Chapter 1416 — Movements of the Various Families, Part One: "Grandfather... there is something I don't know whether I should say..." Chen Yuxuan deliberated a moment, then spoke.
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The Chen family had come to the hour of its life or death. There were things Chen Yuxuan had to say, or the Chen family would truly be finished.
"What is it? Yutian, what is there left that you cannot say?" Old Master Chen sighed.
"If the Chen family is to grow, even to climb a step higher, all is not lost..." Chen Yuxuan said. "The question is whether we dare to gamble!"
"Hope of what?" Old Master Chen caught at his grandson's words the way a drowning man catches at a straw; all at once his spirit came back to him, and he pressed the question eagerly.
"Have Xiaoshu marry Wei Zhao!" Chen Yuxuan said. "It is plain to see that Xiaoshu seems to like Wei Zhao, and Wei Zhao does not seem to treat her badly either — at least... better than he treats Lingshan. I know it is rather unfair to Lingshan, but Wei Zhao has several girlfriends and Lingshan doesn't seem to mind. She comes from a great family herself; there should be no problem."
"What?" Old Master Chen stared. "Have Xiaoshu marry Wei Zhao? That will never do!"
"Why?" Chen Yuxuan was taken aback, and said urgently: "With Wei Zhao joined to our family, the Chen family could plant its feet firm at the Assembly of the Great Families; even the Yu family would not be able to do us harm. And Wei Zhao could raise Xiaoshu's strength — even yours, Grandfather — to the early Profound rank. With that, the Chen family would stand unshaken; and a cripple like me would make no difference, whether I am here or not!"
"Yutian, you do know about Xiaoshu's betrothal, don't you?" Old Master Chen sighed. "I grant that what you propose is a good plan — but to break faith with an ancient sect? How dare our Chen family?"
"I know something of it... but it has been so long, so many years, and never a whisper of news. Does that betrothal still bind?" Never having expected so firm a reaction from his grandfather, Chen Yuxuan was puzzled. "If that ancient sect truly meant to take Xiaoshu as their bride, they could not have gone all these years without a word, could they? Xiaoshu is past eighteen already, and no one has come to propose. More likely than not, the matter is dead."
"Ah! And who can tell? The ways of an ancient sect are not for ordinary families like ours to guess at. True, there has been no news in all these years — but I fear that if we did break the betrothal and give Xiaoshu to another man, the thunderous wrath of an ancient sect is not something we could bear. If they came for their revenge, would that not be Xiaoshu's ruin?" Old Master Chen smiled bitterly. "It is not that it cannot be done — we dare not!"
Hearing his grandfather out, Chen Yuxuan fell silent. He had never imagined that a betrothal to an ancient sect would bind them so tight — it was like a tightening circlet, once on the head that no hand could pry off!
"Can we not reach them at all?" Chen Yuxuan asked.
"No. In the beginning they left behind nothing but the written betrothal, and then they went away. In all these years they have never come again..." Old Master Chen said, helpless. "What you propose is simply out of the question. We cannot take that risk."
"But Xiaoshu..." At the thought of her, Chen Yuxuan felt a pang of sympathy. "Xiaoshu may not want this betrothal at all..."
"There are things that are not ours to decide," Old Master Chen said.
"Very well... Grandfather, keep your grief in check and accept what must be accepted. It is your unfilial grandson who has brought this trouble down on your head." Chen Yuxuan could say nothing else.
"It is nothing. Rest and mend in peace, and let your grandfather think it over... think over what lies ahead for our Chen family after this Assembly..." Old Master Chen had no heart to blame him further, and offered only a word of comfort.
"All right, Grandfather..." Chen Yuxuan too had grown drowsy; he wanted to sleep, for once asleep he could forget every trouble!