Castle of Black Iron

The girl finally drew away by her mother from Zhang Tie's side before the banquet. Zhang Su then found a chance to draw Zhang Tie to one side and chatted with him in low voice.

During a few hours, being gazed by that girl, Zhang Tie almost became the public enemy of those unmarried male men in the old mansion. However, Zhang Tie just treated it as the mischief of that girl and ignored that. He maintained a calm look as he didn't think that girl could harm him at all. As for those young men who were jealous of him, Zhang Tie was not obliged to explain it to them. What made Zhang Tie feel a bit funny was that even his male cousins were also jealous of him.

Zhang Tie had an impression in some of his male cousins. While the rest were strange to him. As members of Zhang Clan, who shared the same bloodline, Zhang Tie was really disappointed about them in this scene.

However, Zhang Tie knew that it was inevitable. The grandpa had 11 sons and daughters. Zhang Tie's uncles married more than one wife. Therefore, Zhang Tie had at least 50-60 peers, some of which were as excellent as Zhang Su, some were fickle.

The family members of the two uncles who had a close relationship with Zhang Tie's family had left for Eastern Continent to converge with their parents one month ago. Zhang Tie's elder brother also needed people to help his undertaking in Eastern Continent. None of Zhang Tie's cousins in his two uncles' family came here. Zhang Lin, Zhang Su's father had also gone to the Eastern Continent to prepare for the transfer of Zhang's industry.

Zhang Tie thought that his two uncles might have left Huaiyuan Prefecture earlier on purpose. In that way, they didn't have to attend such a birthday party bashfully. The grand madam was smart; Zhang Tie's biological grandma was the old man's 4th wife. The grand madam and the 4th madam didn't get on well with each other; especially after Zhang Tie's biological grandma passed away, the 4th madam's offsprings were always pushed aside in Zhang Clan. Zhang Tie's two uncles didn't live well at home; therefore, they had been used to be meticulous since they were young. As Zhang Tie's family gradually developed these years, the relationship between the grand madam and the 4th madam's offsprings gradually relieved.

Catching their obviously jealous looks, Zhang Tie understood that the girl had a great family background. Those men's envy didn't simply originate from that woman's beautiful look.

Actually, for those who could come here to offer birthday congratulations, simply beautiful women were just toys and cheap commodities for them. Nobody would care about their looks at all.

"How did you know that princess of Wang Clan?" Zhang Su asked Zhang Tie in a low voice.

"Do you believe if I tell you that I didn't know her surname until now?" Zhang Tie made a bitter smile.

Zhang Su slowly nodded as he watched Zhang Tie, "I believe that; but I'm afraid that others don't believe that!"

"What's her family background?"

"Wang Clan in Fubo City, the largest ores and steel merchant in Huaiyuan Prefecture. They have over 10 mines and more than 1 gold mine in Huaiyuan Prefecture and Jinyun Country."

Zhang Tie was shocked by the beauty's wealth, "What's the relationship between this Wang Clan and the other Wang Clan, one of the 6 major clans in Jinyun Country?"

"Irrelevant, the wife of the city owner of Fubo City is the biological elder sister of Wang's old man. Wang Clan is one of best relatives of our Zhang Clan of Huaiyuan Palace, which has a close relationship with Fubo City. These years, our Zhang Clan's shipyard expanded a lot which meant a great consumption of steel; the business between Zhang Clan and Wang Clan also became frequent. Therefore, Wang Clan dispatched someone here to offer birthday congratulations to my grandma..."

Zhang Tie understood it right away. From the perspective of the clan elder, of course, Zhang Clan would not allow the steel and ores trade in shipbuilding industry of Huaiyuan Prefecture fall in the hand of the other major clan of Jinyun Country. Although the 6 major clans of Jinyun Country made connections through marriages, some bottomlines could never be broken through. Each clan had to consider their own interests. Such a pillar industry for a clan would never be under the control of the other major clan who were on the equal footing with Zhang Clan.

"Do you want to make connections with Wang Clan through marriage?"Zhang Tie smiled.

"The old man doesn't express his opinion. However, some uncles and aunts are very enthusiastic about this. Before you arrived here, an aunt had already introduced some male cousins to Wang's princess!"

"Haha, I think you're the best one who could make connections with Wang Clan through marriage!" Zhang Tie joked in a low voice.

Zhang Su threw a glance at Zhang Tie, "I've already fallen in love with someone. You know that."

Zhang Tie then remembered that Zhang Su truly had a beloved senior sister apprentice when he was in Hidden Dragon Island. Zhang Su even borrowed money from Zhang Tie to open a workshop for that senior sister apprentice. Zhang Su felt bashful to talk about it at that time; later on, Zhang Tie knew that Zhang Su already had a beloved senior sister apprentice surnamed Fang in Breaking Heavens Department.

Zhang Tie patted his head and asked, "Why senior sister apprentice didn't come today?"

"She's not promoted to LV 9 yet. Therefore, she could not leave Hidden Dragon Island!" Zhang Su explained in an embarrassed way.

When he was in Hidden Dragon Island, Zhang Su's cultivation speed and talent were among the best ones. Therefore, he promoted to LV 10 in 5 years. However, it was already good enough for others to promote to LV 9 before 30 years old.

"Oh, I almost forgot that, what's the girl's name?" Zhang Tie suddenly recalled something.

Zhang Su watched Zhang Tie a few seconds before saying in a helpless way, "Alright, she's Wang Shina!"

Zhang Tie burst out into laughter...

...

The grandest banquet finally started at dusk. Over 200 people gathered in a refurnished banquet hall of Zhang's old mansion, about 20 huge round tables.

Zhang Haitian and grand madam were sitting in the main seats. After the banquet started, all the juniors went to propose a toast and offer birthday congratulations to the grand madam. The old man and the grand madam talked with the juniors graciously. The grand madam then distributed shoe-shaped gold ingots to them.

The shoe-shaped gold ingot was an ancient Hua currency, which had not been circulated in this age. In this age, people mainly used standard gold coins while block trades were mainly settled in gold checks or gold bullions. Each gold bullion was lighter than 1 kg and was worth less than 40 gold coins. This was always seen in major clans. Commoners would feel expensive by spending 10-20 gold coins one time.

It was a major step for juniors to propose toasts to elders in major clans, in which period, what counted most was to show Zhang's large population and wealth.

Even generals would hold parade; similarly, in major clans, elders would also hold a special parade such as proposing a toast to elders.

With the chance of proposing a toast, some were flattering the old man and the grand madam, some were showing their achievement and talent through dialogue and so on and so forth.

Those guests just watched them silently with a smile as they commented the Zhang's juniors inside.

Many major clans across Jinyun Country made connections through marriage since the juniors offered birthday congratulations to the elders.

...

When Zhang Su proposed a toast to the old man and the grand madam, the old man encouraged him to not be proud and fickle and continue to make meritorious deeds for the clan. The grand madam gifted Zhang Su a shoe-shaped gold ingot passionately.

Offering birthday congratulations were ongoing according to seniority in the clan. The grandchildren of the old man and the grand madam were the second batch. It started from the grandchildren of the grand madam, then those of the 2nd madam, the 3rd madam and the 4th madam. Zhang Tie belonged to the grandchildren of the 4th madam and the only representative of that bloodline. Actually, he ranked last.

Actually, Zhang Tie didn't have to attend such a link. However, he encountered it by chance. As he didn't want to make himself too exceptional and look stiff among family members in the public. 'Just let the bygones be bygones. No need to be that narrow-minded.'

When others were proposing a toast or waiting to propose a toast, none of Zhang juniors were picking dish by chopsticks, except Zhang Tie, who was enjoying himself at the table. All the others at the table threw a disdainful look at Zhang Tie except for Zhang Su.

"Since how many days have you not eaten food?" Zhang Su whispered to Zhang Tie.

Zhang Tie showed 4 fingers while his mouth was filled with food.

"4 days?" Zhang Su was shocked.

Zhang Tie nodded...

A few days ago, Zhang Tie was entering meditation in the airship, during which period he didn't eat food at all. When he came to Huaiyuan Palace yesterday, he bargained with the elders overnight. Plus today, it was totally 4 days. Seeing so many delicious foods at the table, Zhang Tie preferred to eat them right away.

Zhang Su thought Zhang Tie was starved all the way back to Huaiyuan Prefecture; therefore, he just threw a sympathetic look at Zhang Tie.

...

When Zhang Tie was eating food, the other 3 people at the table were also peeping at him. However, the two women were interested in him while one man was hateful about him. Besides, the man looked more profound and a bit confused...

At the sight of Zhang Tie's performance, Wang Shina's mom instantly turned around and threw a glare at Wang Shina, which indicated "Dead girl, how do you like such a starved ghost in such a scene? Don't lose face to our Wang Clan..."

"Mom, don't you feel that guy is handsome?" Wang Shina mumbled. Watching her mom stretching out her hand to pinch her, she stretched out her tongue before hurriedly disguising as a fair lady. Given her look, Wang Shina's mom was so angry that she instantly turned around and whispered to a man on her side.

"Look at your daughter."

The man smiled silently.

Women always looked at the surface. If one person stayed calm and unconstrained at this moment, he was either an idiot or a fierce tiger who sniffed the rose in mind.

However, Zhang Tie didn't look like an idiot or someone who didn't understand the rites. Additionally, he was too young and didn't look like being experienced and talented. Therefore, Wang Shina's father looked a bit confused.

...

10 minutes after Zhang Su proposed a toast to the grand madam and the old man, Zhang Su told Zhang Tie it was his turn by throwing a glance at him. Zhang Tie then cleaned his mouth using a facial tissue and walked towards the seats of the old man and the grand madam with a glass of wine in his hand.

The moment Zhang Tie stood up had the onlookers moved their eyes onto him. Those who didn't know Zhang Tie were curious about him.

After coming to the old man and the grand madam, before Zhang Tie opened his mouth, a crispy and innocent voice abruptly sounded from another table on one side.

"Ahh, you, coward of Zhang Clan. You were a captive of demons. How dare you propose a toast to 1st grandma?"

Closely after this voice, the entire banquet hall became quiet while Zhang Haitian changed his face at once...