Chapter 4: Ancestral Engagement
Night fell, and the members of the Qin Family gathered in the hall for dinner.
Qin Feng entered the hall and naturally took a seat at the dining table. The others were surprised to see him.
“What’s going on?” Qin Feng looked at their astonished expressions and asked curiously.
Second Madame , with her eyes red, said, “Since you were ten years old, our family of four has never sat down to eat together.”
Qin Feng twitched the corner of his mouth. He was just eager to eat; he had forgotten that the previous owner always felt unwelcome at home, so he avoided dining with others. The meals were always sent to his room by the maid Qing’er.
But after a day of observation, Qin Feng discovered that everyone in the Qin Family did not have any contempt or prejudice towards this good-for-nothing Young Master. Instead, they cared for him. From this point of view, the impression in his memory was just the inferiority complex of the original owner. It’s just causing trouble.
“I was too naive before, but after nearly escaping from death I saw things a lot more clearly now. I won’t be like that again in the future.”
Upon hearing this, everyone’s eyes lit up.
Qin Jian’an sighed, “This unexpected incident wasn’t without gains. At least my son has finally grown up.”
Second Madame, emotional, said tearfully, “That’s good, that’s good.”
Qin An hesitated to speak, then lowered his head and ate. However, a hidden smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
“Today is a good day. Qing’er, add another meat dish in the kitchen!”
“Yes, Master.”
Qing’er left the hall, and Qin Feng glanced at the dining table. There was only a plain broth with one or two meat dishes. It seemed that even after moving to this remote place, the Qin Family hadn’t improved their financial situation.
From the previous owner’s memories, Qin Feng understood why.
Second Brother Qin An had extraordinary talent and practiced the Divine Martial Dao Lineage. As everyone knew, this Dao Lineage’s initial stage was the most expensive, requiring not only various medicinal baths and Blood Qi Pills but also a constant supply of beast meat to consume. For the Qin Family, this was a significant expense.
In his pursuit of entering the Literature Saint Dao Lineage, Qin Feng needed to read various classics and ancient books. Second Madame, afraid of treating them unfairly, had spent a lot of money to find various books, even buying many rare ones. However, the previous owner, being lackluster, hadn’t even reached the ninth rank foundational level despite reading extensively.
But these reasons weren’t the main cause of the Qin Family’s financial struggles.
The real culprit was the handsome middle-aged man sitting in the center.
Although he had no talent for business, he refused to accept this reality. He had sold the ancestral home in the Imperial Capital, moved the entire family to Jinyang City, and immediately spent half of their savings. He purchased Hopemoon House, the largest restaurant in the city. Due to mismanagement, it suffered losses every month and every year.
If he had reined in his extravagance, it might have been fine. However, he clearly lacked self-awareness. Every so often, he would hire Daoists from the Demon Slayer Department to escort him for trade in other towns. The result was often buying goods at high prices and selling them at low prices, causing losses of nearly a hundred silver taels each time.
Their wealth couldn’t withstand such extravagant spending.
The family sat together for dinner, and the atmosphere became cheerful. Conversation flowed naturally.
Second Madame took a small bite and suddenly asked, “Husband, a few days ago, when you went to Qiyang Town hundreds of miles away to sell grain, did you make any profit?”
As soon as she asked, Qin Feng and Qin An also looked up. Qin Jian’an’s complexion stiffened, then he suddenly smiled, saying, “Madame, I almost forgot. Qiyang Town is indeed a wonderful place. The scenery there is beautiful, with mountains and water, and the fishermen fish at sunrise and rest at sunset. Their way of life truly makes me envious. By the way, they make delicious fish soup there. If we have the chance, I must take you all to taste it.”
The topic he brought up was too forced.
Qin Feng smirked. Without guessing, he knew that this business deal had definitely resulted in a loss again.
Second Madame, Meng Xue, frowned and said, “Husband, I didn’t ask you about these things. I mean, did you earn any money on this trip?”
Qin Jian’an acted as if he hadn’t heard her, picked up his chopsticks, and continued eating, saying, “Let’s eat, let’s eat. If we don’t eat now, this meal will get cold.”
“Husband!”
Second Madame called out softly, obviously angry.
Qin Jianan covered his mouth and coughed. Just when everyone thought he was going to tell how much money he lost on this trip, he pretended to be mysterious and said: “Madam, do you still remember the girl from the Heavenly City Liu Family? ”
Second Madame was momentarily stunned. “Of course, I remember such an outstanding young lady. But why are you mentioning her?”
Surprisingly, he successfully changed the topic. Second Mother, you should have continued to ask! Qin Feng felt a bit regretful. He missed out on a good show.
“She returned to Heavenly City from Myriad Swords Sect,” Qin Jian’an said, putting down his chopsticks.
Second Madame was first surprised, then her expression became complicated. “But how does that concern us?”
The Liu Family, who resides in the Heavenly City, is led by the Old Master Liu, a Great Qian Dynasty Great Guardian Duke. His title surpasses even that of a First Class General. Their ancestors have achieved remarkable military feats for Great Qian, and even in the present day, the Liu Family maintains formidable battle strength within the Imperial Capital of Great Qian.
Not only that, but the Liu Family also has a remarkable daughter—Liu Jianli!
Apart from her exquisite beauty, her cultivation talent is astonishing. She entered the seventh-rank Breath Condensing Realm at the age of fifteen, catching the attention of the Sect Master of the Myriad Swords Sect, who took her into the sect for further cultivation.
At sixteen, she advanced to the sixth-rank Gathering Power Realm, and within a year, she reached the fifth-rank Gathering Power Realm. Such terrifying cultivation speed is unheard of in ancient times.
Moreover, she is a sword cultivator!
In the Divine Martial Dao Lineage, which focuses on body refinement and uses weapons as auxiliary, the most commonly used weapons are knives and swords. Knives are dominant and forceful, while swords are swift as lightning, sealing the opponent’s throat.
Liu Jianli’s mastery in the way of the sword is so profound that even the Sect Master of the Myriad Swords Sect praises her. He even proclaimed that she would undoubtedly reach the realm of the Sword God in the future!
Naturally, such a heaven’s spoiled daughter is admired and sought after by many noble families within the Heavenly City.
Emperor Mingde even drunkenly declared that anyone who could marry Liu Family’s daughter would ensure prosperity for their family for a hundred years. After that, the royal and noble families lined up to propose marriage to the Liu Family.
In theory, such a family and heaven’s spoiled daughter should have no connection with the declining Qin Family. However, fate seemed to enjoy playing such jokes.
The Liu Family and the Qin Family had a historical friendship, and the ancestors of both families had the Heavenly City’s Imperial Teacher perform divination. The results revealed that if there were one male and one female descendant in both families, it would be a match made in heaven, and they were destined to be married.
The words of the Imperial Teacher were naturally trusted by the two Old Ancestors, and they kept this statement in mind.
But who would have expected that for six generations, both families only gave birth to sons. It was only in this generation, with Qin Feng, that the Liu Family finally had a daughter.
However, times had changed, and both families had fallen on hard times. It was unthinkable for a heaven’s spoiled daughter to marry a wastrel—it would be the biggest joke in the world!
The ancestral engagement between the two families was naturally abandoned.
Qin Feng searched through his memorie and couldn’t help but sigh. If the Qin Family had stayed in the Heavenly City, perhaps Liu Family’s Eldest Young Lady would have sent someone to break off the engagement. At that time, he could have left a bold declaration: “Prosperity and decline never last; do not mock the poor youth.” From then on, he would have soared to greatness.
However, fate had played a trick on him with an unreliable old man as a father.
Thinking about this, Qin Feng cast a resentful glance at the handsome middle-aged man and picked up his chopsticks.
“In fact, Old Master Liu once visited the Qin Family and told me that to fulfill the ancestral engagement, and let Jianli and Feng’er get married,” Qin Jianan said, shocking everyone present.
Qin Feng had just taken a mouthful of rice, spat out, coughing uncontrollably.
Second Mother widened her eyes, and Qin An looked at Qin Feng in disbelief.
“However, I refused,” Qin Jianan explained.
“…”
“Yes, although the Qin Family was declining, our lineage persisted because of our self-awareness. Do you think I left the Imperial Capital just because I found it too expensive?”
The three of them nodded.
Qin Jian’an’s face twitched and coughed dryly. “Of course, that was one reason, but the most important reason was this engagement. Numerous proposals came from within the Heavenly City, but Old Master Liu, in adherence to the ancestral engagement, rejected them all. Although Old Master Liu was principled and kept his promise, this was not beneficial for the Qin Family.”
“So that’s how it is,” Qin Feng said, wiping rice crumbs from his mouth, looking thoughtful.
“Big brother, do you understand now?” Qin An asked, tilting his head.
Your ability to understand is in vain and you have the appearance of a scholar.
Qin Feng said. “An innocent man treasuring a jade ring can indeed become a criminal. The Qin Family’s strength wasn’t enough to match the Liu Family’s, yet the engagement restrained us. Those seeking marriage couldn’t blame the Liu Family, so naturally, they treated the Qin Family as a thorn in their side.”
“Right. Back then, the Qin Family’s properties in the Imperial Capital were suppressed everywhere, and even Feng’er often faced accidents, nearly losing his life. At that time, I knew that the Heavenly City was not a safe place for the Qin Family. That’s why I sold our ancestral home and moved our entire family here.”
Even an unreliable old man does have his moments, Qin Feng thought, casting an approving glance at his father, resembling a benevolent father watching his child finally succeed.
Seeing that the atmosphere in the hall was a bit strange, Qin Jianan picked up his chopsticks again. “Let’s eat, let’s eat. Let’s not bring up these matters.”
Second Mother and Second Brother also resumed eating, but their faces were much graver.
Everyone looked miserable. How could they eat in this atmosphere? It seems I have to do something.
Thinking like this, Qin Feng immediately spoke up, “Dad, how much money did you earn this time?”
Pfft!
He choked on a mouthful of rice, and the atmosphere at the dining table become cheerful again.
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