In the middle of the courtyard, a table was piled high with gift boxes, containing century-old ginseng, superior Polygonum multiflorum ointment, and various Buddha statues and Buddha beads crafted in pure gold.
Old Master Su was a devout Buddhist, in addition to being the helmsman of the Su family.
Those below him naturally chose many precious Buddhist items to curry favor with him.
Any one of the gifts on the table had a high-end value of several hundreds of thousands.
But when Ye Ling and Su Rou entered, the crowd couldn't help but burst into laughter upon seeing the old painting in his hand.
"Haha, Ye Ling, you really are shabby. For the Old Master's birthday celebration, everyone's giving gold Buddhas and gold chains. If you had no money, even a silver Buddha would show filial piety, but bringing this broken painting, do you want to embarrass grandpa?"
Su Jun's harsh voice attracted everyone's attention.
"This guy is Ye Ling? He's such a waste, making a fool of himself at his first Su family birthday celebration. Won't he become the laughingstock of the entire city in the future?"
The crowd sneered, discussing openly in front of Ye Ling without any politeness.
Ye Ling remained expressionless, glancing indifferently at the precious metalware on the table, then calmly said, "You don't know anything. The painting I've brought is more precious than all of yours combined."
"Haha, have you gone mad, Ye Ling? With all these gold Buddhas and Buddha beads on the table, the total is upwards of tens of millions. And you dare claim that your tattered painting is worth more than ten million?"
Su Ya sneered, shaking her head as though looking at a fool.
The guests present scolded coldly, "The Su family really has poor judgment this time, taking in garbage from prison as a son-in-law. We must advise Old Master Su, for the sake of the Su family's reputation, to drive away this garbage Ye Ling!"
People laughed mockingly, looking at Ye Ling as if he were a clown, yet Ye Ling remained indifferent, nonchalantly placing the old painting on the table.
At that moment, a young man dressed in a silk suit, radiating arrogance in every move, walked over.
He glanced at the old painting on the table and scoffed, "Ye Ling, you've brought such trash here, do you think you're fit to be Su family's son-in-law?"
"Oh, and who are you to talk to me like this?" Ye Ling retorted coldly, a glint of frost flashing in his eyes.
"How dare you speak like that. Kneel down and greet Chen Renjie right this moment!" Su Ya scolded coldly, then stepped forward to hold Chen Renjie's hand with a proud expression, "Young Master Chen is from a jewelry family, marrying into our Su family represents a union of power."
"And you are just a convict, only tainting the Su family's name!" Su Ya said coldly, her eyes filled with disdain.
"Heh, the Chen family, a local small clan, dares to flaunt in front of me?" Ye Ling mocked, his eyes showing even more indifference.
In his eyes, it seemed, the Chen family was nothing but a minor character.
Chen Renjie's face turned angry, and he immediately presented a rosewood box with a golden lock hanging on it. As he unlocked it with a key, a dazzling light burst forth.
The crowd was instantly captivated by the light, widening their eyes in disbelief, "This, such a pure green, could it be the legendary 'Imperial Green'?"
"Imperial Green, that's the crème de la crème of jadeite, such a large jade Buddha, its price must be tens of millions, if not over a hundred million!" A knowledgeable middle-aged man stood up, his gaze fixed on the jade Buddha as if it were an exceedingly rare treasure.
Su Jun's face trembled, he bowed and flattered, "Young Master Chen, how much is this Buddha pendant?"
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"Heh heh, it's only one hundred and fifty million, after all. Today is Grandpa Su's birthday celebration, and as the prospective son-in-law of the Su family, I naturally need to do my best for his elderliness!"
Chen Renjie smiled lightly, while the Su family guests present all stared agape in astonishment.
One hundred and fifty million! Just for this jade Buddha, it was worth ten times more than all their gifts combined.
"Young Master Chen, you're really extravagant!" Su Ya laughed, her body trembling like a blossoming flower, as she leaned closer.
Chen Renjie was very pleased. He tapped his fingers and looked at Ye Ling with disdain, saying, "Heh heh, didn't you just say that my Chen family was just a minor clan?"
"Now that I have given a jade Buddha worth one hundred and fifty million, what else do you have to say?"
Ye Ling remained indifferent and glanced at the mocking eyes around him, unconcernedly saying, "Showing off with just a fake piece of imperial green jade, aren't you afraid of making a public fool of yourself?"
"Fake, how could that be possible?" The crowd shook their heads in disbelief. Chen Renjie was a well-known young master from the jewelry industry. How could he possibly deceive anyone with fake jewels?
Veins bulged on Chen Renjie's face as he shouted angrily, "Nonsense, this imperial green jade has been professionally appraised. Who are you to claim you know better than a Jewelry Appraiser?"
The crowd nodded in agreement, then turned to Ye Ling with a cold voice, "Ye Ling, you are too envious. If you can't afford high-end gifts, that's fine, but to slander Young Master Chen for offering fake goods, isn't that a bit too low for you?"
"Indeed, Ye Ling, how dare you slander Young Master Chen? Get on your knees and apologize at once!" Su Jun stepped forward with a stern voice, his eyes filled with delight.
He had been worried about finding an excuse to deal with Ye Ling and hadn't expected him to just fall into his lap. Such an idiot—daring to offend Young Master Chen!
As Su Jun spoke gravely, the Su family's security guards immediately surrounded them. With sticks in their hands and taking pleasure in misfortune, they said, "Ye Ling, didn't you hear the young master? Kneel down and apologize at once, or don't blame us for being impolite and breaking your legs!"
"How can you act like this? Ye Ling is supposed to be a grandson-in-law of the Su family, and you are merely servants of the Su family. How can you lay hands on him?" Su Rou said, stepping forward with a worried look on her face.
"Heh, grandson-in-law? As if such trash is worthy?" chuckled the security guards, then coldly said, "We don't acknowledge him. The only person qualified to be our Su family's grandson-in-law is Young Master Chen!"
With a smug look, Chen Renjie beckoned Su Rou with his finger, "Sister Rou'er, did you hear that? The Su family recognizes only me as the son-in-law. If you know what's good for you, break up with that waste, Ye Ling, and become my little sweetheart, wouldn't that be better?"
"Shameless!" Su Rou's face turned deathly pale in anger. Bending over and gasping for air, she grabbed Ye Ling's hand and said, "Ye Ling, let's just leave. None of these people want us here; they just want to humiliate us!"
Ye Ling glanced at the group and indifferently said, "Rou'er, don't worry. These few pieces of trash can't stop you from attending Grandpa's birthday feast."
"Hah, since you're courting death, then don't blame us!" The security guards' eyes turned cold as they swung their sticks toward his head.
With a buzzing sound, the iron sticks pierced through the air, aiming to smash his skull.
Su Rou's heart was pounding so hard it was ready to leap out, but Ye Ling remained motionless, as if he didn't even see them coming.
From behind him, a man built like a tower sprang out, grabbing the iron sticks and twisting them together.
With a snap, six iron sticks twisted together like twisted doughnuts, and those security guards, clutching their arms broken in a cross shape, knelt on the ground, wailing miserably.
"Those who dare to insult Young Master Ye only have one path—death!" The killing intent in Ye Jiu's eyes surged. If it weren't for Ye Ling's intervention, he would have killed everyone present at that moment.
The king must not be humiliated, even exterminating nine clans wouldn't expiate the crime!
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