Rebirth of the Strongest Female Emperor

Cha 6 : Breaking the Engagement (2)

"Oh? What is it about?" Ye Ling asked.

Duan Tianrao remained silent for a moment before saying: "My purpose here today, aside from visiting Tang Tang, more importantly... it's about my marriage with Tang Tang. I'm afraid that's no longer possible."

Just as Duan Tianrao finished his statement, Ye Ling, who was smiling before, turned solemn instantly.

"Tianrao, what's the meaning of this?"

Duan Tianrao took a deep breath and decided to come clean: "Tang Tang and I are childhood companions. I admit there's love between us, but it's more of a love between siblings instead of a couple. Anyway, that's how I feel, and before coming here, I've already told my father about this. my father understood my point, he too felt that relationships should not be forced, and therefore, I'm here today to officially renounce my engagement with Tang Tang."

"What?!" Ye Ling pounded the table and glared daggers at Duan Tianrao.

"You are breaking the engagement! Do you have any idea what you are spouting?!"

Ye Ling was enraged. The engagement between Duan Tianrao and Ye Qingtang was long decided when they were still young, and it was an affair that was known throughout the City of Lin! But now, with Duan Tianrao calling off the engagement, if news of this was to spread, his daughter would become the laughing stock of the whole city!

Duan Tianrao's decision was final. Despite Ye Ling losing his temper, he asserted his case: "Uncle Ye, a few days ago, my father had pronounced me the heir to the Head of the Duan Household, and as the next family head, my bride-to-be will also become the First Lady of the household."

Having reached this point in his statement, Duan Tianrao took a glance at the veiled Ye Qingtang who was seated beside Ye Ling. A trace of disgust could be seen from Duan Tianrao's eyes.

"Tang Tang will never show her face in public, moreover, her spirit root is shattered; this impedes any future growth in her martial prowess. We, the Duan household, is one of the three major households in the City of Lin, and the First Lady must play a definitive role. Tang Tang is.... I'm afraid, no longer suitable for that."

Though Duan Tianrao delivered his words in a dignified manner, what Ye Ling heard were all words of criticisms instead.

"Duan Tianrao, you don't know what you're saying! Your engagement with Tang Tang was an oath made long ago, and now you're breaking that oath." Ye Ling admonished Duan Tianrao while glaring at him.

Duan Tianrao furrowed his brows and raised his eyes slightly, saying:

"Uncle Ye, we did exchange an engagement vow, but that was when Ye Qingtang's spirit root was still intact. Look at her state now. Uncle Ye, do you really expect me to marry a woman with neither a spirit root nor a face?"

Ye Ling trembled with rage; never in his life would he expect all this from Duan Tianrao.

Though faced with Ye Ling's fury, Duan Tianrao's decision did not waver. He turned his sight once again towards Ye Qingtang, who had remained silent all this time.

"Tang Tang, I'm sure that I've treated you well all along, but this time, you've got to put yourself in my shoes. People from the city had long since criticized you as hideous and faceless, however, the thought of breaking our engagement had never crossed my mind all those times. But now, even your spirit root is shattered and you still wanted to force me into marrying you? How do I live up to my family's expectations then?"

"I'm able to live with a hideous woman as my wife, but I can never accept having an incompetent woman as the First Lady of the Duan household."

Duan Tianrao's words were like heart-piercing daggers. Ever since the beginning, what he valued in Ye Qingtang was only her spirit root.

When Ye Qingtang's spirit root was still high in quality, he was willing to put up with her hideous face, but now that her spirit root is gone, tolerance towards her was no longer necessary.

Ye Ling got up in a fit of anger, "Shut up! Duan Tianrao, I must have been blind when I agreed to betroth Tang Tang to you, to think that you are such a conniving brat!"