"Young Master Qi?"
Ji Xiu didn’t respond to Qi Feng’s words. He stepped closer, scrutinizing him subtly with a cold tone that couldn’t be faulted. "May I ask the purpose of your visit today?"
Qi Feng was taken aback.
Though ambitious, the young man’s cunning was shallow; he could easily sense that he was unwelcome, feeling embarrassed and unsure how to respond.
Ji Xiu raised an eyebrow. "Why aren’t you speaking?"
Qi Feng swallowed hard. "Does Lord Ji not know me?"
Ji Xiu chuckled lightly, breaking the silence in the hall, eyes subtly fixed on him. "Of course I know. Your entry was mentioned to me by my beloved wife before you came in."
The frustration in Qi Feng’s chest immediately eased, and he breathed out, "I heard Lord Ji had returned, so I specially came to pay my respects."
"What’s there to pay respects for?" Ji Xiu smiled. "Since Young Master Qi visited the Su family a few days ago and spoke with my wife, you should know this matter was entirely decided by the late father-in-law on his own. Neither my wife nor I had any knowledge of it. This engagement would have been annulled sooner or later. By then, we’ll just be strangers, so there’s really no need for formal visits..."
Ji Xiu spoke plainly and directly. Qi Feng was incredulous, a wave of anger at being deceived rising in him. He blurted out, "You’re going to break the agreement?"
"Hm?" Ji Xiu looked at him with a sincere and helpless expression. "Young Master Qi, you jest. This is for the benefit of my daughter and yourself. You’ve never met; it’s not a case of love at first sight or affection. A foolish engagement should naturally be dissolved early. Surely, Young Master Qi doesn’t wish to continue this engagement, right?"
Qi Feng’s expression stiffened, unable to respond.
Of course he wanted to continue it—otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought the engagement contract to Ji Xiu’s house.
But Lord Ji’s tone and manners were perfectly normal, yet every detail conveyed casual indifference. Clearly, he didn’t take the engagement seriously and assumed both parties wanted it dissolved, leaving Qi Feng unsure how to argue.
Should he directly oppose him?
Seeing Qi Feng silent, Ji Xiu seemed puzzled. His smiling eyes carried a hint of inquiry: "Don’t you want to dissolve the engagement, Young Master Qi?"
Qi Feng seized the opening, heart racing, and eagerly nodded. "Yes, I—"
"You and my daughter have never met, yet you refuse to dissolve the engagement. Is it because you’re after my reputation? Or the wealth of the Su family?"
Qi Feng’s unfinished words stuck in his throat, eyes blankly staring at Ji Xiu.
Ji Xiu’s expression was calm, and he looked at him meaningfully, emphasizing his words: "Young Master Qi is greedy for fame and fortune, wanting to climb onto me and the Su family?"
The hall went silent for a moment.
"No, I am not," Qi Feng said.
"Good. Since that’s the case, let the engagement be dissolved." Ji Xiu made the decision, flicked his sleeve, and turned back to his seat, looking at Huang Hu. "Young Master Qi can hand the contract to the steward. The steward will escort you out. From now on, our families will act as if we’ve never had any contact. Young Master Qi is talented; you will surely succeed in the imperial exams and bring honor to your ancestors."
Qi Feng stood alone in the middle, still stunned by Ji Xiu’s words, a trace of confusion in his expression.
That’s it?
It’s over just like that?
Ji Xiu looked at Qi Feng calmly; no one could find fault in his manners.
This wretch dares to dream, coveting his precious daughter?
Beside them, Su Xiangyu, unaware of Qi Feng’s deceitful intentions, sat watching the entire scene. Though she found his actions improper, she didn’t want to offend Ji Xiu, so she remained silent.
Huang Hu, loyal to Ji Xiu, naturally didn’t intervene.
Everyone watched Qi Feng in silence, while Qi Feng himself didn’t know how to react.
Was he really supposed to hand over the engagement contract?
Before coming, he had gripped the contract, both excited and resentful.
Excited because he would soon meet Lord Ji, a legendary figure among scholars in Shanglang County. Becoming his son-in-law could mean becoming his disciple and gaining an advantage in the imperial exams.
Resentful because he had to marry into the Su family, a man of dignity obliged to please an uneducated merchant girl, Su Ling’er. Yet, for the sake of curing his sister, he had no choice, filling him with loathing for the Su family.
Overall, his resentment outweighed his excitement.
Now that Ji Xiu demanded the contract and refused the engagement, all he needed to do was hand over the contract and rid himself of that detestable fate.
But… he hesitated.
"What’s wrong?"
Ji Xiu scanned his expression and prompted again: "Isn’t this a good thing for both sides?"
From then on, he would marry the young lady from the Hou family, and Su Ling’er could have her son-in-law without interference. Wasn’t that good?
Qi Feng felt his mind reel, his heart gripped painfully as Ji Xiu urged him.
"No, I won’t break the engagement..." Qi Feng spoke weakly, eyes straining to turn. "This was decided with Old Master Su..."
Saying this, he froze for a moment and quickly grabbed onto this lifeline.
"Yes, it was decided with Old Master Su. Now that he has passed, I must fulfill our agreement and not let him rest uneasily in the afterlife."
Qi Feng’s confidence grew with each word. By the end, he looked up at Ji Xiu, even speaking with a hint of arrogance: "Filial piety is the foremost virtue. Lord Ji, as an official, should understand. Shouldn’t we honor Old Master Su’s last wish?"
Ji Xiu narrowed his eyes subtly.
At that moment, Su Xiangyu and Huang Hu were both stunned.
One had managed the Su family business for twenty years, skilled in observation, strategy, and cunning. The other had risen from the bottom to become the steward of the Su family, experienced in handling all kinds of people. Both were masters at reading situations.
Qi Feng’s posturing in front of them was like showing off a sword before Guan Yu.
They had just wondered why Ji Xiu had been so indifferent; now they understood.
This visitor was no ordinary person.
Qi Feng, bathed in their astonished gazes, clenched his jaw, saying nothing, waiting for the Su family to give him an answer.
Su Xiangyu spoke, her gaze showing a trace of disgust: "What do you really want? You don’t need to say it; we can see. Just tell us directly, what is it that you want?"
Qi Feng stiffened his neck. "I said, I only wish to fulfill Old Master Su’s last wish."
"Stop with the formalities! Even I, for my own father, wouldn’t sacrifice my daughter’s happiness for a single word. You barely know my father, yet you’re willing to sacrifice half your life to marry into our Su family? Do you think I’d believe that?"
Su Xiangyu’s expression darkened as she interrupted: "Three thousand taels, and the engagement is dissolved!"
Qi Feng froze. Three thousand taels—this money could be used to care for his sister, and he could focus on his studies. But…
Qi Feng’s face stiffened. "Miss Su, please don’t insult my character with money. I am not that sort of person!"
If he agreed, how would others view him?
He still had the imperial exams to take.
Besides, Ji Xiu and the Su family were powerful; his only bargaining chip was the contract. Even if he handed it over, would the three thousand taels even reach him? And even if it did, how could a mere scholar withstand a powerful official and a centuries-old merchant family?
He could not agree. He had to become a son-in-law of the Su family!
Once inside the Su family, given the young lady’s face, Ji Xiu and his wife certainly wouldn’t trouble him.
Becoming Ji Xiu’s disciple would no longer be difficult.
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