"Brother Qing, do you know the identities of these three people?"
Xiao Xun'er sat beside Gu Changqing, her delicate body leaning slightly as she asked in a soft voice.
"Misty Cloud Sect members. Barring any surprises, they are probably here to call off the engagement."
Gu Changqing made no attempt to conceal it, laughing openly without any hesitation.
"Oh, you actually knew?"
Xiao Xun'er looked at Gu Changqing in mild surprise, not expecting this younger brother of hers to possess such a knack for gathering intelligence.
"I also know that the young girl should be Nalan Yanran, the one betrothed to Xiao Yan. This matter is hardly a secret within the Xiao Family."
Gu Changqing continued.
"You certainly manage to dig up a lot of news. How do you know they are here to call off the engagement? What if they came to get married instead?"
Xiao Xun'er rolled her eyes at Gu Changqing and said.
"Who would ever want to marry someone of poor character and zero talent? And the crucial part is, he is not even handsome."
Gu Changqing spread his hands in speechlessness. He was not slandering Xiao Yan; Xiao Yan simply was this way. Of course, three years ago, the fellow did have talent.
"Pfft!"
Xiao Xun'er couldn't help but burst into a smile, then cast a sympathetic look at Nalan Yanran across the room.
If she had such a fiancé, she would probably harbor thoughts of killing him.
"Ahem, Patriarch Xiao, our visit to your esteemed family today is primarily to ask for a favor!"
The white-robed elder, Ge Ye, could no longer endure the hesitant atmosphere in the room. He finally stood up, cupped his fists toward Xiao Zhan, and spoke.
"The real show is about to begin."
Gu Changqing also broke into a smile, adopting the demeanor of a spectator watching the drama unfold. He looked at Ge Ye and Xiao Zhan with keen interest, occasionally observing the state of Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran, and the others.
At this moment, Nalan Yanran's small hands were tightly clenched, and her jade-white, pretty face revealed a hint of nervousness and anticipation.
It was much like a young girl whose entire childhood had been shrouded in gloom, finally waiting for the clouds to part and the dawn's first ray of light to shine through.
Even though it was not happening to him personally, Gu Changqing could fully empathize with Nalan Yanran's frame of mind.
Just as if Xiao Yan had a grossly fat, ugly, and wildly temperamental fiancée, he probably wouldn't have been able to stand it either. Given his personality from three years ago, he likely would have figured out all sorts of ways to break off the engagement long ago.
The crux of the matter was that Nalan Yanran simply wanted her freedom.
"Haha, Mister Ge, please state your request. If it is within our power, the Xiao Family will not refuse."
Faced with the elder's request, Xiao Zhan dared not be negligent and hurriedly stood up to return the courtesy.
As the patriarch, however, he did not lock himself into a definitive answer.
"Haha, Patriarch Xiao, do you recognize her?"
Ge Ye turned slightly, gesturing toward the beautiful young girl beside him, and asked with a smile.
"Uh... please forgive Xiao Zhan's poor eyesight, this young lady—"
Xiao Zhan was also a deeply shrewd man, feigning ignorance even though he had already found out last night, guessed who the visitors were, and even specifically warned Xiao Yan beforehand.
"Ahem, her name is Nalan Yanran."
Ge Ye gave a gentle smile and said.
"Nalan Yanran? Elder Nalan's granddaughter, Nalan Yanran?"
Xiao Zhan first froze, putting on a look of profound astonishment, which immediately shifted into radiant joy as he warmly addressed Nalan Yanran:
"So it is Niece Nalan! Uncle Xiao has not seen you for many a year; you must not blame your uncle for his failing eyesight."
"Uncle Xiao, it is this niece who has failed to come and pay her respects. I am the one who should be apologizing; how could I possibly blame Uncle Xiao?"
Nalan Yanran also smiled sweetly, conducting herself with propriety and decorum, losing none of the poise expected of a great clan.
Next came another round of warm pleasantries between Xiao Zhan and Nalan Yanran.
Nalan Yanran responded earnestly to every remark, a fitting smile lingering on her pretty face throughout, showing no discourtesy toward Xiao Zhan.
It was not until Xiao Zhan mentioned that Nalan Yanran had been taken in as a disciple by Yun Yun that Ge Ye stepped back into the conversation, smiling as he said: "Haha, Patriarch Xiao, the favor I request today is related to Yanran, and furthermore, this matter was personally broached by the Sect Master herself..."
Xiao Zhan was no fool. Combining Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran's various behaviors since arriving at the Xiao Family, he had already guessed what Ge Ye might say next.
Yet, clinging to a sliver of wishful thinking, his voice trembled slightly as he said:
"Mister Ge, please speak!"
"Ahem."
An awkward expression surfaced on Ge Ye's aged face, but thinking of Nalan Yanran's talent and her importance to the Misty Cloud Sect, he tidied up his words and said with a smile:
"Patriarch Xiao, as you know, the Misty Cloud Sect has strict rules, and the Sect Master holds very high expectations for Yanran..."
"Due to certain special regulations, the Sect Master's successor cannot become entangled with men before officially ascending to the position of Sect Master..."
"The Sect Master's intention is to ask Patriarch Xiao to dissolve this engagement."
Ge Ye had no intention of using force to bully others; instead, he was earnestly discussing the matter with Xiao Zhan, proposing only that the patriarch agree to dissolve the engagement rather than aggressively announcing a unilateral cancellation.
Yet Xiao Zhan and his son were exceptionally sensitive individuals who cared little for the other party's courtesy and focused entirely on their own pride and interests.
Hearing that Nalan Yanran wished to request the dissolution of the engagement, their faces immediately darkened as anger surged within them.
Ge Ye knew this request was somewhat putting people on the spot, but a forced melon is never sweet. Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran were fundamentally unsuited for each other, and viewed from the perspective of his own sect's dignity and interests, the engagement between Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan ought to be dissolved anyway.
Thus, he let out a soft sigh and said:
"Patriarch Xiao, I know this request is rather difficult, but I ask that you give consideration to the Sect Master's face and dissolve this engagement..."
What Ge Ye spoke of was still not a cancellation, but a polite request for Xiao Zhan to dissolve the engagement.
Boom!
Responding to Ge Ye was the formidable aura of a Five-Star Grand Dou Shi erupting from Xiao Zhan. A faint cyan Dou Qi gathered above Xiao Zhan's head, forming the illusory shape of a lion's head.
Witnessing Xiao Zhan's reaction, Ge Ye dared not delay. The aura of a Seven-Star Grand Dou Shi burst forth fiercely, his body shifting to block in front of Nalan Yanran.
As their auras collided, many of the younger generation in the hall felt their blood churn and their faces turn pale.
Only Gu Changqing and Xiao Xun'er remained unruffled, their expressions entirely as usual.
"Brother Qing, do you think Nalan Yanran was right to come and call off the engagement?"
Xiao Xun'er looked at the two figures at loggerheads in the center of the hall, turning her pretty face slightly to look at Gu Changqing.
"Sister Xun'er, you've got it wrong."
"Nalan Yanran came to request that Uncle Xiao dissolve the engagement, not to unilaterally announce a cancellation. It's just that Uncle Xiao and his son are far too sensitive. A peaceful dissolution of the engagement was turned by them into someone coming to humiliate them."
Gu Changqing shook his head, holding little favorable opinion of the Xiao father and son.
Just a moment ago, Ge Ye had explicitly stated that he was asking the patriarch to dissolve the engagement—handing the initiative right over to them. All Xiao Zhan had to do was say a few polite diplomatic words, take out the engagement document, and let the matter end peacefully.
Yet Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan were both pathologically sensitive, subconsciously interpreting it as someone coming to humiliate them.
Given the visitors' status, would they really bother to make a special trip just to humiliate you?
Well, even if there was no humiliation before, it had certainly turned into one now.