"Marriage should always be a matter of mutual willingness."
Xu Mingyuan seemed oblivious to the Yang patriarch's expression as he continued, "If you insist on forcing the matter, even if my eldest brother and I agree, our father will not."
"Knowing my father's temperament, he would sooner have our younger sister take her own life than let others have their way."
"If you agree to discuss our younger sister's marriage again in six years, Patriarch Yang, my eldest brother and I are confident we can persuade our father."
When a soft approach failed, Xu Mingyuan immediately turned forceful.
In negotiations, combining softness with firmness was the best strategy.
He also meant to give the patriarch pause. Xu Mingyuan knew full well what the man wanted, but the man knew nothing of the Xu Household's true reserves.
Six years would pass in a blink, but for the Xu Household, that was enough to overturn heaven and earth.
The Yang patriarch fell silent and looked at Xu Mingyuan. His gaze was resolute; he was not someone who would yield easily.
After pondering briefly, the patriarch recalled their earlier contest and said, "It is not impossible for me to agree. Since you proposed settling the terms through a contest earlier, why not have another match?"
"If my worthy nephew Mingwei wins again, we will do as you say. Otherwise, my Yang Household will go to your Xu Household to fetch the bride in one year. Do you dare agree?"
Sure enough, he took the bait.
The earlier contest had merely been a trap Xu Mingyuan laid. His forceful tone was meant to make the patriarch propose another match himself.
Naturally, Xu Mingyuan would not agree so readily. He shook his head. "If your Yang Household simply sends out some seventy- or eighty-year-old Grandmaster