Unlike the rough voices of his two brothers, this voice was crisp and pleasant. Though it was a string of curses, it landed on one's ears with an extremely delightful sensation.
Zheng Ming and Zheng Heng looked up simultaneously only to see Fu Yuqing, dressed in a white robe, standing at the door like a swaying lotus flower, her posture light, with a hint of hesitation in her eyes!
Upon seeing Fu Yuqing, Zheng Heng was completely stunned, feeling somewhat at a loss.
Fu Yuqing glanced casually at Zheng Heng and then her gaze fell upon Zheng Ming, her brows slightly furrowed as she said, "That comment had no substance; why are you laughing so heartily?"
Although he had just cursed, Zheng Ming, who was still indignantly appalled, couldn't help but chuckle upon seeing Fu Yuqing's manner and said, "If you wish to understand that phrase, you should stand in front of everyone and shout it aloud. Then you will comprehend its true intent!"
At that moment, Zheng Heng began to sweat as he envisioned the scene in his mind: this beautiful, elegant, and demure woman suddenly bursting out with such a statement in front of everyone watching her with admiring eyes.
For the first time, he felt that his brother truly deserved a beating!
Although Fu Yuqing wasn't thoroughly worldly-wise, she was certainly not foolish; how could she not understand that Zheng Ming was teasing her?
Without paying further attention to Zheng Ming, she floated away as if a celestial being.
Watching his brother gazing dazedly, Zheng Ming couldn't help but show off and said, "Brother, I forgot to introduce her to you, this is my wife!"
"This is the wife you picked up from the street? How do I feel... feel that you're not worthy of her?" Zheng Heng stammered to this point and, noticing the change in Zheng Ming's expression, quickly explained, "I mean, she seems a bit old for you, brother!"
Who said honest people lack cunning? Seeing his brother's fearful demeanor, how could Zheng Ming not know what he was thinking!
Immediately, he snorted and said, "Don't expect me to put in a good word for you with Sister Xiao Yue ever again!"
Zheng Heng knew that Zheng Ming was just talking, and with a smile, he rubbed his head and kept quiet.
"Has Father agreed to their exchange proposal yet?" In the end, Zheng Ming still brought the topic back to the matter of the Jade Blood Pool.
The light-hearted atmosphere that had just emerged in the hall vanished in an instant.
"Of course not, he even... he even slammed the table when dealing with the Third Elder who came to discuss it!" Zheng Heng said, clenching his fists tightly, "In the end, the matter escalated to the clan leader!"
"Under the joint pressure of the Great Elder, Third Elder, and Fourth Elder, the clan leader, hah, had the nerve to say... to say that for the future of the family, for the sake of having another core member, Father should prioritize the greater good and consider the family's welfare!"
"To hell with considering the family's welfare!" Zheng Heng said bitterly, "These bastards, under the guise of the family's interest, act sanctimoniously as if they were gentlemen. When it came to sneak attacking Tiger's Roar Village, why didn't any of them go on the raid!"
"Now that they've succeeded in the raid, they start coveting the rewards Father fought with his life for, they... they..."
Zheng Heng had entered the family hall with Zheng Gongxuan and still shuddered at the thought of the situation at that time.
Throughout the family, besides the Second Elder who spoke out for justice, the others all sided with the Great Elder, given his unmatchable strength within the family.
Zheng Ming could imagine the circumstances Zheng Gongxuan faced at that moment. His heart, which had just calmed down, began to boil with rage once more. This anger seemed to infect them both, amplifying and transforming the embarrassment Zheng Heng dared not mention into Zheng Ming's deep-seated sense of being wronged and enraged!
Biting his lip tightly, he refrained from cursing again, resolved to take concrete action to make those people pay the price!
"Ultimately, due to Father's insistence, the clan leader, with the authority of his position, made a decision: as long as you, little brother, can withstand three strikes from the Great Elder's grandson, you will be allowed to enter the Jade Blood Pool!"
"Otherwise, for the sake of the family, Father must give up his slot so the Great Elder's grandson can have it, saying... saying we can't afford to watch limited resources go to waste!"
Such a righteous excuse, why didn't they say so when they wanted people to fight to the death!
When facing the quick-sword Shen Keli, why didn't they speak up? His Ten Death-Chasing Blades had not chopped down on them, and now, they have the audacity to speak of the family's welfare!
Nonsense!
"How skilled is the grandson in his cultivation level?" Zheng Ming's lips tightened ever more.
Zheng Heng was momentarily taken aback. Although he had been brothers with Zheng Ming for over a decade, he was still somewhat unaccustomed to this brother's way of speaking.
But then again, after experiencing his brother's manner of speaking time after time, he found that speaking in his brother's style was truly satisfying.
"The grandson's name is Zheng Jinlong. His age is about the same as yours, with his cultivation level barely entering the Twelfth Rank. Damn it, this guy is very favored by his grandfather, but this time, their branch has another brother who is much stronger than him."
"Although the Great Elder dotes on him, he would not give the slot to him, considering his older brother Zheng Jinbin's cultivation level has already reached the Eleventh Rank."
Twelfth Rank, Zheng Ming gently clenched his fists. If it had been before, he would not have been confident about withstanding three strikes from a Twelfth Rank martial artist.
But now, he felt that he had hope.
After all, he had successfully activated the card in his heart!
It was time to see if the set of cards he had brought with him could truly be powerful!
"Second brother, you don't need to worry too much. Father said that, in this competition, if you feel you lack confidence, we can simply concede," Zheng Heng said softly, comforting Zheng Ming who remained silent.
"Humph, there will come a day when we'll settle this score with them!"
Zheng Ming, seeing the trace of ferocity on his brother's face, felt all the more the importance of family. He was about to speak when someone came running over, saying, "Second Young Master, someone is looking for you."
Zheng Ming was stunned for a moment, wondering who in Luming Town would be looking for him—could it be one of his friends?
But seeing the messenger's servant's smirk, Zheng Ming felt his head grow heavier.
It seemed that this matter was not that simple!
In just a short while, the servant had brought up the person looking for Zheng Ming. If Fu Yuqing represented nobility and elegance, too overwhelming to gaze upon, then this woman was a flower that inspired pity in the beholder.
A solitary flower blooming in a quiet place, unnoticed.
Her full name was Li Xiaoduo, the person whom Zheng Ming's uncle had planned to force himself upon, the same woman whose life Zheng Ming had saved on an impulse at the market, and who had brought him two thousand Prestige Points.
"What... what are you doing here?" Zheng Ming, looking at Li Xiaoduo standing demurely below the hall, was momentarily at a loss for words. The girl's presence had caught him off guard.
"My mother said that since the Second Young Master is fond of Xiao Duo, she sent me to serve the Second Young Master," Xiao Duo said carefully as she gave a cautious curtsey to Zheng Ming.
Serve him in his mansion? Alas, Zheng Ming understood what that meant.
Compared to Zheng Ming, his brother Zheng Heng understood it only superficially, but even superficial understanding was enough. He gave Zheng Ming an up-and-down look, then with a smile said, "Second brother really is growing up!"
Growing up your head!
Zheng Ming's feelings of brotherly affection were quickly dissipated by those words. He couldn't help but say, "Big brother, although you are my elder brother, you need to remember two things: first, don't call me second brother; second, at that time, I was really immersed in the story and got too carried away!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Li Xiaoduo's tears started falling like rain. They saw the gentle girl kneel softly on the ground and say, "When my mother sent me here, I knew I wasn't worthy of the Second Young Master."
"But Xiao Duo, in my heart, I am very willing to be by the Second Young Master's side, really... I truly only wish to be... by your side!"
Watching the woman with tears streaming down her face, Zheng Ming felt a tangle of emotions in his heart.
Having lived two lifetimes, he was psychologically much more mature than his actual age, and how could he not see the sincere affection in the woman's words?
If he outright rejected her now, it would likely mean there would be no future for this woman!
"Second brother, with this matter, I think you should boldly make a decision. As for mother's opinion, I will speak to her about it," Zheng Heng said as he swiftly slipped out of the door.
Zheng Ming scratched his head, thinking that even if Zheng Heng talked to her, this matter still sounded a bit awkward. After all, just yesterday he had brought home a bride, and today another maid was offering herself.
But Zheng Ming was not a man of indecision. Looking at the pitiable and cute small figure kneeling helplessly before him, he hesitated for a moment before helping Li Xiaoduo to her feet, and said, "Come with me."
What Zheng Ming arrived at was the little courtyard where Fu Yuqing had been placed, and just as he entered, he saw his father leaving the courtyard with a look of panic on his face.
Seeing Zheng Ming approach, Zheng Gongxuan pointed at him, seemingly wanting to speak but somehow unable to find the words. In the end, all he managed to say was, "You... you..." before he quickly left.
Judging by Zheng Gongxuan's demeanor, this Fu Yuqing must have quite the extraordinary background, or else his father would not have been acting like this.
Shaking his head, Zheng Ming led Li Xiaoduo into Fu Yuqing's courtyard. There they saw Fu Yuqing standing within the courtyard, admiring a tree with bright red plum blossoms.
The flowers were beautiful, but the person was even more so!
"Son of a bitch!" Just then, a voice that wasn't too loud, yet ringing and pleasant, erupted within the courtyard.
That sound shattered the picturesque scene. Even Li Xiaoduo, who was following Zheng Ming, was so shocked that she covered her mouth, unable to believe what she had heard.
Zheng Ming also patted his head, realizing that his recent words had dragged this noble and imposing woman right into the gutter!