The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 873 The Change of the Engagement, Luan Zhi Yu Zan (Seeking monthly votes~)

As Chen Ping'an emerged from Gu Tianren's wooden hut, he looked up at the sky and saw the sun high in the sky, right at its zenith.

Elder Hua and Elder Xuan had been waiting outside the wooden hut.

Seeing Chen Ping'an come out, he hurriedly came to greet him.

"How is Ping An?"

The patriarch's visit must be for an important matter, and as elders of the Gu family, they naturally had to express their concern immediately.

Chen Ping'an smiled faintly, said nothing, and only gave a look.

Seeing this, the two of them naturally stopped asking questions.

Chen Ping'an's meeting with the patriarch this time was different from the past; it lasted a long time and was probably not an ordinary event.

This was no place for idle chatter; both men were preoccupied with their own affairs, and together they walked out with Chen Ping'an.

It was already noon. Since they had been invited to stay for a banquet, the group did not return to the Senate Hall. Instead, they found another place to chat and catch up.

During their journey, the two chatted casually, and naturally the conversation turned to Gu Qingcheng.

Chen Ping'an had gone there earlier to see Gu Qingcheng, but now that the ancestor had summoned them, they had been delayed for quite some time, so they naturally wanted to know some details.

Of course, the details are secondary; what's important is Chen Ping'an's attitude.

"Ping An, did it go smoothly this time?" Old Hua asked cautiously.

Chen Ping'an smiled faintly and shook his head without saying anything more.

He hadn't even seen Gu Qingcheng's face during this meeting, so it was unlikely to go smoothly. But if things didn't go well, it would be tantamount to shifting the pressure onto Gu Qingcheng, and considering his previous promise, such a matter was certainly not in line with his true feelings.

Chen Ping'an's reaction surprised the two of them.

Speaking of
Elder Xuan's eyes flashed, and he suddenly remembered that when they sent the message earlier, Chen Ping'an had already come out of Qingcheng Courtyard.

He was surprised that the meeting had happened so quickly.

Previously, I was preoccupied with the matter of the ancestor's summons and hadn't thought about it in detail, but now that I think about it, I have a lot to consider.

The two exchanged a glance, each lost in thought.

The two couldn't help but think a little deeper, but looking at Chen Ping'an beside them, they didn't dare to ask too many questions for the time being.

Let the younger generation handle their own affairs.

With these thoughts in mind, the group arrived at an elegant spot in the back garden of the Gu family.

A banquet had been prepared there, and many elders were already waiting. When they saw the group arrive, they all stood up to exchange pleasantries and greetings.

"Safety."

"Elder Xuan, Elder Hua."

"."

"Ping An, this glass is for you."

"Ping An, I'd like to toast you too. This trip to Xuanling truly showcased the might of my Azure Dragon! It also avenged my Gu family."

"Sit down, sit down, be at peace. If you remain seated, I will show you my respect."

"Hahaha, that's great!"

"."

The banquet was a harmonious and pleasant affair.

During the banquet, Gu Qingchan was prominently present, dressed in an ice-blue long dress, looking elegant and poised.

"Ping An, you've worked hard this time." Gu Qingchan raised her hand slightly, her wide sleeves drooping, and bowed respectfully to Chen Ping An from afar.

"You're too kind, Senior Gu."

Chen Ping'an returned the greeting with a smile and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.

This scene was witnessed by many elders present, who couldn't help but feel gratified and smile.

As the first among the elders present to interact with Chen Ping'an, Gu Qingchan's relationship with him was naturally well-established. Seeing the two getting along so well, they were naturally very pleased.

After all, a person who cherishes the past will always attract attention, especially from allies.

All good things must come to an end; no matter how joyous the feast, it will eventually come to a close.

As the banquet came to a close, Chen Ping'an put down his wine glass, slowly stood up, and looked at the elders around him with a sincere and polite expression.

"Esteemed elders, this is a beautiful occasion, and it is not appropriate to speak in this manner. However, I have something to tell you, and I apologize for any rudeness.

After saying this, Chen Ping'an bowed respectfully.

The unexpected bow caught many of the elders present off guard.

"Ping An, what do you mean by this?"

"No, no, no!"

Some elders even rose from their seats to avoid Chen Ping'an's bow.

Elder Hua and Elder Xuan waved their hands repeatedly.

"However, in ordinary leisure time, there is no need to be so serious. Feel free to speak your mind."

“Yes, just say it!” an elder echoed.

Gu Qingchan looked at the man in front of her with a slight surprise, wondering what Chen Ping'an's reason was.

But she soon learned the reason for this.

"Ping An wishes to postpone his marriage to Fairy Qingcheng for three years. I humbly request the elders to grant my request." Chen Ping An's expression was sincere and his face solemn.

"what?"

Gu Qingchan's heart skipped a beat, and she almost lost her composure.

As I left the Gu family, it was nearly dusk, and soon the sun would set, turning the sky a hazy yellow.

"My lord." Xiong Sanrang bowed respectfully and lifted the curtain of the carriage for Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an nodded slightly and, with the Gu family seeing him off, boarded the carriage.

"It's considered resolved."

Chen Ping'an sighed softly, but his expression remained calm.

He proposed postponing the engagement in front of all the elders of the Gu family, and the reactions of everyone present were self-evident.

His engagement with Gu Qingcheng had already been established, and the two had a marriage certificate as proof; everyone in the state already knew about it.

With the wedding imminent, Chen Ping'an suddenly proposed postponing the engagement. How could the elders of the Gu family not react strongly?
Especially in the current context, Chen Ping'an ranks among the top ten of the Grandmasters List, possessing exceptional talent and intelligence, making him a prodigy and a monster of the dynasty.

This situation is something that countless people are thinking about.

Now that Chen Ping'an has suddenly mentioned postponing the engagement, anyone would probably be thinking about it and wonder if the engagement has changed!

Even the composed Hua Lao and Xuan Lao couldn't help but tremble and change their expressions upon hearing these words.

As for Elder Lan and Elder Yuan, needless to say.

"Ping An, why is this?" Old Lan couldn't help but ask.

"But is there any obstacle?"

Old Lan didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning behind it was quite clear.

Given the opportunity, any power would likely want to develop a foothold in Chen Ping'an's territory. With his current influence, even large forces that span multiple states and influence various regions would probably want a share of his power.

Chen Ping'an's sudden mention of this now, could it be...?
What temptation did they receive, and what promises did they make?
Besides those like Lan Lao, some elders had even deeper thoughts.

Regardless of their thoughts, at this moment, everyone's eyes were on Chen Ping'an. Chen Ping'an was naturally prepared for this situation.

In front of all the elders, he explained his reasons. His explanation, naturally, still revolved around the matter of taking up his post in Beishan. Compared to his meeting with the Gu family patriarch, his explanation to the Gu family elders was more detailed and logically sound. He currently only had a superficial understanding of the affairs of Beishan and could not guarantee anything regarding the marriage. Therefore, it was better to wait until the situation was stable and he was firmly in power before proceeding with the marriage.

Furthermore, he is now focused on the path of enlightenment, intending to ascend to the heavens and humans, hoping to make further progress and achieve something within three years. In such circumstances, it is best to be single-minded and free from too many external distractions.

The reasons for this were clear, and the expression was earnest.

The attitude of the Gu family members was somewhat appeased.

Furthermore, the explanation was secondary; the most important thing was Chen Ping'an's subsequent guarantee.

Regardless of their relationship or where he is, his stance towards the Gu family will not change. He will never forget the Gu family's kindness to him, and no matter the circumstances, their alliance is now firmly established and will never waver.

Under these circumstances, everyone felt relieved. Although there were still some lingering concerns, things were much better than when they first heard the news.

Even so, Chen Ping'an's sudden request for postponement was still difficult for everyone to accept.

An exchange of views was inevitable.

As the officiant, Gu Qingchan naturally had to ask many questions about this matter.

Chen Ping'an responded patiently and politely to each question.

There will certainly be plenty of words of reassurance.

Later, Gu Qingchan, her starry eyes shining brightly and her long, ice-blue dress flowing, settled down at the table, which could be considered an acceptance of Chen Ping'an's words.

Besides Gu Qingchan, the other elders also had many questions. However, given the circumstances, and seeing that Chen Ping'an had made up his mind and made a guarantee, no matter what the others thought, the matter could only be settled in this way.

Among them were some clever and quick-witted individuals who gleaned deeper meaning from Chen Ping'an's previous explanations.

Elder Hua and Elder Xuan gave Chen Ping'an a deep look, gleaning deeper meaning from it.

In fact, many of the elders present had already grasped the similar meaning, but with this thin veil between them, no one was willing to easily break through it.

Chen Ping'an means the engagement is to be postponed for three years!?
Do not!
It seems the postponement is just a pretense; the real reason is the annulment of the engagement!
However, this matter had a huge impact, and even though both sides were fully aware of it, no one spoke out about it.

The engagement is postponed for three years. We can discuss anything after three years!

According to the original plan, Chen Ping'an and Gu Qingcheng were supposed to get married in a few months. Now that the engagement has been postponed, there are still more than three years to go.

More than three years is enough time for them to carefully plan and find a middle way to mitigate the impact of this matter.

As for now, without thorough preparation, we must not mention it at all, and the official statement should be that it is postponed.

Chen Ping'an understood the concerns of the Gu family and expressed his willingness to cooperate.

With these words of cooperation, the elders of the Gu family understood Chen Ping'an's intentions perfectly well.

During their conversation, no one mentioned the cancellation of the engagement, but all their conversation revolved around this very issue.

Some things don't need to be mentioned directly; both parties can understand them through indirect hints.

That's exactly the situation right now.

Only when the overall tone was clear and the specific difficulties and operational details were discussed did Chen Ping'an truly mention that he had informed the Gu family patriarch of the matter, and that he had explained all the reasons in detail during their meeting, hoping that the elders would not worry.

As soon as he finished speaking, Elder Hua and Elder Xuan raised their heads and looked at Chen Ping'an.

Everyone in the room had different thoughts, but without exception, they were all grateful for Chen Ping'an's thoughtfulness and maturity.

The same thing said before and after may seem the same, but the meaning is completely different.

They could clearly sense the sincerity and respect in Chen Ping'an's actions.

Although they did not know the specific reasons for the change in the engagement, they had no doubt that they had gained a deeper understanding of Chen Ping'an's way of dealing with people.

Of course, it would be impossible to say that the elders of the Gu family had no ulterior motives. After all, postponing the engagement was no small matter. Especially since the matter had already been announced, a sudden postponement, no matter how valid the reasons, would likely cause a public outcry.

If not handled properly, it could pose a significant challenge to the Gu family's reputation.

Although the cause of this matter was not his, he took full responsibility for it, and he accepted any criticism without complaint.

But regardless, since Gu Tianren has already given his approval, the overall tone will not change.

"This trip to the Gu family was quite successful." Chen Ping'an's thoughts gradually faded, and the carriage started moving, leaving the Gu family.

hum~
Chen Ping'an reached out and flipped his hand, causing light to flow, and two objects appeared in front of him.

A hairpin, a marriage certificate.

The hairpin is made of jade-like material, warm to the touch, with a small string of pearls and jade bells hanging from the end, and adorned with tassels.

The marriage certificate was dazzlingly red, with shimmering gold, resembling a phoenix pendant.

"perhaps."

Chen Ping'an's eyes flickered, a thought flashing through them.

"Breaking up isn't necessarily a bad thing!"

Before he could finish his thought, Chen Ping'an chuckled softly.

just
If we were never together, how could we have separated?

Since the engagement was made, he has only met Gu Qingcheng a handful of times.

They were supposed to be engaged, but in reality, they were only slightly better off than acquaintances.

If it weren't for that encounter by the Moon Reflection Lake, in terms of intimacy, it might not even compare to the girl Xi Yue beside him.

Chen Ping'an's eyes flashed, and another object appeared in front of him.

The hairband was golden and shimmering.

Although Chen Ping'an left the Gu family, the elders of the Gu family did not disperse. They gathered in the Elder Hall to discuss the postponement of the engagement.

There are some things that they couldn't elaborate on when Chen Ping'an was around, but now they can discuss them properly.

"Gentlemen," one of the elders said, looking troubled.

This matter came suddenly, and it's impossible for him to have no complaints. But the tone has already been set, and the only option now is to discuss how to handle it.

Inside the Senate, the elders had different thoughts, but they all knew that it was best not to say anything that would undermine unity. The tone had been set, so they would work together.

Compared to the other elders, Elder Xuan and Elder Hua felt more at ease, as they knew more inside information that the elders did not.

For example, Elder Zheng Nan has now obtained a rare treasure and is in seclusion to continue his cultivation. Another example is Gu Qingchan, who has ascended to the Martial Dao Celestial Realm and become a Celestial Empress.

Compared to other elders who relied on arranged marriages, they were actually more at ease.

The discussions are currently ongoing and everyone's emotions are relatively stable.

On the contrary, Gu Qingchan was somewhat unsettled at the moment, unsure of what to think.

"Elder Qingchan, what do you think of this plan?" Elder Xuan asked for his opinion.

"Elder Xuan, you can make the decision," Gu Qingchan replied absentmindedly.

"That's good."

Elder Xuan responded politely. This scene naturally caught the attention of many elders, who were quite surprised by it.

"In that case, it's decided! Proceed according to the established strategy." Elder Xuan made the decision, his gaze falling on Elder Lan on one side of the hall: "As for Qingcheng's side, Elder Lan, I'll leave it to you!"

"Yes." Old Master Lan replied without showing any emotion.

"Pay attention to your wording. Also, find out the details of the matter."

"."

With each strategy employed, the Gu family elders' council came to a close.

At the same time, Chen Ping'an had returned to the courtyard and closed his eyes to cultivate.

(End of this chapter)