owlsbooks Chapter 57 Fish Family
Chapter 57 Fish Family
"What is this?" Zhang Lin picked up the token.
"The Zhang family's inheritance token," Zhang Chongyuan said. "It has been passed down from our ancestors and has only been passed down to the eldest son of the legitimate wife. With this token, you will become the next head of the Zhang family."
Zhang Lin remained silent for a moment before putting the token back into the box.
"Father, my ambition lies in cultivation, not in the position of head of this household..."
"I know," Zhang Chongyuan interrupted him. "You don't need to worry about family affairs; just focus on your cultivation."
"I'm giving you this token not to make you the head of the family, but to remind you that you are a member of the Zhang family."
Zhang Lin looked at him and nodded.
"I understand."
Zhang Chongyuan then pointed to the jade slip and the animal hide.
"The jade slip contains the Zhang family's ancestral cultivation method, the 'Taishang Ganying Pian,' which, though rudimentary, leads directly to the perfection of Qi cultivation."
"Now that you have a better cultivation method, keep this jade slip as a memento."
"The animal hide records some of the sights and experiences of the Zhang family ancestors, including a mention of a secret realm somewhere in Huainan Road."
"If you're interested, you can look into it."
Zhang Lin carefully put away the wooden box, stood up, and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you, Father."
Zhang Chongyuan waved his hand.
"Go on, get some rest. We need to go to the Yu family's place tomorrow."
Zhang Lin turned around and walked out of the study.
The night was deep, and the moonlight was like water.
He stood under the eaves, gazing at the bright moon in the sky, and remained silent for a long time.
Yu Jia, Yu Youwei.
The next morning, as dawn broke.
Zhang Lin awoke from his meditation, opened his eyes, and a glint of light flashed in them.
I meditated in my room all night, using the secret method to expand my dantian. Although there are still only seventy-two drops of true qi in my dantian, the feeling of congestion has disappeared.
He got up, changed into a clean, moon-white robe, and took out the gift list he had prepared yesterday from his storage bag, looking at it carefully.
Five hundred spirit stones. Ten first-grade Qi-cultivating pills. Ten twenty-year-old spirit orchids.
This gift list is neither particularly extensive nor insignificant.
Five hundred spirit stones is equivalent to several years' income for the Yu family.
Even if the Yu family were to exhaust all their resources, they might not be able to refine ten top-grade Qi-cultivating pills.
Ten 20-year-old orchid plants are extremely rare and sought-after items on the market.
Zhang Lin tucked the gift list into his sleeve and went out the door.
In the courtyard, Zhang Chongyuan had already gotten up and was practicing boxing under the osmanthus tree.
The fist techniques were slow, yet they subtly aligned with the principles of breathing exercises, with a faint flow of spiritual energy between each move.
Seeing Zhang Lin come out, he stopped his punch and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"So early?"
"Okay." Zhang Lin nodded. "The sooner the better."
Zhang Chongyuan glanced at him, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Shall I go with you?"
"No need," Zhang Lin shook his head. "I'll go alone. If Father goes, it will only make things more difficult."
Zhang Chongyuan thought for a moment and nodded.
"Alright, Yu Zhengyuan may have a bad temper, but he's not unreasonable. If you speak politely, he won't make things difficult for you."
"I understand."
Zhang Lin turned around and walked towards the gate.
Behind me came Zhang Chongyuan's voice.
Be careful.
Zhang Lin paused, nodded, and without turning around, pushed open the door and left.
The Yu family, west of Chuzhou city.
The Yu family's mansion was slightly larger than the Zhang family's, with a neat and tidy entrance, blue bricks and gray tiles, and upturned eaves.
The two stone lions in front of the gate each hold a blue stone in their mouths, making them much more imposing than the two bare stone lions of the Zhang family.
Zhang Lin stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and raised his hand to knock.
"Knock knock knock".
The door knocker struck the door panel with a dull sound.
Shortly after, footsteps could be heard coming from inside the door.
The door opened a crack, and a middle-aged butler peeked out, looking Zhang Lin up and down.
Who are you looking for?
"My name is Zhang Lin, and I request an audience with Uncle Yu."
The butler's expression changed, and he gave him a complicated look. After a moment of silence, he said, "Wait."
After saying that, he closed the door.
Zhang Lin stood outside the door, his expression calm.
After waiting for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, footsteps came from inside the door, and the door reopened.
The butler stepped aside: "Come in, the master is waiting for you in the main hall."
Zhang Lin stepped across the threshold.
The Yu family's courtyard was more spacious than the Zhang family's, and it also had a cassia tree with lush branches and leaves.
There was a stone table and benches under the tree, and an unfinished chess game was on the table with black and white pieces scattered around, indicating that someone often played chess here.
Follow the butler through the front yard to the main hall.
The main hall was more spacious and more elaborately furnished than the main hall of the Zhang family.
The table and chairs are made of rosewood, the walls are adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, a celadon vase sits on the table, and sandalwood incense burns in the corner, its smoke curling upwards.
A middle-aged man sat in the main seat.
This man appeared to be in his forties, with a square face, thick eyebrows, large eyes, a short beard, wearing a brocade robe, and a jade pendant hanging from his waist.
The initial stage of Qi Refining cultivation.
The head of the Yu family is Yu Zhengyuan.
Standing beside him was a young man in his early twenties, with a burly build and a face somewhat similar to Yu Zhengyuan's, only with a more menacing air.
Ordinary martial artists have already drawn qi into their bodies, but have not yet formally entered the qi refining stage.
Yu Youwen, the eldest son of the Yu family.
Zhang Lin entered the main hall and bowed respectfully.
"Junior Zhang Lin greets Uncle Yu."
Yu Zhengyuan sat in the main seat, his face ashen, his eyes sharp as knives, and he sized up Zhang Lin.
He didn't say anything, nor did he offer to sit down.
The atmosphere in the main hall was somber.
Yu Youwen stood aside, watching coldly with a hint of sarcasm on her lips.
There was silence for a moment.
Yu Zhengyuan finally spoke, his voice icy cold.
"What are you doing here?"
Zhang Lin remained expressionless, cupped his hands, and said, "This junior has come to apologize."
"Apologize?" Yu Zhengyuan sneered. "Can your Zhang family afford to apologize for their crimes?"
Zhang Lin took out the gift list from his sleeve and handed it over with both hands.
"I have prepared some small gifts to express my apologies, and I hope you will accept them, Uncle."
Yu Zhengyuan did not answer.
Yu Youwen stepped forward, took the gift list, and was about to make a sarcastic remark, but after unfolding it and glancing at it, her expression changed slightly.
He turned and handed the gift list to Yu Zhengyuan, saying in a low voice, "Dad, take a look."
Yu Zhengyuan took the gift list, his eyes scanning it, his pupils slightly contracting.
The gift list was much more substantial than he had anticipated.
Yu Zhengyuan was shocked, but he remained calm on the surface, placed the gift list on the table, and sneered.
"You think you can buy back my daughter's reputation with spirit stones?"
Zhang Lin shook his head: "This junior dares not accept such a small gift. It is merely a token of my appreciation and not intended to buy anything."
"I have come here today to sincerely apologize."
"An apology?" Yu Zhengyuan stood up, glaring at Zhang Lin. "You ran away from your wedding, ruining my daughter's reputation. No one dares to marry her now. You think an apology is enough to make things right?"
His voice grew louder and angrier.
"Your Zhang family has gone too far! Although my Yu family is not a prestigious clan, we will not tolerate such humiliation!"
Zhang Lin remained calm and waited for Yu Zhengyuan to finish speaking before cupping his hands and saying, "Uncle, please calm down."
"This matter is indeed my fault, and I dare not shirk my responsibility. If you have any requests, please feel free to make them. As long as I can do it, I will do my best."
Yu Zhengyuan sneered: "Demands? What demands could I possibly have? Can you recover my daughter's reputation? Can you restore the face of the Yu family?"
Zhang Lin was silent for a moment, then said, "I can't get back my reputation and face, but I can do my best to make amends."
"If there is anything that I, Uncle, need to do, I will never refuse."
Just as Yu Zhengyuan was about to speak, a voice came from inside the room.
"Father, that's enough."
His voice was clear and cold like a spring, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.
Zhang Lin looked in the direction of the sound.
The curtain to the inner room was lifted, and a young girl stepped out.
(Thanks to Baozi Shuai Chu Tianji for the monthly pass.)