Chapter 68: The Fang Family's Birthday Banquet

  The moon is above the willow branch.

  At the foot of Xiaogushan Mountain, on a quiet and secluded path, Qin Yun and Qin Mingzhu walked hand in hand.

  After dinner party, Fang Yi and others wisely took their leave first, allowing the two people to have private time together.

  In Moyang Road, the young men absolutely dare not openly go in pairs.

  The girl was very happy and a little bit shy, but her heart was full of happiness.

  Qin Yun's thoughts were undoubtedly much more complicated now. There were many things he couldn't tell Qin Mingzhu, because doing so would only harm her and make her worry unnecessarily.

  However, after careful consideration, Qin Yun still told Qin Mingzhu about the matter of Old Ancestor recommending him to join the Qingyun Sub-Sect of the Tiancheng Sword Sect.

  "Really?" Qin Mingzhu stopped in her tracks, her bright eyes shining with surprise and delight: "That's really great!"

  The Tiancheng Sword Sect opens its mountain gate once every three years, and each time it only recruits a maximum of 300 disciples. Although the Qin family has a good relationship with the Tiancheng Sword Sect, they also have only ten recommended quotas.

  These ten places are often divided among the direct descendants, and for a collateral descendant like Qin Yun, it would take at least several years to accumulate enough merits and have sufficient strength, and maybe just a tiny bit of luck.

  The most realistic way is to join the Tiancheng Sword Sect's side door, Nulan Gate, which can give some opportunities to the collateral children with 20 quotas per year.

  Now Qin Yun can get the favor of Lao Zu, it is absolutely a lucky thing.

  "But..."

  The girl's innocence and kindness made Qin Yun feel a little ashamed: "Once I enter the Tiancheng Sword Sect, we won't be able to meet as often as we do now."

  She was genuinely happy for Qin Yun, but didn't think of herself at all.

  "It doesn't matter..." Qin Mingzhu's pretty face blushed red as she said softly: "I can wait for you."

  The moonlight as clear as water shines on the girl's face, adding a few more beautiful colors to her, and her shy and charming appearance is simply dazzling.

  Even with Qin Yun's strong will, he couldn't help but feel his soul stirred for a moment, and involuntarily stretched out his arms to hold her in his embrace, feeling both moved and warm inside.

  Qin Mingzhu leaned gently against Qin Yun's solid and broad chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, wishing that time could stand still at this moment.

  The two of them quietly hugged each other, and didn't know how long it had been, until they were startled awake by the hooting of owls from a nearby forest.

  "Let's go back..." The young girl blushed and reluctantly tried to break free from Qin Yun's embrace.

  Qin Yun nodded and suddenly lowered his head to kiss her pretty face, then laughed and ran away.

  The girl who was ambushed first stunned, then blushing and stomping her feet, followed by chasing after.

  The laughter of the two people passed through the forest and was heard far away by the small lake.

  A gentle breeze on a spring night blows across the lake's surface, and under the moonlight, the quiet little lake is covered with countless ripples of silver scales.

  Three days later, Fang's ancestral mansion.

  The most sensational and attention-grabbing event in Qianchao City over the past few days is undoubtedly the 120th birthday of Old Lady Fang.

  In the city of Qian Chao, big and small family forces all sent representatives to congratulate upon receiving the invitation, those who were not invited also tried every means to send a gift.

  It is said that the Great Yan imperial family also sent a special envoy for this reason.

  Today's Fang family mansion is particularly lively, with lanterns and streamers everywhere, filled with the joyful atmosphere that usually only comes during New Year's celebrations.

  Mrs. Fang Liangyu, the old lady of the Fang family, was renowned throughout the Great Yan Dynasty. As a young girl, she disguised herself as a man and joined the army to fight in battles, repeatedly achieving military merits and rising through the ranks to become a powerful general, known as the "One-in-a-Generation Female General" by Emperor Yan Wujie of the Great Yan Dynasty.

  A lone army guards the heroic pass, a thousand cavalry sweep across the flat ridge, a single sword annihilates the enemy's chief!

  To this day, there are still many legends about her in the Great Yan army. After Yan Wujie was granted the title of defender of Qianchao City, Guiyang County has not suffered from the raids of the northern barbarians for decades.

  If it weren't for Mr Fang's deliberate low-key approach, this grand birthday celebration would have attracted guests from all directions.

  Even so, the streets on both sides of the Fang family's ancestral mansion were already filled with carriages, and from time to time, vehicles loaded with congratulatory gifts drove in, and servants dressed in gray clothes were busy running around.

  Compared with Qin's ancestral hall in Xiaoyugu area, Fang's ancestral hall is far less grand and magnificent.

  However, the buildings in the compound are layered and towering, with high-rise stone houses that are majestic and solemn, evoking a sense of reverence. The high walls surrounding the courtyard block out prying eyes from outside, while a pair of giant stone lion statues standing at the entrance symbolize the Fang family's military power.

  This family may not have the powerful Qin or Wu clans, but they are loyal to the Great Yan imperial family with unwavering dedication. With military power in their grasp, they can pass it down for a thousand years without decline, and no one dares to underestimate them.

  The birthday procession sent by the Qin family was not small in scale, led by the two hall masters of Wai Shi Tang and Dan Yao Tang, with more than a dozen attendants following, and there were as many as ten carriages just for carrying gifts.

  Silk, satin, gold and silver ornaments, rare overseas treasures, and the finest beautiful jade from Lantian, but what attracts the most attention is a white jade raw stone weighing as much as one thousand catties.

  It was placed alone on a carriage, wrapped in red silk with golden threads hanging down, and the surface had been cracked open to reveal a nearly two-foot square piece of stone skin, exposing ivory-like white jade.

  This piece of jade alone is invaluable and drew countless admiring glances when it was transported over in a carriage.

  Qin Yun followed the Qin family's birthday procession into the Fang family ancestral mansion.

  Originally as a disciple of Qin Yun District's outer sect, even if he had just been broken into the inner sect, he was not qualified to attend the birthday banquet.

  But he has his grandfather's congratulatory letter and gift in hand, that's no problem at all.

  Apart from Qin Yun, Fang Yi also followed the master of Dan Yao Tang, Qin Qinglan, and came together. Her identity was special, so there was no problem.

  There is also a young man who is even more eye-catching, that is Qin Xiaoyue, the eldest grandson of the main house of the Qin family.

  Qin Xiao Yue was only twenty-four years old, the grandson of the head of the Qin family. At nineteen, he entered the Tian Cheng Sword Sect and after five years, he advanced to the Great Completion of Refining Qi realm, making him a top figure among the younger generation of the Qin family.

  With his handsome appearance and outstanding talent, he and Qin Wen Hui, the eldest son of the third house, were known as the twin stars of the Qin family, with many supporters in the family.

  The majority of the guests were left in the outer hall, and the empty space in the courtyard had already set up canopies and tables, which was a preparation for the evening's banquet.

  Only a few people can enter the heavily guarded inner hall to pay their respects to Lady Fang and present their gifts.

  The grand hall was decorated with great luxury and majesty, with members of the Fang family, representatives of various large families and local forces all gathered together.

  No matter whether it's the Qin family, Wu family or Dugu family, regardless of whether they're elder officials holding power or renowned innate experts, even if there are deep-seated grudges, once here, everyone must stand in line and exchange polite greetings.

  In the hall facing the main gate, Mrs. Fang Liangyu sat upright on a sandalwood chair, surrounded by dozens of old and young members of the Fang family.

  The old lady had a plump figure, with a full head of white hair, but her face was rosy and kind, with deep, dark eyes that shone with inner light, looking no more than fifty or sixty years old.

  She wore a double phoenix peony silver silk skirt, with a gold crown inlaid with pearls on her head, and a dragon-headed cane in her hand. She was majestic and elegant, with an aura of grandeur that made people dare not look directly at her.

  On either side of Fang Liangyu stood a stunningly beautiful girl, attracting the attention of most young people present.

  The girl on the left was someone Qin Yun knew, and it was actually Fang Qitian's daughter, Fang Zilian.

  And the white-robed girl on the right, her beauty surpasses that of Fang Zilian.

  She was just too cold, her icy face and eyes seemed like an eternal frost that would never thaw.

  Compared with this, Fang Yi, who was known as the "Ice Beauty" on Muyang Road, wasn't that cold.

  There is only a faint sorrow floating between her eyebrows, like the solitary ice lotus on the snowy mountain peak, which makes people's hearts involuntarily produce a desire to conquer, and see if there are other emotions hidden under her icy exterior.

  But when her gaze swept over, the extremely cold eyes were enough to make anyone's desires disappear.

  One is elegant and refined, one is pure and lovely, two girls with stunning beauty, showing completely different charm.

  Fang Liangyu obviously doted on them, frequently turning his head to talk to them.

  Fang Zilin always smiled and chatted with a flirtatious tone, while the girl in white only responded lightly with a few words, but Fang Liangyu didn't mind at all.

  Unlike other young men, Qin Yun did not have any ulterior motives towards the two girls, at most he just admired them.

  As an onlooker, he keenly noticed that Qin Xiao Yue would occasionally glance at the white-robed girl, with a hint of fervor in his gaze.

  His heart moved slightly.

  At this moment, the guests began to come forward to wish him a happy birthday.

  The first one who jumped out was a short and chubby boy.

  He rushed to the front of Fang Liangyu in one arrow step, knelt down with a loud thud and knocked his head heavily, saying loudly: "Wu Wenyong pays respects to the old lady, wishing the old lady happiness like the East China Sea and longevity like Mount Nanshan!"

  Fang Liangyu's face lit up with a smile: "So it was you, little fatty. Get up and let's talk."

  The little fatty of the Wu family jumped up with a smile, but his small eyes kept staring at Fang Ziying's face, almost drooling.

  Fang Zilin wrinkled her nose and hummed a sound, turning her head away without looking at him.

  "Madam, this is a birthday gift I'd like to present to you."

  Wu Wenlong, who had just suffered a setback, sullenly presented the gifts - two golden Qilin with pearls in their mouths.

  Fang Liuyu smiled and handed it over to someone to collect, while another guest came on stage to wish him a happy birthday and present a gift.

  Those who came were all young people from various families and schools, and it was clear that they were all outstanding young men, one more excellent than the other.

  Qin Xiao Yue also presented a gift list in the past and received several praises from Fang Liang Yu.

  Waiting until almost everyone else had finished paying their respects, Fang Yi finally stepped forward and kowtowed to the ground: "Grandma, your unfilial granddaughter Fang Yi wishes you peace, happiness, and eternal blessings!"

  As soon as he saw her, Fang Liangyu's eyes welled up with tears.

  She almost couldn't wait to pull Fang Yi up and hug her into her arms, calling out "heart" and "liver".

  Leaving all the guests staring in amazement.