Chapter 14

Chu Yan looked at Ye Tao with a cunning gaze and gestured to him again: "Old Ye, why don't you speak up? Can I slit my own throat? It would be perfect for me to go down there and have a drink with Ye Changqing, and casually ask him how he's doing. After all, he's only been dead for a few years, and the Ye family has made quite a bit of progress. They dare to talk to me like this now?"

"..."

All the guards stared with wide eyes. Damn, Ye Changqing was the founding ancestor of the Ye family and a great general who helped establish the Changlong Kingdom. Without Ye Changqing, there would be no Ye family today. In all of Tianyong City, who wouldn't praise Ye Changqing? Now, this kid was calling him by his name.

What the guards couldn't understand was why, after Chu Yan spoke so insolently, Ye Tao's face changed and he ended up smiling apologetically?

"Haha, it's actually my virtuous nephew, Chu. What are you talking about? I misspoke, I misspoke."

"Don't, didn't you want me to pay a price? How about this, tell me where Ye Changqing's grave is, and I'll dig it up and chat with him about this price?"

"Lord Chu, don't joke around. The ancestor has only been resting for a few years. For such a trivial matter, let's not disturb him, okay?" Ye Tao's mouth twitched.

The guards were even more confused. Damn, who is this kid? Why does he keep talking about digging up graves?

Chu Yan gave Ye Tao a cold, disdainful look and said, "What? Are you going to make me stand here forever?"

Ye Tao was taken aback, then hurriedly put on a servile smile. All the guards were stunned; they had never seen Ye Tao act so servile before.

"Lord Chu, please, Lord Chu, please!"

After saying this, Ye Tao glared at all the guards: "You useless bunch, how dare you lay a hand on Lord Chu? You're all punished to night duty."

Chu Yan also looked at Zhao Liù: "How about it? Feeling better? If not, I can help you torment them a bit more."

Zhao Liù was overjoyed. He was increasingly convinced that following Chu Yan was a wise choice. What moved Zhao Liù the most was that although Chu Yan was a prince and the young master of the Liu family, he treated him with respect and considered him a brother.

"Son-in-law, no need, I feel much better now."

"Good, let's go. I'll take you inside."

Chu Yan strode confidently into the Ye family meeting hall. Watching his back, Ye Tao and the Ye family elders turned purple with anger.

"Isn't this disaster just finished wiping out the Qin family? Why is he here at the Ye family now?"

"You ask me, who should I ask?"

"Who knows which blind fool provoked him? Now, just when we were celebrating the fall of the Qin family, we're in for trouble."

"What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and serve this ancestor!" Ye Tao glared.

"Damn, I'm really impressed!"

The Ye family elders were all flustered, but when they entered the meeting hall, their faces twitched even more.

The Ye family meeting hall had six chairs. The two at the top were usually for Ye Tao and his wife, and the two on each side were for the four elders. But when Ye Tao and the others returned to the meeting hall, they found no place to sit.

Chu Yan was sitting in the head of the family's seat, and he was occupying two chairs, sitting on one and putting his feet on the other.

Zhao Wu and Zhao Liù each occupied two chairs as well. When they saw Ye Tao and the others enter, they were so scared that they tried to stand up, but Chu Yan's glare made them stay put, making them feel like sitting on pins and needles.

"Haha, Old Ye, my brothers and I are tired. We'll sit for a while. You don't mind standing, do you?" Chu Yan said casually.

Ye Tao's mouth twitched. He had no objection to Chu Yan sitting, but now, even the Liu family's servants were sitting, while they, the elders, had to stand.

But there was no choice. Ye Tao wasn't a fool. Everyone could see that Chu Yan had come with ill intentions. If he offended Chu Yan now, it would be like asking for trouble, not just for himself but for the entire Ye family.

"Lord Chu, what are you talking about? It's only right, it's only right! Please, sit, please, sit!"

Zhao Wu and Zhao Liù breathed a sigh of relief at Ye Tao's compliance and felt a bit more at ease. However, they had nothing to do but eat some sweets on the table and watch Chu Yan act arrogantly.

Chu Yan didn't talk about serious matters, just chatted about trivial things.

"Haha, Old Ye, your Ye family is truly magnificent. This meeting hall is even more beautiful than the Liu family's. I should come and sit here more often when I have time."

Ye Tao was embarrassed... thinking, if you like it, I can build one for you, but please don't come and sit here often.

"Old Ye, I see your Ye family is quite prosperous. Hey, you guys, don't just stand there. Come, let's discuss this together."

"..."

Ye Tao and the Ye family elders were flustered. The more Chu Yan acted this way, the more uneasy Ye Tao felt. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and said with a helpless smile, "Lord Chu, just say what you want. I beg you, don't torture me like this. I'm old and can't handle such storms."

"It's nothing serious. Don't worry, I won't make your Ye family disappear. I came to the Ye family to find someone."

"Thump!"

Ye Tao's heart sank. Finding someone... indeed, someone in the Ye family had provoked this disaster.

"Who is Lord Chu looking for?"

"Ye Xun, have him come out and see me." Chu Yan said casually.

"Ye Xun?"

Ye Tao broke out in a cold sweat. Ye Xun was his most beloved grandson and the most talented young member of the Ye family. If possible, he didn't want anything to happen to Ye Xun.

"Lord Chu, did Xun offend you? I beg you to forgive him. I'll kneel to you." Ye Tao immediately knelt down.

"Whoosh!"

Chu Yan frowned and quickly used his elemental energy to lift Ye Tao's knees. Compared to Qin Hao, Ye Xun was more adept at dealing with people. He knew who he couldn't offend and chose to flatter, even if it meant sacrificing some dignity.

"Call him out first." Chu Yan's face remained expressionless, showing no signs of joy or anger.

The Ye family elders were panicked. The head elder clenched his fists: "Damn it, it must be Liu Tianfeng. He's using this kid, Chu Yan, to destroy both the Qin and Ye families?"

"Things have come to this. Go and call Ye Xun. Whether he lives or dies is his fate..."

Ye Tao's old body slumped. He felt a darkness in front of his eyes. The death of Qin Feng at Chu Yan's hands was no longer a secret. Now that Chu Yan was looking for Ye Xun, Ye Xun probably wouldn't last long.

---

At that moment, in a courtyard of the Ye family.

The news of the Qin family's downfall had quickly spread throughout Tianyong City, including to Ye Xun's ears.

"Haha, Young Master, it's really satisfying. I didn't expect that kid, Chu Yan, to have the skills to drive the Qin family out of Tianyong City!" one of Ye Xun's subordinates said excitedly.

"Yes, everything was part of Young Master's plan. After today, there will be no more Qin family in Tianyong City."

Ye Xun's expression was not good: "Unfortunately, Qin Hao didn't die!"

"Although he didn't die, the Qin family was driven out of Tianyong City. I heard that the Changlong Kingdom's royal family issued an order overnight, stripping Qin Hao of his position as border guard general. The Qin family has been expelled from the Hundred Families. In a few years, the Qin family will surely be destroyed."

Ye Xun shook his head: "No, I must see Qin Hao die. The matter with my mother is far from over!"

"Young Master, your father is looking for you!"

At that moment, a gentle maid pushed the door open. Her gaze towards Ye Xun was warm, not like a subordinate. This was because Ye Xun was usually kind to people and generous to his subordinates, treating them as equals.

Hearing the maid's words, Ye Xun was puzzled. It was already late at night, so Ye Tao must have something important.

"Alright, I'll go now!"

Ye Xun tidied his clothes and followed the maid to the Ye family meeting hall. On the way, he didn't notice anything unusual. When he entered the hall, Zhao Wu and Zhao Liù stood up, and the four elders were seated, so he didn't suspect anything and knelt down.

"Grandfather, what is it that you called me for at this late hour?" Ye Xun said respectfully.

"Lord Ye, why are you bowing so deeply upon meeting?"

At that moment, a slightly childish laugh echoed from the high seat. Ye Xun looked up in shock, realizing that the person sitting there was not Ye Tao, but Chu Yan.

"Chu Yan! It's you?"

Ye Xun's heart sank, a sense of foreboding rising, making his back feel cold.

"Of course, it's me. I came to thank you for your kind warning today. If it weren't for you, my wife and I would have been in trouble. How should I repay such a great favor?" Chu Yan's voice was cold and mocking.

Ye Xun's expression grew increasingly grim. He knew that Chu Yan had figured everything out. But he quickly calmed down and smiled faintly: "People say that the Liu family married a useless son-in-law, a beggar, a fool. It seems that everyone in Tianyong City has been deceived by you."

Chu Yan smiled, neither confirming nor denying. At this moment, Ye Tao and the others were anxious, but Chu Yan had ordered them not to speak or plead for mercy, so they could only watch.

Ye Xun smiled bitterly and shook his head. He looked directly at Chu Yan and sighed: "Chu Yan, since you know everything, I have nothing to hide. Yes, I used Qin Feng, and I gave him the Spring Poison."

"So, you admit it?"

"Of course, I take responsibility for my actions. It's just a pity... Qin Hao didn't die."

Mentioning Qin Hao again, Ye Xun's eyes blazed with anger, but he soon sighed in resignation: "But since he didn't die, I probably won't have the chance to take my revenge. I know I've offended you, and you won't let me go. I also know that you can destroy the Ye family as easily as you destroyed the Qin family. But this matter... was done by me alone, and has nothing to do with the Ye family. I hope you will only take my life."