"Younger sister, brother-in-law."
Upon arriving at South Mountain Courtyard, Yang Shichang saw Xu Mingwei accompanying Yang Ronghua on a walk. She held a swaddled infant wrapped in silk cloth in her arms.
Both of them wore smiles as they teased the child.
Seeing this scene, Yang Shichang finally put his heart at ease.
"Brother, you came!"
At the sight of her elder brother, Yang Ronghua was overwhelmed with joy and burst into tears.
Once he drew near, Xu Mingwei cupped his hands and said, "brother-in-law."
"Come, let me see my eldest nephew."
Yang Shichang took Xu Dezhao from Yang Ronghua's arms and smiled as he kept teasing him.
Xu Dezhao's bright black eyes, meanwhile, stared unblinkingly at Yang Shichang.
"Call him Uncle. Come on, call him Uncle."
"He neither cried nor fussed. He's a bold little one."
Yang Shichang laughed heartily and returned him to Yang Ronghua. "He shares Father's name. The old man was delighted as well."
"Does Dezhao have any particular meaning?"
"A gentleman values virtue, his conduct shining bright and clear. My husband chose it."
"Mm." Yang Shichang nodded and walked along with them. "I brought a Bloodline Stone for testing the Yang Family bloodline."
"Father said that if Zhao'er's bloodline is pure, he may be able to apply to the Lineage to teach him our Yang Family's Martial Dao techniques."
"Our Xu Family does not lack martial arts either," Xu Mingwei said.
"How could they compare to the Yang Family's martial arts? Brother-in-law, you may not know this, but a Special Bloodline combined with Inheritance Martial Arts can greatly enhance one's combat strength."
"Of course, whether it can happen is uncertain. Let us test his bloodline first before discussing anything else."
Xu Mingwei nodded slightly.
They arrived at Xu Mingwei's study, and Yang Shichang began testing the bloodline.
It required a drop of blood as well.
Xu Dezhao was pricked with a needle and immediately began bawling. Yang Ronghua hurried to one side to comfort him without pause.
The pigeon-egg-sized Bloodline Stone immediately lit up with a pure red glow.
Delight appeared on Yang Shichang's face. "As expected, he inherited my Yang Family's Martial Dao bloodline, and it is exceptionally pure—far surpassing my own."
"With this bloodline, he will certainly become Xiantian through cultivation alone. If he is cultivated with all our strength, becoming a Grandmaster will pose no problem. He may even have a thirty percent chance of reaching Grandmaster Perfection."
"If the Yang Family can produce such a Prodigy, Father will probably be grinning from ear to ear."
"Zhao'er carries the Yang Family's bloodline too, so naturally he counts as one of the Yang Family."
"Haha, exactly, exactly. Your elder brother was narrow-minded."
Yang Ronghua smiled at them. "It truly was right to have Brother make the trip. Still, I actually hope Zhao'er inherits his Father's talent even more."
"Brother-in-law's talent is naturally not lacking either!" Yang Shichang said with a smile. "I'll return to the Prefecture City this afternoon and tell Father this good news."
"So soon? Brother-in-law hurried here for Zhao'er's sake, yet our Xu Family has not even properly entertained you."
"Just treat me to a meal and some wine at noon. I have dearly missed the wine from your Thousand Gold Workshop."
Yang Shichang patted Xu Mingwei on the shoulder. "Everything produced by your Xu Family is good stuff. Even in the Prefecture City, it is rarely seen."
"Things of this sort would cost more than one or two times as much in the Prefecture City. I truly have missed your fine wine and delicacies."
"By the way, does the Xu Family currently intend to expand into the Prefecture City?"
"With Zhao'er's talent, and with Father putting in a word, the Yang Family should lend you a hand and help your Xu Family put down roots in the Prefecture City."
Xu Mingwei did not reveal everything. He merely smiled and said, "Matters of business are all handled by my second brother. Even my Father rarely involves himself in them."
"However, from what I have observed, there should be no such plans in the next year or two."
"After all, the Xu Family has yet to fully establish a solid foundation even in Qingjiang County."
"Haha, brother-in-law, you are far too modest. Even if your Xu Family is not Qingjiang's Top Clan, it must still rank among the foremost."
Xu Mingwei smiled without replying directly. Instead, he said, "Since brother-in-law likes the Xu Family's goods, bring some perfume back for mother-in-law this afternoon. The fine wine can be kept for brother-in-law and father-in-law."
"By the way, if sister-in-law is pregnant, be sure not to let her use it, or it will affect the fetus."
"Then I will thank you, brother-in-law," Yang Shichang said. "By the way, brother-in-law, let us have a spar. Your elder brother has now reached Houtian Peak, only one step away from becoming an Innate Martial Artist."
"After polishing myself for another two or three years, I will surely cross that threshold in one stroke."
"At this pace, I am much faster than Father was in his day."
Yang Ronghua pressed her lips together faintly and said nothing. She simply stood beneath the courtyard corridor and quietly watched the two compete, with a maidservant attending her at the side.
Xu Mingwei sparred with Yang Shichang.
But when it ended, Yang Shichang was drenched in sweat, his pupils contracting and dilating erratically, while Xu Mingwei showed hardly any change at all.
"That was truly satisfying!"
"Yes," Xu Mingwei echoed.
"No, something is wrong." Yang Shichang quickly noticed the problem. "Your aura is not the slightest bit disordered."
"Could it be that you have already broken through to Xiantian?"
"I remember it has not even been two years since you reached Houtian Peak. How difficult is it to comprehend the Power of Heaven and Earth through one's own efforts and achieve Qi Introduction?"
"Even with the aid of a Qi Gathering Pill, it would take half a year or even more than a year before it could be possible."
Yang Shichang's eyes were filled with disbelief.
At that moment, Yang Ronghua walked over, handed him a handkerchief, and said with a soft laugh, "Brother, my husband entered Xiantian more than half a year ago."
"Moreover, because the Xu Family was opening a Martial Arts Hall, Qingjiang County's Three Major Martial Arts Halls targeted us. On the opening day, he defeated the Black Wind Hall Master all by himself."
"The Black Wind Hall Master?!" Yang Shichang's heart jolted again. "That Hall Master Wang who is over sixty?"
"He has been Xiantian for more than a decade. You actually managed to defeat him?"
He circled Xu Mingwei once, then finally sighed and raised a thumb. "Your elder brother cannot help but admire your talent."
"Perhaps it is because Zhao'er is your son that the Yang Family bloodline is so pure."
"By the way, I have been here for so long without paying respects to your Father. That is truly discourteous. Brother-in-law, take me to see him."
"Alright."
That afternoon.
Yang Shichang rode back to the Prefecture City.
Everything he needed to bring had been prepared, though there was only so much he could carry on horseback.
"Younger sister, brother-in-law, come to Yuehu Prefecture City when you have time. Your elder brother will certainly entertain you properly."
Yang Ronghua had followed Yang Zhao and his wife to Qingjiang County shortly after she was born, so she had no impression whatsoever of the Prefecture City.
Only after she watched Yang Shichang's figure disappear beyond the horizon did she lower her head and wipe away her tears.
Xu Mingwei drew her into his embrace. "Do not worry. When the chance comes, we will certainly go to the Prefecture City to visit brother-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, and the others."
"It will not be too long."
He knew his Father's ambitions well. Qingjiang County would ultimately be unable to contain the Xu Family's hidden dragon.
In the blink of an eye, May arrived.
It had not rained for three months.
The weather was also exceptionally scorching. The water in the paddy fields had nearly dried up, and even the river levels had fallen sharply, making it impossible to divert water to irrigate the paddy fields.
Many common folk wailed in despair as their rice crops withered to death.
To them, these were the very foundations upon which they depended to survive.
The Xu Family had over five hundred mu of paddy fields, over three hundred mu of farmland, and over three hundred mu of forest land, so they were naturally affected as well.
But because they responded in time, the losses remained within a tolerable range.
Over the past month, the prices of vegetables, fruit, and grain in Qingjiang County had risen again and again.
Seeing that they could no longer survive, some common folk from Dongxi Village simply sold their paddy fields and farmland to the Xu Family and became the Xu Family's Long-term Laborers.
At present, only the Xu Family could afford to take people in.
The Xu Family had declined continuously over the past few years, dismissing many Household Guards and Maidservants from their estate, much less taking on Long-term Laborers.
Heart Seeking Courtyard.
Xu Chuan's study.
The two brothers, Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan, were both there.
"Father, our family has acquired over four hundred mu of paddy fields, over three hundred mu of farmland, and over two hundred mu of forest land recently.
"Although the Great Drought has reduced their prices to less than half of what they used to be, Heaven refuses to send rain, and the drought will only grow worse. No one knows when it will end. We cannot keep acquiring land like this, can we?"
Furrows quietly formed between Xu Mingwei's brows, and he faintly wore an air of worry.
Xu Mingyuan stood to the side, his expression equally grave.
"They are all our fellow villagers. If we do not help them now, they may become Beggars or even starve to death alive."
"Father, are you gathering the people's hearts?"
Xu Mingyuan lowered his eyelids slightly, then raised his head to look at Xu Chuan.
Thanks to fellow daoist 1539085747460538368 for the reward. May fellow daoist have immortality within sight!!!
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