As Ji Ye shouted, the surrounding soldiers also raised their weapons and pressed towards Ye Ling.
"All of you, stand down!"
However, just as the Ji family members were about to attack Ye Ling, a majestic female voice echoed from deep within the Ji mansion. The chaotic Ji mansion instantly fell silent the moment that voice emerged.
"Grandmother?"
Ji Ye, dragging his heavily wounded body, stood up and looked back towards the depths of the Ji mansion. He saw an old woman, dressed in opulent clothing, with a head full of white hair and an ethereal aura, slowly walking out, supported by her maids.
The old woman appeared to walk slowly, but she seemed to possess the art of "shrinking the ground into an inch." With each step she took forward, her entire body would advance more than ten meters.
"This old woman..."
Upon seeing the old woman appear, a playful glint flashed in Ye Ling's eyes.
He could sense a faint aura of the Overseer from her.
If Ye Ling had only suspected the Ji family's connection to the Overseers through that bead before, the old woman's appearance now confirmed Ye Ling's suspicions about the Ji family's relationship with the Overseers.
Perhaps this Ji family served a role similar to that of the Shangqing Palace.
Soon, the old woman reached Ji Ye.
"Grandmother! You must seek justice for me!"
Seeing Yan Feiying, Ji Ye immediately grabbed her leg and cried out, "Beima and her lackeys are causing trouble in our Ji mansion, and..."
*Slap!!!*
Before Ji Ye could finish his sentence, a loud slap echoed. Ji Ye received a heavy blow, spinning seven hundred and twenty degrees in mid-air before crashing hard onto the ground.
"Grandmother?"
Ji Ye, clutching his swollen red face, looked at Yan Feiying in disbelief. He never expected to be slapped by his grandmother, who doted on him the most.
However, Yan Feiying's kind smile was gone. Her face was cold as she stared at Ji Ye, furiously scolding, "You scoundrel! Why aren't you out there on your knees apologizing to the esteemed Sir?"
"Es-esteemed Sir?"
Hearing Yan Feiying's words, Ji Ye felt as if struck by lightning. He instantly understood that he had truly offended someone of great importance.
In the entire Great Yan Kingdom, the only people his grandmother would address as "esteemed Sir" were, besides the Emperor, the Grand Eunuch Huang Kui and the Cangying Saber Mo Ke!
Now that Yan Feiying was calling Ye Ling "esteemed Sir," it meant Ye Ling was a person of the same caliber as Huang Kui and Mo Ke!
An infinite fear surged within Ji Ye. He no longer dared to hesitate. He scrambled out of the Ji mansion and slid to his knees before Ye Ling, kowtowing smoothly, "My lord, I was wrong! It was this humble one's fault for not recognizing your greatness. I have offended you, esteemed Sir. I beg for your forgiveness!"
Although Ji Ye was a noble young master of the Ji family, this was, after all, the capital of the Great Yan Kingdom, and there were many noble young masters of even higher status than Ji Ye. As Ji Ye intended to mingle in the capital's elite circles, he had not been unfamiliar with the act of kneeling and apologizing.
Ye Ling had no reaction to Ji Ye's actions. However, a look of disgust flashed in Beima's eyes, and she coldly said to Ji Ye, "Your current demeanor truly makes me sick."
Ji Ye could no longer afford to care about such things. He turned to Beima again, pleading, "Good cousin, could you please put in a good word for me with the esteemed Sir? I promise I will persuade my father when we return. After conquering the Tianlun Kingdom, we will not massacre the city!"
"You still intend to massacre the city?"
Hearing Ji Ye's words, Beima's expression grew even more displeased.
She was the Empress of Tianlun, and Ji Ye was already kneeling, yet he spoke of massacring the city. This clearly showed that Ji Ye had not taken her or the Tianlun Kingdom seriously from the very beginning.
However, Ji Ye did not realize this and continued to speak to Beima, "Believe me! This entire operation is commanded by my father. As long as he gives the order, the army will not dare to act recklessly after occupying the cities of the Tianlun Kingdom!"
"Then I will have my grandfather intercede with the Emperor, and you can still be the Governor of Tianlun Prefecture!"
"Enough!"
Yan Feiying spoke up at this moment, interrupting Ji Ye and preventing him from worsening the situation.
She then walked up to Ye Ling, bowed slightly, and respectfully said, "Esteemed Sir, Ji Ye is a spoiled child who is ignorant of the world and speaks without thinking. This is due to our poor upbringing. I will discipline him properly from now on."
Ye Ling glanced at the trembling Ji Ye kneeling on the ground, then smiled at Yan Feiying and said, "Then discipline him now. Let me see the attitude of your Ji family."
"Esteemed Sir?"
Yan Feiying's eyes flickered slightly. She hadn't expected Ye Ling to not only reject her offered step down but to kick it away entirely, leaving everyone in an awkward position.
The atmosphere instantly became strained.
Yan Feiying looked at Beima, giving her a look, hoping Beima would help plead for mercy.
However, Beima herself was merely a subordinate of Ye Ling. Moreover, she was extremely displeased with Ji Ye at the moment. She could only shake her head at Yan Feiying, indicating her inability to help.
Seeing that Beima could not assist, Yan Feiying knew she had to resolve this matter herself. She took a deep breath and asked Ye Ling, "May I ask your esteemed surname?"
"Ye."
"Esteemed Sir Ye..." Yan Feiying bowed to Ye Ling again. "This old woman apologizes to you on behalf of Ji Ye. I implore Esteemed Sir Ye to forgive Ji Ye. From now on, the Ji family owes you a favor. Whatever you ask, my Ji family will provide."
"Meaning you cannot control him, is that right?" Ye Ling asked Yan Feiying with a smile.
"It is not that I cannot control him, but rather that today is rather inconvenient. The child's father is currently fighting on campaign. If I were to harm him, I would not be able to explain myself to his father," Yan Feiying replied.
"After all that talk, you still can't control him..." Ye Ling smiled again, but this time, his smile turned somewhat cold.
"This is his first instance of insolence. I will spare his life, considering he is Beima's cousin."
"It is a pity that he did not seize the opportunity."
As Ye Ling spoke, he raised his hand and beckoned. Ji Ye was lifted into the air as if his neck were being gripped by an invisible hand. He struggled with his legs, his face turning a bruised purple.
"Gra-Grandmother... Save me!" Ji Ye thrashed in mid-air, desperately calling out to Yan Feiying for help.
Seeing her grandson in agony, Yan Feiying's expression changed drastically. She quickly asked Ye Ling, "What are you trying to do, esteemed Sir?"
Ye Ling narrowed his eyes and smiled, "I am here to discipline him for you."
*Crack!!!*
As Ye Ling's voice fell, a crisp snapping sound was heard. Ji Ye's neck was twisted and broken, and he died on the spot.
"Ye'er!"
Seeing Ye Ling kill Ji Ye right before her eyes, Yan Feiying's eyes reddened, and she glared at Ye Ling, roaring, "Boy, do not push your luck too far! This is the Ji mansion!"
Seeing Yan Feiying about to lose control, Beima, fearing her grandmother might offend Ye Ling, quickly stepped forward to persuade her, "Grandmother! Don't be impulsive. This is all Ji Ye's own doing!"
"Get lost! You useless creature!"
Yan Feiying slapped Beima away and stared coldly at Ye Ling, saying in a deep voice, "Ye, I showed you respect just now, but you insist on being overbearing. Do you truly think my Ji family is easy to bully?"
"Do not think that just because you have some strength, my Ji family will fear you!"
"Ji family soldiers, heed my command!"
"Here!!!" The Ji family soldiers responded in unison, their voices shaking the heavens!
Yan Feiying gritted her teeth, staring at Ye Ling, and spat out a few words from between her clenched teeth: "Take him down!"
"Yes!!!"
The Ji family soldiers responded with loud shouts. They had long been annoyed by Ye Ling's condescending attitude and gripped their weapons tightly, pressing towards Ye Ling.
As the Ji family soldiers advanced towards him, Ye Ling said to Beima, "Beima... it seems the vast majority of the Ji family lacks self-awareness..."
Hearing Ye Ling's words, Beima, who was holding her face, trembled uncontrollably.
The thing she feared most had indeed happened.