The vicious female supporting role is posted in the opposite direction by the cub

"A perfectly good dance party ended on such a sour note."

The young master's long-delayed coming-of-age ceremony finally froze completely after Yan Yueqing's righteous declaration, like a flame thrown into an ice cellar, leaving only awkward and embarrassing embers.

Inside the elders' council chamber, the heavy air was almost stagnant.

The luxurious crystal chandelier cast a cold light, illuminating the faces of the five elders, each with their own distinct expressions and schemes.

Fifth Elder Jiang Catherine was the first to break the silence. Her well-maintained fingers unconsciously twirled the delicate lace trim on her skirt, her tone filled with deep regret and a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

"Alas, what a pity for the carefully prepared ball. I wonder where the young master of the family got such a temper? Our Jiang family's strategy of intermarrying with overseas countries has been maintained for nearly a hundred years and is deeply rooted. How can she easily shake the foundation with a single refusal?"

Her concern was not for the young master's wishes, but for the possibility that this vital link maintaining the family's overseas interests might be severed.

No sooner had she finished speaking than Jiang Na, like a powder keg ignited, slammed her hand on the rosewood table with a "bang," causing the teacup beside her to rattle softly. Her dignified face was filled with lingering anger, and her voice was shrill.

“What’s wrong with the Lowell family?! That idiot Keynes offended her, and I immediately replaced him with a more outstanding young man! And she dares to say such things in front of everyone? She’s simply ungrateful and has no respect for the family’s reputation!”

Jiang Na's anger stemmed from the humiliation of having her recommendation rejected, but even more so from the direct challenge to the interests of the power she represented, which was deeply intertwined with the Lowell family. She was eager to solidify this connection, but had met with a crushing defeat at the hands of the young patriarch.

Second Elder Jiang Wenying still wore that signature warm, spring-like smile, which seemed to be able to melt away all the coldness on her face.

She gracefully picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and then slowly spoke, her voice soft yet sharp: "Alright, Nana, calm down. The young master's sharpness tonight wasn't just directed at the Rowell family you admire."

She paused, her smile deepening, but her eyes remained devoid of warmth. "Look, didn't she reject the young master from the Chen family in Haicheng, China, whom I recommended, without even giving him a second glance?"

While seemingly offering advice, he subtly distanced himself from the situation and pointed out that the problem was not solely due to foreign forces, subtly pointing the finger at the young master's "pickiness" or "stubbornness."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Na immediately rolled her eyes, making no attempt to hide her disdain for the Chen family: "Hmph! The Chen family? Sister Wen Yin, no matter what, the Chen family is ultimately just a newly rich family in China with shallow roots. How can they be compared to the Lowell family, which has been deeply rooted overseas for a century and has a profound heritage? If our family had chosen the Chen family, we would have truly lowered ourselves!" In her eyes, the domestic power was far from sufficient to support the Jiang family's international status.

Jiang Catherine immediately echoed Jiang Na's point of view. She frowned her carefully drawn eyebrows and spoke with a hint of speculation and shirking responsibility: "Exactly! Sister Wen Yin, do you think it might be... that the Chen family is indeed not high enough, making the young master feel that we have slighted her and treated her perfunctorily, which is why she resisted so fiercely? After all, with her status, she should be matched with the top.

She tried to attribute the young master's resistance to "the recommended candidate not being good enough," rather than to a rejection of the "marriage" itself.

Jiang Wenying put down her teacup, her smile unwavering, but a cold glint flashed in her eyes. She turned her head slightly to look at the silent Third Elder, Jiang Su, her voice still gentle, but she threw out a sharper comparison: "Not classy enough? Catherine's words... If we're talking about 'not classy enough,' isn't the Jun family more like a firefly compared to the bright moon in front of the Chen family?"

Her words fell softly, yet they were like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, creating silent ripples. "Isn't the young master's attitude quite clear?"

The young patriarch preferred the Jun family, which they considered completely "insignificant," to the "excellent" candidate they had carefully chosen, who represented the interests of all parties. This was not merely a rejection, but a complete denial of their authority and judgment. The Third Elder, Jiang Su, who had been named, stood like a silent iceberg in the hall.

She did not participate in the argument from beginning to end, but sat upright with her back straight. Her cold, hard face was expressionless, and her deep gaze seemed to penetrate the dispute in front of her and focus on something further away.

She pressed her lips together, her knuckles tapping lightly under the table, clearly still pondering and weighing the young master's resounding words from tonight. The decisiveness and challenge to the old rules contained in those words seemed to have touched upon some deeper considerations in her heart, plunging her into a cold contemplation.

Her silence was itself an attitude, a statement of non-intervention, carrying with it scrutiny and unpredictable calculations.

Jiang Na became even more irritated by Jiang Wenying's words and was about to explode again.

Just then, Elder Jiang Jingshu, who was sitting in the main seat, suddenly stood up. The majestic aura that instantly emanated from her body was like an invisible pressure, instantly enveloping the entire council hall and silencing all the noise.

Her gaze, sharp as a hawk's, slowly swept over the four elders, each with a different expression, finally settling on Jiang Na. Her voice, though not loud, carried an undeniable chill:
"All right!"

Just two words silenced Jiang Na, who was still trying to argue.

Jiang Jingshu's expression was stern to the point of being harsh. She looked at her sisters, each with their own thoughts, and her eyes held a knowing disappointment and an unyielding determination: "Have you made enough of a scene? How long has the young patriarch been back in the family? How much does she really know about the intricate power dynamics within the family and the so-called centuries-old traditions? It's only natural that she feels attached to her homeland and old acquaintances!"

Her gaze, like a cold blade, swept over Jiang Catherine, Jiang Na, and Jiang Wenying, finally lingering for a moment on Jiang Su's hard face: "Look at all of you! Knowing full well that the young master clearly showed resistance at her coming-of-age ceremony, you still keep pushing your 'carefully selected' people in front of her! Is this for her sake? This is deliberately making things difficult for her, intentionally upsetting her, and pushing her further away!"

"Big sister, I..." Jiang Na tried to explain.

"At least!" Jiang Jingshu suddenly raised her voice, her stern rebuke echoing in the silent hall, completely drowning out Jiang Na's voice and making the others shudder. "At least the young master saw things more clearly than any of you tonight! You lot—"

Her finger lashed out at the four men, each word dripping with icy sharpness. “You keep saying you’re doing this for the young master’s ‘happiness,’ for the family’s ‘future’… but what are you really plotting? Do you really think I can’t see through you?! You’re not truly thinking of her; you’re clearly using her as a bargaining chip to fight for your interests and consolidate your power!”

The word "bargaining chip" struck like a thunderbolt, tearing away all the pretense of warmth and pointing straight to the heart of the matter. Jiang Catherine's face paled, Jiang Na opened her mouth but couldn't refute, and Jiang Wenying's smile vanished completely, becoming stiff and unsightly. Even Jiang Su, who had been silent all along, abruptly stopped tapping his fingers and raised his deep, dark eyes.

Jiang Jingshu took a deep breath, suppressing her surging anger. Her voice regained its icy calm, but carried an even heavier pressure: "All of you, behave yourselves! Before we figure out the young master's true intentions and bottom line, no one is allowed to act on their own or cause any more trouble! That's it for tonight. Meeting adjourned!"

Like a final judgment, it carries an irresistible will.

The five elders harbored different thoughts—some resentful, some calculating, some cold, and some wary—but under the imposing aura of the First Elder, Jiang Jingshu, none dared to utter a word. Only a suffocating silence and oppressive undercurrents remained in the hall. (End of Chapter)