nucmednet Chapter 317 Shi Wanxia's Confession
Chapter 317 Shi Wanxia's Confession
Chapter 317 Shi Wanxia's Confession
The familiar figure instantly appeared in his mind; her every smile, her gentleness and kindness, her intelligence and wit—all of it captivated him.
Coming to his senses, he strode quickly to his uncle without hesitation, lifted the hem of his robe, and solemnly bowed deeply.
“Uncle, I must say that I cannot accept this marriage proposal. I have someone I love and I will marry no one but her. Please tell my father on my behalf to refuse this marriage proposal.”
Choi Ji-ho's voice was firm and sincere, and his eyes revealed an undeniable determination.
Cui Zhe's expression immediately changed. He never expected that his nephew would openly refuse this hard-won marriage in front of everyone.
His face flushed red and then turned pale, his heart filled with both anger and helplessness.
In his view, this marriage was extremely beneficial to the Cui family, both publicly and privately. Yet his nephew was so ignorant, wanting to give up such a good match for a woman he didn't even know.
"Zhihao, don't be ridiculous!" Cui Zhe lowered his voice, his tone stern.
"The daughter of the Lu family of Fanyang is someone many would kill for. How can you be so willful?"
Choi Ji-ho straightened his back, looked unflinchingly into his uncle's eyes, and said, "Uncle, marriage is a major life event, concerning one's lifelong happiness."
My nephew is unwilling to betray his true feelings for the sake of family interests.
"I have known her and we have a deep and unbreakable bond. If I were to marry someone else, wouldn't I be betraying her and my own conscience?"
Lin Zhengyuan watched all this quietly from the side, secretly admiring Cui Zhihao's courage.
He coughed lightly, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere: "Brother Anren, it's perfectly normal for young people to have their own ideas."
"Why don't we let Zhihao talk about the woman he likes first? Perhaps she's not such a bad person."
Cui Zhe snorted coldly. Although he was dissatisfied, he couldn't show it in front of Lin Zhengyuan.
He looked at his nephew and said, "Then tell me, who exactly is the woman you admire?"
Cui Zhihao bowed slightly, glanced gratefully at Lin Zhengyuan, and then slowly said, "Uncle, I cannot reveal the woman I admire for the time being. Please forgive me."
"Although she came from humble beginnings, she was kind-hearted and exceptionally intelligent."
"Uncle, I have someone I love, please grant my wish!"
Cui Zhe's face was gloomy; he truly both loved and hated this nephew.
“In Huai’an, since ancient times, marriage has been arranged by parents and matchmakers.”
"What? How can you be so unfilial and disobey your parents?"
"Alright, get up! Come to my residence tonight. Your parents will be arriving soon, and I'll take you to Fanyang to settle this matter."
Upon hearing this, Choi Ji-ho became anxious and was about to speak when Lin Zhengyuan helped him up.
He earnestly advised, "Huai'an, you are now of marriageable age. You should obey your parents' wishes when it comes to marriage. This is a matter of course!"
“You come from the Cui family of Qinghe, and you’ve been well-versed in the Book of Poetry and the Book of Etiquette since childhood. You must understand, right?”
Cui Zhihao frantically searched for Shi's figure and found her under the corridor not far away. She must have heard what her uncle said earlier.
But he didn't know what to do. If he insisted on going his own way and disobeyed his parents, it would be unfilial. And if His Majesty found out, then...
Choi Ji-ho was born into the prestigious Choi family of Qinghe. He was well-versed in literature from a young age and harbored lofty ambitions. He was determined to make his mark in the imperial court and bring benefits to the people.
Being promoted by the emperor in such an extraordinary way and entrusted with such an important task is truly a glorious event for his ancestors.
As Cui Zhihao's uncle, Cui Zhe was also quite prestigious in the court. He greeted the guests who came to offer their congratulations with a smile on his face, together with Lin Zhengyuan.
However, Choi Ji-ho seemed lost in thought, his eyes darting around, his mind elsewhere.
Cui Zhe and Lin Zhengyuan pulled the distraught Cui Zhihao to sit down at the table. According to etiquette, although Cui Zhihao was a junior, today was his official appointment banquet, so he was naturally allowed to sit next to them.
But Cui Zhihao was filled with fear and unease, his mind filled with the image of Shi Wanxia.
I wonder if she already knows about the engagement my uncle mentioned, and whether she will cut off contact with me because of it, or avoid me from now on to avoid suspicion.
At the banquet, a table was laden with delicacies, and dignitaries raised their glasses, offering words of flattery and blessing.
But all of this seemed like fleeting clouds to Choi Ji-ho. He mechanically responded to everyone, eating with a complete lack of interest.
After finally enduring the banquet and numbly seeing off the guests, he rushed back to his temporary residence in a panic.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Shi Wanxia sitting alone by the pavilion.
The moonlight, like water, shone on her, outlining her slender figure, like a beautiful painting.
Choi Ji-ho's heart clenched. He hesitated for a long time, torn between his inner thoughts, before finally walking towards her.
“Miss Shi, I was unaware of the engagement my uncle mentioned earlier. Miss Shi, I…”
Choi Ji-ho's voice trembled slightly, his words filled with anxiety and helplessness.
When Shi Wanxia heard his voice, she slowly raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes.
She remained silent for a moment, as if making a difficult decision, before getting up to face him.
“Brother Cui, our social statuses are vastly different, and besides, I have no intention of getting married. You are the first person I have ever liked in this world.”
"If we are destined not to be together, I still hope you can be happy!"
Shi Wanxia suppressed her grief and spoke slowly and deliberately. After she finished speaking, her face was covered in tears. She dared not look into Cui Zhihao's eyes, for fear that she would break down.
Upon hearing this, Choi Ji-ho felt a heart-wrenching pain that made it hard to breathe, as if a sharp blade had pierced his heart.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his throat seemed blocked, his voice trembling, yet he didn't know how to begin.
Looking down, he saw that Shi Wanxia's body and shoulders were trembling slightly. How could he not know that he had hurt her?
It takes immense courage for a woman to say such things, and yet he himself might lose her because of his family's arrangements.
Choi Jiho could no longer control his emotions and couldn't help but pull her into his arms, as if he wanted to make her a part of his life.
"Miss Shi, I will not marry anyone else. You are the only one in my heart."
"I will definitely find a way to cancel this marriage, you can trust me."
He murmured in her ear, his voice choked with emotion.
Shi Wanxia could no longer hold back and burst into tears.
She hugged Choi Ji-ho tightly, as if this were their last embrace. At that moment, all the grievances, sadness, and reluctance poured out with her tears.
In this rigidly hierarchical era, their love was like a fragile flower, teetering on the brink of collapse amidst the storms of worldly affairs.
After an unknown amount of time, Shi Wanxia's crying gradually subsided.
She gently pushed Choi Ji-ho away, wiped her tears with her sleeve, and tried to calm herself down.
“Brother Cui, you and I both know that things are not that simple. You are a member of the Cui family of Qinghe, and the honor and responsibility of the family are too heavy. We cannot be so selfish.”
Her voice was slightly hoarse, yet incredibly firm.
Cui Zhihao looked at her, his eyes filled with pain and resentment: "Miss Shi, is our love going to be destroyed so easily? I don't care about family honor, I only care about you."
Shi Wanxia shook her head with a wry smile: "Brother Cui, it's not that you don't care, it's just that you have no choice in the matter."
“The education you received from childhood, and your ideals and aspirations, are all closely linked to your family. If you break with your parents for my sake, you will suffer for the rest of your life.”
Cui Zhihao fell silent; he knew that Shi Wanxia was telling the truth.
His family wielded immense power in the imperial court, and every word and action they took affected the family's rise and fall, honor and disgrace.
If he were to disobey his parents for the sake of love, it would not only bring shame to his family but could also affect his career and even put Shi Wanxia in danger.
"Miss Shi, what should we do? Are we just supposed to give up like this?"
Choi Ji-ho's eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness.
Shi Wanxia gave him a deep look and said, "Let's both calm down for a while."
"Perhaps time will make everything clear. In the meantime, I need to think carefully about my future and our relationship."
"No matter the outcome, I hope you can be happy."
After saying that, she turned and quickly left the pavilion, leaving Cui Zhihao standing there blankly, watching her departing figure, his heart filled with mixed feelings.