Chapter 599 - 201: The Noble Lady of Jintai
Jintai Prefecture City, in the Hong Family Mansion.
The midday sun streamed through the ornate window lattices, spilling across the main hall’s polished golden-brick floor and casting mottled patterns of light and shadow.
Patriarch Hong, Hong Shixian, sat in the seat of honor—a pearwood Grandmaster’s Chair—clad in a dark purple brocade robe, his expression composed.
In a large chair below him sat the Hong Family Grand Elder. Though his hair and beard were white, he was spirited and robust. The two of them were discussing the hottest topic in the Prefecture City: the Xuanzhen Sect’s Fushan Grand Competition.
Hong Shixian picked up a Cyan Porcelain Tea Cup from the table and took a light sip of the warm Yuqian Longjing tea. His tone was tinged with admiration. "The Xuanzhen Sect truly lives up to its name as one of the Five Great Sects. Their heritage is profound and their power is immense. In this Fushan Grand Competition, the performances of Chu Yunhai and Yang Jing were simply astonishing—far superior to my Hong Family’s core disciples."
The Hong Family Grand Elder nodded slightly, in full agreement. "The Xuanzhen Sect was founded nearly a thousand years ago. The sheer wealth of resources they’ve accumulated is far beyond what our families in the Prefecture City can match. Even the three great families—Hong, Lin, and Su—wouldn’t dare to casually offer a treasure like the Yunqiao Jade Marrow as a reward for their young disciples."
"With such precious resources backing them, the Xuanzhen Sect disciples start on a completely different level than the disciples of our own clan."
He took a sip of his tea, but then couldn’t help but add in admiration, "That said, Chu Yunhai and Yang Jing are indeed once-in-a-generation talents. Even among all the young disciples of the Five Great Sects, they’d be considered top-tier. Their futures are limitless."
Hong Shixian looked up at the Grand Elder and suddenly asked, "You mentioned last time that Lin Ziheng of the Lin Family is on good terms with Yang Jing?"
The Hong Family Grand Elder set down his tea cup and nodded. "That’s correct. I hear the two of them hit it off quite well in the Xuanzhen Sect. Lin Ziheng often spends time with Yang Jing, and they’ve grown rather close."
A faint smile played on Hong Shixian’s lips. "This Lin Ziheng... his talent in the Martial Dao is utterly unremarkable. I never expected him to have such good fortune, managing to associate with a prodigy like Yang Jing."
Just as he finished speaking, the Hong Family Grand Elder’s brow furrowed slightly. He hesitated a moment before saying, "Patriarch, I’ve heard that recently in Jintai Prefecture City, quite a few families have begun entertaining the idea of a marriage alliance with Yang Jing."
At these words, Hong Shixian froze for a second. The hand holding his tea cup stopped in mid-air, and a thoughtful glint appeared in his eyes.
The hall fell silent. The Hong Family Grand Elder said no more, simply cradling his cup and sipping his tea, quietly awaiting the Patriarch’s decision.
A moment later, Hong Shixian slowly set down his tea cup, the porcelain meeting the wood with a soft click.
He said in a low voice, "Yang Jing comes from a small place like Yuhe County. Here in Jintai Prefecture, he is essentially all alone, with no backing or support. Whichever family manages to form a marriage alliance with him will undoubtedly bind this prodigy firmly to their chariot."
He paused, his gaze profound. "With Yang Jing’s talent, a future breakthrough to the True Qi Realm is almost a certainty. And once he enters the True Qi Realm, he will naturally be promoted to an Elder in the Xuanzhen Sect."
"At that point, with a Xuanzhen Sect Elder as a backer, even we, the three great noble families, couldn’t afford to take them lightly. It’s safe to say that whichever family secures this alliance, their entire standing in Jintai Prefecture will instantly rise by a significant margin."
The Hong Family Grand Elder nodded repeatedly, adding, "And why stop at the True Qi Realm? Yang Jing’s talent is astounding. To stand out in the Fushan Grand Competition and tie for first place with Chu Yunhai... it’s not impossible to say he might even break through to the Pill Realm one day."
"If he truly breaks through to the Pill Realm," the Hong Family Grand Elder said, his tone growing grave, "the family allied with him would instantly ascend to the ranks of the great noble families. Jintai Prefecture would either have four great families, or one of the current three would be pushed aside. In short, the entire power structure of Jintai Prefecture would be turned completely upside down."
Hearing this, Hong Shixian slowly nodded. He mulled it over for a moment, his eyes hardening with resolve. "Grand Elder, I understand what you’re implying. Our Hong Family must do everything in our power to win over a prodigy like him and bind him securely to our family."
A hint of confidence entered his tone. "If Yang Jing wants to advance by leaps and bounds on his Martial Dao path, he will need a vast amount of Cultivation Resources. Across all of Jintai Prefecture, with its nearly one thousand families, large and small, who can compare to the Hong Family in terms of profound heritage? I imagine Yang Jing is smart enough to realize this. When it comes to a marriage alliance, he will inevitably choose us."
Hearing this, the Hong Family Grand Elder looked at Hong Shixian. "Patriarch, you mean..."
Hong Shixian took a deep breath, his gaze resolute, and stated calmly, "I intend to arrange a marriage between Qing Zhu and Yang Jing."
A storm of shock crashed through the Hong Family Grand Elder’s mind.
Patriarch Hong, Hong Shixian, had nine daughters, but only two were legitimate daughters born of his primary wife, and they were by far his most favored.
The eldest had already been married off to a noble family in a neighboring prefecture. The youngest, Hong Qingzhu, however, was doted on to no end by Hong Shixian. She was charming and spirited, with a very strong will of her own.
Over the years, an endless stream of suitors from noble families had come to seek her hand, but Hong Shixian had rejected them all, one by one, because Hong Qingzhu found none of them to her liking. She had yet to be betrothed.
For the Patriarch to be willing to give his most beloved daughter to Yang Jing showed just how much importance he placed on this prodigy of the Xuanzhen Sect.
The Hong Family Grand Elder opened his mouth to speak, his voice tinged with hesitation. "Patriarch, will Qing Zhu... agree to it?"
Among Hong Shixian’s nine daughters, Hong Qingzhu was undoubtedly the most beautiful. She had slender, arched brows, almond-shaped eyes, and skin as fair as snow. Faint dimples graced the corners of her mouth when she smiled, and she was renowned for her beauty among the noble ladies throughout Jintai Prefecture.
But having been treated as the apple of Hong Shixian’s eye since childhood and doted upon endlessly, her charming and lively personality was matched by a strong will; she was never one to accept a situation she disliked.