pressure will be distributed among all the Brahmin priest families, not just our family."

"We only need to observe who jumps the highest and who is the most fearful; that is who we need to appease or suppress in the future."

"What's next..."

Naboo's logic is clear; after all, he had foreseen this.

"On the eve of the full moon festival, when everyone's nerves are on edge, we have a hermit who has received divine revelation reveal the mystery."

"The daughter of Saraswati moved the heavens with her supreme devotion and became the vessel for the Holy Embryo."

"By then, the chaos will have largely dissipated, and both sides will have exhausted themselves. It will be the perfect time for us to reap the rewards!"

He slammed his hands on the table with a "thud," leaned forward, and his eyes gleamed with excitement.

"And in this process, we can make ample preparations and also make a fortune in business."

"The principal and all initial operations will naturally be borne by my Nabu family. As for the profits..."

Nab paused for a moment, and seeing Vasudiv staring intently at him, he spoke.

"The sacrificial items, land development, and offerings from believers arising from the Holy Embryo will be temporarily managed by my Nabu family; this is our expertise."

"And the resulting offerings, donations, enhanced reputation and status, and future religious influence at a higher level will naturally be yours."

As he spoke, he made a generous gesture and waved his hand.

"Of course, I will regularly provide you with 20% of the net profit from all projects. You can enjoy the benefits without investing anything."

"Patriarch Vasudiv, what do you think?"