Chapter 140: Relying on Oneself

"Jiuniang, I'm back."

After Hua Wuniang followed Third Master He to the main hall to pay respects to the Hua family elders, she came to find Hua Changxi with the child in her arms, followed by her three younger sisters, Hua Qiniang, Hua Shierniang, and Hua Shisiniang.

Seeing the sisters coming, Hua Changxi suppressed the unpleasant emotion in her heart and greeted them with a smile.

Hua Liulang greeted Hua Wuniang and the others, then left for the main hall.

Hua Changxi looked at the child in Hua Wuniang's arms and said with a smile: "The child has grown so big?"

Hua Wuniang's face was filled with the smile of a new mother: "Children grow with the wind. You will know when you have your own children in the future."

Seeing Hua Changxi staring at the child, Hua Wuniang handed the child toward her: "Do you want to hold him?"

Seeing that the child was chubby and fair, Hua Changxi liked him in her heart, nodded with a smile, and then carefully took the child into her arms.

"Xiaoman smiled at Jiuniang."

After Hua Changxi held the child, the child's mouth curled, and Hua Qiniang immediately called everyone to come and see.

Seeing this, Hua Wuniang smiled: "Xiaoman knows that Jiuniang is his savior, so he is close to her."

Hua Changxi held the child and turned around in the room, teased him for a while, and then handed him back to Hua Wuniang: "Fifth Sister, is everything okay at the He family?"

Hua Wuniang nodded with a smile: "Everything is fine."

Hua Shierniang smiled and took over the conversation: "Third Master He even accompanied Fifth Sister home to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. You can tell at a glance how much he values Fifth Sister. You know, even the main wife might not have this treatment."

Hearing this, Hua Wuniang's expression paused, and she looked down at the child without saying anything.

Hua Shierniang continued: "Third Master He is a young master of the Hou Fu. His ability to visit our home is a sign of his regard for Fifth Sister, and also for our family. As long as Third Master protects Fifth Sister in the He family, Fifth Sister will surely have everything go as she wishes."

Hua Qiniang took over the conversation: "Fifth Sister's wishes don't depend on Third Master, but on our family. Only if we are strong enough will the He family and Third Master not dare to slight Fifth Sister and Xiaoman."

Hua Shierniang: "Yes, the maiden family is the confidence of a married woman, but if Fifth Sister wants to live happily, she certainly cannot do without Third Master's care. In the He family, Fifth Sister ultimately relies on Third Master."

Listening to their conversation, Hua Changxi discovered that, unknowingly, the sisters in the family had all grown up and had their own value judgments.

Afterward, Hua Qiniang and Hua Shierniang started a debate on "whether a woman should rely on her husband or her maiden family after marriage."

Finally, the two who were arguing endlessly looked at Hua Changxi and Hua Wuniang.

"Fifth Sister, Jiuniang, tell us, after marriage, should one rely on the husband or the maiden family?"

Hua Wuniang gently coaxed the child in her arms without looking up: "Both the maiden family and the husband are very important. If you can rely on both, that is naturally the best. However, you must not be a concubine."

Hua Qiniang and Hua Shierniang were not very satisfied with this answer, and both looked at Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi looked at them: "Why must one rely on the maiden family and the husband? Ultimately, one can only rely on oneself."

After hearing this, the three of them looked at her in unison.

Hua Wuniang was thoughtful.

Hua Qiniang was full of surprise: "Jiuniang, do you mean that even Uncle and Aunt cannot be relied upon?"

Hua Shierniang also added: "The husband is the person beside your pillow. If you cannot rely on the person you marry, why would you marry?"

Hua Changxi: "Father and Mother can naturally be relied upon, but they have their own lives, and I can't trouble them with everything. Moreover, the things I encounter, they might not be able to help me with."

"As for the husband... I haven't thought about marriage yet, so I can't answer you."

Hua Wuniang looked at her: "Jiuniang, you are already fifteen. You should think about some things in advance. You must not be like me, having to listen to the family when things come to a head."

Hua Changxi smiled: "Fifth Sister, things are different now than before. I am a cultivator. I can live for hundreds or even thousands of years, and I can stay young forever. I don't need to rush into marriage after fifteen."

"Moreover, if I marry, it must be someone I like. Outsiders can forget about controlling my feelings and life."

Hua Wuniang smiled bitterly: "That's right. You have had your own ideas since you were young, and now you are so capable, so naturally, you won't be like me, only able to passively wait for arrangements."

Hua Changxi: "Fifth Sister, as long as you are unwilling, you can do it too."

Hua Wuniang pulled the corners of her mouth and said nothing.

Hua Changxi stopped at the right point and didn't say any more, instead asking about Hua Qiniang and Hua Shierniang's cultivation situation in the Count's Mansion.

Hua Qiniang: "The master invited by the Count's Mansion previously only guided our cultivation. Later, didn't you give us the 'Introduction to the Four Arts'? After the Count's Mansion knew we were learning the four arts, they let us learn together with the heir and the others."

"The heir and the others learn much more than we do. Fourth Brother, Twelfth Sister, and I even went out for training with the heir once some time ago."

Hua Changxi: "What did the heir take you to train for?"

Hua Shierniang said with lingering fear: "To surround and kill a Qi Sea stage tiger demon. Seventh Sister was scratched by the tiger demon because she saved me." As she spoke, she looked at Hua Changxi.

"Ninth Sister, have you ever gone out for training? Do you know that being a cultivator is very dangerous?"

Hua Changxi: "I have trained, yes. There were several times when I was on the verge of life and death."

Hearing this, Hua Wuniang, Hua Qiniang, and Hua Shierniang were shocked.

"Why have you never told the family?"

Hua Changxi's expression was faint: "What if I told them? The family couldn't help me with anything anyway."

Hua Qiniang and Hua Shierniang looked at each other and were silent.

Before, when they knew that Jiuniang had opened eleven pharmacies behind the family's back and possessed a spiritual mine, they were somewhat dissatisfied that she didn't tell the family.

The Count's Mansion only gave them 100 spiritual stones a month for cultivation. For them, who were in urgent need of spiritual stones, they even complained that Jiuniang, who could clearly help the family, chose not to.

But now that they knew these were also obtained by Jiuniang at the risk of her life, they could no longer righteously feel that she should help the family with all her strength.

At this moment, Third Aunt Hua's voice came from the courtyard: "Jiuniang, it's time to eat soon. Quickly take Fifth Sister and the others to the main hall to sit down."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi greeted Hua Wuniang, Hua Qiniang, and Hua Shierniang to leave the room.

When the four of them walked into the main hall, Old Master Hua had already sat down with the men and male guests of the family.

"Jiuniang."

Seeing Hua Changxi, Third Master He stood up with a smile and took the initiative to greet her.

Seeing this, Hua Mingzhe and his three sons had changes in their expressions, and even the Hua family members like Old Master Hua were somewhat surprised.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi politely returned the greeting: "Third Master He."

Originally, taking the initiative to greet her was enough to complete the etiquette, but Third Master He continued to say with a smile: "Calling me Third Master is too distant. I am your Fifth Sister's husband. In the future, just call me Fifth Brother-in-law."

As soon as these words were out, the main hall fell silent.

In the Great Jin Dynasty, the family of a concubine is actually not considered a true relative.

Third Master He asking Hua Changxi to call him brother-in-law was equivalent to telling the Hua family that the Marquis Wu Yi Mansion treated the Hua family as proper relatives.

The Hou Fu condescended to recognize this relative, which surprised Hua Mingzhe and his three sons very much.

Hua Hongchen and Hua Hongtao, who previously felt uncomfortable with their father flattering Hua Bin's family, suddenly felt relieved. Even the Marquis's son had to condescend, so it was even more understandable for them to lower their posture.

However, did Third Master He flatter the wrong person?

Did Third Master He make a mistake?

Of course not.

Through the investigation of the Marquis Wu Yi Mansion, he knew very well that the person in the Hua family truly worth befriending was this Hua Jiuniang in front of him.

The reason why the Hua family was all cultivators now was because of Hua Jiuniang.

He also saw that the Hua clan members wanted to achieve their goals by flattering Old Master Hua. If Hua Jiuniang were an ordinary young lady who listened to the family's arrangements in everything, they might have succeeded, but Hua Jiuniang was not.

Hua Jiuniang was rebellious and had her own ideas. She didn't tell the Hua family about the things she did outside, which showed that the Hua family could not control Hua Jiuniang's thoughts and actions.

If the He family wanted to get the Hua family's body-refining technique, finding Old Master Hua was useless; they had to find Hua Jiuniang. She was the true decision-maker.

Hua Wuniang didn't expect Third Master He to have such a move. Her first reaction was not joy, but nervousness as she looked at Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi's reaction to Third Master He's blunt attempt to get closer to her was very flat: "Third Master He is too polite."

Seeing that Hua Changxi didn't accept the title of brother-in-law, Third Master He felt somewhat embarrassed.

Seeing this, Hua Shierniang's eyes moved, and she called out with a smile: "Fifth Brother-in-law."

Hearing this, Third Master He looked happy: "Twelfth Sister."

Hua Changxi didn't care about their interaction and walked straight to the table where the juniors sat.

At this time, Third Master He spoke again: "Jiuniang, come and sit at this table."

Before Hua Changxi could respond, Old Master Hua spoke up: "Jiuniang is a female family member and a junior. In our family, she is not qualified to sit at the main table."

Hearing this, Third Master He looked surprised, quickly looked at Hua Mingzhe, and seeing his look of "it should be so," shook his head with a laugh.

He originally thought that the Hua clan had produced a Count Dingyuan, which had raised the level of the Hua clan members' conduct. He didn't expect that they were still so unpresentable.

Distributing power and status according to merit is a principle of great families, not based on gender. Even when a junior's power exceeds that of an elder, the elder must take the initiative to bow to the junior.

Hua Changxi looked at Old Master Hua, who was putting on the attitude of the head of the family, and felt really annoyed in her heart. She didn't want to sit at the main table; she was annoyed by the contempt he showed toward her.

"Jiuniang, sit down and eat."

Yao Shi walked over, wanting to pull Hua Changxi to sit in her seat.

Hua Changxi stood still: "I don't want to eat. You guys eat by yourselves."

"Jiuniang."

Hua Minghe quickly stood up and called out to Hua Changxi: "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for family reunion. Your mother made a lot of things you like to eat. Sit down and eat quickly."

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Father, if there is no basic happiness in a family reunion, then this reunion is unnecessary for me." As she spoke, she looked at Yao Shi.

"Mother, if you miss me in the future, come to the Feng'an Ward pharmacy to find me."

After speaking, she left the main hall without looking back.

"Disobedient and unfilial thing!"

Seeing his granddaughter not giving him face in front of outsiders, Old Master Hua was truly furious: "Hua Jiuniang, if you leave this courtyard today, don't come back to this home in the future."

Hua Changxi, who had just stepped down the steps, heard this, snorted, and ignored Yao Shi and Hua Sanlang and Hua Liulang who were chasing after her to stop her, quickly leaving the Hua family courtyard. ===== CHAPTER 141 =====