"Senior, you've misunderstood," Chen Xuan said, shaking his head. "I've never even met Jiang Huihui. How could I be dissatisfied with her? I just think this marriage arrangement is ridiculous. Besides… I already have someone I like."
"This was decided between me and your master!" Jiang Sheng snorted coldly. "Your master is gone now, so I am your elder!"
Xu Mu, standing off to the side, was secretly startled — he wasn't sure whether Jiang Sheng was bluffing or telling the truth.
If it was true, then it would indeed be difficult for Chen Xuan to back out of this engagement.
"Senior, I think it'd be better to bring Huihui out and let the two of them talk face-to-face," Xu Mu suggested with a light smile.
"Dad! He's right — let Huihui out," Zhou Shui added, nodding.
Jiang Sheng turned and waved toward the distant buildings.
Boom!
A flash of radiant light erupted from a building up the hill.
Xu Mu looked up; as expected, it was a formation barrier.
So Jiang Sheng truly wasn't an ordinary person.
The door of the distant building opened, and Jiang Huihui stepped out. When she saw Xu Mu, she leapt toward him, bounding down the slope in a few light jumps until she landed beside him.
She hadn't expected Xu Mu to come so soon.
[Favorability +20]
"Huihui," Jiang Sheng said, hands clasped behind his back, voice calm, "this Chen Xuan is your fiancé. But today he's come to annul the engagement. What do you think about that?"
"Annul the engagement? Of course I agree!"
Jiang Huihui turned toward Chen Xuan.
She hadn't expected Xu Mu to really find her. Before this, she had thought perhaps Xu Mu himself was the one coming to propose.
[Favorability +10]
"Senior," Chen Xuan said respectfully, "since she thinks the same, there's no need to insist. Forcing us together would only make both of us unhappy."
Jiang Sheng glanced sideways at Jiang Xingjun. "What do you think?"
"I've said it many times — I'll follow Huihui's wishes," Jiang Xingjun replied evenly, face expressionless even toward his father.
"Ahh… in the end, I've become the villain," Jiang Sheng sighed, sitting down on a small wooden stool. He took the tobacco pipe hanging behind his shorts, pulled out a tin from his pocket, and began packing the pipe, letting out a deep sigh.
"Dad! What's going on with you? Why are you so stubborn? They don't want it — what's the point in forcing it?" Zhou Shui asked, puzzled.
Before, she hadn't known what Chen Xuan thought, but now that he'd come personally to break it off, why keep pressing?
Was he really so eager to marry off his granddaughter?
"Back then, something happened that nearly wiped out our Jiang family's younger generation," Jiang Sheng said, puffing twice on the pipe before tapping out the ashes. "Ever since then, many people have had their eyes on Huihui. When those people came to propose, I always had one excuse — that she was already engaged. Chen Xuan's master was a famous man, so everyone gave us face."
Xu Mu and the others finally understood.
"Now that Chen Xuan has withdrawn and Huihui is single again, those people will come swarming."
Jiang Sheng continued, "And one thing's for sure — compared with those people's sons, Chen Xuan is far better."
Of course, that wasn't his only reason.
Chen Xuan's master was dead — if Chen Xuan married in, it'd be no different from becoming part of the Jiang family, adding another talented youth to their ranks.
"Old man! I don't get it," Jiang Huihui said coldly, hands stuffed into her pockets. "What does my being single have to do with them?"
"Ah, it's karma…" Jiang Sheng sighed again, pinching more tobacco into his pipe. "Xingjun, you explain."
Everyone turned toward Jiang Xingjun, who stood straight as ever, eyes looking out toward the mountains.
"I had an elder brother," he said quietly. "Back then he caused a lot of trouble, offended many people. In the end, it took both the government and several sects intervening to calm things down."
Zhou Shui looked at her husband — she had known he had a brother.
When they married, the brother had even attended the ceremony. Later, when she asked why he never returned home, Jiang Xingjun only said that his brother was dead.
"That's human debt," Jiang Sheng said, standing up from the stool. "If they hadn't intervened, countless experts would have targeted our family. We'd have lived in chaos. Now those same people come to propose — tell me, how can I refuse?"
Xu Mu stood there silently, hands in his pockets, listening.
He had suspected from the start that Chen Xuan's engagement wouldn't be easy to dissolve.
If he hadn't come along and left it to Chen Xuan alone, the matter might have just been brushed aside.
Even Jiang Huihui seemed surprised — she'd never known this history.
And Zhou Shui finally understood why the old man had been so insistent.
Then Chen Xuan spoke up:
"Senior, you mean as long as she's engaged to someone, it's fine? Then let my brother Mu take my place!"
"Huh?"
Xu Mu froze — he hadn't expected Chen Xuan to throw him in like that.
"Brother Mu's medical skills are better than mine, and he's more handsome. Why not consider him?" Chen Xuan said, turning to Jiang Sheng.
Jiang Huihui's face immediately flushed red.
Just moments ago she'd looked calm and composed, but now her expression changed completely — everyone in the Jiang family noticed.
"No."
Jiang Sheng shook his head lightly. "I'm very interested in Xu Mu, but unfortunately, his strength isn't enough. He'd be an easy target."
"Mainly," Xu Mu said evenly, "because I already have a wife."
He was starting to lose patience. What he thought would be a simple matter had turned into a tangle involving the previous generation.
"That's not the main issue," Jiang Sheng replied after glancing at him.
Many of those interested in Huihui were the sons of sect disciples.
People "ordered from the menu by status." Since the Jiang family owed those sects a favor, most of them wouldn't let any true geniuses marry her — they'd send average disciples instead.
Of course, some talented ones might appear, but most already had wives.
Xu Mu was speechless — even being married wasn't an issue anymore?
"Huihui! Don't blame your grandpa," Jiang Sheng said solemnly. "I must make the decision for you. You have two options: first, marry Chen Xuan. Second — if you refuse him — then I'll hold a martial tournament for marriage!"
Xu Mu couldn't help sighing inwardly. What an ancient phrase.
"What!? A martial tournament for marriage? I won't do it!"
Jiang Huihui shouted angrily. "Old man! So if some old geezer wins, I have to marry him?"
"Of course not. I'll set an age limit," Jiang Sheng said awkwardly. "No old men — but, well, you might still end up with someone ugly."
"Brother Mu, can we go now?" Chen Xuan whispered.
He and Jiang Huihui barely knew each other. His goal was to break the engagement, and that was done. Whatever the Jiang family decided afterward had nothing to do with him.
Xu Mu shook his head, then looked at Jiang Sheng. "Senior, may I offer a suggestion?"
Jiang Sheng glanced at him. "Oh? And what's your brilliant idea?"
"A pure martial tournament isn't suitable for modern times," Xu Mu said with a calm smile. "I suggest you broaden it — combat can still be the main focus, but the contestants' character and skills should also be tested."
"I see," Jiang Sheng said, narrowing his eyes. "You mean, besides fighting, to include things like painting or other tests of cultivation and temperament?"
He squinted thoughtfully.
Was this Xu Mu… perhaps interested in his granddaughter?