Wansong Manor.
Craneheart Hall.
Yuan Mingyuan sat in the seat of honor. He was in his fifties, with regular features, refined good looks, and an elegant bearing that still hinted at his outstanding charm in his youth.
To his left sat a beautiful middle-aged woman, noble in bearing and still charming. She was Murong Qing, daughter of Murong Hua of the Murong Family and full sister to its current head, Murong Bai. In her younger days, she too had been a heroine renowned throughout the Jianghu. She had inherited the true teachings of the Murong Family's martial arts and possessed considerable cultivation.
"Please forgive us, Brother Yuan, Sister-in-law."
There was no one else in Craneheart Hall at the time. Apart from the manor lord and his wife, only Ji Wenfeng and Ji Shaoqin of the Ji Family were present.
Seated in the first rosewood chair on the right, Ji Wenfeng smiled and saluted the couple with cupped hands. "My elder brother should have come in person to present Shaoqin's betrothal gifts, but his secluded cultivation has reached a critical juncture. I could only come in his stead. Please take no offense."
With that, Ji Wenfeng bowed, his manner utterly sincere.
Beside him, in the second chair, the white-robed Ji Shaoqin also bent forward in a bow.
Ji Shaoqin was about twenty-three, with sword-like brows, bright eyes, and exceptionally handsome features. Like a jade tree standing in the breeze, he was radiant and immaculate.
"We'll soon be family, Wenfeng. There's no need for such formality."
Yuan Mingyuan was thoroughly pleased with Ji Shaoqin. It was only the presentation of betrothal gifts; Ji Wenfeng's reputation and standing were more than sufficient for the occasion.
Murong Qing was also thoroughly pleased with the match. The Ji Family was a distinguished martial lineage, one