Before Pei Liang spoke, everyone present assumed the matter was all but settled.
Everyone in the Pei family who had been capable of making decisions was dead. The Pei family's eldest daughter was a lone orphan, and even without the matter involving the Jinhong Sect, their vast family estate would likely have been impossible to protect.
The decline of a prestigious clan was certainly lamentable, but profit stirred people's hearts. The sects and factions that had once been a step below the Pei family would undoubtedly devour the businesses, properties, and territories that had belonged to them.
And as for the position of Sect Leader, another bloody struggle within the sect was inevitable.
As the only remaining direct descendant, the Pei family's eldest daughter naturally stood at the heart of this maelstrom, and her circumstances would be difficult from here on out.
Marrying into the Jiang family as soon as possible and seeking their protection would be the best option. As long as the Pei family's eldest daughter was not a fool, she would understand that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Otherwise, once the Pei family had truly fallen into decline, Jiang Xun—the famous Jade-Faced Young Master of the martial world and without question the future head of the Jiang family—would have no shortage of prestigious heiresses and heroic maidens vying to become the Jiang family's young madam.
As a fallen clan's stumbling block, the Pei family's eldest daughter would certainly have people scheming to kick her aside.
If she married into the Jiang family now, not only would she escape her own miserable predicament, but the Pei family would also receive some protection from the Jiangs. Though they could not avoid falling into decline altogether, if they carefully nurtured the younger generation, then in a dozen years or so, once the family's children had made something of themselves, they might yet be able to restore the clan's former glory.
Everyone assumed that the Pei family's eldest daughter could have only one answer.
Even Huo Shiliu, who had known about her clan's plans from the beginning, wore a smile on her face, but her eyes were filled with dejection and jealousy.
No one had expected that a single sentence from Pei Liang would send the situation in an entirely unexpected direction.
The mourning hall fell deathly silent.
When Sect Leader Jin came to his senses, his expression immediately turned ugly. He flew into a rage. “The Pei family's eldest daughter, I have taken into consideration that you are now alone and helpless. I did not press you too hard. Now that we have found a solution, with the Jiang family willing to vouch for you, I had no desire to pursue the matter further.”
“But I never expected that, despite your young age, you would truly adopt the shameless ways of those who go back on their word. Your father and brothers’ bones have yet to grow cold, and this contract of mine is still warm from the ink—and you already want to welsh on the debt?”
As he spoke, he held up the contract for everyone to see before addressing the sect leaders around him. “Heroes, it is not that I, Jin, am being petty or suspicious. This proves that one must always guard against others.”
“I thought that, although she was a lone and helpless woman and perhaps not well informed about her family's businesses, as the eldest daughter of the Zhanyue Sect, she would at least be well-educated and understand right from wrong. I never imagined that, simply to avoid paying her debt, she would turn around and accuse the Jinhong Sect of extorting and blackmailing her during Sect Leader Pei's mourning period.”
“I, Jin, can let the money go. But today, I must make the truth clear. Though my descendants have disgraced their ancestors and brought down the reputation of the heroes who came before them, my Jinhong Sect has always conducted itself openly and honorably in the martial world. We have never engaged in such underhanded schemes. The Pei family's eldest daughter has slandered us without a second thought. Today, she must give us an explanation. Otherwise, neither I nor anyone in the entire sect will accept this.”
Seeing Sect Leader Jin speaking with such righteous conviction, those around him looked at Pei Liang with even greater disdain.
When the Jiang family had insisted on completing the wedding as soon as possible, quite a few people had felt sorry for the Jiangs.
After all, the Pei family had been in the wrong first with regard to the Han family. Han Weiliu was not even dead yet and was still suffering through the destruction of his clan, while the Pei family could not wait a moment longer. They had immediately severed ties and turned around to become engaged to the Jiang family.
That behavior had been utterly dishonorable and had made people feel that the Pei family was not worth befriending.
In everyone's eyes, the Pei family's eldest daughter was merely a sheltered young heiress. How could she possibly understand the details of the family's businesses? Yet without making the slightest effort to verify anything, she had directly declared the contract a forgery.
Even those who had initially thought Sect Leader Jin petty and calculating for bringing up the matter at such a time now felt that his earlier concerns had not been unfounded.
Whispers spread through the crowd. If any other young woman had been in her place, she would probably have been so humiliated and furious that she would have wanted to crawl into a hole.
But the Pei family's eldest daughter did not.
Only after Sect Leader Jin had finished his long tirade did she finally speak, her expression half a smile and half a sneer. “So that is how it is. Sect Leader Jin assumed that, as a woman, I know nothing about managing the family business. That is why you dared to fabricate evidence without the slightest fear, trying to saddle the Pei family with a huge debt out of nowhere?”
“You—”
Sect Leader Jin had barely begun to speak when Pei Liang impatiently cut him off. “Sect Leader Jin, you have said enough empty words. Why not listen to me for a moment?”
If Sect Leader Jin refused to let her speak, it would make him look as though he were bullying a young woman who knew nothing of the world. He swallowed the words he had been about to say and forced down his anger.
Then everyone heard Pei Liang say, “The business deal Sect Leader Jin mentioned—was it the shipment that set out in early spring, in the third month?”
Sect Leader Jin nodded. “Exactly.”
“Then that makes sense. The list of goods for that shipment, the quantities purchased and their costs, as well as the expenses for transport, horses, and labor—all of these involved considerable sums, and detailed accounts were naturally kept.”
“The purchase cost was indeed substantial. Given the amount of liquid cash the Pei family could raise at the time, we truly could not cover it in full. The shortfall was indeed close to the figure written on the contract in Sect Leader Jin's possession.”
A smug look appeared on Sect Leader Jin's face, while everyone else was left bewildered.
“If the Pei family's eldest daughter knows the business accounts so well, why accuse Sect Leader Jin of forging the contract?”
Pei Liang smiled. “It was not an accusation. That money simply was not borrowed from Sect Leader Jin.”
Then she turned to Sect Leader Jin. “I do not know how you learned that there was a shortfall in the Pei family's accounts. Since the source of the funds was never recorded in writing, you evidently thought you had found an opportunity. You fabricated a debt and tried to extort money from us.”
“Sect Leader Jin, you are quite right in saying that your family fortune is modest. As a sect leader, you are so ignorant of business and commerce that the Jinhong Sect can barely keep itself fed. It is only because your ancestors left behind a sufficiently substantial inheritance that you have managed to scrape by. And yet you have the audacity to fabricate a massive loan and claim that the Zhanyue Sect borrowed it from you?”
“This is outrageous!”
Sect Leader Jin slammed his palm down and shattered the table. “Even a sinking ship has three pounds of nails! Though my Jinhong Sect has been disgraced by its descendants, our ancestors produced heroes. You have no right to look down on us merely because you are a woman!”
Pei Liang was not intimidated in the slightest. Instead, her smile grew even broader. “Indeed. Just think of how heroic the ancestors of the Jinhong Sect once were. Who would have thought their descendants would not only be incompetent, but would also lose all sense of family honor and become nothing more than rats who cheat and extort?”
Sect Leader Jin tried to strike her, but the Jiang family and those around them hurriedly restrained him.
Jiang Xun quickly said, “Junior Sister Liang, I know you are grieving, but however inappropriate Sect Leader Jin may have been, you should not insult him and take out your anger on him.”
“Hurry and apologize to Sect Leader Jin.”
Pei Liang merely looked toward the Jiang family, her expression unreadable. “Uncle, Senior Brother, your behavior today is rather strange.”
“You clearly know that this villain took advantage of my father and brothers’ deaths, when I had no one to rely on, to extort money from us in front of their mourning hall. Yet your first thought was not to expose this villain, but to yield and help me acknowledge the debt without my permission.”
“What? Could it be that the Jinhong Sect is actually the Jiang family's close ally by marriage? Is that why you would watch my father and brothers’ remains lie unburied while forcing them to bear this inexplicable debt?”
The Jiang family's expressions changed. They had not expected Pei Liang to drag them into the matter so directly.
When the surrounding people heard that the Jiang family had known about it as well, they immediately turned suspicious gazes on them.
If that were truly the case, then the Jiang family's behavior earlier was certainly worth reconsidering.
Sect Master Jiang knew he could not let Pei Liang continue spouting nonsense. He hurriedly said to the two beautiful maids standing beside her, “Your mistress is exhausted from worrying and has begun to speak incoherently. Take her down to rest.”
Hongxiu and Qingyi did not move. The elders and disciples of the Moon-Slaying Sect in the mourning hall rose to their feet as well.
It seemed that the entire Pei family obeyed Pei Liang’s commands.
What a joke. In recent days, Pei Liang had brought the Pei family’s affairs into perfect order, quickly restoring them from chaos.
Even those harboring ambitions of their own had to admire her abilities and understood that they had to win her over and secure her support.
The Golden Hong Sect had come to demand repayment. If the debt was genuine, then so be it. But if it was fabricated, they would be taking meat straight from everyone’s mouths.
How could they let the Jiang family smooth things over here?
Everyone was startled. Seeing that this family of in-laws had become so tense that swords seemed ready to be drawn, the more perceptive guests began to sense that matters were not as simple as they appeared.
The Jiang family was both shocked and furious.
Pei Liang continued, “Seniors, my Pei family has stood here for a hundred years. Even if that business required a considerable investment, every one of you is the head of a sect and must worry about feeding and supporting hundreds or even thousands of people.”
“Everyone here has either bought silk, porcelain, tea, and jewelry from the south to sell in the north, or has at least done business of that sort before. When there is a shortage of capital, a long-term business partner can easily solve the problem through collateral or a wager contract. With the Moon-Slaying Sect’s impeccable reputation and security, the risk would be extremely low. Why, then, would my father give Sect Leader Jin thirty percent of the net profits over such a minor shortfall?”
“Was Sect Leader Jin as beautiful as a flower, or did my father regard him as the cinnabar mole over his heart, unable to stop thinking about him?”
Those around them could not help bursting into laughter. Those with more vivid imaginations pictured the burly Sect Leader Jin beside Sect Leader Pei and immediately shuddered.
Yet there was truth in what Pei Liang said. The Moon-Slaying Sect had flourished for a hundred years and possessed a substantial fortune. Although Sect Leader Pei’s family appeared to lead extravagant lives, when it came to business, the Pei family had operated in this region for a century and had countless experts within the sect. Their caravans were far safer than those of ordinary merchants.
Whether they used their fields and estates as collateral or simply gave up a portion of the profits, why would they need to surrender thirty percent of the net profit merely to make up for a shortage of capital?
Thirty percent of the net profit—wasn’t that practically equivalent to the Pei family transporting the goods for the Golden Hong Sect for free?
Someone laughed. “That’s true. I thought something was off earlier. We’ve all done business and transported goods before. Unless they had completely lost the trust of their partners, why would they give up thirty percent of the net profit over a little missing capital?”
“For Sect Leader Pei to accept such a loss, Sect Leader Jin would have to be his beloved concubine kept secretly outside.”
“Don’t say that. What if Sect Leader Pei gave up the profits to support his own woman and child?”
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Sect Leader Jin, as though the man had a green hat sprouting from his head.
Sect Leader Jin was furious. “No matter what Miss Pei says, it is all empty talk. I have a contract personally signed by Sect Leader Pei. If you suspect it is forged, you can examine the handwriting and fingerprints on it.”
That was indeed solid written evidence—something they could not simply deny.
Everyone looked toward Pei Liang, but she merely asked, “May I ask Sect Leader Jin where this enormous sum of money came from?”
“What?” Sect Leader Jin was stunned.
Pei Liang continued, “If you want to commit fraud and extortion, can’t you even be bothered to do your homework beforehand? Just how foolish do you think my Pei family is? Do you really think we would not even ask where the money came from?”
“As far as I know, ever since the time of Sect Leader Jin’s father, the former sect leader, the Golden Hong Sect has run a deficit year after year. You have frequently had to mortgage or sell off fields, estates, and properties.”
“I have even heard that at the end of last year, you sold the ancestral sacrificial fields. Forgive me for speaking frankly, but if Sect Leader Jin could produce such a massive sum all at once, why would you need to sell those sacrificial fields meant to bring blessings to your descendants and provide for your entire clan?”
“And at that time, my father had not yet borrowed money from you, had he?”
“This—this…” Sect Leader Jin’s expression changed. He instinctively looked toward the Jiang family.
The Jiang family hurriedly avoided his gaze.
Pei Liang immediately said, “Sect Leader Jin, you had better think carefully about where the money came from. Whether it was obtained through a mortgage, a pawn arrangement, or the sale of property, a sum this large would be very easy to trace.”
Sect Leader Jin had no answer. It had never occurred to him that the Pei family’s lone daughter, who ought to have been completely panic-stricken, would be so meticulous in her thinking. She knew the accounts of her own household inside and out and was even fully aware of the circumstances of the surrounding aristocratic families and sects with whom they associated.
She was nothing like a sheltered young lady from an inner chamber.
With Sect Leader Jin stammering and unable to respond, how could anyone present fail to understand?
One hot-tempered man immediately rose, seized Sect Leader Jin by the collar, and slapped him across the face with a palm as broad as a cattail fan.
The blow sent Sect Leader Jin spinning in place.
“Bah! Extorting an orphan and a widow in front of a mourning hall—after acting so righteous just now. Shameless!”
“The Golden Hong Sect has truly become more disgraceful by the day.”
“Exactly. The failure of one’s descendants is a minor matter. But once a sect loses its backbone and integrity, it is truly finished.”
As the crowd raged, many of them also sighed in disappointment.
The Jiang family had not expected matters to develop this far. Fortunately, they had prepared in advance. Even if Sect Leader Jin was beaten into a swollen pig’s head, he would not dare drag the Jiang family into it.
But the Jiang family was unwilling to give up just yet.
Jiang Xun stepped forward, took Pei Liang’s hand, and said gently, “My junior sister is right. We handled matters improperly just now.”
“We only wanted to protect the peace before Senior Uncle, Senior Brother, and Grandmother’s memorial tablets. Our sole intention was to suppress Sect Leader Jin’s claims and deal with them after the funeral. We never expected junior sister to know the family accounts so thoroughly. There was no need to argue over the books in the mourning hall and disturb the peace of Senior Uncle and the others.”
“It was my own foolishness. A matter that could have been handled immediately, I insisted on leaving for later, causing junior sister needless worry. We were in the wrong.”
His words were beautifully chosen. At the very least, those around them felt that although the Jiang family’s attitude earlier had been inappropriate, their intentions had been reasonable.
After all, no one had expected the Pei family’s eldest daughter to understand the family business so well. Not just anyone could deceive her so easily.
Though the Jiang family were in-laws, they were ultimately outsiders. If the Pei family’s eldest daughter had truly been ignorant, then confronting Sect Leader Jin over the matter would indeed have forced them to examine the accounts in the mourning hall, bringing even more shame upon the Pei family.
Seen in that light, the Jiang family’s willingness to acknowledge the debt earlier was probably because they already knew Sect Leader Jin’s contract was forged and simply did not want to make the mourning hall look disgraceful.
Pei Liang smiled.
No wonder the Jiang family had such a good reputation. Just look at Jiang Xun. Though he was still young, he could say every word of praise and every word of blame himself. He could stab someone while still making them remember him fondly afterward—a talent beyond that of ordinary people.
But how could Pei Liang allow them to take advantage of her?
She smiled as well. “Senior Brother, there is no need to blame yourself. I was the one who acted rashly. I failed to understand your and Senior Uncle’s good intentions just now and took my anger out on you. I am filled with remorse.”
The smile on Jiang Xun’s face deepened, and he was just about to offer her a few words of comfort.
But Pei Liang’s next sentence made the scalps of everyone in the Jiang family prickle.
“A moment ago, I thought Senior Brother and Senior Uncle were reluctant to mention that the money had been lent to my father by the Han family, because they found it embarrassing. That was why you casually acknowledged the debt and left me to suffer this injustice.”
“Now it seems I was merely being suspicious of others.”
The people from the Jiang and Cao families stiffened. One after another, their gazes turned toward Pei Liang, sharp as blades.
As soon as the people around them heard that the matter involved the Han family, they immediately took an interest.
One highly respected senior asked, “Oh? Sect Leader Pei borrowed that initial capital from the Han family?”
Pei Liang nodded. “That is indeed the case. At the time, Uncle Jiang and Uncle Cao were there as well. The Han family was immensely wealthy, and all three families borrowed money from them. We even witnessed one another’s transactions. That is why I find it so strange that, despite such an obvious and baseless accusation, Uncle Jiang and Senior Brother would react so strongly.”
She wore an expression of merely stating the facts, but the old hands around her began turning the matter over in their minds.
No wonder the Pei family’s ledgers contained no record of where that money had come from. Sect Leader Jin had exploited that opening. Now that the Han family had been wiped out, they had intended to repudiate the debt owed to their former in-laws.
It seemed that not only was Sect Leader Pei faithless and eager to curry favor with the powerful while trampling the weak, he was also suspected of defaulting on his debts. What shameless behavior.
Then the Jiang family’s reaction made sense. They had been afraid that the source of the principal would be exposed, revealing that they too owed money to the Han family.
The Han family had indeed been fabulously wealthy and highly influential. Lending money to three families at once to help them through a cash-flow crisis would hardly have been a problem.
But in that case, the Jiang family’s reputation for loyalty and righteousness suddenly looked rather questionable.
Someone asked, “Sect Master Jiang, is what Miss Pei said true?”
A bead of cold sweat appeared on Sect Master Jiang’s forehead. He glanced at Pei Liang.
Pei Liang met his eyes without the slightest hesitation, a meaningful smile playing across her face.
The Jiang family members were horrified. Was Pei Liang threatening them with the secrets shared by the three families? Was she warning them that, if pushed any further, she would drag everyone down with her?
For now, she was only talking about borrowed money, a preliminary warning. But if they forced her into a corner, would she expose the truth about the massacre?
Even what she had said already was enough to leave them trembling. The martial world was full of clever people. The Han family had supposedly “lent money” to the three families, only to be slaughtered not long afterward. Would people not wonder whether the three families had played some part in it?
The Pei family’s other conspirators were all dead, and the family’s decline was already inevitable. With nothing left to lose, Pei Liang had no reason to fear. But the Jiang and Cao families were different.
Pei Liang’s single statement would already leave them with no shortage of trouble to clean up once they returned home.
That was why Sect Master Jiang forced a stiff smile. “Yes, yes, that is indeed the case. It is a pity that Young Master Han is nowhere to be found. Otherwise, we would certainly return every last coin of the borrowed money to him.”
Pei Liang brightened. “So your business troubles have been resolved, Uncle Jiang? You already have the banknotes prepared for repayment?”
Sect Master Jiang nodded. “Precisely.”
Pei Liang smiled. “That is wonderful. After everyone returns, please spread the news far and wide. If Young Master Han finds himself in need of anything, he can come to the Jiang family, and I will have somewhere to look for him.”
“Although he was misled by the Wangqiu Sect into mistaking my father for his enemy, I have always believed that, given Young Master Han’s kind nature, he had nothing to do with the deaths of my father and brothers.”
“I hope Young Master Han will come forward and explain the truth to me. He must also be determined to restore the Han family to its former glory. When the Han family was massacred, all its money and treasures were looted.”
“Fortunately, the considerable debts owed to him by our three families should be enough to support him in rebuilding his fortunes.”
Pei Liang then turned to the Cao family. “Uncle Cao, would you not agree?”
Sect Leader Cao was practically furious.
The Jiang family had acted without consulting them, making their own move first. They had bribed Sect Leader Jin to fabricate an IOU and use it to attack the Pei family. Their plan had been to marry the only surviving legitimate daughter of the Pei family and swallow the family whole.
In the end, once Jiang Xun married Pei Liang, the Jiang family could pretend to take over the Pei family’s assets under the pretext of inventorying them to repay the debt. They might even put on a show of adding some of their own money to the repayment.
That way, all the money would end up in the Jiang family’s pockets, while the Jiang family would also gain an impeccable reputation. They would win both the substance and the appearance.
The Cao family had been indignant from the start, but as the weakest of the three families—and with all three of them aboard the same sinking ship—they had not dared to turn against the Jiang family.
Now the Jiang family had not only suffered a loss after trying to be clever, but had also been forced to pay out a vast sum of money, dragging the Cao family into surrendering a sizable portion of its wealth as well.
They had publicly acknowledged the debt before the heroes of all four gates and eight sects. How could they possibly deny it later?
If Han Weiliu truly appeared one day and demanded his money, they would have no choice but to pay.
But could they deny it now? Clearly, the Jiang family had underestimated Pei Liang’s abilities. Their greed had provoked such a fierce backlash that she was willing to risk mutual destruction just to chop off the hands they had reached into her family’s coffers.
The Pei family’s decline was already certain, but making a move against it now would at least be foolish.
No—it could not even be called mutual destruction. The mastermind from the Pei family behind the Han family massacre was already dead. Pei Liang was only a young woman and could easily claim that she had known nothing about it.
She had dared to calmly present the money looted from the Han family on the night of the massacre as a “loan.” She could simply say that her father, Sect Leader Pei, had deceived her. Otherwise, how could she possibly dare reveal something so deadly?
Pei Liang could extricate herself with ease. Her status as an unmarried young woman was a disadvantage in some respects, but it also served as a natural shield.
The two of their families, on the other hand, were the ones truly constrained at every turn.
Sect Leader Cao was seething inside, but on the surface he could only put on a relaxed smile. “Indeed. I too hope Young Master Han will avenge himself soon and restore the Jiangnan Han family to its former glory.”
“I give you my word here and now: Young Master Han may use any of the shops and businesses under the Cao family’s name whenever he travels outside. As for the money Brother Han so generously lent me back then, no matter when Young Master Han comes to collect it, I guarantee that every last coin will be ready and waiting for him.”
Sect Master Jiang naturally understood what Sect Leader Cao had realized, and he hurriedly put on an equally righteous expression.
The sect leaders around them nodded, but they were now somewhat more wary of the two families.
Several of the sharper ones had clearly sensed that there was more to the matter than met the eye. That was precisely what the Jiang and Cao families feared most.
A smile tugged at the corners of Pei Liang’s lips. Once they returned home, the Jiang and Cao families would have plenty to keep them busy.
She glanced at Sect Leader Cao. His quiet reaction earlier made it clear that he had not known about the Jiang family’s plans.
Pei Liang did not mind sowing a little more discord between the two families. With a smile, she asked Sect Leader Cao, “Uncle Cao, my elder brother and Junior Sister Cao are betrothed.”
“Ordinarily, now that my brother has passed away, my Pei family would naturally not wish to hold Miss Cao back from the rest of her life.”
“However, Senior Brother Jiang and Uncle Cao’s words just now have given me a great deal to think about. The Pei family is indeed in turmoil. I am still young and inexperienced, and without a lady of the household to manage things, our entire family is living in misery.”
“So I would like to ask Uncle Cao and Junior Sister Cao what they intend to do about the engagement. If you wish to dissolve it, my Pei family will have no objections whatsoever. It is only that—”
The moment Cao Hui heard Pei Liang’s words, displeasure covered her face.
The man she loved was Jiang Xun. If not for her parents’ orders, what was the Pei boy to her? Now that he was dead, it suited her perfectly. Cao Hui had been hoping the Pei family would fall, and among the three closely allied families, she was the one truly well matched with Jiang Xun. She had been counting on Jiang Xun ending his engagement with Pei Liang as soon as possible and marrying her.
That was why she had felt so anxious and unsettled when the Jiang family had insisted on arranging the wedding quickly. At least the subject had been diverted for the moment, yet now Pei Liang had brought up her marriage again.
What was there to discuss? Did that Pei girl really think she was worthy of making Cao Hui enter the household to keep vigil over a dead man?
But when Sect Leader Cao heard this, his eyes lit up.
Of course. If the Jiang family could use this method to swallow the Pei family legitimately, then the Cao family could do the same.
If Cao Hui married into the Pei family, then within three years, the Cao family would be able to use her position as the head wife to take over most of the Pei family's influence, manpower, and property, decisively surpassing the Jiang family.
As it happened, the Jiang family had never consulted them when making their own move. Since their interests were not aligned, the Cao family naturally had no intention of giving up such a profitable opportunity for the Jiang family's sake.
Thus, Sect Leader Cao rose to his feet and declared righteously, “Ridiculous! My Cao family is not the sort of people who betray our word.”
“The women of my Cao family are loyal and devoted. Each marries only once in her life. Since my nephew died young, my daughter will marry his memorial tablet, so that he may have a wife during his brief visit to this world and not leave it all alone.”
That was utter nonsense. Who did not know that Young Sect Leader Pei had countless concubines? He already had several sons and daughters born out of wedlock.
Still, this had been the Pei family's own proposal. Even knowing what the Cao family was really after, outsiders had no grounds to object.
Now it was the Jiang family's turn to panic. Sect Master Jiang gave Pei Liang a deep look.
He had underestimated this girl. With such ease, she had driven a wedge between the two families, and their own schemes had conveniently given her the opening she needed.
Cao Hui, however, refused to accept it. She stared at her father in disbelief. “Father? I won't marry him!”
Sect Leader Cao's expression darkened. “This is no place for you to speak.”
With the marriage about to be settled, marrying a dead man was not the same as marrying a living man who was in mourning. The former needed to be done as quickly as possible.
Seeing this, the Jiang family began to lose their composure. Sect Master Jiang and Jiang Xun were fine—their thoughts ran deep, and they could keep their expressions under control. Unfortunately, they had brought Jiang Wu with them today, a man as blunt as a battering ram.
Jiang Wu spoke up. “Rather than having Miss Cao marry into the Pei family, why not have Miss Pei marry my nephew as soon as possible?”
“However proper Miss Cao may be, at most she can manage the household. You still need a man to support you. Otherwise, as today has shown, any random person can bully and extort you simply because you are a widow and an orphaned child.”
“Wouldn't you agree, niece?”
Pei Liang looked at Jiang Wu with a bewildered expression. “What Uncle Jiang says is reasonable. But the Pei family does not currently lack someone capable of upholding the family. We are only missing a mistress to manage the inner household.”
“Even if I were to marry Senior Brother Jiang ahead of time, would he be willing to become a live-in husband in the Pei family? Otherwise, his support would still be beyond reach. Your proposal would accomplish nothing, and it would also disturb my mourning for my father, brothers, and grandmother. Why would Uncle Jiang suggest such a thing?”
Jiang Wu grew anxious. “Nephew-niece, you must be speaking nonsense from excessive grief. Now that your father and brothers are dead and even the old madam is gone, who is left in the Pei family to deter villains?”
At that, Pei Liang's gaze drifted past him, toward the entrance of the mourning hall.
Then a smile appeared on her face. “Thank you, Uncle Jiang, for worrying about the Pei family's troubles. But you seem to have forgotten that my grandfather had more than one son.”
Third Master Pei? That good-for-nothing could not even stand straight, let alone support the family. Simply having him present was a joke.
And was it not said that Old Madam Pei had been angered to death by Third Master Pei? Was he not still locked up?
As Jiang Wu thought this, he noticed Sect Master Jiang's expression suddenly change.
What was that look? It was as though he had calculated everything, only to realize that he had forgotten the most crucial piece and that his entire plan had fallen apart.
The others nearby sucked in their breaths as well. Many were shaken, and some even wore excited expressions.
Jiang Wu had no idea what was happening. He turned around.
A stranger walked in—yet, for some inexplicable reason, the man also looked faintly familiar.
He wore nothing but a simple blue-green robe. His hair was neatly groomed and secured with a single wooden hairpin, and his beard had been cleanly shaved. He looked barely over thirty.
Yet everyone present knew that he was already more than fifty years old.
Several old acquaintances rose excitedly to their feet.
“Brother Pei, where have you been all these years? You've finally returned?”
Only then did Jiang Wu remember. The newcomer was the elder brother of Sect Leader Pei—the former Sect Leader of the Zhan Yue Sect, Pei Ye, who had once possessed unrivaled martial prowess and whose name had shaken the entire martial world.
He was stunned. The people from both the Jiang and Cao families were stunned as well.
Pei Ye had vanished for more than a decade. The martial world had long since forgotten him, and many had assumed that he was dead.
Sect Leader Pei had not inherited his position honorably, so he had never mentioned his elder brother in public. He had merely sealed off the rear mountain. As a result, no one knew that Pei Ye, who had disappeared for so many years, had actually remained in the Zhan Yue Manor all along.
If Pei Ye was here, then with his martial skills, character, abilities, and connections, it did not matter whether Sect Leader Pei lived or died.
Those who had believed the Pei family was in decline—a household consisting only of widowed women and young children—and who had each harbored their own designs immediately dismissed those thoughts.
Everyone surged forward to greet Pei Ye, thrilled by his appearance. Pei Ye, however, merely said, “There is no need for such ceremony.”
“I, Pei Ye, have grown accustomed to a quiet life over the years. Unless something important arises, I will not leave the mountain again. I came down only because my niece has taken over as sect leader at such a young age. I wished to offer her a little support, lest any villains bully her for being young.”
Even Pei Liang was somewhat surprised by this.
But it made sense. Her Great-Uncle Pei had no interest in anything concerning the Zhan Yue Sect. He was crazy, not stupid. After observing Pei Liang for the past few days, he naturally understood her abilities.
He also knew that all she needed was someone powerful enough to deter others. Why would he bother managing anything else?
With Pei Ye's declaration, the struggle over the leadership of the Zhan Yue Sect ended before it had even begun.
After all, despite having been gone for many years, Pei Ye still possessed a prestige within the Zhan Yue Sect that surpassed even that of Sect Leader Pei. In the eyes of everyone present, he was the true leader—both virtuous and capable.
Many of those who had once wished to step forward had been promoted by him in the past. Now there was Pei Ye to deter them by force, while in matters of administration there was the eldest Pei daughter, whose impressive conduct in recent days—and whose effortless defeat of the Jiang and Cao families' ambitions just now—had left no room for doubt.
How could the Zhan Yue Sect possibly be in decline?
At that moment, the Jiang and Cao families were filled with regret. They had come today intending to swallow up the Pei family.
But what had they achieved? They had not managed to tear away a single benefit from the Pei family. Instead, they had handed over a large sum of money—enough to make them ache.
The Cao family had suffered even worse. They had already promised to marry their daughter into the Pei family. As the Cao family's legitimate daughter, Cao Hui's marriage was naturally a valuable bargaining chip. Yet now they were giving her to the Pei family for nothing?
They claimed she would manage the inner household, but what kind of person was Cao Hui? Under Pei Liang's watchful eye, would she even last three exchanges?
If the Cao family could not extend its influence into the Pei household, would this not amount to giving away a daughter and adding a dowry on top of it?
Seeing that everyone's attention was focused on Pei Ye, the Cao family hoped they could muddle through today and think of a solution after returning home.
But Pei Ye suddenly turned back and said to Sect Leader Cao, “Brother Cao is indeed a man of great righteousness. Let us return to the matter we were discussing.”
“Since the Cao family still intends to marry its daughter into the Pei family, then take advantage of the fact that my nephew has not yet gone far down the road to the Yellow Springs and hold the wedding as soon as possible! That way, we can inform him that he has taken a wife.”
Cold sweat broke out across Sect Leader Cao's body, while Cao Hui completely lost control.
“Why should I? Father! I refuse to marry a dead man. What use is a marriage agreement when the person is already dead?”
As she spoke, she pointed at Pei Liang. “Your Pei family broke off your engagement with the Han family yourselves. Why are you demanding that I come here to become a living widow?”
Pei Liang smiled. “Miss Cao, you make it sound far more serious than it is. Everyone present clearly heard what was said just now. My Pei family gave your side a choice from the beginning. We have never forced you to do anything.”
“From beginning to end, it was Sect Leader Cao who made all the decisions. And now you’re blaming the Pei family for this?”
The people around them struggled to hold back their laughter. Everyone knew perfectly well what the Cao family had been planning. They had previously assumed that the Pei family’s eldest daughter—no, she should be called Sect Leader Pei now—had been forced into the arrangement.
Who would have thought that she had actually dug a pit for the Cao family? The Cao family had tried to be clever and now found themselves unable to climb back out.
But Cao Hui had no concern for any of that. She shamelessly pressed on. “I don’t care. Unless you restore my engagement with the Han family, otherwise—”
“Fine!”
The words Cao Hui had been about to say caught in her throat. Perhaps she had fantasized about the Pei and Jiang families breaking off their engagement for so long that, when she suddenly heard Pei Liang agree, she forgot her predicament entirely.
A look of delight appeared on her face, as did one on Huo Shiliu’s behind her.
Without thinking of the consequences, she asked, “Really?”
Before Pei Liang could answer, however, the Jiang family objected.
Jiang Xun hurriedly said, “Junior Sister Cao, be careful what you say. Marriage is arranged by one’s parents and matchmakers. Uncle Pei must have had his reasons for breaking off the engagement with the Han family. As their children, we need only obey.”
“Now Junior Sister Liang and I are the properly engaged couple. You are going to be married as well, so why do you feel entitled to meddle?”
Cao Hui stared at Jiang Xun in disbelief, her eyes filled with sorrow and pain. Tears even began to fall.
Sect Leader Cao was well aware that his daughter had set her heart on Jiang Xun. At this point, he wanted to scold her and bring her back before she embarrassed herself any further.
Unexpectedly, Pei Liang, who was at the center of the whole incident, seemed determined to enjoy the spectacle.
In a bewildered tone, she asked, “What is Junior Sister Cao doing? Anyone who didn’t know better would think that she and Senior Brother Jiang were a pair of lovers forcibly torn apart.”
She then turned to Jiang Xun. “Senior Brother, you seem especially fond of bragging and showing off in front of Junior Sister Cao. If we go by our current identities, the two of you will be sister-in-law and brother-in-law in the future.”
“Of course, people of the martial world aren’t bound by so many formalities. But the two of you, crying and acting so pitifully—are you putting on a show for me?”
Jiang Xun hurriedly explained, “Junior Sister Liang, please don’t misunderstand. I have only fraternal feelings for Junior Sister Cao. I have never crossed the line, nor have I entertained any improper thoughts.”
“In my heart, there is only you, Junior Sister Liang. You are the only woman I acknowledge as my wife in this lifetime. Heaven and earth can bear witness to my feelings for you. If even one word of what I’ve said is false, may I be struck by lightning.”
To people of ancient times—especially martial artists, who placed great importance on keeping their word—that was considered the most serious oath one could make.
Even those who had thought there was something strange between Cao Hui and Jiang Xun now assumed that Cao Hui had simply fallen hopelessly in love with the wrong man.
And it made sense. Who in the martial world didn’t regard the Jade-Faced Young Master Jiang Xun as their dream lover? Countless women were infatuated with him, yet Young Master Jiang had managed to resist temptation and remain devoted to his fiancée. That was indeed rare.
The sects composed entirely of female warriors looked on with approval, many of them envying Pei Liang.
Hearing Jiang Xun swear such a poisonous oath, Cao Hui’s heart twisted with agony.
Sect Leader Cao hurriedly pulled her back and said in a low voice, “If you don’t want to spend the rest of your life locked up at home, forbidden from seeing Jiang Xun even once, then by all means, keep making a scene.”
Cao Hui stopped causing trouble. But before Sect Leader Cao could even finish breathing his sigh of relief, Pei Liang once again said something that shocked everyone present.
She spoke gently. “Naturally, I believe Senior Brother Jiang. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up…”
“Last month, when my brother and I invited Senior Brother Jiang, Junior Sister Cao, and Uncle and Aunt Jiang to the hot-spring resort, it turns out that when Senior Brother Jiang and Junior Sister Cao were both naked on the hot-spring platform, you were taking turns using your bodies to wipe soap over each other?”
The moment those words left her mouth, everyone from the Cao and Jiang families felt their scalps go numb.
The surrounding crowd, however, revealed excited expressions as they listened to this scandalous secret.
Jiang Xun stared at Pei Liang in disbelief. Pei Liang met his gaze with a beaming smile. There was not the slightest trace of resentment or jealousy in her face or eyes. In fact, her expression was even more excited than those of the onlookers who were eagerly enjoying the spectacle.
Naturally, this information had not come from the original host’s memories. It was one of the plot points from the original story that had not been lost.
Although the storyline seemed to have lost quite a few pieces, Pei Liang felt that many seemingly insignificant details were actually the most valuable.
After all, the development of events and the intertwining of conflicts were both easy to predict.
Take this incident, for example. In the original story, it had probably existed merely to highlight the misery of Han Weiliu, the protagonist.
While his entire family had been slaughtered and he was investigating the culprit day and night without rest, the culprits were leisurely enjoying themselves at a hot spring.
Dissatisfied with her engagement to Young Sect Leader Pei, Cao Hui had decided to give her virginity to Jiang Xun. Jiang Xun loved challenging ethics and pursuing thrills, so how could he possibly refuse?
What was more, this had taken place at the Pei family’s own hot-spring resort, where he had been staying alongside the Pei siblings. One was his younger sister’s fiancé, the other his elder brother’s fiancée—and during that time, he had even been carrying on an affair with his younger sister-in-law.
How high-spirited Jiang Xun had been back then.
In Pei Liang’s view, Jiang Xun had clearly taken the wrong script. In a traditional wuxia story, he had been reduced to a cannon-fodder male supporting character.
Put him somewhere else, and he would unquestionably have been the womanizing male protagonist.
At that moment, however, Jiang Xun was in an awkward predicament. He had no idea how Pei Liang had found out, nor did he know how much she knew. That was the most troublesome part. It meant that he didn’t even dare act rashly or deny her accusation too quickly.
But while Jiang Xun remained silent, the people around him had no intention of doing the same.
Someone asked, “Young Master Jiang, is what Sect Leader Pei said true? Did you really have an affair with Miss Cao—were the two of you even physically involved?”
Before Jiang Xun could answer, an impatient person cut in, “What’s so difficult about that? Just check whether Miss Cao is still a virgin. That should settle the truth of Sect Leader Pei’s words, at least eight times out of ten.”
