Wang Teng was still somewhat afraid of Yang Qi. After all, having been bested several times, he was now as skittish as a bird that fears the twang of a bowstring. Therefore, he was in a hurry to get home. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Meanwhile, Yang Qi brought Ye Qianqian to the Zhao residence. He planned to make it clear to the Zhao family that he would not allow anyone to force Ye Qianqian to do something against her will.

"Who is he?"

The Zhao family members grew vigilant upon seeing Ye Qianqian with a strange man. After all, her marriage to the Tang family of Sea City was nearly settled, and it was highly inappropriate for her to be seen with another man now.

"This is my Brother Qi; he’s like a real brother to me!" Ye Qianqian explained.

"Even if he’s like a real brother, he’s still not your biological brother!" the matriarch, Wang Junru, said coldly. "Qianqian, you must understand who you are set to marry. It is the third young master of the Tang family of Sea City, Tang Chuan. If he finds out you’ve been with another man, how improper would that be?"

"That’s right, Qianqian, don’t be unreasonable! You’re of marriageable age now," the Zhao Family Head, Zhao Haishan, added. "That boy, Tang Chuan, is exceptional in both Martial Arts talent and business acumen. I heard he even studied abroad and has seen much of the world. For him to take an interest in you is your good fortune!"

"Grandpa, Grandma, I’ve already told you that I don’t want to get married yet. Besides, I’ve heard about this Tang Chuan. He’s nothing but a notorious, profligate scion. He has been a scourge in Sea City and harmed countless girls. Do you really want to push me into a pit of fire?" Ye Qianqian shook her head. Only with Yang Qi by her side did she dare to muster the courage to speak like this. Previously, when surrounded by the Zhao family, she hadn’t even dared to make a peep.

"How dare you!" Zhao Haishan shouted angrily. "I advise you to stop making trouble! Do you think you can refuse just because you want to? Tang Chuan may be the third son of the Tang family, but his mother is the daughter of the Southern Overlord, Tang Yu! Do you know who Tang Yu is? He’s one of the five Overlords of Dragon Country, acclaimed as an existence at the Peak of Martial Arts. Can you afford to offend him? Are you being wronged by marrying Tang Chuan? And the Tang family of Sea City is more powerful than any family or Sect in Jingnan Prefecture. To be able to join such a family is a blessing you’ve cultivated over several lifetimes!"

Under normal circumstances, this was indeed a case of Ye Qianqian marrying far above her station. Both the Tang family of Sea City and the Southern Overlord, Tang Yu, were existences far beyond her reach. But to Yang Qi, no one could force his sister into something she didn’t want. One day, she would be someone whom everyone else would have to look up to.

When the Tang family of Sea City sent people to discuss the marriage, Zhao Haishan and Wang Junru had been so excited they couldn’t sleep for three days and nights. In their view, this was their chance to secure a powerful backer. With such in-laws, they would fear no one in the future, not even in the small Jingnan Prefecture. Even across all eight prefectures of the South, no one would dare to touch them. After all, they would be connected to the Southern Overlord, Tang Yu.

"Your grandfather is right. Don’t be so ungrateful," Wang Junru continued. "Marrying Tang Chuan, even as a concubine, would be a blessing for you—the luckiest thing in the world. Our family is marrying up, so you have no right to refuse! For the sake of the Zhao family, and for your own sake, you must agree to this marriage. I will speak to your mother soon, and you can all move back to the Zhao family home and stop living such a hard life!"

Ye Qianqian forced a bitter smile. In the end, the Zhao family’s considerations were all for their own benefit; they had never cared about what I thought! They don’t even realize my family is no longer the poor household it once was. Our current lifestyle isn’t necessarily any worse than the Zhao family’s.

Thinking this, Ye Qianqian mustered her courage again. "My surname is Ye, not Zhao. It’s not up to the Zhao family to concern themselves with whom I marry. For all these years, when our family was struggling, you never once offered a helping hand. Now that the Zhao family is facing a crisis and wants to cling to a powerful backer, you want to use me as a bargaining chip? No way. I refuse!"

"How insolent!" Zhao Haishan roared, slamming his hand on the table. "Enough! There’s no need to waste any more words on her. Lock her up! When the people from the Tang family of Sea City arrive, take her straight to them. This matter is not up to her!"

"Heh, what era are we living in that you’re still practicing arranged marriages? Besides, you’re merely Qianqian’s maternal grandparents, not her parents. Her parents are still alive and well. This is completely overstepping your bounds!" Yang Qi, who had remained silent until now, could no longer bear to listen. "I’m laying it down right here, right now. As long as Qianqian is unwilling, no one can force her. Especially not that Tang family of Sea City. Forget about them. Their house is on the verge of collapse. Are you sending Qianqian to marry into it just to become a widow?" This family is truly despicable.

Ye Qianqian clutched Yang Qi’s arm. With him by her side, she felt fearless.

"Brother Qi, help me! I don’t want to marry that profligate!" she pleaded, shaking her head.

Suddenly, all the members of the Zhao family turned to look at Yang Qi, their expressions darkening considerably, as if in that instant he had become their enemy.

Zhao Bing, Wang Junru’s granddaughter, sneered, "You, a cuckold discarded by a woman, what right do you have to speak here? Your very presence is a huge humiliation to our Zhao family!"

Zhao Deguang, Wang Junru’s grandson, also scoffed, "Yang Qi, you’ve already offended Wang Teng. Do you want to offend Tang Chuan as well? You should know, Tang Chuan is a hundred times more formidable than Wang Teng! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"This is none of your business! Qianqian, let’s go!" Yang Qi took Ye Qianqian’s hand and started walking toward the door.

"Ye Qianqian, if you want this Yang Qi to die, then go ahead and follow him," Zhao Haishan said coldly. "I must remind you, the people from the Tang family of Sea City don’t blink an eye at killing, especially that Tang Chuan! If you truly care for Yang Qi, stay away from him. Otherwise, you’ll be the one to regret it!"

Hearing this, Ye Qianqian hesitated. I can’t get Brother Qi into trouble. No matter how strong he is, he’s still just one person. The Tang family of Sea City is more terrifying than any family in Jingnan Prefecture, and behind them is the frightening presence of the Southern King, Tang Yu.

"Brother Qi, you should go. Don’t worry about me," Ye Qianqian said, letting go of Yang Qi’s hand and forcing a smile. "Even if I don’t agree, it’s not like the Tang family can harass me relentlessly."

Yang Qi looked at Ye Qianqian and sighed. "Alright. But no matter what, you must remember that you have a brother named Yang Qi, and no one can bully you." He knew Ye Qianqian didn’t want to involve him, so this would have to do for now. In any case, there was still some time before the Tang family of Sea City came to Thunder City for the marriage proposal. During this time, he needed to make dealing with them a priority.

「Returning to White Mountain Manor」

Yang Qi immediately summoned Lei Qingtian, Huang Borren, Kong Tianjian, Ye Feng, Elder Chen Guo, and the others for a meeting. It was time to reorganize Thunder City.