Chapter 117 - 116: Marriage

Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Marriage

The group stepped into the courtyard.

After the host and guests were seated, the atmosphere grew a little subtle.

Zhou Shuwei gracefully lifted her teacup, gently skimming the foam from its surface. She made some seemingly casual small talk about the grand spectacle of the County Examination and offered her praise for Chen Shouheng, but an invisible pressure lingered in her words, permeating the air.

Zhou Zhen accompanied the conversation from the side, his words cautious.

Elder Zhan, however, kept his eyes closed in meditation, like an old monk in a deep trance.

Chen Li’s Divine Sense could clearly perceive that this Elder Zhan held a power as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea, but he couldn’t determine his specific level of Cultivation without seeing him in action.

As for the Zhou Family Patriarch, Zhou Shuwei, she had the aura of someone at the Spirit Realm First Level, the Meridian Passage.

After a bit more small talk, Zhou Shuwei set down her teacup and smiled. "Brother Chen, your son’s victory in the County Examination has made his name known throughout the Commandery City. Such a young talent is truly enviable. To be honest, I, Shuwei, have taken the liberty of visiting today because I have an important matter I wish to discuss with you alone, Brother Chen."

As she spoke, she cast a meaningful glance at Chen Shouheng, who was sitting beside them.

Chen Li understood her meaning. He put down his teacup and said to Chen Shouheng, "Shouheng, you’ve had a long journey. Rest here with Master Zhou and Elder Zhan for a while."

Chen Shouheng’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but seeing his father’s calm gaze, he swallowed his words. He lowered his head and replied, "Yes, Father."

Chen Li rose to his feet. "Patriarch Zhou, please, let’s move to the study."

The study was simply furnished, filled only with the scent of books and a few medicinal herbs.

The two of them sat down, a desk between them.

Zhou Shuwei dropped all pretenses. Looking directly at Chen Li, she got straight to the point. "Brother Chen, let’s not beat around the bush. My Zhou Family greatly values your worthy son Shouheng’s potential and character. We wish to have him marry into our family and inherit the line of my Eldest Branch.

"We are willing to offer five Silk Shops in the Commandery City, two hundred weaving looms, and thirty thousand taels of silver as a betrothal gift. In addition, we can also present a Superior External Cultivation Pile Skill, the External Supreme Posture Training: Rock Foundation, and its complementary Rock Sword Technique."

This betrothal gift was so generous it would drive any ordinary Martial Master family into a frenzy.

Chen Li’s expression darkened instantly. Without a moment’s thought, he refused. "Patriarch Zhou, Shouheng is my eldest son, not a piece of merchandise. Though my Chen Family is not one of great wealth and prestige, we are unwilling to have our son marry into another family. This is absolutely impossible."

Zhou Shuwei seemed to have expected this. She wasn’t angry; instead, she gave a dazzling smile. "I admire your love for your son, Brother Chen. Since you are unwilling to have Shouheng marry into my family, I will take a step back.

"Let my niece, Qingyi, marry your worthy son Shouheng as his principal wife. He will not need to marry into our family, but we must agree that one of their future sons will take the Zhou surname to carry on my brother’s family line."

Her speech quickened, giving Chen Li no time to reply as she continued, "In return, my Zhou Family is willing to exhaust our resources to help your son prepare for the examinations until he becomes a Martial Scholar. Silver, Elixirs, insights into Cultivation Techniques—this is no empty promise. Furthermore..."

She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice. "I wonder if Brother Chen is aware that the Court intends to pilot a policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields in places like Mirror Mountain. The Zhou Family can provide the Chen Family with a large amount of silver taels and grain in advance to help you acquire the surrounding farmland.

"We can also send our most experienced artisans to guide the Chen Family in planting mulberry trees and raising silkworms. The Zhou Family will have priority to purchase all the silk produced at the full market price. Brother Chen, this is a mutually beneficial arrangement. For your Chen Family, it has a hundred benefits and not a single drawback."

Her gaze was scorching as she stared intently into Chen Li’s eyes.

Chen Li’s expression was as calm as still water. He remained silent for a moment, then slowly rose. "Patriarch Zhou, this matter concerns my son’s lifelong happiness; it is no small thing. Please allow me to discuss this with Shouheng before I give you an answer, Madam. Please, wait here for a moment."

Zhou Shuwei smiled confidently and gave an elegant nod. "Of course. I shall await the good news."

Chen Li walked out of the study, closing the door behind him.

In the corridor leading to the guest rooms, he saw Chen Shouheng standing alone, lost in thought as he gazed at a wintersweet tree in the corner.

The young man’s brow was slightly furrowed, his face showing obvious hesitation and conflict.

"Shouheng," Chen Li called out.

Chen Shouheng snapped back to reality and quickly turned around. "Father."

Chen Li didn’t beat around the bush. He directly told Shouheng about the two proposals Zhou Shuwei had made in the study, especially the second one involving marriage and the condition that one son must bear the Zhou surname.

After explaining, he looked at his son with a calm gaze and spoke in a steady voice, "What are your thoughts on this? Don’t worry about the family’s gains or losses, just tell me what is in your heart. If you are unwilling, I will go and refuse her right now. The Chen Family does not need to trade its children’s marriages for wealth and status."

After hearing this, a complex expression instantly appeared on Chen Shouheng’s face.

He had never met that Miss Zhou, Zhou Qingyi, face to face, but he’d had a brief encounter with her from behind a screen that day.

His intuition told him that this woman was most likely a spoiled, willful, and arrogant young lady from a wealthy family.

He had no good feelings toward her; in fact, he felt a certain aversion.

He felt a deep-seated resistance to the very thought of spending his life with a woman like that.

However, he was no longer the naive boy who only knew how to bury his head in martial arts training.

In recent years, he had come home to help his father manage many of the farm’s affairs and was keenly aware of their family’s situation.

The family’s current financial state was strained. Supporting the martial arts training for himself, Shouye, and Shouyue was an enormous expense.

On top of that, there were his three younger brothers: Shoujing, Shouyue, and Shoucheng.

His mother and Aunt Liu were also practicing to cultivate their Inner Qi.

And they were all consuming only low-grade Medicinal Cuisine.

Even so, the family’s annual expenditure on Medicinal Cuisine was over five thousand taels of silver.

They were in a state where their expenses completely outstripped their income. If it weren’t for a few chance encounters and unexpected windfalls, they would have been completely unable to sustain it.

But such opportunities didn’t come every year.

Under these circumstances, the terms offered by the Zhou Family would undoubtedly be a tremendous help to his own family.

On the way back, he had heard Zhou Shuwei mention the policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields.

With the Zhou Family’s help, not only could their family overcome their financial difficulties, but they could even seize the opportunity to rise and gain the upper hand.

Moreover, there were the resources the Zhou Family promised for the Martial Examination... If he had their full support, his chances of becoming a Martial Scholar would increase dramatically.

On one hand, there were his personal feelings and preferences; on the other, the interests of his family and his own future on the Martial Dao...

He could clearly weigh the significance of each.

Finally, he took a deep breath, suppressed all his emotions deep in his heart, and his gaze gradually became resolute. Meeting his father’s eyes, he said in a low but crystal-clear voice, "Father, your son is willing to marry the Miss Zhou."

As the words fell, he lowered his head slightly, hiding the trace of indescribable, complex emotion in his eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Chen Li was taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected Chen Shouheng to give such an answer.

Chen Shouheng gritted his teeth. "Your son... will follow your arrangements. Please decide whatever you think is best for the family!"

Chen Li looked deeply at his eldest son. He said nothing more, simply reaching out and patting Chen Shouheng heavily on the shoulder.

"You’ve grown up!"

Chen Li’s voice carried an imperceptible sigh, and his eyes held relief, heartache, and an even more indescribable complexity.

"Don’t worry. Your father knows what he’s doing. I will absolutely not let you be wronged."

With that, he turned and returned to the study.