Chapter 302: Chapter 295: Ennoblement to First-Class Nobility_1

“I came here to discuss with you the matter of Qin Niu taking Cai Xian as his concubine,” Wang Wanyan finished, looking towards Qin Niu and Auntie Hua. “Ah Niu, could you allow me to chat with the Tang Family alone?”

Qin Niu, looking at his fiancée, was filled with confusion.

Nevertheless, he nodded his head.

“Auntie Hua, Auntie He, let’s wait outside for now!”

After speaking, he took the lead in leaving the Tang Family’s main hall.

Shortly after the three of them left, the door was swiftly closed.

Wang Wanyan didn’t know what was being discussed inside with the Tang Family.

After nearly half an hour, the door opened again, and Tang Bin walked out with a face no longer cold.

“Qin Niu, I really envy you for having such a good wife. Let them bring in the dowry! You three, please come inside and have some tea.”

It seemed Wang Wanyan had persuaded the Tang Family.

What exactly did she say?

Qin Niu didn’t know.

From Tang Bin’s tone, it was evident that Wang Wanyan likely made some promises to the Tang Family and had gained their trust.

After entering the house, Wang Wanyan and Cai Xian were nowhere to be seen.

It was unclear whether they were deliberately avoiding them, or if the matter had been settled, and the two seized the opportunity to have a private chat and further bond.

“Qin Niu, just now your fiancée convinced me and my whole family. Moreover, my daughter is intent on marrying you… Sigh, it’s hard to keep a grown daughter at home, so I entrust her to you. I hope you will treat my daughter well. If you fail her, even if it costs me my life, I will make you pay.”

Tang Wenhan appeared quite helpless.

His daughter was set on marrying, and as her father, if he insisted on preventing the marriage, it would only trigger a variety of unpredictable and serious consequences.

Either his daughter would seek her own death, or she would elope with Qin Niu, or stubbornly remain unmarried for a lifetime, becoming an old maiden. She might even blame him for the rest of her life.

After much deliberation, Tang Wenhan could only reluctantly agree to the marriage.

“In the presence of you, Auntie, and Brother Tang Bin and his wife, I pledge to treat Cai Xian sincerely, to love and protect her for a lifetime,” Qin Niu solemnly promised.

What followed was a matter of course, with both sides setting the wedding date and arranging the marriage.

As Wang Furen was eager to marry off his daughter, the wedding date was set for the sixth day of the following month, an auspicious day for marriage.

In these troubled times, without a strong protector, Wang Furen was particularly worried about not being able to ensure his daughter’s safety.

Marrying his daughter to Qin Niu was a way for him to have peace of mind.

…

After leaving the Tang Family’s house, Qin Niu finally could breathe a deep sigh of relief.

The matter of a lifetime was settled.

Once he married two beautiful daughters-in-law, he would have his own family.

Giving rewards to the two matchmakers goes without saying.

When he returned to Shuangfeng Village, from afar he could see a luxurious carriage and several fine horses parked outside his home.

It seemed guests had arrived.

Qin Niu hurried home, to find several important figures already seated in the living room.

Upon closer inspection, it was apparent that experts from the Fang Family had come.

“Qin Niu pays respects to Young Master Fang and the two esteemed elders of the Fang Family,” he said.

Young Master Fang Lian and the two elders from the Fang Family, who cultivated in seclusion, were all known to Qin Niu.

He promptly stepped forward to greet them.

Previously, facing Young Master Fang, Qin Niu only felt that the latter’s strength was unfathomably deep.

Now, with the cultivation of the Innate Realm, Qin Niu faced this young master of the Fang Family with less awe and more composure.

The cultivation level of the two Fang Family elders should be on par with that of Vice City Lord Bai.

Both were unfathomably profound, like two towering mountains, even just sitting there motionlessly, they exuded a strong sense of oppression.

“Master Qin, long time no see!”

Fang Lian rose with a smile.

The two elders of the Fang Family slightly nodded to Qin Niu as a form of acknowledgement.

Such existences, each a top expert of the Black Tiger Gang, were quite normal in their haughtiness.

Their mere nod to Qin Niu was already quite courteous.

“Young Master Fang remains radiant as ever, which strikes a particularly fond chord with onlookers.”

There was more than a hint of sycophancy in Qin Niu’s words.

In the world of adults, being sycophantic is just right.

If you can’t swallow your pride, you’ll struggle in society.

“Haha, Master Qin is a friend of our Fang Family, and I find you equally endearing. By the way, this is Deputy City Lord of the City Lord’s Mansion. Since Vice Gang Leader Bai is injured and needs to recuperate, the Gang Leader specifically asked the Deputy City Lord to come to present you with an honor and additional rewards.”

Young Master Fang introduced with a laugh.

Deputy City Lord was a somewhat stern-looking elderly man.

Appearing to be in his sixties.

His long grey eyebrows drooped at the sides of his brow bone, his eyes electric, sharper even than those of an eagle.

His cultivation seemed somewhat weaker than that of the two elders of the Fang Family, roughly equal to that of Elder Jiu Yin.

He also was a powerhouse of the Spirit Qi Realm.

All of these people were top existences within the Black Tiger Gang.

Qin Niu’s heart stirred slightly, recalling that last time Wang Furen had been very eager to marry off his daughter to the son of Black Tiger City’s City Commandant. He wondered if this man might be the City Commandant?

“Qin Niu pays his respects to Deputy City Lord!”

Qin Niu bowed deeply as a gesture of respect and reverence to a mighty figure.

“No need for formalities! Indeed, a dragon amongst men, youthful yet majestic and unassuming with hidden talents, quite remarkable!”

Deputy City Lord scrutinized Qin Niu, offering a very high evaluation.

What does “unassuming with hidden talents” mean?

Was it a veiled reference to Qin Niu preferring to conceal his skill, keeping a low profile to hide his true strength?

“Thank you for the high praise, Deputy City Lord, I am but a humble Insect Master.”

Qin Niu certainly didn’t dare to take such compliments casually.

“A humble Insect Master? One who was able to defeat decisively Elder Jiu Yin’s twelve disciples, furiously slain many. Not to mention utterly destroying Elder Jiu Yin’s own Taiyin Yaoyao. Do you think an ordinary Insect Master could do that?”

Deputy City Lord asked with a half-smile.

Having heard of Qin Niu’s glorious achievements, Young Master Fang’s gaze clearly shifted dramatically when looking at him.

“Uh… these things were not accomplished by my efforts alone, I merely assisted under the leadership of Lord Bai and Master He Shan.”

Qin Niu never thought about taking on some high official role.

He simply wished to retreat to Shuangfeng Village and cultivate in peace; any grand military achievements were to be deferred whenever possible.

“You are quite an interesting young man. While others your age chase fame and fortune like hungry ducks, you steer clear of it. It seems like the Lord of the City’s initial intent was to recruit you into the military, exceptionally promoting you as an officer. Looking at you now, it seems you’ll most likely decline.”

This Deputy City Lord was truly impressive, easily piercing through Qin Niu’s thoughts.

“Thank you, Deputy City Lord, for your discernment. I am but a simple country bumpkin by nature, not destined for officialdom. If there truly is a reward, a pill or two of Elixir, or some land, would be the best reward for me.”

Qin Niu was quite shrewd.

He seized the moment to express his disinterest in an official career.

Asking for Elixir and land, to be a landlord in the countryside, that was his dream.

“The Gang Leader really does have a wonderful foresight! Two sets of reward plans were prepared for you. Since you have no interest in officialdom, let’s go with the second one!”

After speaking, Deputy City Lord opened a commendation letter.

“Qin Niu, Insect Master of Shuangfeng Village in Jade Stream Town, has repeatedly uncovered significant military intelligence, establishing extraordinary meritorious service for our Black Tiger Gang. Following that, under the command of Vice City Lord Bai, he significantly defeated the Insect Formation set by the Nine Insect Gang, burning countless enemy ships, leading our army to a great victory, decimating over ten thousand enemies. Furthermore, he assisted Vice City Lord Bai at a critical moment to destroy Elder Jiu Yin’s foundational Taiyin Yaoyao, breaking the bee and ant swarms, aiding in killing two Spirit Qi Realm high-level enemies of the enemy army, crippling Elder Jiu Yin and forcing him to flee.

Each and every achievement constitutes an immense contribution.

Our Black Tiger Gang clearly distinguishes rewards and punishments, Qin Niu has established immense merit, promoting him over five grades to become a first-class noble of the Black Tiger Gang, enjoying all the privileges of a first-class noble.

Awarded a hundred mu of fertile land, and a bottle of Peiyuan Elixir useful for enhancing cultivation.”

This reward was too great.

A first-class noble was no ordinary honor, equivalent to being among the royalty and nobility of a country, belonging to a privileged class.