Chapter 526: No one received them as guests (1/2)
Chapter 526: No one received them as guests
Jun Yixie had just returned from visiting the empty poison pond when he received Head Elder Xie’s invitation. He immediately went to honor the appointment and rushed to the Xie Clan villa located outside the city. A retainer led him into the guest hall where Head Elder Xie had been waiting for a long time already.
Unlike Ouyang Ningnuo’s leisurely and modest tones, Jun Yixie was blunt and straight to the point. “Has Head Elder Xie come to a decision?”
Head Elder Xie nodded back just as bluntly. “This old man can agree to your terms. However, you will have to give this old man ideas as to how it should be done.”
How it should be done? In other words, how to exert pressure on Mu Yingdong so he would agree to marry Mu Linger off to Northern Li’s crown prince. Jun Yixie immediately said, “It can be an expression of meritorious service!”
Head Elder Xie’s eyes flashed with disdain before he asked, “What do you mean by that?”
“At the Grand Medicine Testing Convention, this lord can act as Northern Li’s representative to ask for Mu Linger’s hand in marriage. The betrothal gifts will be one of Northern Li’s five snowy mountains, Skypeak, and its high plateaus as well as a special token that permits access into the area. Head Elder Xie can seize the chance to exert pressure on Mu Yingdong in public so that he’ll hand over Mu Linger as a meritorious service to improve relations between Medicine City and Northern Li via marriage. Naturally, Head Elder Xie yourself will be the one to accept the betrothal gifts, but Skypeak’s entry token can be shared with the rest of Medicine City. The Council of Elders will watch over the item,” Jun Yixie explained.
Head Elder Xie laughed coldly. “Heheh, you said that it would benefit my Xie Clan, but why does it belong to the entire Council of Elders now?”
“On the left of Skypeak snow mountain is Skydark, which will be given to Head Elder Xie as thanks for playing matchmaker!” Jun Yixie said jovially. “Head Elder Xie, in this way you’ll gain both fame and wealth!”
By arranging Mu Linger’s marriage affairs, Head Elder Xie would be able to show how selfless he was. He didn’t create particular difficulties for the girl on account of the silent feud between the Xie and Mu Clans, but gained benefits for all of Medicine City. That would be his claim to fame. The extra gift that Jun Yixie promised to give him for the Xie Clan would be his claim to wealth.
Head Elder Xie stroked his beard and seemed to be deep in thought, but he was silently admiring Jun Yixie for his well-executed moves. If his grandson hadn’t picked up that gossip—if the Lin Clan man hadn’t died from roundworm poison of all things—then he might’ve fallen into Jun Yixie and Mu Yingdong’s trap long ago!
Header Elder Xie purposely drew out his silence before speaking. “Your Highness Duke of Kang has indeed proposed a good plan, it’s just that…”
“Just what? Go ahead and say it!” Jun Yixie said grandly.
“It’s just that, Mu Yingdong is a crafty and cunning type. There’s no guarantee that he’ll agree to this… If so, this old man would rather not risk it!” Head Elder Xie was firm in his views.
Jun Yixie had been so assured of success that these words made his furrow his eyebrows. His manner was rude as he asked, “Xie Deyi, isn’t it enough to pressure Mu Yingdong with the benefit of the entire Medicine City at stake? Where is your dignity and prestige as the head of the Council of Elders?”
Head Elder Xie knew exactly what he wanted and was unaffected by the accusations. He grew even firmer and said, “This old man doesn’t want Mu Yingdong to trump up countercharges against me at the Grand Medicine Testing Convention. In any case, I won’t do this unless I’m absolutely certain that I’ll succeed!” He stroked his beard and muttered to himself, “The Mu Clan can’t go far without Mu Linger anyways. My Xie Clan has all the time in the world to wait and see!”
Impatience flickered in Jun Yixie’s eyes, but he held himself back. “What do you count as ‘absolute certainty?’”
“That’s difficult…” Head Elder Xie sighed. “That knave Mu Yingdong is Medicine City’s most cunning man. Your Highness Duke of Kang, as this old man sees it, Mu Linger’s marriage affairs…should just be given up. Besides that, everything else… Heheh, we can always discuss other terms.”
Jun Yixie couldn’t stop an inward snort. Would he even bother with the Xie Clan if it wasn’t for Mu Linger? With Xie Deyi’s cowardly, hesitant attitude, it was no wonder the Xie Clan couldn’t be great. Although Mu Yingdong was a little sly and crafty, Jun Yixie preferred the man’s courage and resolution. After some thought, he said, “Since Head Elder Xie wants absolute certainty, then there’s no choice but to benefit the Mu Clan.”
Xie Deyi was secretly laughing up his sleeve. “What kinds of benefits?”
“The gift of Skydark snow mountain can be split in half between you and the Mu Clan. This way, both you and Mu Yingdong would have yielded a step,” Jun Yixie said.
“Nonsense!” Xie Deyi rejected immediately.
Jun Yixie ridiculed him with disdain, “Head Elder Xie, the world isn’t full of easy wins. Since you don’t want to take any risks or lose any advantages, you might as well give up entirely. This lord has nothing else to discuss with your Xie Clan!”
Xie Deyi couldn’t help but gloat to himself, but he put on a resentful expression. “Your Highness Duke of Kang, what kind of attitude are you putting on?”
Jun Yixie was loath to explain himself and stood up to leave. Head Elder Xie quickly barred his way. “Your Highness Duke of Kang, this old man will agree to your terms! But this old man doesn’t want to talk with Mu Yingdong in person!”
Jun Yixie was waiting for him to yield and laughed coldly. “This lord will speak with him.”