“Join the Fang Family?”
Upon hearing this, Chen Ping'an was slightly startled.
It seemed that his current display of martial arts Aptitude was already enough to warrant the Fang Family trying to recruit him.
Fang Shicheng was here as Steward Fang, to persuade him to join the Fang Family.
As one of the Four Great Families in Weishui County, the Fang Family possessed immense power and a long Legacy, so joining such an aristocratic Family would indeed be a good thing.
However, since Chen Ping'an was in the Zhenfu Division and received considerable care from Mu Wanjun, if he were truly to join any aristocratic Family, the Mu Family would be the top priority.
Furthermore, while the recruitment conditions offered by Fang Shicheng were decent, they came with many restrictions.
For instance, Chen Ping'an would need to serve the Fang Family for at least thirty years.
Although it was disguised as ‘joining the Fang Family,’ its essence was actually that of an ancillary attendant to the Fang Family, with a status not much higher than that of a servant.
None of these were acceptable to Chen Ping'an.
“Steward Fang is too kind. Chen is doing well in the Zhenfu Division and currently has no plans to join any Family,” Chen Ping'an politely refused.
“Young Master Chen, you may not know this. Your joining the Fang Family will not hinder your development in the Zhenfu Division at all. Furthermore, the Fang Family will serve as your greatest backing, helping you to gain a firm foothold in the Zhenfu Division, or even advance further,” Fang Shicheng explained with a smile.
“Chen is accustomed to freedom. Thirty years is too long, and Chen truly does not wish to join a force and be at someone else’s beck and call. Steward Fang’s kind intentions are appreciated,” Chen Ping'an cupped his hands slightly, still smiling as he refused.
His future prospects were boundless; how could he choose to rely on others for such trivial immediate gains?
“Young Master Chen, joining a force indeed sacrifices a certain degree of freedom. But the benefits behind it are also visible to the naked eye. For example…” Fang Shicheng prattled on, explaining the benefits of joining the Fang Family.
“Our Fang Family has a Legacy of a thousand years, and some people have been absorbed into the Family. Among those who joined the Fang Family, some performed exceptionally well, were valued by the current Family Head, were promoted repeatedly, and later even married a direct daughter of the Fang Family, becoming one of our Fang Family elders.”
To marry a direct daughter of the Fang Family and become a live-in son-in-law of the Fang Family! And later even become one of the principal managers of the Fang Family!
A thousand-year-old aristocratic Family and an ordinary commoner’s household were separated by an insurmountable chasm.
However, there were people who rose from the bottom, step by step, and ultimately married a direct daughter of an aristocratic Family. Such examples sounded thrilling and incredibly exciting, especially for young people who were not deeply experienced in the world and had limited exposure.
It was just that… such examples were absolutely rare exceptions.
The Fang Family had a Legacy of a thousand years; how many such individuals could there be?
What Fang Shicheng said might not be false, but for the vast majority of people, it was just something to listen to and nothing more.
Chen Ping'an smiled without speaking at Fang Shicheng’s words.
With his Golden Finger panel, why would he care about being a live-in son-in-law for an aristocratic Family?
Let alone being a live-in son-in-law, even if the opportunity to marry a direct daughter of an aristocratic Family was placed before him, he would probably hesitate repeatedly.
“Young Master Chen, what Chen said is absolutely true. All the benefits are genuine,” Fang Shicheng said with a smile, looking at Chen Ping'an, awaiting his reply.
As long as the young man in front of him agreed, he would save many years of detours. With such a temptation before him, not everyone could refuse it.
He believed that Chen Ping'an would agree.
“Many thanks to Steward Fang for the detailed explanation, but Chen’s ambition does not lie here. Please understand,” Chen Ping'an said with a faint smile, directly refusing.
“Young Master Chen, sometimes, once an opportunity passes, it will not come again,” Fang Shicheng said with a slightly cold expression.
He refused!
He did not expect Chen Ping'an to actually refuse.
“Understood,” Chen Ping'an said with a faint smile.
“Hmph,” Fang Shicheng lightly snorted.
Since the matter was not settled and the recruitment failed, Fang Shicheng’s attitude turned cold. He took out a prepared book and handed it to Chen Ping'an.
“The treasures on the first floor of the inner treasury are all listed here. Take a look yourself.”
How realistic!
Chen Ping'an took the book and found it amusing.
Fang Shicheng’s current attitude was truly like two different people compared to before.
Chen Ping'an flipped through the book in his hand, which recorded various treasures.
Hmm, to call them treasures… was a bit of an overstatement.
The most valuable item among them was only comparable to the hundred pattern blade in his hand.
For an aristocratic Family like the Fang Family, the word ‘treasure’ was undoubtedly somewhat ridiculous!
Fang Shicheng looked at Chen Ping'an, who was flipping through the book, and a hint of sneer flashed in his eyes.
He actually had two books in his hand, both recording the treasures on the first floor of the inner treasury. The difference was that one was valuable, and the other was ordinary.
If Chen Ping'an had been successfully recruited, the one he would have given would have been the valuable one. The treasures recorded inside would have been considered a welcome gift from the Fang Family.
If the recruitment was not successful, then what he gave was the one currently in front of Chen Ping'an.
The world generally believed that top-tier powerful figures were generous and disregarded gains and losses.
However, in reality, the more powerful they were, the more they focused on the gains and losses of every matter.
What the world believed was only what it believed.
When a lucky person appeared and accidentally gained the favor of a top-tier powerful figure, soaring to success, that was also the information the top-tier powerful figure wished to release, setting an example to inspire others.
Of course, in Chen Ping'an’s case, if the situation were different, there was actually another possibility.
Even if he was not successfully recruited, he might have a strong background. Using this matter, the Fang Family could go with the flow, show goodwill, and use Chen Ping'an as an opportunity to befriend the forces behind him.
This was the Dao of survival for aristocratic Families!
Although the items in the book were not particularly valuable, they were not too bad either.
After all, it concerned the Fang Family’s reputation.
Finally, Chen Ping'an chose a pair of boots.
black cloud brocade boots!
The black cloud brocade boots were carefully crafted by a skilled artisan using excellent Materials, making them sturdy and durable.
In terms of value, they were no less than the hundred pattern blade!
Chen Ping'an naturally had his own considerations for choosing them. He had just acquired a superior movement technique, Eight Steps Catching Cicadas, and naturally needed to equip himself accordingly.
While ordinary boots could also be used, they were ultimately still lacking.
Fang Shicheng was somewhat surprised by Chen Ping'an’s choice, but he did not say much.
After all, he was a country bumpkin from the outer city who had not seen much good stuff.
The book only recorded the items; in reality, the Fang Family’s inner treasury did not have finished black cloud brocade boots. The Fang Family would later arrange for an artisan to custom-make them for Chen Ping'an.
After Chen Ping'an chose his treasure, Fang Shicheng did not say much more to him and sent him out.
Chen Ping'an exited the treasure pavilion, winding and turning, passing by a pavilion and a pond.
On the pavilion, several richly dressed Young Masters and Young Misses were laughing and playing, full of joy.
Behind them stood maids, and on the central stone table were abundant pastries and delicacies.
Fang Shicheng bent down and respectfully greeted the people on the pavilion.
“Hello, Young Masters and Young Misses.”
The Young Masters and Young Misses were in the midst of their fun and paid no attention.
Fang Shicheng did not feel awkward, smiling as he led Chen Ping'an away. Chen Ping'an looked up at the people on the pavilion, and the youngest among them appeared to be around Nannan’s age.
Aristocratic Young Masters and Young Misses lived privileged lives, free from the hardships and worries of life. Ordinary commoners, on the other hand, had to bear the heavy burdens of life early on, enduring trials and tribulations.
Born as humans, yet so vastly different.
Ah, people!
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