Family Banquet, Possession

Not long after Zhang Jian left, a magnificently dressed beauty, like a lady of a distinguished family, hurriedly appeared in the distance from the dam. She seemed deeply wary of the dam's location, her gaze sweeping over its surroundings, yet disappointment flickered in her eyes.

Not long ago, she had sensed the aura of the Dragon Pearl before Dragon-Locking Dam. Yet by the time she rushed over—

They had still passed each other by.

But she could not help feeling invigorated. This proved that she was already very close to the Dragon Pearl.

"I must speed up and reclaim the Dragon Pearl. Father is far too weak now, and he is in great danger!"

The thought lent a solemn cast to her face.

A moment later, she summoned several burly men dressed as household servants and had them investigate everyone who had appeared nearby, determined to uncover even the faintest trace.

Night fell, but the Qi family residence had only begun to blaze with lantern light.

The place was overflowing with festivity. This time, the Qi family had specially arranged a family banquet for their grandson who had come from afar.

The Fengxi Zhang family could already be considered blessed with many descendants, but after witnessing the spectacle before him, Zhang Jian felt that the old man of his family still had not worked hard enough...

At this family banquet, Zhang Jian also met his maternal grandfather, who had long claimed to be recuperating from an illness.

Qi Yi was broad and powerfully built, with a square face. Though he was nearly sixty, he carried the air of a battle-hardened general. Everything about him was rigid and proper; at a glance, one could tell he was an exceedingly upright man who placed great importance on rules.

Beside him was Zhang Jian's grandmother, Qi Qianshi. She looked like a kindly old lady, draped in gold and silver and radiating wealth. The moment she saw Zhang Jian, she eagerly pulled him close for a good look and lavished him with praise.

"What fine looks, what fine looks! My grandson truly deserves to be the Literary Star descended from heaven. With such character and appearance, he is destined to pass the jinshi examination and become the top scholar!"

"Grandmother praises me too highly. How could your grandson dare accept such praise? I am merely of ordinary talent and appearance!"

Zhang Jian smiled faintly.

He could see that this grandmother truly doted on him. His grandfather, Qi Yi, on the other hand, was far more aloof, keeping a stern face from beginning to end.

Aside from that, his other aunts treated him fairly well.

Yet among his uncles, only his fourth uncle, Qi Yuanjia, was present to keep him company this time.

His grandfather had fathered five uncles for him: Qi Yuanwu, Qi Yuansi, Qi Yuansheng, Qi Yuanjia, and Qi Yuanxing.

Of the five, the one with the highest official position was his eldest uncle, Qi Yuanwu. Through ancestral favor, Qi Yuanwu had obtained the post of Principal Sixth Rank Zhaowu Commandant and was serving in the capital's Imperial Guard, bearing the vital duty of guarding the imperial palace. He was clearly held in high regard by the court.

Next was Qi Yuansi, who also held a post in the military. He served as the prefectural chief patrol inspector, commanding three thousand troops within the prefecture. Although his office ranked below that of the prefectural commandant and was subject to the commandant's authority, he had once served in the border army and accumulated military merit. His future could be said to shine bright.

The other three uncles fell somewhat short of those two.

For instance, his fourth uncle was a pure idler of wealth and leisure, a regular patron of every theater quarter and pleasure house.

This fourth uncle, however, clearly thought little of him as well.

As for the two young girls who had secretly watched him before Dragon-Locking Dam, he had already investigated them.

They were the two daughters of the Qi family's second branch—his cousins, Qi Yuhua and Qi Yuzhu.

His gaze silently swept over the two cousins. Their personalities were utterly different. Qi Yuhua was clearly more reserved, keeping her head lowered without a word as she nibbled delicately at her food, as though she had locked horns with the dishes before her!

The other one, however, stared eagerly at him as he spoke with the old lady, making no effort to hide it.

Her eyes brimmed with curiosity.

Zhang Jian returned her gaze with a smile.

His second uncle, Qi Yuansi, had a fairly good relationship with the Zhang family.

Zhang Jian remembered him well.

This second uncle was cold-faced but warm-hearted.

Zhang Jian recalled that he had visited several times and brought him quite a few gifts.

Still, he had not expected that he would cross paths with these two cousins—the true targets of this "matchmaking"—in such a manner, one step ahead of schedule.

Zhang Jian's gaze shifted. His early arrival in the prefectural city this time was not merely to celebrate his grandfather's birthday; he had also come to seek an opportunity for the Zhang family to rise further.

A marriage alliance was an excellent method.

Though Zhang Jian was a cultivator who had stepped onto the path of the Great Dao, he was not particularly resistant to it. The path to longevity he followed was not the orthodox one. Instead, he intended first to enter the mortal world, then leave it behind.

Moreover, in many official mythological tales of Great Qian, true immortals were not entirely without families. Quite a number had achieved success in cultivation only in middle age, before leaving home to cultivate.

Zhang Jian's calm bearing and refined manner, coupled with that otherworldly air around him, left a strong impression on many of the young men and women at the family banquet. It also overturned the first impression held by many Qi family girls and cousins—that he had come from some small, insignificant household.

This was precisely the impression Zhang Jian had deliberately cultivated. Since he wished to seek opportunities in the prefectural city, he could not allow others to see him as mediocre and ordinary. Yet neither could he completely reveal his shrewd and capable side.

At the same time, Zhang Jian was quietly studying his grandfather.

Rumors outside said that Qi Yi, the old master of the Qi family, was in poor health and already intended to hand down the great authority of the family head.

But as Zhang Jian looked at him now, Qi Yi's vital essence was flourishing and abundant. He did not look like a man in poor health.

On the contrary, he resembled a body-tempering general at the very peak of his prime!

Nor did he need a Daoist priest to drive away evil.

The aura of dragon and tiger about him was exceptionally vigorous. Even Zhang Jian felt oppressed when facing it head-on.

Could it be someone else?!

At that moment, a young girl in pink standing below the old lady suddenly parted her cherry lips and smiled sweetly.

"Brother Zhang, you were the top scholar of this year's provincial examination. Do you have confidence in the Ministry of Rites metropolitan examination?"

As she spoke, several other Qi family girls, as well as several female cousins, all turned their eyes toward him with curiosity and scrutiny.

Zhang Jian pondered briefly before saying,

"The Ministry of Rites metropolitan examination gathers the pillars and talented scholars of every prefecture and province. Candidates like us who topped the provincial examination—even second-place scholars and provincial champions—are everywhere by the handful. It is like ten thousand horses crossing a single-plank bridge. To claim great confidence would surely be a lie.

All I can say is that when the time comes, I will give it everything I have and do my utmost!"

Zhang Jian's answer was flawless.

He was neither ostentatious nor timid. Qi Yuhua was clearly not satisfied, and with a smiling expression, she was just about to tease him.

Just as the atmosphere of the family banquet reached its height—

An old servant in green suddenly hurried in from the rear courtyard outside the hall. He whispered a few words into Qi Yi's ear, and Qi Yi's expression immediately darkened before he hurried away.

Qi Yuxian suddenly seemed to think of something as well. She cried out, her lovely face draining of color. Forgetting all about teasing Zhang Jian, she hurried after him into the rear courtyard.

"Looks like Eldest Aunt's madness has flared up again?"

Zhang Jian's eyes stirred slightly. He saw one of his male cousins muttering quietly. This cousin stood beside Fourth Uncle Qi Yuanjia. He was Qi Tongli, Qi Yuanjia's eldest legitimate son.

He truly took after his fourth uncle. Though he had married early, he was essentially another idler of wealth and leisure.

The delicate-looking woman beside him was far more cautious and prudent, quickly tugging at him.

But Zhang Jian had already caught the implication.

A trace of bewilderment appeared in his eyes. The Qi family was an aristocratic house of officials, bearing the court's aura of dragon and tiger. How could someone in their inner residence possibly be possessed by evil?