bookbashuk Chapter 8: A Marriage Alliance?
Chapter 8: A Marriage Alliance?
The two men now appear to be descendants of enemies who attempted to assassinate the manor lord.
But the young master treated him with courtesy, which surprised everyone.
Although she was suspicious, Li Molan did not ask any further questions.
She knew that the young master already had his mind made up.
Tang Yifan closed the iron fan in his hand, and his gaze shifted to Yang Jiuli in the pavilion in front of him.
"After all these years, Ninth Brother is still so elegant!" Tang Yifan smiled slightly, strode out, and walked into the corridor connecting the pavilions.
Qin Zhixue glanced at Yang Jiuli, then stepped forward and followed.
Those around them followed.
"Wait!" At this moment, Li Molan reached out and stopped Tang Xiao, Qin Jianhe, and the others.
The group looked at Li Molan.
Tang Yifan and Qin Zhixue stopped in their tracks and turned around.
"My young master said he only saw Young Master Qin and Second Young Master Tang!" Li Molan said neither arrogantly nor humbly.
Tang Xiao and Qin Jianhe's gazes sharpened as they looked at their young master.
Tang Yifan gestured slightly to Tang Xiao, indicating that the latter should wait where he was.
"Uncle Jian, you may wait here!" Qin Zhixue said, her voice melodious.
Thus, Tang Xiao, Qin Jianhe, and the others stopped and waited in place.
Tang Yifan and Qin Zhixue walked along the corridor and entered the pavilion.
The pavilion is three zhang wide and has no obstructions on any side. When the clouds and mist roll in, it makes people feel as if they are in a fairyland.
"Ninth Brother..." Tang Yifan arrived at the pavilion, looked at Yang Jiuli with a happy face, smiled honestly, and bowed.
"Ninth Young Master!" Qin Zhixue bowed respectfully.
"Sit down! Try my Snowflake Intoxication from Snowdrift Manor." Yang Jiuli spoke calmly and indifferently.
He reached out and pushed the two warmed cups of wine to the two sides of the stone table.
Seeing Yang Jiuli's cold attitude, Tang Yifan suppressed his smile and his expression became slightly serious.
He knew that after what happened at Snowdrift Manor, he and Yang Jiuli would not be able to return to their youthful relationship in a short time!
Tang Yifan sat down, picked up the wine cup in front of him, and took a small sip.
Qin Zhixue slowly sat down, glanced at the wine cup in front of her, and then took a small sip.
"Hehe, aren't you afraid I'll poison you?" Yang Jiuli laughed loudly after the two of them had taken a sip.
"Ah!" Tang Yifan was stunned. He looked at Yang Jiuli and almost dropped the wine cup in his hand.
But Yang Jiuli was smiling, yet his gaze was very serious.
"Ninth Brother once saved my life, so how could he harm me?" Tang Yifan was stunned for a moment, then picked up the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
He seemed to be using this to express his feelings.
Eight years ago, the old man of Piaoxue Mountain Villa passed away, and Tang Yifan and his descendants visited Piaoxue Mountain Villa.
Qin Zhixue also came.
At that time, the three families had a very good relationship and intended to encourage these younger generations to get closer to each other and strengthen their friendship.
A group of teenagers are going to Snow Moon Lake at the foot of Snow Piaoxue Mountain to catch some snow foxes that steal fish to eat.
Unexpectedly, three snow wolves, each over ten feet tall and already possessing blood energy, appeared and attacked the group.
At that time, a group of teenagers were terrified.
It was Yang Jiuli who bravely took the lead, killed the snow wolf, and saved Tang Yifan and the others.
From this point on, Tang Yifan opened his heart to Yang Jiuli and regarded him as a sworn brother.
That is why Tangjiabao sent Tang Yifan to see Yang Jiuli this time.
"Our three families have been on good terms for generations, which is our ancestral precept. Although there are occasional frictions, they cannot affect the overall direction. I believe that Ninth Young Master is a wise and capable person who understands the general trend and can distinguish right from wrong. Naturally, he will not be misled by outsiders and become disloyal to us," Qin Zhixue said.
As she spoke, she raised her wine glass and drank the rest of the wine in one gulp.
"But my father died from the 'Poisonous Palm'!" Yang Jiuli said. "The other grandmaster also has the demeanor of a swordsman." He picked up the wine cup and shook it gently. His gaze sharpened, and he glanced at Tang Yifan and Qin Zhixue out of the corner of his eye.
Qin Zhixue did not answer immediately; her long eyelashes fluttered as she looked at Tang Yifan.
"Ninth Brother, I swear to God, it was definitely not my father who attacked and killed Uncle!" Tang Yifan stood up and said solemnly.
His father, Tang Yuan, was a contemporary master of Tangjiabao.
"If oaths were effective, so many people wouldn't have been struck by lightning!" Yang Jiuli waved his hand and said calmly.
"This..." Tang Yifan was speechless.
He also knew that Tangjiabao was the prime suspect.
To clear their names, the real culprit must be found.
Yang Jiuli held the wine cup, took a small sip, and looked at Qin Zhixue.
"If Ninth Young Master really believes that my father is the murderer, he probably wouldn't be discussing this with us over drinks, would he?" Qin Zhixue picked up the wine pot that was warming on the stove on the stone table, filled her own wine cup, took a small sip, and said slowly.
Qin Zhixue spoke with a smile on her lips, her eyes raised, her long eyelashes fluttering as she looked at Yang Jiuli.
There was a hint of intelligence and a hint of cunning in her eyes.
This expression, on her exquisitely beautiful face, immediately exuded a captivating charm, making one want to protect her.
"Ninth Brother was drinking with me just now, didn't he also consider my father to be the murderer?" Tang Yifan thought to himself.
Then he looked at Yang Jiuli, swallowed hard, and a simple and honest light appeared in his eyes.
"You're quite a clever woman!" Yang Jiuli said, shaking the wine cup and taking a small sip.
"Tsk tsk..." Qin Zhixue smiled and took another sip of wine, seemingly quite satisfied with the answer.
"However, your Mingjian Manor is still highly suspicious." Before Qin Zhixue could speak, Yang Jiuli continued.
He glanced meaningfully at Qin Zhixue.
"To outsiders, the attack on Uncle Shi was the work of Mingjian Manor and Tang Family Fortress!" Qin Zhixue said.
"We also have sufficient motivation!"
"After all, with my uncle's passing, given the strength of our two families, Snowdrift Manor will definitely not be able to hold onto the assets of the thirteen southern prefectures. At that time, my Famous Sword Manor and Tang Family Fort will take over these assets and reach their peak, surpassing the past," Qin Zhixue said slowly.
She paused slightly and took another sip of wine.
Then her long eyelashes fluttered as she looked at Yang Jiuli.
"Have you ever considered seizing my Snowdrift Manor's territory?" Yang Jiuli asked, stirring his wine cup with a half-smile.
"In the past, the three of us were evenly matched, forming a tripartite balance of power, keeping each other in check!" Qin Zhixue didn't answer her, but instead smoothed her hair and smiled sweetly. "If one of us is gone, it will be like two tigers fighting, and a bloody battle is inevitable in the future, and another family will perish."
"That would actually be less beautiful!"
"After all, nobody knows which family will disappear!"
"Therefore, Mingjian Manor has always upheld the teachings of our ancestors and dared not disobey them in the slightest!" Qin Zhixue said.
Yang Jiuli stared into Qin Zhixue's eyes, as if trying to discern how much truth and how much falsehood lay in the words of this peerless beauty before him.
He naturally wouldn't readily believe in so-called ancestral teachings.
When the forces are evenly matched, people will naturally abide by their ancestral teachings.
But if one of them becomes weak, the other two will pounce on it like hungry wolves and devour it clean.
"My father has always upheld the teachings of our ancestors, and he will continue to do so in the future," Tang Yifan quickly said.
"But now the balance has been broken!" Yang Jiuli's gaze swept over Qin Zhixue and Tang Yifan.
Tang Yifan was taken aback, looking slightly embarrassed.
"My father said he will do everything in his power to help you reach the Grandmaster level!" Qin Zhixue blinked and looked at Yang Jiuli, saying, "You can even choose any direct descendant of my Famous Sword Manor as your wife, including me!" As she finished speaking, Qin Zhixue lowered her head secretly.
As she lowered her head, her gaze swept across him, and she couldn't help but glance at Yang Jiuli out of the corner of her eye, her eyes seemingly filled with anticipation.
She also had a touch of coquettishness.
"Oh!" Yang Jiuli's eyes flickered, and he looked at Qin Zhixue with some surprise.
It should be noted that Qin Zhixue was only eighteen years old when she had already entered the realm of a renowned master, making her a rare talent that is only seen once in a century.
She has the potential to reach the Grandmaster level and take charge of the Famous Sword Manor.
Qin Shisan's willingness to give his daughter to Yang Jiuli demonstrates the sincerity (and ambition) of Mingjian Villa.
Yang Jiuli suffers from a brain disease. If he were to die young, Qin Zhixue would be able to rightfully take over the Snowdrift Manor.
This is a bloodless victory.
It's also a calculated move!
"What a coincidence, my father said the same thing," Tang Yifan said.
"Are you sure?" Yang Jiuli looked at Tang Yifan.
Qin Zhixue blinked her beautiful eyes and looked at Tang Yifan with a strange expression.
"No... I don't have a younger sister... Father meant that you can marry any of the daughters of your uncles that you like," Tang Yifan quickly said.
"I've troubled my two uncles!" Yang Jiuli said calmly, but he knew exactly what was going on.
"A marriage alliance? Isn't it just a way to have a child with me, then support that child to rise to power and indirectly control my Snowdrift Manor?"
He murmured to himself.
Although I've seen through it all.
But Yang Jiuli didn't say it out loud.
If Mingjian Manor and Tangjiabao intended to erode the Yang family's fortune through marriage, they would not immediately attack Piaoxue Manor.
Yang Jiuli was naturally happy to give himself a chance to catch his breath.
Once the relationship sours, the other party may become enraged and attempt to seize the Snowdrift Manor's assets.
With the formidable enemy still at hand, Yang Jiuli did not want to antagonize Mingjian Villa and Tangjiabao.
"I don't know what you mean?" Qin Zhixue looked at Yang Jiuli.
"I have a brain disorder. Aren't you afraid of becoming a widow after marrying me?" Yang Jiuli touched the bridge of his nose and looked at Qin Zhixue teasingly.
"My father said... said he would find medicine to cure your illness," Qin Zhixue said, blushing and bowing her head.
At this moment, her heroic spirit had vanished, replaced by the shy charm of a girl next door.
Eight years ago, she had developed a certain fondness for this young master of the Yang family.
"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Yang Jiuli's eyes flickered. They had even considered this, which meant that the father and daughter had obviously discussed it beforehand.
"Ninth Brother, you are so strong and intelligent, how could you possibly have a brain disease? It's most likely that Third Master Zhang misdiagnosed you."
Tang Yifan said.
Qin Zhixue would occasionally glance at Yang Jiuli out of the corner of her eye, seemingly waiting for his reply.
"Heh, I know your intentions!" Yang Jiuli poured himself a cup of wine and said, "If the people who attacked my father weren't from your two families, then the person behind them probably has much bigger ambitions. On the fifteenth of August, my Snowdrift Manor may not be able to guarantee peace!"
He also poured a full glass of wine for Tang Yifan and Qin Zhixue.
"My father said that Mingjian Manor will stand with Piaoxue Manor through thick and thin!" Qin Zhixue said, looking up.
Her gaze was sharp, and she had regained some of her former dashing air.
"My Tang Family Fortress is willing to stand with Snowdrift Manor through thick and thin!" Tang Yifan said.