Chapter 21 - Let's Have Xiao Ya Marry Him
Zhang Ji dashed into the Wang's Compound, coming out with a coat of blood on his body soon after.
"Brother Chen, I have done your tasks."
"Then let's go to your home," Chen Chen replied.
"Uh… But there are quite some valuables in the Wang's Compound, if..." Zhang Ji said with some embarrassment.
"They are just worldly possessions, leave them be for now. It's not preferable that we leave for your home late due to them. Some unanticipated incidents might occur," Chen Chen explained warmly, exactly like an older brother.
Zhao Ji was even more moved by his words. Then, he looked at Steward Zhao.
"Brother Chen, Steward Zhao has perpetrated multiple perilous affairs and has been the leading think tank for the Horse Theft Quarter. Shall we get rid of him?"
Chen Chen shook his head, nudging his horse towards Steward Zhao, quietly asking him, "Old Zhao, let me ask you, who in the Zhang family is your internal infiltrator?"
Upon hearing this, Steward Zhao's body began to shake.
He knew that this cultivator was interfering in the affairs between the Zhangs and the Zhaos!
The Zhao family was doomed!
Compared to the blood-covered Zhang Ji, this cultivator was far more terrifying, with a smile on his face and calling him "Old Zhao."
"Internal infiltrator! How? Are there traitors within my family?" Zhang Ji asked in disbelief.
Steward Zhao looked at him in disdain, then answered with a shiver, "It… It's Zhang Ji's cousin, Wu Wei."
"Oh? How much did you promise him?" Chen Chen continued.
"After eliminating the Zhangs… He will have Ms. Zhang, plus half of the Zhang family's properties." Steward Zhang didn't dare hide the truth; after all, with a background as a horse thieve, he wasn't the most loyal of men.
"No way… How… You must be kidding me! My cousin has been living a life of security, and it's my father who adopted him. How can he do that?!"
Zhang Ji's entire body shook as if it was hit by a thunder. He wasn't in the best shape at the moment.
Chen Chen sighed as he looked at Zhang Ji.
This kid was rather young and has not been adequately educated by society yet. "Too young, too simple, sometimes naive,' he thought.
"We can go to your home to see if Steward Zhao is telling the truth," Chen Chen said.
"How?"
"We will talk on our way. Also, bring Steward Zhao on the way."
...
Soon, the two arrived at the Zhang compound.
At this point, the guards at the gate were on the highest alert, as servants patrolled with full caution.
"Young Master is back!"
Despite the bloody coat, the servants recognized Zhang Ji and promptly opened the door.
Upon leaving the horse, Zhang Ji instructed the servants while pointing towards Steward Zhao, "Watch over this person well."
"Yes!"
Without speaking any words, the servants pushed Steward Zhao to the side.
Afterwards, Zhang Ji walked to Chen Chen's side, showing a gesture of "please."
"Brother Chen, please go first!"
Chen Chen smiled, and instead wiped the blood on Zhang Ji's face in such a way that his facial expressions were entirely unrecognizable.
"Your acting skills are rather inadequate, so it would be best if your face remains unrecognizable. When we come in, do as I have taught you. This way, we'll be able see if your cousin's the traitor."
"Yes!" Zhang Ji replied.
Even at this point, he was still not fully willing to accept the fact that his own cousin had betrayed their family.
The two entered the main building of the Zhang complex one by one. Before Chen Chen could get a good look at the interior, a person dashed out and immediately hugged Zhang Ji without saying a word.
"Cousin! Are you OK? Why is your body covered in blood?"
Chen Chen looks at this person. He was a young man about Chen Chen's age. His face was full of worry, seemingly somewhat grandiose.
Clearly, this was Wu Wei, Zhang Ji's cousin.
"System, any malicious people towards the Zhangs nearby?"
"Two meters in front of you."
Upon hearing the System's response, Chen Chen was satisfied.
With this good start, he could test things out with much better certainty now.
...
In a few moments, several more people ran out from the back house. The leading figure was a strong, middle-aged man with a stocky build. His face, full of roughness, showed some resemblance with Zhang Ji.
This was clearly Zhang Ji's father, Zhang De.
Zhang De was a military man, earning for his family with military credits.
However, he was a rather blunt person.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have such a silly son, nor would he disregard all calculations and wage wars on the much more powerful Zhao's family just for an attack on his son, throwing his entire family into a crisis.
Chen Chen silently observed every member of the Zhang family.
Zhang Ji's mother looked like a regular woman, with nothing particularly noteworthy about her.
On the other hand, Zhang Ji's sister seemed to have some form of a genetic mutation that made her look rather fabulous indeed. At the age of 28, she was like a lily straight out of water, plainly gorgeous.
And with her expression of concern as she looked at her brother, she only appeared more adorable.
This explained Wu Wei's intentions; even Chen Chen was somewhat moved.
Chen Chen thought these things to himself, unable to help but smile.
"This young brother is…?"
Zhang De was the first to notice Chen Chen. He asked this question to Zhang Ji.
Zhang Ji immediately escaped Wu Wei's hands and formally introduced Chen Chen.
"This is my newly-known brother, Chen Chen! He saved my life! His martial arts skills are no worse than mine! Now, he is even willing to help our family!"
His words were half-true, half-false; all of them were taught to him by Chen Chen.
Zhang De did not look down on him due to Chen Chen's simple clothes. Rather, he cupped his fists, declaring, "Young brother, you are a benefactor of the Zhang family for saving my son! My family will be doing all that we can to help you, even if that means dashing through fire!"
Chen Chen frowned. Since they were father and son, their words were surprisingly similar too.
"It's part of my responsibility to help out when there is a need. Lord Zhang, you don't need to be so polite."
"I am not being polite; I am very serious. This is not the place for conversation, so please follow me inside," Zhang De said sternly, pointing towards the guest hall
Chen Chen nodded and walked straight in the direction he pointed towards.
When passing Wu Wei, he can feel a clear sense of hostility.
Inside the guest room, Chen Chen took the guest seat as a maid came and served him a cup of tea.
Chen Chen nodded and sipped from the teacup, the motions elegant and fine.
Everybody's eyes showed signs of surprise as they saw this.
Chen Chen looked up, somewhat confused. What was the matter with them?
However, he understood the reason the very next second.
Zhang De grabbed his tea and finished it all in one shot, showing very little etiquette.
The several female dependents, feeling somewhat awkward, attempted to sip their tea like Chen Chen, but couldn't quite mimic his fine grip, looking weird at first glance.
'The Zhang family is a family of military individuals. They probably aren't that educated… And likely don't know tea-drinking shenanigans either,' Chen Chen thought to himself.
Compared to him, with his modern society experience, the Zhangs' so-called large household felt somewhat coarse.
He was doing what he normally did. Were he to follow those cultivator-pretenders he had seen in his last life, at least in terms of their tea-drinking manner, he may very well frighten these people.
"Young brother, you have a unique charisma. May I ask where you come-"
But before she could even finish, Zhang Ji, sitting to the side, was finally done waiting.
At this point, he only wished to confirm if his cousin was the traitor within the Zhang family.
Therefore, he loudly yelled, "Father! Mother! Brother Chen is a person of great righteousness and I find myself a good match with him in conversations. How about we marry him to Xiao Ya?"
Pfffff!
Upon hearing his words, every single person who had been pretending to sip their tea couldn't help but shoot out all of it out of their mouths.