Are you willing to marry him?

  "You said you want to marry Xiao Congrong?"

  Hong Kun looked at Hua Junzi with disdain and asked, "Isn't there a parental order or matchmaker's words? You bring someone like this, don't you think it's too insincere?"

  "General, I'm an orphan since childhood. Although I bear the surname Chu, it was given to me by my adoptive father! My adoptive father and I have some misunderstandings, he doesn't want to speak for me, so I had to bring Brother Hua Zhe to propose on my behalf! Although Hua Zhe and I are not biological brothers, in my eyes, he's closer than a real brother. Please don't doubt my sincerity, General! For the sake of Third Miss, even if I have to exhaust all my resources, I won't mind!"

  Hong Kun sneered, "Chu boss, your words are wrong. Since your parents passed away, it was your adoptive father who raised you. If he doesn't agree with you marrying Cong Rong, why do you still insist on going ahead? Do you know that this action is considered unfilial and unrighteous?"

  "General, can't you put on this unfilial and unrighteous hat like that? You don't understand the affairs of my Chu family, how do you know I'm unfilial and unrighteous? You can ask my brother, as long as it's about my adoptive father or the Chu family, even if I were to jump into boiling water or walk through fire, would I ever frown? The disagreement with Rong Yu is just a small difference in opinion, it doesn't affect my loyalty to my adoptive father and the Chu family, how can you say I'm unfilial and unrighteous?"

  "General, this flower pot can prove that the young master has always been respectful and filial to his father, sometimes even more so than his own son!"

  Hua Zhe finally found an opportunity to show himself and quickly jumped in.

  He gave Hong Kun a cold look, snorted in disdain and said: "Although so, a marriage that is not approved by the parents must have its reasons! Based on this alone, I will not agree to marry Rong'er to you! I don't want Rong'er to suffer from the cold treatment of her in-laws before she even gets married!"

  "General, I can give you a written guarantee that no one will give Third Miss the cold shoulder! My family is in Jiangnan and I've been in the capital for many years. After Third Miss enters our household, she'll be the only mistress of the house. I'll treat her well and won't let her suffer any grievances..."

  "Don't say anything more, I'll be blunt with you! Not only do your adoptive parents dislike Rong Yu, even if they liked me, I wouldn't marry Rong Yu to you! Don't tell me about how you fell in love with Rong Yu at first sight and how good you'll be to her, I won't believe a single word!"

  Hong Kun sneered, no longer hiding his impatience. "Xiao Congrong is alone and crippled, yet you claim to like her? How can I believe that?! Your family only cares about profit, Congrong is not your true intention! I don't know what you want from me, but whatever it is, the answer is... impossible! I'm looking for a son-in-law who truly cares for Congrong, not someone like you! Don't come back again, you're not welcome here! Qi Ze, see him out!"

  Chu Qing's anger was also stirred, and his good temper was turned into anger by Hong Kun's blow. He stood up with a cold smile and said: "General Hong, I don't know what benefits you have for me. Chu Mou doesn't engage in politics, so he never thought of relying on you to get an official position! Although you promised Xiang Cong Rong a generous dowry, that little wealth hasn't even caught Chu Mou's eye! What would I gain from you?"

  Hong Kun was momentarily stunned, Chu Qing knew that the Night Pearl worth a city, which he had given to Xiao Zong as a dowry, was not even worth this pearl!

  "General Hong, I respect you because you are a calm and just father figure, not because I'm afraid of you or trying to curry favor with you! I just want us to get along and not have any misunderstandings!"

  Chu Qing endured for half a day, and as soon as he spoke, he became reckless and said coldly, "To say something unpleasant, you are indeed Xiao Congrong's adoptive father, but that's all you are - an adoptive father. You can't replace her in making decisions! It's Xiao Congrong who should choose her husband, not you! Who treats her well or badly, she can tell clearly herself. Can General Hong make decisions for her without asking for her opinion? Maybe General Hong doesn't like Chu Qing, but Xiao Congrong is willing to marry him!"

  Because of the promise he got from Xiao Congrong two days ago, Chu Qingkong said this with full confidence. If he knew what happened the day before, he would probably weigh his words more carefully.

  But he never thought that there would be such a twist, so the words came out in a rush: "If General Hong doesn't mind, please ask Third Miss to come out. If she says she's unwilling to marry me, I'll leave immediately and never set foot in the Xiao estate again! If Third Miss is willing, then please don't stop us, General Hong, and let me and Third Miss be together!"

  He was so angry that he sneered, "I've seen arrogant people before, but I've never seen anyone as reckless as you! You're asking for trouble, don't blame me for not giving you face! Qi Ze, go and invite Third Miss out. Today, I'll see how this kid slinks away from the Xiao Mansion with his tail between his legs!"

  An old man and a young one had a falling out, glaring at each other with wide eyes, neither giving in.

  Qi Ze had no choice but to go and invite Xiao Congrong out.

  Chu Qing was confident and calm, thinking that she was a person who valued her reputation. In the past, in order to marry Wu Mingyuan, even if her relatives opposed it, she didn't care and insisted on her own views.

  Now she thought of Hong Kun as just her godfather. Since she had promised him, she would not go back on her word. She sat down again and calmly drank tea.

  On the other side, Hong Kun looked at his leisurely appearance and calmed down again. He sat down patiently and waited while sizing up Chu Qingkong, wondering where this kid got the courage to challenge him!

  Hong Kun had been a general for a long time, and except for the old Marquis of those years, no one had dared to be so presumptuous with him for many years. Looking at Chu Qing's appearance, he was born too handsome, where did he look like a man? If he were dressed in women's clothes, he would probably look better than those princesses and imperial concubines.

  Those narrow and long eyes are too delicate, and... these eyes are somewhat similar to the Fourth Prince's!

  Hong Kun sank into thought, feeling that his sense of familiarity shouldn't be coming from the Fourth Prince. Then who did it resemble?

  Suddenly, I recalled that bygone era when I accompanied Emperor Wu on a private visit to the scenic Jiangnan region, where I met a talented woman who seemed to have eyes like yours.

  As clear as the autumn water, a smile, and the three palaces' powder and rouge lost their color... It provoked Emperor Wu of Han to lose his spirit, and he himself almost fell into that autumn water, only...

  Hong Kun was lost in thought, couldn't help but take another look, and shook his head secretly, it didn't resemble at all!

  At that time, the Shao imperial concubine had clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, with only pure and innocent light in her bright eyes. How could she have this little scoundrel who looks cunning and accustomed to plotting?

  Thinking of this, Hong Kun withdrew his wandering thoughts and didn't continue thinking about it. Some things that have been sealed in the depths of memory should not be dug up again, lest they hurt people and feelings!

  Xiao Congrong finally came out after being called for a thousand times.

  When he heard Qi Ze report "Third Miss has arrived", Chu Qing's heart began to beat wildly, his eyes involuntarily looking towards the door. If not for fear that Hong Kun would discover their secret relationship, he would have rushed out to hug her in already.

  In the distance, Xiao Zong walked over, wearing a light purple dress, with three thousand strands of hair habitually coiled into a simple Bi Luo bun, a pearl hairpin inserted in it, without any makeup, yet unable to hide that extraordinary and otherworldly face.

  Chu Qing had never seen her with such a hairstyle before, and he felt stunned. He stared blankly as she approached, unaware that he had fallen into Hong Kun's eyes, adding another crime - being a lustful person!

  "Uncle, why have you called Rong'er out? Is there something going on?"

  Until Xiao Zongrong sat down calmly, Chu Qingkuang finally came back to his senses and vaguely felt that today's Xiao Zongrong was a bit off, but couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

  Hong Kun smiled and pointed at Chu Qingcang, saying: "This young master Chu has met you before, so I won't introduce him! I called you out because there's something I want to hear your opinion on... In order to be fair, don't let others say that I'm forcing you, just speak your mind freely!"

  "Ah, Uncle Hong, please go ahead!" Xiao Zongrong calmly placed his hands on his knees and straightened his back to look at Hong Kun.

  Chu Qing suddenly realized that something was wrong. From the moment Xiao Zong entered the door, she hadn't looked at him once, and her expression seemed to regard him as a stranger...

  Worse than a stranger, at least a stranger would take a curious glance!

  His heart began to beat irregularly, with a bad feeling. He looked at Xiao Zongrong with pleading eyes, hoping she could give him a hint about what had happened.

  However, Xiao Zongrong seemed to be unaware of his gaze and just looked at Hong Kun.

  This atmosphere even made Hua Junzi feel abnormal, with strange gazes sweeping over the two of them, somewhat inexplicable.

  Xiao's calm demeanor reassured Hong Kun, who glanced at Chu Qingcang and couldn't help but tease: "This Mr. Chu, just now asked your father to marry you off to him! He said he was orphaned as a child and was raised by his godfather, and that he fell in love with you at first sight. He wants to marry you, but his godfather didn't agree! So, Mr. Chu assured me that if you were to marry him, you would be the only mistress of the house, and he would treat you well and not let you suffer any grievances... Such a good man, your father is afraid you'll miss out on this opportunity, so he's letting you ask: are you willing to marry him?"