The next day.
Yang Zhao rode a fast horse to Moonlake Commandery City.
After reaching the Yang Household, he told his eldest uncle, Yang Wenfeng, what had happened.
"You insist on marrying your daughter into a Lesser Clan in Qingjiang County?"
"Eldest Uncle, the two families have already exchanged the betrothal letter and held the engagement ceremony. All that remains is to choose an auspicious day for the wedding. How could I go back on it? I can't let the Yang Household be branded faithless and dishonorable."
In the end, Yang Zhao followed his wife's advice and let Yang Ronghua happily marry the man she loved.
After all, great clans had never placed much value on their daughters. Most were used to forge marriage alliances.
But Yang Shichang certainly could not escape his arranged marriage.
Yang Zhao considered this. Once he had settled matters here and returned to Qingjiang County, he would have to make his lie hold together as soon as possible.
If all went well, he would remain in Qingjiang County for another six months at most.
Yang Wenfeng pondered for a moment, his eyes wavering. "Since that's the case, we can only do as you say."
"Originally, Shichang marrying a daughter of the Wen Household's main line, and Ronghua marrying one of their sons, would have been ideal.
Now we'll have to choose someone else. Your third uncle's granddaughter, Yang Rongchun, is eighteen and just right for the match."
"I expect he'll be delighted to forge such a strong alliance with the Wen Household."
With that, Yang Wenfeng glanced at Yang Zhao again and said evenly, "Come with me to the Wen Household in a little while. We'll tell them ourselves."
"Thank you, Eldest Uncle."
That same day.
Yang Zhao returned to Qingjiang County.
As soon as he got home, he sent Yang Shichang to the Xu Household to invite Xu Chuan to the County Yamen.
The County Magistrate's Deputy had been busy. After taking several days off, he had a backlog of official business waiting for him.
Qingjiang County, the County Yamen.
"Brother Yang, what was so urgent that you needed me here?"
"It concerns my daughter's marriage to your son."
Xu Chuan paused. Not long ago, he and Yang Zhao had agreed that the two children were still young and could wait a year or two before discussing marriage again.
"Has something changed?"
"It's a matter in the Commandery Seat. I'm vying for the post of Commandery Commandant, but the Yang Household wants me to form a marriage alliance with the Wen Household, with one child marrying in and one marrying out. Chang'er is to marry a daughter of their main line, and Ronghua was originally meant to marry one of their sons."
"But Hua'er and your eldest son have pledged themselves to each other, with mountains and seas as their witnesses. I feared that forcing them apart would make them hate us for the rest of their lives. So I claimed Hua'er had already exchanged betrothal gifts with your Xu Household and completed the engagement ceremony. All that remained was to choose an auspicious day for her to marry into your family."
"That was how I persuaded my eldest uncle to agree to a different bride."
"But we must make this lie hold together. Otherwise, it will bring needless trouble upon both our families."
"Rest assured, Brother Yang. I'll have my wife see to it as soon as possible. We'll make sure everyone tells the same story and lets nothing slip, so you won't be put at risk."
"Mm." Yang Zhao nodded.
Xu Chuan then cupped his fists and offered his congratulations. "I should congratulate Brother Yang on your promotion in advance."
"It's just that once you return to the Commandery Seat, we'll be far apart. I'm afraid it'll be hard to share a drink again."
"I'll take that as a good omen, Brother Xu." Yang Zhao returned the salute and laughed. "Your Xu Household is no fish meant to stay in a pond, either. One day, you'll surely expand your Lineage into the Commandery Seat."
"Brother Xu, the great Commandery Seats are the best places for Aristocratic Clans to grow."
"Though Qingjiang County Seat counts as a prosperous city within Moon Lake Commandery, you can go days without seeing a single Cultivator.
In the Commandery Seat, however, every great Aristocratic Clan has descendants who cultivate the Martial Way and the Immortal Way, and resources to aid both paths come in endless varieties."
"The Yang Household is a Greater Clan in Moon Lake Commandery, but the truly powerful, deep-rooted Aristocratic Clans all have their sights set on immortal cultivation. Some Greater Clans even have mighty Foundation Establishment cultivators presiding over them."
"As for the Martial Way, even becoming a Grandmaster only puts you on par with the Late Stage of Qi Refining."
This was Xu Chuan's first time hearing such inside knowledge about the Greater Clans of the Commandery Seat, and his interest was piqued.
"By the way, Brother Yang, could you tell me how the Aristocratic Clans in the Commandery Seat are ranked?"
Yang Zhao smiled in surprise and explained at an unhurried pace. "In the Great Wei Dynasty, Aristocratic Clans are informally divided into nine ranks, much like official posts. The Ninth Rank is the lowest and the First Rank the highest."
"A Ninth-Rank Aristocratic Clan must have at least one Xiantian Martial Artist or a Cultivator at the Third Layer of Qi Refining."
"An Eighth-Rank Aristocratic Clan needs a martial artist at Late Xiantian or a Cultivator at the Mid Stage of Qi Refining."
"A Second-Rank Aristocratic Clan must have at least three Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"A First-Rank Aristocratic Clan must have five Foundation Establishment cultivators, including a mighty cultivator at Foundation Establishment Late Stage."
Xu Chuan considered this, then gave a rueful smile. "Then my Xu Household doesn't even qualify as a Ninth-Rank Aristocratic Clan yet."
"These rankings are for Aristocratic Clans in the Commandery Seat. County clans generally aren't included. More than ninety percent of them don't even have a Xiantian Martial Artist, so there's no need to sell yourself short, Brother Xu."
"I, for one, have high hopes for your Xu Household."
Xu Chuan nodded, then asked, "What rank is the Yang Household now?"
"Curious? It's no secret in the Commandery Seat, so I don't mind telling you." Yang Zhao smiled calmly. "The Yang Household is ranked Sixth."
Sixth Rank meant they had at least three Grandmaster martial artists, including one at the Late-Stage Grandmaster level.
The exact number of powerful experts a clan possessed was its most closely guarded secret.
Naturally, Yang Zhao would not be foolish enough to reveal it.
"A long road lies ahead," Xu Chuan said with a sigh.
"Brother Xu, how could an Aristocratic Clan be built in a day? It took the Yang Household more than three hundred years to reach this point. Every generation worked tirelessly before we finally rose into the middle three ranks of Third-Rank Aristocratic Clan."
Yang Zhao shook his head and laughed.
After returning home, Xu Chuan immediately asked Bai Jing to prepare the Three Letters and Six Rites. He also told her to accompany him and Xu Mingwei to the Yang Residence two days later.
Xu Mingwei was delighted, but also surprised.
So he asked what had happened.
Xu Chuan did not hide anything and told him about the Yang Household's situation.
"Thank you, Father."
"You should thank Uncle Yang even more. He'll be your father-in-law. The Yang Household could easily have sent Ronghua off to forge an alliance, but he chose not to. He's taking a risk, too."
Xu Chuan smiled and patted his shoulder. "Remember this kindness. You'll have to repay it one day."
"I know, Father."
Two days later.
At the Yang Residence.
"Brother Yang, my Xu Household has prepared everything for the Three Letters and Six Rites. Please look it over."
Xu Chuan cupped his fists toward Yang Zhao. Yang Zhao smiled. "I trust you to handle it, Brother Xu. Come, let's talk over tea."
Xu Chuan and Bai Jing chatted cheerfully with Yang Zhao and his wife about Xu Mingwei and Yang Ronghua's marriage.
After discussing it, they settled on the second day of the second month of the coming year.
It was now the tenth month.
That left four months.
Plenty of time for both families to make every wedding arrangement.
"Brother Mingwei, the marriage is finally settled. Congratulations." Yang Shichang cupped his fists.
"Congratulations to you too, Brother Shichang. Father told me what happened with your family." Xu Mingwei looked quietly at Yang Shichang. All he saw in the other man's eyes was a trace of bitterness and envy.
"What is there to congratulate me for? It's just a clan marriage alliance."
As he spoke, he patted Xu Mingwei's shoulder. "Treat my little sister well. If I hear she's been mistreated, don't blame your future brother-in-law for coming back from the Commandery Seat to give you a beating."
"Of course." Xu Mingwei gave his solemn promise.
Xu Chuan decided to announce the marriage between the two families on the day of the Xu Household's Founding a Clan ceremony.
Yang Zhao did not object.
The Xu Household was now a rising Aristocratic Clan in Qingjiang County, with everyone eager to court its favor.
At such a momentous ceremony, who knew how many of Qingjiang's Aristocratic Clans and wealthy merchants would attend?
An announcement before them all would make the marriage as firm as nails driven into a board.
Even if his eldest uncle and the Wen Household investigated, they would find no crack to pry open.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the day of the Xu Household's Founding a Clan ceremony arrived.