309: Chapter 309 Wedding Ceremony

The next morning.

Lin Xiao sat in Su Wansha's room, watching the beauty on the bed, who looked radiant and glowing with a rosy complexion after being thoroughly pampered.

[Su Wansha, 22 years old, concubine of the General of the Northern Garrison, manager of the Northern Trade Alliance, Aptitude: Heaven Grade, Spiritual Essence Mystic Body]

[Realm: Buddhist Heart Sutra (Peak Perfection)]

[Technique: Red Lotus of Karma (57 years of cultivation), Nine-Grade Lotus Platform to Ultimate Bliss, Karmic Fire Burns the Abyss to Deliver from Suffering. Grade: Heaven Grade]

[Traits: Clear Heart and Seeing Nature (Special), Wealthy Merchant, Talented Woman]

Late last night, after Su Wansha had been left soft as mud, she had sweetly taken the Marrow Cleansing Pill.

To Lin Xiao's surprise, it had even awakened a special constitution.

The Spiritual Essence Mystic Body was a constitution with a strong aptitude for understanding mental cultivation techniques like those of Buddhism and Taoism.

Considering that Xiao Qingxuan and Zhao Caiwei had both learned Taoist techniques, and Su Wansha was more conservative, Lin Xiao had chosen this Heaven Grade Buddhist technique for her.

For this Heaven Grade technique, he had spent 8,000 prestige!

Adding a Cultivation Pill cost another 5,000, which could truly be called a heavy investment!

Although it hurt his heart, this "Red Lotus of Karma" was both offensive and defensive, and Lin Xiao was very satisfied with its power.

As long as Su Wansha practiced diligently with him and relied on the "Luan Feng Harmony" effect, it wouldn't be long before there was another Martial Arts Grandmaster in the household.

However, there was one more thing that made Lin Xiao very satisfied.

[System: The host has spent a total of 50,000 prestige in the prestige shop and can now enjoy a 10% discount on shop purchases! (Excluding special items)]

That's right, Lin Xiao was pleasantly surprised to discover that as long as he bought enough, the shop even gave "member discounts"!

A 10% discount might not seem like much, but considering that immortal grade items often cost over 100,000 prestige, the savings were actually quite significant.

Su Wansha opened her eyes at this moment and raised her hand, causing a lotus of fire condensed from true qi to ignite in her palm.

Even from over three meters away, Lin Xiao could feel a wave of heat.

"Husband, it's amazing. Have I really become a martial arts expert?"

For a woman who was a martial arts novice just yesterday, this progress was inconceivable.

"If my father saw this, his jaw would probably drop!"

Su Wansha couldn't help but laugh when she thought of Su Chang's chubby face.

Lin Xiao said, "Practice more whenever you have free time over the next few days. You have the cultivation base, but actual combat requires experience. You can have Yaner and Wanying spar with you."

Su Wansha nodded vigorously, "I will definitely practice diligently."

Just then, a maidservant ran over.

"General, the Marquis of Linyuan has arrived and requests an audience with you."

Lin Xiao then remembered that there was still an imperial envoy he hadn't met yet.

"It looks like the Marquis of Linyuan is truly anxious."

"Husband, he is, after all, Xie Juner's biological father. You should give him some face," Su Wansha whispered, trying to persuade him.

"I never said I wouldn't see him. It's just that I have to attend to household matters first. How could an imperial envoy be more important than my wives?"

"That's true," Su Wansha chuckled.

Lin Xiao then went out to meet Marquis Xie Shang.

Sure enough, Marquis Xie Shang was very humble and asked him when he would see Official Xie Tong.

Lin Xiao was leaving tomorrow, so he decided to take Xie Juner with him and pay a visit to the Marquis's residence.

After returning to Yangquan, Xie Juner had stayed in the Generals Mansion the whole time and hadn't even returned home once.

A married daughter is like spilled water; Marquis Xie Shang felt quite helpless.

On the way to the Marquis's residence, Marquis Xie Shang whispered, "Lin Xiao, don't blame me for speaking out of turn, but when do you plan to hold the wedding for you and Xie Juner?"

"Marquis, you are Xie Juner's father, so it is only natural for you to ask."

Lin Xiao smiled and said, "I promise I will not treat Xie Juner unfairly, but the wedding must be put on hold for now because I have several other wives, and those who arrived earlier have yet to bow in marriage."

"Bowing in marriage is a small matter that outsiders won't see. The key is the etiquette and customs; for our Marquis's residence, it concerns our reputation after all..."

In the carriage behind, Xie Juner lifted the curtain and said, "Father! Do not rush the General; the General has his own arrangements!"

Marquis Xie Shang was stunned, "You girl, when did your ears become so sharp?"

He naturally didn't know that Xie Juner was already a martial arts expert.

"Marquis."

Lin Xiao called out, his tone serious, "To me, it is the exact opposite. I believe that bowing in marriage is the important thing, because it is the promise I give to the woman."

"As for the red tape intended for outsiders to see, it doesn't matter if it happens later."

Marquis Xie Shang sighed, thinking to himself that he hadn't expected this young man to be such a romantic, but so be it.

Xie Juner, following behind, had bright, sparkling eyes upon hearing this, feeling secretly shy and already starting to look forward to the day they would bow in marriage...

Arriving at the Marquis's residence, Xie Juner took Xiao Die to pack her luggage.

She didn't care what Marquis Xie Shang said; anyway, she was already married and surely wouldn't be coming back here often in the future.

Marquis Xie Shang didn't have time to worry about his daughter; taking Lin Xiao to see Official Xie Tong was more important.

Arriving at the back garden, a man with the appearance of a Confucian scholar was waiting.

"I have long heard of you, Lin Xiao. I have been looking forward to meeting you since I was in the capital, and I have finally fulfilled my wish."

"Official Xie Tong is too kind. I am ashamed, as I really couldn't find the time. After all, the Northern Territory is in ruins and waiting to be rebuilt; there are too many things to do."

Lin Xiao glanced at Official Xie Tong, who had the reputation of a "child prodigy," and found that he was indeed different, worthy of being a high-ranking official who had reached the pinnacle of his career.

[Official Xie Tong, 45 years old, minister of personnel, Aptitude: mystic grade]

[Realm: Official Path (Peak Perfection)]

[Traits: Strategic Planning (Special), Great Talent (Special), Famous at a Young Age (Special)]

With three special traits, he wasn't actually that old in terms of age, but he was already an old fox in the officialdom.

If such a person could be used for his own purposes, it would be great, and his wives would also be spared a lot of trouble.

However, it was highly probable that this was impossible...

"I must thank Lin Xiao for drawing your sword to help and sending people to protect me in secret." Official Xie Tong bowed, giving him plenty of face.

"It was my duty, no need for thanks," Lin Xiao said, not asking any more questions.

After the two sat down, Marquis Xie Shang found an excuse to leave.

Official Xie Tong poured a cup of tea for Lin Xiao first, then patted an imperial decree on the table.

"Congratulations, Lin Xiao, for successfully killing the traitor Prince Bai and controlling the plague."

"The Emperor has issued a decree that, after verification, the Zhenbei Army will be rewarded, and the General will be ennobled as the 'Marquis of Loyalty and Courage'."

"I will not read this imperial decree. You can take it back, and it will be considered as me having completed my mission as the imperial envoy."

Ennobled as a Marquis?

Lin Xiao was very calm and smiled, "Marquis of Loyalty and Courage... It sounds like a title for enjoying life in the capital."

"Lin Xiao, let's speak plainly. No monarch would be at ease with your prestige in the Northern Territory."

"You don't really think the Imperial Court would allow another Prince Bai with overwhelming power to emerge, do you?"

Official Xie Tong said with a smile, "You should understand that the Zhenbei Army has completed its mission."

"If it were only to resist the Northern Barbarians, a third-rank General Yunhui like you would not be allowed to hold command over two hundred thousand troops."

"If you do not hand over your military power, even without the Emperor saying a word, everyone in the world who looks at the Northern Territory with jealousy will do everything in their power to crusade against you."

"After all, you are not of royal blood. If a situation of 'ruling the Northern Territory' effectively forms, you won't be able to live in peace."

Lin Xiao took a sip of tea and felt a bit disgusted; the tea processing technology in this world meant that even the best tea wasn't very good.

"Since Official Xie Tong has said so much, I assume... you must have some countermeasures to offer me, right?"

Lin Xiao asked indifferently; he wanted to see what kind of medicine the Xie Family was selling in their gourd.