harleyscars 168. The Inside Story of the Arranged Marriage
168. The Inside Story of the Arranged Marriage
Xiao Yan wasn't stupid. Although Ya Fei definitely wanted to catch up with him today, judging from her strange behavior for so long after seeing him, she must have something on her mind.
Xiao Yan had already become acquainted with Ya Fei while still in Wutan City, and even Yao Lao had given Ya Fei extremely high praise. Although Ya Fei was incomparably beautiful, she was not just a pretty face; on the contrary, she was extremely adept at utilizing all her power. Countless people had suffered losses in their dealings with Ya Fei because they underestimated her.
Xiao Yan knew she wasn't someone who easily shared her emotions with others, and the fact that she had revealed them to him meant that she had encountered something she couldn't resolve on her own!
"Sister Yafei, please speak frankly."
Xiao Yan also harbored considerable goodwill towards Ya Fei. Although their relationship was primarily based on trade back then, Ya Fei had been helpful to both him and the Xiao family. Now, with his background in the Northwest Region, there were indeed few things he couldn't accomplish, so he had the confidence to say such things.
Ya Fei gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "Brother Xiao Yan, are you aware that besides you, another powerful figure with a different kind of fire has emerged in the Jia Ma Empire in recent years?"
Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. The Strange Fire was key to his strength improvement, so he immediately became interested upon hearing about it.
"Is it the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the Strange Flame Ranking?"
Ya Fei's peach-blossom eyes showed a hint of surprise: "How did you know?"
Xiao Yan touched his nose and said, "There are some reasons."
The strange fire that Xiao Yan and Yao Lao initially planned to find was the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire. However, by chance, they encountered the Red Lotus Karmic Fire on the way. After the three-year agreement, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao searched for it again in the Great Desert for a period of time, but found nothing.
Xiao Yan could only understand this. Such rare treasures as Strange Flames were only obtained by those with the right destiny. How could he possibly have all the good things happen to him? Moreover, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame was only ranked nineteenth on the Strange Flame Ranking, while the Red Lotus Karmic Flame he currently possessed was ranked eighth, and the Sea Heart Flame was ranked fifteenth.
Therefore, he no longer persisted in searching for the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame. However, he has now unexpectedly obtained news about the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame from Ya Fei.
Ya Fei then thought that Xiao Yan was now a celebrity in the entire Northwest Region, so it wouldn't be too difficult for him to know some information about the Strange Flame.
He continued, "The Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame was initially obtained by Queen Medusa, but Pill King Guhe also learned of it and led Sect Master Yunyun of the Yunlan Sect to the Great Desert in search of it!"
"Although Gu He's initial plan to seize it failed, he returned to the Great Desert two years later and emerged as a sixth-grade alchemy master possessing a different kind of fire!"
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. He had met Queen Medusa before and knew how proud she was, and how she loathed humans to the core. Since Gu He was able to obtain the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame from her, he must have paid a heavy price. However, it was only because Gu He was an alchemist that he could produce something that would tempt Queen Medusa.
The significance of alchemists is immense. Even though Gu He is only a Dou Wang, he can still impress true Dou Huang or even Dou Zong powerhouses.
Xiao Yan noticed a subtle change in Ya Fei's tone when she mentioned Gu He's name. However, Xiao Yan did not interrupt Ya Fei and gestured for her to continue.
"After acquiring the Strange Flame, Gu He's alchemy skills improved once again, making him one of the most sought-after figures in the entire Jia Ma Empire. He even saved Old Master Nalan Jie from the branding poison!"
"In recent years, the family has been under great pressure. The Yunlan Sect and the royal family have been growing stronger and stronger. Therefore, the family has its eye on Guhe's rise and wants to form a marriage alliance with Guhe."
Xiao Yan nodded. Intermarriage among powerful families wasn't unusual; a proper and reasonable marriage could strengthen the bond between two families. His relationship with Nalan Yanran could even be considered a marriage alliance in some ways. However, it was a pity that the Xiao family had declined so quickly, and he had been branded a useless person, making this marriage a complete burden. In essence, marriage alliances rarely cared about the wishes of the parties involved; as long as the family needed it, subordinates had to make certain sacrifices.
Since Yunshan's emergence, the royal family, feeling threatened, has constantly sought powerful allies. This has also put immense pressure on the major families; if it weren't for this external enemy, the Gama Empire would have inevitably experienced a dramatic upheaval sooner or later.
Gu He was already the strongest alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire. After obtaining the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, his alchemy skills would likely improve even further. There would be no problem for the Mittel family, to which Ya Fei belongs, to form a marriage alliance with him.
Looking at the bright moon in the sky, Ya Fei sighed softly, "In the end, the family chose me."
Xiao Yan was not surprised by this. Ya Fei was already a stunning beauty, and a member of the legitimate Mittel family. Judging from Ya Fei's performance in Wutan City, she was indeed an extremely shrewd woman, and if she wanted to, she could certainly make the Mittel family benefit from this marriage alliance.
"Sister Yafei doesn't want this arrangement?"
Hearing Xiao Yan's question, Ya Fei shook her head bitterly and hesitated for a long time before saying, "Although I hope to take control of my own destiny, this world is realistic. Marrying Dan Wang Gu He is already the best I can do. I keep telling myself that this is already a good result."
Even Ya Fei's alluring face showed a hint of pain: "But Gu He refused the marriage proposal, citing that he already had someone he loved. The clan elders ultimately decided that I should become Gu He's concubine!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan frowned. In the Dou Qi Continent, the difference in status between wives and concubines was enormous; a concubine was essentially just a higher-ranking maid. Sending Ya Fei to become Gu He's concubine would be the greatest humiliation for someone of her temperament.
"So, Sister Yafei wants my help?"
Xiao Yan sensed that Ya Fei tensed up slightly after he asked the question. Her exquisite and elegant brocade robe accentuated her full breasts. A faint blush suddenly appeared on her charming face, and her right hand kept kneading a few strands of her hair, revealing her complex and conflicted inner world.
Even Xiao Yan was quite surprised to see Ya Fei acting like such a petty woman, which was so different from Ya Fei's usual composure and elegance.
"I want to be your concubine!" Consort Ya hesitated for a long time before finally saying it hesitantly.