21: Conflict with the banker

To be able to marry such a woman, he must not be an ordinary person.

The Patrol Guards are a violent institution of the Azure Flame Dynasty, similar to a police station.

To be a captain among them, one must have both strength and support.

It's possible that, with this opportunity, the Zhuang Family will leap over the Dragon Gate, becoming one of Blackrock City's prominent families and settling within it.

The stronger the Zhuang Family, the better I can lie low; it's a good thing.

"Old Du, you've arrived," said the well-dressed Manager, stepping forward with cupped hands, his eyes narrowed into slits, overjoyed.

"Find him any seat," Du Qingfu said, pointing at Jiang Hanwen, then strode towards the inner courtyard, which was three times narrower.

"Yes!" The Manager bowed slightly, looking at Jiang Hanwen as if he were some rare item.

"My name is Qi Zhen, you can just call me Manager Qi. Little brother, you look a bit unfamiliar. When did you join the manor?"

"Hello, Manager Qi, I am..."

To make Manager Qi look down on him, Jiang Hanwen went on about his mediocre performance over the past two years, even suggesting that his presence at the wedding banquet might be for punishment.

But the Qi Family member was a shrewd person; one sentence directly shut him down.

"You are the first person Elder Du has brought out of the Medicine Field, besides Miss Su.

Whether it's for reward or punishment, I must take it seriously."

Thus, Jiang Hanwen was arranged in the third row, sitting with many Managers in the central small courtyard.

Jiang Hanwen found a corner by the wall, lowered his head, and paid no attention to anything outside.

As the firecrackers boomed in unison, the groom's party arrived, and guests took their seats, symmetrically arranged.

Teams of gray-clad guards poured through the archways into the main courtyard, standing along the edges as a sign of respect.

"Jiang Hanwen?" a surprised voice asked.

Following the sound, a sallow, aged face appeared before him.

Relying on his memory, Jiang Hanwen uncertainly called out:

"Fang Tong?"

"Good brother, it's me!" Fang Tong grinned, very happy:

"Why are you here?"

Compared to more than two years ago, Fang Tong now looked as if he had aged ten years; though only twenty, he had the weathered look of a thirty-year-old.

Suddenly, memories flooded his mind of when they first entered the Zhuang Family together, and Fang Tong brought wine and chicken, personally visiting him.

"I messed up, and Elder Du had something to do, so he just had me tag along," Jiang Hanwen said with a slight smile, a hint of apology and shame, as if he had embarrassed Fang Tong.

"Oh, you're still the same, not knowing when to advance or retreat."

Upon hearing Jiang Hanwen's explanation, the smile of reunion instantly vanished. Fang Tong proudly raised his head, looking at him coldly, his expression changing faster than turning a page.

"Alas," Jiang Hanwen feigned a sigh and lowered his head again.

For someone who couldn't stand to see him do well, why say more? Just practice his acting skills.

Unexpectedly, the next second...

"Are you very talkative?"

The blue-clad Manager sitting to Jiang Hanwen's left gave Fang Tong a disdainful look.

"This is the inner courtyard. Don't you know that you guards have no right to be so chatty?"

"I—I just—"

Fang Tong stammered, his face instantly flushed red, like a steamed crab.

"Who is your superior? How did he teach his people to be so ill-mannered!"

The Manager was relentless, continuing to glare aggressively at Fang Tong, as if about to call someone over for punishment.

"I'm sorry, I talked too much." Fang Tong's face was filled with shame and anger; he raised his hand to slap his own mouth.

A gust of wind brushed past his ear; the Manager had already risen.

"Hmm?"

The slap, about to reach his mouth, was stopped by the Manager.

"What, on such a joyous day, do you want to make me unhappy?" the Manager said, squeezing Fang Tong's hand hard, making his already mortified face turn bruised and purple.

Fang Tong gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, enduring with difficulty.

"Hmph!

Utter nonsense!"

The blue-clad Manager threw Fang Tong away.

"Get out yourself, and send someone else in!"

...Yes.

Fang Tong lowered his head and turned to walk out of the courtyard.

As he reached the doorway, Fang Tong turned his head, looking at Jiang Hanwen with venomous resentment. It was all because of this good-for-nothing that he was scolded.

Being a guard in the inner courtyard this time was an opportunity he had painstakingly secured from his captain—a good chance to see the world and get to know the Managers of various departments.

Now, it was all ruined, all destroyed by this Jiang Hanwen.

Blocking my future, don't blame me for being ruthless!

"Thank you, Manager." Although very displeased, since the person had stood up for him, Jiang Hanwen offered a wry smile of thanks.

"Thank me for what? Just call me Luo Maocai.

On such a joyous day, you are seated, and he is standing. This person can't even see that; he has no future." Luo Maocai waved his hand dismissively.

Jiang Hanwen's eyes lit up; indeed, this person had sharp eyes and hit the nail on the head.

Further inside the inner courtyard, there was another small courtyard where the Zhuang Family's own people, the in-laws, and the true high-ranking members of the Zhuang Family were seated.

"Today, we gather together..."

After the congratulatory speeches for a happy marriage, both sides began to eat.

The most common saying among Chinese people: "Since you're already here..."

Since you're here, make yourself at home.

Jiang Hanwen looked at the plates of delicious, colorful, and fragrant dishes, eating heartily.

This was completely different from the taste of the kitchen; each dish was prepared by a master chef.

After the meal, the bride, Zhuang Minjie, dressed in a large red robe and covered by a red silk veil, walked hand-in-hand with her husband down the red carpet, in the eyes of everyone, leaving with her husband's Family.

At this point, half of the wedding was complete.

The remaining half still awaited the bowing ceremony at the husband's home and then the evening banquet; however, the bride's Family would not attend, signifying that from this moment on,

This Prodigy of the Zhuang Family would completely become someone else's wife.

"Little brother, do you also like Third Miss?" Luo Maocai whispered in his ear, startling Jiang Hanwen, who widened his eyes.

This is a wedding! Brother, don't say that; people will die!

"Old brother, you're joking. I'm in the Medicine Field planting crops every day; I haven't even seen what Third Miss looks like."

"Hahaha, just teasing you." Luo Maocai looked up in the direction Third Miss had left, and like a chatterbox, he tapped his fingers as he spoke:

"Speaking of Minjie, she is indeed beautiful, but her personality is too stubborn. I..."

According to Luo Maocai, he not only knew this Third Miss but had also held her when she was little, and she had three moles on her hand.

A passing Daoist once said that this was a sign of grasping power.

However, from childhood, Third Miss had focused solely on Cultivation, without any ambition for power.

Outside Blackrock City, there were two major immortal sects: one was the Qinglan Sword Sect, and the other was Empty Mountain Spirit Valley.

Originally, the Zhuang Family had hoped that Third Miss would choose one and become a Disciple.

However, they hadn't expected that Zhuang Third Miss, who was considered exceptional in the Zhuang Family's eyes, couldn't even compare to an Outer Sect Disciple of an immortal sect.

Later, she met and fell for this Young Master Gao in the city, so she simply married him and left the Zhuang Family.

Jiang Hanwen nodded perfunctorily, his heart sinking.

In social interactions, it is most important not to speak too deeply with new acquaintances.

He had only met this Luo Maocai for the first time, and he was already using Third Miss's secrets to make friends and as a bargaining chip to build connections; this was the act of a petty person.

Sure enough, Luo Maocai's next sentence revealed his true intention:

"Brother Jiang, I heard that Elder Du and the higher-ups have been at odds recently. Have you heard any rumors?"

"At odds?" Jiang Hanwen then remembered why Elder Du had looked displeased when the Manager called him to the wedding banquet earlier.

It turned out that Elder Du and the Zhuang Family's high-ranking members had a conflict!