Simply Trading 231 Family 3

"Clearly, there has to be some other objective that they are after. Well, it so happens that I have received word as to exactly what that is," he said confidently.

Qin Feng felt like giving out a curse. This old fellow was just like Lin Liushui, who liked to pretend that he was always at the center of attention. And would make dramatic pauses and make shocking statements like that! As though he was in the middle of some sort of play! How ridiculous could you get?

But he curbed his sudden impulse to step forward and pound the old man on the nose. This was Du Yan's father, after all. A quick glance at the big, burly fellow at his side told him that the same was gritting his teeth, and clenching his fists already. No wonder he was always so annoyed with Lin Liushui.

Qin Feng felt a wave of pity wash over him at once, as he realized that what he was going through was nothing compared to Du Yan's own trials. And this shameless old fellow was his father! That was something that Qin Feng could not even begin to imagine.

"It was the Snow Swallow Mountain Palace, that sent word to us first. They wanted us to break off the engagement on our own, so that they could s.n.a.t.c.h away Yuan Qianlei before all this could take place. Like the sort of brigands who come to rob you and still pretend to be righteous, for taking away your riches which would attract other, more unsavory thieves!"

Du Chenyong growled menacingly as he said the last, and his wife laid a hand on his shoulder, as though to cool him down. It looked like a very practiced move, QIn Feng had to admit. Lin Liushui could learn from that. If he could find a proper partner.

It would give him a certain aura promising violence, if he really needed it. And serve to intimidate both his foes, as well as his allies. Something that had certainly impressed their strategist too, as Qin Feng realized.

But Du Chenyong was speaking again. This time about the enemy's plans:

"To put it simply, they wish to break apart the alliance that we have with the Yuan Family, there at the Capital. It seems one of the Princes has somehow fixed his eye on the girl, and there are probably all sorts of schemes now in play over there. In the Succession, perhaps?"

Lin Liushui nodded at once, and interjected before anyone else seized the opportunity to do so. "I can understand where the Snow Swallow Palace is coming from. If Yuan Qianlei's older sister had the traits that were so precious to the Mountain Palace, it would make sense that they would like to get her younger sister to join them as well.

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"But I believe the rest of the Sects and Schools are just here to fish in troubled waters. If they can break off the engagement, that would be doing a favor to the Royal Family of the Shu Kingdom. And win them the favor of that l.u.s.t-driven Prince involved. Even if they failed, they can claimed that they had put in the effort."

Then he turned to Du Yan, and shook his head in a sympathetic manner. "Whatever their motives, I am afraid that your future in-laws are in for a hard time. This would certainly make trouble for their Patriarch, and he has already placed his sons and grandsons in positions at Court. So that would mean some suppression by the Royal Prince involved."

"You mean he would try to break off the engagement at his end?" Du Yan asked.

"He would at least make it look as though he was trying to. But this particular arrangement had already been announced through the whole of jianghu, and I doubt that even the King of Shu would dare to question him about it, in open Court," his father, surprisingly, replied. Rather than Lin Liushui.

But the strategist agreed with the older man's words immediately. Prompting him to go on:

"In any case, everyone believes that it would not come to that. Since they are trying to force us to play that role ourselves. They have invested heavily in this matter. In fact, they have even revealed a good bit of their secret resources, just to make certain that they have an advantage in this," growled Du Chenyong.

"For example, we had contacted the Yuan Family, and the immediate family of Yuan Qianlei, and arranged for them to meet us here, when we caught wind of the enemy's plan. But we did not expect them to learn about that, and pre-empt us, by arranging for the challenge to be held here! This tells us that they have probably even more resources that we do not know about."

"Spies? They must have littered the whole place with them! And it is very clear that you have a few of them within your own Du Family," hinted Lin Liushui.

The old man snorted, and waved it aside. "You are just trying to be polite. Do not bother. We had learned of Du Guangyi's role in this. So we shall take steps against him later. Along with several others. But we shall need to beat these people at their own game first."

"Ah! That is exactly why we are here! If they are a.s.sembling at this town to make trouble for you, I trust that you have an idea as to what they plan to do?"

Du Chenyong's face grew dark as soon as he was asked that. "A martial arts challenge, what else? There is a public dueling spot in the center of the town square, which is often used to settle disputes. But that is not their move, but mine.

"These old bones may be brittle, but I should be able to take on one or two of them. That is, I had intended to do so, before I realized that you had dragged your friends into this mess, my son."

Du Yan he pulled himself up to his full height and faced his father proudly. "Friends? I brought my Brothers along, you mean, father! How can you call them anything else?" he sniffed.

But Lin Liushui's laugh brought everyone back to the main topic at hand, before they got distracted with thanks and speak of brotherhood and such. "So which are the Sects and Schools that are likely to be involved? I mean, those who are likely to be against our Brother Yan marrying Yuan Qianlei. Do we know who they are? And who they are likely to be sending to face us?"

"Apart from Snow Swallow Mountain Palace, we know of three other Sects that are involved: the Golden s.h.i.+eld Martial School, the Black Eagle Mountain and Wulei's Iron Spear Troop, led by Zhang Wulei's son. That last one has a private vendetta against us, so we have been expecting him to show his face in this matter, regardless of the benefits involved."

Du Chenyong broke down their opponents readily, and looked as though he had more information on them that he could share. Something that Qin Feng was pleased to see. He had the lowest cultivation in the group, so he would unlikely be able to contribute much. Still, he had to try his best, and he would prefer to know the weaknesses of his enemy, if he had to fight.

It was not going to be easy, he thought as he listened to who were going to show up against them.

Then Du Chenyong shook his head and sighed, indicating that he was done. And waved his hand in a way that made it clear that he was inviting everyone to rest up, and prepare for the challenges that they would soon be meeting.

"I don't think they will take too long to let you know what they intend to do. So I think you should rest, and recuperate from your journey. And the trap that they had thrown in your way during the same. No doubt, they now have a better understanding of your abilities, and will make the necessary changes in their plans.

"So you shall have to be prepared for that!"

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