Chapter 321 - 5: Promotion to Foundation Establishment, Prelude
Chapter 321: Chapter 5: Promotion to Foundation Establishment, Prelude
A series of promises eased Chu Hanzhen’s expression slightly. Then, she concealed her grief and indignation, nodding as she said, "Since the Patriarch and elders trust me, I will handle the matter of winning over Zhong Ming."
The moment she finished speaking, she departed. As she walked out, her mind was already racing, planning how to get closer to Zhong Ming and secure a place in Prince Qinghe’s faction.
But as she left, the crowd of Chu Family elders in the room all wore strange expressions while watching her retreating figure.
They never, ever imagined that Chu Hanzhen would accept this "hot potato" so calmly.
After their surprise, all that remained in their hearts were sighs.
The elder of the fourth branch, who was in competition with Chu Hanzhen’s faction, even sneered to himself. ’To accept this mission for such a paltry gain... how utterly foolish and shortsighted.’
’The resources the Patriarch assigned to your branch are only for this year. If we align with the Celestial Sea King and earn his favor, our branch’s disciples will not only gain vast resources but also secure high positions in the New Army, wield true power, and increase our influence within the family. *That* is the future.’
His mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but of course, he would never voice them. Instead, he put on a show of emotion and praised Chu Hanzhen.
"Working tirelessly for the family without complaint... Our Hanzhen truly is a good girl."
After that remark, the family meeting didn’t immediately adjourn. The Chu Family members moved on to the second item on the agenda: whether to pass the intelligence on Zhong Ming to the Celestial Sea King’s daughter, Princess Shen Wanshang.
Logically, since they were diversifying their investments, the Chu Family should have remained impartial.
But from the way the Chu Family elders shied away from investing in Zhong Ming and Prince Qinghe, it was obvious they favored the faction of the immensely powerful Celestial Sea King.
Thus, in the end, they decided to pass the intelligence on Zhong Ming to Shen Wanshang, letting her know that another "big fish" had arrived in Immortal Martial City.
"I’ll handle this," the elder of the fourth branch volunteered.
"Very well."
...
「The next morning」
At the crack of dawn, the eldest son of the Chu Family’s fourth branch rushed with the news to the Celestial Sea King’s residence in Immortal Martial City. He met with Princess Shen Wanshang and relayed everything about Zhong Ming in great detail.
To his surprise, when he announced that Zhong Ming was a Child of Heaven’s Will on par with Lu Yuan, the intelligence failed to impress Shen Wanshang’s followers. Instead, they grew annoyed and indignant.
"How many cultivators have claimed to be a Child of Heaven’s Will this month?"
"Thirteen... Hmph. Ever since Lu Yuan burst onto the scene, any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to call themselves a Child of Heaven’s Will."
"Exactly. People destined to face the great calamity aren’t that common."
"He hasn’t even reached Foundation Establishment, and he’s being compared to Lu Yuan? That’s a complete insult!"
"Princess, we can’t just let this go! Please permit me to go teach that arrogant fool a lesson, so he’ll learn his place!"
Her followers and retainers felt personally insulted by the news about Zhong Ming and were collectively outraged, but Shen Wanshang’s expression remained perfectly calm.
She was a woman of ethereal beauty, like a fairy stepping out of a painting. She wore a moon-white gown tailored from Jue Xiao, with a Mutton Fat Jade Pendant hanging at her waist. Her jet-black hair was styled in a draping chignon, fastened by a single, pearl-inlaid step-shake hairpin. A few lustrous pearls dangled at her temples, swaying gently with the slight dip of her eyelids, making her skin seem whiter than snow and her features as perfect as a portrait.
Her attire was not ostentatious, yet it exuded the dignified grace of royalty, tinged with a transcendent, ethereal aura.
Faced with the agitation of her followers, she remained unperturbed, exuding a relaxed confidence that suggested she had the entire situation under control, as if everything was unfolding just as she had foreseen.
For now, she didn’t answer her followers. Instead, she cast a nonchalant glance at Chu Yan and asked a question. A single question, yet it was enough to make him break out in a cold sweat.
"You’re the one reporting this, not Chu Hanzhen... She’s sided with Zhong Ming, then? And your Chu Family thinks highly of him, too?"
Though her words were spoken lightly, cold sweat instantly beaded on Chu Yan’s forehead, and his back was soaked through.
Fortunately, he had enough competence to be sent to interact with Shen Wanshang. He forced himself to remain composed and bowed. "Princess, you misunderstand. The Chu Family, of course, favors you. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t have brought you news of Zhong Ming at the first opportunity."
"As for Chu Hanzhen—she is acting on her own. Her decisions have nothing to do with the Chu Family."
"Heh..." Shen Wanshang let out a soft, ambiguous laugh, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. She was incredibly sharp. ’How could she not see that the Chu Family was just diversifying its investments, betting on both sides to lower its risk?’
But seeing through their ploy was one thing; she couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
Her father, the Celestial Sea King, was determined to keep the New Army firmly in his grasp.
’A family so indecisive and prone to wavering must be punished as a warning to others.’
But she also knew that for her father to secure his position as Military Commander, he needed the support of Immortal Martial City’s local families. Directly punishing the Chu Family would be unwise.
’Directly punishing them won’t work... I’ll have to make a show of force first. After I’ve intimidated them, I’ll issue a few warnings.’
Having come to a decision, Shen Wanshang turned her gaze to a figure in the corner of the great hall.