Recruiting a Son-in-Law

Ly Muc had told him before that he would leave before spring. He hadn't expected him to actually leave, and his actions were still very swift. At the very least, Phung Tien and Nam Duong had not yet fallen.

Tran Mac also discovered that the city gate guards were no longer those yamen bailiffs but were all soldiers clad in armor, wielding weapons. The bailiffs patrolling within the city had also increased in number.

Tran Mac sold the tiger penis, tiger liver, and tiger heart all to the Dich family's pharmacy.

Although the price was decent, it was higher than what other pharmacies offered.

The smaller the pharmacy, the more fiercely they haggled down the price. At this time, it was conversely these gentry clan-run pharmacies that offered more normal prices.

Especially the tiger penis, it sold for a price Tran Mac hadn't expected: ten taels of silver.

However, just as Tran Mac was about to leave, the pharmacy's shopkeeper detained him.

Tran Mac's brow furrowed, thinking the other party had recognized him. His hand subconsciously moved towards the hilt of the Tang Dao on his back.

"Little friend, don't misunderstand. I have no ill intent." The shopkeeper knew Tran Mac had misunderstood, hurriedly explained, and said with a beaming smile, "Our master loves most to befriend heroes and brave men. A young hero like little friend, capable of slaying a tiger, is what our master likes the most."

Tran Mac's face inexplicably darkened. These words felt strange somehow. Could it be that his master had Longyang's "good habits"?

Just as he was about to make excuses, he saw a middle-aged man, surrounded by a crowd of servants, walking out from the rear courtyard.

The middle-aged man was dressed in a brocade robe and wore a jade ring. Tran Mac looked and found that the middle-aged man had a red "38" on his forehead.

"Master." The pharmacy shopkeeper cupped his fists towards the middle-aged man, then pointed to Tran Mac and said, "This is the young hero whom this old servant had someone inform you about."

"Little friend, this is our master, the current head of the Dich family."

Tran Mac's eyebrow twitched slightly. Just as he was about to size up the middle-aged man, the latter suddenly attacked. His footwork generated wind, his five fingers forming a claw, grabbing for Tran Mac's shoulder.

The pharmacy shopkeeper was somewhat frightened by this sudden development.

Looking at the young man, who actually didn't dodge or evade, he couldn't help but close his eyes, unable to bear looking any longer.

With master's claw technique, even that millstone in the courtyard could have several indentations grabbed out of it.

"Ah..."

A miserable scream.

"As expected... No, why does this voice sound like master's..."

The shopkeeper opened his eyes and found that master's outstretched sharp claw was actually being firmly grasped by the young man. Perhaps it was gripped too tightly, and master cried out in pain.

The servants beside them, seeing this, hurriedly rushed forward together but were called back by the middle-aged man: "All of you, stand down for me!"

Then his gaze shifted to Tran Mac, and he praised, "A fine young hero indeed!"

Tran Mac's brow furrowed. Knowing the other party was testing him, he released him, but remained vigilant.

He said, "Steward Dich, what is the meaning of this?"

"To see if young sir is a martial artist." Dich Thien Xich rubbed his slightly reddened wrist, speaking directly, then said, "I didn't expect young sir's strength to exceed my expectations. Allow me to introduce myself, Dich Thien Xich, head of the Dich family. May I know young sir's name?"

"Tran Mac." Tran Mac had registered in the city with documents. If a gentry family like the Dich family wanted to investigate, it would be very easy to obtain his identity. Therefore, Tran Mac didn't hide his name.

Hearing this, Dich Thien Xich's expression froze slightly, then he clapped his hands: "Attendants, prepare tea!"

His gaze shifted to Tran Mac: "Sir Tran, please come inside. I have a good matter to discuss with you."

Under Dich Thien Xich's lead, the two went to the rear courtyard of the pharmacy, passed through pavilions and waterside gazebos, and arrived at an elegant private room.

When Tran Mac sat down, the Dich family's maids served tea and snacks on the table.

Taking advantage of the interval while a maid was pouring tea for Tran Mac, Dich Thien Xich slowly said, "May I know if young sir is married?"

Tran Mac vaguely guessed something and said without changing his expression, "No."

Hearing this, Dich Thien Xich's brow furrowed slightly. He then said, "Is Sir Tran a native of this county?"

"Yes."

"Where is your home?"

Tran Mac frowned: "Steward Dich, if you have something to say, please say it directly."

Dich Thien Xich's eyes lit up slightly. He said with a slight smile, "I have a young daughter who has already undergone her hair-pinning ceremony. She especially admires young heroes like Sir Tran."

Previously, from Wu Shan, Tran Mac had learned that the Dich family had two main lineages.

Among them, the old family head's lineage had always inherited the position of Dich family head. However, the old family head's son had died under the claws of the "Bear Fiend," leaving only a daughter.

Originally, the position of the next generation's family head was supposed to fall to Dich Thien Xich's father, which was the lineage of the old family head's younger brother.

However, the old family head had recruited Duong Uy as his son-in-law. Later, Duong Uy founded the Thanh Ha Gang. After the old family head died, Duong Uy, being powerful, thereby controlled the Dich family.

Now that Duong Uy was dead, the position of Dich family head naturally fell to Dich Thien Xich.

And Dich Thien Xich had no sons under his knee, only a daughter.

"Steward Dich isn't planning to recruit me as a son-in-law, is he?"

Tran Mac frowned. In the Dai Song imperial dynasty, a live-in son-in-law had no status. Not only could he not participate in the imperial examinations, but his children also couldn't take his surname.

As a great male chauvinist, he naturally couldn't accept this.

"That's right." Dich Thien Xich also knew that the status of a live-in son-in-law was low, but the Dich family was still considered a prominent household locally; recruiting a martial artist live-in son-in-law was nothing. He said with a serious face:

"Sir Tran, although the Dich family now cannot compare to the Vuong and Ly families, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. If Sir Tran agrees, the proper betrothal gifts will not be lacking in the slightest. We will even invite Magistrate Thuong to attend the wedding feast. Not only that, but after a hundred years, this Thanh Ha Gang can also be managed by Sir Tran."

"Does Steward Dich look down on me too much? There is a saying in the books, referring to live-in sons-in-law, that they do not establish themselves in the wife's household, and their persons are furthermore considered especially useless, not fit for anything. Moreover, a martial artist has his pride. The Tran family still needs me to carry on its lineage. If Steward Dich's matter is only this, forgive me, I cannot comply." Tran Mac stood up, about to leave.

Dich Thien Xich, seeing Tran Mac speak so clearly with reason, was somewhat surprised and said, "Sir Tran is also a scholar?"

"A Tongsheng from last year," Tran Mac said.

Dich Thien Xich lifted his teacup, took a sip, pondered for a moment, then said, "Does Sir Tran intend to take the path of the imperial examinations?"

"Naturally," Tran Mac said.

"How old is Sir Tran?"

"Just turned seventeen at the beginning of the month."

"Then you are one year older than my little daughter." Dich Thien Xich gently tapped the table, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. Finally, he sighed, stood up, and cupped his hands towards Tran Mac: "I was presumptuous just now, Sir Tran. I hope Sir Tran won't take it to heart."

Tran Mac also felt a bit disappointed in his heart. If he had agreed, the Dich family could definitely have aided him greatly.

Damn self-esteem.

There was a good saying online: the fastest way to cross social classes is through marriage.

In the Dai Song imperial dynasty, where the barriers to advancement were monopolized by the great gentry clans, this was even more so.

If it were a normal marriage (where he takes a wife), Tran Mac would definitely have agreed to Dich Thien Xich without hesitation.

As he was leaving, Tran Mac suddenly remembered his main business in coming to the county town and said, "May this humble one ask Steward Dich about a matter?"