Human Martial Venerable: Starting from the Synthesis Technique

Chapter 48 Conflict

Outside the mansion, the carriage moved slowly.

After passing the city gate, we drove east for about an hour and stopped in a scenic spot with clear water and lush mountains.

Before us, in front of the manor built against the mountain, stood two majestic stone lions in front of the huge vermilion gate, and dozens of luxurious carriages were parked at the entrance.

The many stewards of the Wu family were coordinating and directing a group of grooms.

The number of people attending the Heyang Elegant Banquet was large, and they were mostly members of the younger generation from the high-end families in Qingyan City.

Feng Xiu alighted from the carriage, presented his invitation, and the latter respectfully invited him inside.

Inside the manor.

Artificial hills and flowing water, pavilions and towers, all exude elegance.

A little further in is a wide open lawn with dozens of rosewood wooden tables set up. The chairs behind them are carved with intricate patterns, and the tables are laden with exquisite dishes.

Steamed sea bass, braised deer tendon, roasted lamb chops, cold magnolia petal salad, and plates of snacks and fruits whose names I don't know.

On the other side is a flowerbed.

The flowerbed is planted with many exotic flowers and plants, their petals layered upon each other, all in full bloom.

"This is Tricolor Yellow Coptis, which only blooms once every three years."

A young man in brocade pointed to one of the pale yellow flowers and clicked his tongue in amazement.

"It is said to have been introduced from southern Xinjiang, and there is only one of these plants in the entire Yunzhou."

The young men beside him pointed and whispered, their words filled with admiration for the Wu family's wealth and power.

On the other side of the flowerbed stood a group of young women.

Dressed in various light and elegant clothes, holding round or folding fans, they gathered in twos and threes, whispering to each other.

She would occasionally steal a glance at the many talented young men, and then burst into silvery laughter with the ladies beside her.

On the stone platform in front of the many women, there were many items, including ink wash landscape paintings and calligraphy scrolls.

There are also dozens of jade ornaments carved with lifelike detail, as well as many rare and precious items.

"Brother Li, there are so many people here for this elegant banquet!"

Under the pavilion, a young man glanced around and said in surprise.

"That's right, you don't even know you're part of the organization. I brought you here this time."

"But it took a lot of effort to get in touch with them. So, is there a girl you've got your eye on?"

The man beside him had a refined appearance. He noticed that the young man's gaze lingered a little longer in the direction of the group of women, and then asked with a smile.

"If you can win their favor, your Cheng family can avoid ten years of hard work."

The young man blushed and quickly waved his hand, "Brother Li, don't joke around. Who is she? How could she possibly be interested in me?"

"That's hard to say. When fate comes, you can't stop it."

The young man shook his head again. His family was just a small clan, and if it weren't for his friend's recommendation, he probably wouldn't even have been able to get through the gate.

Despite saying that, the two of them turned their gazes to several fair-skinned, plump, and delicate young women in the rare treasures section.

The Heyang Elegant Banquet was originally intended for socializing and networking, but even so...

Faced with a group of well-bred young ladies, not one of them dared to step forward.

I could only steal a few glances at him occasionally.

In front of the flowerbed, several young people were admiring the flowers when a man in a long robe glanced over and suddenly paused, startled.

"Hey, why is someone going to the women's area?"

Upon hearing this, some people followed the gaze and were also taken aback.

now.

Feng Xiu stopped in his tracks, his gaze instantly drawn to the rare treasures on the stone platform.

On a round tray are two crystal-clear walnuts carved from jade beads.

The two jade walnuts are carved so lifelike that even the surface texture is clearly visible. They fit perfectly in one hand and the other in the other.

He didn't play with the two he bought at the market much last time.

These two walnuts look like good stuff.

Many women from prominent families were already observing the young men from various clans, their delicate hands lightly shielding their eyes with fans as they chatted and laughed in hushed tones.

Upon seeing Feng Xiu approach, he momentarily forgot to speak.

Compared to those young masters who only knew how to recite poems and appreciate flowers, this man seemed quite different.

"Is he the eldest son of the Feng family?"

"Fengxiu?"

"Is that the young master Feng who officiated at the Ganlin Grand Ceremony, the philanthropist who opened a porridge shop to relieve refugees?"

"Yes, that's him!"

The women's eyes lit up even more.

They had heard of Feng Xiu's name long ago, but had never seen him in person.

But upon seeing it today, it was not as I had imagined.

His eyes showed no restraint in expressing his feelings, but rather were full of love for the jade pit.

At this moment, a young man dressed in a white brocade robe walked over and said with a smile, "Brother Feng, do you like this?"

Feng Xiu looked up and saw a familiar face.

Wu Ming, the second son of the Wu family.

Wu Ming pointed to the two jade walnuts and introduced them:

"This is a work by jade carver Gu Erniang. It is made of chicken blood seed jade and is carved into a double dragon playing with a pearl. Look at the dragon whiskers and scales, they are carved so exquisitely."

Feng Xiu nodded. "No wonder it's so exquisite."

Wu Ming laughed and said, "If Brother Feng likes it, then take it."

Feng was about to express his gratitude when two more voices came from behind him.

"Brother Feng."

Feng Xiu turned around and saw that Fan Ling and Lin Che were leading the way.

The two walked over, Fan Ling smiling, patting Feng Xiu on the shoulder, "Long time no see, Brother Feng, you've grown taller again, haven't you?"

"Brother Wenzheng, you look much better than before." Lin Che was also looking him over, his eyes filled with surprise.

As he spoke, he glanced at the women who were secretly watching Feng Xiu not far away and laughed, "Look, how many people are watching you over there."

Feng Xiu shook his head helplessly. "It's from the sun. Running around in the fields every day, how could I not be tanned?"

Fan Ling burst into laughter.

At this moment, a young man walked up behind Lin Che.

Wearing a moon-white long robe, with a handsome face and gentle temperament, he walked over and cupped his hands in greeting to Feng Xiu: "Brother Feng, I've long admired you."

Feng Xiu looked at him.

Fan Ling introduced, "This is Chu Yun, the eldest son of the Chu family. He runs a pharmacy business in the city."

Chu Yun of Chu Family Pharmacy?

I had only heard of him before, but upon closer inspection, I found that Chu Yun had a deep and steady breath and a composed demeanor.

Thinking about the chain business of Chu Family Pharmacy, Feng Xiu was surprised, but that was to be expected.

Immediately, Feng Xiu smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, "Brother Chu, it's been a long time since I've heard of you."

Chu Yun nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Feng Xiu for a moment, as if he had noticed something.

Feng Xiu's eyes were full of energy, clearly indicating that his actions were far more than just simple farm work.

Two days ago, the steward of the Feng family went to his family's pharmacy to buy a batch of medicinal materials for breaking through to the Blood Burning Realm. Now it seems that they were probably prepared for Feng Xiu.

After a moment's thought, Chu Yun smiled and stepped back slightly.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the group walked to the other side.

On the grass, a group of young people were sitting together, with a handsome man in the middle wearing a dark purple brocade robe.

The initiator of this elegant banquet was Wu Yuanheng, the eldest son of the Wu family.

Seeing them approach, Wu Yuanheng stood up and greeted them with a smile.

"Brother Feng, Brother Fan, Brother Lin, Brother Chu, please have a seat."

As soon as the group sat down, a maidservant came forward to pour wine. The wine was fragrant and rich, and one could tell from the aroma that it was a fine aged wine.

Wu Yuanheng picked up his wine glass and said with a smile, "This wine is a thirty-year-aged Zhuyeqing. It was stored underground for twenty years and then stored in a bamboo tube for another ten years, a total of thirty years. Please have a taste."

Feng Xiu took a sip.

The wine is sweet and smooth as it goes down your throat, but it has a strong aftertaste, and a warm feeling rises from your stomach.

Good wine.

He couldn't resist taking another sip.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere gradually warmed up.

As they chatted, the topic turned to their recent business dealings.

With the fighting in Jinzhou, refugees poured in, causing grain prices in Yunzhou to rise again and again.

Many family disciples came this time, but only a dozen or so were able to attend the core seat, all of whom were pillars of their respective forces.

Most families are involved in the grain business to some extent.

"I heard that in Jinzhou, a pound of golden wheat has already cost five taels of silver."

"Five taels? We only get eight mace here."

"That's the official price. In Jinzhou, you can't buy it even if you have money. Those rebels just loot any grain they see."

"The Grain Commissioner's stance on grain purchases this year hasn't been finalized yet; who knows if it will be lower than in previous years?"

Just then, someone suddenly changed the subject and looked at Feng Xiu.

"Brother Feng, I heard that your Feng family only has three farms, yet you are able to support the expenses of running a porridge shop. Your financial resources are truly admirable."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuanheng frowned slightly.

Lin Che and the others didn't look too good either, and Feng Xiu looked up at them.

The speaker was a young man dressed in dark brown clothes, with an ordinary face and a hint of provocation in his eyes.

Lin Che leaned closer and whispered, "That's Sun Fulai, the second son of the Sun family. His family makes cloth, and recently they wanted to mix it with grain, but they were blocked on several roads."

Seeing that he didn't respond, Sun Fulai laughed again, "Brother Feng, why is your face so tanned? Are you spending all your time toiling away with those tenant farmers?"

Several people nearby laughed, but after seeing Wu Yuanheng's expressionless face, they had no choice but to stop themselves.

Feng Xiu's name is now known to everyone in the city, so there's not much for ordinary people to talk about during their leisure time.

Coincidentally, the Ganlin Grand Festival and the increase in refugees, along with the opening of porridge shops, were both related to feudalism and revisionism.

Although these family members do not care about the opinions of the people.

However, the brilliance of feudalism and revisionism overshadowed the brilliance of many others.

It's never pleasant to be overshadowed by someone else.

Feng Xiu picked up his wine glass, took another sip, put it down, and his gaze fell on Sun Fulai.

"The Sun family's cloth shop, right?"

Feng Xiu said calmly, "I remember that last year, the documents released by the city's provincial administration showed that there were more than 400 cloth shops in Qingyan, and the highest annual revenue was only 3,200 taels, with a profit of 800 taels."

"There are more refugees this year, and the cloth can't be sold. I'm afraid the Sun family has lost money by now?"

Sun Fulai's expression changed.

Feng Xiu paused, looked at Sun Fulai, and smiled faintly.

Sun Fulai's face turned bright red.

Feng Xiu continued, "As for why I'm dark-skinned, it's because I worry about farming, work in the fields every day, and live a hard life alongside the tenant farmers. Is there a problem with that?"

He leaned back in his chair, his tone calm, yet carrying an indescribable sense of oppression.

"It's better than some good-for-nothings who rely on their family's legacy, can't even afford golden wheat, and just sit here making sarcastic remarks."