Qi Rong's sarcasm made Yun Sheng's face turn livid instantly, and his body couldn't help staggering!
To Yun Sheng, the late emperor was both a discoverer of talents and a teacher, far beyond the mere relationship between a monarch and his subject. The death of the late emperor had always been a wound in Yun Sheng's heart that could never heal!
During the palace coup back then, he didn't enter the palace to rescue the emperor and go with those loyal officials. Instead, he whole - heartedly assisted the current emperor.
People secretly called him a treacherous official, saying that he was a sycophant, coveting vanity and a completely ungrateful villain!
He never bothered to explain to others, and he also thought that his failure to sacrifice himself for righteousness back then was a sin! Therefore, on the anniversary of the late emperor's death, he would be tortured by guilt and fall seriously ill.
But in the end, he still chose to continue living!
"Oh, did I hit a sore spot for the prime minister?"
Gazing at Yun Sheng's unpredictable expression, Qi Rong maliciously curled his lips, his eyes filled with coldness.
"I thought that with all the favor you've received now, you'd long forgotten the kindness of the past. Who are you trying to impress with this flustered look?"
Qi Rong spared no effort in taunting Yun Sheng, completely ignoring that this was the Prime Minister's Mansion. Right in front of everyone in the mansion, he severely humiliated Yun Sheng!
The servants in the Prime Minister's Mansion saw their always - respected master being rendered speechless and looking so embarrassed!
"Qi Rong, shut your mouth right now! I won't allow you to bully my father like this!"
A sharp rebuke suddenly came. Yun Xi stormed in from outside the courtyard gate.
Seeing her father's pale face, Yun Xi immediately quickened her steps, supported him and helped him sit down on a chair.
Just now, she was in the yard, instructing the servants to pack the things for her move in a few days. She was hesitating when to transplant the osmanthus tree planted by her mother. Then a maid in her yard rushed in and reported to her in a hurry.
She said that Prince Xian, Qi Rong, had come to the Prime Minister's Mansion. He even had his servants carry a lot of red boxes, seemingly coming to propose marriage!
Hearing this, Yun Xi's heart skipped a beat. She guessed that Qi Rong must have suddenly gone crazy and rushed here in a hurry.
Unexpectedly, she saw this guy bullying her father!
He even brought up the late emperor on purpose to hit her father's sore spot! He had no idea that her father's feelings for the late emperor were completely different from what he had guessed!
Seeing Yun Xi in a fit of rage, Qi Rong slightly curled his lips and said with a spring - like smile:
"You came just in time. Today I specifically asked someone to pick an auspicious day and brought the betrothal gifts. You can check the gift list, and then our marriage will be settled."
Saying this, Qi Rong stood up, walked to Yun Xi's side and handed her a red gift list with gold - edged trim.
Qi Rong said it so casually as if he had forgotten that the man sitting right in front of him was his future father - in - law, whose opinion he should have sought.
Realizing that Qi Rong was deliberately trying to embarrass her father, Yun Xi glared at him unhappily and immediately threw the gift list, which felt like a hot potato, back into Qi Rong's arms.
"Don't talk nonsense! Marriage is no joke. How can you decide it just like that?"
For ordinary people, an engagement is either arranged by parents or mediated by matchmakers. He hadn't asked for her father's permission, nor had he invited a matchmaker. Just carrying a few big boxes and coming here in person, did he think he could settle the marriage so casually?
Moreover, even if he wanted to marry her, she wasn't ready to marry him yet!
She didn't want to be forced into this!
"Come on, you just admitted in the palace a few days ago that we were in love. Since our hearts are in tune with each other, why should we care about others?"
Qi Rong caught the gift list and stuffed it back into Yun Xi's hand. Looking at her pouting cheeks, he still had a smile on his face.
At the end, he didn't forget to throw a sarcastic glance at "that someone".
Yun Sheng was shocked by Qi Rong's words and looked at his daughter in disbelief:
"Xier, do you really...?"
Yun Sheng couldn't bring himself to say the words "in love with each other", but Yun Xi immediately understood. Her face flushed instantly. How could she admit it in front of her father? She hurriedly said:
"Dad, how could that be? It was just a temporary expedient!"
At that time, if she hadn't admitted it, Qi Rong might have clashed with the Zhen brothers. She just didn't want Zhen Bao to worry and the Zhen family to get hurt again.
Who would have thought that this despicable guy would use it against her here!
Hearing his daughter's words, Yun Sheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Qi Rong with a straight face and said:
"Prince Xian, you've heard what my daughter said. Please respect yourself and leave the mansion immediately!"
No matter what, he would never marry his daughter to Qi Rong!
Even if he had let down the late emperor's wishes, he would never sacrifice his daughter's happiness for it!
Hearing Yun Xi's words, the smile on Qi Rong's lips gradually cracked. A layer of frost formed in his eyes. He took a step forward and slowly walked in front of Yun Xi. He said sinisterly:
"A temporary expedient? Yun Xi, are you daring to say that your feelings for me are just a temporary expedient?"
Feeling Qi Rong's cold tone and strong displeasure, Yun Xi couldn't help but feel scared. She instinctively lowered her head and didn't dare to look into his eyes.
Or rather, she didn't want to see the disappointed and hurt expression in his eyes.
"Look at me!"
Qi Rong's voice suddenly rose. He reached out and pinched Yun Xi's chin, forcing her to look at him.
"Ouch, it hurts!"
Because of his anger, Qi Rong's fingers tightened. Yun Xi felt as if her chin was about to be crushed. She couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
"Qi Rong, stop!"
Yun Sheng's face changed. He immediately stepped forward, pulled Yun Xi away and shielded his daughter behind him. He looked at Qi Rong warily and angrily.
Actually, as soon as Yun Xi cried out in pain, Qi Rong immediately relaxed his grip. But seeing Yun Xi being pulled away by Yun Sheng, he narrowed his eyes slightly and said dangerously:
"Yun Xi, I want you to make things clear."
He stared straight at Yun Xi without even glancing at Yun Sheng.
He thought that even if Yun Xi was too shy to speak, at least she had feelings for him in her heart.
She was his future wife. Even in front of her father, she should have stood on his side. Instead of denying her feelings for him because she was worried about her father's feelings!
This was a contest between him and Yun Sheng in Yun Xi's heart, and he had to win!
In this situation, Yun Xi naturally knew what answer would be the most appropriate and the best way to protect her reputation.
However, when she met Qi Rong's dark, gloomy but slightly trembling eyes, for a moment, she hesitated.
On one side was her father who had always doted on her, and on the other side was Qi Rong who had risked his life to protect her. No matter which side she chose, her heart would ache.
After what seemed like a long time, Yun Xi finally sighed. She walked out from behind her father and looked at her father pleadingly:
"Dad, can you let me talk to him alone for a while?"
Yun Sheng frowned when he heard this. He originally didn't want to agree, but when he met his daughter's pleading eyes, he reluctantly nodded.
"Don't take too long."
After all, they were an unmarried man and woman. It was easy to arouse suspicion. He had to find a good marriage for his daughter himself!