Without Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Good Faith, or Filial Piety

Xiao Zhan was just about to answer Ge Ye when a figure flashed through the doorway. Xiao Yan had arrived.

Xiao Yan wore a blue-green robe that day, his hair tied back with a cloth band. He had lost quite a bit of weight and looked far more composed than he had a couple of years ago.

Upon entering, he first bowed to Xiao Zhan, then called Xiao Long "Brother." His gaze swept around the hall as he looked for somewhere to sit.

But the chairs in the hall were divided between hosts and guests. On the hosts' side, Xiao Zhan occupied the seat of honor, with the three elders seated to either side.

The guests' seats were all occupied by people from the Misty Cloud Sect. Not a single one was empty.

Xiao Yan's steps faltered. Left awkwardly standing by the door, his expression darkened.

Only then did Xiao Zhan notice that his youngest son had nowhere to sit. He turned an angry look on the second elder.

The second elder lifted his teacup for a sip and slowly shifted his gaze away.

Xiao Ning sat in the chair just below Xiao Long, legs crossed, happily cracking a handful of melon seeds. He saw Xiao Yan standing there.

He even deliberately leaned back against the chair, spreading himself across both armrests.

Xiao Long watched the scene and clicked his tongue inwardly.

Normally, he couldn't be bothered with the clan's petty nonsense. Factions, influence-what the hell did any of that have to do with him?

But Xiao Yan was his younger brother.

"Xiao Ning," Xiao Long said coolly.

Xiao Ning looked up at him, halfway through cracking a seed.

"You have two seconds. Get up and give him your seat."

Xiao Ning froze with the seeds clenched in his hand, his smile stiffening. "Brother Xiao Long, I sat here first..."

"One!"

Xiao Ning's lips twitched.

"Two!!"

The instant Xiao Long said "two," Xiao Ning shot to his feet as though someone had fitted a spring beneath his backside.

The chair legs scraped harshly across the floor, and more than half the seeds in his hand scattered to the ground.

His face alternated between pale and red, but in the end, he didn't dare keep glaring at Xiao Long.

Hunching his shoulders, Xiao Ning shuffled aside, muttering some indistinct curses under his breath, his voice no louder than a mosquito's whine.

Xiao Long tipped his chin toward Xiao Yan. "Sit."

Xiao Yan looked at the newly vacated chair, said nothing, and walked over to sit down.

As he sat, his gaze swept over Xiao Ning, who turned away and pretended to look out the window.

After watching that little farce, Ge Ye's expression barely changed. He simply continued exchanging pleasantries with Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Long leaned against his chair, idly rolling a green jujube from the fruit platter in his hand, while his eyes moved back and forth between Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye.

That pink-haired girl, Nalan Yanran, sat perfectly upright. Her posture was certainly lovely, but her stare was almost burning a hole through the back of Ge Ye's head.

Every so often, she lightly kicked the leg of Ge Ye's chair with her toe. One kick, and Ge Ye steered the conversation elsewhere. Two kicks, and he raised his teacup for a sip, swallowing his words in a vague mumble.

Watching the pair perform their double act, a thought sprang into Xiao Long's mind.

Why is this whole breaking-off-the-engagement process even more drawn out than the project review meetings in my previous life?

I'm pressed for time here!

He was preoccupied with breaking through to Dou Shi.

Yet everyone in this room was still putting on a show of passing the buck.

Xiao Long glanced at Xiao Yan and sighed inwardly.

Fine. Your brother will give you all a push.

Xiao Long tapped the table. "Father, Senior, doesn't that young lady seem to have something to say?"

He raised a hand and pointed at Nalan Yanran.

Nalan Yanran froze, clearly not expecting Xiao Long to single her out. The tips of her ears turned pink, but her words didn't falter. "I... don't."

"Really?"

Xiao Long tossed the green jujube into his mouth, chewed a couple of times, then casually flicked the pit into an empty plate on the table with a clink.

"Because it looks to me like your toe is about to kick sparks off Senior Ge's chair leg."

Nalan Yanran's pretty face flushed scarlet in an instant, right down to the roots of her ears.

She bit her lip and glanced toward Ge Ye.

Ge Ye set down his teacup, barely able to conceal his embarrassment anymore. He cleared his throat and forced himself to speak. "Clan Leader Xiao, this... this matter is a long story."

Xiao Zhan waved a hand. "Just speak your mind, Mr. Ge. Our families are old friends. There's nothing we can't discuss."

Ge Ye drew a deep breath. "This young lady is Nalan Yanran, a daughter of the Nalan Family's main line, and Sect Master Yun Yun's personal disciple."

"Oh," Xiao Zhan said, smiling. "So you're my niece Nalan. You've grown so much! When I last saw you, you were only this tall."

He indicated a height with his hand, his tone growing warmer.

Nalan Yanran stood and bowed to Xiao Zhan. "Greetings, Uncle Xiao."

Xiao Zhan nodded repeatedly and was about to exchange a few more pleasantries, but Ge Ye took over. "Clan Leader Xiao, to be frank, Sect Master Yun Yun holds Yanran in extremely high regard. Ever since taking her as a disciple, she has nurtured her with the utmost care.

"She has poured the greater part of the sect's efforts into her.

"The Misty Cloud Sect's rules are strict. Before succeeding to the position, a sect master must never become too deeply entangled with outsiders, much less..."

He stalled there, turning the lid of his teacup over and over in his hand. His mouth opened twice, but he simply couldn't get the rest out.

The smile slowly faded from Xiao Zhan's face. "Much less what?"

Ge Ye steeled himself. "The sect master's intention is that the marriage arranged back then will likely have to be... dissolved."

The moment he finished, the teacup in Xiao Zhan's hand shattered into several pieces with a sharp crack. Tea splashed over his hand, but he didn't even notice.

Dou Qi surged from his body, bubbling outward like boiling water. A faint, oppressive pressure filled the air.

Sensing that surge of Dou Qi, Xiao Long raised his eyebrows.

Dad really is furious.

Ge Ye stood, his expression equally strained, but still forced himself to continue. "Clan Leader Xiao, this is not merely Yanran's wish. The sect master herself..."

Xiao Long turned toward Nalan Yanran and tilted his head. His very first words left everyone in the room stunned. "Oh, so Miss Nalan looks down on my little brother and wants to be someone without benevolence, righteousness, propriety, good faith, or filial piety.

"Then I ought to congratulate my little brother today. Cutting ties with someone like this will spare him no end of trouble down the road."

He did think Nalan Yanran was a decent girl, but that was by the standards of his previous life.

Here and now, Nalan Yanran's actions didn't merely trample Xiao Yan's dignity into the dirt.

They trampled the Xiao Clan's dignity into the dirt as well.

Xiao Yan's face had been livid ever since Ge Ye uttered the words "dissolve the engagement."

This was practically grinding his dignity beneath their feet!

But the moment Xiao Long finished speaking, Xiao Yan jerked his head up. "Brother..."

Ge Ye's expression instantly turned cold, his sharp gaze pinning Xiao Long in place. "What did you say?"

"I said Nalan Yanran has no benevolence, righteousness, propriety, good faith, or filial piety."

Xiao Long met Ge Ye's gaze and said coolly, "What? Which part did I get wrong?"

Nalan Yanran sprang to her feet, the chair legs scraping against the floor.

Her cheeks flushed with anger, her chest heaving several times as she glared at Xiao Long. "What gives you the right to say that! How am I lacking in benevolence, righteousness, propriety, good faith, or filial piety!"

After all, she was only a fifteen-year-old girl. Who could bear being called a cesspool of every vice to their face, in front of so many people?

"I, Nalan Yanran, have always acted openly and honorably. You... what gives you the right to slander me like this!"