Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Liyang, the Zhou Mansion.

The mansion was festooned with lanterns and colorful decorations. Everyone bustled about, preparing for Zhou Shuwei’s wedding.

The old steward and the accountant were taking inventory of the dowry, checking it against the gift list.

There were quite a few chests and trunks, stacked up to fill half the room.

The brocades, porcelain, and jewelry sets inside were all there, but they lacked the sheer wealth and heritage expected from a great Noble Family’s dowry.

The Zhou Family had undergone a massive upheaval, and their losses were nothing short of catastrophic.

On the surface, they had only lost the Textile Workshop, their cash cow, while their other businesses remained.

But the Textile Workshop had been the core of the Zhou Family’s income.

Furthermore, Zhou Shuwei had already handed over the Zhou Family’s land deeds and property titles to Chen Li.

Although Chen Li hadn’t sent anyone to the Government Office to process the paperwork and had even clarified that these would become her and Chen Shouheng’s assets in the future.

But everything had changed.

Thus, Zhou Shuwei’s wedding was not a grand affair; everything was kept simple.

Inside her boudoir, tall red candles burned brightly, their light glinting off the hanging phoenix crown and wedding veil, making them shimmer with iridescent light.

Zhou Shuwei sat alone before her mirror, her slender fingers gently stroking a Rouge Box.

The Copper Mirror reflected a beautiful, elegant face.

Marrying the man she loved should have been a young woman’s greatest joy.

But when she thought of the Zhou Family’s current situation and the uncertain future, that joy was shrouded by a thick layer of worry.

WHOOSH—

A sudden, fierce gust of wind slammed the window lattice open with a loud CLANG.

The candlelight flickered violently, casting distorted, dancing black shadows on the walls.

A figure appeared silently in the center of the room, like a phantom.

The newcomer was completely shrouded in a wide black robe, their face obscured.

A chilling killing intent emanated from them, dispelling all the warmth in the room.

"Who’s there?"

Zhou Shuwei’s pupils contracted. Without a second thought, she reached under her vanity and drew a Short Sword, just over a foot long. The blade glinted coldly as she held it protectively in front of her and demanded sharply.

The robed figure didn’t answer immediately, only slowly raising a hand to pull back the hood covering their face.

The candlelight revealed the face of a middle-aged man. It was a face that commanded authority even without anger, yet it couldn’t hide its haggardness. His temples were tinged with gray, and his bloodshot eyes were fixed deadly on Zhou Shuwei.

It was none other than the Governor of Liyang, He Mingyun.

Zhou Shuwei’s expression changed slightly, and she tightened her grip on the Short Sword. "Lord Governor, trespassing in a private residence in the middle of the night—and the boudoir of a bride-to-be, no less—is a crime you, of all people, should know not to commit. If word of this were to reach the Court, I wonder how they would deal with you?"

He Mingyun ignored her, his gaze ice-cold. "My son, Zhangqiu... where is he?"

Zhou Shuwei’s heart skipped a beat, but her face showed a faint, mocking smile. "You must be joking, my lord. In Liyang, Young Master He is second to only one and above ten thousand. Since when did he need to report his whereabouts to a humble woman like me?"

"You won’t talk?"

He Mingyun’s eyes turned cold, and the killing intent around him intensified. "Fine. I have my ways of making you talk."

"Hah..."

Zhou Shuwei scoffed. "The great Governor of a commandery, a high-ranking official of the realm, resorting to the crude methods of the Jianghu? How would I know where your esteemed son is? For all I know, at this time of night, he might be sleeping soundly in the perfumed bed of some beautiful confidante.

"As an official appointed by the Court, in charge of an entire commandery, what sense does it make for you to come and harass a helpless woman like me instead of dispatching the Commandery Magistrate’s Office or the Jingwu Bureau to search for him?"

Her words were like daggers, each one stabbing at He Mingyun’s sore spots.

He Zhangqiu had gone to Mirror Mountain several days ago and hadn’t returned. There had been no word from him, and He Mingyun already knew something was terribly wrong.

In all of Liyang, there were only two powers who would dare to make a move against his only son.

The Tuo Long Bang.

And the Chen and Zhou Families!

He had used all the power at his disposal to thoroughly investigate Zhuoyan Collection.

But he hadn’t found his son.

As for the clues, they all pointed to the same conclusion: the Tuo Long Bang had double-crossed them and looted their wealth.

On the surface, it seemed the Tuo Long Bang had been overcome by greed, double-crossing and killing his son and several Grandmaster Honored Guests.

But how could he, He Mingyun, believe something so simple?

He knew exactly what the Tuo Long Bang was worth.

Without some external factor, they wouldn’t dare touch his son even if they had ten times the courage.

Behind this, there had to be another variable, another hand pushing things along.

Besides the Chen and Zhou Families—who had been in contact with the Tuo Long Bang and were mortal enemies with the He Family—he couldn’t think of anyone else.

Of course, he had come here for another reason as well.

The Tuo Long Bang had actually abandoned the vast foundation they had worked so hard to build, taking only their elite members and fleeing toward Bazhou.

And he was powerless to pursue them.

The pain of losing his son was driving He Mingyun mad. His voice was bone-chillingly cold. "What... what incredible benefit did you promise the Tuo Long Bang?"

Zhou Shuwei met He Mingyun’s gaze and retorted, word by word, "By asking that, are you admitting that it was your He Family, in league with the Cao and Liu Families, who looted my Zhou Family’s thirty thousand bolts of tribute silk? That you hired the scoundrels from Wind Gate to frame my niece, Qingyi, forcibly seized my family’s Textile Workshop, and ultimately caused her to be exiled?"

He Mingyun’s entire body trembled.

He had never expected Zhou Shuwei to lay out every single one of these secret plots, piece by piece.

All his secrets were exposed for all to see.

’There’s a mole!’

He Mingyun reached this conclusion in an instant.

’Who could it be?’

An irrepressible killing intent leaked from his body.

He had truly decided to kill!

The undisguised, glacial killing intent shocked Elder Zhan, who was also staying in the Zhou Mansion.

SWOOSH!

A gray shadow flashed into the room like lightning, silently positioning itself in front of Zhou Shuwei.

His Qi Strength flared around him. His old eyes shot out a sharp glint as he locked onto He Mingyun and said in a low voice, "Miss, go quickly! This old one can hold him off for a moment."

He Mingyun’s gaze swept over Elder Zhan. He sneered, "You? How many of my moves do you think you can block?"

Elder Zhan took a deep breath. "Not many, but long enough for others to notice."

"Notice? And what then!"

He Mingyun said coldly, "In Liyang, I am the heavens! What happens in this commandery, whether it is reported or not, and how it is reported, are all decided by my word alone. Killing you can be easily covered up as a Jianghu feud. What can you do to me?"

Zhou Shuwei did not back down. She took a step forward, a hint of defiance to the death in her eyes. "If that’s the case, then by all means, try, Lord He. See if you can kill Elder Zhan and me tonight without a sound. If you can’t... someone will surely be there to claim this blood debt from you on behalf of my entire Zhou Family!"

A sharp glint flashed in He Mingyun’s eyes as he stared at Zhou Shuwei. "Miss Zhou must be referring to the Lingxi Chen Family, correct? How long do you think they can protect you?"

Zhou Shuwei was fearless. "My older brother is still an envoy personally appointed by the Holy Emperor, and his Angel Banner is still en route. My nephew, though young, has a Celestial Being for a master—a fact known to everyone in Liyang. Surely Lord He is not unaware of this?"

He Mingyun’s gaze hardened, and a trace of apprehension flickered in the depths of his eyes.

He gave Zhou Shuwei a long, deep look. The cold killing intent on his face slowly receded, replaced by an inscrutable smile.

The killing intent in the boudoir abruptly vanished.

"Miss Zhou is certainly sharp-tongued and remarkably clever."

He Mingyun smiled faintly. "If you were a few years younger, I would have done anything to have Zhangqiu marry you."

With that, he said no more. With a flick of his black robe, his figure instantly vanished out the window.

Only when that terrifying presence had completely faded did Zhou Shuwei’s taut Heart Spirit finally relax, and she felt the relief of having survived a great danger.

Beside her, Elder Zhan also let out a long sigh of relief, the back of his clothes soaked with cold sweat.

...

The first light of dawn broke.

The thin mist had not yet dispersed, but the main street was already filled with the deafening sound of gongs and drums.

A grand wedding procession snaked its way toward the Zhou Mansion in the west of the city.

At the head of the procession, Chen Shouheng, dressed in bright red wedding clothes, sat atop a magnificent steed, his high spirits impossible to conceal.

Behind him was a large red bridal sedan, decorated with gold-painted, embroidered phoenixes, carried by eight men. Its curtains were drawn, and the tassels swayed gently.

Further back, the wedding procession stretched for over a hundred people.

The high-pitched wail of suonas and the clang of gongs and drums shattered the morning tranquility of the Commandery City, drawing crowds of onlookers to line the streets.

The journey from Liyang to Lingxi took a full day by horse at top speed, but at the pace of a wedding procession, it would take three days.

To avoid missing the auspicious wedding time, Chen Shouheng had already calculated the schedule and checked into an inn in the Commandery City ahead of time.

This morning, he had set out to receive the bride.

The procession arrived at the entrance of the Zhou Mansion.

The main gates were wide open. Led by Elder Zhan, the Zhou Family was already waiting there with smiles on their faces.

Chen Shouheng dismounted and bowed deeply.

The complex wedding rituals proceeded in order.

"Welcome the bride!"

The Master of Ceremonies shouted, and Zhou Shuwei, wearing her phoenix crown and wedding veil with a large red cloth covering her head, was helped out of the mansion by her personal maid.

With a cry of "Lift the sedan!" the gongs and drums roared to life again. The procession turned around and began the journey back.

The procession traveled along the main road, with banners fluttering and music playing during the day.

At night, they stayed in pre-arranged inns.

The three-day journey was uneventful.

They arrived in Lingxi right on the chosen auspicious day and time.

Before they even entered the village, the resounding noise of gongs, drums, and firecrackers could be heard.

The entire village of Lingxi seemed to be submerged in an ocean of red. Every household had hung red silk by their doors, and laughing children chased after the wedding procession.

The atmosphere grew even more festive when the procession reached the main gate of the Chen Mansion.

"The bride has arrived..."

Amid cheers, the bridal sedan was set down.

After a series of blessing rituals, such as stepping over a saddle and a basin of fire, the bride and groom, each holding one end of a red silk ribbon, slowly entered the main hall.

Inside the hall, tall red candles burned, and the air was filled with joyous celebration.

Chen Li and his wife, Song Ying, sat in the seats of honor.

Guests were lined up on both sides, their laughter and chatter filling the room.

"First bow to Heaven and Earth!"

"Second bow to the parents!"

"Third bow to each other!"

With the ceremony complete, Zhou Shuwei was escorted to the bridal chamber.

Chen Shouheng remained in the front hall to entertain the guests.

A banquet of a hundred tables began. Wine cups clinked, and congratulations were heard without end.

「Evening.」

A slight commotion was heard outside the mansion gates.

A group of eight people, travel-worn and dusty, walked straight through the courtyard and into the main hall.

Their leader was a beautiful, middle-aged woman dressed in plain, practical attire, with a cloak worn over it.

It was Shi Yuheng, the leader of the Eight Generals of Wind Gate.

Her hair was slightly disheveled, with a few strands falling across her forehead, but she couldn’t hide the look of joy on her face.

The other seven followed closely behind her.

Chen Li’s Divine Sense stirred, and he turned to look at the newcomers.

Shi Yuheng’s gaze swept the room and locked onto Chen Li, who was making small talk with several members of the local gentry.

She waited for him to get up and move to a corridor before approaching and saying in a low voice, "Patriarch Chen, I have fortunately not failed my mission. As it coincides with your son’s joyous wedding, please consider this our wedding gift."

Hearing this, Chen Li showed a faint smile and returned the courtesy. "Thank you for your trouble. You’ve had a long journey. Please, all of you, go to the side courtyard to rest and have some food and wine. We will talk in detail later."

He then beckoned a Steward over and gave some quiet instructions.

The Steward understood and respectfully led Shi Yuheng and her seven companions toward the side courtyard.

The wedding banquet continued, and the Chen Mansion remained full of celebration and excitement.