The clan elders couldn't help but lean forward slightly, wanting to catch every word. Their reactions were remarkably uniform — they all thought they must have misheard.
First-Rank Marquis?
After all, Jiang Feng had been a genius of extraordinary caliber, and his control over the Jianghan Fief was ironclad, yet even he had only managed to secure a position as a Second-Rank Marquis.
Ranked fourteenth among the kingdom's one hundred and eight marquises, that was practically the ceiling for the Jiang family.
These elders had to admit that the Jiang family's rise to its current standing owed an enormous debt to Jiang Feng. It would be no exaggeration to call him the single greatest contributor in the family's history.
As for this Hidden Dragon Examination, the highest hope any of them had for Jiang Chen was simply that he would hold on to what they already had. Even if their ranking slipped a few spots, so long as they didn't lose the Second-Rank Marquis title, that would be more than acceptable.
But based on Jiang Chen's track record, they all knew deep down that even this was a pipe dream. Forget the Second-Rank Marquis position — whether the Jiang family could even keep its marquis token at all was a grave question.
After all, Jiang Chen's reputation had always been abysmal.
And yet, the world had a way of turning things on their head.
Just when they'd written Jiang Chen off and given up in their hearts, he suddenly announced that he was gunning for a First-Rank Marquis seat.
Moreover, he had already returned to carry out his second First-Rank mission.
What did that mean?
It meant Jiang Chen had already completed a First-Rank mission!
First-Rank missions corresponded to First-Rank Marquises.
To be able to complete a First-Rank mission — even just one — was that something an ordinary person could manage?
The Hidden Dragon Examination was no game. Its rules were ruthless. Each rank of mission was strictly classified, and there was absolutely no room for cutting corners.
Jiang Chen had actually completed a First-Rank mission!
No boasting needed, no showing off required. Jiang Chen simply raised his cup and said a few words, and everything fell into place with perfect clarity.
If they, a bunch of old fogeys, couldn't even grasp that much, then it wasn't a question of whether they would support Jiang Chen — it was whether Jiang Chen would even consider them worth his time!
"First-Rank Marquis, First-Rank mission..." Jiang Tong muttered over and over. Suddenly, a gleam of astonishment and joy shot through his muddled eyes. "Chen'er, are you saying you're going for First-Rank Marquis? And you've already completed the first mission?"
"That's right. This second mission does require some connections — I'll need to draw on the networks and the goodwill of the respected elders here."
Jiang Chen's tone was calm and measured, carrying no hint of boastfulness. This matter truly wasn't something he considered worth bragging about.
Jiang Zheng, meanwhile, couldn't contain himself as he poured the wine. "A gentleman seen after three days apart must be looked at with new eyes. Our young marquis is now the talk of the Royal Capital. He's a regular guest even in the royal palace. And even the Medicine Hall — those spiritual medicine titans — they're the ones who have to court our young marquis."
There were no outsiders present, so Jiang Zheng let himself speak a bit more freely. He simply couldn't hold it in anymore. Ever since he'd started following Jiang Chen, he'd been ignored and overlooked by everyone. Now that he finally had a chance to hold his head high, where else could he show off if not right here in the family?
A regular guest at the royal palace?
The Medicine Hall had to court the young marquis?
What on earth were they talking about? Not only was Jiang Tong stunned, but even the clan elders were struck dumb, sucking in a sharp breath of cold air. Sitting in their seats, they suddenly felt like they were perching on pins and needles.
Jiang Chen simply smiled faintly. "It's a small matter, Jiang Zheng. Don't keep going on about it. Esteemed elders, tomorrow's tribal gathering will require everyone to pitch in and do their part."
Elder Xi, the most senior among them and the quickest to react, hurried to speak up with a broad smile. "Our Jiang family has produced a young marquis of such extraordinary talent — if Jiang Zheng hadn't said a word, we old fossils might never have known! Ha ha! With the ancestors watching from above, blessing us with a talent like our young marquis, the Jiang family is sure to climb to even greater heights! This old bag of bones will push itself to the limit and contribute whatever warmth it has left! I'll absolutely be there at tomorrow's gathering!"
"Of course! Naturally we'll go! The Jiang family rules the Jianghan Fief, and we must stand united. Otherwise, these tribes really will start thinking they can push us around."
"Right — we can't let troublemakers like the Jing barbarians pop up in our territory ever again!"
The clan elders spoke up one after another, each more eager to cooperate than the last. These were all old hands who had weathered countless storms — they could see perfectly well that the change in Jiang Chen was no illusion.
Moreover, this concerned the Hidden Dragon Examination. There was absolutely no way Jiang Chen would lie about something like this.
Some of the elders even found themselves thinking: "Could it be that Jiang Chen's childhood reputation as a dissolute wastrel was nothing more than an act — a disguise to fool the outside world? Could his true ambition have been aimed at First-Rank Marquis all along?"
Nearly every elder was turning over the same thought in his mind. The way they looked at Jiang Chen changed fundamentally — gone was the condescending air of seniority, replaced by a measure of deference and respect.
And so the banquet concluded on a note of genuine satisfaction, with everyone departing in high spirits.
At the end of the day, a powerful heir and formidable strength — that was what could sustain a greater, more prosperous family.
…
In his good spirits, Elder Xi drank quite a fair bit. Arriving home with a pleasant three-or-four-parts-tipsy buzz about him, he walked through the door.
"Grandpa, tomorrow I'm going shopping with Xiao Qian. I won't be going to the tribal gathering."
"Dad, I need to go buy some spiritual medicine tomorrow, so I won't be attending the gathering either."