Chapter 8: Breaking Off the Engagement

Our River Town clan has abided by an ancestral rule for centuries: the River Wardens can only pass on their legacy to a single heir—always to a son, never a daughter, and always to the eldest, not the youngest.

No one knows why such a rule exists. My great-grandfather, confident in his abilities, once tried to teach both his eldest and second sons—the two elder brothers of my grandfather—at the same time. Before either could master the craft, a flood swept them both into the Yellow River, ending their lives prematurely. That blow left my great-grandfather devastated, and the River Wardens’ lineage nearly ended there. Fortunately, before his death, he came to his senses and passed down the mantle to his third son—my grandfather—at his sickbed.

My grandfather lived through that tragedy. Though he was known as the Dragon King of the Yellow River, he dared not break the ancestral edicts. He raised my elder brother by his side, guiding him attentively, right up until they boarded the sand-dredging boat. My brother was chosen as the sole successor of the Dragon King—a fact well known throughout the geomantic world. Outsiders believed my grandfather vanished with my brother, and naturally assumed he had no chance to teach me the River Wardens’ secrets.

But what no one realized was that before he boarded the boat, my grandfather had prepared for this. He wrote all he knew into the River Wardens’ Great Codex and entrusted it to me.

The rules of our lineage are no secret among geomancers. When Chen Yetian explained them to Bai Ranhe, Bai fell silent for a long while before saying, “Master Chen, may I have a word in private?”

Chen Yetian followed Bai Ranhe back to their luxury car. They spoke in hushed tones, occasionally glancing my way. I didn’t need to guess—they were clearly discussing the marriage contract set by the Dragon King of the Yellow River.

“Brother Xi, my father… why did he become like that?” Lin’er, finally recovering from her shock, asked me with tears welling in her eyes.

Who could accept seeing their own kin turned into a grotesque cluster of fish? No one could bear such a blow.

Third Fool Pi’s transformation likely had something to do with the “Hundred Insect Curse” my grandfather placed on him years ago. Even the most skilled geomancer couldn’t keep a corpse from decaying for ten years without external aid. My grandfather must have used those monstrous fish to sustain Third Fool Pi’s fate for a decade.

In truth, it wasn’t Third Fool Pi who changed—it was the school of fish trapped within his body ten years ago.

Understanding this, I gently comforted the tearful beauty before me. “Lin’er, your father belonged to the Yellow River. He didn’t want to be buried in the earth, so he became those fish and returned to the place he was always meant to be.”

Hearing this, Lin’er’s sorrow eased, and her furrowed brow finally relaxed.

“Xi, now that Third Fool has returned to the Yellow River, is there anything else we should do?” The villagers behind me had come for the funeral, but with the deceased gone, they seemed lost.

“Folks, please take Lin’er to the riverbank and burn some spirit money for Uncle Third. He’ll receive it.” I glanced at Bai Ranhe’s group. Though his men looked battered, none were seriously hurt thanks to my timely intervention. Fearing more conflict, I sent the funeral party away.

After Lin’er and the others had left, Bai Ranhe approached me again. “Xi, you’re already married, aren’t you? That young girl just now—is she your child?”

I was speechless. Lin’er was only thirteen, and I was just twenty. Did he really think I’d married and had a child at seven? I couldn’t fathom what was going on in Bai Ranhe’s pigheaded mind.

Of course, I kept my thoughts to myself—after all, this man might be my future father-in-law. I went straight to the point. “Uncle Bai, that’s my younger sister. I’m not married yet—I can certainly marry your daughter, Little Carp.”

“This…” Bai Ranhe looked awkward.

Seeing his expression amused me, and I grinned. “What’s the matter, future father-in-law? You don’t look too pleased. Don’t tell me you want to break off the engagement?”

My address made Bai Ranhe’s scalp tingle. He waved his hands hurriedly. “No, no, please don’t call me that yet. The Dragon King of the Yellow River did me a great favor—I could never break a promise he made, but…”

I waited in silence, curious how he’d try to wriggle out of the marriage arrangement.

After a pause, Bai Ranhe continued, “However, your grandfather set the engagement without consulting you. I can’t break it, but you can choose to withdraw.”

Well, that was a first—someone too cowardly to break his own promise, asking me to renounce it myself. Of course, I had no intention of doing so. Normally, I wouldn’t care—the Bai family didn’t think much of me, and I had little regard for Bai Ranhe’s opportunism. But Third Fool Pi had told me that if I wanted to save my grandfather, I had to marry Little Carp. Since it was my grandfather’s will, I would never back out.

Seeing my reluctance, Bai Ranhe added, “Naturally, if you agree to end the engagement, the Bai family won’t let you suffer.” He signaled his driver, who brought over two heavy metal cases and placed them before me. “Here’s two million. If you agree to withdraw, consider this Bai’s compensation.” He glanced in the direction Lin’er had gone. “Your sister should be starting middle school soon, right?”

I thought Bai Ranhe was threatening me through Lin’er, and my face darkened. If they dared lay a finger on my sister, I wouldn’t care one bit about who was to be my father-in-law.