Promise!

Chapter 205, The Grand Gathering

“Mother, we can’t decide this ourselves; it mainly depends on Young Master Zhuang’s side,” Shen Xujun reminded her.

"That is indeed the case." Madam Shen nodded slightly, abandoning her earlier playful friendliness and revealing a dignified and serious expression on her face.

As the wife of the Shen family, she naturally possessed political acumen and could clearly see that after the destruction of the Medicine King Gang, the Mu family would become their future rivals. Zhuang Jin, on the other hand, did not establish a family or power base and held a transcendent position, so both sides needed to win him over.

Indeed, Zhuang Jin is the supreme master of the Shen family, but the Prefect Mu has also married off his daughter. It is said that the Mu family's daughter is exceptionally beautiful and intelligent. If one's own family marries an ordinary person, being outshone is a minor matter. However, if Zhuang Jin dislikes her and even damages the good relationship between the two families, that would be a major issue, and one would have to apologize to the Shen family.

'Ideally, she should be someone Zhuang Jin likes, who is also insightful and knows how to handle things properly,' Madam Shen thought to herself as she looked at her three daughters one by one.

At this moment, a maid came in to announce: "Madam, Miss, Madam Zhuang has arrived."

The so-called 'Madam Zhuang' is naturally Chen Yun. Now, in front of Madam Shen, she can also be addressed as 'Madam'.

"Oh? I was just worrying about this. Her arrival is perfect!" Madam Shen smiled and went out to greet her.

Seeing their mother personally come out to greet them, a rare and unprecedented gesture, the three young ladies, Shen Xuyun, Shen Xujun, and Shen Xuhan, felt even more the weight of Zhuang Jin, a martial artist of innate level, and strengthened their resolve to compete.

……

Chen Yun came here to choose her future 'sister'.

As a married man, Zhuang Jin naturally couldn't associate with the three unmarried ladies, otherwise it would ruin his reputation and make it difficult for the other two ladies to get married in the future. However, Chen Yun wouldn't have this problem.

Zhuang Jin's original words were: "Yunniang will choose whichever one she finds agreeable."

Well, Zhuang Jin's move was quite something: making his legal wife choose a concubine for him.

Chen Yun was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this. The conversation between the two at the time went like this.

"Aren't you afraid that I might deliberately choose an ugly one?"

"Even if it's ugly, as long as Yunniang likes it and we get along well, it's good."

Zhuang Jin smiled and said, "This matter is essentially a marriage alliance, more symbolic than practical. At worst, it's just like having one more pair of chopsticks in the house. Yunniang, you and I started from humble beginnings, and our relationship is incomparable to theirs. To be honest, rather than choosing someone who suits my taste, I would rather choose someone who suits your taste."

"I know how much my husband loves me. This time, I will definitely choose a woman for my husband that is satisfactory, beautiful, and charming!"

The last sentence is a reference to the matter of taking a concubine in the past. When the couple heard it, they recalled the past and smiled.

……

Because of this conversation, Chen Yun became more proactive. She came over and probed, opened up the conversation, and intentionally guided the conversation. The three young ladies did not betray each other, but there were also many witty exchanges, which allowed her to explore many inside stories and see through the three women's true nature.

'The third young lady, Shen Xuyun, has the temperament of a well-bred lady, but she seems to be too involved with the fourth young master's side, and her husband doesn't particularly like the fourth young master; the seventh young lady, Shen Xuhan, is too lively and impulsive; in comparison, the fifth young lady, Shen Xujun, is both beautiful and talented, knows how to maintain proper boundaries, and has hinted that she will prioritize her husband after marriage,' she thought to herself.

Upon returning that day, Chen Yun shared her judgment with Zhuang Jin. The following day, Zhuang Jin and Shen Xianhong discussed and decided on the candidate: the fifth young lady, Shen Xujun.

……

Mu Mansion.

In the backyard, amidst a grove of purple bamboo, light and shadow danced, the spring water gurgled, and sunlight slanted through the blinds, rolling down onto a dozing orange cat.

Inside the bamboo house, two women sat facing each other next to the orange cat.

If Chen Yun were here, she would surely recognize one of them as Yu Qingjun, the girl she used to embroider with as a child and who made a vow under the lamp to 'support each other in times of illness'.

As mentioned before, Yu Qingjun was born deaf, but she possessed the gentleness and grace of Xi Shi and Lin Daiyu, making her an extremely beautiful woman. However, the woman opposite her was no less beautiful than Yu Qingjun.

The woman was dressed in plain clothes, which made one subconsciously think of ice crystals emitting a faint chill under the sunlight. They were clear and pure, like glass, and seemed to be able to reflect people's images and refract people's hearts. This was Mu Qing, the seventh young lady of the Mu family.

The reason Yu Qingjun was here was because: after Zhuang Jin reached the Meridian Opening Realm, she came into Mu Qing's sight. Later, when Zhuang Jin and his wife went to the county town below, Mu Qing invited Yu Qingjun to teach embroidery. This woman with a gentle and indifferent temperament gradually became her close friend.

It was almost time, and Yu Qingjun nodded slightly and left.

Before long, Mu Yuantu arrived. He, who was usually so bold and rugged in front of others, now showed a rare tenderness: "Qing'er, the wedding date has been set for the fifteenth of August..."

He spoke of his daughter's marriage to Zhuang Jin, his heart filled with reluctance. He had many sons, but this was his only daughter.

"I understand, Father. Young Master Zhuang also needs the stability of the prefecture. Our family and the Shen family are in a balance of power, and both sides share this interest. However, this is an unspoken understanding and cannot be spoken aloud. Young Master Zhuang is aware of this... When dealing with someone like Young Master Zhuang, one cannot be too concerned with interests. It is best to treat him with sincerity... Once I marry into his family, I will have to consider his future."

Mu Qing had read Zhuang Jin's information and understood that Zhuang Jin had a cold and indifferent side to his personality. This was towards outsiders. As for those close to him, if he was honest and sincere, he would not treat them unfairly.

She also understood that the most taboo thing after she married into the family was to go against Chen Yun, otherwise she would definitely be disliked by Zhuang Jin. On the contrary, being on good terms with Chen Yun and showing goodwill would be beneficial and harmless, and would also win Zhuang Jin's favor.

Therefore, he persuaded Yu Qingjun to accompany him as part of her dowry, which was a way of showing goodwill to Zhuang Jin and Chen Yun.

"A daughter's life is beyond her control once she grows up!"

Hearing this, Mu Yuantu felt both sentimental and gratified. His daughter was extremely intelligent. At the age of nine, her chess skills surpassed those of national masters who had traveled to the capital, leaving him in awe. By the time she reached marriageable age, she was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and had achieved a high level of skill in each.

Unfortunately, everything in the world is in balance. Perhaps it is a case of extreme wisdom leading to injury. Mu Qing was born weak and had a cold constitution, so she could not practice martial arts and had difficulty conceiving. That is why her condition has been delayed until now.

"In the end, I'm sorry to have wronged you."

"Father, there's no need to say that. My health..."

Mu Qing shook her head slightly: "Young Master Zhuang has cultivated the Black Fiend Technique to such a high level that it is already difficult for him to have children. If I marry him, there will be no strange looks. Young Master Zhuang is good to his own people, let alone his wife. He is a good match for me."

At this point, she doesn't really like Zhuang Jin; it's just that given the circumstances, it's a suitable choice.

But what young girl doesn't dream of love? She too harbors some expectations for the future: 'From all the information I've gathered, and from my indirect contact with Qingjun, this Young Master Zhuang seems like a good man. He's quite unrestrained beyond the bounds of propriety. After marrying him, I imagine I can travel far with him, but visiting all the counties under the prefecture should be possible.'...

Just as the Shen and Mu families finalized their marriage and began preparations, the news of the Medicine King Gang finally spread throughout the prefectural city.

The once-powerful Medicine King Gang, which had been rivals with the Shen family for seven or eight years, suffered a devastating blow in just one day. Its leader, Shi Yong, died, its western headquarters was massacred, and its high-ranking members were almost wiped out. Its destruction was inevitable. Such earth-shattering news naturally caused a huge uproar.

Those who had reached a certain level in the prefecture knew that the city was about to undergo a major change, and they all began to take action to prepare for the coming turn of events.

After the Medicine King Gang was destroyed, the government moved into the west of the city and began a purge. Pulling out the radish brought out the mud, and the struggle was extremely brutal. But the underlying logic was: how can we make room if we don't get rid of some people?
On the surface, the government reaped the benefits and occupied the west of the city, but in reality, the Shen family also benefited greatly this time. Not to mention that the Qingyuan Pot was upgraded from a low-grade to a broken mid-grade, their sphere of influence expanded from the east and south of the city to include the north, effectively expanding by a whole circle.

Especially after being depleted and rejuvenated, the Shen family is now like an ancient tree that has recovered from its deep-seated illness, radiating vitality.

Of course, due to the losses incurred with the Medicine King Gang, even with the recruitment of martial arts students, the number of martial artists in the Shen family has dropped to its lowest point in one or two hundred years, and they are now in a precarious situation.

However, now that the war has ended, it means there are fewer people and more opportunities. For the Shen family's martial artists, the Shen family's victory, the reshuffling of the prefectural city, the distribution of spoils, and the uncertain future make it a land of opportunity, with plenty of chances to be had.

Just as Zhuang Jin had predicted, once the Medicine King Gang was destroyed, the county magistrates of the surrounding counties became unnecessary and all submitted reports to return to the prefectural city.

Their enthusiasm stems from vying for positions, sharing the spoils of victory, and seizing their own benefits—even though there are more people than meat, and everyone can get their fill, there are good and bad pieces of meat!
Such fierce competition inevitably involves intrigue and undercurrents, which need not be elaborated upon. As the Supreme Elder above all the other retainers, Zhuang Jin is aloof from worldly affairs, and his trusted subordinates also hold extraordinary positions, receiving their due share, and often the best of everything.

These are trivial matters for someone of Zhuang Jin's level. The bigger issues for him now are the Innate Ceremony on the fifteenth of August and the marriage to two concubines.

……

This grand ceremony, which included the marriage of two concubines, was destined to cause a sensation.

With the destruction of the Medicine King Gang, the Shen family was at the height of its power. As the Supreme Elder of the Shen family, Zhuang Jin naturally had all the servants, guards, and servants below him supporting him. His other wife was the daughter of Prefect Mu Yuantu, so the officials didn't have to worry about taking sides, and naturally, everyone from top to bottom was mobilized.

On the Shen family's side, from the patriarch Shen Xianhong, to Mu Mingxi, the head of the General Affairs Department, Li Ping, the head of the Law Enforcement Department, Wen Gongshou, the head of the Supervision Department, the head of the Skill Transmission Department... and then down to the martial artists.

On the government front, the ranks went from Prefect Mu Yuantu to Assistant Prefect, Sub-Prefect, Magistrate, Magistrate, and then to the officials of the three classes and six departments.

It can be said that at this grand event, all the truly powerful people in Yunnan Prefecture were wiped out.

Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu had some disagreements about the venue for this grand ceremony and wedding. In the end, Shen Xianhong won because Zhuang Jin was the Supreme Elder of the Shen family and the Shen family was the most suitable place to hold the event. The entire Shen family was chosen as the venue for this grand event.

The guests are divided into three sections based on their social standing: the inner courtyard, the outer courtyard, and the long street outside.

In the inner courtyard, apart from Zhuang Jin's relatives and confidants, the Shen family's side all had at least ten martial arts masters; as for the government, the minimum requirement was eighth rank, such as the rank of Grand Clerk or Grand Prisoner.

The outer courtyard was also filled with martial artists, or officials of varying ranks.

Those in the city who are rich but lack a certain status are not even qualified to be invited into the outer courtyard!

Interestingly, with the recent upheavals and purges of the Medicine King Gang, this grand event has become an opportunity for all parties to showcase their connections and backgrounds. Wealthy merchants and magnates in the prefecture city are all talking about obtaining an invitation to enter the outer courtyard.

The last long street outside will host a continuous feast that will last for a month, allowing people to enjoy themselves together, and there will also be a fireworks display in the evening.

It can be said that Zhuang Jin's grand inauguration ceremony and his marriage to two concubines, due to his status and the coincidence of the end of the war in the prefectural city, when everyone needed a grand celebration to vent their emotions, gradually evolved into a grand event that was unprecedented in Yunnan for a century!

……

The date is August 15th.

From early morning, traffic was heavy and congested for miles around the Shen family's residence.

"Even at a temple fair, it's not this exaggerated!" Ruan Yongqi exclaimed as he squeezed through the crowd, his hat falling off.

—Chen Yun’s younger brother is Chen Honggan, and Chen Honggan’s wife is Ruan Jinghua. He is Ruan Jinghua’s cousin, and thus he was fortunate enough to receive an invitation and was able to come today.

Upon arriving at the entrance, Ruan Yongqi verified his identity and entered the outer courtyard, where he was immediately startled.

The floor was covered with carpets made of pure white sheepskin, which made him hesitate to step on them. On each table were gold cups and silver chopsticks with intricate patterns, all of which spoke of extravagance.

At the nearest table, out of seven or eight people, Ruan Yongqi only recognized three, but these three alone made his heart skip a beat: Huang, the prison warden, a powerful official in the yamen, whose word could determine the life or death of his master; Xu, the wealthy landlord from the south of the city, rumored to be worth 100,000; and Zhang, the rich man, who owned restaurants, a fleet of ships, and thousands of acres of fertile land…

The other people at the table were strangers, chatting and laughing with the three of them; they were clearly from the same social class.

Looking further into the distance, Ruan Yongqi saw either martial artists dressed in gray, black, or even white robes, or officials from the various departments of the yamen. A ridiculous thought unconsciously crossed his mind: 'If I were to throw a brick at this moment, it could probably hit one of those powerful figures in the eyes of the common people—the kind who are untouchable and could bring ruin upon their families.'

These "big shots" in the eyes of ordinary people can't even get into the inner courtyard, and they're even proud of being able to come here.

These are all shrewd people who treat this place as a communication platform, speaking politely and courteously, exchanging name cards, and expanding their network.

Those who can get in here are proven to have strength, either by their own abilities or by their social status. If they have neither, then it's even more remarkable. It means that they have connections that have reached Zhuang Jin, which makes them even more worthy of respect!
Ruan Yongqi exchanged two name cards in a daze. At this moment, his attendant Yue Song came over, apologized, and invited him into the inner courtyard.

It turns out that Zhuang Jin didn't have any relatives, while Chen Yun's relatives, such as Ruan Yongqi, who were closer to her, all sent invitations to the inner courtyard.

The inner and outer courtyard invitations, apart from the cover and the location in the content, all have a specially made seal containing a wisp of innate true energy.

However, Ruan Yongqi came from an ordinary family and was unaware of these things. He queued up in the outer courtyard, where there were the most people. Because of the large number of people there, everyone opened their invitations and directly verified the seal. The gatekeeper did not look at the contents carefully. After verifying the invitation and seal, he let Ruan Yongqi in directly. Later, during the screening, they discovered that an inner courtyard invitation had been mixed in and hurriedly came to remedy the situation.

To show that he valued it, Yue Song came over in person.

Even a lowly official like Zhuang Jin, who has broken through to the Innate Realm, has seen his status rise dramatically, now comparable to that of an ordinary retainer. This position has attracted the attention of many, who are waiting for him to make a mistake.

He didn't want that if Ruan Yongqi found out later and told Ruan Jinghua, and then one day Zhuang Jin's brother-in-law Chen Honggan brought his wife over for a visit and inadvertently mentioned it, it would be a major incident.

……

(End of this chapter)