Chapter 399: Marriage? Don't Entangle!

The New Year festival period is the time when people move around most frequently in the Qingyun World, though there is a difference between before and after.

The movements and banquets before the festival are basically equal exchanges—big families with big families, small families with small families—the purpose is to unite; while the movements after the festival are mostly climbing from low to high, the purpose is to borrow influence.

So just after the New Year, the Guan family of Zhongzhou borrowed the marriage relationship with a branch of the Fang family to invite the main Fang family to be guests.

For today's invitation, they also accelerated the construction period, completing the Linxian Manor, which had been meticulously polished for a year, on schedule, and collected various spiritual treasures and rare items as gifts.

Hard work pays off; the Fang family agreed, and Fang Lun, the second son of the Fang family head Fang Xiang, was the representative, carrying more than fifty main-line members to visit on the fifth day.

At that time, there was a clamor of gongs and drums before the Guan family's immortal mansion, and countless Guan family members brought smiles like a spring breeze, welcoming them out of the house.

"Fang Erye, long time no see; you are still so immortal and bone-like, truly making my Guan family feel as if purple energy is coming from the east."

"Family Head Guan is too polite; your daughter has a marriage relationship with a side branch of my Fang family, so naturally, we count as one family, why need to come out to welcome us personally."

The Guan family head, Guan Yue, was a dry and thin middle-aged man, wearing a Daoist-style long robe; hearing this, he immediately cupped his hands and laughed, saying it was what should be done.

After simple pleasantries, more than a hundred Guan family members crowded the Fang family members and headed toward the Linxian Manor.

The garden had long prepared large banquets and singing and dancing performances, interspersed with the display of rare treasures, which began to take the stage one by one before the Fang family members.

"This Guan family, the momentum is indeed very sufficient, but it is inevitably a bit vulgar."

At the main guest table, a youth with a vermilion crown and jade belt couldn't help but speak softly.

He was the second son of Fang Lun, named Fang Jintu, a cousin of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan Inner Tian Shuyuan disciple Fang Jincheng, just reaching the age of twenty.

"The Guan family is, after all, a small household, and their vision can only be here." The Fang family Fang Erye picked up his wine glass and spoke softly.

"Since it's a small household, I don't know why Grandfather still wants us to come; I'm going to the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan to find Big Brother next spring, and the breakthrough is imminent, there's really no need."

"You silly boy, when you grow up a bit more and become a main person in the clan, you will know why."

Fang Lun finished speaking and drank the wine in his cup.

The Fang family main line could condescend to come here, which had the face of rare treasures, and was also out of their own considerations.

The joint disaster caused by the thousand-year noble families did not cause actual damage to the Fang family, but the Fang family's strength was greatly damaged; the reason was that their Great-Grandfather, who held power in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's Elder Pavilion, entered the ancient ruins to break through and died without a corpse.

A Boundless Upper Realm—this was definitely a pillar for a cultivation noble family; losing one would hurt the muscles and bones.

The most critical thing was that they not only lost an ancestor, but the close connection with the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan also weakened quite a bit.

The Qingyun World had always been very realistic; other noble families in the same territory were hoping to see you decline.

As the saying goes, no matter how small a fly is, it's still meat; it was precisely because of their current situation that the Fang family would lose face to maintain those small noble families that relied on them and strengthen their loyalty.

"Peng'er."

"Father."

The Guan family head turned to look at his son sitting on the right: "Go, pour a glass of wine for the Fang Erye."

Amidst the drums and music, the handsome Guan Peng stood up, carrying a wine pot, walked over respectfully, and filled the wine glass before Fang Lun.

This Guan family heir was already twenty-seven years old, but his cultivation talent was not high, just reaching the Lower Three Realms completion, and now he held the position of group leader in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's Zhangshi Pavilion.

He was not like other Zhangshi Pavilion disciples who were proper Heavenly Tian Shuyuan disciples transferred to the academy, but had entered the Zhangshi Tian Shuyuan directly with the help of the Fang family relationship.

Because he had been influenced since childhood, this Guan Peng was very good at dealing with people and was quite trusted by the Zhangshi Ji Jingyao; now he was also very popular in the Zhangshi Tian Shuyuan.

After pouring wine for the Fang family Fang Erye, this Guan Peng retreated to his table, heard the Fang family Fang Erye praise him twice, causing his father to laugh.

Guan Peng also smiled implicitly, picked up his chopsticks to pick up food, and while his gaze flowed, he suddenly saw a beautiful woman sitting diagonally opposite looking at him.

That was a young lady from a side branch of the Fang family, named Fang Jinyu, a cousin of his aunt who had married out, and also someone who should call him cousin.

It was unknown what made this Miss Jinyu have thoughts; seeing him look over, she couldn't help but smile sweetly.

Guan Peng's heart was instantly as if it had been grabbed, couldn't help but lose his soul, thinking what a beautiful younger sister.

Although the age of twenty-seven was enough to make a person mature enough, he still couldn't hold back at that time, a flurry of thoughts.

After pondering for a long time, this Guan Peng couldn't help but stand up, poured a glass of wine, and walked up.

But before he could walk over, the Fang family disciples gathered together looked at him and laughed.

"He really came?"

"A Lower Three Realms completion, he really dares to think."

Guan Peng didn't know what they were laughing at, but seeing the eyes in the banquet begin to gather because of this laughter, he had no choice but to blush and retreat in a hurry.

Seeing this, the Guan family head's gaze fell on that Fang family woman, his face revealing a thoughtful expression.

He had heard from servants before that his son had a woman he was very close to in the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan; after questioning her identity, he was actually not satisfied.

Because although that woman also had the surname Fang, she had a world of difference from the Fang family before him.

The marriages in the Qingyun World had always carried a heavy interest color; wanting to marry higher, and even more wanting to marry higher, he naturally hoped that more noble people could enter his home; if it were the Fang family young lady before him, it would naturally be better.

Just when this Guan family head extended countless imaginations, a servant suddenly came from the front courtyard, walking through the courtyard to the banquet.

"Family Head, there are visitors at the door."

"Visitors? Who?"

"Said it's the Northern Army Deputy General Fang Ruoming, bringing his sister Fang Ruoyao to visit."

Hearing this, the Guan family head wrinkled his brow, looking at his son sitting on his right: "You invited them?"

Guan Peng naturally heard the servant's report, somewhat stunned: "I did say before I came back that if there was a chance, I would invite her and a few fellow practitioners to play, but we didn't agree on when; why did this Yan Shimei Fang come by herself?"

He was speaking and was about to stand up, but saw his father wrinkle his brow: "Distinguished guests are here; if you leave the banquet halfway, what will they think?"

Guan Peng subconsciously glanced at that side-branch Fang family young lady, and in his panic, he sat down again.

Seeing this, the Guan family head looked at the servant who was passing the message: "Find a side hall in the back courtyard and let them wait, just say I will go after the banquet."

"Yes."

"Remember to let them walk through the side door of the back alley; the Qingyun World has rules, a family home does not accept two guests in one day, I think they will understand."

The Guan family head finished speaking and waved his hand to order the servant to leave.

He indeed didn't want his son to marry an ordinary family woman, but today there were distinguished guests here, so even if he was pretending, he couldn't drive people away.

Because although major noble families considered the interests of their children's marriages, the character of the in-laws was also an important consideration; after all, no one would hope for their daughter to marry into a family that would turn their face as soon as they said so.

"Fang Ruoming, Fang Ruoyao, when did my Fang family have a Ru-generation disciple?"

The Guan family head was distracted, hearing this, he immediately raised his eyes, looking at Fang Lun who suddenly asked: "Fang Erye misunderstood, this is not your Fang family, but an ordinary surname from Yuyang County, Fengzhou."

Fang Jintu, who was picking up food, couldn't help but wrinkle his brow upon hearing this: "Yuyang County? Isn't that dead Ji You from Yuyang County?"

His voice was not small, instantly attracting other gazes to attack here.

Guan Peng heard the sound and spoke: "It is that Yuyang County, this Yan Shimei of mine is a Fengzhou native."

"Eh, I remember, isn't this Fang Ruoyao Ji You's fiancée before he entered the academy?"

"There is this matter?"

"Didn't we investigate Ji You's background when he was against Great-Grandfather before? Third Brother really has a very big forgetfulness."

The Guan family head was stunned upon hearing the sound, his eyes couldn't help but open much wider as he looked at his son.

He knew that person was an ordinary woman, knew she came from Yuyang County, but didn't know at all that there was such a relationship between her and Ji You.

You know, Ji You had defeated the Fang family Great-Grandfather and almost made Fang Jincheng unable to enter the Inner Tian Shuyuan; he could be said to have a deep feud with the Fang family.

So in an instant, the banquet that was still laughing frequently instantly became a bit silent; fortunately, the sound of drums and music was sufficient, so there was no cold scene.

At the same time, Fang Ruoming and Fang Ruoyao were standing before the door of the Guan family immortal mansion, followed by five armored guards, waiting silently.

Accompanying them were three other Heavenly Tian Shuyuan Zhangshi Pavilion disciples, Qin Ruo and Lin Cong, and a woman named Qu Churou who also entered the academy after military merit and then transferred to the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan Pavilion, and had a very good relationship with Fang Ruoyao.

"This Guan family's status is not high, but the gate they built is truly imposing."

"The Guan family is good at making friends, and the women of the last three generations have married quite well; in the south of Zhongzhou, they can be considered a quite large force."

"No wonder..."

Listening to the discussion behind her, Fang Ruoyao couldn't help but feel a sense of honor, but she couldn't help but be humble: "Actually, Guan Peng said that his family has a lot of coming and going on weekdays, and putting some thought into the house is also for the sake of others' face."

Qin Ruo turned to look at her after hearing this: "This hasn't married yet, didn't expect to have touched the family door so thoroughly?"

"Senior Sister, don't make fun of me."

"Although that's the case, do you really think Guan Peng's temperament is suitable for you?"

Fang Ruoyao looked at the big mansion in front of her upon hearing the sound: "There are no two people in this world who are completely fit, grinding is grinding."

As soon as the words fell, a sound of footsteps suddenly came from the Guan family immortal mansion.

The servant who had gone to report just now walked out of the door, stood still, and looked at the crowd: "Everyone, my Guan family has distinguished guests in the mansion today; the Family Head has an order to let me take everyone to the courtyard to rest first."

"So there are guests in the mansion, it's really not a coincidence."

Everyone muttered, then walked up the steps, but before they had walked a few steps, they saw the servant waving his hand to block them in a hurry.

Seeing this, the crowd couldn't help but be a bit confused.

"Everyone, the Family Head said to walk this way."

"?"

Hearing this sentence, Qin Ruo and the three couldn't help but wrinkle their brows, instantly understanding that the Guan family was not letting them enter through the front door.

You know, they weren't visiting friends on the way, but Guan Peng said he had deep roots of love for Fang Ruoyao and invited her to visit after the New Year; how could they not even be allowed to walk through the front door.

Thinking of this, Qin Ruo and the three couldn't help but turn to look at Fang Ruoming and Fang Ruoyao standing behind.

Fang Ruoming's expression didn't show too many waves, but his eyes were a bit sharper, thinking he also felt the contempt.

But before anyone could speak, Fang Ruoyao spoke first: "A family home does not accept two guests in one day; maybe it's an extremely distinguished guest, walking through the side door is walking through the side door."

"Even if it's really because a family home does not accept two guests in one day, it should be Guan Peng who comes to pick us up personally."

"No matter, maybe he can't get away at the banquet."

The protagonist of this visit was originally her; since she said so, everyone naturally couldn't say anything more, so they had to follow the servant.

But what they didn't expect was that this walk didn't matter, but they turned for a full stick of incense, and finally were brought to a dark back alley.

At this time, even the servant was a bit embarrassed, standing before the door and hesitating for a long time without being able to say "please enter". ===== CHAPTER 400 =====