What agreement?
The words of Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi echoed in their ears. Everyone except Li Guyi, Li Shanglai, and Li Xiaoman, the three informed individuals, was baffled and filled with curiosity.
However, they did not receive an answer from Jiang Wuming or Li Lianyi.
Under everyone's gaze, Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi exchanged a glance, then turned again, their figures flashing like lightning, heading towards the exit of Li Village.
"Whoosh..."
Seeing this, Li Shanglai secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had first gone all-in on Jiang Wuming, and then increased his bet midway. As a result, Jiang Wuming had just annulled the engagement with Li Lianyi...
At that moment, Li Shanglai's heart was shattered, as if ten thousand alpacas were stampeding through his mind!
Now, Li Shanglai felt relaxed.
This was because, based on the attitude of Li Guyi and Li Lianyi towards Jiang Wuming's proposal to annul the engagement, and Li Lianyi's mention of the agreement, he had deduced that Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi had only annulled their engagement, not severed their connection entirely!
"Brother Wuming, feel free to visit Kunlun!"
Ye Kunlun roared at Jiang Wuming's retreating back.
"Brother Wuming, the Buddhist Sect also welcomes you as a guest!"
Yuan He, not to be outdone, followed Ye Kunlun's lead and extended an invitation to Jiang Wuming.
"Okay!"
Jiang Wuming's voice came back, but his figure had already disappeared.
He was the last guest to arrive at Li Village, the first to leave, and the most important guest!
...
"Gu Clan, Elder Long, I will personally treat Tianlong's injuries."
After Jiang Wuming left, in the garden of the main villa, Li Guyi spoke to Gu Lu and Long Yongjie.
Although he and the Li family had chosen Jiang Wuming and cooperated with Li Lianyi to perform a play, making the Gu Tianlong and the Gu family mere background characters, he did not want to completely alienate the Gu family.
"Good."
Gu Lu nodded with a grim expression.
Although he was seething with anger, since Li Guyi had offered a way out, he had to take it.
On one hand, on the surface, the Li family had not deliberately targeted the Gu family, and Gu Lu could not afford to fall out with them.
On the other hand, Gu Lu was unsure of the severity of Gu Tianlong's injuries. If they were extremely serious, Li Guyi's medical treatment would be the best option.
Gu Tianlong's injuries were not life-threatening but were still significant. Besides fractured hand bones and ribs, his meridians and internal organs had suffered varying degrees of shock.
This eased Gu Lu's mind somewhat.
However, Long Yongjie, as Gu Tianlong's master, was deeply worried.
This was because he knew very well that compared to Gu Tianlong's physical injuries, the psychological trauma was fatal—Gu Tianlong's martial will had completely collapsed. If he could not recover, his martial arts path would come to an end!
At three o'clock, Li Guyi's birthday banquet concluded, and guests began to disperse. Some returned to their villas to rest before leaving the next day, while others chose to depart immediately.
Li Guyi, however, returned to Yaoshen Valley and went to Li Lianyi's residence.
"Grandfather."
After Jiang Wuming left, Li Lianyi had returned to her residence first. Seeing Li Guyi enter, she calmly got up to greet him as usual, showing no surprise.
"Lianyi, you had already predicted that he would annul the engagement, didn't you?"
Li Guyi spoke first.
He had predicted that Jiang Wuming, with the pride of a Jiang family man, would come to the Li family and clash with the Gu family, but he hadn't expected Jiang Wuming to publicly break off the engagement.
"Mmm."
Li Lianyi nodded lightly and said, "Although I haven't spent much time with him, and we haven't met often, I understand him. A man who doesn't bow to fate is bound to be proud. Moreover, he is Jiang Zhan's son; how could he be bound by an engagement?"
"Silly girl, you've wronged yourself to save face for him. Your grandfather feels heartbroken."
Li Guyi sighed softly.
He knew very well that Li Lianyi had not invited Jiang Wuming to the banquet herself precisely to send a false message to the core members of the Li family like Li Qingyuan and the outside world: Li Lianyi and the Li family did not acknowledge Jiang Wuming and would not fulfill the engagement from years ago!
In such a situation, forces would inevitably flock to the Li family, wanting to replace Jiang Wuming, or even clash with him.
This would achieve two purposes.
First, since Jiang Wuming's identity and strength had already been leaked, let the world know how outstanding Jiang Wuming was!
Second, Li Lianyi and the Li family firmly chose and supported Jiang Wuming!
"Grandfather, a man can be without money or status, but he cannot lose his dignity,"
Li Lianyi said softly, "From the moment he was born, he lost his parents. To survive, he lived incognito, barely clinging to life for twenty years.
After his identity was revealed, various forces were eager to kill him. Not to mention, the world was abuzz with discussions about his engagement with me, criticizing him from all sides.
Compared to the suffering he has endured, what is a little grievance for me?
Besides, our hearts are in sync—we will definitely not be together in the future because of an engagement!"
"Fine, your matter with him is yours to handle. As long as you're happy."
Li Guyi smiled bitterly.
His precious granddaughter and Jiang Wuming were like Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai—one willing to strike, the other willing to be beaten. What else could he say?
"Lianyi, that scoundrel Jiang Wuming is too detestable! How could he break off the engagement in public? Should your cousin help you teach him a lesson?"
Just as Li Guyi was smiling bitterly, a voice sounded from outside the door.
Li Xiaoman rushed in impetuously.
"Gra... Grandfather."
Li Xiaoman was startled to see Li Guyi, then quickly greeted him, lowering her head like a child who had made a mistake, her face filled with anxiety.
Li Guyi had always been known for his strictness in the Li family. Everyone except Li Lianyi was very afraid of him.
This was also why, when Li Guyi offended the Gu family for Li Lianyi today, none of the other Li family members dared to voice any objections!
"Xiaoman, leave Lianyi and Jiang Wuming to handle their own affairs. Don't meddle," Li Guyi reminded her.
"Ye... Yes, Grandfather."
Li Xiaoman nodded but looked at Li Lianyi with confusion, feeling that something was not quite right.
...
At the same time.
An SUV with military plates drove away from the parking lot outside Li Village.
Ye Feng was driving, and Ye Zheng sat in the back seat.
After the car had driven a distance, Ye Zheng suddenly took out his phone and made a call.
"Wuming, it's me, Ye Zheng."
The call was answered after several seconds. Ye Zheng spoke first.
Swoosh!
In the driver's seat, Ye Feng's expression changed slightly.
Ye Zheng clearly saw Ye Feng's expression change through the rearview mirror, and he also heard Jiang Wuming's reply.
"Is there something?"
"I'm calling to tell you two things."
"Go ahead."
"First, your mother wrote you a letter back then. It was written before she passed away and has never been opened. It is currently kept in my study. If you wish to see it, you can come to Yan Jing to get it anytime.
Second, I know you harbor resentment towards me and the Ye family, but from now on, the doors of the Ye family are always open to you!"
Ye Zheng said with a kind and gentle tone.
Jiang Wuming silently hung up the phone.
Ye Feng's hands trembled, and the steering wheel shook, causing the car to jolt.
Ye Zheng put down his phone and put away the 'chessboard'.
A scheme within a scheme.
...