“Here it is quite lively.” Amid the crowd’s laughter and conversation, a young man strode in. Everyone’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to him.
“Young Master Ye the Second has arrived.” The crowd exclaimed in surprise. They had not expected Ye Chao to be invited by Qing Xiangming. If Qing Xiangming was the centre of their circle, then Ye Chao, along with Su Rong, was the centre of the entire younger generation in Yao City.
In terms of prestige among the young, Ye Chao could rank in the top ten. Qing Xiangming was outside the top ten.
“Brother Qing. Long time no see.” Ye Chao smiled and nodded to Qing Xiangming, then turned his gaze to Su Rong. “Miss Su Rong, it has indeed been a while.”
“It has been a long time since I last saw Young Master Ye Chao.” Su Rong could not help turning her head towards where Ye Chu had been, only to find he was no longer there. She thought Ye Chu had finally shown sense and left.
Ye Chao smiled, nodding politely to the others, greeting them amiably without the slightest arrogance. His bearing was extraordinary, earning even greater admiration from the crowd.
They thought that though the Ye family had produced one scum, the eldest and second young masters were true talents. The eldest needed no mention. He ranked in the top three among Yao City’s outstanding youths. The second was also remarkable. Rumour had it he had reached the upper grade of the True Qi Realm.
Among Yao City’s younger generation, fewer than ten possessed such strength. Qing Xiangming was still one step away from upper grade.
Watching Ye Chao and Su Rong surrounded by everyone, Liang Shan could not help glancing at Ye Chu. Sure enough, he saw Ye Chu standing silently. Ye Chao was his second brother, the second son of his uncle. In the past, Ye Chu had been the most favoured grandson of the Weiyuan Marquis. Even Ye Tian, the eldest, could not compare. All the family’s best resources went to Ye Chu first, only then to the two of them. This had bred extreme jealousy in Ye Tian and Ye Chao. Combined with Ye Chu’s past idleness and tarnishing of the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion’s reputation, the three cousins, though related, were not close. There was no outright enmity, but a certain coolness. On ordinary meetings, they merely exchanged greetings.
Ye Chu had not expected that, three years later, the two would hold such renown, becoming leaders of Yao City’s younger generation.
Seeing Ye Chao, Ye Chu’s expression grew complex. Appearing before him meant news of his return to Yao City would surely reach the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion. Ye Chu was unsure if this was good or bad.
Three years ago, the Weiyuan Marquis had beaten him until his skin split open, yet Ye Chu harboured no hatred. Given the scum he had been in his previous life, the disappointed marquis had shown mercy by not killing him outright. As for the original owner’s death, it stemmed from excessive debauchery weakening the body too much.
When the Weiyuan Marquis expelled him from the family, leaving him to fend for himself, he had declared that if Ye Chu ever returned, he would be beaten to death with random sticks. Ye Chu did not take this as a joke. The marquis had sworn it kneeling before the ancestral tablets.
Ye Chu vaguely remembered that, after the oath, the Weiyuan Marquis had wept bitterly, ageing several years in an instant.
Recalling this scene, Ye Chu felt a pang of sorrow. He thought that, back then, Ye Chu had utterly broken the marquis’s heart, leaving him in complete despair. Combined with pressure from the backgrounds of the two women, he had been forced to make such a decision.
Shaking off these emotions, Ye Chu stepped forward. Though the Ye family no longer acknowledged him, Ye Chu could not resent them. The fault lay in his past utter depravity. Moreover, Ye Chu could not deny the marquis’s past kindness towards him.
Seeing Ye Chu’s movement, Liang Shan jumped in fright and grabbed him. “What are you doing? Hurry and leave. If they see you, you are in trouble today.”
Ye Chu smiled at Liang Shan, gently pushed his hand away, and strode forward. This left Liang Shan stomping anxiously.
“Second Brother.”
Ye Chao was exchanging pleasantries with Qing Xiangming when a somewhat familiar voice sounded. He turned doubtfully, seeing a youth smiling behind him. Though the youth’s appearance had changed somewhat from three years ago, Ye Chao recognised him at once.
“Ye Chu.” Ye Chao could not help exclaiming. He had never expected to see this cousin, missing for three years and presumed dead. Yet after the surprise, he quickly reacted. His face turned cold. “What are you doing in Yao City? The Ye family has no connection to you anymore. Do not call me Second Brother.”
Ye Chao felt deep anger. In the past, though jealous when Grandfather gave all the best to Ye Chu, he would not compete. As older brothers, yielding to the younger was normal. But Ye Chu had been too depraved. Not content with wreaking havoc in Yao City, he had tried to harm his grandmother’s adopted daughter Lin Shixin and their distant cousin Ji Die from the imperial Ye family direct line. The Yao City Ye family was merely a branch of the imperial line. Because of Ye Chu’s actions, the imperial Ye family had begun suppressing the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion. If not for Grandfather swearing before the ancestors to disown Ye Chu, the Yao City Ye family might no longer exist.
Even so, the family had declined year by year. Even the king had grown distant. Clearly, all this was Ye Chu’s fault.
How could Ye Chao feel any fondness for him?
Seeing Ye Chao’s reaction, Ye Chu gave a bitter smile. He thought the previous Ye Chu had truly reached the pinnacle of alienating everyone.
Strictly speaking, Ye Chu’s body was Ye family, but the soul was not. Of course, Ye Chu was not so shameless as to occupy the body yet deny being a Ye descendant. Since Ye Chao disowned him, Ye Chu would not force it.
Su Rong stood beside Ye Chao. Watching Ye Chu step into view, she could not help feeling dazed. She had not expected him to dare appear before everyone. Was he truly unafraid of death, or simply brainless? Did he not know the consequences? Among those present, how many had he not offended? How many young ladies had he not harassed in the past?
As Su Rong expected, after Ye Chao’s rebuke, the crowd reacted. They cursed Ye Chu angrily. “So it is you, scum. You dare show your face in Yao City again.”
“Good. Good. Thought I would never see you again. Today I can finally avenge being thrown into the cesspit.”
“Sisters, it is this scum. The pervert who peeped on us bathing.”
“For the people of Yao City, you will not have an easy time today.”
“…”
Curses rang out incessantly. Listening to the crowd list Ye Chu’s crimes, Su Rong and Zhang Su’er finally gained a clear understanding of his heinous deeds. They were inwardly shocked. Just how depraved must one be to reach such a level?
Qing Xiangming, hearing the crowd’s furious denunciations, recalled how Ye Chu had allowed his men to violate his favourite maidservant. Hatred flashed in his eyes. He took a deep breath to suppress his rising anger, raised a hand to silence the curses, and stared fixedly at Ye Chu. “I never expected you to dare appear at the Qingyang Marquis Mansion. But this will come at a price.”
Ye Chu ignored the barrage of abuse. He smiled at Qing Xiangming. “What price? Like them, make me leave lying down? Is that not too unoriginal?”
“Too light.” Qing Xiangming stared at Ye Chu. Thinking of his beloved maidservant’s humiliation, anger surged uncontrollably.
Ye Chu shook his head. “None of you can make me leave lying down. I came only to exchange for your three-hundred-year lingzhi. There is no need to treat me as a mortal enemy.”
The words brought sudden silence. Soon, however, the crowd erupted in thunderous laughter, filled with mockery and scorn.
Su Rong and Zhang Su’er exchanged glances, wondering if Ye Chu was truly foolish or pretending. Given his past actions, he dared come to someone’s home demanding an exchange. Was this a joke?
It is a bit late today. Sorry. The three chapters posted today took a long time to revise. I always strive for perfection. Hehe, I always want to write something surpassing Charm Shadow and Domestic Servant.
