Qingyang Marquis stared at his eldest son, whose face had been slapped almost beyond recognition. His expression darkened to the extreme as he fixed his gaze on Ye Chu. “Such nerve! Daring to cause trouble in my Qingyang Marquis Mansion!”
His voice roared like a lion, echoing through the hall. Some people felt pain in their eardrums from the shock. However, more were gloating. Daring to beat the eldest young master in Qingyang Marquis Mansion, Ye Chu was courting death!
“Men! Bind this brat!” Qingyang Marquis had not yet recognised Ye Chu. He shouted to the mansion guards who had followed him.
Watching the group of guards surround him, Ye Chu smiled. “Uncle Qing rather looks down on this nephew. Think these useless rice buckets can bind me?”
Hearing Ye Chu’s address, Qingyang Marquis froze. He finally remembered who the youth before him was. Qingyang Marquis found it equally unbelievable. He had thought some new genius had emerged in Yao City who could overpower his son. He had never expected it to be the scum who vanished from Yao City three years ago.
But rumours said he had been beaten to death by Weiyuan Marquis. How was he still alive? More importantly, three years ago he was just a waste. Yet now he could defeat his son!
The doubts in his heart actually made Qingyang Marquis hold back his temper. He looked at Ye Chu, snorted, and said, “Did not expect a scourge like you to still be alive! What? Come back to plague Yao City again?”
Ye Chu shrugged. “Yao City is too small. My horizons are much broader now! Plaguing Yao City is unambitious. If I plague anywhere, it should be a grand place like the imperial capital!”
Hearing Ye Chu’s words, Su Rong did not know whether to laugh or cry. She thought, do you really treat evildoing as your profession? Plaguing the imperial capital? Keep that ambition!
“Good! Good! Ambitious!” Qingyang Marquis laughed in extreme anger. “Still a scum, but at least no longer completely useless!”
“Uncle Qing flatters me! If I am scum, then your son is truly beneath notice!” Ye Chu smiled. Suddenly his face flushed red. He twisted shyly, fidgeting with his sleeve, and said with some embarrassment, “Actually, in these three years away, people always praised me as accomplished in both civil and martial arts!”
“Pfft…”
Many could not hold back and burst out laughing. They cursed inwardly: someone praising Ye Chu as accomplished in civil and martial arts? Who the hell is blind?
Even Ye Chao could not help turning his head away. Though Ye Chu had been expelled from the Ye family, he still felt ashamed of those words. How could the Ye family produce such a shameless person!
“Accomplished in civil and martial arts?!” Qingyang Marquis stared at Ye Chu in astonishment, full of disdain. After recognising Ye Chu, he was no longer in a hurry to act. “I rather want to see how you are accomplished in civil and martial arts.”
“Civil: able to lift the brush…”
Before Ye Chu finished, Su Rong, Liang Shan, and Zhang Su’er all turned their heads away. Done for! This fellow is going to recite his lewd poem again! Reciting it in front of so many people, is he not afraid of being spat to death?
“Civil: able to lift the brush to pacify the realm. Martial: able to mount the horse to settle the universe! Does that count as accomplished in civil and martial arts?”
Su Rong was stunned. She had not expected Ye Chu to recite something other than the poem that once made her blush. She looked at Ye Chu with some surprise. Three years apart, he had gained some learning. To have such wit!
Ye Chu looked shy, scratching his head as if embarrassed. “This really is not me praising myself! Others insisted, composing this poem for me! Actually, I also feel I am not that impressive!”
“Pah!” Including Liang Shan, everyone could not help spitting. Only a ghost would believe someone else wrote it for you. With your character, who would praise you?! Afraid you made it yourself to gild your own face!
“You do make me see you in a new light! Compared to your former ignorance, you have at least gained some learning!” Qingyang Marquis said. “But how do we settle you injuring Xiangming?”
“Uncle Qing! I was just about to mention that!” Ye Chu said indignantly. “The young master you raised is far too undisciplined! Uncle Qing, what a figure you are, called a gentleman by Yao City! Yet your son throws your face away. He lost the bet yet refuses to honour it. Where is gentlemanly integrity? I felt he was too disobedient, so I disciplined him for you. Uncle Qing will not blame me, surely!”
“You talk to me of gentlemanly integrity?” Qingyang Marquis almost wanted to laugh. Does Ye Chu not know his own reputation in others’ eyes? And does his son need you to discipline him?
“Of course! Gentlemen sincere like Uncle Qing and me, a third cannot be found in all Yao City!” Ye Chu said very seriously. His words made many want to rush up and kick him hard. Could this fellow stop disgusting them?!
Qingyang Marquis stared at Ye Chu. Seeing Ye Chu standing lazily, lips curved in a smile, utterly relaxed, he felt even more amazed! Ye Chu had changed too much from three years ago. Back then, facing him, Ye Chu had shown no such ease and freedom, only fear!
But now on Ye Chu he actually saw a bearing unmoved by favour or disgrace? Yes! Bearing! Damn it, how could such a thing appear on Ye Chu!!
“Uncle Qing, stop staring. Bring the three-hundred-year lingzhi to correct your young master’s mistake.” As Ye Chu spoke, he walked towards Qingyang Marquis.
Seeing Ye Chu do so, Liang Shan’s heart leapt in fear! Ye Chu still dares approach Qingyang Marquis. One slap from him, and even if it does not kill him, it will take half his life!
“Marquis! Why waste words with this brat? Yao City’s scum. Eliminating him rids the city of harm!” A Qingyang Mansion guard shouted. He had personally witnessed Ye Chu allowing followers to humiliate mansion maids years ago. His hatred for Ye Chu needed no explanation!
Seeing Ye Chu approach, Qingyang Marquis snorted. He slapped out!
But the slap had not reached Ye Chu when Ye Chu caught his wrist with his hand. “Though I know Uncle Qing has missed me after so long apart, I did not expect such enthusiasm, actually wanting to give me a hug! But sorry, I do not like men touching my body!”
Qingyang Marquis saw Ye Chu catch his move so swiftly and was equally astonished! No wonder Xiangming was no match for him!
Qingyang Marquis struggled, trying to free himself! But soon his expression changed drastically. He looked at Ye Chu with some disbelief! Struggling with full force, he actually could not break free of Ye Chu’s grip!
Qingyang Marquis thought it an illusion. He struggled again several times. His hand remained held by Ye Chu! Huge waves surged in his heart. Yet Ye Chu smiled at him, expression natural and relaxed!
Others naturally did not know what happened. They thought Qingyang Marquis really wanted to hug Ye Chu but was held back. Only a few noticed the change in Qingyang Marquis’s expression.
“Uncle Qing can give me the lingzhi now, right?” Ye Chu subtly released Qingyang Marquis’s hand.
Staring fixedly at Ye Chu, Qingyang Marquis’s expression was complex. Only after a long while did he shout to the guards, “Carry the eldest young master inside for treatment. Also, deliver the three-hundred-year lingzhi to Ye Chu!”
“Marquis!”
The hall erupted in uproar. No one could believe this was Qingyang Marquis’s decision!
“No need for words! Do as I say! All of you follow me inside!” Qingyang Marquis barked at the guards, leading the group into the inner mansion.
Several guards were unwilling but could only grit their teeth and follow. Their resentment grew deeper. At the same time, they wondered why the marquis let Ye Chu go!
Only Qingyang Marquis walking ahead had huge waves in his heart. He could not accept this fact! Though it was only a brief clash, it was clear Ye Chu had strength to completely suppress him! That was why he chose to yield. If he truly lost to Ye Chu, what face would he have left before his peers in Yao City? After all, Ye Chu had always been seen as scum waste!
He had reached the peak of True Qi realm. Ye Chu could completely suppress him! What strength was that? Had he reached the second layer, cultivating one’s primordial spirit?! Thinking of this possibility, Qingyang Marquis felt his heart gallop like ten thousand horses! Though he was not Yao City’s top powerhouse, even falling short of the younger generation’s few geniuses, he had never imagined Ye Chu surpassing him! As a marquis, those with extraordinary talent surpassing him was one thing. But could Ye Chu count as extraordinarily talented?
“Ye Chu… just how strong is he?”
