Chapter 1626: Schemes Exhausted
"Elder Qingxuan, please do not do this!"
How could she possibly accept a bow from a dignified elder?
Fairy Qingping pressed her lips together and quickly shook her head.
"I no longer hate Senior Brother Qin. Everything has already passed."
Elder Qingxuan wore a look of deep guilt and let out a heavy sigh.
"In any case, this is my fault. You two were meant to be together, yet things ended like this. As an elder, I bear responsibility."
Fairy Qingping fell silent. With Elder Qingxuan personally apologizing, much of the resentment in her heart dissipated.
Elder Qingxuan spoke in a dejected tone.
"I have already severely reprimanded Zusheng. After losing you, his mental state has been terrible. He is dispirited and cannot recover. As his elder, I truly cannot bear to see this. If possible, Qingping, may I shamelessly ask you to visit him?"
"Right now, he truly needs encouragement. He no longer listens to me. Only you can help him recover," Elder Qingxuan said earnestly.
Fairy Qingping felt bitterness in her heart and shook her head gently.
"If Senior Brother Qin truly cared about me, he would not have used me as a wager that day. Now there is no longer any connection between us. He would not listen to me either. Elder, please forgive me. I cannot help."
After speaking, she turned to leave.
Elder Qingxuan's eyes flickered as his tone shifted.
"Qingping, consider it a personal request. Regardless of whether it works, could you at least try? You have spent years together. Can you truly bear to watch him fall like this?"
Her body trembled slightly. Humans are not emotionless.
No matter how poorly the Unrivaled Young Emperor had treated her, they had once been engaged and had spent four or five years together.
After years of companionship, even a dog would form attachments. Let alone the man she once admired.
A trace of struggle flashed in her eyes. After a long pause, she sighed softly.
"Fine. I will go see him. But do not expect too much. Senior Brother Qin may not even want to see me."
Elder Qingxuan sneered inwardly. A glimmer of satisfaction flashed through his eyes.
As long as Yu Qingping had not completely given up on Qin Zusheng, things would be manageable.
Once they reached the Young Emperor's residence, he had plenty of methods to force her compliance. Once the matter was settled beyond reversal, she would not be able to escape.
In that case, Qin Zusheng could use her primordial yin to recover his cultivation. It might even be used later to scheme against Ling Feng. Killing two birds with one stone.
Thinking of this, Elder Qingxuan almost revealed a sinister smile, yet his voice remained gentle.
"Rest assured. Zusheng has come to his senses. He has been thinking only of you. If you go, he will certainly regain his spirit."
He paused, then added,
"Qingping, if Zusheng truly repents and treats you wholeheartedly in the future, could you forgive him and put everything behind you?"
Her heart trembled. She remained silent.
"I... I do not know."
She bit her lip. A wounded heart could not heal so easily.
Seeing her hesitation, Elder Qingxuan felt secretly delighted. Perhaps he would not even need to resort to crude methods. She might willingly reconcile with Qin Zusheng.
Her family background was also formidable. If she could marry him willingly, that would be ideal.
"No one is without fault. Zusheng is young and impulsive. His competitiveness caused him to neglect you and make you suffer. Could you give him another chance to correct himself?"
Elder Qingxuan spoke earnestly.
"That letter of repudiation was merely his reckless act. Anyone can see that you and Zusheng are the most suitable pair. Do not take it seriously."
Under his continuous psychological pressure, Fairy Qingping began to waver.
"If you can forgive him once, then I..."
Elder Qingxuan clenched his teeth and made a motion as if to kneel.
She was startled and hurriedly supported him.
"Elder, what are you doing?"
His face showed grief and pleading. Tears seemed to gather in his eyes.
"You know that I have no children. I treat Zusheng as my own. Now his will is broken. As his elder, how can I bear to see him like this?"
"Qingping, if he repents, can you return to his side? I beg you!"
His tone was sincere and emotional.
Though Fairy Qingping appeared cold, she was warm at heart. This tactic struck deeply. She became flustered and hurriedly said,
"Elder, please rise. I cannot accept this."
"I know you are a kind and sentimental child. If you do not agree, I will kneel here!"
He spoke with agitation.
She panicked as she saw he was truly about to kneel.
"Alright, alright. I agree. If Senior Brother Qin truly repents..."
Elder Qingxuan sneered inwardly, yet outwardly showed overwhelming gratitude.
"Really? You are willing to change your mind?"
She nodded helplessly.
"Good, good! You are indeed a good child! I will thank you on Zusheng's behalf. With you by his side, he will surely recover."
She pressed her lips together. Although she had agreed, her heart was in turmoil. She did not know whether her decision was right.
Unconsciously, Ling Feng's figure appeared in her mind.
Was the person in her heart still Qin Zusheng?
Fearing further complications, Elder Qingxuan pressed on.
"In that case, leave the letter of repudiation with me for now. Rest assured, if Zusheng dares treat you poorly in the future, I will not tolerate him. I will make this letter public so he can never trouble you again."
The letter?
She hesitated.
Faintly, she sensed something amiss. She might be emotional, but she was not foolish.
Once that letter was destroyed, she would forever remain Qin Zusheng's fiancée.
Elder Qingxuan sighed bitterly.
"It seems I am to blame for everything. It is only natural that you do not trust me."
Hearing this, she quickly shook her head and took out the letter.
"No, Elder. You are highly respected. How could I doubt you? Please keep it."
Relief flooded Elder Qingxuan's heart. This woman could not escape his grasp.
His aged face showed satisfaction.
"Good. This was merely a misunderstanding. It was all caused by that brat Ling stirring trouble. Do not worry. He will receive his due punishment sooner or later."
A cold glint flashed in his eyes, carrying a trace of killing intent.
"Come, give me the letter. Let us go see Zusheng."
Just as his hand was about to take it, Fairy Qingping suddenly stepped back several paces. Her expression turned cold as she stared at him.
"Qingping, what is this?"
Elder Qingxuan felt a chill in his heart. A sense of unease rose within him.
Her expression grew increasingly indifferent.
"You said everything was caused by Ling Feng stirring trouble. Did Senior Brother Qin tell you that?"
He stiffened. Alarm rang in his mind.
Had she truly fallen for Ling Feng?
"He has not repented at all!"
She had been led by his manipulation for a moment, but she was not a fool.
His careless remark exposed the flaw.
If Qin Zusheng had truly repented, he would reflect on his own faults instead of blaming Ling Feng.
In truth, she felt gratitude toward Ling Feng. He had helped her see Qin Zusheng's true nature.
Moreover, during the Dongxian River incident, she would have died many times without Ling Feng.
She would not allow anyone to slander him, nor allow anyone to threaten him.
At that moment, she fully understood. Elder Qingxuan wanted the letter to bind her with the engagement. Under pressure from both families, she would have no choice but to marry Qin Zusheng.
What a cunning old fox.
She cursed inwardly, withdrew the letter, and turned away without another word.
Elder Qingxuan wished he could slap himself. One careless remark ruined everything.
"Qingping, Qingping! Zusheng truly needs you now. Can you bear to watch him decline?"
He tried again, but she cut him off coldly.
"The moment he produced that letter, we had no connection. Elder Qingxuan, I respect you as a senior. If you still have any dignity left, then stop."
Without another glance, she turned and left.
Whatever sympathy she once had for the Unrivaled Young Emperor vanished completely after this farce.
"You wretched girl!"
Elder Qingxuan trembled with rage. He took a deep breath and said coldly,
"If persuasion fails, then force it. I refuse to believe you will never leave the sect."
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