Chapter 74: Marriage Proposal
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Yue Chengfeng personally coming to propose marriage was, in this Green Wood Hall master’s view, already giving Mei Sanniang enough face. As for the three matchmakers and six witnesses, the matchmaker’s words and parents’ commands—all those complicated formalities were worthless in the eyes of evil sect members.
Xu Yan, who was about to enter, had already seen the distant procession. His eyebrows moved imperceptibly, and instead of waiting at the entrance, he went directly back to his own courtyard.
Taking up Eight Fingers Wang’s steel blade, Xu Yan circulated his true qi using the Seven Star Sword Technique method while alone in his room. A thin layer of radiance immediately appeared on the blade’s edge.
Xu Yan wasn’t clear exactly how many meridians he had opened, but he could determine that he had definitely reached the level of an innate martial artist. Otherwise, true qi wouldn’t appear on the blade, and this true qi was much brighter than that of the three leaders from Yuan Mountain Stronghold.
Killing wasn’t difficult. The little Taoist who had once blown up Riding Clouds Temple and slaughtered Yuan Mountain Stronghold—if he really wanted to kill, a three-meridian innate like Yue Chengfeng might not be able to stop him. Actually, not only could Xu Yan kill, Mei Sanniang wasn’t some kind-hearted person either. If truly forced into a corner, at least poisoning Yue Chengfeng to death should have a good chance of success.
What Xu Yan and Mei Sanniang found troublesome wasn’t actually Yue Chengfeng’s martial arts, but his position as Green Wood Hall master.
These days, Xu Yan had gathered quite a bit of information about Ghost King Gate from Eight Fingers Wang’s mouth. Eight Fingers Wang was just a lackey—he didn’t know too many secrets, but he knew quite well roughly how many people Green Wood Hall had.
According to Eight Fingers Wang, Ghost King Gate’s Green Wood Hall had at least three thousand members. Excluding those lay disciples who stayed home and only paid interest, about half usually followed the hall—around fifteen hundred people. Moreover, all these people knew martial arts, incomparable to the bandits and cooks of Yuan Mountain Stronghold.
Green Wood Hall couldn’t even rank in the front among Ghost King Gate’s halls. Of the thirty-six halls, Green Wood Hall could only rank in the middle-to-back. The more forward-ranking halls had even more subordinates, and many truly large halls were established in other major cities and towns. Although Ghost King Gate’s main headquarters was in Fengshan City, its real power spread throughout most of Qi Nation.
Yue Chengfeng wasn’t much, but his identity as Green Wood Hall master became the most troublesome point. If they dealt with this villain, Xu Yan and Mei Sanniang might be hunted by the entire Green Wood Hall, or even the entire Ghost King Gate.
Facing the leader of evil sects with true cultivators, Xu Yan found himself too insignificant. The youth holding the blade smiled bitterly, dispersed his true qi, and tossed the steel blade aside.
Direct confrontation wasn’t the way. Even if he and Mei Sanniang could eventually escape, they’d at least have to flee Qi Nation. Then they’d truly be wandering in foreign lands, constantly guarding against pursuit that could come at any time. Thinking of such days of constant anxiety, Xu Yan wasn’t afraid, but how could Mei Sanniang, a woman, endure it?
Since direct confrontation wouldn’t work, they could only use cunning.
After pondering in his room for a long time, Xu Yan’s mind kept racing rapidly. One method after another occurred to him only to be overthrown. After a long while, he finally left the room.
There were basically no perfect solutions, but Xu Yan was confident he could delay things for a month or two.
Yue Chengfeng had long since entered Plum Fragrance Tower and was now negotiating with Mei Sanniang. He was using his power to pressure her, not afraid that Mei Sanniang wouldn’t agree. With a determined attitude, no matter how eloquently Mei Sanniang spoke, he remained unmoved, insisting on taking Mei Sanniang as his concubine, and today at that.
Disagree?
No problem—the Mei family’s background had been thoroughly investigated.
A medicine merchant family that traveled commercial routes wouldn’t dare offend a local power like Ghost King Gate. Before coming to Plum Fragrance Tower, Yue Chengfeng had first visited the Mei family, directly finding Mei Xingjiu and bluntly stating he wanted to take Mei Sanniang as his concubine.
Although the Mei family was a wealthy household, they still had to humble themselves before this Green Wood Hall master. Hearing that he wanted to take Mei Sanniang as his concubine, Mei Xingjiu didn’t even hesitate—he directly nodded in agreement. Thus, the scheming Yue Chengfeng had completely gotten a handle on Mei Sanniang.
Even your father agreed to this marriage—whether you, Mei Sanniang, agreed was no longer important. Once the auspicious time arrived, Yue Chengfeng was prepared to directly kidnap her.
As long as Mei Sanniang became his woman, this Plum Fragrance Tower would also bear the Yue surname.
Innate martial artists also needed money. Without money, nothing worked. Relying on martial skill levels could indeed bring fame in the martial world, but if you were eating irregularly, could you still be called a hall master? Especially with over a thousand subordinates following you—without money, who would risk their lives for you?
Ghost King Gate was not only powerful in Fengshan City, but many large shops and businesses were actually Ghost King Gate’s enterprises. The largest shipyard and horse market on West Street, plus the largest inn on South Street and some taverns, were all Ghost King Gate businesses—just not belonging to Yue Chengfeng, but to halls with greater power or owned by guardians and protectors.
Standing in the main hall, Yue Chengfeng kept his hands behind his back, constantly surveying the lofty dome and luxurious decorations around him. This Green Wood Hall master was extremely pleased with himself.
He could both embrace a beauty and gain such a large brothel for free—Yue Chengfeng’s future days would be much more comfortable.
Mei Sanniang had already talked herself hoarse. She had said all the good words she could, but he wouldn’t listen to a single sentence. Just as she was getting anxious, she heard Yue Chengfeng say the time was almost up—go dress yourself.
After dressing up, he would kidnap her.
Mei Sanniang’s face grew increasingly pale, yet she was helpless. Under Yue Chengfeng’s cold, threatening gaze, Mei Sanniang sighed.
Since she couldn’t escape, she could only temporarily play along and wait for an opportunity.
Just as Mei Sanniang was dawdling toward the back building while Yue Chengfeng’s expression grew increasingly unfriendly, a youth’s voice came from outside the main hall window.
“Brother Wang, what was that thief your Green Wood Hall is hunting called? Flying something?”
The window was open, and this inquiry wasn’t quiet—both Mei Sanniang and Yue Chengfeng in the main hall heard it clearly.
The one asking was naturally Xu Yan. He was currently pulling the bewildered Eight Fingers Wang to beneath the window, then loudly asked this question.
Eight Fingers Wang was serving as both thug and bodyguard at the entrance. Couldn’t he see that the hall master had personally arrived? As a Green Wood Hall lackey, he also needed to perform well. Being forcibly dragged to the base of the window by Xu Yan left him completely baffled.
Hearing Xu Yan’s inquiry, Eight Fingers Wang habitually blurted out: “Called Flying Centipede.”
“Flying Centipede?” Xu Yan’s puzzled voice came: “This nickname sounds so familiar. I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere.”
The question and answer between the two sounded simple and ordinary. Yue Chengfeng hadn’t paid much attention at first, but when he heard Xu Yan’s last sentence, Yue Chengfeng’s entire body suddenly trembled. He couldn’t be bothered with Mei Sanniang anymore, took several quick steps, and jumped directly out through the wide-open window.
“You’ve heard of Flying Centipede?”
The hall master jumping out the window startled Eight Fingers Wang. Before he could flatter him, Yue Chengfeng pushed him far away, then stared deadly at Xu Yan. His eyes not only surged with terrifying killing intent, but also contained uncontrollable joy and greed!
