HCB Chapter 1471 Peace
Chapter 1471 Peace
All of this is thanks to Zhan Miao.
Although young, the young city lord Mo Ziyu was insightful and grateful to Zhan Miao for protecting Jingcheng and its people with the three-day agreement. He insisted on holding a banquet at the city lord's mansion to celebrate her victory.
Zhan Miao wanted to decline, as she never cared about such empty fame and fortune.
But Mo Ziyu looked up at her with a serious expression and grabbed her sleeve: "Aunt Miao, this is not for show, but to let the whole city thank you properly. If you refuse, you are looking down on me, the young city lord, and on the people of Jingcheng."
Princess Youyi smiled and advised, "Just do as Ziyu says. You've worked so hard these past few days, you should rest and accept everyone's gratitude."
Looking into the expectant eyes of the two pairs of eyes, one big and one small, Zhan Miao finally nodded in agreement.
That evening, the city lord's mansion was brightly lit, and several banquets were held.
All the prominent families, officials, gentry, clinic owners, and respected elders of Jingcheng were present. Everyone wore a smile, raised their glasses in toast, and the atmosphere was warm and festive.
Zhan Miao sat to one side of the main seat, dressed in a simple blue robe, without any makeup, yet with an upright posture and bright eyes, he stood out among the gorgeous clothes in the room.
She wasn't good at socializing, but she was never impolite. When someone offered her a drink, she would take a small sip; when someone thanked her, she would simply reply that it was her duty.
Mo Ziyu sat upright in the main seat, like a little adult, holding a glass of walnut juice, and said in a clear voice, "Today, on behalf of all the people of Jingcheng, I toast Aunt Miao! If it weren't for Aunt Miao, Jingcheng would have already been in chaos, and we..."
At this point, the boy's eyes reddened slightly.
He still remembers the despair of those days when the people surrounded the government office and the epidemic was rampant.
It was Zhan Miao who stepped forward, shouldered all the pressure single-handedly, and turned the tide.
Zhan Miao quickly raised his hand and gently pressed his shoulder, saying in a gentle voice, "Young City Lord, you flatter me. I only did what I was supposed to do. The stability of Jingcheng is the result of everyone's concerted efforts."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room erupted in praise.
"Miss Zhan is not only brave and resourceful, but also so humble."
"Yes, she broke the deadlock in three days and exposed that traitor Zhou Chongshan. She is truly a heroine among women!"
"It is a blessing for Jingcheng to have Miss Zhan here."
Praise was endless.
The elders from various prominent families at the banquet looked at Zhan Miao with even more admiration in their eyes.
Such beauty, such courage, such strategy—not only could ordinary young ladies not compare, but even noble ladies in the capital might not be able to match her.
After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,
The room suddenly quieted down a bit.
The head of the Su family, the second most powerful family in Jingcheng, slowly rose, holding a wine glass in his hand. His gaze fell on Zhan Miao, his smile gentle yet carrying a hint of solemnity.
The head of the Su family held immense prestige in Jingcheng. His family owned countless fertile fields and shops, and many of his descendants held positions within the city. Their power was second only to Zhou Chongshan in the past.
As soon as he stood up, everyone instinctively looked over, knowing he had something to say.
"Miss Zhan."
The head of the Su family spoke, his voice booming and resounding throughout the hall: "Today, as we celebrate our victory, I have a thousand words in my heart, but they can all be summed up in one sentence: gratitude. You saved Jingcheng, and you also saved countless members of our Su family. This kindness will never be forgotten by the Su family."
Zhan Miao nodded slightly: "Mr. Su, you're too kind."
The head of the Su family smiled, then changed the subject, his gaze carrying a mixture of scrutiny and satisfaction, and slowly said:
"Today, besides expressing my gratitude, I have another important matter to discuss with Miss Zhan. In front of all the prominent figures in Jingcheng, I would like to ask for a favor from her."
Zhan Miao raised an eyebrow slightly: "Please speak, Mr. Su."
Mo Ziyu also sat up slightly, somewhat curious.
Princess Youyi had a vague feeling of unease, a sense of foreboding.
The head of the Su family took a deep breath and said loudly, "My third son, Su Wenyan, is nineteen years old. He is well-read, of good character, and still unmarried. At today's celebration banquet, he fell in love with Miss Zhan at first sight and has been unable to forget her."
"Miss Zhan is intelligent, brave, and kind-hearted; she is exactly the daughter-in-law my Su family desires!"
"Today, on behalf of my son, I propose that Miss Zhan be his wife!"
The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.
Everyone was stunned, then erupted in uproar.
Propose marriage!
He actually proposed marriage in front of everyone at the victory celebration banquet!
The Su family wielded immense power in Jingcheng, and Su Wenyan was a renowned scion of a prominent family in the city, possessing exceptional looks, talent, and family background.
To outsiders, this marriage seemed like a match made in heaven.
Immediately, the room was abuzz with discussion.
"The third young master of the Su family? He's a promising young talent!"
"If Miss Zhan marries into the Su family, it will be a powerful alliance, making Jingcheng even more stable in the future!"
"They're a perfect match! They're such a perfect match!"
Everyone assumed that Zhan Miao would gladly agree.
Marrying into a top-tier family and becoming the glamorous young mistress of the Su family, living a life of peace, honor, and worry-free existence—what woman could refuse that?
All eyes were on Zhan Miao.
Su Wenyan, the young master of the Su family, also immediately stood up, walked to the table, bowed to Zhan Miao, his face slightly flushed, his eyes burning with admiration, making no attempt to hide his feelings:
"My name is Su Wenyan. I have met Miss Zhan. I am amazed by your beauty today. If I could marry you, I would protect you for the rest of my life and never wrong you in the slightest."
His posture was respectful, his feelings were sincere, and his words were extremely earnest.
Mo Ziyu stood there, stunned, her little face full of confusion.
He held the celebration banquet to celebrate Aunt Miao's success, not to propose marriage to someone else!
Princess Youyi immediately frowned, and was about to speak to smooth things over when Zhan Miao gently pressed her wrist.
Zhan Miao's expression remained calm, without a trace of shyness or joy, only a detached and clear indifference.
She slowly stood up, her posture upright, her gaze level with Su Wenyan, then sweeping over the head of the Su family, her voice clear and cold, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Mr. Su, Young Master Su, thank you for your kindness."
She first thanked them, then changed the subject, her words carrying clearly to every corner of the room:
"However, I cannot accept this marriage proposal."
The entire room fell silent once again.
No one expected that she would refuse in public.
The smile on the face of the Su family patriarch froze, and Su Wenyan's face turned pale. He looked up in disbelief: "Miss Zhan, you, you reject me?"
Zhan Miao nodded without any hesitation.
Her gaze swept across the entire room, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable power:
"I, Zhan Miao, am not here to marry into a high-ranking family, not to become someone's young mistress, not to depend on a man for a lifetime of peace."
"I broke the deadlock in three days, investigated the source of the epidemic, found the real culprit, and guarded Jingcheng, all to live up to my conscience, to live up to the innocent people who died, and to live up to the young city lord's trust. It was not to use my achievements to exchange for a marriage."
"I have things to do, people to protect, and a path to walk. This path doesn't need to end with marriage."
She paused, her gaze gently falling on Mo Ziyu, who looked tense beside her. Her tone softened slightly, but remained firm: "Moreover, I am in Jingcheng to accompany the young city lord, to stabilize the city, and to protect its people. I am the guardian of Jingcheng, not a pawn used for political marriage."