Chapter 772: I just want to marry Ch'en, Lin Yühsia, Swire, Hoshiguma, and Shirayuki. What could be the problem?
Hearing Ren's request to marry Ch'en, everyone in the high-security office was stunned into silence. The usually tense atmosphere of political maneuvering evaporated instantly.
Only Fumizuki, standing beside her husband, showed a relieved smile after her initial surprise. Her eyes twinkled with a knowing warmth.
She could tell. The subtle cues were unmistakable to a woman of her perception.
Ch'en's shyness, the way she averted her gaze and the faint flush on her cheeks, indicated that she had most likely genuinely found someone she loved. This wasn't a political alliance or a strategic partnership; it was affection.
Normally, Ch'en had no concept of men in her eyes; they were either colleagues to be commanded or targets to be arrested. Romance was a foreign language she refused to learn.
Now, to show such a demure, feminine demeanor, Fumizuki was very pleased. It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
Lin Kojui, the Rat King, was the second to react.
He stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Congratulations, congratulations! Old man, you've gained a good son-in-law. A dragon for a dragon, eh?"
"..."
Wei Yenwu's eyelid twitched violently.
He didn't know if Lin's words were congratulations or mockery. The old rat always had a hidden blade in his words.
A good son-in-law, that he truly was. In terms of power and influence, Ren was peerless.
This was an existence even more noble than the Great Yan Emperor. A being who could rewrite reality with a thought.
But precisely because Ren was too powerful, Wei Yenwu habitually prepared for danger in times of peace. A force of nature could not be controlled, only weathered. Marrying Ch'en to him was like marrying her to a hurricane.
Just as he didn't know how to deal with this matter, trying to calculate the political fallout and the balance of power...
Ren suddenly looked at Lin, his golden eyes shifting focus. With his right hand, he reached out and gently held Lin Yühsia's hand, pulling her slightly forward.
He said with a faint, charming smile, "Oh, and Yühsia, I also need to propose to you."
"Hiss!"
Upon hearing this, Lin's hand, which was stroking his beard, slapped down and accidentally tore off several strands of hair.
What's going on?
He originally thought he was just gossiping about the Wei Governor, enjoying his old rival's predicament, but now the gossip had fallen on him? The fire had jumped the firebreak.
"Yu...Yühsia?" Lin stammered, looking at his daughter with wide eyes.
Lin Yühsia nodded, her expression composed but her eyes shining with determination. "Yes, Father. I want to be Ren's wife. I have made my choice."
"..."
Lin had a sense of déjà vu, as if his own cabbage—his precious daughter whom he had raised with such care—had been... picked by Ren right under his nose. And she was happy about it!
But this wasn't over yet. The storm was just beginning.
Ren then looked at Fumizuki. His gaze was polite, yet it held an undeniable command.
"!!!"
Fumizuki seemed to sense something. She glanced at Shirayuki, the stoic bodyguard who was bowing her head not far away in the shadows. The usually invisible ninja was trembling slightly.
Fumizuki understood immediately. The bond was there, hidden but strong.
She actually took the initiative to say, her voice smooth and diplomatic, "If Ren, you want to propose to Shirayuki, she just needs to agree herself. She is her own person, despite her service."
Shirayuki's body trembled. She stepped out of the shadows, her face flushed beneath her mask.
She immediately knelt on one knee, bowing deeply to both her mistress and her new lord. "Thank you, Lord Fumizuki! I... I am willing."
"Hiss…"
Wei Yenwu gasped, feeling like the air had been sucked out of the room.
After swallowing a mouthful of saliva, he asked, his voice losing its usual steadiness, "Lord Ren, may I ask... what exactly is going on now?"
These three consecutive proposals completely confused him. Was this a diplomatic summit or a mass wedding?
He swept his gaze around the room, his mind racing. Behind Ren were Hoshiguma, the towering Oni, and Swire, the granddaughter of the wealthy Swire family.
A bad premonition immediately arose in Wei's heart. A terrifying pattern was emerging.
Ren said calmly, as if discussing the weather, "The situation is that I plan to marry them all. I'm just informing you. It's courtesy."
"And Ch'en and Yühsia said that you have a tradition of engagement here in Lungmen, so let's see if we should get engaged or something. I want to do it right."
"..."
Indeed.
His bad premonition came true. It wasn't just a pattern; it was a complete sweep.
If it was just marrying Ch'en, he wouldn't mind at all; in fact, he would be quite happy to secure such a powerful alliance.
But if it included others—especially the daughter of the Rat King and the heiress of the Swire Group—it would be different. The balance of power in Lungmen would be shattered. Ren would effectively become the shadow ruler of the city through marriage.
Because Ch'en's identity was special, and so were the others.
However, he seemed to have no choice.
They were deeply in love. The looks in their eyes, the way they stood close to him—it was undeniable.
Moreover, Ren said he was here to inform them, leaving no room for discussion. It was a decree, not a request.
"..."
After a moment of heavy silence, Wei Yenwu looked at the determined faces of the women and the overwhelming presence of Ren.
He could only let out a long, resigned sigh. "Alright. Please allow us, as parents and guardians, to discuss the specific engagement time. We must... prepare the city."
"No problem."
Ren wasn't very concerned about the logistics; they could decide the details for themselves. It was just an engagement ceremony, a formality.
Then he looked to the side, where the Abyssal Hunters were standing.
"Skadi, come with me. You too, Gladiia."
"Mm."
Skadi nodded and obediently walked to Gladiia's side, her red eyes fixed on Ren.
This scene made Kal'tsit stare in a daze.
Skadi seemed very familiar with Ren. Too familiar. The aloof hunter who barely spoke to anyone at Rhodes Island was following this man like a loyal shadow.
So she also spoke at this moment, seizing the opportunity to gather intel.
"Wei Governor, Mr. Ren has shown kindness to Rhodes Island in the past. Please allow us to temporarily take our leave to sincerely thank him and discuss... mutual interests."
She was now very curious about Ren's identity.
Just by observing, she could tell that Wei Yenwu and the others were completely suppressed by Ren, not daring to say a single word of 'no'. This man held the leash of the city's most powerful figures.
Kal'tsit knew Wei Yenwu's identity and that of his niece, Ch'en.
The blood of the Great Yan imperial family flowed in both of their bodies. They were dragons among men.
A person who could make Wei Yenwu unable to object to his niece marrying along with others... who was he?
Kal'tsit couldn't figure out Ren's background at all.
A Great Yan imperial family member? No, he lacked the specific draconic traits.
But he didn't have any racial features of the Great Yan imperial family. No horns, no tail, no scales.
No, or rather, he didn't have any racial features at all. He looked purely human, yet radiated a pressure that transcended race.
An Abyssal Hunter was with him, and she also guessed he might be an Aegir. But he lacked the scent of the sea.
"..."
Wei Yenwu frowned.
He hadn't expected these two Rhodes Island people, whom he considered troublesome variables, to be connected to Ren.
He had originally planned to pressure them into silence about the city's internal affairs.
Now, there was no need. And no possibility.
He had no choice when it came to Ren. If Ren wanted to talk to them, Ren talked to them.
Forcing a smile, he politely said, "Since Ms. Kal'tsit and Lord Ren are compatible, I won't keep you any longer. Please, enjoy your discussion."
After Ren and the others left the room, the heavy atmosphere lingered.
Wei Yenwu rubbed his temples, sighing deeply with a headache that throbbed behind his eyes.
"Sigh. How did things suddenly turn out like this? I feel like I've lost control of my own city."
Fumizuki stepped forward and began to massage his shoulders, her touch firm and soothing.
"We don't need to worry so much, Yenwu. Ch'en is already an adult, she has her own ideas. And... she looked happy."
She strongly approved of Ch'en marrying Ren.
Not to mention that the two were deeply in love, Ren's strength would also allow him to protect Ch'en and Shirayuki on this chaotic continent. He was a shield stronger than any army.
Regarding issues like wives and concubines, she had seen a lot in the courts of Yan and didn't mind it much. Power attracted power.
"Sigh, I don't want to worry either. But the implications..."
Wei Yenwu was helpless.
The key was Ch'en's bloodline. The imperial legacy.
He looked at Lin, narrowing his eyes. "You old rat, your daughter is also getting married to the same man, don't you have anything to say? You're awfully quiet."
Lin rolled his eyes at him, leaning back in his chair.
"Sorry, I'm not like you, trying to control everything. Yühsia is already an adult, I respect her decision. And honestly... he's a better catch than anyone else in this city."
"Tsk."
Wei Yenwu clicked his tongue.
This old fellow was very cunning.
What 'respect Lin Yühsia's decision'.
It was clearly that after weighing the pros and cons, the benefits outweighed the disadvantages. The Rat King saw a winning ticket and grabbed it.
When the time came, they would also become a family—a massive, convoluted power block. If Wei wanted to suppress this old rat in the future, he would have to think twice, lest he offend their mutual son-in-law.
Moreover, Lin Yühsia didn't have any bloodline issues to worry about. She was free to marry whom she chose.
"Forget it, forget it, since things have come to this, we can only take it one step at a time."
Wei Yenwu waved his hand, dismissing the guards.
He was also at his wit's end.
Not to mention Ren, even Ch'en was much stronger than him now.
They had sparred not long ago in the training dojo.
Ch'en had completely beaten him like a dog with one hand. Her sword techniques had evolved beyond his understanding, and at that time, Ch'en had more or less some traces of revenge in her strikes.
Wei Yenwu had no doubt that if he dared to say a single 'no' today, Ch'en could shove his head into the ground and elope.
Now, the tables had completely turned between them. Times had changed! The Dragon of Lungmen had been surpassed.
Hearing this, Fumizuki smiled, her eyes gleaming with planning. "Then why don't we discuss the engagement banquet? It needs to be grand. A spectacle for the whole city."
"..."
Seeing her eager look, Wei Yenwu and Lin exchanged glances, both showing bitter expressions.
Goodness, the engagement banquet was already coming.
It seemed this would be known to everyone now. The secret was out, and Lungmen would never be the same.
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