Chapter 68

Indeed, as the leading figure among the young generation of the Lishan Sword Sect, and as the second law that even Lord Qiushan has to rely on for his wisdom, Gou Hanshi, who had been silent all along, finally spoke, making it difficult for his opponent to respond, for his words were both reasonable and unreasonable, yet they were also emotionally and logically sound.

Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment, already prepared to respond. However, just as he was about to speak, even if he had to bear the storms and rains of the entire world, he and everyone else heard the crane's cry from outside the hall.

The crane's cry is generally called a crane call.

This crane call was clear and strong.

A white crane broke through the night, its body as white as snow, and landed gracefully on the ground of the great hall, its long neck slightly turning, with a look of indifference and pride.

Many people in the hall recognized this crane, such as Xu Shiji, whose face became even more unpleasant, and the aunt and disciples from the Holy Maiden Peak, who were somewhat nervous, and the disciples of Lishan, like Gou Hanshi, who had seen this white crane several times outside their senior brother's thatched cottage.

Chen Changsheng also recognized this white crane, though he had not seen it for several years. Looking at the white crane, his feelings were somewhat complex.

This white crane came from the south, bringing a letter from Xu Yourong.

...

...

After reading the letter, Mo Yu looked at everyone in the hall, seeing that the hall was silent. She sighed lightly and said, "Let's end it here for tonight."

The hall was filled with murmurs, buzzing incessantly, somewhat annoying. People were very surprised, not knowing what was written in the letter, and why Miss Mo Yu would directly announce the end of the Qingteng Feast. Xiaosonggong said with a dark face, "The content of this letter cannot be disclosed?"

Mo Yu raised her eyebrows slightly. She naturally supported the Southern delegation's proposal, but hearing the words of this Lishan elder, she could not help but feel a bit angry, thinking that she was giving them some face by wanting to end the Qingteng Feast early. Since they did not appreciate it, so be it.

She handed the letter to Prince Chenliu and no longer paid attention to the matter.

Prince Chenliu looked at the letter, his expression becoming somewhat vivid.

Then he began to read the letter aloud, which was the requirement of the writer.

The content of the letter was very simple, only a dozen or so lines, but the meaning it conveyed was very clear.

Unlike what everyone in the hall imagined, this letter, though from the south, did not come from the Holy Maiden Peak, because Xu Yourong was not at the Holy Maiden Peak. It turned out that dozens of days ago, she had gone to the South Sea for intensive cultivation, and the timing was just before the Southern delegation set out.

Xu Yourong's words in the letter were calm and composed, showing great respect to all parties involved in the event tonight, and expressing gratitude to her senior masters for proposing marriage in the capital, as it represented their affectionate concern for her. However, she had a different view on this matter.

The first half of the letter ended without pointing out anything specific, but many people in the hall understood what she wanted to point out: she did not know about the Southern delegation's proposal in the capital. In other words, the Southern religious sect had not sought her opinion before doing this.

Many people's faces turned somewhat unpleasant, some felt relieved, and there were all kinds of reactions.

Yes, marriage is ultimately a matter of parental command and matchmaker's words, with heaven, earth, ruler, kin, and teacher above, and has little to do with the parties involved. For ordinary families, engagement does not require the woman's consent, but Xu Yourong was not an ordinary person, let alone the fact that someone had previously said such a thing.

People looked at Gou Hanshi with complex expressions.

Tang Sanshiu mocked, "So, this is what you call respect."

Gou Hanshi had previously said that Chen Changsheng should respect Xu Yourong's thoughts and have the demeanor of a man.

However, the Southern religious sect had not sought Xu Yourong's opinion before sending people to propose marriage in the capital. Was this respect?

Gou Hanshi was silent, not knowing that his junior sister Xu did not know about the proposal. He did not understand what the senior masters on the Holy Maiden Peak were thinking, and he did not understand why Xu Yourong would send such a letter via the white crane. Did she... really not want to marry his senior brother?

No, it shouldn't be like that.

He wanted to know what the second half of the letter said.

Many people in the hall had the same thought and looked at the thin piece of paper in Prince Chenliu's hand.

In the second half of the letter, Xu Yourong did not show any anger or resentment. As she had said before, her senior masters and family members arranging her marriage could be understood as concern and care.

She was the reincarnation of the True Phoenix, the undisputed choice for the next Southern Holy Maiden, with countless people envying and fearing her talents and potential. She could have more freedom and deserved more respect, which was why Gou Hanshi had said such things. When she hinted in the letter that she did not know about the proposal, the reactions of the people in the hall were understandable. But before truly growing up, she was still the daughter of the Dongyu Divine General's Mansion and a disciple of the Holy Maiden Peak.

She could express her opinions about the arrangements of her family and sect, but in front of the world, her attitude must be calm and respectful, which was the perfect image of her in the eyes of the world. Of course, everyone thought she and Lord Qiushan were a perfect match, which might also be the reason for her calmness.

However, the second half of the letter directly told everyone that they were wrong.

Xu Yourong clearly wrote in the letter that she and Lord Qiushan only had the relationship of fellow disciples and siblings.

She respected her senior brother but had never thought of being with him.

She wrote in the letter that she did not know if this letter would arrive in time, but regardless of whether it arrived in time, in short...

She would not marry.

...

...

Very simple, a dozen or so lines, a very clear meaning, but it was still missing a bit of reason.

The people in the hall looked at the letter in Prince Chenliu's hand, stunned and speechless.

Why? Why was everything so calm and definite?

This marriage was a union between the Southern religious sect and the Great Zhou Dynasty, a collective will of the Holy Empress, the Patriarch, the Southern Holy Maiden, and the Lishan Sword Sect. In the face of such a terrifying will, even if she was Xu Yourong, what reason did she have to refuse?

Xu Yourong used the last sentence of the letter to explain to the entire continent.

This explanation was simple but irrefutable.

It was very similar to what Chen Changsheng had said earlier about why he opposed her engagement to Lord Qiushan.

"Because I already have a betrothal. My fiancé is Chen Changsheng."

...

...

The hall was silent, not a sound.

Earlier, no one believed Chen Changsheng's words, even when his marriage certificate was verified, no one truly accepted it. Until the white crane brought this letter and Xu Yourong's attitude, the letter was like a slap in the face to everyone.

Mo Yu had read the letter earlier and silently wondered what this girl was up to.

Luoluo's eyes sparkled with admiration, "Indeed, she is Xu Yourong... so cool."

Chen Changsheng lowered his head slightly, looking at his reflection on the golden bricks in the hall. When Prince Chenliu read the letter aloud, his expression became increasingly calm, and his mood became increasingly relaxed, but in the end, there was a vague sense of confusion.

You clearly don't want to marry me, yet you wrote such a letter tonight. Why?

At this moment, the white crane slowly walked to his side, extending its neck to touch him affectionately.

Chen Changsheng looked up, smiled at the crane, and gently stroked its long neck, holding it in his arm.

Seeing this scene, the people in the hall became even more silent.

People knew that this crane, besides delivering messages over long distances, was always inseparable from Xu Yourong and was extremely proud and aloof. Now, it was so close to Chen Changsheng, which could only mean that Chen Changsheng and the crane were old acquaintances and very familiar with each other.

If the crane could be so, how much more so for a person?

It turned out that what the letter said was true, not an excuse, not Xu Yourong respecting her grandfather's will and being forced to accept the marriage.

She and this young man named Chen Changsheng might be true childhood sweethearts.

"Childhood sweethearts? Love as strong as gold?"

Tang Sanshiu looked at Gou Hanshi and the people from the Southern delegation and said.

These were the words Gou Hanshi had used to describe the relationship between Lord Qiushan and Xu Yourong.

Tang Sanshiu's seemingly calm smile hid a lot of sarcasm and ridicule.

"I think it's self-delusion, isn't it?"