Volume 1, Chapter 45: Apologize? Asking Me Is Useless

Deep within the royal residence, the night was as profound and heavy as Wang Defa's current mood.

The candle in the study flickered unsteadily, casting shifting, mottled shadows across his rugged features.

He gripped the urgent dispatch letter from the capital so tightly that the edges were soaked with sweat and crumpled beyond recognition.

The letter had been sent back by Chen Laosan; the handwriting was scrawled, and the contents were vague, consisting of only a few terse lines: "The person inquired about has indeed left the capital. Destination unknown. Take good care of yourself, brother."

Destination unknown?

In Wang Defa's eyes, those four words were a hundred times more terrifying than a direct confirmation that Su Qingxue was right here in Yun'an City!

A roaring sound echoed in Wang Defa's mind. Ye Xuan's calm and untroubled face, alongside Su Qingxue's frosty, clear eyes, flashed alternately before him.

He finally and completely understood what kind of monstrous catastrophe he had brought upon himself.

Fear washed over him like a tidal wave; he could practically feel the reaper's scythe hovering inches above his neck.

No, he could not simply sit and wait for death!

Apologize! He had to apologize immediately!

He abruptly stood up and began to pace the study anxiously like a caged beast.

Yet, how was he to apologize? Barge directly into the Liu family estate? That would only appear all the more reckless and would likely achieve the exact opposite of what he intended.

Suddenly, a thought flashed across his mind.

The Liu family banquet!

To celebrate his daughter's recovery from a severe illness, Liu Chengye had widely distributed invitations to the prominent figures of Yun'an City, and Wang Defa was naturally among the guests.

And the time was—tomorrow!

That would be a gathering of all the city's elites, the best, and perhaps the very last, opportunity!

At the banquet, right in front of everyone, he had to express his sincerest apologies to the miraculous physician Ye, and especially to the young lady of the Su family!

Only... would she attend?

Wang Defa's heart rose back into his throat. His only remaining hope was to catch sight of that chilling, restless figure at the Liu household's banquet tomorrow.

***

The next day, the street in front of the Liu residence was bustling with an endless stream of carriages and a constant flow of guests.

The entire estate was adorned with lanterns and festoons, radiating a joyful atmosphere that stood in sharp contrast to Wang Defa's cloud-veiled state of mind.

Virtually all the esteemed merchants, officials, and gentry of Yun'an City were present, everyone wearing enthusiastic smiles as they cupped their hands in greeting one another.

Dressed in a brand-new brocade robe, Wang Defa felt not a shred of joy at attending the banquet. Standing amidst the crowd, his anxious gaze swept back and forth across the arriving guests.

Time ticked away drop by drop. Seeing that all the guests had already taken their seats and the banquet was about to begin, he still had not caught sight of the person he longed to see.

The anxiety and terror in his heart grew increasingly intense, and a fine layer of cold sweat broke out across his forehead.

No longer able to hold back, he shoved through the crowd and walked briskly over to Liu Chengye, who was greeting guests with a beaming smile.

"Patriarch Liu, congratulations, congratulations!" Wang Defa forced out a smile that looked far worse than crying.

"Commander Wang is too polite. Please, take your seat," Liu Chengye replied with formal courtesy.

Rubbing his hands together, Wang Defa lowered his voice and tentatively asked, "Patriarch Liu, I wonder... will the miraculous physician Ye, and the young lady of the Su family, be attending today?"

Liu Chengye glanced at him, a trace of imperceptible amusement flashing in his eyes, before smiling and saying, "Commander Wang need not be impatient. Young Master Ye and Qingxue will arrive shortly; they mentioned they would come out together with my daughter."

Hearing this, Wang Defa's suspended heart finally dropped halfway. He let out a long sigh of relief and repeatedly muttered, "That's good, that's good..."

Only then did he obediently return to his seat, waiting on pins and needles.

The auspicious hour arrived, and the banquet officially commenced.

Liu Chengye stepped onto the elevated platform and delivered a resounding speech, thanking all the guests for their presence, his words brimming with joy over his daughter's recovery and boundless gratitude toward Ye Xuan.

Amidst the applause of the entire hall, the bead curtain at the rear parlor was gently lifted.

A figure emerged, quiet as a green lotus under the moonlight, appearing before everyone's eyes.

For a moment, the bustling noise and applause throughout the hall were seemingly severed instantly by an invisible hand, and everyone's gaze was drawn toward her.

Liu Yuexue was dressed in a light cyan long dress, her posture graceful, her steps poised and unhurried.

She was naturally of exquisite beauty, and having just recovered from a lingering illness, a healthy flush now graced her pale cheeks, making her look even purer and more refined—resembling an immortal descending into the mortal world, untainted by the mundane dust of humanity.

Beside her, Ye Xuan wore white robes, his expression calm with an ambiguous smile lingering at the corners of his lips.

On the other side stood Su Qingxue, dressed in plain white garments. Her temperament was chillingly cold, her visage peerless. In stark contrast to Liu Yuexue's gentleness, the two stood side-by-side, each possessing her own distinct charm and peerless elegance, casting the entire colorful hall into shadow.

"It's the eldest miss of the Liu family! Heavens, her illness is truly cured!"

"Cured? She is even three parts more beautiful than the rumors claim!"

"Is that the miraculous physician Ye by her side? Truly extraordinary bearing!"

"Who is the other young lady? To think she can rival the eldest Miss Liu in splendor!"

Following a brief silence, thunderous murmurs erupted from the crowd, everyone utterly stunned by this breathtaking scene.

The instant Wang Defa caught sight of those three figures, his pupils shrank violently, and his heart nearly leaped out of his throat.

He had come! And she had come as well!

He could no longer sit still. Abruptly picking up his wine cup, he took a deep breath and walked with heavy strides toward Ye Xuan's table.

Pushing past the surrounding guests who were eager to strike up a conversation, a flattering smile plastered across his face, he approached Ye Xuan.

"Miraculous Physician Ye!" Wang Defa's voice was somewhat parched from tension.

Ye Xuan raised his eyes, cast a calm glance at him, and seemed somewhat surprised: "Commander Wang, something the matter?"

"Ah, I dare not, I dare not!" Wang Defa waved his hands repeatedly, lowering his posture to the utmost. "I came specifically to thank the miraculous physician Ye! Thanks to your treatment of my worthless son Wang Teng's injuries, otherwise the consequences would have been unthinkable!"

As he spoke, he drew a thick embroidered pouch from his bosom, holding it up with both hands and presenting it to Ye Xuan.

"This is just a small token of my appreciation, a mere trifle not worth mentioning. I hope Miraculous Physician Ye will accept it as a humble compensation for your hard work!"

The pouch was heavy, clearly containing a substantial amount of gold and silver.

Yet, even as Wang Defa spoke to Ye Xuan, his peripheral vision carefully and incessantly darted toward Su Qingxue, who sat serenely to the side, not sparing him a single glance from beginning to end.

This display was by no means an expression of gratitude; it was blatantly an act of penance and plea for mercy.

Ye Xuan sneered inwardly while maintaining a placid exterior.

He knew that Wang Defa's true intent had nothing to do with the wine.

Without accepting the pouch, he merely picked up his teacup, took a light sip, and then motioned with his eyes toward Su Qingxue beside him.

The meaning was unmistakably clear: this person is handed over to you.

Su Qingxue was exceptionally bright and had perceived everything long ago.

Slowly setting down her teacup, her cold, clear gaze finally landed upon Wang Defa.

"Commander Wang," Su Qingxue parted her rosy lips, her voice clear and resonant, yet devoid of the slightest trace of warmth, "Your son's injuries were treated by Young Master Ye. Your expression of gratitude should likewise be decided by Young Master Ye. I am merely a woman and it is not my place to interfere."

Her words were courteous to the extreme, yet utterly distant to the nth degree.

Every single word was like an invisible wall, isolating Wang Defa from them and rendering all his flattery and fawning utterly absurd and ridiculous.

Wang Defa's hands holding the pouch froze mid-air, the smile on his face worse than tears. He opened his mouth, yet not a single word came out.

Having finished speaking, Su Qingxue ceased looking at him, picked up her teacup once more, and conversed in low tones with Liu Yuexue beside her, as if he did not exist at all.

Ignored.

This was the most thorough disregard!

It could induce despair far more effectively than any reprimand or curse.

Standing frozen in place, Wang Defa felt as though the gazes of everyone around him were piercing him like needles, leaving him without a place to hide his shame.

He knew he was finished.

The other party simply refused to accept his apology—or rather, they disdained to accept his apology entirely.

Clutching the burning pouch, unable to advance and unable to retreat, his old face turned the color of a pig's liver. In the end, he could only sheepishly retract his hands and miserably retreat back to his seat.

The storm vanished without a trace.

Watching Wang Defa's dejected figure, a profound indifference flickered deep within Ye Xuan's eyes.

He raised his wine cup, gesturing from afar toward Liu Chengye at the master seat, and drank it in a single gulp.

At that moment, no one knew that an elite force composed of three thousand imperial guards was kicking up clouds of dust, rushing at breakneck speed toward this peaceful city of songs and dances.