163: Chapter 163 Family Choice

The meeting lasted until late at night, breaking down each task into specific details for every village group and department.

The next morning, the busy figures of cadres could be seen everywhere in Guantian Township—in the fields, factory workshops, and project sites.

The entire township threw itself into a new wave of development with full enthusiasm, and everyone was brimming with drive.

...

Beijing.

The Zhang family, once illustrious, had withered like sycamore leaves in late autumn after the passing of Elder Zhang.

The bustling activity that once filled their doorstep was gone, and the family's influence had plummeted.

If not for the united efforts of the clansmen and the new head, Zhang Jinrong, who used his exceptional strategic acumen and iron-fisted methods to turn the tide, the Zhang family would likely have long since vanished from the list of Beijing's prominent families.

When Zhang Jinrong first took charge of the family, he displayed extraordinary courage by proposing the "Five Strategies for Revitalization."

The initial measures had already begun to show results, injecting new vitality into this crumbling family.

However, the most critical strategy—the marriage alliance—had yielded no news despite much running around, like a clay ox entering the sea.

Yet the Zhang family did not give up. Instead, they continued to increase their investment, raising the stakes to ensure the success of the marriage alliance.

Finally, after countless efforts and a long wait, the Zhang family received heartening news: the Li family, head of the Beijing noble families, was willing to enter into a marriage alliance with the Zhang family.

The news, while nearly exhausting all of the Zhang family's political capital, made every sacrifice seem insignificant in the face of the greater cause of family survival.

The protection provided by the towering tree that was the Li family was enough to give the precarious Zhang family decades of time to recuperate, and this precious time was the key opportunity for this once-glorious family to rise again.

The good news spread like a spring breeze across a frozen lake, stirring ripples throughout the Zhang family, and the light of hope was rekindled in the eyes of the Zhang family descendants.

When the family head, Zhang Jinrong, learned of this news, his furrowed brows finally relaxed, and a flash of long-hidden sharpness flickered in his eyes.

Zhang Jinrong knew deeply that this marriage alliance was the straw that would save the family's honor.

By leveraging this marriage alliance, perhaps the declining Zhang family could be brought back from the brink.

At the family meeting, Zhang Jinrong could not hide his excitement as he announced the good news: "This marriage alliance will be a crucial turning point in the history of the Zhang family, a choice that concerns our very survival."

His words were firm and powerful, stirring the heart of everyone present.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the Zhang family was overjoyed, as if they could already see the dawn of the family's resurgence right before their eyes.

However, amidst the joy, the Zhang family also faced a thorny problem: who should be sent to marry into the Li family's younger generation?

One must know that although the Zhang family had many people in its third generation, there were very few women of suitable age.

After careful consideration, everyone realized that only Zhang Jinrong's youngest daughter, Zhang Yiyi, was the most suitable.

She was not only beautiful and gentle in temperament but had also received an excellent education since childhood, proficient in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

More importantly, she was in the prime of her youth and of a similar age to the Li family's younger generation, making her undoubtedly the best candidate for the marriage alliance.

Looking at the expectant gazes of everyone, although Zhang Jinrong felt immense reluctance in his heart, he understood that this was for the future of the Zhang family.

He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a hint of unquestionable firmness: "This marriage alliance is critical to the rise and fall of the Zhang family."

"I will speak with Yiyi personally. I believe she can understand the family's predicament and make a contribution to the Zhang family."

As soon as Zhang Jinrong finished speaking, the conference room fell into a brief silence.

Everyone was digesting this momentous decision, while also silently praying for Zhang Yiyi in their hearts.

After all, while a marriage alliance could bring prosperity to the family, for the individual, it meant sacrifice and an unknown future.

However, for the sake of the family's interests, everyone had to make sacrifices; it was just that this time, it was Zhang Yiyi's turn.

As for the Li family's agreement to the marriage alliance, it was actually the result of careful weighing and consideration.

The reason for this had to be traced back to the origins of the two families.

Back in the days of war, Elder Li and Elder Zhang had fought side by side, forging a deep friendship through life and death amidst the hail of bullets.

Although they later drifted apart due to differing political views, now that his old friend had passed, Elder Li always felt deeply emotional whenever he recalled their shared past of life and death.

Seeing that his old friend's descendants were in a difficult situation, he ultimately could not bear to sit idly by, and thus, a sense of compassion was stirred.

A deeper consideration stemmed from the current undercurrents of the power structure in the capital.

Recently, the Wang and Liu families had been interacting frequently, not only echoing each other politically but also forming alliances through multiple marriages, already creating a trend of vertical and horizontal alignment.

Although the Li family held a transcendent position, they also felt an unprecedented threat.

If they could form an alliance with the Zhang family at this time, they could not only divide the opponent's forces but also acquire the valuable political resources left behind by Elder Zhang.

Those students and old acquaintances spread across various places, while usually keeping a low profile, could play an unexpected role at critical moments.

When the Zhang family proactively offered all their political capital to seek protection, Elder Li remained awake all night in his study.