Chapter 578: Connection by Marriage
Translator: ChibiGeneral Editor: ChibiGeneral
A day later.
During an evening banquet.
"A tribesman of your esteemed tribe saved my daughter, I, Chang Biao, am extremely grateful. This first cup is a toast to Ma tribe leader!" Chang Biao raised a wine cup.
Ma Ying Jie quickly lifted his cup and modestly replied: "That was only a chance encounter. I had not expected her to be Lord Chang Biao"s beloved daughter, this is Hong Yun"s honor."
"Hahaha." Chang Biao laughed heartily and drank the wine.
Ma Ying Jie also followed suit and downed the wine.
Ma Hong Yun who was sitting beside him had become the main character of the whole banquet at this moment and dozens of gazes gathered on him.
Feeling these probing, curious and doubtful gazes, Ma Hong Yun felt a little uncomfortable.
Chang Biao lightly placed down his wine cup and hinted Pan Ping who was beside him, with his eyes.
As they had already discussed properly, Pan Ping understood the signal, and looked at Ma Hong Yun: "Virtuous junior, if I speak so, aren"t you like a hero saving the beauty?"
"I.. I…" Ma Hong Yun hesitated, speechless.
In truth, he also did not know how he had saved Chang Li. He had only been concerned about escaping from the endless iron beak birds chasing after him; the situation was so urgent, even if he had saved Chang Li, he did not think much.
Pan Ping stared with his eyes wide open at Ma Hong Yun who looked like he would not start speaking even till the cows came home.
Fortunately, Chang Biao had already calculated Ma Hong Yun"s nature in his plan and at this moment, his gaze moved towards a certain person in the banquet.
This person immediately stood up and came to the center, cupping his fist towards Chang Biao: "Elder Chang Biao and all lords, I was one of the people involved in this matter and I was able to fortunately see the whole situation. Lord Ma Hong Yun is generous and modest, not claiming the credit and becoming arrogant, but I cannot endure a heroic deed being buried like this, so I summoned my courage by drinking to narrate the event to all lords."
Hearing these words, everyone knew this person was someone who was good at speaking.
Chang Biao nodded: "You can speak."
This person spoke with confidence, adding plentiful emotions and speaking in a way that echoed and added to their effects; he narrated in such a vivid way that it portrayed Ma Hong Yun as an aloof hero with an unwavering mind, with brains and brawn, not afraid of dangers.
As they listened to the narration, the crowd cheered and praised from time to time.
Their gazes towards Ma Hong Yun also started to change, becoming respectful, warm or appreciative.
Ma Hong Yun"s eyes were wide open as he listened to this seemingly heavenly tale. He was feeling incredulous: "Is this person talking about me? When did I become so amazing? Did he mistake me for somebody else?"
There was one other person who did not dare to believe this - Ma Ying Jie.
Ma Ying Jie was Ma tribe leader, an outstanding hero of this generation. He was familiar with Ma Hong Yun"s nature and character, how could he be deceived by these flowery words?
He had a faint smile on his face, and also nodded at the appropriate timings, looking at Ma Hong Yun approvingly; his mind, however, was in a state of deep thought: "If say, Ma Hong Yun saved Chang Li by luck, there is nothing strange about it. But why would elder Chang Biao send a phony to explain things for Ma Hong Yun? What is he planning? In this banquet, although there are tens of distinguished guests, but the true main characters are only two in number, Chang Biao and Pan Ping."
Ma Ying Jie was inwardly on guard.
Ma tribe had lost in the Imperial Court contest, falling down from their peak. Ma Ying Jie"s master and father died in the battlefield, all these difficulties and setbacks caused Ma Ying Jie to quickly mature into an outstanding person.
He was secretly guessing Chang Biao"s plan, but on the surface, he did not even bat an eyelid.
The current Ma tribe was declining, while Chang tribe was like the sun in the noon sky because of Fang Yuan! Pan Ping left demonic path and turned to Hei tribe, and was now an external elder of Hei tribe.
No matter which, they were both not people the current Ma tribe, the current Ma Ying Jie, could offend.
"Good, good, good." After that person finished narrating Ma Hong Yun"s heroic deeds, Chang Biao repeatedly praised him.
"Heroes indeed arise from young people." Chang Biao looked at Ma Hong Yun, not stinting on his praise.
He paused, then continued: "Since ancient times, heroes love beauties and beauties are matched with heroes. I won"t conceal it from everyone, ever since my daughter was saved, she has been silent, taciturn and her mind seems to be drifting off. I inquired her of the reason and only then learned her heart was somewhere else, worrying about the young hero who had saved her during the time of danger. I held this banquet to express my grat.i.tude and also because of this."
The hall was in an uproar.
Countless gazes, mixed with admiration, envy, shock or unconvinced feelings, turned towards Ma Hong Yun.
"What bulls.h.i.+t luck does this kid have? He actually received Chang tribe"s young miss" favor?"
"Chang Li is beautiful and pleasant, who could have thought she would prefer such a foolish kid. Sigh, if I had known this earlier, I would have also gone to the forest of iron beak birds."
"Chang Li might not be Chang Biao"s own daughter, but he had taken her in and cared for her since she was young, she has always received Chang Biao"s love and is a beloved daughter of elder Chang Biao. If this kid, Ma Hong Yun, marries Chang Li, his father-in-law would be Chang Biao!"
Instantly, everyone"s mood surged.
Ma Ying Jie quickly reacted from his shocked state and rapidly thought with some suspicions: "Is this the reason for Chang Biao entertaining us with such great fanfare? Although there is the tale of the Night Elopement of Su Xian, but isn"t this going too well?"
There were even better things to come.
In front of everyone, Chang Biao took out two red steel relic Gu: "The new constantly replaces the old, Virtuous junior is a young hero of our northern plains, we cannot have him be unrewarded. These two red steel relic Gu are a little expression of my thanks to the benefactor, please accept them."
The commotion in the hall increased even more.
"Huh?" Ma Hong Yun quickly looked at Ma Ying Jie.
Ma Ying Jie nodded and pointed out with a smile: "We cannot dare to reject senior"s gifts, Hong Yun, why are you not kowtowing and expressing your thanks?"
Ma Hong Yun immediately walked forward and kowtowed: "Many thanks for Lord Chang Biao"s gift."
Chang Biao laughed heartily and also walked forward, personally putting the two red steel relic Gu in Ma Hong Yun"s hand.
Under everyone"s gazes, he amiably patted Ma Hong Yun"s hand and asked: "I wonder how virtuous junior feels about my daughter?"
"Eh?" Ma Hong Yun raised his head with a flushed face, not knowing how to reply for a moment. After a while, he finally squeezed out a few words, "MIss Chang Li is beautiful, very beautiful."
"Hahaha." Chang Biao threw his head back and laughed, "This is good, this is good. Virtuous junior, please return to your seat."
They returned to their seats, and continued to enjoy the banquet.
The banquet continued from evening to late at night; only then the hosts and the guests had enjoyed to their fill and started taking their leave.
As the crowd dispersed, the matter of Chang tribe marrying off its daughter to the lucky kid Ma Hong Yun, also spread everywhere.
On the second day, Chang Biao again invited Ma Ying Jie and Ma Hong Yun to a banquet. The scale of the banquet would be smaller this time and only a few people were invited.
Ma Ying Jie gazed at the invitation card in his hand with a grave look.
After returning back, he had not slept the whole night and was pondering over this matter.
The small invitation card felt exceptionally heavy to him.
He placed the invitation card on the table and called his servant: "Go, call Ma Hong Yun to see me."
The servant immediately accepted the order and when he was arriving at Ma Hong Yun"s residence, Zhao Lian Yun was in the process of instructing Ma Hong Yun: "You fool, what kind of bulls.h.i.+t luck do you have? But this matter is so good that it instead makes it feel hollow. I think tribe leader Ma Ying Jie will definitely call you to ask about this. At that time, explain everything clearly in full detail, don"t hide even the smallest details!"
"Okay." Ma Hong Yun immediately agreed.
"Also." Zhao Lian Yun"s large eyes turned, "Didn"t Chang Biao reward you with two red steel relic Gu? When you meet the tribe leader, offer these two Gu to him."
"What?" Ma Hong Yun"s eyes opened wide as he shouted, "This is something I risked my life for and obtained with great difficulty! And they were gifted to me by Lord Chang Biao, I will immediately advance to rank two upper stage after I use them. These are such good things."
"You fool!" Zhao Lian Yun kicked Ma Hong Yun"s leg in anger.
Ma Hong Yun immediately held his leg in pain: "Why did you kick me?"
Zhao Lian Yun rolled her eyes and unhappily rebuked: "What do you understand? Even if you become rank two upper stage, what use would it be with your skill? What is the basis for us being able to stand up? It is not your rank two cultivation, but the friends.h.i.+p with tribe leader Ma Ying Jie. How did you advance to rank two? It is because tribe leader Ma Ying Jie gifted you with three green copper relic Gu. Offering the red steel relic Gu is an expression of loyalty, do you think the tribe leader will embezzle your red steel relic Gu? Hmph, he can"t use it for himself, so he will definitely accept them then return them to you again."
"Eh, since he will accept them, why would he return them to me again?" Ma Hong Yun asked with doubt.
"Idiot!" Zhao Lian Yun again rolled her eyes, "Ma tribe has declined, there are very few tribesmen while there are many things to do. The whole tribe only has one rank three elder, Ma You Liang, and he is handicapped now. Ma Ying Jie has recently taken the tribe leader position and doesn"t have any usable subordinates. He wants to revitalize the tribe and will be looking for talents to nurture into trusted aides. Although you were once surnamed Fei, now you are surnamed Ma, and you were once Ma Ying Jie"s head servant. Ma Ying Jie knows everything about you and will be at ease in using you compared to other people. You will be showing your loyalty by offering the Gu worms, he will definitely be happy and accept your Gu worms; this is because he recognizes your loyalty."
"But Ma Ying Jie is not a petty and miserly master, accepting your Gu worms will only be as a gesture and he will definitely return them to you. Why? Because he wants to establish an example, from which the tribesmen can study and be encouraged to imitate your loyalty. I am certain, he will not only return your red steel relic Gu, he will even add in more rewards. Although you are insufficient in ability, you have loyalty. This is called buying horse bones with a thousand gold 1 . "
Ma Hong Yun was confused: "What is buying horse bones with a thousand gold ?"
"Sigh, you won"t understand it even if I explain. Just do what I say and it will definitely be to your benefit."
"Ah." Ma Hong Yun agreed while scratching his head.
The two had just reached an agreement when Ma Ying Jie"s servant came running over to summon Ma Hong Yun.
Ma Hong Yun followed Zhao Lian Yun"s words and offered the two red steel relic Gu. But different from Zhao Lian Yun"s estimation, Ma Ying Jie accepted them but did not return them back to Ma Hong Yun.
After Ma Hong Yun returned, he started complaining endlessly to Zhao Lian Yun.
"Could it be my estimation was wrong?" Zhao Lian Yun also felt some doubts.