A moment of silence fell over the air. The next second, Qi Guze seized on the key point in the conversation and asked directly, "Who released this? I never said anything about it, nor did I allow such a thing to happen. If your father spread these rumors without my consent, why should I, as the victim, consider your feelings?"
"Shui Xia!" Qi Guze didn't have time to waste with Ping Yi's useless words and turned to call out to the door.
Shui Xia had been guarding the door. Upon hearing Qi Guze's voice, she immediately entered the room, bowed, and asked, "What are your orders, Your Excellency?"
"Go check if there are any rumors circulating outside about my engagement with Elder Peace's daughter." After Qi Guze finished speaking, the person next to him was visibly shocked. She couldn't believe that Qi Guze would actually do such a thing.
"Brother Gu Ze! Why did you do this? You found out? And then what? What are you going to do? Tell everyone that you and I never had a marriage agreement? Then I'll be ruined by you! What man would want to marry me! You've never thought about me!" Ping Yi felt very hurt, her eyes filled with tears. She looked at him with pitiful, slightly watery eyes, trying to evoke his pity for her and ask him to let her go.
But Qi Guze was never a soft-hearted person. "I believe that you appeared here for no reason, and I have already given you face by not having you thrown out directly. As for the rest, it has nothing to do with me."
After saying that, Qi Guze walked out. Before leaving, he didn't forget to tell Pingyi to leave as well, as if he was worried that she would steal some confidential information inside. Pingyi left angrily, too ashamed to stay there any longer. She wiped away tears as she walked, extremely heartbroken.
Shui Xia's investigation results came out quickly, but rumors circulated outside. Qi Guze didn't rush to clarify, but instead asked Shui Xia to spread the news to the other elders. The strength distribution on the first floor was very even, with only two major forces. One of them was Qi Guze's, and the other was very mysterious. No one knew the details of its affairs. Everyone just tacitly agreed that it was not to be provoked. Only the older people knew a little about the inside story. People like Qi Guze, who had only been there for a short time, were completely unaware of it.
After the other elders learned of this, they rushed to see Qi Guze, presented him with irrefutable evidence, and questioned him, "Your Excellency, what do you mean by this? Isn't this a bit unfair? You clearly said before that no one would be chosen, and that's why everyone agreed. Now you're letting Elder Ping's daughter marry you alone. Do you want Elder Ping and the other elder to monopolize the Four Directions Sect?"
As soon as the man finished speaking, the other elders rushed over and even tried to stop them as they entered, saying, "Elders, you really cannot come in. His Majesty is currently entertaining guests inside and it is inconvenient for him to come in at the moment."
"Hospitality? What hospitality? Is there anything more important than this?! Get out of my way! I'm here today to get an explanation! Don't you all agree?" The man not only spoke himself, but also encouraged the people behind him. The effect was exceptionally good. Everyone's mood seemed to rise and fall with the man's words, and their coordination was perfect.
Shui Xia was reluctant to let them in because she was no match for so many elders outside. Even a second before they went in, the leading elder was still shouting, "Shui Xia, you're blocking us like this, could it be that the person inside is Elder Ping? That's perfect! Everyone's here, I want to see what's going on, and what kind of nonsense they can come up with!"
Everyone rushed in together. Shui Xia stood at the back, watching the door of the council hall open. He looked at Qi Guze with a helpless and distressed expression and said, "Your Excellency, they all wanted to come in. I really couldn't stop them. I had no choice but to let them in. Please punish me, Your Excellency!"
As the saying goes, if you're going to act, you have to go all the way. Shui Xia's current state has convinced everyone of their scheme. Qi Gu Ze just frowned and waved to Shui Xia, "You can go now. Have someone prepare some tea and then call Elder Ping over."
Shui Xia accepted the order and left. Elder Ping, after hearing what his daughter had done, slammed his fist on the table, his beard bristling with anger. "What can I say to you? I did tell you to cultivate a relationship with him, but did I not tell you what you should and shouldn't say? You told that kid all these things. Are you worried he won't be on guard against us? I've hidden most of his spies in the Four Directions Sect, just to keep him from finding out about this. When things are right, and time has passed, no amount of explanation will help him. Everyone will think he's heartless and wants to abandon you. At that point, for the sake of his reputation, he'll do anything to be with you!"
"Look at the mess you've made! What are you so eager for! Tell me what you're so eager for!" Elder Ping was furious and powerless. Looking at his daughter who was bowing her head and didn't dare to look at him, he felt a surge of anger and wanted to say something harsh, but seeing her like this, he swallowed all his words.
Seeing that Elder Ping remained silent, Ping Yi replied, "I don't want him to be with me unwillingly, especially since he doesn't acknowledge my identity at all. He's already so unwilling, so I don't want to be with him! He broke my heart today, Father. Let's not force him, okay? I know that everything you're doing now is for the family, to find a good husband for me. Although I like him too, I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone who doesn't like me."
"If he doesn't like you, you can try to make him like you! Didn't your father teach you that? He wasn't born knowing how to like people. You didn't even try, and you just gave up like that. How can you be sure that it's impossible between you two?" Elder Ping still wanted to give it a try. He was truly regretful. He only had this one daughter, and he couldn't scold or criticize her. If he said anything too harsh, he might lose his only daughter. It would be a huge loss.
Pingyi felt wronged. Her father used to always consider her feelings no matter what he did, but now he didn't. Pingyi cautiously retorted, "Father, I've tried, but he just doesn't like me. I don't want to keep bothering him. He's starting to hate me. Even though he doesn't like me, I don't want him to hate me. This feeling is so painful, Father. Can we stop doing this?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com