The main entrance of the Ren family mansion.
A carriage was making its way steadily towards the Tang family mansion.
In the cabin of the carriage, a well-built middle-aged man dressed in a dark yellow long robe with a stern face and eyebrows that slanted upwards was sitting facing an old man.
The old man was dressed in a green robe. He was of average build and had an unremarkable appearance. His long grey-white hair was hanging loose behind him as he sat prim and proper at the side of the cabin.
“Patriarch, didn’t First Young Mistress say that she wanted to attend the banquet at the Tang family mansion with you?”
The old man was the head elder of the Ren Family, Ren Qiong.
From the way he addressed the middle-aged man sitting opposite him, that middle-aged man was obviously the patriarch of the Ren family, Ren Tianhang.
“I have no idea what’s gotten into that girl recently, she has not been out for the past ten days… previously, she loved to soak in the atmosphere, but when I went to look for her yesterday to ask if she wanted to attend the banquet at the Tang family, she declined without the slightest hesitation.”
Ren Tianhang shook his head with a bitter smile, a look of incomprehension in his eyes.
“First Young Mistress was often out previously and was very close to that Yang Zixi… it might be a good thing that she stays home. At least she will not draw the ire of the Shi family because she is close to Yang Zixi,” Ren Qiong said.
Ren Tianhang and Ren Qiong were talking about the first young mistress of the Ren family, Ren Jiapei.
Since the gathering of the scions of the grand families at the Wei family mansion ten days ago, Ren Jiapei had stayed at the Ren family mansion and not gone out and had lost her previous liveliness. Those people who had interacted with her since then had also noticed that she had also lost her cheerfulness.
She was in this state all because of love.
After that day, Ren Jiapei realized that she had already fallen deeply in love with that youth along with Yang Zixi, even to the extent that she was unwilling to give him up.
Moreover, Yang Zixi had also fallen for that youth.
She treated Yang Zixi as her own younger sister, and in addition, Yang Zixi had also saved her life when she was a child, and on the basis of principle and relationship, she could not possibly compete with Yang Zixi.
Because of this, she had shut herself away in her room ostensibly to practice, but in reality, to escape.
…
The atmosphere at the Tang family mansion was extremely lively.
All the patriarchs of the grand families in the Chu royal cities were all present without exception. Besides that, many of the patriarchs of the tycoon families of the Chu royal city had also attended in person.
Although the patriarchs of the three elite tycoon families did not attend, they had all sent an elder to attend, and they were all level-nine adepts and could be considered to be giving sufficient respect to the Tang family.
At the moment, out of all the prominent families of the Chu royal city that had received the invitation, only the Chu royal family was not represented.
No one was surprised by this.
The Chu royal family were the rulers of the Chu royal city and also the entire Western Ridge of the Chu King. Even the elite tycoon families had to tread carefully around them to continue to exist in peace.
Although the Tang family was a tycoon family, it was still beneath the notice of the Chu royal family, and they had no need to consider the matter of showing respect to the Tang family.
After all, what could the Tang family do if they did not show respect?
To put it plainly, in the eyes of the Chu royal family, even elite tycoon families were just a slightly bigger ant.
“Besides the representative from the Chu royal family, it seems that everyone from the grand families and above is here?”
At the main entrance of the Tang family mansion, the Tang family juniors in charge of receiving the guests scanned through the guest list that they were holding and quickly noticed that it was not just the representative from the Chu royal family who had not arrived.
There was someone else who had not arrived.
However, this person did not belong to any family. Although he was at the top of the list, he was named simply as “benefactor.”
“We didn’t notice earlier… the ‘benefactor’ at the top of the list, could he be the one who saved the lives of our patriarch, head elder, and second elder and for whom we are throwing this banquet?” one of the Tang family juniors guessed.
“It probably is.”
The other Tang family junior nodded with a serious expression. “I have some impression of all the guests who arrived today… and there were no new faces.”
“Since he is not named on the list, it must be that he is not from the prominent families of the Chu royal city, and perhaps he is not even from the Chu royal city.
“Why is he not here? If he isn’t coming, what meaning does this banquet have?”
…
The several Tang family juniors looked around for a while, but they still did not see anyone walking towards the main entrance of the Tang family mansion and wondered: As the most important person of the day, and after saving the lives of the patriarch, head elder, and second elder of the Tang family, would he fail to turn up?
“The representative from the Chu royal family probably isn’t coming.”
After some time had passed, the crowd of onlookers at the main entrance of the Tang family mansion slowly dispersed.
And just when most of the crowd had dispersed, a figure dressed in white appeared at the end of the road, together with a figure dressed in a rose-red gown and walked over side by side.
These two walked straight up to the main entrance of the Tang family mansion.
The youth in the white robe produced an invitation from his pocket and handed it to a Tang family junior who was guarding the entrance.
“Are they from the Chu royal family?”
“Impossible! I recognize everyone in the Chu royal family of any importance, these two could not possibly be from the Chu royal family!”
…
Some among those onlookers who had not yet left guessed that the youth and the young lady they saw were from the Chu royal family, but were quickly rebutted by others.
“That young lady… isn’t she Yang Zixi, who was expelled from the Yang family personally by the patriarch of the Yang family, Yang Yunji almost four months earlier?”
“Yang Zixi? No wonder she looks familiar, you’re right, she is Yang Zixi!”
…
Very quickly, someone recognized the young lady in the rose-red gown as Yang Zixi, previously of the grand Yang family, who had been expelled almost four months ago from the Yang family.
“That Yang Zixi, who was expelled from the Yang family? Could you be mistaken? Those Tang family juniors were far more enthusiastic towards her and that youth with her than they were towards the Yang family patriarch Yang Yunji.”
“Not just Yang Yunji… they were not so enthusiastic even towards the elders of the three elite tycoon families who entered earlier.”
…
Under the gaze of the gathered onlookers, several Tang family juniors bowed as they welcomed the golden couple and ushered them in.
“I can confirm that she is Yang Zixi! These few Tang family juniors are so enthusiastic probably because of the youth.”
“In the Chu royal city, the Tang family juniors will show such treatment to only several people… could it be, you think that this youth is a prince of the Chu royal family?”
“I’ve seen the princes of the Chu royal family; he isn’t one of them.”
…
Zhou Donghuang, who had been warmly welcomed into the Tang family mansion by the Tang family juniors, had no idea that he had been mistaken for a prince of the Chu royal family.
The Tang family juniors who were guarding the entrance were amazed when they saw the invitation that Zhou Donghuang produced, and they ushered him respectfully into the Tang family mansion.
This was because on Zhou Donghuang’s invitation, there was only the word “benefactor” on the line for the guest’s name.
Of course, the Tang family juniors did not think that this youth before them was the one who had saved the patriarch, head elder, and second elder of the Tang family but was only attending on behalf of his elder, who was the actual benefactor.
However, even so, they dared not slack off.
“Young Master Zhou, this way, please.”
Finally, one of the Tang family juniors led Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi to the banquet venue, the expansive front courtyard of the Tang family mansion.
Earlier, when asked by a Tang family junior how he should be addressed, Zhou Donghuang had casually given his name. Therefore, the Tang family juniors all already knew that his surname was Zhou.
“Go ahead with your duties, we’ll make our way over on our own.”
Just as the Tang family junior was about to bring them directly to meet the patriarch of the Tang family, Tang Liunian, Zhou Donghuang stopped him, and he naturally obeyed, not daring to go against Zhou Donghuang’s wishes.
As a superior-level tycoon family of the Chu royal city, the Tang family mansion occupied a large plot of land, far bigger than the family mansion of the tycoon Shi family.
Now, in the large front courtyard of the Tang family mansion, many large round tables had been set up, and many guests were already seated at the round tables, but many more were standing around in small groups and chatting.
With a glance, Zhou Donghuang could see that far off, at the easternmost round table in the front courtyard, Patriarch Tang Liunian was chatting with three old men.
Second Elder Tang Yuxin and Third Elder, Tang Yong of the Tang family were also standing at a distance chatting with several people.
Because of the distance, and the general noisiness, they did not notice Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi at first when they entered the front courtyard.
However, although they did not notice Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi, others did.
“Isn’t that Yang Zixi?”
Many people recognized the young lady beside Zhou Donghuang.
“Wasn’t this Yang Zixi expelled from the Yang family? She is now no longer a member of a grand family, how can she be here?”
“Today, those invited by the Tang family to the banquet are all members of grand families and above… and according to the law, this Yang Zixi who has been expelled from the Yang family does not have the status to be here, so why is she here?”
“Could that youth with her have brought her here?”
…
Following the whispered exchanges, the gazes of many of the guests were drawn to Zhou Donghuang.
At present, although Zhou Donghuang was already eighteen years old and more than one point eight meters tall. He was already a young man, his appearance still carrying a hint of youthfulness, and it was easy for someone to mistake him for a youth.
“It’s him!”
“This youth, isn’t he the youth who maimed the arm of Zhang Yongshan of the Zhang family ten days ago at the Wei family mansion?”
“He’s still not dead yet? That First Young Master Shi Yu of the Shi family has not gotten revenge on him yet?”
…
Many of the scions of the grand families present recognized Zhou Donghuang immediately, and many of them cast their glances at a round table in the distance as they whispered among themselves.
First Young Master Shi Yu of the Shi family was sitting there with his back facing them.
Shi Yu?
First Young Master Wei Hongtao was seated at a round table nearby, and hearing the scions of the grand families whisper among themselves, he could not help shaking his head, the corners of his mouth curling upwards in a mocking smile.
The main entrance of the Ren family mansion.
A carriage was making its way steadily towards the Tang family mansion.
In the cabin of the carriage, a well-built middle-aged man dressed in a dark yellow long robe with a stern face and eyebrows that slanted upwards was sitting facing an old man.
The old man was dressed in a green robe. He was of average build and had an unremarkable appearance. His long grey-white hair was hanging loose behind him as he sat prim and proper at the side of the cabin.
“Patriarch, didn’t First Young Mistress say that she wanted to attend the banquet at the Tang family mansion with you?”
The old man was the head elder of the Ren Family, Ren Qiong.
From the way he addressed the middle-aged man sitting opposite him, that middle-aged man was obviously the patriarch of the Ren family, Ren Tianhang.
“I have no idea what’s gotten into that girl recently, she has not been out for the past ten days… previously, she loved to soak in the atmosphere, but when I went to look for her yesterday to ask if she wanted to attend the banquet at the Tang family, she declined without the slightest hesitation.”
Ren Tianhang shook his head with a bitter smile, a look of incomprehension in his eyes.
“First Young Mistress was often out previously and was very close to that Yang Zixi… it might be a good thing that she stays home. At least she will not draw the ire of the Shi family because she is close to Yang Zixi,” Ren Qiong said.
Ren Tianhang and Ren Qiong were talking about the first young mistress of the Ren family, Ren Jiapei.
Since the gathering of the scions of the grand families at the Wei family mansion ten days ago, Ren Jiapei had stayed at the Ren family mansion and not gone out and had lost her previous liveliness. Those people who had interacted with her since then had also noticed that she had also lost her cheerfulness.
She was in this state all because of love.
After that day, Ren Jiapei realized that she had already fallen deeply in love with that youth along with Yang Zixi, even to the extent that she was unwilling to give him up.
Moreover, Yang Zixi had also fallen for that youth.
She treated Yang Zixi as her own younger sister, and in addition, Yang Zixi had also saved her life when she was a child, and on the basis of principle and relationship, she could not possibly compete with Yang Zixi.
Because of this, she had shut herself away in her room ostensibly to practice, but in reality, to escape.
…
The atmosphere at the Tang family mansion was extremely lively.
All the patriarchs of the grand families in the Chu royal cities were all present without exception. Besides that, many of the patriarchs of the tycoon families of the Chu royal city had also attended in person.
Although the patriarchs of the three elite tycoon families did not attend, they had all sent an elder to attend, and they were all level-nine adepts and could be considered to be giving sufficient respect to the Tang family.
At the moment, out of all the prominent families of the Chu royal city that had received the invitation, only the Chu royal family was not represented.
No one was surprised by this.
The Chu royal family were the rulers of the Chu royal city and also the entire Western Ridge of the Chu King. Even the elite tycoon families had to tread carefully around them to continue to exist in peace.
Although the Tang family was a tycoon family, it was still beneath the notice of the Chu royal family, and they had no need to consider the matter of showing respect to the Tang family.
After all, what could the Tang family do if they did not show respect?
To put it plainly, in the eyes of the Chu royal family, even elite tycoon families were just a slightly bigger ant.
“Besides the representative from the Chu royal family, it seems that everyone from the grand families and above is here?”
At the main entrance of the Tang family mansion, the Tang family juniors in charge of receiving the guests scanned through the guest list that they were holding and quickly noticed that it was not just the representative from the Chu royal family who had not arrived.
There was someone else who had not arrived.
However, this person did not belong to any family. Although he was at the top of the list, he was named simply as “benefactor.”
“We didn’t notice earlier… the ‘benefactor’ at the top of the list, could he be the one who saved the lives of our patriarch, head elder, and second elder and for whom we are throwing this banquet?” one of the Tang family juniors guessed.
“It probably is.”
The other Tang family junior nodded with a serious expression. “I have some impression of all the guests who arrived today… and there were no new faces.”
“Since he is not named on the list, it must be that he is not from the prominent families of the Chu royal city, and perhaps he is not even from the Chu royal city.
“Why is he not here? If he isn’t coming, what meaning does this banquet have?”
…
The several Tang family juniors looked around for a while, but they still did not see anyone walking towards the main entrance of the Tang family mansion and wondered: As the most important person of the day, and after saving the lives of the patriarch, head elder, and second elder of the Tang family, would he fail to turn up?
“The representative from the Chu royal family probably isn’t coming.”
After some time had passed, the crowd of onlookers at the main entrance of the Tang family mansion slowly dispersed.
And just when most of the crowd had dispersed, a figure dressed in white appeared at the end of the road, together with a figure dressed in a rose-red gown and walked over side by side.
These two walked straight up to the main entrance of the Tang family mansion.
The youth in the white robe produced an invitation from his pocket and handed it to a Tang family junior who was guarding the entrance.
“Are they from the Chu royal family?”
“Impossible! I recognize everyone in the Chu royal family of any importance, these two could not possibly be from the Chu royal family!”
…
Some among those onlookers who had not yet left guessed that the youth and the young lady they saw were from the Chu royal family, but were quickly rebutted by others.
“That young lady… isn’t she Yang Zixi, who was expelled from the Yang family personally by the patriarch of the Yang family, Yang Yunji almost four months earlier?”
“Yang Zixi? No wonder she looks familiar, you’re right, she is Yang Zixi!”
…
Very quickly, someone recognized the young lady in the rose-red gown as Yang Zixi, previously of the grand Yang family, who had been expelled almost four months ago from the Yang family.
“That Yang Zixi, who was expelled from the Yang family? Could you be mistaken? Those Tang family juniors were far more enthusiastic towards her and that youth with her than they were towards the Yang family patriarch Yang Yunji.”
“Not just Yang Yunji… they were not so enthusiastic even towards the elders of the three elite tycoon families who entered earlier.”
…
Under the gaze of the gathered onlookers, several Tang family juniors bowed as they welcomed the golden couple and ushered them in.
“I can confirm that she is Yang Zixi! These few Tang family juniors are so enthusiastic probably because of the youth.”
“In the Chu royal city, the Tang family juniors will show such treatment to only several people… could it be, you think that this youth is a prince of the Chu royal family?”
“I’ve seen the princes of the Chu royal family; he isn’t one of them.”
…
Zhou Donghuang, who had been warmly welcomed into the Tang family mansion by the Tang family juniors, had no idea that he had been mistaken for a prince of the Chu royal family.
The Tang family juniors who were guarding the entrance were amazed when they saw the invitation that Zhou Donghuang produced, and they ushered him respectfully into the Tang family mansion.
This was because on Zhou Donghuang’s invitation, there was only the word “benefactor” on the line for the guest’s name.
Of course, the Tang family juniors did not think that this youth before them was the one who had saved the patriarch, head elder, and second elder of the Tang family but was only attending on behalf of his elder, who was the actual benefactor.
However, even so, they dared not slack off.
“Young Master Zhou, this way, please.”
Finally, one of the Tang family juniors led Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi to the banquet venue, the expansive front courtyard of the Tang family mansion.
Earlier, when asked by a Tang family junior how he should be addressed, Zhou Donghuang had casually given his name. Therefore, the Tang family juniors all already knew that his surname was Zhou.
“Go ahead with your duties, we’ll make our way over on our own.”
Just as the Tang family junior was about to bring them directly to meet the patriarch of the Tang family, Tang Liunian, Zhou Donghuang stopped him, and he naturally obeyed, not daring to go against Zhou Donghuang’s wishes.
As a superior-level tycoon family of the Chu royal city, the Tang family mansion occupied a large plot of land, far bigger than the family mansion of the tycoon Shi family.
Now, in the large front courtyard of the Tang family mansion, many large round tables had been set up, and many guests were already seated at the round tables, but many more were standing around in small groups and chatting.
With a glance, Zhou Donghuang could see that far off, at the easternmost round table in the front courtyard, Patriarch Tang Liunian was chatting with three old men.
Second Elder Tang Yuxin and Third Elder, Tang Yong of the Tang family were also standing at a distance chatting with several people.
Because of the distance, and the general noisiness, they did not notice Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi at first when they entered the front courtyard.
However, although they did not notice Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi, others did.
“Isn’t that Yang Zixi?”
Many people recognized the young lady beside Zhou Donghuang.
“Wasn’t this Yang Zixi expelled from the Yang family? She is now no longer a member of a grand family, how can she be here?”
“Today, those invited by the Tang family to the banquet are all members of grand families and above… and according to the law, this Yang Zixi who has been expelled from the Yang family does not have the status to be here, so why is she here?”
“Could that youth with her have brought her here?”
…
Following the whispered exchanges, the gazes of many of the guests were drawn to Zhou Donghuang.
At present, although Zhou Donghuang was already eighteen years old and more than one point eight meters tall. He was already a young man, his appearance still carrying a hint of youthfulness, and it was easy for someone to mistake him for a youth.
“It’s him!”
“This youth, isn’t he the youth who maimed the arm of Zhang Yongshan of the Zhang family ten days ago at the Wei family mansion?”
“He’s still not dead yet? That First Young Master Shi Yu of the Shi family has not gotten revenge on him yet?”
…
Many of the scions of the grand families present recognized Zhou Donghuang immediately, and many of them cast their glances at a round table in the distance as they whispered among themselves.
First Young Master Shi Yu of the Shi family was sitting there with his back facing them.
Shi Yu?
First Young Master Wei Hongtao was seated at a round table nearby, and hearing the scions of the grand families whisper among themselves, he could not help shaking his head, the corners of his mouth curling upwards in a mocking smile.
