chapter 1 With me, you have the whole world

Jiang Zhong Passenger Station.
A man in a dark coat, wearing sunglasses, strong and tall, walked out.
He was talking on the phone as he walked.
"Did you find out?"
"Dragon Commander, we've found out. The woman who rescued you from the fire ten years ago is called Camellia Tang. After pulling you out of the fire, although she miraculously survived, her body was badly scarred, with 95% of her body burned."
Upon hearing this, the man gripped his phone tightly, his face darkening.
Despite the hot summer day, the temperature around him suddenly dropped, sending a chill through the air.
People passing by couldn't help but shiver.
His name is Ellison Jiang, a member of the Jiang family.
Ten years ago, a conspiracy against the Jiang family unfolded in Jiang Zhong, resulting in a devastating fire that consumed their mansion.
A young girl rushed into the flames without hesitation and pulled him out.
One night later, all 38 members of the Jiang family perished in the fire, and the Jiang family, once the top family in Jiang Zhong, became history.
Ellison Jiang, after being rescued, jumped into the river in a desperate bid to survive, barely making it out alive.
He ended up in the southern wilderness and became a soldier.
Ten years passed, and he went from being an unknown soldier to a commanding general in his own right.
He once single-handedly took on an army of 30,000 elite enemy soldiers and infiltrated the enemy camp to capture their commander.
He was known as the Dragon General, a fearsome figure in the southern wilderness.
He was the dreaded Black Dragon that struck fear into the hearts of his enemies.
He was also the youngest commanding general in the history of the Great Xia Empire.
After receiving his title, he chose to retire and returned to Jiang Zhong, to repay a debt of gratitude and seek revenge.
To repay Camellia Tang for saving his life and to avenge the destruction of the Jiang family.
"I want all the information on Camellia Tang."
"Dragon Commander, I've sent it to your email, please check it."
Ellison Jiang hung up the phone, opened his email, and received a file.
Camellia Tang, female, 27 years old, from the Tang family.
The Tang family in Jiang Zhong could only be considered a second-tier family.
Ten years ago, Camellia Tang was only in her final year of high school.
It was a Sunday, and she had gone on an outing to the outskirts with some classmates.
In the evening, she saw a villa on fire and heard cries for help. Without hesitation, she rushed into the inferno and saved a young boy.
That young boy was Ellison Jiang.
This unexpected event changed Camellia Tang's life forever.
Her body was covered in burns, and while she miraculously survived, 95% of her body was scarred, covered in disfiguring scars.
From that day on, she became the laughingstock of her classmates and the subject of gossip.
"Camellia Tang, for the life you saved that year, I, Ellison Jiang, will spend the rest of my life repaying it."
"The Xiao family, the Wang family, the Zhao family, the Zhou family, I, Ellison Jiang, have returned. What you took from me in the past, I will reclaim one by one. The 38 souls of the Jiang family will be avenged with your blood."
Ellison Jiang clenched his fists, took a determined step, and got into an unlicensed business vehicle.
The driver was a man dressed in a black vest with a black duckbill cap.
The man spoke, "Dragon Commander, in three days, the Tang family is hosting a competition to choose a husband for Camellia Tang. Fernan Tang, the head of the Tang family, has declared that anyone who marries into the Tang family and weds Camellia Tang will become part of the Tang family and receive their protection."
Ellison Jiang raised an eyebrow, "Choose a husband? What's going on?"
"Dragon Commander, the Tang family, despite being a prominent clan, is facing a dilemma. Camellia Tang has become the ugliest woman in Jiang Zhong, and no one dares to marry her. She's become the laughingstock of the Tang family. The patriarch of the Tang family is anxious, so he came up with this plan. Even though Camellia Tang is terribly scarred, with her family's wealth, there are still many willing to marry her and join the Tang family."
At Tang Family Villa.
Today, all the important members of the Tang family have gathered.
Because today is the day Fernan Tang is selecting a husband for his granddaughter, Camellia Tang, and after a series of selections, ten men have made it to the final round.
In the mansion's hall, ten men stood, ranging in age and looks, some handsome, some not so much.
All ten of them had no notable backgrounds.
Ellison Jiang was among them.
Without Camellia Tang, he would have perished in the fire ten years ago.
Without Camellia Tang, there wouldn't be the formidable Black Dragon known throughout the southern region.
Sitting on the mansion's sofa was a woman completely covered, her face hidden behind a white veil that concealed her features.
An elderly man in traditional Chinese attire, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, stood up and loudly declared, "Now, I announce that the chosen son-in-law of the Tang family is... Ellison Jiang."
The woman with the white veil shivered upon hearing this.
Had her fate for the second half of her life finally been decided?
She knew that ever since she saved someone ten years ago, she had lost everything.
The other unsuccessful candidates left the hall with disappointed expressions.
Ellison Jiang stood tall in the Tang family mansion, as straight as a willow tree.
At that moment, a man stood up, approached Ellison Jiang, and sneered, "Brother-in-law, be good to my cousin from now on. Although she's scarred and not very pretty, she's still a woman who can satisfy you."
This man was Farad Tang, the Tang family's eldest grandson.
Ellison Jiang ignored Farad Tang; his eyes were only on Camellia Tang.
His gaze was fixed on the woman sitting on the couch, and although he couldn't see her face due to the white veil, he could see that it was damp from her tears.
"Camellia, you can go back on your own. I'm going to play cards." A middle-aged woman with a look of disdain on her face got up without even looking back and walked away, swaying her hips.
She was Camellia Tang's mother, Fawn He.
She was deeply disappointed in her daughter.
While the other Tang family women had married into good families, her daughter had fallen so far as to marry someone randomly picked up from the street.
"Dad, I'm off to the company." Camellia Tang's father, Izaic Tang, gave a quick greeting to Fernan Tang and hurriedly left, paying no attention to his daughter.
The other members of the Tang family all had mocking expressions on their faces as they focused on Ellison Jiang.
A man who was tall and neither sick nor disabled had actually married into the Tang family and wedded Camellia Tang, who had become the laughingstock of Jiang Zhong.
Meanwhile, Ellison Jiang approached Camellia Tang and looked at her, extending his hand.
Camellia Tang, sitting on the couch and silently shedding tears, stared at the outstretched hand, momentarily stunned.
"From today onwards, I'll protect you. With me around, you'll have the whole world. You'll be the happiest woman in the world."
A resolute and powerful voice, full of determination, reached Camellia Tang's ears.
At that moment, she forgot about her family's mockery.
She forgot about their cold and mocking eyes. In her eyes, there was only this tall, strong man with a touch of tenderness.
Ellison Jiang gently took her hand and pulled her up from the couch, saying softly, "Let's go."
Ellison Jiang and Camellia Tang left the Tang family mansion.
Outside, there was an unlicensed business vehicle parked, with two men dressed in black suits standing in front of it.
Ellison Jiang, leading the bewildered Camellia Tang, approached them.
The two men started to speak, "Dragon..."
Ellison Jiang raised his hand slightly, interrupting them, and said, "Take me to the Imperial Residence. I need to treat my wife's injuries."
Ellison Jiang wasn't just the renowned Dragon General of the southern region; he was also a skilled physician.
To heal the scars on Camellia Tang's body, that was easy for him.
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