Chapter 42: Wei Clan
The Wei family estate was exactly what I expected from a wealthy merchant clan - grand without being ostentatious, practical luxury balanced with good taste. The main courtyard featured a modest fountain surrounded by carefully maintained spirit herbs, likely samples from various business ventures.
Wei Lin led us through corridors decorated with landscape paintings and cultivation artifacts displayed in subtle alcoves. The message was clear: "We're rich enough to own these things, but tasteful enough not to flaunt them."
We found the family gathered in a private dining room, where servants were laying out the final dishes on a massive round table.
Wei Lin's father, Wei Ye, rose to greet us. He was tall and dignified, with sharp features that reminded me of Wei Lin. Though mortal, he moved with the grace of someone who regularly consumed cultivation resources - likely age-delaying pills and energy-enhancing elixirs.
"Welcome!" Wei Ye smiled. "So, these are your sect siblings we've heard so much about."
Beside him stood Wei Lin's mother, Wei Ting. She was strikingly beautiful, with long black hair and kind eyes that crinkled at the corners when she smiled. "Lin'er has told us so much about you in his letters!"
A young man who could only be Wei Lin's older brother, Wei Guang, gave us an appraising look. He shared his father's height and his mother's gentle features, though there was a shrewd intelligence in his eyes that matched Wei Lin's.
"Everyone, this is my family,” Wei Lin gestured towards them. “Father, Mother, Brother, these are my friends from Azure Peak Sect." He gestured to each of us in turn. "This is Brother Ke Yin, Sister Lin Mei, and..." he hesitated just slightly, "our newest recruit, Liu Chen."
Wei Ye's eyebrows rose slightly at Liu Chen's worn appearance, but Wei Ting immediately swooped in. "You must be hungry after your journey! Come, sit, sit! And no business talk at dinner - I insist!"