He smiled gently and said, "The martial world is full of dangers."
Su Ruoxue felt the atmosphere was off and nudged Ye Ling, whispering, "Hey, what are you doing?"
After all, they were on someone else's territory.
Ye Ling ignored Su Ruoxue and stared at Li Ruolan, his voice cold. "I recall this Xishan Manor used to belong to the Ye family, right? And I heard that Li Qingshan was taken in by the Ye family when he was wandering in Jiangcheng. The Ye couple also took good care of you, treating you like their own daughter."
Li Ruolan's face turned from pale to flushed at Ye Ling's words, but she quickly calmed down and said with a serious expression, "I don't know where you heard these rumors, sir. This Xishan Manor was originally the ancestral property of my Li family. In the 1960s, it was unjustly seized by the Ye family. My father endured humiliation and finally managed to reclaim our ancestral property."
"You may not have experienced living under someone else's roof, so you wouldn't know. The Ye couple were very kind to us in front of others, but they did all sorts of dirty deeds in private. My father suffered greatly, and I was frequently harassed and tormented by Ye Ling, unable to bear the burden!"
"Fortunately, heaven has eyes, and the Ye couple received their retribution. Ye Ling, that good-for-nothing, also received his due punishment."
"Ye Ling wasn't like that!"
Su Ruoxue had intended to de-escalate the situation, but upon hearing Li Ruolan slandering Ye Ling and the Ye family, she abruptly stood up from the sofa and argued with Li Ruolan.
"How could you know the specifics of the Ye family's affairs, Miss Su? As an outsider, how could you possibly know?" Li Ruolan's face showed anger. "These old matters are painful memories I don't want to bring up. Today is my father's birthday, and I don't want to hear about this or argue with you."
"Excuse me!"
With that, Li Ruolan cast a cold glance at Ye Ling and Su Ruoxue before turning and leaving.
"How can there be such a person!"
Seeing Li Ruolan leave, Su Ruoxue sat back on the sofa, her face filled with anger.
Ye Ling, however, watched Li Ruolan calmly, his expression unreadable.
So, this is how you repay the kindness of my Ye family.
So, the meticulous care of my parents was endured as torment by you.
So, your earnest pursuit of me was my harassment and assault of you!
"Hahaha... so that's how it is."
Ye Ling suddenly laughed. The long-dormant anger in his heart, which had been unperturbed since his ascension, finally surged.
Hearing Ye Ling's laughter, Su Ruoxue glared at him and quickly said, "Don't just believe rumors. Uncle and Aunt Ye were both good people, and Ye Ling isn't the scoundrel she described. You need to make your own judgment!"
"Of course, I have my own judgment."
Ye Ling smiled lightly and got up to walk out of the hall.
Su Ruoxue quickly asked, "Where are you going?"
"I forgot to leave a big gift for the Li family. I'm going out for a bit."
Ye Ling said indifferently and left Xishan Manor under everyone's gaze.
"What a strange person..."
Seeing Ye Ling leave, Su Ruoxue couldn't help but murmur, completely unable to understand Ye Ling's actions.
However, after Ye Ling left, Su Ruoxue had another unpleasant encounter with Li Ruolan. She no longer wished to stay at the banquet and also left alone.
"Who is he? And what is his relationship with Su Ruoxue?"
Li Ruolan watched Ye Ling leave, the argument she had with him just moments ago still vivid in her mind.
Although Li Ruolan hadn't detected any emotional changes from Ye Ling, confirming that he had no connection to the Ye family, she felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
"Ruolan, what are you thinking about?"
At this moment, a gentle voice sounded behind Li Ruolan. Li Qingshan, surrounded by bodyguards, approached with a benevolent smile.
Li Ruolan said to Li Qingshan, "Dad, I just met someone who looks very much like Ye Ling."
Li Qingshan was taken aback and affectionately patted Li Ruolan's shoulder. "Silly girl, Ye Ling has been dead for six years. You've been having nightmares all these years. He won't come back as a ghost to find you, so what are you afraid of?"
"Besides, even if he did come back, you still have your dad here!"
Li Qingshan puffed out his chest, his voice full of vigor, showing no signs of being a sixty-year-old man.
Hearing Li Qingshan's comfort, Li Ruolan also smiled and said softly, "Dad, everyone is waiting for you. It's time to be seated."
"Alright, alright... let's be seated."
Li Qingshan nodded with a smile, holding Li Ruolan's hand as they headed to the "Spring Breeze Pavilion" in the manor's garden for the banquet.
"The birthday star is seated, let the feast begin!"
As the announcer's loud voice rang out, the guests all moved to the "Spring Breeze Pavilion" and took their seats.
The announcer picked up the gift list and with a clear, resonant voice, announced, "Genji Heavy Industries, cash gift of eight hundred and eighty thousand!"
"Golden Wind Pharmaceuticals, cash gift of one million two hundred thousand!"
"Wang Family of Jiangcheng, a Qing Dynasty blue and white porcelain vase!"
"Huang Family of West Lake, a luminous pearl, and a century-old ginseng!"
"..."
As the banquet commenced, the gifts from various families were announced. Treasures beyond the reach of ordinary people dazzled the eyes of the onlookers.
Li Qingshan, receiving toasts from all sides, beamed with joy.
Li Ruolan, mature and dignified, mingled with the young talents, her conversation graceful and her demeanor elegant, basking in the admiration of all.
This was the influence of their Li family in Jiangcheng!
This birthday celebration was enough to solidify the Li family's status in Jiangcheng!
Dong!!!
Just as the "Spring Breeze Pavilion" was bustling with activity, a loud noise echoed from outside the manor. The ground trembled slightly, and the lively banquet abruptly came to a halt!
Li Qingshan's smile froze on his face. He said sternly to the bodyguards behind him, "Go and see what happened!"
However, before the bodyguard could act, a panicked security guard rushed in, exclaiming, "It's bad, sir! It's bad!"
Seeing the security guard's panicked demeanor, Li Qingshan's face darkened. He asked sternly, "What exactly happened?"
The security guard gasped for breath, fear still lingering on his face. He stammered, "Ou-outside, a man carried a coffin and a large bell, saying..."
"He's here to wish you a happy birthday!"
At these words, the entire hall erupted in an uproar!
The guests exchanged bewildered glances, thinking they had misheard due to drinking.
To send a large bell and a coffin to Li Qingshan's sixtieth birthday? Wasn't that akin to sending him off?
Such an act was trampling on the Li family's dignity and rubbing it fiercely in the dirt!
"Who is it that dares to be so bold!"
"Sending a bell and a coffin at this time, they must have deep hatred for the Li family!"
"I didn't expect a birthday banquet to turn out like this. Li Qingshan won't let this go, will he?"
The guests buzzed with speculation, the festive atmosphere of the banquet completely shattered.
"To send me off? What audacity!" Li Qingshan's face turned ashen. He slammed the table, "Who is this person!!!"
Li Ruolan's face turned pale. Recalling Ye Ling in the banquet hall earlier, her unease grew.
Was it him?
The security guard stammered, "He's a young man with fair skin, but he's incredibly strong. More than ten of our brothers have already been taken down!"
"A young man?"
Li Qingshan frowned. In his memory, he hadn't offended anyone like this.
"Was his attire strange?" Li Ruolan couldn't help but step forward and ask.
"He was wearing a black trench coat, not particularly strange..." The security guard didn't understand why Li Ruolan was concerned about the person's attire but answered truthfully.
It wasn't him!
Hearing the security guard's description, Li Ruolan breathed a sigh of relief, the stone in her heart finally falling.
But just as Li Ruolan relaxed, a large bell suddenly fell from the sky, smashing directly onto the round table in front of Li Qingshan. The wooden table exploded, and Li Qingshan was sent flying!
Dong!!!
The deafening sound of the bell echoed throughout the entire manor!
"Li Qingshan, I, this Emperor, have come to give you the bell!"
With a clear shout, more than ten security guards flew into the garden. The guests looked over and saw a young man carrying a coffin, walking slowly towards them!
Upon seeing Ye Ling's appearance, Li Ruolan's pupils contracted sharply!
"It's him!"