Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law

Before coming to Jiangdong, Chen Mo mentioned the matter of marriage to Han Anniang and others.

Since they knew no one in Jiangdong, Xia Zhiqing casually mentioned Ye Xibao.

Speaking of which, Xia Liangqing was indeed a former subordinate of Ye Xibao, but it was fabricated that Ye Xibao had resolved Xia Liangqing's doubts multiple times.

At that time, Xia Liangqing might have been just a minor figure in front of Ye Xibao; whether Ye Xibao remembered him or not was another matter.

The reason why Chen Mo said so was nothing more than to establish a connection; as the saying goes, when you are out, your identity is self-assigned.

Ye Xibao, being an official of such a high rank in court and having retired with the title of Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, surely had an extraordinary way with words. Even if he knew that what Chen Mo said was fabricated, given Chen Mo's current status, Ye Xibao would not expose him.

As for this calligraphy work by Yu Wenshan, it is indeed an authentic piece, brought from the dowry of Liang Xue, as mentioned by Xia Zhiqing.

There is something that Chen Mo had to mention: Xia Zhiqing, after all, was a daughter of officials, with insights and skills that ordinary families couldn't nurture.

When Xia Liangqing was an official under Ye Xibao, he was indeed a minor figure, but later on, when he was promoted to Prefect of Qingzhou, reaching the fourth grade, becoming a regional governor with more power than him, Ye Xibao naturally paid attention.

"So you are Liangqing's child. At the time when Liangqing sacrificed himself for the country, this old man sent people to inquire in Qingzhou, but there was never any news of Liangqing's family. I thought they had been harmed. I didn't expect that Marquis had taken them under his wing. This old man thanks the Marquis on behalf of Liangqing." Ye Xibao cupped his hands towards Chen Mo.

Ye Xibao acknowledged this master-disciple relationship.

...

After sending off Chen Mo and his group, Ye Xibao turned around and went to find his niece, the main wife in the Wu Family, to congratulate her.

The Ye Clan listened to her uncle's congratulations with a bewildered look, quickly asking where the joy came from.

"You don't know either?" Ye Xibao was stunned.

The Ye Clan: "???"

"Lv Tong from the Changling Sect went to Yu State to propose, arranging for Wu Mi to marry the Marquis of Pingting County in Yu State, to become in-laws and allies. Now, Marquis Chen has crossed the river and arrived in Yongkang; he just visited this old man's residence." Ye Xibao told Ye Clan everything he knew.

Upon hearing this, Ye Clan's face immediately showed anger. Her youngest daughter was about to get married, and as a mother, she didn't even know and had to be told by others. This was intolerable.

Leaving Ye Xibao to sit for a while, Ye Clan went to find her husband, Wu Yanqing.

Being the lord of Jiangdong, Wu Yanqing naturally heard about Chen Mo's drums and gongs in Yongkang. Just as he was wondering why Chen Mo came to Jiangdong, his wife, Ye Clan, came over and told him about the younger sister's marriage.

She also asked Wu Yanqing if it was his idea.

Regarding this, Wu Yanqing was also bewildered but also belatedly understood something, angrily slapping the table and immediately ordering someone to bring Wu Changlin over for confrontation.

Upon meeting, Wu Yanqing immediately ordered Wu Changlin to kneel.

Lv Tong had already reported the matter to Wu Changlin. Seeing Wu Yanqing looking furious, he immediately realized that the matter had been exposed.

Wu Yanqing always showed a stern paternal side in front of Wu Changlin since childhood and was an Upper-Grade Martial Artist, obediently kneeling in front of the elders.

Wu Yanqing heavily slapped the table: "Men grow to marry, women grow to wed; this is only natural. You arranged for Mi'Er to marry the Marquis of Chen County without first informing me, as if I wasn't even a father in your eyes. Do you even see your father, do you see your mother?"

At this moment, he still didn't know about Wu Changlin's alliance with Liu Ji plotting to kill Chen Mo and thought his son really wanted to ally and curry favor with Chen Mo.

Wu Changlin had no words to defend himself, so he had to tell the truth entirely.

After listening, Wu Yanqing directly cursed: "What a worthless thing to do such a despicable act."

To know, if Wu Changlin had hidden this from the two elders and directly decided to betroth the younger sister to Chen Mo, it would at most be a "crime of deceit." It was a family matter that could eventually be resolved internally, and outsiders would at most discuss whether the Wu Family Girl was meant to marry out or divide alliances.

But if it was under the guise of "false proposal" to lure Chen Mo to Jiangdong and commit murder, it was not just a simple deception, as he said, it was a despicable act, a loss of virtue. If known externally, it would be a stain ridiculed by heroes everywhere for loss of integrity.

Noble Families all love their reputation, especially the Wu Family, among the Seven Great Noble Families.

The Wu Family simply didn't want to get involved in the world's power struggles and certainly didn't want to become such despicable people.

Additionally, once Chen Mo dies in Jiangdong, how could the hundred thousand troops under his command let it be?

Even Ye Clan was quite disappointed with her eldest son.

"The Wu Family, being the lord of these Five Prefectures and Seventy-eight Counties, you, as the Young Clan Leader of the Wu Family, and the future helmsman, couldn't come up with a decent strategy, instead using my Mi'er in a beauty trap. If you kill Chen Mo, regardless of how the world views it, wouldn't my precious child become a widow, unable to marry thereafter?

How can I have peace of mind handing over the Wu Family into your hands?" Wu Yanqing scolded.

Wu Changlin was being scolded like a son, but since the matter had already happened, he still tried to justify: "Chen Mo is already in Yongkang; as long as he's killed, all problems would be solved. As for the 100,000 people of the Three States, once Chen Mo dies, they'll be leaderless, and with our alliance with Prince Huai, there's nothing to fear from those 100,000 troops.

When Prince Huai ascends the throne, our Wu Family can also rise to a new level."

"Foolishness." Wu Yanqing scolded angrily: "Have you forgotten how the main branch of our Wu Family was wiped out by the Grand Ancestor Emperor? The Celestial Family is ruthless. Our Wu Family, just ruling Jiangdong, already suffers from the court's constant suppression. Rising further, if Prince Huai truly ascends the throne, our Wu Family would face calamity.

You think our Wu Family hasn't married outside for a thousand years because the Wu Family Girls don't marry out?

The world thinks our Wu Family has always hidden in this corner of Jiangdong, sticking to its own small plot, preferring to spend to avoid trouble rather than contend or fight back. Yet, Jiangdong enjoys peace for a thousand years, and our Wu Family remains the lord of Jiangdong.

But you, insist on getting involved in this world's turmoil…"

Wu Yanqing berated Wu Changlin fiercely.

"Son, even if your plan succeeds, the world will ridicule us." Ye Clan sighed helplessly.

"But now the matter has happened, our Wu Family is already involved. Besides, even if our Wu Family wants peace, does Chen Mo? His military edge has already touched Jiangdong." Wu Changlin spoke of Chen Mo sending spies to Jiangdong and his people disguising as fishermen probing the Celestial River.