Lei Chongmao did not welcome these people from Imperial Capital City, but he also knew he could not afford to provoke them. Though they all belonged to the Beitang Imperial Clan camp, the Lei Family was far away in another province and outside the center of political power. They could not afford to provoke them.
Lei Wanche's move was not truly meant to cost him his life to bring those people out unharmed. Still, the necessary show had to be made.
"You must not be discourteous to them either. I intend to choose a marriage-alliance partner from the forces behind them."
At the words "marriage alliance," Lei Chongmao immediately lost his composure somewhat. Irritated and embarrassed, he said,
"Why bring this up all of a sudden? Does our Lei Family really need to use such methods to win over other forces? Is one Beitang Shu not enough?"
He was a dignified seven-foot man. Though born among the nobility, he had always been rigorous and self-disciplined, enjoying reading and martial training, never indulging in beauty or pleasure. He disliked—greatly disliked—the practice of using marriage and one's own happiness as a calculation for profit.
Especially since the Lei Family's past strategies and policies had never tilted in this direction. The family did have marriage-alliance partners, but they were either minor local forces or merchant households. Ultimately, it was still the will of the Beitang Imperial Clan that called the shots.
Why had the Meng Family always been disliked, never accepted, and even repeatedly suppressed by the Beitang Imperial Clan?
Was it not because they were not obedient? They leaped about everywhere, forming secret cliques through marriage alliances. They had ties to the Nine-Surname Houses and the thirteen Sacred Lands, not to mention countless lesser forces. Even if they were not friendly generation