Chapter 1292 - 921: Engagement

As long as they’re men, there’s none who doesn’t like green tea!

That’s not green tea, that’s clearly my brother’s good sister.

At this moment, Gong Chun was already bewitched by Jiang Nan, pledging on his chest to his ’good sister,’ then quickly vanished into the crowd while looking at Zhong Xiang’s eyes that seemed ready to spit fire.

From a high vantage point at a distant building, Zhang Chen cast an escape technique, his figure flashed, arriving at the high point of the pavilion. It’s undeniable that standing at a high place has its advantages, allowing one to capture the entire academy’s scenery in view.

Zhang Chen’s eyes swept afar, seeing the waterfall burned out and the crowd around Zhong Xiang unwilling to disperse.

It took a whole day for Zhong Xiang to fully grasp the heavenly fire, and after dismissing the academy’s gentlemen, he turned into a blaze and arrived at the pavilion, standing in front of Zhang Chen.

"That woman is not good, stay away from her in the future." Zhong Xiang stood before Zhang Chen, complaining about Jiang Nan.

"Of course I know she’s not good. She navigates between men to gain benefits, wanting to sell herself at a good price." Zhang Chen smiled.

"You know her value and still walk with her?" Zhong Xiang frowned.

"Life is a play, it’s all about acting!" Zhang Chen smiled.

"You lust after her body, you’re despicable!" Zhong Xiang mercilessly exposed Zhang Chen’s disguise.

Zhang Chen was speechless for a while, and then argued, "You know, I have a deep hatred with the Gong Family. The Gong Family wants to trouble her, so of course I have to lend her a hand."

Zhong Xiang pouted in disbelief: "I trust you are full of tricks. You were bad in the Northern Land..."

Zhong Xiang couldn’t continue speaking, words stuck at his mouth in frustration: "Anyway, from today, all grievances are settled, and you must not be rude to me anymore."

"Little brother will never be rude to Brother Zhong again." Zhang Chen quickly bowed: "Thank you for your generosity, Brother Zhong."

"Who is your Brother Zhong? My name is Zhong Xiang, Xiang as in ’yearning,’ but many don’t know my maiden name and address wrongly thinking I’m called Zhong Xiang. Remember to call me Miss Zhong in the future!" Zhong Xiang glared at Zhang Chen, her teeth grinding ever so slightly, wishing she could bite him to death if she were stronger.

"Yes, Miss Zhong Xiang." Zhang Chen chuckled, "Your grandfather invited me to visit, do you want to go back with me?"

"I haven’t been back in some time either, let’s go together." Zhong Xiang hesitated slightly, then nodded, agreeing with Zhang Chen.

The two descended the pavilion together and took a carriage to the Zhong Family.

The entrance of the Zhong Family was crowded, with a line stretching hundreds of meters, forming a dragon.

"The Zhong Family is blazing hot now, a family of power and fame in Kyoto. I must curry favor with you two in the future to mix in Kyoto." Zhang Chen jokingly said to Zhong Xiang.

Zhong Xiang glanced at Zhang Chen sideways: "How to curry favor? How about being a live-in son-in-law? My family has two sisters to marry you."

"Being a live-in son-in-law? That’s a great idea! Then play out a super son-in-law drama, where your sisters look down on me and plan to break off the engagement, and I slap your whole family in the face." Zhang Chen chuckled, starting to play with the trope.

"What nonsense! Utterly baffling!" Zhong Xiang didn’t understand Zhang Chen’s Dragon King returns trope and grumbled.

"Speaking of you wanting me as a son-in-law, why your sisters? Look at us, we’re of similar age, a man should marry and a woman should wed, we seem like a good match." Zhang Chen joked with Zhong Xiang.

"Bang~"

Zhong Xiang’s delicate foot directly kicked towards Zhang Chen’s head, caught by Zhang Chen, and then Zhong Xiang was subdued by Zhang Chen.

"Let me go! Dare to joke recklessly again, I’ll crush your dog head!" Although subdued, Zhong Xiang was not one to admit defeat, glaring angrily at Zhang Chen.

"Not marrying, not marrying, why get angry! You women, each with such high standards, all high and mighty young ladies, how would you fancy me, a country bumpkin?" Zhang Chen spoke with some lament.

From Shen Ling to Jiang Nan, then to Zhong Xiang before him, all of them aim to climb higher branches.

Zhong Xiang was speechless for a moment, sized up Zhang Chen, and said: "If you’re not afraid I’m not gentle, having a manly character, marrying you isn’t impossible. I’m different from Jiang Nan and Shen Ling."

"You knew?" Zhang Chen was stunned.

"I think of you day and night in Kyoto, researching everything about you. What can you hide from me?" Zhong Xiang spoke, sizing up Zhang Chen:

"That Jiang Nan and Shen Ling are really going too far."

The carriage fell into silence. Zhang Chen let go of Zhong Xiang and sighed softly, "I say, Zhong Xiang, you wouldn’t be after the fortune I possess, would you?"

"After you did that to me, what other choice do I have but to marry you?" Zhong Xiang lowered her head.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen was stunned. In this era, the standards for a woman’s reputation were exceptionally high. After being touched by him in public, word would spread to all the prominent families, who would dare propose to her now?

"If your family doesn’t object, there’s no harm in us getting married," Zhang Chen thought of Lady Biyun, a memory from the Five Villages Temple of Xu Erniu, which all felt like a dream swirling in his mind:

"But there are some things I need to tell you in advance. I already have other women. They may be dead or alive. If one day I find them, I don’t know if you can accept playing second fiddle..."

"Bang~"

Before Zhang Chen could finish, Zhong Xiang’s foot kicked him in the face. Zhang Chen, not expecting it, was kicked over completely: "If you don’t want to take responsibility, just say so. Why bring up having other women? From birth until now, I have all your records under my control. You don’t have any other women, yet you come here and fool me, you jerk!"

After saying this, Zhong Xiang swung her fist at him again. Zhang Chen could only block it. The two of them ended up fighting within the carriage.

After quite a while, the commotion in the carriage calmed down. Zhang Chen tidied up his disheveled clothes, looking at Zhong Xiang with complexity in his eyes. After a long pause, he finally said, "Thank you!"

Ever since arriving in this world, Zhang Chen had been looked down upon by many. He could sense that Zhong Xiang genuinely wanted to marry him and didn’t mind his low status.

Zhong Xiang said nothing more, while tidying her clothes, she turned her head to look at the scenery outside the carriage. The carriage eventually arrived at the Zhong Family’s backyard. Zhang Chen and Zhong Xiang parted ways, he returned home to meet Mrs. Zhang and check on the cultivation progress of the three young ones.

After getting reacquainted with the family, Elder Zhong came over with servants carrying food and wine. The family set up a feast, and Zhang Chen sat with Elder Zhong. Elder Zhong’s gaze swept over Mrs. Zhang, who was about to leave with the three young ones, and quickly called out: "Mrs. Zhang, come sit as well, I have something to say today."

In this era, women and children could not sit at the table when men ate, but Elder Zhong unusually invited Mrs. Zhang to join. This surprised Zhang Chen, who invited Mrs. Zhang and the three young ones to sit.

Zhang Chen poured wine for Elder Zhong and then asked in surprise: "Elder, why did you call me back today? Is there something you wish to discuss?"

Zhong Wubai glared at Zhang Chen: "Zhang Chen, although I am grateful to you for helping me break through the Tenth Tier, some things still need to be clarified between us."

A light bulb went off in Zhang Chen’s head, immediately realizing what Zhong Wubai wanted to say. His eye twitched slightly as he remembered the incident of touching someone’s granddaughter, which had finally reached her grandfather’s ears. Now the grandfather was coming to settle the score. What could he do?

Feeling guilty!

"Please go ahead, sir." Zhang Chen quickly replied with respect.

"Although the Zhong Family isn’t some prestigious family, it has been passed down for tens of thousands of years, with strict rules and proper etiquette," Zhong Wubai said slowly.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen’s heart skipped a beat, silently lamenting: "It’s over; the incident has indeed exploded, and the injured party has come knocking."

So he quickly chimed in: "Indeed! Indeed!"

"You acted disrespectfully in the academy in front of countless princes and nobles. How can my granddaughter marry in the future? Her reputation has been ruined by you. Do you think I shouldn’t hold you accountable?" Zhong Wubai said.

Zhang Chen smiled bitterly and quickly nodded: "You should! Indeed you should! I am willing to accept any punishment, at your discretion, sir."

Hearing this, Zhong Wubai nodded in satisfaction: "You currently have no engagement, and neither does my Zhong Xiang. You two are a match made in heaven, so why not right the wrong by getting married? Mrs. Zhang, being Zhang Chen’s elder, can decide for you. What do you say, madam?"

Mrs. Zhang was stunned, staring at Zhang Chen with wide eyes. How could she dare make such a decision for Zhang Chen?

"The Zhong Family is indeed a prestigious one. If Zhang Chen is willing, I naturally have no objection," Mrs. Zhang replied.

Zhong Wubai turned to Zhang Chen: "You publicly touched my granddaughter’s butt. Do you have any objections?"

Zhong Wubai emphasized the words "publicly touched her butt," and what could Zhang Chen say upon hearing this?

If Elder Zhong knew he once used a knife on Zhong Xiang’s buttocks, and also used Zhong Xiang as a furnace for melting magma, wouldn’t he want to fight Zhang Chen to death?

So, feeling guilty, Zhang Chen could only say at this moment: "As long as Zhong Xiang has no objections, I am entirely at your command, sir."

Zhong Wubai, seeing this, nodded with satisfaction: "Since you touched Zhong Xiang’s butt, she can’t marry into a good family, and she has no choice. She is stuck with you for life."