A wedding for prominent families.
It was held in the evening.
As the sun set, in front of the Dragon Cauldron Grand Hotel, the usually bustling street was blocked off by the security forces. Many police officers stood guard and patrolled with their firearms.
Firstly, the Qin family were super entrepreneurs.
Secondly, many high-ranking officials would be attending today.
Therefore, this wedding could definitely be considered the grandest in North Sea City. The major media outlets had already gathered outside the hotel, eager to provide live, comprehensive coverage.
At precisely six o'clock, guests began to enter in an orderly fashion.
Those who arrived first were of ordinary status. After strict searches, they were allowed into the banquet hall. Although it was stated that gifts were not accepted, everyone carried a briefcase filled with cash.
The Qin family's wedding served four purposes: firstly, to amass wealth; secondly, to flaunt their status; thirdly, to forge connections with dignitaries and influential figures; and fourthly, to inform the Lin family that they were not even worthy of being considered rivals.
As more guests arrived, the banquet hall became livelier.
Before seven o'clock, families of the second tier and ordinary officials began to enter. As their status increased, so did the amount of monetary gifts. For this reason, the Qin family had opened a separate room specifically for storing the money.
At eight o'clock, families of the first tier began to enter.
At half past eight, high-ranking officials were escorted out of their cars.
Under the intense flashes of cameras, deputy commissioners, deputy military commanders, deputy directors, and deputy mayors, the second-in-command from all government departments and military branches in North Sea City had arrived.
However, for a wedding ceremony, the heads of each unit would not be present.
Qin Hanshan, the patriarch of the Qin family, accompanied by his wife and key family members, personally stepped out of the hotel to greet them. After posing for photos under the camera flashes, they entered together, conversing cheerfully.
This clearly demonstrated the Qin family's immense influence.
On a street, in the back seat of a Bentley, Lin Qingzhu sat with her elder brother, Lin Feng. Lin Feng appeared nervous, constantly rubbing his hands, while Lin Qingzhu remained indifferent.
"Why didn't you bring Ye Zixiao?" Lin Feng asked, somewhat confused.
"We can't bring that scoundrel. He only causes trouble. We're going there to apologize and find a way out for the Lin family. If we brought him, this wedding might turn into a funeral." Mentioning Ye Zixiao made Lin Qingzhu feel agitated.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit street in the city, two young men in black suits walked into a funeral supply shop. The man in front was nonchalant, while the one following was more like a ruffian.
"Where's the boss?"
"Here. What do you need?"
"A coffin and a wreath."
"One wreath?"
"Yes, a big one!"
...
At the wedding venue, VIP guests filled the seats.
According to status and position, the closer one was to the stage, the more distinguished they were. Those seated in the back rows were considered less important, and some had gained entry through bribery. After all, the Qin family's influence was immense, and many minor figures wished to curry favor.
At 9:58, the wedding officially began. While called a wedding, it lacked the usual elaborate and romantic proceedings; there wasn't even a wedding march. The event was grand but not solemn. This was easy to understand: everyone knew that the Ma family was not worthy of the Qin family, and this wedding was merely a formality to signify the Ma family's assimilation into the Qin family. The bride and groom were not the main focus. The Qin family was showcasing their power and their connections with dignitaries. As for the Ma family, they had little face to gain.
The host, holding a microphone, delivered a long opening speech in representation of the Qin family. Just as he was about to introduce the distinguished officials attending, the doors to the venue opened.
"Tang Keke, Vice Chairman of Dragon Cauldron Group, congratulates the Qin family on their new marriage. Gift: twenty million yuan."
"Jiang Xiaoyao, Sect Master of Asura Gate, congratulates the Qin family on their new marriage. Gift: twenty million yuan."
The announcer at the entrance shouted into the microphone. The hall, filled with over a thousand people, fell silent.
After a moment, bursts of exclamations erupted.
"Who, Tang Keke is here?"
"Damn, Jiang Xiaoyao too?"
"Does the Qin family have that much prestige?"
"Wow, Jiang Xiaoyao is so beautiful!"
"Is that Tang Keke?!"
Astonishment and admiration filled the air. The Qin family's wedding would naturally extend invitations to Dragon Cauldron Group and Asura Gate. However, Dragon Cauldron had been rather low-key in recent years, with their top management rarely appearing in public. As for Jiang Xiaoyao, she was an extremely proud woman with immense power and status. More importantly, she was known to protect Ye Zixiao, so no one expected her to attend.
At this moment, everyone in the hall stood up. Guests turned their attention to the entrance, where Jiang Xiaoyao and Tang Keke walked in, chatting and laughing. They were clearly familiar with each other, and their gift amounts were identical.
"Oh my!" Qin Hanshan immediately rose. The deputy-level officials also stood up. A group of over a dozen of them practically ran to greet the two women. With beaming smiles, they approached respectfully, even humbly, bowing and exchanging pleasantries.
"Miss Jiang, Miss Tang, your personal presence brings great honor to our Qin family. Please, come in. The head table has been reserved for you." Qin Hanshan was genuinely surprised, having not expected these two influential figures to attend.
"Mr. Qin, you are too kind."
"On such an important occasion, it is only proper for us to be here." Jiang Xiaoyao and Tang Keke responded with a casual politeness, their faces carrying faint smiles. They exchanged only a few words with Qin Hanshan but offered warmer smiles to the deputy-level officials.
"Miss Tang has become even more beautiful!"
"What are you saying? Isn't Miss Jiang also beautiful?"
"Beautiful, beautiful as fine jade!"
"Ladies, please watch your step."
A large group of deputy-level officials, each a person who could stir trouble in North Sea City, acted with excessive humility in front of Jiang Xiaoyao and Tang Keke. Dragon Cauldron Group was the backbone of North Sea City, and Jiang Xiaoyao was the leader of the Martial Alliance. One was the wealthiest, the other the most formidable fighter. It wasn't just the deputy-level officials; even the top officials would not dare to slight them. If these two ladies were to collectively throw a tantrum, the city's economy could be thrown into disarray, and its martial artists would fall into chaos.
Under countless envious, greedy, and even lustful gazes, the two beautiful and influential figures were escorted to the stage like the center of attention. The guests took their seats, chatting and conversing...
The wedding continued. Originally, many of the deputy-level officials were scheduled to give speeches. However, with the arrival of the two leading ladies, the officials dared not overstep. This tedious segment was naturally omitted. The host picked up the microphone and, with a rather unceremonious tone, introduced the groom and bride. Amidst a wave of insincere blessings, he prepared to proceed with the perfunctory wedding rituals.
The groom, Qin Tian, had a sullen expression. He was missing ears, giving him a peculiar appearance. The bride, Ma Ya'ai, wore her wedding dress. She was smiling, but her smile was extremely stiff.
"A guest has arrived!" another shout came from the entrance. The vast hall buzzed with murmurs. No one could guess what other important figure was about to arrive. In all of North Sea City, were there any more significant guests than the two leading ladies? The entire audience waited to hear the name.
"Young Master Lin Feng of the Lin family, Second Miss Lin Qingzhu of the Lin family, congratulate the Qin family on their new marriage, presenting a gift... A gift of one hundred million yuan? A full one hundred million yuan!!!" The announcer at the entrance sounded excited.
"Who?"
"Damn, the Lin family is here?"
"One hundred million, are they crazy?"
"This wedding is getting interesting!"
After a few seconds of silence, the entire venue erupted in exclamations once more. The dignitaries who had just sat down were once again standing, appearing even more agitated than before. At the entrance, Lin Qingzhu and Lin Feng, who had presented the gift, walked side by side, dressed in fitting attire. Amidst countless gasps of surprise, they calmly proceeded towards the Qin family's host table.
"Isn't Ye Zixiao here?"
"He's not. Probably scared off."
"Ultimately, he's just a brute."
"Why do I feel a little disappointed?" Whispers echoed from various corners. These people had almost forgotten the animosity between the Ma, Qin, and Lin families. However, with Lin Qingzhu's appearance at such a grand wedding, no one was not surprised. Seeing Lin Qingzhu brought to mind Ye Zixiao. Had that ruffian abstained out of fear?