Chapter 72

"Is it because you're competitive?" Wei He guessed.

"No." Jiang Su turned her gaze and slowly walked forward. "It's because my father gave my eldest sister to a famous martial artist as a concubine."

She paused for a moment and continued, "My sister is gentle and weak, and every time she was bullied by her husband's family, she could only endure it. Our Jiang family's vast business relies on that martial artist for support. So she had to endure it."

"......" Wei He could roughly guess.

"My sister was very kind to me from a young age, and we had a good relationship. But every time I saw her being bullied and still having to please that person, I felt extremely distressed. I told myself that if one day I could reach that level, I would make sure my sister would no longer be bullied. Because at that time, everyone would know that she has me, her younger sister, behind her!"

Jiang Su's emotions were momentarily agitated.

Wei He could only remain silent and accompany her as she walked forward.

Everyone has their own story, like Jiang Su and Guan Ye. But if you don't get closer, you can't understand these things.

Like himself, in Jiang Su's eyes, he was probably just a lucky poor boy who managed to break through, perhaps with a bit of kindness, goodwill, and righteousness, but that was all.

But who could know the hardships he faced every time he secretly earned money and exotic beast meat.

"Wei He, if the teacher had arranged our marriage and I had agreed, what would have happened?" Jiang Su fell silent for a while before finally asking.

Wei He thought about it seriously.

"It wouldn't have changed anything."

"Why?"

"Because you have short legs."

"......"

Jiang Su was speechless and suddenly burst out laughing.

She pointed at Wei He, not knowing what to say, but her laughter grew louder and louder, until tears streamed down her face, and she couldn't stop.

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......

In Hongshi Town, at the Zhang family restaurant.

Zhang Wanru stared at the ledger with a frosty expression. The profit for last month had dropped again.

With the population of Hongshi Town decreasing, the number of customers had also significantly reduced. The restaurant business was almost unsustainable.

Despite struggling to keep it afloat, the bad news kept coming.

"Miss, have some silver ear soup..." the maid Hongmei brought a bowl of thin soup.

Although it contained silver ear, the content was minimal, with only a small, pale yellow silver ear floating in the middle of the soup, and a few grains of rice floating up and down, making it unappetizing.

Zhang Wanru put down the ledger and sighed deeply.

"Hongmei, do you think if I sell the restaurant and leave Feiye City to go to the provincial capital to seek refuge with my uncle, things would be better?"

"Miss... don't worry, we'll find a way," Hongmei comforted her.

Selling the business and leaving Feiye City sounded easy, but in the current market, who would be willing to take over this half-dead restaurant?

Even if they sold it and left Feiye City with the money, who could guarantee their safe passage to the provincial capital?

The inner city had maintained basic order, relying on the Zhang family's weak security forces.

But with the deteriorating situation, the Seven Families Alliance gradually ignored the outer city, and the conflict with the Katori Sect became more intense and overt.

The order in the outer city became increasingly dependent on martial power.

Each town's area was mainly maintained by the local martial arts schools. The various gangs that lived off exploiting the people had become the last line of order.

Hongshi Town relied on the Xiangzhu Quan School to maintain the situation.

Many ruffians and evildoers were deterred by the presence of the Xiangzhu Quan School, preventing them from acting recklessly.

"Sister, Sister!" Suddenly, a small boy wearing a melon-shaped hat burst into the room, running and shouting.

"Good news just came in!"

"What good news? You're running so fast, take it easy, slow down, be careful you don't tire yourself out." Zhang Wanru supported the boy, wiping his sweat with concern.

"It's really good news!" The boy, Zhang Songhao, her younger brother and the future heir of the Zhang family, said excitedly.

"While playing with my friends, I heard that someone from Shiqiao Town's Huishan Quan School has reached the Iron Skin level, successfully becoming a great martial artist on par with Yao Wuyeh from the Shan Chuan Gang!"

Yao Wuyeh was the major steward of the Shan Chuan Gang, to whom the Zhang family paid monthly tribute, and the true power behind the five town areas.

"That's amazing!!" Zhang Songhao was so excited he danced around. "Do you know who that person is?"

Zhang Wanru and Hongmei both shook their heads. They were not familiar with Shiqiao Town, let alone the Huishan Quan School.

A martial artist who could break through to Yao Wuyeh's level was not someone they could easily know or provoke.

"That's the person you once mentioned as a matchmaker! Back then, he was interested in you and even sent a matchmaker. It's him!" Zhang Songhao clapped his hands and laughed.

"Really!?" Zhang Wanru was surprised and stood up abruptly.

Her eyes widened, finding it hard to believe the news was true.

"Of course it's true! I've asked many people! Hahaha!! I told them that person once proposed to my sister, but they didn't believe me. Now you don't have to worry; since he proposed, he must really like you. If you just show a little interest, he'll definitely become your husband!"

Zhang Songhao smiled. "For the restaurant, such a great person just needs to say a word, and there will be ways to handle it. Whether we go to the provincial capital or stay, we can choose freely."

"Oh, what a great piece of news!" Hongmei was also surprised and delighted. "That Wei He, who proposed through the Cheng family, is now so powerful!"

She looked at her mistress.

"Miss, this is truly a great piece of news. With Wei He's achievements, you will be the wife of a great person like Yao Wuyeh!"

"Oh, then the family business won't matter anymore. You won't have to worry about planning and arranging things every day."

"That's right, Sister, I've already promised to invite my friends to the wedding feast. We haven't had a drink in so long. This is a great opportunity!" Zhang Songhao was also excited.

"Then we'll show them what a true martial artist is like!" Zhang Songhao clenched his fists, looking forward to it.

"Sister, say something? Why are you just staring off into space?"

"Right, Miss, this is such great news, why aren't you happy at all?" Hongmei was also surprised.

Zhang Wanru was silent, slowly sitting down.

"You're thinking too highly of him. Now that he's risen to prominence, he probably won't look at me anymore."

"How can that be? Back then, Wei He proposed, but you didn't agree. We can just find a matchmaker now, can't we?" Zhang Songhao said nonchalantly.

"That's right, Miss, you don't know, but many people, after becoming successful, still have feelings for the women they once liked. If you show a little interest, it will be easy to win him over," Hongmei also laughed.

Zhang Wanru just smiled bitterly, watching the two of them chatter about the future. Her heart felt increasingly empty.

They didn't know what the third level of qi and blood meant, what Yao Wuyeh represented, but she did.

In that position, with that level of strength, in the outer city of Feiye, there would be no shortage of people willing to attach themselves.

Among them, there would be many more beautiful options.

Ignorance is bliss, and this was the truth.

Zhang Wanru said nothing more, just gazing out the window at the setting sun, feeling both disappointment and determination.

Perhaps if she had agreed back then, she could have solved her current predicament. But relying on someone else's help to solve problems would not lead to anything significant in the future.

She might have some regret and disappointment for rejecting Wei He, but not much, and she did not regret it.

Because no matter when, given the conditions at the time, with her personality, she would not have chosen to agree.

'Can't I overcome this difficulty without someone else's help? I don't believe it!' The emotions in Zhang Wanru's eyes gradually faded, and she regained her original determination.

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In the inner city, at the Drunken Flower Pavilion.

"Back then, Jiang Yan, Xiao Ran, Cheng Shaojiu, and I used to sit here and talk. We even joked about your relationship with Cheng Shaojiu, and Jiang Yan explained how to win people's hearts."

Jiang Su smiled, pointing to a table, indicating they used to sit there.

"Win people's hearts?" Wei He was puzzled.

The two of them sat at another table by the window and ordered some food and drinks.

"Yes, back then we laughed at your poor background, saying that you were devoted to Cheng Shaojiu just because he gave you a little favor. Now it seems... the one who should be laughed at is us." Jiang Su said sarcastically, finishing a cup of tea in one gulp.

"Devoted?" Wei He smiled. "I was just returning the favor."

"You were equals, and that's what Brother Cheng said back then, but we didn't believe it. Now I do." Jiang Su nodded. "Back then, no one could see the depth of Wei He's character."

Now that she knew more about Wei He, she understood that someone with his personality would never follow anyone or be controlled by anyone.

He seemed calm and quiet, but in reality, he was proud and highly self-regarding. The only way to be friends with him was to treat him as an equal and with sincerity.

"The day after tomorrow, Master Zheng will leave Feiye City. Have you made your decision yet?" Wei He asked casually, picking up some stir-fried tofu and celery with his chopsticks.

The salty, fragrant tofu and the crisp, slightly bitter celery were a delicious combination.

"I've made my decision." Jiang Su nodded. "I'm leaving, but the Jiang family isn't."

"Huh? Just you?" Wei He was surprised and looked up.

"No. My father has already joined the Wang family of the Seven Families Alliance. He can't leave now. So, I will take some relatives and leave as a branch of the family, to preserve a seed for the family." Jiang Su said calmly.

"Reasonable." Wei He nodded.

"Aren't you worried at all?" Jiang Su looked at him. "This afternoon is your celebration ceremony, and martial artists from the surrounding towns will send disciples to congratulate you, and there will definitely be some sparring tests."

"Not many martial artists' schools are close to the teacher, and I've noted them down. The rest can be dealt with casually. We'll see how it goes." Wei He said calmly.

Since joining the Huishan Quan School, he had rarely seen people from other martial arts schools, and this was a good opportunity.