Volume 2 Chapter 30: A New Year's Letter - Martial God

### Chapter 30: A New Year's Letter The auspicious snowfall heralds a prosperous year. As the first snow of the new year gently descended from the sky, He Family Village was already filled with joyful laughter. The new year held extraordinary significance for everyone in the village. Young people matured, growing more steadfast with each passing year, while the elderly became increasingly frail. Yet, in the hearts of the two elders of the village, there was a deep sense of joy because their descendants had matured enough to take their place. The days when they shielded He Family Village from winds and rain were gradually coming to an end. And perhaps this was the ultimate wish cherished in the hearts of all elders. “The New Year's martial contest begins now…” As Third Uncle He Quan Yi's robust voice resonated, the entire training ground erupted into enthusiastic applause. Unlike previous years, another member of the younger generation had ascended to the sixth level of internal strength. He Yi Ling, He Quan Yi’s eldest daughter, had just turned twenty this year, making her one of the leading female contenders of the third generation. In ordinary farming families, women typically married by this age, yet for practitioners, twenty-year-olds were far from being considered aging spinsters; they were in the prime of youth and beauty. Thus, when He Yi Ling first took the stage, she immediately garnered the loudest cheers. Her opponent was her second brother, He Yi Hai. Faced with his sister’s attacks, He Yi Hai wore a wry smile as they sparred for quite some time until he “luckily” eked out a win by a single move, much to the delight of the elder members of the He family. Following this, He Yi Xuan and He Yi Tian took their turns, and their skills had only become more refined. Spurred on by the prodigious He Yi Ming, everyone had elevated their expectations for themselves, elevating the overall combat prowess of the third generation to a new tier. Although none of them broke through their limits this year, their achievements were enough to satisfy their elders. As for He Yi Ming, as soon as he stood up, the younger cohort on the contest field scattered. No one wanted to voluntarily embarrass themselves knowing they were sure to lose. Considering He Yi Ming’s prowess, even if everyone in He Family Village joined forces against him, they wouldn't pose much of a challenge. The elder generation, including He Wu De, could only shake their heads with wry smiles, yet their hearts overflowed with pride. With such a prodigious descendant, the legacy of He Family Village would remain secure for decades. During this year's New Year's martial contest, the couple He Yi Tian and Cheng Yan Li had separated from the elder family and established their own household, signifying their branch's independence from He Quan Ming’s line. Having been married for a year, although not overly affectionate, they were at least courteous towards one another, presenting themselves aptly here. However, He Yi Ming had a faint sense that the couple was a bit too polite with each other. Perhaps, over time, they would truly come to accept each other. Of course, not everything was perfect. The only grievance in the family regarding their marriage was that, even after a year, they had not contributed a fourth-generation descendant to the family. Although He Wu De and other elders didn’t express this outright, one could glean a trace of it from their expressions. Yet, these senior members were adept at concealing their sentiments, hence He Yi Tian and Cheng Yan Li remained unaware. After the New Year's contest, everyone gathered for an evening meal before dispersing. In the He family compound, however, He Wu De, the second-generation trio, along with He Yi Tian and He Yi Ming, remained assembled. Their discussion revolved around the development plans for He Family Village in the upcoming year. Previously, the third-generation members, including He Yi Tian, were not involved in these talks. But today, He Wu De summoned two of them from the third generation, making his intentions clear. The third-generation members of the He family were starting to officially partake in village operations. A round table with tea set atop it, He Yi Ming and He Yi Tian were responsible for refilling their elders’ cups and listening in. Naturally, they could also offer their opinions. He Quan Ming placed a ledger on the table, saying, “Father, this year's revenue was decent. Excluding costs and various expenses, the shops yielded a profit of two thousand taels of silver.” He Quan Yi also presented a ledger, stating, “We've cultivated quite a lot of the lands around the village, and the grain yields were satisfactory. Hunting in the back hills and selling mountain specialties through the city stores brought in a considerable sum.” Pausing briefly, he continued, “However, with hundreds of mouths to feed, along with monthly allowances and unexpected rewards, these are hefty expenses. Altogether, we've spent five thousand taels of silver on new building projects, repairs, and gathering materials for the future fortress.” Exchanging glances, He Yi Tian and He Yi Ming were visibly surprised, realizing that despite the family's hard work over the year, they had still spent more than they earned. He Wu De nodded slightly, his face betraying no hint of surprise, as if he had anticipated this outcome. “Second brother, how's the business with the Yuan family?” he asked calmly. A smile broke across He Quan Ming’s face. “Father, our collaboration with the Yuan family remains very smooth this year. All goods were successfully offloaded, earning us a thousand taels of gold.” He Yi Tian and He Yi Ming almost gaped in disbelief. Though both gold and silver are precious metals, their values differ considerably—a tael of gold in the northwest could easily exchange for ten taels of silver. A thousand taels of gold neat a staggering ten thousand taels of silver, rendering the five-thousand-tael deficit trivial by comparison. He Wu De's smile of satisfaction followed, “Yi Tian, Yi Ming, you understand now, don’t you? Despite our city shops, the ongoing expansion of our manor precludes covering this gap for decades. To continuously expand the manor and fortify our family’s foundation, our partnership with the Yuan family is truly our lifeline.” After a pause, He Yi Tian inquired, “Grandfather, by ‘Yuan family,’ do you mean the Yuan family in Jinlin?” "Indeed, the very one in Jinlin," He Wu De nodded slightly. "Though their clout in Jinlin isn't much, they possess extensive connections, and Yuan Ze Yu, their current head, was my companion during my younger days of venturing forth into the world. They’re unquestionably the best partners for us, He family.” Glancing at everyone, He Yi Ming asked, “Father, what kind of business are we doing with the Yuan family to earn such lucrative returns?” He Quan Ming hesitated briefly before responding, “Smuggling.” “Smuggling?” He Yi Ming exclaimed in surprise, “Do we need to rely on smuggling for sustenance?” “Absolutely,” He Quan Ming affirmed in a grave tone, “In truth, each major family clandestinely conducts various illicit activities. We merely engage in smuggling, which is relatively clean.” He Yi Ming couldn’t help but smile wryly, realizing that in his father’s mind, smuggling seemed a given. He Wu De cleared his throat, saying, “Yi Ming, should we He Family Village one day achieve full completion like Xu family’s fortress, the annual deficit wouldn’t matter anymore.” He Yi Ming nodded in response, pondering internally that the centuries-old foundation of Xu family’s fortress was indeed far superior to the current standing of He Family Village. Gently patting the table before him, He Quan Yi remarked, “Yi Ming, the Xu and Cheng families, alike, engage in similar dealings. Though they’ve restrained themselves a lot recently, they were far more frenzied a century ago as they developed. Without such means, where do you think their vast fortunes originated?” After contemplating for a moment, He Yi Ming nodded, dispelling any lingering misgivings. “Alright,” He Wu De declared with a wave of his hand. “Enough on that matter, let’s talk about Yi Ling.” Hearing this, everyone’s brows furrowed. Although He Yi Ling practiced martial arts, her talent wasn’t extraordinary. It was only before turning twenty that she managed to advance to the sixth level of internal strength. This foresaw a very limited potential. Furthermore, cultivation for women is even more arduous compared to men, making her future progress unlikely. In such cases, female practitioners generally abandon rigorous training, and within noble families, this often leads to marriage prospects. This has been a headache for the elders of He Family Village lately. Both the Xu and Cheng families sent representatives to propose marriage, with He Yi Ling as their focus. A while ago, He Yi Ming might have brushed this off. However, after his recent travels, he gained considerable insight. Ensuring a family’s foothold in a locale for generations is no easy feat. Even though He Family Village stands exceptionally strong currently, it can’t afford to alienate all factions within the county. For when tides shift, should He Family Village's strength decline, any retaliatory force could spell the He family’s annihilation. ### Chapter 30: A New Year's Letter (Continued) The Xu and Cheng families have been the oldest lineages in Taicang County. In the past, several families stood alongside them—some even dominated the county and enjoyed their heyday. However, a century later, those families have all declined, and some have even vanished entirely. Only the Xu and Cheng families prospered quietly, gradually becoming deeply rooted in Taicang County. This scenario mirrors the situation with the four great families of the Kingdom of Fire and Crow. For any place and any family aiming to establish a thriving lineage enduring over millennia, depending solely on one's strength is impossible. The faster the rise, the faster the fall. Only by extending branches and building connections, fostering relations with neighboring powers, can a family’s roots truly integrate into the local soil. In doing so, if the family's power reaches its peak, it can unify surrounding forces under its banner. Conversely, if the family’s influence wanes, retreating to the countryside and aligning with more powerful forces ensures their bloodline’s continuity, offering a chance for rebirth like a phoenix emerging from the ashes. Before the third generation of the He family matured, they boasted of being one of the three major families in Taicang County. However, their foundation and connections paled compared to the other two. Without their formidable martial strength, they would scarcely maintain their status. But as the He family’s third generation began to distinguish themselves and show signs of vigorous development, they finally earned recognition from the other two families. Following an alliance through marriage with the Cheng family, both families somehow also extended another olive branch. Seeing everyone silent, He Wu De sighed softly, “Quan Yi, you’re Yi Ling’s father. Speak for yourself, which would you choose: the Xu family or the Cheng family?” The elder’s words set the tone—it was assured that He Yi Ling's future husband could only be from one of these two families. He Quan Yi forced a smile, replying, “Father, I think it’s best if you decide.” Just as He Wu De was about to speak, he abruptly shut his mouth, glancing towards the door. Moments later, they heard quick footsteps approaching. Exchanging puzzled glances, they wondered what incident could be significant enough to interrupt them now. He Quan Yi immediately stood and strode out briskly. Soon, he returned with a serious expression, “Father, someone from the Yuan family in Jinlin is here.” He Wu De was taken aback, “Why are the Yuan family here now? Hadn’t they already sent us gifts this year?” He Quan Yi offered a wry smile, “I’m not entirely sure myself, Father. Please, have a look.” He flipped his wrist, revealing a black-sealed letter. At the sight of this letter, a sinking feeling crept into everyone’s heart. Using such a seal during the New Year was far from auspicious, indicating the Yuan family likely faced significant trouble. He Wu De’s expression grew heavy as well. The Yuan family in Jinlin was their partner in smuggling operations. Should something happen to them, it would deal a severe blow to the He family. Finding another family with moderate strength but broad networks would be no easy task. Furthermore, after years of cooperation, the He and Yuan families had developed a tacit understanding. At least He Quan Ming wouldn’t easily consider replacing their partner. He Wu De opened the envelope and scrutinized its contents twice. “What’s happened, Father?” He Quan Ming asked first. He Wu De pondered briefly, “The Yuan family in Jinlin has encountered major trouble.” He heaved a sigh, “A recently risen family in Jinlin’s Yuantong County has emerged. This family is ruthless, annihilating adversaries without leaving a trace. They covet the Yuan family’s networks and resources and aim to replace them. So, the Yuan family seeks our help, promising us ten thousand taels of gold if we help them overcome this hurdle, along with a ten percent cut of future profits.” Though he spoke calmly, He Quan Ming and the others were already deeply intrigued. The ten thousand taels of gold was enticing enough, not to mention the significant sum from a ten percent cut of every trade—a sustained revenue. For the He family, eager to expand their influence continually in Taicang County, this income was invaluable. “A newly risen family? What’s their martial strength like?” He Quan Ming asked. He Yi Tian and He Yi Ming exchanged glances, understanding He Quan Ming’s underlying intent. Though he was the second strongest in the family after the patriarch, his focus had always been on martial arts, seldom meddling in business affairs. Now even he was paying close attention, indicating the importance of this matter to everyone. He Wu De chuckled lightly, “Their head is a pinnacle tenth-level internal strength master, certainly a formidable opponent. If things turn sour, the Yuan family might not necessarily have the upper hand.” The group collectively nodded. While a pinnacle tenth-level internal strength master might not be extraordinary in He Family Village currently, for a rising family, such a master represented unmatched martial prowess—an irreplaceable force. This much was evident from how He Wu De single-handedly built the He family, just as the renowned Xie family of Fire and Crow Kingdom only boasted three tenth-level internal strength masters. Achieving such mastery within one’s lifetime was a rarity, achieved by only a select few. He Quan Ming stood and said, “Father, let me handle this matter.” Both He Quan Ming and He Quan Yi nodded slightly. Given that their opponent was a tenth-level master, offering assistance required a master of the same level. Considering He Wu De’s age of over eighty, it seemed more appropriate for He Quan Ming to take charge. After a moment’s contemplation, He Wu De uttered, “Quan Ming, take Yi Ming and Yi Tian with you this time, allowing them to gain experience.” He Quan Ming nodded, “Alright, having Yi Ming along ensures success.” Everyone nodded in agreement. In their eyes, both He Quan Ming and He Yi Ming were tenth-level masters. If this newly risen family had only one master of the tenth level, they could believe it; however, claiming they had two or more was simply implausible. With a resigned sigh, He Yi Ming lamented, “I just got back, and now I have to leave again?” The group chuckled, He Quan Ming’s face turning stern, “Yi Ming, no jokes. This is a serious matter—if we fail to safeguard the Yuan family, don’t expect any allowances from me next year.” He Yi Ming promptly concealed his disgruntlement, “Don’t worry, Father. With Uncle’s help, we’ll resolve this matter smoothly, without any mishaps.” After a pause, He Quan Ming abruptly asked, “Father, what if when we arrive, the Yuan family has already collapsed and can't hold out?” Momentarily surprised, He Wu De finally replied, “If the Yuan family stands, we must do everything to support them. If they’ve fallen, then we must find other families to cooperate with, ensuring our route to Jinlin remains unbroken. However, it’s crucial we preserve the Yuan family’s main line, ensuring they don’t vanish entirely.” He Quan Ming acknowledged this with respect. Curiosity stirred within He Yi Ming, “Grandfather, what’s this new family like?” He Wu De glanced at the paper, “It’s the Jinlin Fan family.” “Fan family?” He Yi Ming recalled encountering a caravan on the road, vaguely remembering someone among them sharing that surname. A peculiar feeling arose within him—could it really be such a coincidence?