"You—you're mad!"
Madame Yue Hua exclaimed in shock, her face pale as she looked at the old madam. She stood up and berated him.
"Insolent!"
Seeing that it was Tantai Ye, the others' faces turned livid with anger.
Some of the more timid ones had already collapsed onto their chairs, too frightened to move.
This Second Master, relying on being the legitimate eldest son, had been arrogant and unruly since childhood. His temper was even more overbearing and violent, so arrogant that he looked down on everyone.
Now, for a woman kept outside the household, he dared to return to the mansion to cause trouble and even use hidden weapons to injure people. It was utterly absurd!
Utterly absurd!
Upon seeing it was him, the old madam was so enraged that she clutched her chest, her dragon-headed walking stick clacking against the ground.
"What are you doing?!"
Tantai Ye paid no mind to their thoughts and directly demanded the person.
"Stop spouting nonsense, where is she?!"
Seeing his defiant demeanor, the old madam suppressed her anger and ordered,
"For the sake of a woman, you're causing such a commotion in the mansion. Have you gone insane?"
The madams from the other branches, seeing the old madam so angered, also wanted to scold him.
But they were all indignant yet afraid to speak, not even daring to utter a word of agreement, only watching the drama unfold in silence.
After all, Second Master wouldn't do anything to the old madam, but he wouldn't show any mercy to them.
The Third Madam shot a resentful glance at Madame Yue Hua.
"Your son is truly grown up. Not only did he deal with everyone from the Second Branch, but he's now so arrogant that he questions his elders. This is sheer audacity!"
"She is merely an outsider who can't even enter the household. Does she deserve you to clamor before this old woman for her?!"
The old madam was so angry that the dragon-headed walking stick she used to strike the ground was trembling.
"Look at yourself now, you're utterly rebelling against heaven!"
"Outsider?!"
Tantai Ye let out a cold laugh and sat down on a nearby chair.
He said, "Since Old Madam believes her status is low and she cannot even enter the household, then I will give her status."
"I only ask you one thing, where did you take her?"
Upon hearing him publicly defend that woman and even offer to give her status, the old madam clenched her walking stick in anger.
A vixen.
She had actually managed to provoke him into confronting his grandmother.
Fortunately, she was dead. Otherwise, it would have eventually led to a complete breakdown.
"Don't forget, you are betrothed. By protecting that woman like this, without being married yet, and keeping her in the mansion, what does that make the Prince Duan's estate? What position does that put A'Yan in?"
Tantai Ye's ears were almost worn out from hearing this. He impatiently retorted,
"If she is willing to yield and marry me, then what business does Li Yan have with me?"
"What did you say?!"
Madame Yue Hua, seeing the old madam's fury, quickly interjected, "Shut up, what nonsense are you spouting."
Tantai Ye's expression darkened. He was too lazy to argue with them.
"Last question, where is she?"
The old madam remained silent with a grim expression, and the others were all harboring their own thoughts.
Tantai Ye's eyes narrowed as he observed their expressions, a sense of unease rising in his heart.
He stood up and kicked over the table and stool in front of him. At this moment, footsteps from outside suddenly interrupted the tense atmosphere within the room.
'You wretch, what madness is this! Are you trying to rebel?'
Everyone turned their heads to see several men striding in from outside, led by Tantai Ye's father, Tantai Lie.
Tantai Ye showed no fear.
His sinister eyes were filled with ferocity.
"I already warned you not to touch her. Do you all think I'm easy to deal with?"
As Tantai Lie entered, he immediately heard his son's treasonous words and flew into a rage, walking directly towards him.
He swung a slap towards his face.
The scene unfolded too quickly, startling everyone and causing them to retreat.
Tantai Ye's face was cold. He swiftly countered, seized his father, his expression fierce.
His strength was so great that his father couldn't break free.
The people in the hall were stunned speechless by this scene, a chill creeping from the soles of their feet straight to their spines.
Second Master held the position of Grand General Zhenxi and had trained in the military camps from a young age. He often went to battle, possessed a fierce temper, killed without hesitation, and didn't even put his own father in his eyes.
The father and son had similar tempers and would often argue after only a few words.
Now, for a woman, he dared to actually lay hands on his father.
Presumptuous!
Truly too presumptuous!
The old madam angrily banged her walking stick on the ground.
"You're rebelling, you're rebelling! Let go of your father immediately. You are utterly lawless, let go!"
"Don't you even listen to my words anymore?"
Tantai Ye pursed his lips and forcefully flung his father away, releasing him.
Tantai Lie was forced to retreat a few steps.
He glared furiously at his son, whose disposition had been erratic since childhood, wanting to strike him. But seeing Tantai Ye's ferocious look, he didn't dare to act further, leaving behind a harsh warning.
"Even if you turn the world upside down, our Tantai clan will never allow her to enter this household."
Tantai Ye sneered, "If I want to marry her, your disapproval is useless. In this world, no one can dictate what I, Tantai Ye, do!"
"Guards!"
"You wretch, what do you think you're doing?!"
Everyone stared in shock as soldiers suddenly swarmed into the courtyard, too stunned to speak.
"Search, turn this entire mansion upside down, and find her for me!"
"Yes."
Presumptuous!
This was simply too presumptuous!
The several lords of the mansion pointed fingers and reprimanded him repeatedly. The entire hall erupted like a detonated mine, descending into chaos.
Tantai Ye kicked over the table in the hall, and the saber in his hand was fiercely plunged into the ground.
"All of you, shut the hell up!"
"----"
The cold glint of the saber was terrifyingly sharp. His expression showed that he had no regard for any of them.
"If you bark any further, you can go to the Imperial Prison."
The crowd widened their eyes in shock at his furious outburst, completely daring not to speak.
Only the old madam cursed him angrily a few times.
Tantai Ye allowed her to curse, remaining silent.
Seeing his defiant demeanor, Tantai Lie turned his angry gaze towards the silent Madame Yue Hua and berated her.
"You've raised a fine son."
"If the Old Master knew that this wretch was acting so heinously for a woman, he would be so enraged that he'd fall into his coffin with a single kick."
Madame Yue Hua pursed her lips, remaining silent.
Her son had always been arrogant, sometimes not even listening to his own mother.
"A woman?!" Tantai Ye's lips curved into a cold sneer. "She is the one I, Tantai Ye, want to be with for a lifetime. I don't expect you to accept her, but if you dare to touch her, you are going against me!"
"Those who go against me, Tantai Ye, will have no good end!"
"You beast, are you going to lay hands on us for her?"
The old madam, watching the father and son argue, furrowed her brows tightly.
Knowing she could no longer conceal it, she directly interrupted them sternly and revealed the truth.
"I'm telling you, she's dead!"
The moment the words fell, the hall became instantly silent, a terrifying stillness descending.
Tantai Ye's fierce expression froze. His entire body seemed to stiffen, the shock causing his mind to reel.
"You—what did you say?!"
The old madam suppressed her anger and said with authority, "She is already dead. Your mother personally administered poisoned wine, and I have already ordered someone to take it out and bury it."