Hong Chu glanced inside and saw a cluster of men, so he stepped back and decided not to enter that room.
Lu Yang then led him to the small study. The room was tiny, showing signs of previous visitors. It couldn’t fit many people, so no one lingered here long. They came in to sit, enjoying a quiet moment.
Lu Yang said, “Young Master Wu is also here—the one at the table near the door, the one pulling the grass mat.”
Hong Chu raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t look very clever.”
Lu Yang: “……”
Even the god of wealth, when focused on cultivating the heart, could turn a person into a fool.
He had promised Hong Chu a proper meal today and now mentioned preparing it. He worried that Hong Chu might be pressed for time. The dishes were already ready, sitting in the small kitchen nearby. With the fire stoked, it would take just half an hour to serve three fine dishes.
Hong Chu thought for a moment. Since he was here anyway, he might as well meet this “god of wealth.”
He asked Lu Yang to invite the man over. “It’s quiet here; I’d like to ask him something.”
Lu Yang hesitated at the idea of leaving him alone with another man in the room, then said, “We’ll eat a little later; I’ll be with you.”
That worked. Hong Chu nodded.
Lu Yang went to call Wu Pingzhi, who whispered, “Who’s that? Ji Mingzhu’s younger brother?”
Lu Yang: “……”
Oh no, it seemed like he was moved.
Lu Yang said, “His surname is Hong, his name Hong Chu.”
Wu Pingzhi: “……”
Clearly, Lu Yang had noticed.
He quickly explained, “I was just asking.”
Lu Yang, who knew both of them very well, could only pretend not to notice, smiling gently. “No matter, you’ll meet properly soon enough.”
Wu Pingzhi composed himself into a “clever” appearance and entered the small study.
Though small, the study was elegant. A miniature Eight-Treasure Cabinet held books and ornaments arranged neatly.
In an unobtrusive corner sat a box of fragrant paste, giving off a light floral scent. Near the window, a copper brazier burned, warming the room.
The study’s chairs and tables were the best in the entire place—sturdy, aesthetically pleasing, designed for long reading sessions. All were round-back chairs, arranged for two people to sit facing each other.
When Wu Pingzhi entered and saw only two chairs, he hesitated.
Lu Yang said, “Sit first; I’ll have someone bring another chair.”
This reassured Wu Pingzhi. “I’ll go then.”
Lu Yang, carrying the child, couldn’t move a chair himself. Nor was it convenient for him to leave Hong Chu alone in such a small, enclosed space.
In the study, Lu Yang pretended nothing was amiss, sliding the inner chair out to sit opposite Hong Chu.
Hong Chu stood to help and casually asked, “He seems quite pleased?”
Lu Yang: “……”
He looked up at Hong Chu and decided to be honest. “You probably guessed, but he might have misunderstood. I had promised to help him find someone and listed a few candidates. He thought you were one of them.”
Hong Chu nodded knowingly. “I’ll make sure he’s disappointed.”
Lu Yang, curious: “Why?”
Hong Chu said, “He’s your friend. I won’t make things difficult for you.”
Unsuitable matches shouldn’t spark hope from the start.
Wu Pingzhi quickly returned with the chair.
Lu Yang made introductions to start the conversation. “Brother Chu has a difficult matter; I’ve been pondering it with no solution, so I mentioned you. He asked me to arrange this meeting, and today, coincidentally, we’re all here at the study. I called you over to discuss it. Afterwards, I’ll get the meal from the kitchen, and we can eat together.”
Wu Pingzhi was astute, catching the point without dropping the conversational thread, and replied cheerfully, “Hmm. The Hong family’s business is large; he finds it challenging. I may not be able to help, but let’s hear it first. I’ll see what I can do.”
Hong Chu spoke bluntly about the marriage matter, though initially he had intended to discuss other issues to gauge Wu Pingzhi’s capability first. One could be impressive yet not know everything. After observing him briefly, Hong Chu changed his mind.
As expected, Wu Pingzhi paused, then straightened in his seat.
Hong Chu described the marriage situation without going into full detail: he hadn’t yet established his own career, relatives were pressing him to marry, and he wished to delay it, asking if Wu Pingzhi had any solution.
The statement was brief. Wu Pingzhi shifted his posture as Hong Chu finished. The room fell silent.
Wu Pingzhi frowned, contemplating, glancing at Hong Chu multiple times. His expression was measured, analyzing, not a trace of sympathy.
After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Wu Pingzhi understood. He carefully spoke:
“They are forcing you into marriage. You can’t hold out long. This is the most despicable, shameless tactic.”
In other words, Hong Chu had no chance against coercion via marriage. Those using this low tactic also indicated they’d cornered him with no way out.
Seeing Hong Chu’s unshaken expression, Wu Pingzhi continued:
“If you agree, endless trouble follows. Even if you can manage the man or select a trusted proxy for the marriage, the outcome is the same. Once married, they’ll pressure you to have children. Have children, they demand sons. Once there’s a son…”
He paused, glanced at Lu Yang, and softened his tone.
“…If kind-hearted, they may let you have another child for companionship. If ruthless… the child’s life is weak.”
Weak life is precarious. Over the years of raising the child, countless accidents may occur. Ten months of pregnancy can consume a year. How many years can Hong Chu delay?
Choosing not to marry could be overridden by them. The cycle leads to a dead end.
He is one person, a person with authority. His promises and current conduct are unreliable. Any doubt prolongs the issue. Over time, allies for Hong Chu will dwindle, and the clan’s suspicion will grow.
Lu Yang, anxious, asked, “Is there no way to get past this hurdle? Even a year or two of delay would help.”
One or two years could change much.
Wu Pingzhi leaned back, studying Hong Chu carefully, drinking in his presence with satisfaction. He adjusted his posture, gesturing with his fingers on the table.
“Putting aside marriage, this is a struggle for power. Power struggles and gain don’t follow rules.”
Hong Chu, intrigued, poured tea to refill Wu Pingzhi’s cup.
Wu Pingzhi, watching the cup, spoke cryptically:
“You two are like playing a chess game. If you plan carefully, move step by step, you can remove many pieces. Flip the board, scoop up the pieces in a bag—it’s the same.”
Hong Chu understood the hidden meaning. He could selectively remove opponents, keeping only his own people—efficient and fast.
Lu Yang understood as well. This was no different from establishing one’s own domain. Hong Chu had refused such separation.
“I don’t want to leave the Hong family,” Hong Chu said.
He cared for the Hong family and couldn’t claim they had wronged him. Some pressured him, some loved him. But the dissenting voices were loud, and family came first.
Wu Pingzhi exhaled lightly, leaning back. He studied Hong Chu again, then pulled down the grass mat, blocking sightlines, maintaining a relaxed yet helpless posture, and spoke some hard truths.
With a large family and estate, worries and difficulties come from both inside and outside.
Most internal troubles stem from infighting; occasionally, it’s a gap between generations. Marriage falls under internal concerns. Wu Pingzhi then elaborated on external threats.
