Ye Luan never imagined that Xiao Chizhan's counterattack would be so swift and fierce.
She stood outside the door, watching the Ye family gathered in the courtyard, her travel permit almost crushed in her hand.
"Miss!"
It was the bright afternoon, the sun shining.
Ye Luan came back to her senses, quietly tucked the permit into her sleeve, and entered the courtyard.
The Ye family members were stunned as they looked at the woman entering.
Beautiful!
Beautiful as a celestial being.
She was a completely different person from the previous Ye Luan.
Ye Xue was so angry her nails were about to dig into her flesh, but remembering Ye Luan's fate, a wicked smile flickered in her eyes. Grasping her handkerchief, she spoke with a smile.
"Elder Sister is truly capable of returning safely from the Prince's mansion, but alas, His Majesty decreed yesterday, granting you a marriage."
A marriage decree?
Ye Luan slightly lowered her eyes.
"It's to the soon-to-die heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Lu Feibai. Isn't this making Elder Sister marry and live as a widow? Little sister truly feels heartbroken for Elder Sister."
Lu Feibai, the legitimate eldest son of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, had been frail since childhood. Imperial physicians had predicted he would not live past twenty. No one in the capital was willing to marry him; he was a great laughingstock!
Ye Luan's lips curved into a smile.
Was this Xiao Chizhan's tactic?
Would she compromise if she was married off to someone who was about to die?
'Nonsense, why didn't you return to the mansion after leaving the Prince's mansion?' Ye Wensong's unfriendly gaze was mixed with anger. "Do you know you've disgraced the Ye family completely?"
Recently, rumors had been circulating in the capital that the eldest daughter of the Ye family had an illicit affair with the Prince of Dingbei in private, yet she hadn't even secured a concubine position and was driven out.
The Ye family's reputation was ruined. He was pointed at when he went to court. It was infuriating.
Why wasn't she directly killed by the Prince, saving him the embarrassment of her return?
Seeing this, Madam Gao gave a sinister smile and advised, "My Lord, please calm your anger. Now that the imperial decree has been issued, bringing A'luan back to await her marriage is the most important thing."
Ye Luan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Fu Dai and Nanny Fang, who were on the verge of tears from anxiety. She said with a faint smile, "Go and pour tea for the guests."
Her calm, unhurried demeanor stunned everyone.
"Ye Luan, have you even heard clearly? You're going to marry someone who is about to die and live as a widow." Ye Xue's beautiful eyes showed anger.
"Oh, so what?"
Ye Luan stood lightly beside Ye Xue, looking at that young, delicate, and pretty face, and let out a sneer.
"Such audacity, slandering the heir behind his back. How many heads would you need to lose for that?"
"You—"
The moment the slap was about to fall, Ye Luan sneered.
She fiercely gripped the latter's wrist and forcefully threw her to the ground. Before anyone could react, she stepped on her.
Pain.
The pain turned Ye Xue's entire face green.
Madam Gao was greatly alarmed and dropped her pretense, raging, "Ye Luan, what do you think you are doing?"
"Insolent! Release your sister at once."
Ye Luan lazily glanced at the two of them, her enchanting face filled with languor. "Father, do you realize that if I were to take my own life today, the nine generations of the Ye family would have to be buried with me?"
"You—you're crazy?" Ye Wensong had never known his useless daughter dared to threaten him. "Guards, pull the eldest young lady away."
Ye Luan forcefully stepped on the resentful Ye Xue until the latter coughed up blood and fainted before withdrawing her foot.
Servants from all directions surrounded her.
Ye Luan didn't want to fight, as the original owner knew no martial arts.
She looked at Ye Wensong indifferently, took a small kitchen knife from the kitchen, and slammed it with a clang at Ye Wensong's feet.
"See, this cleaver is still not sharp enough."
Ye Wensong, a civil official, had never seen such a scene. He was so scared that his face turned pale, and he stumbled back several steps, pointing at her and shouting angrily.
"You are outrageous! You are utterly audacious, are you trying to rebel?"
Ye Luan's smile deepened. She then drew the bodyguard captain's saber and sat on a stone stool. "Does Father intend to lay a hand on me?"
Madam Gao's face was twisted with anger. "Such defiance and rebellion! Lock her in the ancestral hall for earnest reflection. Seize her!"
"Hmm, so will the nine generations of the Ye family reflect with me?"
The saber swayed precariously on Ye Luan's arm, her expression turning grim.
"In any case, I am already crippled, and marrying into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is also a dead end."
Ye Luan looked at the couple, smiling eerily. "To have the nine generations of the Ye family buried with me, this daughter is most pleased."
The Emperor bestowed the marriage, and the new bride died; the fate of the Ye family was foreseeable.
"You—you put it down!"
Ye Wensong was greatly alarmed. He snatched the knife from her hand and slapped her fiercely.
Ye Luan tilted her head to dodge and, with a snap, dislocated Ye Wensong's arm.
This scene unfolded too quickly, catching everyone off guard.
Ye Wensong almost couldn't stand. In pain and shock, he looked at his unfamiliar daughter.
Ye Luan smiled. "When Father sent me to the Prince's mansion to claim my life, he didn't expect me to come out alive, did he?"
Madam Gao narrowed her eyes at Ye Luan. Although the former Ye Luan was vulgar and rude, unfit for elegant occasions, she had never been so arrogant.
It seemed that after going to the Prince's mansion, she had been driven to madness.
"You are simply lawless. If this official doesn't send you to the Prince's mansion, should I wait for the entire Ye family to be buried with you? You should blame yourself for not knowing propriety and shame, angering the Prince."
Clearly, the Prince no longer cared about her past foolishness.
But this foolish daughter of his saw that the Prince of Dingbei was now powerful and eagerly tried to get close to him, enraging the Prince.
He was treading on thin ice in court; if he couldn't quell the Prince's anger, the Ye family would be ruined!
"Vermin, I should have drowned you when you were born, so you wouldn't disgrace the Ye family."
Madam Gao saw Ye Wensong breathing heavily with anger and quickly stepped forward to pat his chest.
"My Lord, don't be angry. A'luan is young and ignorant. Now that the wedding date is approaching, bringing her back is the priority."
Marrying a sickly man and living as a widow, Madam Bai below the nine springs would surely die with her eyes wide open, hehe.
Ye Wensong's arm ached terribly, and he was sweating profusely. He wanted to hit Ye Luan, but seeing her desperate state, he could only curse angrily.
"Hurry back to the mansion, you disgrace."
Madam Gao gave a look to a nanny, and immediately someone helped the fainted Ye Xue, who was lying on the ground, to her feet.
In a daze, Ye Xue regained consciousness.
The sharp pain in her chest reminded her of what had just happened.
She was furious and, pulling out a knife, stabbed towards Ye Luan's back.
"Bitch, die!"
"Miss, be careful!"
Sensing danger, Ye Luan dodged.
But Nanny Fang, to protect her, stepped in front of Ye Luan.
The blade grazed past, and Ye Luan kicked Nanny Fang away. The deflected blade cut through her clothes, and blood flowed from her arm.
"Ah—Miss!"
Everyone was shocked and looked back.
They saw Ye Luan suddenly erupt in fury, kicking Ye Xue to the ground. She then slapped her several times, until Ye Xue's face was swollen like a pig's head.
"Madness! Quick, pull this madwoman away! Xue'er is being beaten to death, hurry—"