The next day.
Yang Zhao rode a fast horse to Yuehu Prefecture City.
After arriving at the Yang Family, he informed his Uncle Yang Wenfeng of the matter.
"You insist on marrying your daughter into a small family in Qingjiang County?"
"Uncle, the two families have already exchanged betrothal letters and finalized the engagement. We are only waiting for an auspicious day to become kin by marriage. How could I go back on my word? We cannot let the Yang Family bear the name of being cruel and unrighteous."
In the end, Yang Zhao still followed his wife's advice and allowed Yang Ronghua to happily marry the man she loved.
After all, great families had never placed much importance on women, who were often little more than tools for marriage alliances.
But Yang Shichang's marriage was certainly unavoidable.
As he thought this, he knew that once the matters here were settled and he returned to Qingjiang County, he would also have to quickly patch up his lie.
If it succeeded, he would remain in Qingjiang County for no more than half a year.
Yang Wenfeng pondered for a moment, his gaze rippling. "Since that is the case, we can only do as you say."
"Originally, it would have been most suitable for Shichang of your family to marry the Wen Family's legitimate daughter, while Ronghua married their legitimate son.
"Now, we can only choose another candidate. Your third uncle's granddaughter, Yang Rongchun, is eighteen this year and would be just right for him."
"I expect he will be delighted to form such a powerful marriage alliance with the Wen Family."
After saying that, Yang Wenfeng glanced at Yang Zhao again and said blandly, "Come with me to the Wen Family shortly and tell them of this matter in person."
"Thank you, Uncle."
That same day.
Yang Zhao returned to Qingjiang County.
As soon as he got home, he had Yang Shichang go to the Xu Family and invite Xu Chuan to the County Office.
The County Assistant was busy with official affairs. After taking several days of leave, quite a bit of work had piled up, waiting for him to handle it.
Qingjiang County, County Office.
"Brother Yang, you summoned me so urgently. What important matter is it?"
"It concerns the marriage matter between my daughter and your son."
Xu Chuan froze slightly. Not long ago, he had discussed this with Yang Zhao, and they had both said that the two youngsters were still young and that marriage could be discussed again in a year or two.
"Did something change?"
"It is a matter on the Prefecture City side. They want me to compete for the position of Prefectural Commandant, but the Yang Family requires me to marry into the Wen Family. One daughter married out, one bride married in—Chang'er would marry the Wen Family's legitimate daughter, and Ronghua was originally meant to marry their legitimate son as well."
"But Hua'er and your eldest son have sworn vows of mountain and sea to each other. I feared that forcibly tearing them apart would make them hate us for a lifetime, so I lied and claimed that Hua'er had already exchanged betrothal gifts and finalized an engagement with your Xu Family, merely waiting for an auspicious day to cross the threshold."
"Only then did I persuade my Uncle to agree to change the candidate."
"But this lie must be made whole. Otherwise, it will bring needless trouble upon both our families."
"Brother Yang, rest assured. I will have my wife handle this as soon as possible. We will keep our stories consistent and not let a single word slip, so that you will not face any danger."
"Mm." Yang Zhao nodded.
Then Xu Chuan clasped his fist in congratulations. "Little Brother will first congratulate Brother Yang on your promotion."
"It is only that once Brother Yang returns to the Prefecture City, with two places separating us, I fear it will be difficult to drink together again."
"Then I shall borrow brother Xu's auspicious words." Yang Zhao returned the gesture and laughed heartily. "Your Xu Family is no fish trapped in a pond either. One day, you will surely develop your family all the way to the Prefecture City."
"Xu, my younger brother, the great Prefecture Cities are the best places for aristocratic families to grow."
"Although Qingjiang County Town could be called one of the prosperous counties within Yuehu Prefecture, it was difficult to see even a single immortal cultivator in ordinary days.
"Yet in the Prefecture City, the disciples of every major aristocratic family had practitioners of both the Martial Dao and the Immortal Dao, while resources that aided the Martial Dao and Immortal Dao came in countless varieties."
"Though my Yang Family was also a great family in Yuehu Prefecture, the truly deep-rooted top aristocratic families all set their sights on immortal cultivation. Some great families even had Great Cultivators at Foundation Establishment watching over them."
"As for the Martial Dao, even becoming a Grandmaster was merely comparable to Late Qi Condensation."
Upon first hearing these secrets of the great aristocratic families in the Prefecture City, Xu Chuan was fascinated.
"By the way, Brother Yang, could you tell me how your Prefecture City ranks those aristocratic families?"
Yang Zhao smiled in surprise and explained at length. "The Great Wei Dynasty secretly divided aristocratic families into nine ranks, just like official positions. Ninth-rank was the lowest, and first-rank the highest."
"A Ninth-Rank Aristocratic Family had to possess at least one Innate Martial Artist or an immortal cultivator at Third-Layer Qi Condensation."
"An Eighth-Rank Aristocratic Family needed a martial artist at the Late-Innate realm or an immortal cultivator at Mid Qi Condensation."
"A Second-Rank Aristocratic Family needed at least three Foundation Establishment Realm experts."
"A First-Rank Aristocratic Family had to possess five Foundation Establishment Realm experts, including a Great Cultivator at Foundation Establishment Late Stage."
Xu Chuan grew thoughtful and said with a bitter smile, "Then my Xu Family does not even qualify as a Ninth-Rank Aristocratic Family now."
"These are classifications for the aristocratic families of the Prefecture City. County-town families are basically not included, since more than ninety percent do not possess an Innate Martial Artist. So, brother Xu, there is no need to belittle yourself so."
"I, Yang, think very highly of your Xu Family."
Xu Chuan nodded and asked again, "Then what rank is your Yang Family now?"
"Curious? This is not much of a secret even in the Prefecture City, so there is no harm in telling you." Yang Zhao smiled calmly. "My Yang Family ranks sixth-rank."
Sixth-rank meant there were at least three Grandmaster Martial Artists, with one Late Grandmaster presiding over the family.
As for exactly how many experts there were, that was the highest secret of every aristocratic family.
Yang Zhao naturally would not be foolish enough to reveal it.
"The road is long and the burden heavy." Xu Chuan sighed with feeling.
"Xu, my elder brother, how could the path of an aristocratic family be completed in a day or a night? My Yang Family took more than three hundred years to reach where it is today, and every generation had to govern diligently and strive with all its strength before we were promoted into the middle three ranks of aristocratic families."
Yang Zhao shook his head and laughed helplessly.
After Xu Chuan returned, he immediately had Bai Jing prepare the matters of the Three Letters and Six Betrothals. Then he had her accompany him and Xu Mingwei to Yang Manor two days later.
Xu Mingwei was delighted, but also surprised.
So he spoke up to ask.
Xu Chuan did not hide anything and told him everything about the Yang Family.
"Thank you, Father."
"You should thank your Uncle Yang even more—your future father-in-law. The Yang Family could easily have sent Ronghua away for a marriage alliance, but they did not. They are also taking a risk."
Xu Chuan smiled and patted his shoulder. "You must remember this human favor yourself and repay it in the future."
"I understand, Father."
Two days later.
Yang Manor.
"Brother Yang, my Xu Family has prepared the Three Letters and Six Betrothals in full. Please inspect them."
Xu Chuan clasped his fist toward Yang Zhao. Yang Zhao smiled. "Since you handled it, Brother, I naturally trust it. Come, let us drink tea and talk."
Xu Chuan and Bai Jing chatted and laughed with Yang Zhao and his wife about the marriage between Xu Mingwei and Yang Ronghua.
After a round of discussion, they finally set the date for the second day of the second month the following year.
It was now October.
That meant there were still four months remaining.
It was enough time for both families to prepare all the matters for the marriage.
"Brother Mingwei, the marriage matter has finally been settled. Congratulations." Yang Shichang clasped his fist in congratulations.
"Brother Shichang, congratulations to you as well. Father told me about your family's situation." Xu Mingwei quietly looked at Yang Shichang and saw only a trace of bitterness and envy in his eyes.
"What is there for me to congratulate? It is only a family marriage alliance."
As he spoke, he patted Xu Mingwei on the shoulder. "Treat my Younger Sister well. If I learn that she has been bullied, then do not blame me, your future brother-in-law, for returning from the Prefecture City and giving you a beating."
"Of course." Xu Mingwei solemnly made his promise.
Xu Chuan decided to announce the marriage between the two families on Clan Establishment Day.
Yang Zhao did not object.
The Xu Family was now a blazing-hot rising aristocratic family in Qingjiang County.
For such a major matter as establishing the clan, who knew how many Qingjiang aristocratic families and wealthy merchants would attend.
Announcing it publicly would make it as solid as a nail driven into a board.
Even if Uncle and the Wen Family investigated, they would find no crack to exploit.
Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, the day the Xu Family established its clan had arrived.
The Xu Family had finally climbed another step. As for the next step, surely all you godfathers could guess it.
Before you continue