Chapter 297: Chapter 50: Making a Name for Themselves! Young Men of the Wang Family_2
At this moment.
Inside the main residence.
A young man quickly walked out with a bright smile and greeted them. "Sixth Uncle, why didn’t you notify the family when you came back? I could have gone to Dingpu Ferry to pick you up."
This young man looked about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, with a striking appearance. His walk was like a dragon or a tiger, exuding vigor and indicating considerable cultivation.
Upon seeing him, Wang Shou Lian laughed and gave him a hearty slap. "Zongchang, it’s been half a year since I last saw you, and you’ve already broken through to the mid-phase of the Seventh Layer in the Qi Refining Realm. Congratulations!"
This young man was the second son of the eighth generation "Zong" line of the Wang Family—Wang Zongchang.
He was the second son of Wang Shouxin, and the younger brother of Wang Lici.
Rubbing his shoulder with a wry smile, Wang Zongchang said, "Sixth Uncle, you’re just a year elder than me, and you’ve already reached the high phase of the Seventh Layer in the Qi Refining Realm. I can’t catch up no matter how hard I try."
Wang Shou Lian was twenty-two years old, and Wang Zongchang was twenty-three.
Although they belonged to different generations, they were close in age and had been good friends since childhood.
Achieving such cultivation at a young age made them outstanding talents among the noble family descendants, surpassing even the likes of Chen Fangjie in their youth.
While speaking.
Wang Zongchang caught sight of Zhou Qing Ning and immediately adopted a more serious expression. "Sixth Uncle, is this the Miss Qingning you mentioned in your letters?"
"Indeed," Wang Shou Lian said with pride, "Zongchang, shouldn’t you greet your Sixth Aunt?"
Wang Zongchang hurriedly and somewhat theatrically paid his respects. "I greet Sixth Aunt."
Zhou Qing Ning blushed, lightly chiding Wang Shou Lian with a sidelong glance, "I haven’t agreed to marry you yet."
"Haha." Wang Shou Lian laughed, "I’m certain about you, Qingning. In life, I am your Zhou Qingning’s person, in death, your Zhou Qingning’s ghost. You can’t get rid of me even if you want to."
"You’re such a scoundrel," Zhou Qing Ning blushingly scolded, though the corners of her eyes crinkled with a hint of a smile.
Seeing this, Wang Zongchang quietly gave his uncle a thumbs up, thinking that his uncle indeed had a thick skin that rivaled Fourth Uncle’s back in the day.
"By the way, Zongchang, you came at the right time to accompany me to see Fourth Brother." Wang Shou Lian said.
Upon hearing that he had to meet Fourth Uncle.
Wang Zongchang became nervous, "Sixth Uncle, you know as well as I do that I’ve feared meeting Fourth Uncle since I was little."
"I’m afraid too," Wang Shou Lian said, grabbing him, "Going together helps share the pressure."
Thus,
Wang Shou Lian escorted Wang Zongchang, along with Zhou Qing Ning, into the main residence, heading towards Wang Shouzhe’s courtyard.
Before he could announce their arrival,
a dashing and regal female senior, with a touch of academy elegance and goddess-like demeanor, emerged from the courtyard.
The goddess senior smiled slightly at Wang Shou Lian and said, "No need to report, Sixth Young Master, the Patriarch has invited you in."
After speaking, she gracefully saluted and then left.
"This..." Wang Shou Lian was utterly baffled, scratching his head, "Zongchang, who is this senior? Did Fourth Brother bring back a senior from the Purple Mansion Academy when he visited?"
"No." Wang Zongchang also scratched his head, puzzled, "We didn’t see this senior during our disaster relief efforts some time ago."
The two exchanged glances, somewhat uncertain and suspicious. Could it be...
This seems to foreshadow trouble.
At that moment, a gentle male voice sounded in their ears, "Shou Lian, Zongchang. What are you dawdling at the door for? You’ve brought a guest with you; don’t forget your manners. Come in quickly."
Wang Shou Lian and Wang Zongsheng hastily straightened their faces and saluted towards the courtyard, "Yes, Fourth Brother/Fourth Uncle."
Then the two dutifully led Zhou Qing Ning in to pay their respects.
All three of them walked into the courtyard.
At the center of the courtyard, a steady, heroic, and slightly imposing young man stood with his hands behind his back.
He didn’t pay immediate attention to his younger brother and nephew.
Instead, he first smiled slightly at Zhou Qing Ning and said, "You must be Miss Qingning. I apologize for not welcoming you from afar."
With Wang Shouzhe’s intelligence network, how could he not know Zhou Qing Ning?
If he didn’t even know who his sixth brother’s girlfriend was, what was the point of trying to match wits with the master schemer from the past behind the scenes?
Zhou Qing Ning hurriedly paid her respects, "Qingning greets Patriarch Wang."
Wang Shou Lian and Wang Zongchang also hurriedly saluted.
After exchanging greetings.
Wang Shouzhe hosted them in the side hall.
As the hostess, Liua Ruolan personally served spirit tea and fresh fruits and snacks to her younger brother, nephew, and Miss Qingning.
This was the proper courtesy.
The three of them also hurriedly stood up to thank Liua Ruolan.
Ordinarily, Liua Ruolan would not intrude on their family conversations.
But today, with Zhou Qing Ning present, she accompanied them and engaged in light-hearted chatter with Zhou Qing Ning to ease the young woman’s anxiety.
"Sixth Uncle has good taste and good fortune." Liua Ruolan praised Zhou Qing Ning, "Miss Qingning is not only beautiful but also possesses a heroic demeanor, clearly a spirited and frank young lady. Such a good girl is hard to find."
These words made Zhou Qing Ning blush, and she bowed her head slightly in timid silence.
Wang Shou Lian took her hand and said to Wang Shouzhe, "Fourth Brother, this matter depends on you. After all, Qingning comes from a military family. My father, he..."
Military families and local families usually belong to two different systems and typically do not intermarry, which was a barrier between Wang Shou Lian and Zhou Qing Ning.
Before he could finish speaking, Wang Shouzhe interrupted, "You need not say more. As long as you are determined to spend your life with Miss Qingning, I will speak to Third Uncle on your behalf."
Wang Shou Lian was overjoyed and thanked Wang Shouzhe profusely, "Thank you, Fourth Brother, for deciding for us."
His Fourth Brother was a formidable figure, and since he agreed to it, he would certainly make it happen.
Zhou Qing Ning also blushed and expressed her gratitude to Wang Shouzhe.
Wang Shouzhe turned to Liua Ruolan and said, "Dear, Sixth Brother’s marriage is a significant matter, especially since she comes from a military family. We must handle the matchmaking and courtesies with great care and alignment with their traditions, to avoid drawing critiques. As the main wife of the Wang Family, it is up to you to handle this affair."
"Yes, my lord," Liua Ruolan nodded, "Regarding Sixth Uncle’s affair, I will handle it properly."
Wang Shou Lian and Zhou Qing Ning naturally expressed their gratitude again.
They hadn’t expected the matter to go so smoothly, and their hearts were filled with joy.
After dealing with this matter,
Wang Shou Lian took on a serious expression and spoke about the main issue, "Fourth Brother, Father sent me back to report to you. Due to the recent floods, our Changning Guard’s western side has suffered significantly. Moreover, the losses in the two Guardian Cities of Dingnan Zhen Marsh are even worse. Especially Zhenze Guard, which has almost become a vast expanse of water, with many victims."
"Many of the surviving refugees have been moving east, with some gradually arriving at our Changning Guard."
Wang Zongchang’s expression changed, "The losses are so severe?"
During the previous flood relief efforts in Ping’an Town, everyone worked together to overcome the difficulties. He thought the flood wasn’t that serious, but he didn’t expect that the upstream areas had suffered so severely.
"If the water recedes over there, it might lead to an epidemic, right?" Liua Ruolan also frowned in concern.
Epidemics are extremely frightening, as once they spread, they become a disaster of massive proportions.
"We cannot be careless." Wang Shouzhe said solemnly, "Zongchang, today you must make a trip to East Sea Guard and Hundred Islands Guard to purchase as many medicinal supplies as possible."
"Yes, Fourth Uncle."
Wang Zongchang replied seriously. Now that he was an adult, he was gradually becoming a pillar of the family, no longer the fledgling youngster he used to be.
"Moreover, Father heard from the Mansion Master of the City Guardian’s Mansion that the Purple Mansion Academy has already dispatched a Direct Disciple to lead a team for disaster relief. The Mansion Master directed that all Patriarchs of Eighth Grade and Seventh Grade must personally meet the disaster relief team from the Purple Mansion Academy in Qinzhou." Wang Shou Lian added.
"A Direct Disciple from the Academy?" Wang Shouzhe raised his eyebrows slightly, "Any word on which Direct Disciple it is?"
"Well..." Wang Shou Lian shook his head helplessly, "The Mansion Master didn’t say, and Father didn’t dare to ask too many questions."
...