Chapter 45 Future Father-in-law

  Huangjiazhuang

  Huang Chengyan was teasing the painted eyebrow in the cage, with a carefree and self-satisfied look of a recluse.

  "Dad, have some tea." Daughter Huang Yueying walked out of the house and presented a cup of hot tea with both hands.

  Huang Chengyan took a sip and said: "Ying'er, let those few shopkeepers prepare, and we'll reopen the shop in XinYe in a few days."

  Huang Yueying was taken aback, and a hint of doubt flashed in her bright eyes.

  "Father doesn't say that the battle of XinYe is not over yet, and it's unknown which side will win, so don't open a shop in XinYe for now?"

  Huang Chengyan said lightly, "After thinking for a few days, I feel that Cao Gong's dispatch of troops to the south is only to eliminate Yan Liang and does not plan to fight against Liu Jing. Xinye should still return to Liu Jing's hands."

  His tone was confident and calm, as if everything was going according to plan.

  Huang Yueying let out a soft "hmm", her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and in her mind's eye appeared the handsome face of Yan Liang.

  She couldn't help but ask: "In your opinion, Father, is it certain that Yan Liang will definitely lose?"

  Huang Chengyan sneered and didn't answer, as if ridiculing her for asking such a foolish question that wasn't worth responding to.

  Huang Yueying's face flushed with a hint of embarrassment, as if she too felt absurd about her own words.

  "That desperate situation, who can turn it around? Unless he's a god, it seems like he's really done for..."

  With such feelings in mind, yet for some reason, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness.

  Just then, a servant came in and announced that Mr. Peng De was here to pay his respects.

  Huang Chengyan was waiting for orders to enter when the sound of footsteps came hastily, and Pang De had already come forward without waiting for transmission, with a strange expression on his face.

  "Brother De Gong, why are you in such a hurry? Could it be that you lost to me at the game of Go on Mount Hakone and now you're eager to make a comeback today?" Huang Chengyan joked.

  "Xiangyan, even I who live in Qingshan know about it, don't you know yet?"

  Pang De's tone and expression were as if something big had happened.

  Huang Chengyan's expression also turned serious and he said: "Lately, I've been staying in the villa all along, and I haven't gone out much. What big thing could have happened?"

  "Yan Liang has captured Cao Hong, burned the grain and fodder at Deng Ai's camp, and scared off Liu Gong's army of 200,000. Now Liu Gong has sent several hundred carts of grain and fodder to Xin Ye, begging to make peace with Yan Liang. Cheng Yan, it seems we both made a wrong prediction!"

  "What? How is this possible?" Huang Chengyan exclaimed.

  Pang De's words were like a thunderclap on a clear day, instantly shattering his calm and composed demeanor.

  Huang Yueying beside him was equally astonished, with a few flashes of joy between his eyebrows, and hastily asked: "Uncle Pang, what's going on?"

  The Pang family had Pang Ji in a high position, and it was easier for Pang De to get first-hand information, so he told the detailed inside story of the war.

  At first, Huang Chengyan was just shocked, but as he listened on, a hint of respect gradually appeared on his face.

  After hearing Pongde Gong's description, Huang Chengyan couldn't help but sigh: "I didn't expect Yan Liang, this anomaly, to have such audacity and wisdom. Could it be that you and I really misjudged him? This person is not just a fleeting moment."

  "All of us vassals under Heaven have always known each other like the back of our hand, but now suddenly such a formidable figure has emerged. Will this not change the situation in the world?"

  Pang De also muttered in admiration, and in his eyes, which had originally seen through the ways of the world, a few sparks of confusion flashed.

  "He won, and he didn't even die..."

  Huang Yueying's heart was surging like a tide, thinking of the bet she had made with him at Xinye, and she didn't know whether to be happy or worried. In her daze, a faint blush appeared on her face.

  "Ying Er, you look a bit pale, are you not feeling well?" Huang Chengyan's sharp eyes, after the initial shock, still noticed the change in his daughter's complexion.

  "Nothing... nothing..." Huang Yueying hastily turned her head away, nervously covering up the distant thoughts in her mind.

  Just when they were in a predicament, a servant came from outside to report that another guest had arrived, and the visitor was indeed called Yizheng.

  "Yi Bo? Didn't he defect to Yan Liang? How could he come to Brother Chengyan's residence?" Pang De asked strangely.

  Huang Chengyan was shocked again upon hearing this and hastily asked what had happened.

  Pang De asked Yan Liang how he had used Zhang Yun to get Yu Jie out of prison.

  "Yi Bo's talent far surpasses Zhang Yun, and Yan Liang's eyesight is quite good."

  Huang Chengyan nodded slightly and finally sincerely praised Yan Liang, then asked Huang Yueying to accompany Pang Degong to the back hall to temporarily avoid, only then did he call for Yi Ji to enter.

  Before long, Yijue stepped into the main hall.

  Huang Chengyan, though more famous than Yi Jie in Jing Xiang, did not put on airs of superiority and politely summoned this "uninvited guest".

  After a few rounds of polite conversation, Huang Chengyan smiled and said: "Uncle Bai is busy, but you can't just be visiting my humble abode to discuss learning with me, can you?"

  Yi Juan put his hands together and said: "Huang Gong's eyes are indeed sharp, to be honest, I came here this time, actually to congratulate Huang Gong."

  "What's there to be happy about?" Huang Chengyan was taken aback, "What is there for me, Huang, to be joyful about?"

  Yi sat down near the front, smiled and said: "General Yan has long admired your daughter's virtuous name, so he specially entrusted me to come and propose a marriage, asking for your daughter's hand in marriage. General Yan is heroic and extraordinary, with the aura of a great leader, his future prospects are boundless. Can't Mr. Huang be happy about getting such an excellent son-in-law?"

  When he heard these words, Huang Chengyan's expression changed greatly.

  The old man of the back hall was also surprised and his eyes involuntarily turned towards Huang Yueying.

  Huang Yueying had long expected the purpose of his visit, but when she heard him say it out loud, she was still extremely embarrassed. Now that she saw Pang De like this, she was even more ashamed, her face red and her ears burning, and she hastily found an excuse to retreat to her own room.

  In the main hall, Huang Chengyan was still bewildered and couldn't figure out why Yan Liang would inexplicably take a liking to his own daughter.

  In the following days, Yijue boasted about his good fortune, as if Huang Chengyan had given him a great advantage by marrying his daughter to him.

  Huang Chengyan was almost convinced by Yi Jie's words and nearly agreed to this marriage.

  At a critical moment, Huang Chengyan suddenly woke up and thought that this Yijue Biancai was indeed capable, and he almost fell for his trick.

  Yan Liang was indeed extraordinary, and Huang Chengyan also acknowledged it.

  However, Huang Chengyan knew that it was no longer an era where heroes rose together. With Yan Liang's current family background, the opportunity to make a sudden and dramatic rise was indeed slim.

  "Hmph, this Yan Liang wants to marry our family's Ying Er, no doubt he wants to borrow the prestige of my Huang family and establish himself in Jingzhou, how could I let him use me?"

  Huang Chengyan sneered inwardly, but said with a smile: "General Yan wants to marry my daughter Ying'er? That's fine. However, I've never met him before, so if he can come personally to propose and show his sincerity, then I'll be willing to give my daughter to him."

  Huang Chengyan was intentionally giving Yan Liang a hard time.

  Huang Jia Zhuang's location is adjacent to the Han River and very close to Xiangyang, so he had decided that Yan Liang would not dare to offend him by coming to visit.

  Yi Juan naturally saw through Huang Chengyan's intentions, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and just as he was about to speak, Huang Chengyan said that unless Yan Liang agreed to come in person to propose the marriage, otherwise it would not be discussed. Immediately after, he even politely sent off the guest, giving Yi Juan an opportunity to speak.

  Having no alternative, he could only bid farewell and leave.

  In the evening, Yi Ji returned to Xinye and conveyed Huang Chengyan's request to Yan Liang.

  "Huang's residence is right under the eyelids of Xiangyang, how can the general take risks? This Huang Chengyan is so cunning, he is intentionally making things difficult for the general."

  Xu You immediately saw through Huang Chengyan's intention and realized that his words were actually disapproving of Yan Liang going forward.

  Yi Jing also advised: "Liu Biao is the General of Defense, and he will definitely strengthen his patrols along the Han River. As a general, you are of great importance, and it's really not suitable for you to take risks personally. Why not let your subordinates go to Huangjiazhuang again? I don't believe they can't persuade Xun Huang Gong."

  Yan Liang fell silent and sank into deep thought.

  Yan Liang indeed had some feelings for Huang Yueying, but if it were just because of this reason, he wouldn't have risked his life; he definitely wouldn't do something so reckless.

  Huang Yueying was not only a woman who moved his heart, but also the daughter of the powerful Jin family.

  In Jingzhou or any other state in the world, if you can't win over the support of the aristocratic families, even someone as powerful as Cao Cao would not be able to stand firm.

  Moreover, Yan Liang's forces were still weak at the time, and in order to take root and grow in Jingzhou, he had to continuously expand his own strength, so Yan Liang had to use the power of the aristocratic families.

  After a moment of contemplation, Yan Liang stood up, with an air of confidence and determination.

  "My father-in-law obviously still doesn't quite understand my personality, does he not know that Yan Liang likes to do things beyond reason the most? Hmph, he thinks I don't dare go, but I'll give him a surprise."