The patriarch found himself silenced by Qian Youfu's resolute stance.
Indeed, after Su Bin's parents had passed away, the Qian Clan had extended no assistance to his family. Instead, they had allowed their clansmen to mistreat Su Bin's family. Now, with Su Bin achieving the status of High Scholar, they sought to capitalize on his success.
While the clan was willing to reward Su Bin and offer him land, he had already made it abundantly clear that he was not interested. His refusal remained unswayed, even if someone else brought it up.
Qian Youfu, in turn, was not inclined to exploit their past relationship to broker a deal.
"If you believe, patriarch, that I am ill-suited to be the village chief, I will step down," Qian Youfu reiterated.
The patriarch fixed a stern gaze on Qian Youfu. "Are you attempting to retreat in order to advance?"
As the patriarch, he had the authority to appoint or dismiss anyone as the village chief.
