The Great Elder maintained an impassive countenance while squinting slightly. His gaze roved over Ye Ling’s face, before he focused on the Second Elder and asked, “Last night, a group of assassins invaded our residence with the intention to murder me and the family head. Are you aware of this matter?”
Ye Ling was completely stupefied when the Great Elder brought up the issue.
The Second Elder, who was oblivious to the incident, furrowed his brow as his worried gaze sought any injuries on Ye Ling, before he stated solemnly, “I concentrated solely on my training and was unaware of all this. To think someone in the city would dare attack us?!”
“You are unaware?” The Great Elder scoffed at his claim. “Looking at our current family situation, should the family head and I suffer from any mishaps while our young lady is still a minor, who do you think…will reign over our household then?”
The Great Elder’s statement was presented in the form of a query, but everyone present was well aware of what it implied.
The Second Elder would be the one holding the reins if the Great Elder and Ye Ling had perished from the assassination.
“What are you getting at?” The Second Elder’s face clouded over.
“Sir, the Great Elder was pretty clear in his implication. I’m sure you’ve caught the drift given your smarts, no?” mocked Ye Xun, as she regarded the Second Elder with disdain from the side. “Or are you pretending to be senile? Our family has always treated you well. Father respected you, despite your position as a mere Elder. To think you’re still unsatisfied with all that and sought to topple his authority using such unscrupulous means!”
The next instant, the Second Elder shot a piercing glare at the slanderous Ye Xun.
“My conscience has always been clear. I would never have done anything against our household! Ye Xun, how dare you sully my honor!”
Ye Xun faltered under the Second Elder’s scowling eyes. Feigning being wronged, she hid behind Duan Tianrao, while clinging to his sleeves and pleading with tearful eyes, “Duan-lang, I’m scared…”
Duan Tianrao patted her dainty hand to console her. Raising his head, he looked the Second Elder in the eye and said, “Sir, I’ve always respected your position and admired your strength, but you should admit your wrongdoings. The news of the assassination attempt on Uncle Ye and the Great Elder has already spread across the city. Who in their right mind would plot such a crime without any reason? Other than you, who would stand to gain from this assassination?”
The Second Elder’s expression turned grave. He had just completed his training and was out of touch with matters beyond the training chamber. To be accused of a crime he had just heard of was inconceivable.
And the sight of the intimacy between Ye Xun and Duan Tianrao only served to make matters worse.
Duan Tianrao was supposed to be Ye Qingtang’s fiancé, how dare he flirt with another lady, especially Ye Xun, who was Ye Ling’s adopted daughter!
The Second Elder had been obsessed with martial prowess since his youth and had neither considered marriage nor raised any children of his own. Thus, he had long regarded Ye Qingtang as his own granddaughter. Duan Tianrao’s betrayal and the tarnishing of his name eventually pushed his capricious temper to its limits.
A surge of aura, amplified by his rage, exploded suddenly into his surroundings, throwing the guards who were apprehending him off their feet.
“Impertinent brat! I’ll teach you a lesson for besmirching my name!” The Second Elder bellowed.