Jiankang is close to Yandu, and it only takes two days to reach it by water. After Xie Xuan returned to his residence, he was summoned to the ancestral hall.
The vast ancestral hall was empty and desolate, crowded with people. The afternoon sun shone through the wide-open doors, its bright light shining like gold-sprinkled silk on the majestic hall.
Xie Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at his father on the main seat, and stepped inside.
"Greetings to my father and all my uncles."
The Xie family head looked displeased and asked bluntly, "You want to break off your engagement with Long Kangheng?"
Xie Xuan ignored everyone's expressions, casually pulled out a stool and sat down, grunted in response. A cold wind blew in, and candles were lit in the four corners of the hall, casting deep shadows on him, obscuring his expression.
"It's just a matter of breaking off an engagement. Father, isn't it a bit much to call all the uncles and elders here?"
The head of the Xie family was humiliated in public by his own son, and his face instantly turned ugly.
His son is ambitious and has taken 200,000 Northern Army soldiers, which once undermined his power in the Northwest. Now he even dares to threaten him to break off the engagement. He is simply lawless.
"What, do you uncles also have objections to my marriage?"
The second master of the Xie family smiled gently and said, "Third son, it's no wonder your father is angry. Your actions have made the Xie family of Chenjun lose face in the north."
"Yes, the Heng family of Longkang is a prestigious family in the north. Breaking off the engagement so blatantly is a slap in their face, and the Heng family will also make enemies of us because of this."
"The young lady of the Heng family is beautiful and has taken a liking to you. Every young man your age already has children. Marrying her as soon as possible would put your mother's mind at ease."
Xie Xuan listened to their back-and-forth conversation without being moved, and calmly interrupted, "I already have someone I love."
The air seemed to freeze for a moment as countless eyes turned to look at them, each with its own thoughts.
The Third Master glanced at his eldest brother in the main seat, his eyes narrowing with displeasure. "Don't tell us that you've taken a fancy to some illegitimate daughter or some shady commoner. Third Brother, your uncle is reminding you that your status only allows you to marry the legitimate daughter of a prestigious family."
"Wang Wan".
The calm voice exploded like magma erupting, thundering up from the ground and shocking everyone in the ancestral hall.
The head of the Xie family stood up with a bang, letting out a roar as powerful and furious as a lion.
"What did you say?!"
Xie Xuan's expression was indifferent. "Wang Wan, the eldest daughter of the Langya Wang clan."
"That's your second brother's fiancée!" The Xie family head, his eyes blazing with rage, lashed out with the dragon whip from the altar, yelling, "How dare you covet your sister-in-law! I'll beat you to death, you beast!"
Xie Xuan didn't move, taking the whip's blow head-on. Blood suddenly spilled from his mouth. The sharp whip came again, but he glanced to the side and quickly reached out to grab the other end of the whip.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Everyone watched the father and son confront each other, their hearts filled with turmoil.
Someone jumped up in shock and anger, shouting, "You're the one who made the bride run away?!"
Outside, the wind howled, and these words crackled and popped like boiling oil on a hot pan in the silent, cold ancestral hall.
Xie Xuan remained calm, glanced at everyone, and said in a low voice, "Yes."
"you---"
The Xie family head was immediately furious, speechless with anger, feeling utterly humiliated. He threw down the whip and roared.
"That's outrageous! Don't even think about it. Our Xie family can't afford to lose face like that."
The group exchanged glances, each with a different expression. If the Langya Wang family knew that their family had done such a thing, wouldn't they cause an uproar?
"I'm determined to marry her."
A muffled thunderous sound rolled silently through the air, accompanied by the boiling sound of thunderous explosions.
"Where do you place your second brother? A younger brother stealing his elder brother's wife! What will others think of our Xie family?!" the Xie family head roared. "Where is she? Send her back to me right now!"
The world was bathed in light when a dark figure suddenly appeared at the doorway. His wide sleeves fluttered in the breeze, making his clothes look like a kite spreading its wings and dancing in the wind.
When everyone saw who it was, their expressions immediately became somewhat unnatural.
When Xie saw his son, his anger subsided somewhat. This was his most valued eldest son, but unfortunately, he had developed a leg ailment on the battlefield.
"Come in."
Xie An, sitting in his wheelchair, glanced at the man who had been whipped, raised an eyebrow, and chuckled.
Xie Xuan glanced sideways and met his eyes.
The two looked at each other, and birds chirped and flew by outside the window, gradually becoming less and less distinct. The ancestral hall was silent.
The Xie family head glanced at his two sons and said in a deep voice, "Second son, don't worry, the family will definitely stand up for you."
“Father, my marriage with Awan has been called off.” He smiled slightly. “Sanlang has ruined the reputation of that young woman. As a man, I must take responsibility.”
His single sentence clearly stated his stance and attitude, leaving the people in the hall with varying expressions.
The Xie family head's heart sank immediately. Looking at his son standing in front of the door, dressed in white like snow, bathed in the clear light, his clothes and hair fluttering lightly, he seemed like an ethereal immortal, impossible to grasp or get close to, even though he was so close.
----
At night, a cool breeze suddenly rose, and silvery light covered the ground. Xie Xuan stepped on the dew of early spring, crossed the green lake piled with lotus leaves, and went straight into the bamboo forest.
Beside the bluestone table, a man dressed in plain clothes stood tall and slowly poured tea into his cup.
"They're here."
Xie Xuan walked over, sat down on the stone bench opposite, and asked, "When?"
Xie An glanced at him, "When you were on the verge of death."
"---" paused, then said, "Thanks."
"Just don't let yourself have any regrets."
A gentle breeze blew by, carrying the delicate fragrance of newly blooming lotus flowers. The moonlight reflected softly in the teacup, outlining a graceful and ethereal figure. The cold moonlight shone on his face, and for a moment, he seemed lost in thought, his expression cracking.
"My lord, the Great Jin is already at its last gasp, the Great Yan is splitting apart, and those bandits in the Southern Yan are all ignorant fools. The one leading the army is Yuwen Tuo, who is known as the Lion King of the Southern Yan. He has an army of 800,000. You will die. We have just gotten married. Are you going to abandon me?"
The shadows of the trees swayed gently, and the pale moonlight was broken into tiny specks, which were reflected and shimmered in the tea.
The sparse light and shadow seemed to pierce through time, frozen in the distant past. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and countless sounds seemed to come from another world, piercing through the dusty years and bursting forth.
Xie Xuan looked at his brother's grim face, seemed to realize something, and silently got up and left.
A strong wind swept across the ground, causing the withered leaves and stones beside the pond to tumble and sway in the wind, the moonlight shimmering and the shadows of the trees dancing.
A man holding a sword hilt waited outside the bamboo grove. When he saw his master come out, he bowed.
"The third master of the Wang family is already waiting at Chunfeng Pavilion."
Xie Xuan thought for a moment, then tossed him a token. "Summon Master Wang here." He paused, then continued, "Also, send someone to the villa and tell them I need to see my uncle. Tell him to go to Chunfeng Pavilion."
"yes."
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