"Yun Tian really has put his heart into this. The Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng he’s found after searching all over China for several months was purely by chance, and it was all to wish you a happy birthday. Even I, his grandfather, haven’t had such luck," Situ Lie said with a full smile on his face.
"Then I owe Yun Tian my thanks!"
Gu Wenhao looked at Situ Yuntian and said with a smile.
"Elder Gu, aside from coming to offer my blessings today, there’s another matter I’d like to discuss."
Situ Yuntian suddenly said.
Gu Wenhao’s gaze fixed on Situ Yuntian, whose eyes briefly swept across Gu Qingcheng.
Seeing Situ Yuntian’s gaze directed at her, Gu Qingcheng’s eyes flickered.
"Today I formally ask for Elder Gu’s permission to marry. I wish to marry Qingcheng!"
Situ Yuntian stated directly.
Instantly, the whole Gu Family was in an uproar, with hundreds of Yanjing’s high-ranking officials and influential figures looking at Situ Yuntian in surprise. No one expected him to propose on the spot, and even Gu Qingcheng’s eyebrows knitted together, a flash of astonishment crossing her eyes.
Gu Wenhao, Gu Chengde, and even Jing Xuan’s expressions all changed.
"Nephew Situ, you’re not joking, are you?"
Gu Chengde looked at Situ Yuntian and asked.
"No, I’m serious. I hope Qingcheng can be my girlfriend, marry me. I will definitely not let her down,"
Situ Yuntian said earnestly.
"Elder Gu, my grandson has long admired your granddaughter. I hope you can bless this marriage, and through it, our two families can become relatives,"
Situ Lie said with a laugh.
Gu Wenhao’s expression flickered, at a loss for words.
Jing Xuan’s face turned somewhat cold, her eyebrows tightly furrowed. She was about to speak when another voice preempted her.
"Daring to come and offer birthday wishes with a counterfeit Thousand-Year Ginseng, and having the audacity to ask for Miss Gu’s hand in marriage, Situ Yuntian, you’ve really got some nerve!"
A light, mocking voice interrupted the silence, catching the attention of everyone present.
At that moment, all eyes turned to the source of the voice, Xiao Yifeng.
Xiao Yifeng cracked the last seed in his hand, stood up leisurely, and strolled over.
Xiao Yuanshan, Yan Haotian in the distance, and Li Shengnan, all familiar with Xiao Yifeng, looked his way, wondering what mischief the boy was up to.
Gu Qingcheng’s eyes also sparkled as she watched Xiao Yifeng.
"Xiao Yifeng, what nonsense are you spouting?"
Situ Yuntian’s face looked incredibly unhappy as he stared at Xiao Yifeng.
"Am I talking nonsense? I am not, for your supposed Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng is indeed a fake. It is merely a common ginseng less than a hundred years old, certainly not a thousand-year Snow Ginseng."
Xiao Yifeng walked up to Situ Yuntian, glanced casually at the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng in his hand, and curled his lips.
"Young man, are you trying to cause trouble? Look around; this is not the place for you to stir up a fuss!"
Situ Lie’s expression was dark, and he looked sharply at Xiao Yifeng with a stern voice.
"That’s right, Xiao Yifeng, don’t make baseless accusations. I acquired this Snow Ginseng from a herbalist for tens of millions, and experts have authenticated it as a Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. Stop spouting nonsense,"
Situ Yuntian’s gaze fixated on Xiao Yifeng as he spoke coldly.
"Young man, are you the renowned Xiao Yifeng from Yanjing?"
Gu Wenhao’s eyes turned towards Xiao Yifeng.
"It is my honor to wish Elder Gu good health and prosperity on par with the heavens!"
Xiao Yifeng greeted Gu Wenhao with clasped hands and a bow.
"You say this Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng is fake, do you have any proof? Today is my birthday, so please don’t cause trouble."
Gu Wenhao spoke to Xiao Yifeng with a faint detachment.
"Miss Gu and I are friends, why would I cause trouble? I merely wish to prevent you, Elder Gu, from being deceived."
Xiao Yifeng responded.
"You whippersnapper, explain how this Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng is fake. If you fail to provide a reason, I will not let you off easily."
Situ Yuntian glared at Xiao Yifeng with a dark and terrifying expression.
"This ginseng of yours is nothing more than the essence of a few ordinary ginseng roots that have been refined and fused with another ginseng root, and finally immersed in ice and snow."
"After a certain period of time, it is taken out to become what you hold now, the so-called Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. This method of production is quite rare and special, such that even experts can find it difficult to accurately identify."
Xiao Yifeng spoke calmly.
Listening to Xiao Yifeng’s coherent explanation, those present began to shift their gazes continuously, speculating whether the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was indeed fake.
"This is nothing but nonsense; all you say is baseless. What evidence do you have to prove that my Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng is fake? Do you think baseless accusations are enough, how utterly ridiculous!"
Situ Yuntian scoffed disdainfully.
"Let me prove it, then."
At this moment, a low voice sounded, and an elderly man with graying hair slowly approached—it was none other than the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion’s Pavilion Lord, Yun Xiu.
Xiao Yifeng and Situ Yuntian both called out to Yun Xiu upon seeing him.
"That’s right, I had forgotten about Elder Yun here. Since you’re the Pavilion Lord of the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion and familiar with all kinds of rare medicinal materials, please evaluate the authenticity of this Snow Ginseng."
Gu Wenhao directly addressed Yun Xiu.
Yun Xiu walked up to Situ Yuntian, picked up the so-called Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, smelled it, and then gently pinched it with his fingers.
"This is indeed not the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng but an ordinary ginseng."
Yun Xiu put the ginseng down and declared indifferently.
Situ Yuntian’s face changed dramatically, and he immediately denied it.
"Yun Xiu, are you sure you haven’t made a mistake?"
Situ Lie observed Yun Xiu with a deep and intense gaze.
"I can assure you with the reputation of the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion that this so-called Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng is indeed fake. Your grandson has been fooled. However, this deceitful method is quite sophisticated; it is quite normal for people to be deceived by it."
Yun Xiu spoke with a calm expression.
"Situ Yuntian, now you know, don’t you? Even Elder Yun has said so; do you still plan to disbelieve? Presenting an ordinary ginseng as a congratulatory gift and hoping to marry Miss Gu—isn’t your wishful thinking a bit too loud?"
Xiao Yifeng looked at Situ Yuntian with a playful smile, while the latter’s face became incredibly ugly, as if he had swallowed something disgusting, turning a livid mix of green and red.
Both Situ Lie and Situ Cheng’s faces were very unpleasant, with a distinct feeling of humiliation.
"This little bastard!"
Situ Yan’s gaze fixed on Xiao Yifeng, a glint of cold light flashed in her eyes, and she cursed inwardly.