Chapter 154: Renewal of Engagement

The news of Ji You and Fang Ruoyao's return quickly spread throughout Yuyang County.

As a result, countless people could not help but gather in Paifang Street, the grain field in front of Fang Mansion, and in front of Lao Qiu's house outside the city.

Normally, they would not dare to look up at the immortals, but whether it was Ji You or Fang Ruoyao, they all grew up under the care of these neighbors, so they would feel much less fear, which was far less intimidating than Fengxian Villa.

And many people got what they wished for and saw Ji You returning.

In the late afternoon, Scholar Kuang arrived at Ji's house and invited Ji You to a dinner at his home. Everyone met him once.

At noon on the second day, Ji You went to a noodle shop to eat noodles and was surrounded by people.

Afterwards, he went to the Qiu family outside the city, and people stopped and watched him for a long time on the way.

Although they knew that Ji You had become an immortal in the mountains, many people could not tell the difference between him and ordinary people when Ji You's spiritual energy was restrained, as if he had never left Yuyang.

During this time, Jia Sicong and Dong Wei plucked up the courage to go over and talk to him, and then Ji You invited them to have a meal.

"I don't feel any difference. I feel more like a bandit..."

Dong Wei nodded after hearing this: "Yeah, could it be that he didn't learn anything after entering the Heavenly Academy?"

Jia Sicong agreed when he heard this: "I did meet Miss Fang yesterday. She was really very impressive. In comparison, Ji You is not as beautiful as her."

"That's right. I just pretended to pat his shoulder casually, and he didn't seem to use any magical power."

"So, in fact, Ji You is only a beginner in the immortal way now, and there is still a big gap between him and the immortal master of Fengxian Villa who has an aura of immortality."

Dong Wei couldn't help but lower his voice: "Don't say this nonsense, even if there is a gap, Ji You is now an immortal, and it is not against the law to kill you."

As the two were talking, they saw four carriages coming towards Paifang Street and stopped in front of Ji's house.

They recognized the carriage in front as the carriage of the magistrate of Yuyang County.

Sure enough, as the carriage stopped, the magistrate of Yuyang County got out, and three old men got out of the three carriages behind.

Dong Wei and Jia Sicong recognized at a glance that these were the three most respected elders of the Fang family.

"Are they here to look for Ji You?"

"That should be the case. Fang Ruoyao and Ji You are the only pair of immortal cultivators who have come out of Yuyang County. The marriage contract that was canceled at the beginning is probably going to be valid now."

Jia Sicong and Dong Wei's guess was indeed correct. Magistrate Fang of Yuyang County came here indeed for the purpose of the engagement.

In his opinion, the two of them came from this small county together, had been engaged before, and had been alone outside for a year. Even if there had been a rift between them before, it was not impossible to repair it.

So over the past year, he has been writing letters to his daughter, asking her to reconcile with Ji Youcheng and forget the past.

Both of them have immortal records. If they can get together, the offspring they give birth to will also be able to practice immortality, so there is no need to ask for any quota.

But when Fang Zhongzheng asked about his daughter's situation, he found that his daughter didn't want to talk at all.

With no other choice, Fang Zhongzheng could only come in person to test Ji You's attitude.

However, because of the forced cancellation of the engagement, it did not look good. In order to show his sincerity, Fang Zhongzheng invited the three elders of his family to come together, which was regarded as his respect for Ji You.

Bang bang bang, there was a knock on the door and Ji You opened it.

He had just returned from Yuyang County School, which he funded and built, with Master Chen as the teacher. All the children from Yuyang County were studying there. But after he came back, he hadn't even sat down when he welcomed guests.

And what they talked about was exactly what Ji You expected, it was still about the engagement.

"I was actually confused about that matter, but it has nothing to do with Ruoyao. She has always been thinking about you in her heart. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"But then again, this is a good marriage after all."

"Back then, my Fang family and your Ji family were old friends, and we arranged a marriage for you two because we were well matched. Although there were many twists and turns along the way, now you are a student of Tian Academy, and so is Yao'er. So you are well matched again, right?"

"Our Fengzhou is poor, and there are only a few families who know our background well. Ruoyao and you are indeed a match made in heaven. If you two return to Fengzhou in the future, both of you will be immortal cultivators, and your offspring can also cultivate immortality."

"In other words, if not Ruoyao, who else can we choose?"

"I heard that cultivators also have to pay attention to family background. You have spent a year in Tianshu Academy, so you must know more than us. Let's not talk about the fact that those young ladies from aristocratic families are too picky. Whether they can look down on people from Fengzhou, even if they can, they will definitely marry into the family."

"You are the only one in the Ji family now. If you really marry into the family, how will the Ji family's incense continue?"

Fang Zhongzheng spoke sincerely and explained the benefits of marrying his daughter from various angles.

The elder of the Fang family couldn't help but speak up about this matter: "Ji You, you are now an immortal. Logically, I dare not offend your power and act like an elder. But you should also know that your grandfather and I are sworn brothers, and I have watched you grow up since you were a child."

The second elder couldn't help but nod his head: "The Ji family only has you as their bloodline, we must not let the incense die out like this."

Ji You was listening at the side at this time, and then he said: "I appreciate your kindness, but Fang Ruoyao and I are really not suitable. If there really was a chance, we wouldn't have waited until now. Please go back."

"But I heard from Ruoyao that you have been avoiding her since you were admitted to the hospital. We have never really been together, so how do you know that you are not suitable?"

What Fang Ruoyao said to Fang Zhongzheng was that she had never had the chance to talk to Ji You, and in Fang Zhongzheng's mind, it seemed that Ji You had been avoiding her.

In his opinion, the grudge was still caused by the forced cancellation of the engagement.

"Hiding? That's not the case. Besides, I already have a girl I like. Although a man can have three wives and four concubines, my standards are definitely very high."

County Magistrate Fang frowned suddenly: "Who is that woman? Is she also from Tianshuyuan? Does she know that you are Ruoyao's fiancé?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Fang Zhongzheng instantly felt a sense of oppression that made his heart tremble, as if a sharp sword was rising up, and the whole person was pressed down on the table.

Ji You raised his head and looked down, his eyes were already cold: "Fang Ruoyao and I have nothing to do with each other. County Magistrate Fang should know this best. Not to mention that the engagement has been cancelled, even if it hasn't been cancelled, when the Qiu family was in trouble that day, your Fang family stood by and watched, so there is no way that I can be with her."

"And you, old man."

Ji You turned to look at the elder of the clan: "Sworn brotherhood? Where were you when the Ji family was in trouble? I didn't kill you because I didn't want to be like other immortal cultivators who treat mortal lives as worthless. But now I'm a little annoyed after hearing all the nice words."

The elder held his breath: "You..."

"Go away, don't force me to send you to heaven."

Without further words, Magistrate Fang immediately stood up and hurried away with the three clan elders.

Even when they returned to the Fang Mansion, Magistrate Fang was still feeling frightened, as if a sword was hanging around his neck.

"It seems that the world outside is really prosperous. This kid from the Ji family is blinded by it."

Back at the front hall of the Fang family, the three elders were filled with fear and anger. They slammed their canes on the ground fiercely and said, "How rude! It's really rude! After all, his grandfather and I are sworn brothers!"

County Magistrate Fang took a deep breath and said, "Over the years, the only poor children who have been able to enter the Immortal Sect are him and our Yao'er. If he doesn't want to marry into a side family, he will definitely regret it."

The elder of the Fang family turned around and said, "His attitude today is so bad. Even if he regrets it in the future, our Fang family will never agree to this marriage!"

Hearing this, County Magistrate Fang grasped his sleeves and said, "Yes, Ruoyao is a girl. It would be much better for her to marry into a noble family than to have such a marriage!"

"Dad, what did you say?"

"!"

Fang Ruoyao came from the back hall at this time, her eyes wide open: "You went to find Ji You? I didn't say I wouldn't let you go!"

County Magistrate Fang looked up upon hearing the voice, and after a long silence he spoke: "Ruoyao, you are a woman, I know there are some things you cannot say actively, so I thought of asking your father to say it, but who knew that boy really didn't know what was good for him!"

"Ji You has entered the inner courtyard. He looks down on me. I don't want to tell you, but I don't know how to start!"

"Inner courtyard?"

After hearing this, Fang Zhongzheng looked up, his expression full of astonishment.

Although he was not a cultivator, he knew that the Tianshu Academy was divided into the inner and outer courtyards. It was said that only people with extremely good talents would have the opportunity to enter the inner courtyard.

But just like the family of Xiang Taishou in Danshui County, such an empty description alone could not let Fang Zhongzheng know the value of this sentence.

"Even if he enters the inner courtyard, he was still your fiancé after all. Just based on this relationship, you are much closer to him than to others. Who else can he choose if not you?"

"He has a lot to choose from, naturally."

"In the Qingyun world, status is important. Could it be possible that the person he chose could be more suitable than you?"

Fang Ruoyao laughed bitterly, "A good match? Dad thinks too highly of the Fang family. Did you know that even the princess of the current Daxia Chongwang Mansion wants to marry him? And the Miss Lu from Yunzhou, who I often mentioned in my letters, has also sent a bellyband and is waiting for Ji You's response. I can't even get in line."

There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!

The smile on Fang Zhongzheng's face gradually disappeared. He sat down on the bench in astonishment, unable to come back to his senses for a while.

Living in Fengzhou, County Magistrate Fang is indeed a little more narrow-minded. He does not know what the inner courtyard is, nor does he know what identity is.

It was not until his daughter mentioned King Chong and the word Princess that he, who was in the officialdom, vaguely understood Ji You's current status.

But why?

County Magistrate Fang was at a loss for a long time, and when his daughter spoke the following words, he realized that his imagination was not broad enough.

"After Ji You entered the inner court, he already had the qualifications to establish a noble family. I have been following them all the way here, and three county governors have come to pay homage to him."

"Three County Governors... why?"

Fang Ruoyao pursed her red lips and said, "In Qingyun, the power of immortals is supreme, and Fengzhou has no immortal sects or noble families. When Ji You established the first local noble family in Fengzhou, according to the Qingyun Immortal Rules, he is the real master of Fengzhou, in charge of all resources here, including taxes and immortal cultivation quotas."

Fang Zhongzheng's mind suddenly buzzed: "We still have countless immortal villages in Fengzhou!"

"According to the immortal rules, those foreign immortal villages must either move out or come under his rule."

"Where is the powerful Xianzhuang like Fengxian Villa?"

In Fang Zhongzheng's eyes, Fengxian Villa is the most powerful immortal cultivation force he has ever seen.

His predecessor, the Yuyang County magistrate, was even required to pretend to be a dog for seven days in exchange for his life because he paid taxes a few days late.

So County Magistrate Fang really wanted to know, could it be that even a powerful immortal villa like Fengxian Villa was like this? Fang Ruoyao glanced at her father and said, "If that immortal villa is still there, maybe the owner of the villa has already come to the Ji family to apologize..."

[If I return to Fengzhou, my descendants can also practice Taoism]

[Even if you don't choose Ruoyao, you can only marry into the family. How can you continue the family line? ]

At this moment, the dry hands of the three elders holding the crutches became weak and powerless.

Like Jia Sicong and Dong Wei, they also felt that Ji You was unremarkable when they saw him these few days. He didn't seem to have any supernatural power. In addition, since they had watched him grow up, they acted like an elder.

In their view, Ji You and their own Ruoyao are both immortals, so there may not be much difference between them.

But it was not until this moment that they realized that the young man who returned was just polite, but his status was completely different.

When they faced Fengxian Villa, they didn't dare to raise their heads and their whole bodies were trembling. And according to what Fang Ruoyao said, Fengxian Villa didn't dare to act rashly in front of Ji You.

"How could this be? Isn't he cultivating the same immortal as you?"

Fang Ruoyao gritted her teeth and said, "Because I'm not a genius."

County Magistrate Fang held his breath and asked, "So Ji You is a genius?"

"No, neither is he."

"Then why can he do this?"

Fang Ruoyao looked at Yun Tian outside the window: "Because the word genius is just the threshold to meet him."

Fang Zhongzheng: “…”

"Dad, you are lucky. You didn't see him rise higher and higher like your daughter did. You hated him for climbing higher and higher, but you were powerless."

Fang Ruoyao bit her lips in the front hall until they were completely bloodless: "This is all your fault. I was determined to break off the engagement, why didn't you stop me!"

Yuyang County is not big, and some things can spread within half a day, just like when the girl from the Qiu family was captured to make medicine.

There are scholars here who like to fetch water for widows and guide the blind, and some things will naturally spread.

So in the evening, the news that princesses and daughters of noble families in the capital were lining up to marry Ji You, and that the tax collection in Fengzhou would most likely be controlled by Ji You, gradually spread to thousands of households.

When many people heard the news, they were actually confused.

They could never imagine that after only one year away, the harmless, scholar-like figure had become so powerful.

[Is it because I didn’t figure out any one, two, three? ]

[He is just a beginner, so there is still some gap between him and the immortal master of Fengxian Villa.]

[Not as good as Miss Fang’s fairy-like appearance]

At this moment, Jia Sicong looked at the palm of his hand that had patted Ji You's shoulder and murmured, "I probably won't wash my hands for the rest of my life."

At this time, Ji You had already gone to the Qiu family after the Fang family left, and was sitting at the table eating lunch.

The Qiu couple also heard the rumors, and looking at the young master in front of them, they didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Master."

"Um?"

"They said that if you establish a noble family, Fengzhou will listen to you in many matters, and your words will be more effective than those of the governor. Is this true or false?"

Ji You broke off a piece of steamed bread and fed it to Qiu Ru, rubbing her little head: "Old Qiu, in fact, you are really destined to be a housekeeper."

Hearing this, Qiu Zhong held his breath instantly.

“You used to be in charge of the Ji family, but soon you will help me manage the village.”

"Hey, isn't it a noble family?"

"Aren't aristocratic families and cottages the same?"

(End of this chapter)