All of us are one

Chapter 84 Uncle and Nephew Have a Heart-to-Heart Talk

A city cut off from water supply in the Yangtze River basin.

People were coming and going on the streets, but they mostly walked on the sides of the street, with only a few carriages passing through the central lane.

Suddenly, a group of black-armored cavalrymen carrying the banner of the Great River Alliance escorted several carriages toward the controlled area south of the city. Pedestrians and carriages they encountered along the way gave way.

In Duanshui City, which is under the jurisdiction of the Great River Alliance, the only cavalry force that can openly wear black armor, ride black horses, and carry the black banner with white characters that read "Great River Alliance" is the renowned Xuanshui Cavalry.

Without a doubt, the people in the carriage who could be protected by the Xuan Shui Riders were either distinguished guests of the Great River Alliance or core members of the Great River Alliance; they were not people that ordinary people could afford to offend.

Inside the moving carriage.

Jiang Yanming sat in the chair and felt the slight swaying of the carriage beneath him, which was enough to prove that the carriage was high-class.

"What do you think of this city of broken water?" the middle-aged man in black sitting opposite suddenly asked.

"Not bad." Jiang Yanming glanced at the port of Duanshui City and found that its prosperity was no less than that of some major cities in the lower reaches of Jiangnan.

"This is where my brother severed the river with a single sword strike," the man in black said calmly. "I spent over twenty years building the Great River Alliance's Broken Water City from scratch."

"Mm." Jiang Yanming nodded slightly.

Although the man in black spoke calmly, he could sense the man's arrogance.

"I received a message that you are unaware of my existence, which suggests that my elder brother has never mentioned me," the man in black introduced himself. "My name is Jiang Zhi, and I am my elder brother's twin brother."

"He's also your uncle." The man in black said, looking at Jiang Yanming.

"Mm." Jiang Yanming nodded again.

"Now that you know my identity, shouldn't you call me uncle?" Jiang Zhi frowned slightly.

"My father never mentioned that I have an uncle," Jiang Yanming replied.

Jiang Zhi remained silent for a moment, then said softly, "My brother is still angry with me, so he didn't tell you."

"What did you do?" Jiang Yanming asked, frowning.

Based on his understanding of his father, Jiang Yi, this uncle must have made a serious mistake, otherwise his father would not have remained completely silent about his existence.

"Do you resent me?" Jiang Zhi asked, then added, "Because the news of your return to the country was leaked, and you were almost assassinated by Xue Yu."

"I wouldn't call it resentment, it's more like dissatisfaction," Jiang Yanming replied calmly. "If the information hadn't been leaked, I wouldn't have suffered the assassination attempt in the bloodbath, and so many brothers wouldn't have died protecting me."

"I knew the forces in the shadows wouldn't sit still, so after the news of your return to the country was leaked, I made three preparations," Jiang Zhi explained. "I asked Hall Master Ji and others to openly welcome you, and then I asked Hall Master Chen and others to secretly infiltrate the fleet, all to deal with possible assassinations."

"Finally, I was worried that the assassination attempt would be too powerful, so I invited Senior Liang from the three major families of Jiangnan under the pretext of discussing a marriage alliance."

"Senior Liang said he was preparing to visit a friend in Beiliu City, but he happened to run into the fleet of my Great River Alliance. Senior Liang only mentioned the marriage alliance casually," Jiang Yanming said calmly.

"Do you really think that Senior Liang's trip to the north was simply to visit friends?" Jiang Zhi asked rhetorically.

"Who knows what Senior Liang was thinking, but that's certainly what he said," Jiang Yanming replied. "If Senior Liang were truly after a marriage alliance, he wouldn't have refused your invitation."

"Is it really that hard for you to call me uncle?" Jiang Zhi asked, frowning.

"Tell me, what did you do that made Father never mention you?" Jiang Yanming asked calmly.

Jiang Zhi remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "Fine, whether you like it or not, you are still my nephew."

Jiang Yanming did not refute this. Although his father had not mentioned it, it was highly likely that Jiang Zhi was his father's twin brother. This was not only because others had corroborated this, but also because the other man looked so much like his father.

"How long do you plan to stay in Shenwu Kingdom after returning home?" Jiang Zhi asked.

"After my Qi and blood condense into a powerful aura, I will go to Jiangnan with Senior Liang, and then return to the Four Kingdoms Alliance from Jiangnan," Jiang Yanming replied.

"Not planning to stay long?" Jiang Zhi frowned.

"Last time, three top experts came to assassinate me. Who knows how many will come next time?" Jiang Yanming looked at Jiang Zhi. "Can you protect me all by yourself?"

Jiang Zhi fell silent.

It is true that the Great River Alliance has four top experts, but only one of them is stationed in Broken Water City. That is the Grand Hall Master. The other three top experts each have their own territories.

"Ah Ming, you must understand that you are the young leader of the Great River Alliance, and some things are unavoidable," Jiang Zhi said solemnly.

"For example?" Jiang Yanming asked.

"As the young leader of the Great River Alliance, you will inevitably be targeted by hostile forces. If you do not fall into danger upon returning to the country, Senior Liang from Jiangnan will not have appeared," Jiang Zhi said calmly. "Once Senior Liang appears, you will have established contact with him and may even have the opportunity to form an alliance through marriage with the three major families of Jiangnan."

Jiang Yanming listened quietly.

"Looking across the entire Yangtze River region, the only forces that can truly stop the Yangtze River Alliance from unifying the region are Beiliu City in the north and the three major families in the south. Both of these regions have top-tier experts stationed there."

Jiang Zhi said coldly, "You have formed a marriage alliance with the three major families of Jiangnan. If the Great River Alliance really wants to unify the Great River Basin, then you will have a basis for negotiating with the three major families. As long as Jiangnan is pacified, Beiliu City in Jiangbei will not be an obstacle, because ordinary experts cannot compete with you, brother."

"Heh..." Jiang Yanming laughed when he heard this.

What kind of operational strategy is this? It sounds like something out of a fantasy.

Even if he were to form a marriage alliance with one of the three great families of Jiangnan, could he really win them over with just that? That would be a gross underestimation of Senior Liang, who has lived for over two hundred years, and the three great families of Jiangnan, who have stood for over two hundred years!

These three families have stood for over two hundred years, and their population must be extremely large, with countless legitimate daughters.

Compared to the family's foundation, a legitimate daughter can be abandoned easily. How could she possibly give up her independence and submit to the Great River Alliance, which is of similar strength, just because of a marriage alliance?

"You think it's ridiculous?" Jiang Zhi looked over calmly.

"No, I was just thinking about something and couldn't help but laugh." Jiang Yanming naturally denied it.

"Senior Liang doesn't have much time left," Jiang Zhi said calmly. "You should be able to hold out until then."

"How did you know?" Jiang Yanming frowned upon hearing this.

"I once asked my brother how long someone with his strength could live. He said about three hundred years," Jiang Zhiping said calmly. "If my brother said three hundred years, then Senior Liang, who is of similar strength to my brother, would live the same."

"Senior Liang has lived for over two hundred years; this is common knowledge throughout the entire Divine Martial Kingdom." At this point, Jiang Zhi asked, "How many more years do you think Senior Liang has left to live?"

Jiang Yanming fell silent.

He now understood why Senior Liang had been so friendly to him and wanted him to marry into one of the three major families.

It wasn't just because his father was Jiang Yi, the leader of the Great River Alliance, but also because Senior Liang knew his days were numbered and needed to find a reliable support for the three major families...