Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Only the peony is the true color of the nation, blooming season moves the Capital City.
Translator: 549690339
An Qing was different from An Yan; her status in the military had been steadily rising, and even An Chang, when seeing her, would not dare to put on the airs of the Family Head.
Yet unexpectedly, she would also choose to sever ties with the An Family today!
An Yan looked at her younger sister, tears streaming down her face, “Qing’er…”
“Sister, I really admire you now, because your vision is simply too good!” An Qing said with a smile.
“An Qing, do you actually dare to betray the An Family? Have you forgotten that the only reason you have ascended so quickly in the military is because of the power of our family?” An Chang raised his voice sharply at this moment.
An Qing shook her head, her face full of scorn, “I didn’t rely on anyone, okay? Who among you has ever cared for me? That An Meng would mess around all day and you’d still treat her like a treasure. And me? If I hadn’t self-taught and made something of myself, wouldn’t I still be treated by you as a gift to be sent off to some rich house?”
These words left An Chang at a loss for words.
At this moment, Jin Xiurong was simply enraged to the point of madness.
“Such misfortune in the family, such misfortune in the family, someone! Kill all these people for me! Kill them all!” Jin Xiurong screamed hysterically.
Just then, an old but authoritative voice came from outside.
“Who is making such a ruckus, calling for death and slaughter?”
With those words, Chen Xiuhe led the Chen Family members into the room.
His arrival shocked everyone present.
The enmity between the Chen Family and the An Family was well known.
And now, the Chen Family’s power had grown even stronger, making the An Family seem inferior by comparison.
Unexpectedly, Chen Xiuhe had personally paid a visit today.
When Jin Xiurong saw Chen Xiuhe, her complexion changed several times before she calmed down, stood up, and nodded, “It turns out to be Patriarch Chen!”
Chen Xiuhe smiled faintly, yet his gaze turned toward the figure standing in the center of the room, who was none other than Xue An, appearing unruffled.
Truly a person of impressive presence!
And with a bearing deep as an abyss yet as solid as a towering mountain.
What a pity…
Chen Xiuhe shook his head inwardly.
He ignored Jin Xiurong’s look and came forward with a smile, saying, “This must be Mr. Xue An, I presume?”
His attitude made many hearts tremble.
Could it be… that An Yan and Xue An had long planned to defect to the Chen Family?
Xue An furrowed his eyebrows slightly, “You are…”
“Hehe, I am Chen Xiuhe, Chen Rushi’s grandfather. Speaking of which, I still have to thank Mr. Xue for the medicine you gifted that day!” Chen Xiuhe said with a laugh.
The gift of medicine?
Many faces registered complete confusion.
Only a few, including Jin Xiurong and An Chang, underwent a subtle change in expression.
There had been rumors some time ago about Chen Xiuhe being gravely ill, which he later recovered from.
To think it had been because of that gift of medicine!
Realizing this, a flicker of alarm crossed through Jin Xiurong’s vexed heart.
Only then did Xue An remember who Chen Rushi was and dismissed the thought with a smile.
“What’s all this about?” asked Chen Xiuhe, feigning ignorance.
An Qing replied coldly, “Patriarch Chen, it’s nothing much, just two children orphaned from a young age, preparing to leave this heartless and unrighteous An Family, that’s all!”
Chen Xiuhe uttered an “Oh,” then said with a beaming smile, “In that case, great! I’m particularly fond of my granddaughter; why don’t you two come over to my side!”
This blatant poaching made Jin Xiurong’s expression dark enough to drip water.
“Patriarch Chen, what is your intention with this?”
Chen Xiuhe let out a cold laugh, “My intention? I only feel it’s a pity when some short-sighted people fail to recognize a True Dragon among the weeds!”
A True Dragon among the weeds?
Jin Xiurong glanced at Xue An. Were they speaking of him?
Just as she was about to speak…
Another group of people entered from outside.
Wei Ruyan walked in.
Wei Ruyan was quite a well-known figure in Zhongdu.
Known for her skill in cultivating rare flowers and plants, and for her indifferent approach to life, having made broad connections, she was someone that the ordinary noble households wouldn’t dare to offend.
And now she was here as well?
Didn’t Master Wei dislike such situations?
Many were astonished as Wei Ruyan approached Xue An, offering a slight smile.
“Mr. Xue, it’s been a long time!”
Xue An, who had a profound impression of this woman who cherished flowers as much as life itself, couldn’t help but nod in acknowledgment.
“It’s Master Wei!”
Wei Ruyan gave a bitter smile, “How dare I call myself a master in your presence?”
Then, with a flowing glance, she turned to An Yan standing beside him.
“This must be Mrs. Xue, I take it. Pleased to meet you for the first time!”
As she spoke, Wei Ruyan reached out her hand, revealing a delicate and lonely sprout in her palm.
“Thank you!” An Yan replied with a smile, accepting it.
No sooner had she taken it into her hand than the sprout quivered slightly and then began to grow at an alarming rate.
Shortly, it blossomed into a graceful and upright plant.
After the bud swayed a few times, it suddenly bloomed!
The flower was as beautiful as any stunning beauty.
A unique fragrance wafted through, making the entire hall exceptionally fragrant.
“It’s a peony!” someone murmured softly.
Wei Ruyan was also taken aback for a moment, then chuckled lightly, “Mrs. Xue is indeed an extraordinary beauty, the flower grows according to each person’s temperament!”
“And the peony…” Wei Ruyan paused, then recited softly, “Only the peony is the true beauty of the nation, stirring the Capital City when it blooms!”
At the same time, Wei Ruyan sighed internally, conceding that her close friend had no hope left.
Wei Ruyan, who had studied floriculture intensively, believed that every woman is a unique flower.
Chen Rushi’s flower was the orchid, symbolizing purity, hope, and tranquility.
For An Yan, it was the peony.
It represented the queen of flowers.
At that moment, Jin Xiurong looked at the crowd gathered around Xue An, feeling an indescribable discomfort.
Anger was present, but even more so was a trace of panic and insecurity!
Indeed.
Just as she was filled with trepidation.
A troop of soldiers suddenly barged in and silently took up positions on either side of the room.
Then a tall general entered slowly.
His arrival.
Brought complete silence to the entire hall.
Then, almost everyone stood up at once, “Greetings to the general!”
All these people looked up at him with unhidden admiration.
After all… this man was considered a mythic figure in Huaxia.
Jin Xiurong’s face brightened, and she hurried down the platform to greet him.
“I was unaware of General Lin’s visit today, I am truly…”
Before Jin Xiurong could finish, General Lin had already walked past her without so much as a glance in her direction.
Jin Xiurong stood frozen, quickly turning to look.
She saw General Lin making his way directly to Xue An, offering a slight smile, “Mr. Xue!”
Witnessing this scene.
Jin Xiurong’s vision darkened and she staggered, almost falling to the ground.
Xue An looked at the impressive General Lin, raising an eyebrow slightly, “General Lin?”
Some couldn’t help but change their expression, Xue An actually addressed him by his name?
Yet General Lin simply smiled and with a slight bow responded, “Thank you!”
Many did not understand the significance behind General Lin’s words of thanks.
But they now knew, the man who had seemed so ordinary and average was indeed as Patriarch Chen had said, a True Dragon!
After that, many looked towards Jin Xiurong with either sympathetic or schadenfreude-filled gaze.
To reject a grandson-in-law with such astonishing potential and instead make him an enemy.
No wonder the An Family was in decline!