Chapter 1102 — The Chen Family's Marriage Contract: Having Drawn a Deep Breath Upon Hearing the Latest News Liu Tianyi Brought, Liu Zhenhu Knitted His Brows and Kept Silent for a Long While
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
Liu Zhenhu had originally believed that Wei Zhao's treatment could buy him another ten years. So long as the old man's presence endured, the Liu family could hold out that much longer; so long as he did not die, the Liu family still had hope! So long as they managed things well, and added to that a judicious match or two, wedding into one of the ancient martial families, they could be certain the Liu family would go on flourishing!
Liu Zhenhu's plan was this: the child born of Liu Jinghan and the young master of another martial family would be pre-designated as the next patriarch, as the price for securing that child the surname Liu. In that way the child would also come by that family's martial skills, and once the child grew to manhood, the Liu family would itself become a family of the martial world!
But before this scheme could even be realized, trouble arrived!
Word had reached the Liu family long before this year's Council of Families: the Yu family meant to strip one family of its status and elevate another into the ranks. In doing so they would not only secure the Yu family's transcendent standing at the Council, but also reap a handsome profit when they raised up the new family!
Everyone had assumed until now that the family to be stripped would surely be the Xiao family; but now it looked very much as though that family might be the Liu family!
The Chen family still had at least one cultivator in the person of Chen Yuxuan. His grade was somewhat low, but a cultivator he was, whereas the Liu family did not have a single one!
"Tianyi, Tianli, tell me: how is our Liu family to hold on to its present standing at the Council of Families a few days hence?" Liu Zhenhu raised his head and looked at his two sons.
Liu Tianyi and Liu Tianli both sank into thought. In truth, ever since they had heard that the Xiao family had won the backing of the hidden Pi family, they had been turning this question over, yet had not hit upon any good answer.
"Tianyi, you speak first," Liu Zhenhu said.
"I wonder... might we seek the Wu family's help?" Liu Tianyi's wife was the daughter of Wu Gonggao, patriarch of the Wu family, and Wu Gonggao had only just broken through to the middle of the Mysterious stage. If he were willing to help and work matters from within, there should still be a chance.
"And you, Tianli? What do you think?" Liu Zhenhu offered no comment on Liu Tianyi's idea, but simply put the question to Liu Tianli.
"Eldest Brother has a point. After all, our sister-in-law is of the Wu family, so it is only right that we should win the Wu family's arm. Beyond that, I think we ought to cultivate good relations with the Xiao family. The Xiao family happens to be in need of business partners at the moment; we could perfectly well volunteer and go into business with them..." Liu Tianli thought it over and said.
"Jingjing, you speak too. Tell us what you make of it." Liu Zhenhu turned his gaze to the granddaughter at his side, Liu Jinghan.
"Wei Zhao..." Liu Jinghan pondered a moment and produced no more than those two words.
"Wei Zhao?" Liu Tianli started at his daughter's words, frowning as he asked: "Jingjing, why raise Wei Zhao at a time like this? He is no man of a great family; and even if he were, he and the Yu family are bitter enemies. Our earlier public declaration of support for Wei Zhao has doubtless already made the Yu family uneasy; if we let ourselves be tied to him again now, the Yu family will resent us all the more. Will our Liu family not be the very first to be squeezed out of the ranks of the great families?"
"Jingjing, tell us more..." Liu Zhenhu, however, raised a hand, motioning Liu Tianyi to keep his temper, then nodded to Liu Jinghan and let her go on.