Chapter 427: Catching a Son-in-Law Under the Ranking

Chapter 427: Catching a Son-in-Law from the Rankings

In truth, when Old Cui spoke these words, he lacked much confidence.

The whole world believed that once Zhao Changhe made the Human Rankings, this marriage would be a foregone conclusion—even Cui Yuanyang herself thought so. Only the two parties to that long-ago conversation in the garden pavilion knew it wasn't entirely true.

Back then, Cui Wenjing had played tricks, using clever rhetoric to engineer a three-year pact. Without that scheme, Zhao Changhe would have refused.

Yes, Zhao Changhe had come to refuse—not, as outsiders understood, a story of him proposing and being rebuffed.

But the old fox had twisted and turned, spinning out a three-year agreement. Originally meant to protect Yuanyang's reputation, and also because the old fox suspected this fellow might be the crown prince, leaving a backup plan—no loss either way.

His calculations were too loud. Though young at the time, Zhao Changhe wasn't entirely unaware. He had said then: "Three years later, why can't I simply break the pact and let it fade away?"

It would be explainable to the world—why marry after being humiliated? I'll crush the Human Rankings and make you regret it. Perfectly normal.

After all, it was truly embarrassing. Gossiped about for so long, called "the most down-to-earth hidden dragon"—sounds friendly, but in essence, it was humiliating. It wasn't like he was shamelessly begging to marry her daughter; why should he be laughed at?

So this seemingly natural betrothal could just as naturally fade away—it wasn't that stable.

If Zhao Changhe were like ordinary men, seeking worldly power, wanting to be emperor or something, Old Cui could relax. The full backing of the Qinghe Cui clan—who wouldn't covet that? The Tang family couldn't compete on this front; the betrothal would be secure.

But the problem was that Zhao Changhe didn't seek those things. Even Cui Yuanyang could see that her greatest advantage was almost meaningless here, and Old Cui understood even better.

Fortunately, Zhao Changhe valued loyalty and wouldn't easily abandon Yuanyang... Otherwise, Cui Wenjing would truly want to go back a year and a half, like Tang Wanzhuang, and slap his scheming self in the garden pavilion: "You and your schemes!"

In short, by now his confidence was truly lacking—he had to rely on Zhao Changhe's loyalty... Cui Wenjing was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Give up? Honestly, Old Cui couldn't bear it.

Such a martial genius, such a nexus of converging forces—any qualified clan head who let him slip away would deserve a real slap.

So he had to swallow some pride and shamelessly settle things quickly.

Well, the Human Rankings were still a ranking—this was called "catching a son-in-law from the rankings," a tradition, not a loss of face.

Besides, he had laid the groundwork: he didn't mind if Zhao Changhe had multiple wives. If he became emperor, he'd have more than one anyway—as long as the empress came from his family.

Zhao Changhe knew exactly what Old Cui was thinking. He sat on the bed with folded hands, watching him. Cui Wenjing leaned on a door bolt, glaring back.

They stared at each other for a long while. Seeing that Zhao Changhe didn't speak first, Cui Wenjing finally sighed: "I never thought you'd be so prominent today. My Cui clan hasn't really helped much. Asking for the principal wife outright is essentially taking advantage of your young love... So, if you have any requests, you can make them."

Zhao Changhe shook his head: "I have no requests."

Cui Wenjing was taken aback, then heard Zhao Changhe continue: "Maybe it's because I come from Zhao Cuo—my thinking differs from the world's, especially from clan thinking. I've never been comfortable bargaining over such matters as if they were a trade, but you all seem very used to it."

Cui Wenjing said: "In essence, it is a trade. Marriages of clan heirs and heiresses must have significant meaning. It's just that Yuanyang happens to have feelings for you, so it's a win-win. Even without that, negotiations would still be necessary."

Zhao Changhe sighed: "I understand, but I don't like it."

"It doesn't matter. You only need to decide whether to marry or not." Cui Wenjing put on a brave face: "Know that my Cui clan doesn't have to cling to you. If you're not interested, we can part ways."

"That sounds like you're asking me to marry you."

Cui Wenjing raised the door bolt.

"Don't, don't, don't..." Zhao Changhe raised his hands in surrender: "Yuanyang and I love each other. I must marry her. If you didn't let me, I'd be the one arguing."

Cui Wenjing breathed a little easier: "Is there another meaning to your words?"

"Uncle, with your business-like thinking... what if I said I truly don't want to be emperor, and in fact can't be? In the end, Yuanyang would just follow a wandering martial artist across the world. How would you feel?"

Cui Wenjing paused, frowning.

Zhao Changhe said: "That's why I said I don't want to use this business perspective. My feelings with Yuanyang are our own matter. I hope to have her by my side as I roam the world—perhaps not what you envision."

Cui Wenjing frowned at him. In truth, the old fox also caught another implication in Zhao Changhe's words.

If it's just a wanderer roaming the world, there's no concept of "inner household," no talk of principal wife or not—maybe it would be by age order...

But if you're just a wandering martial artist, how can you have multiple women? Not to mention whether he'd agree—would Tang Wanzhuang agree?

Well, maybe that little fool Cui Yuanyang would agree on her own.

Headache.

Zhao Changhe saw Old Cui's expression and wanted to laugh: "Uncle... shall we still set the wedding date?"

"Yes." Cui Wenjing's face was expressionless: "I don't believe you'll roam the world forever."

Zhao Changhe said slowly: "I'd like to advise you, Uncle... the world is about to change. The old clan thinking might need to change too. With gods and demons descending, if you're still focused on domestic trivialities, I fear you won't keep up with the times."

Cui Wenjing squinted at him for a long moment, then suddenly said: "Some things cannot change... In an age of gods and demons, there will be families of gods and demons. No matter how much of a wanderer, in the end, he needs a home."

Zhao Changhe pondered a moment: "Perhaps."

Cui Wenjing said: "Yuanyang came home and told me about the Wang clan's sea tribe situation. What do you think?"

"The Wang clan may not have realized the sea tribe's infiltration before, or even if they did, they clung to the hope it was controllable. But this time, openly bringing out yin energy to control the Lianshan Sword means they knew the harm of that yin energy and still did it. Uncle, do you think Wang Daoning has been controlled by the sea tribe, or is there another reason?"

Cui Wenjing said: "I've known Wang Daoning for decades. I don't believe someone like him would be easily controlled. Perhaps it's not that simple. But his open raising of troops to join the struggle for supremacy is also hard for me to understand. It shouldn't be, especially with the empress still alive—it's simply baffling."

Zhao Changhe nodded: "I don't have much energy to focus on the Wang clan's affairs. I'll trouble you to look into it, Uncle. I need to go to a secret realm—it might take a long time to go and return. I hope when I come out, the world hasn't changed."

Cui Wenjing said: "Then the wedding date will be set after you come out."

Zhao Changhe agreed readily: "Fine, arrange it as you see fit, Uncle."

He had already expressed the meaning of no distinction in rank—what they thought was their business.

Cui Wenjing's old face broke into a smile, becoming kind: "A few times before, you asked me to find clues to some things. In the end, we did find them, but it seems Ying Wu got there first. A bit embarrassing."

Zhao Changhe was amused: "Is that kind of face worth competing over?"

"Yes. He's on the Heavenly Rankings, and I'm not? His bandit brotherhood is useful, but my old Cui clan is useless?"

"Hmm..."

Cui Wenjing said leisurely: "I don't know what secret realm you're going to this time, but I can guess it's directly related to this battle with Maitreya, which is why you're still injured and already fixated on where to go."

Zhao Changhe said: "Uncle, you're perceptive. There is indeed a connection."

"Related to gu? His isn't a corpse puppet technique—even his possession method relies on gu. But this guy has been holed up in a secret realm for so long, unable to cultivate more types of gu insects, so his methods are limited."

"Yes..."

Cui Wenjing nodded: "Ying Wu specializes in secret realms; he might be more knowledgeable about these things than we are, but his foundation is still lacking. He might know clues to many things, but has nothing substantial... Take this. It will be of great use for your journey."

With that, he tossed over a small object like a heart-protecting mirror: "Purple qi vast and mighty, piercing mountains and rivers—it can protect against the harm of shamanic gu arts. Of course, it can't make you immune, but it helps resist and can reveal hard-to-see gu... How about it? Useful to you?"

Zhao Changhe was overjoyed: "Useful! Absolutely useful!"

Cui Wenjing walked away with his hands behind his back: "Not relying on power? Roaming the world? Hah... childish words. Just prepare to come back and get married, you."

Zhao Changhe: "..."