As the words fell, everyone clearly sensed the malevolent aura emanating from Tantai Ye, an aura so terrifying and frenzied that it felt capable of destroying heaven and earth.
Seeing her son’s bloodshot eyes and unconcealed murderous intent directed at her, Madam Yuehua trembled, unable to speak.
The Old Madam’s dissatisfaction was palpable. “What are you looking at your mother like that for? Do you dare to commit patricide and matricide for a mere woman?!”
Within the hall, an unnerving silence descended, so profound that not a needle could be heard to fall.
Tantai Ye was provoked. A sharp pain suddenly lanced through his chest, and a gush of bright red blood erupted, stunning everyone present.
His ferocious, scarlet eyes swept across everyone in the hall. He felt as if his heart was being gruesomely torn and tormented, a profound despair consuming him.
He had never hated anyone as much as he did now. He had never wished to kill someone so intensely!
How dare they lay hands on her!
“What do you intend to do?!”
Everyone watched in terror as he suddenly drew his blade. Sparks crackled and hissed as they skittered across the ground.
Some of the more timid ladies of the household shrieked and scrambled backward in fear.
“Where is she?”
His voice was low and hoarse, as terrifying as a demonic utterance from hell.
Madam Old Madam’s face turned pale. “You—have you lost your mind? Put the blade down!”
“Where is she!”
“She was—taken to the outskirts of the city and buried.”
A heart-wrenching pain surged through him.
Tantai Ye felt his entire body go numb, his heart feeling as if it were being cruelly sawed apart by a blunt blade. In that instant, all hope seemed to vanish.
He first let out a low chuckle, which then escalated into a mad, chilling laugh.
Those eyes, always so defiant, now burned crimson as they swept over everyone in the hall, swirling with a deep, consuming madness.
“Someone, confine them!”
The command was issued, and the entire estate was instantly surrounded by troops.
Tantai Ye, as if driven mad, began to stride towards the exit.
Just then, several guards rushed in from outside the hall. The guard leading the group held a wet nurse, her face beaded with sweat.
“General!”
Tantai Ye halted his steps and immediately lunged forward, grabbing the man by his collar, his face contorted with frantic rage.
“Are you all tired of living? I told you to stay at the ancestral home precisely for her safety! Why didn’t you act to save her?!”
Qing Feng, witnessing his master’s ferocious demeanor, immediately knelt respectfully.
“General, rest assured. Our people, stationed within the estate, discovered what was happening and kept watch. The poisoned wine was swapped by the wet nurse, and Miss Lan merely drank a false death potion.”
Those inside were, after all, the master’s own mother. They dared not truly intervene to snatch her away, so they could only watch from the sidelines.
Had she been attempting suicide with a dagger or a silk scarf, they would have burst in to save her.
But since it wasn’t the case, they could only swap the medicine first and await the General’s command upon his return.
The successive shocks made Tantai Ye’s frame tremble. The killing intent in his eyes instantly flickered with excitement.
“She’s not dead?!”
“Yes, Madam’s people took Miss Lan to the outskirts and buried her. Our people followed closely. This subordinate has returned to request the General’s decision.”
Ever since the General purged the Tantai clan, he had stationed many people within the estate. This was partly to prevent unrest and secret machinations by other clans, and also to ensure Miss Lan’s safety.
Listening to his words, Tantai Ye couldn’t quite describe his current emotions. He felt as if his agonizing heart had suddenly settled, the icy chill throughout his body slowly dissipating.
He propped his forehead with his hand, calming the madness within his heart.
A moment later, he lowered his head to look at the person kneeling on the ground, frustrated by their foolishness, and roared in anger.
“Save her directly! What false death potion? And letting them take her away? Are all your brains muddled? So idiotic!”
Qing Feng froze for a moment and immediately prostrated himself on the ground.
“This subordinate admits his guilt and is willing to accept punishment.”
Tantai Ye spoke sternly, “Remember this clearly: I, Tantai Ye, am the master of the Tantai clan, and you only need to obey my commands.”
“Yes.”
The commotion outside was so great that everyone in the main hall could hear the words spoken outside, and they were all shocked.
That woman was not dead?!
Madam Yuehua, looking at the guards kneeling on the corridor, narrowed her eyes slightly. These were all his people.
Someone exclaimed, “Isn’t that wet nurse Xu? She’s actually Second Master’s person.”
“It seems he hasn’t spared any effort in planting his men in this estate.”
Old Madam’s face turned ashen with rage, her dragon-headed crutch thudding rhythmically against the floor.
It was utterly farcical.
“Your actions weren’t decisive enough. You don’t even know if she’s dead or not.”
Madam Yuehua, hearing her husband’s reprimand, replied calmly, “My Lord, you’ve also heard that the medicine was swapped by wet nurse Xu. This estate is filled with your good son’s people; one can’t guard against them all.”
“Rebellious son! His wings have grown strong enough to disregard his own father.”
‘Hmph, the Tantai clan will never accept that woman as a bride. This is outright rebellion. If he insists on having that woman, then he should never set foot in the Tantai mansion again for the rest of his life.’
Listening to Tantai Lie’s words, the others exchanged glances filled with various thoughts and mockery.
The title of Family Head was merely nominal; his authority had long been usurped by his own son.
That rebellious son, Tantai Ye, colluded with the King of Dingbei in court, driven by insatiable greed. In order to purge the entire Tantai clan, he had engaged in many underhanded schemes.
Old Madam watched the departing figure with exhaustion, supporting her forehead.
“I truly can’t control him anymore. He doesn’t even listen to my words.”
‘That woman is truly a calamity for our Tantai lineage.’
Tantai Ye had no time to concern himself with them. He rode his horse straight towards the outskirts.
Qing Feng followed behind, pointing the way.
When the two arrived at the woods where she was buried, they saw that all the servants from the Tantai estate were dead. On the ground lay shovels, blood, and corpses in a chaotic mess.
Tantai Ye reined in his horse with a sharp gasp. Seeing the disarray, his eyes suddenly turned sinister.
“What happened?”
Qing Feng was even more astonished. He quickly dismounted and rushed over to investigate.
“General, the hidden guards are also all dead.”
He had been anxious to return and report, so he had ordered some men to stay and guard the place. Who knew it would turn into such a tragic scene? This clearly indicated a fierce battle had taken place.
Tantai Ye stared fiercely at the empty coffin, so enraged that he could barely stand. Uncontrollable fury blazed in his eyes, his face unable to conceal his ferocity.
“Ying Yi, come out.”
“Investigate! Investigate for me immediately! Where did she go?!”
Ying Yi appeared in an instant. “Yes.”
But at this moment, several dark guards came rushing from the front, their bodies bleeding, their faces pale.
Tantai Ye grabbed one of the men by his collar. “Where is she?”
“This subordinate pursued and discovered it was a group from Northern Qi, heading southwest.”
They were the hidden guards concealed within the ancestral home. They had tracked Madam’s people here. As they watched the coffin being buried, they intended to intervene and save her when a group of people suddenly appeared and engaged them in a fight.
They were fewer in number and no match for the attackers. Those people pried open the coffin and took Miss Lan away themselves.
“People from Northern Qi? How could she know people from Northern Qi?!”
Tantai Ye’s heart ached with anger. He immediately mounted his horse to pursue.
“Qing Feng, go to the military camp and tell Qi Tian to bring reinforcements. Block all official roads in the vicinity, allowing no one to pass.”