Chapter 1306 - 934: All-Out War Begins

Jiang Nan believed she was not wrong. She merely wanted to take advantage of her youth and sell herself at a good price to avenge her family. What wrong was there in that?

As for Zhang Chen...

Zhang Chen understood Jiang Nan and respected her, but he could not accept her ideas.

Zhang Chen was a person with ideals and pursuits, a flower that grew under the red sun of the motherland, with the most upright views.

Feeling that Jiang Nan had walked away from the door, Zhang Chen gently sighed with a hint of helplessness in his eyes. He was about to marry, so of course he didn’t want to continue getting involved with Jiang Nan.

"This woman has become obsessed with revenge for her family, it’s better for me to keep my distance," Zhang Chen muttered to himself.

Zhang Chen rested in the pavilion overnight without disturbance, but as soon as he went down to the first floor, he saw a familiar figure standing at a distant corner, looking at the landscape. As Zhang Chen’s presence approached, the figure turned and said, "I have something to say to you!"

"What is there to say between us?" Zhang Chen looked at Zhang Gaoqiu coldly, his voice devoid of familial warmth.

"I’m here not for personal matters," Zhang Gaoqiu said.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen paused, looking at Zhang Gaoqiu. He was curious about what Zhang Gaoqiu could possibly say.

"Have you met Shen Ling?" Zhang Gaoqiu asked.

"What if I have? What if I haven’t?" Zhang Chen replied.

"Shen Ling likes you deeply, you shouldn’t let her down! You and Shen Ling already have a marriage contract, you two are a match made in heaven. This marriage was arranged by your mother before she passed away, and the Great Victory Dynasty is ruled by filial piety, you shouldn’t go against your mother’s wishes! If you want to progress in the Great Victory Dynasty, you must cut off all ties with Zhong Xiang and marry Shen Ling to fulfill your filial duty, or else there will be no place for you in Great Victory," Zhang Gaoqiu told Zhang Chen. He was truly helpless within, as he had sworn to the Third Prince that he would ruin Zhang Chen’s marriage to Zhong Xiang, hoping to use familial duty to force Zhang Chen to cut ties with Zhong Xiang. Yet who knew Zhang Chen wouldn’t accept this at all, showing no respect to the family elders and directly insulting them, causing some elders to be bedridden from Zhang Chen’s harsh words.

Zhang Chen’s rebellious, disrespectful demeanor left the entire Zhang Family at a loss, unable to do anything about him. But the task entrusted by the Third Prince had to be completed, as the Third Prince wouldn’t reason with him, and failing to accomplish this task would result in the Third Prince venting his anger on Zhang Gaoqiu, diminishing his significance in the prince’s eyes.

"Isn’t Shen Ling most fond of you? Why don’t you divorce the princess and marry Shen Ling instead?" Zhang Chen replied sarcastically.

"Stop being unreasonable. I’ve already married the princess, so it’s impossible with Shen Ling. But you haven’t married yet, so there’s a huge possibility for you and Shen Ling!" Zhang Gaoqiu advised earnestly, "Our Zhang Family has already disappointed that girl once, don’t let it happen a second time. I owe her from the past, now I realize my mistakes and want to find a way to make amends. But I’ve already married, losing the chance to redeem myself, whereas you still have a chance!"

Zhang Chen scrutinized Zhang Gaoqiu. This young man, unseen for years, seemed to have grown quite adept at shifting concepts.

"I’ve already annulled my engagement with Shen Ling, there are no more ties between us. It was your debt to Shen Ling, not mine! Her affection for me is her own issue; must I like her just because she likes me? That’s the greatest absurdity under the heavens! Abandoning a perfectly eligible young lady to become a ’kindred spirit’ with you—wouldn’t that be insane? You were so fond of Shen Ling, why didn’t you marry her? Yet you directly hurt her? Now you expect me to clean up your mess—are you out of your mind?" Zhang Chen examined Zhang Gaoqiu with contempt in his voice, "You’re mentally ill! How narcissistic are you to make me pick up the scraps you discarded?"

As Zhang Chen’s words fell, Zhang Gaoqiu’s face turned pale with anger. At this moment, sounds of a dropped teacup and suppressed sobbing echoed faintly from the adjacent room.

Listening to the cries, Zhang Chen frowned, fixing a stare at Zhang Gaoqiu: "This is your doing!"

Zhang Chen swore to heaven that he merely aimed to provoke Zhang Gaoqiu, speaking whatever would agitate him without intent to hurt Shen Ling. But who knew Shen Ling was hiding next door?

Zhang Gaoqiu was also left speechless as he looked at Zhang Chen, never expecting Zhang Chen to utter such hurtful words.

"Zhang, am I really so unbearable?" The door opened, revealing Shen Ling with reddened eyes stepping out of the room, her gaze fixed intently on him.

"You’re a good girl; what I said just now was merely a joke aimed to provoke Zhang Gaoqiu. Don’t take it to heart. However, there’s no possibility between us. Don’t waste your efforts; what’s missed remains missed. You made your choice back then, and I have mine now. I’m about to get engaged to Zhong Xiang. In terms of cultivation, appearance, and family background, I have no reason to abandon her and choose you!" Zhang Chen looked at Shen Ling, his voice cold:

"Moreover, whom I’m marrying is a legitimate wife. While she may not be from a prestigious family, at the very least, she must be of pure, unsullied character. If I marry someone impure, wouldn’t I become the laughing stock of Kyoto? How would I ever hold my head up high?"

Saying this, Zhang Chen noticed the pallor on Shen Ling’s face and softened his tone, comforting her: "I know you’re a girl who dares to love and hate, but what can be done when you’ve encountered a scoundrel? Everything has already happened; there’s no returning to the past. You can’t escape the blemishes on you, and there’s no possibility for us anymore. I don’t want to leave you with any fantasies, lest it hinders your future. Since you’ve heard my words today, let’s make a clean break. From now on, we’re complete strangers; take care of yourself!"

Zhang Chen finished speaking and cast a cold glance at Shen Ling and Zhang Gaoqiu, then turned and disappeared into the pavilion.

"Zhang Chen, you’re too heartless! How could there be such a cold-blooded person like you?" Zhang Gaoqiu yelled angrily at Zhang Chen’s retreating figure, his voice filled with fury.

Turning to Shen Ling, he said, "If you truly like Zhang Chen, keep pestering him. Make a scandal, stirring trouble until it’s known everywhere. At that point, if the Zhong family hears the news and feels it’s damaging to their reputation, they might call off the engagement. Then you’d have another chance."

"As the saying goes, a strong woman fears a persistent man, and a good husband also fears a woman’s gentle persuasion." Zhang Gaoqiu said to Shen Ling.

"You’re a complete scoundrel!" Shen Ling turned her head to look at Zhang Gaoqiu.

"I’m a scoundrel? Then you’re blind!" Zhang Gaoqiu laughed cheekily at Shen Ling, his demeanor completely unserious, attempting to reach out and touch her hand. However, he was startled when Shen Ling pulled out a knife from her bosom, halting his movement.

"Look at what you’re doing! I’m giving you advice; why are you brandishing a knife and gun at me? Besides, we weren’t deprived of pleasure before. You’ve been thirsty for years; don’t you desire it by now? We’re just fulfilling each other’s needs... Hey, hey, put down the knife!" Zhang Gaoqiu ran off in a hurry, knowing that Shen Ling genuinely wished to cut him down. He dared not provoke her further, hoping to damage Zhang Chen’s reputation and ruin his marriage, still counting on Shen Ling.

"Zhang Chen saved my life; would I harm him? Stop dreaming." Shen Ling scoffed coldly at Zhang Gaoqiu’s retreating figure, then turned pale and walked away, her silhouette disappearing into the pavilion.

Zhang Chen walked out of the pavilion and headed towards a rock garden to enjoy the scenery, where Fox Immortal Nannan delivered the latest intelligence: "The matter between the Zhang Family and Gong Family has progressed further."

"Hmm?" Zhang Chen turned his head to look at Fox Immortal Nannan.

"Although the Zhang Family and Gong Family in Kyoto temporarily ceased fighting under the Emperor’s suppression, outside Kyoto, they’ve completely fallen out and truly started a bloody battle. The Zhang Family and Gong Family are in full-scale warfare, and countless Zhang Family’s Direct Lineage secretly left Kyoto last night to destroy Gong Family’s bases and assets across various locations. Among the Seven Great Families, other families secretly began hitting Gong Family underhandedly after their alignment with the royal family. Although the Gong Family has Great Victory Royalty’s support, the Great Victory Royalty can’t overtly deploy masters and troops, only offering covert assistance. But what good can covert assistance do? The Gong Family is currently busy putting out fires everywhere, showing signs of decline. However, the Great Victory Royalty has surprisingly unveiled three Twelve-tier Deities this time, intimidating many, causing movements among various Vassal Kings to calm down. What once was a precarious Great Victory Dynasty now seems somewhat stable."

"Three Twelve-tier Deities could indeed frighten many; the Great Victory Dynasty holds the world’s incense, fostering three Twelve-ties deities is indeed within reason." Zhang Chen also wasn’t surprised that Great Victory Court had three Twelve-tier Deities.

"Keep a close watch on the Zhang Family’s every move. If anything unusual happens, inform me immediately." Zhang Chen instructed Fox Immortal Nannan.

Fox Immortal Nannan nodded in response and vanished among the rock garden, leaving Zhang Chen leisurely strolling through the mountains. After a short walk, he stopped at a familiar dog’s barking echoed from afar.

Following the barking, Zhang Chen saw a young girl in a blue dress, holding the Big Black Dog, admiring the scenery from a distant pavilion.

"Young Master Zhang, I didn’t expect you to be out here enjoying the view as well." The girl appeared skeletal, waving from afar at Zhang Chen.

Looking at Ji Feihua, Zhang Chen approached with a smile: "How is your health? How is your recovery?"