Chapter 125: Chapter 100: The Humiliation of the Broken Engagement
"Yes. We will take your counsel to heart."
The two replied in unison.
"Now that they’ve been brought here, I will not see you out."
Commander Chen turned his gaze to Wang Zilan and Xu Yuanhai, clearly showing them the door.
"You are too kind, Commander Chen. Should you ever visit the Prefecture City, please be sure to visit the Xu Family. I will be honored to host you."
A great weight lifted from Patriarch Xu’s heart. He replied courteously, desperate to take his son and leave this hotbed of trouble before any other disasters could befall them.
However, just as Xu Yuanhai was about to signal Xu Shenzhi to leave with him, Wang Zilan, who had been sitting quietly to the side, suddenly spoke, her voice clear and resonant:
"Commander Chen, I have one more matter. I would like to borrow your hall for a moment to settle a personal affair."
"Oh?"
Chen Sheng raised an eyebrow. "Miss Wang, what do you mean by that?"
’Could it be that at a time like this, she wants to stir up more trouble?’
At this thought, Chen Sheng couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.
Wang Zilan did not answer Commander Chen directly. Instead, she turned her gaze to Han Ling’Er and asked calmly:
"Ling’Er, regarding that matter... will you be the one to speak, or shall I do it for you?"
Upon hearing this, Han Ling’Er’s face turned deathly pale. She instantly understood what Wang Zilan was referring to: the annulment of her engagement, the very thing she had previously pleaded with her to help with.
But now... she owed Xu Shenzhi her life. To propose annulling the engagement at this moment seemed unbelievably cruel. Moreover, to bring it up in a place like this was tantamount to grinding the Xu Family’s honor into the dust.
For a moment, Han Ling’Er was paralyzed with indecision. Her lips moved, but she couldn’t speak.
Seeing her state, Xu Shenzhi instinctively asked with concern:
"Ling’Er, is something wrong?"
Han Ling’Er cast a pleading look at Wang Zilan, but saw that she was merely gazing down at her tea, her expression placid, as if the matter had nothing to do with her.
From Wang Zilan’s perspective, using the Wang Family’s power to force the annulment for Han Ling’Er was an unwise move that would only bring trouble to her own clan.
Even though she and Han Ling’Er were close friends, and Han Ling’Er had helped her in the past, she couldn’t completely ignore the consequences and shoulder the entire risk of making an enemy of the Xu Family for her.
Furthermore, she was already displeased with the idea, which is why she chose to force the issue now, here, and in this manner.
Seeing Wang Zilan’s firm stance, Han Ling’Er knew there was no turning back. She took a deep breath as if mustering all her strength, and said through clenched teeth in a low voice:
"Th... then please... Sister Wang... do... do it for me."
"Very well."
Wang Zilan gave a slight nod, set down her teacup, and turned her calm gaze to Xu Yuanhai.
"Patriarch Xu, Ling’Er feels the engagement arranged between the Han and Xu Families long ago is unsuitable. Her heart is set on the Martial Dao, and she has no intention of marrying. Thus, it would be best to call this marriage off, so as to avoid future resentment and harm the amicable relationship between our two families."
As soon as she spoke, the entire hall fell silent.
In an instant, every eye in the room swiveled to fix on Xu Shenzhi.
Even Commander Chen raised his eyebrows in surprise, watching this sudden turn of events with great interest.
’An annulment?’
’Well, now...’
’To think I’d get to witness such a drama with my own eyes.’
’This is... an unexpectedly ’entertaining’ development.’
Meanwhile, the expressions on the faces of the Xu father and son turned as hard as iron.
Xu Shenzhi’s eyes widened as he stared at Han Ling’Er in disbelief. His lips trembled, and his voice was strained. "Ling... Ling’Er... you... you really want to... annul the engagement?"
Although Han Ling’Er had previously expressed a desire to annul the engagement, she had never formally proposed it, and he had thought there was still a chance to salvage things.
Especially after he had gone so far as to use his own Innate Spiritual Qi to save her life and honor, he thought he could win back her heart. He never imagined she would deal him and the Xu Family such a fatal blow, in this place and in this manner.
’This... What does this do to the Xu Family’s honor?!’
Xu Yuanhai’s face was a livid mask of rage. He felt as if he’d been slapped hard across the face, a fiery sting of humiliation burning his cheeks.
A public annulment!
This was an immense humiliation for the Xu Family!
If anyone but Wang Zilan had said it, he would have erupted in anger on the spot and demanded an explanation.
"Ling’Er..." Xu Shenzhi pressed, his eyes filled with pain and accusation.
Han Ling’Er dared not meet his gaze. Taking a deep breath, she looked down with an expression of guilt and said softly:
"Senior Brother Xu... I’m sorry... As for the debt I owe you... I... I will find a way to repay it."
Her words were the final straw that broke Xu Shenzhi.
As if struck by lightning, Xu Shenzhi swayed on his feet, his mind buzzing and then going completely blank.
Xu Yuanhai shot Han Ling’Er a vicious glare. Forcibly suppressing his towering rage, he turned to Wang Zilan, his voice low and strained:
"So, is Miss Wang speaking on behalf of the Han Family to annul this engagement?"
Wang Zilan’s expression remained unchanged as she replied coolly:
"To be precise, I am conveying Ling’Er’s own wishes."
"Fine! Fine! Fine!"
Xu Yuanhai repeated the word "fine" three times, each one squeezed through gritted teeth. "Since the Wang Family has spoken, how could we, the Xu Family... dare to refuse? This engagement is hereby annulled!"
With that, he flicked his sleeves forcefully and barked at the dumbstruck Xu Shenzhi,
"We’re leaving!"
Then, without a backward glance, he strode away, his departing figure radiating finality.
"My apologies for the disturbance, Commander Chen."
Wang Zilan gave Chen Sheng a small smile, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.
Commander Chen waved his hand dismissively.
After all, a scene like this was a rare treat. He found it quite amusing.
’It was just a pity that the ’male protagonist’ of this drama, Xu Shenzhi, didn’t roar some grand declaration on the spot, like "Thirty years the river flows east, thirty years it flows west; do not mock a young man for his poverty!" That would have made the scene perfect.’
"Let’s go."
After bidding a simple farewell to Commander Chen, Lin Shou, and the others, Wang Zilan gave the shame-faced Han Ling’Er a flat look before turning to lead the way out of the hall.
"Commander Chen, my apologies for the disturbance."
Han Ling’Er forced a strained smile, trying to maintain a last shred of dignity.
However, Commander Chen didn’t even lift an eyelid, completely ignoring her.
He might not have known the full story, but the memory of Xu Shenzhi willingly sacrificing his Innate Spiritual Qi to save this woman was still fresh in his mind. As such, he couldn’t muster the slightest bit of goodwill toward her for this behavior.
Seeing Commander Chen’s lack of response, Han Ling’Er didn’t dare say another word.
She then turned to Xu Shenzhi, who was still standing frozen in place, and whispered:
"Senior Brother Xu... you... deserve better."
With that, she hastily fled the hall to catch up with Wang Zilan.
Only when Han Ling’Er’s silhouette had vanished from the doorway did Xu Shenzhi seem to wake from his nightmare.
Gazing at her resolute, departing back, he felt a suffocating, twisting pain in his chest.
Just then, Commander Chen strolled down from the dais and walked past him.
"Commander Chen..."
Xu Shenzhi’s voice was hoarse, laced with boundless confusion and pain. "Tell me... was I... wrong?"
Hearing this, Commander Chen paused. He glanced over at Xu Shenzhi, let out a soft chuckle, and clapped a hand on his shoulder. His tone was a mixture of mockery and coldness.
"Young Master Xu, you look like a pathetic dog right now."
"I..."
"’I’ what?"
Commander Chen cut him off, his voice low, but every word struck Xu Shenzhi’s heart like a hammer blow.
"If you feel humiliated, then you should be thinking about how to repay this tenfold, a hundredfold, in the future. Don’t just stand here wallowing in self-pity, wagging your tail and begging for scraps. Remember this one thing from me—"
Commander Chen then leaned in close to Xu Shenzhi’s ear, his voice a low whisper, yet his words were like shards of ice:
"Never give a woman your true heart. A woman is a tool to be used, a thing to be controlled, a pet to be patiently trained... but never, ever see her as more important than your own life or your future on the Martial Dao."
"Otherwise, everything you’ve suffered today... you will have brought it all on yourself."
With that, Commander Chen said no more. He turned and strode away.
In an instant, only the solitary figure of Xu Shenzhi remained in the vast, empty hall.
At that moment, his fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood.
Deep within his eyes, endless humiliation and resentment warred with a glimmer of brutal enlightenment. The two expressions clashed and intertwined, as if he were in the throes of a difficult decision.
——————
