Pill Refining, Beast Taming: The Trash Young Lady is the Hidden Empress - chapter 8

Chapter 8

“What are you laughing at?”

The Wen Family Head frowned.

Ye Ranyin arched an eyebrow, a cold, mocking smile on her beautiful, frosty face. “I’m laughing at you, old man. You’re nothing special to look at, but your wishful thinking is really something.”

“Insolence!”

“How dare you!”

The Wen Family Elder and the Wen Family Head were both furious, their faces filled with barely concealed murderous intent.

Ye Ranyin didn’t care at all. She said indifferently, “Seeing your covetous gaze for the Spirit Treasure Robe just reminds me-my mother used to give Wen Zijue and your Wen Family plenty of Heaven and Earth Treasures for my sake. Now that you want to break off the engagement, shouldn’t those Heaven and Earth Treasures be returned as well?”

The Wen Family’s faces changed again.

Ye Ranyin’s mother, Ye Caiwei, often returned from her travels with Heaven and Earth Treasures-rare and precious items. If all of them really had to be given back, it would strip the Wen Family bare. How could they possibly accept that?

“So, you’re willing to break off the engagement?”

Even a fool could see that the favor of the Imperial Capital Fang Family’s noble daughter was far more valuable than material possessions.

If they could get rid of Ye Ranyin and let Wen Zijue marry into the Fang Family without baggage, what did it matter if they had to give those things back?

The Wen Family Head made his decision quickly.

Noticing he had no intention of going back on his word, Ye Ranyin lazily pulled out a jade pendant from her sleeve and tossed it to him.

“Honestly, what you see as treasures aren’t even worth a blade of grass to me. As for Wen Zijue-he doesn’t interest me at all.”

“You!”

“You, a useless waste, are worlds apart from our Zijue, yet you dare say you’re not interested in him? What a joke!”

“Ignorant fool. You’re just talking sour grapes because you can’t marry Zijue.”

Ye Ranyin clicked her tongue and shook her head. The Wen Family was ordinary and blindly confident. It was better to cut ties early than be dragged down by them later.

“Today, the token is returned, and the marriage between our families ends here. Also, the Heaven and Earth Treasures my mother sent-you have three days to return them. If you can’t gather them in three days, Wen Family Head, don’t blame me for calling in the Black Market to collect.”

Her words made all the Wen Family members’ faces darken instantly.

The Black Market was a shadowy power spread across the Xuanling Continent, with powerful connections. Even in Qingyang City, no one dared touch its branch.

Almost any service could be bought or sold in the Black Market. Since Ye Ranyin could present a Spirit Treasure Robe and had Heavenly Martial Realm followers, it was clear she would have no trouble hiring Black Market enforcers.

Damn it!

It looked like all the treasures they’d gotten from Ye Caiwei would have to be handed back after all.

The Wen Family Head felt a pang, but forced himself to say, “Rest assured, as one of the three great families of Qingyang City, I wouldn’t stoop to coveting the belongings of a useless person like you!”

After those harsh words, he ordered his people to carry away Wen Wanqing, who was screaming like a wounded animal, and stormed out of the Ye Family. His steps were hurried, as if a debt collector was chasing him.

…

“Kneel!”

The Wen Family had barely left when the Ye Family Head immediately turned on Ye Ranyin, scolding her harshly.

“Who gave you the right to break off the engagement on your own?”

“The Wen Family is about to climb the ladder and rise to new heights. Even if you went as a concubine, the family would benefit. But you, fool-not only can you not cultivate, you even threw away your last chance. What use are you?”

He was Ye Ranyin’s maternal grandfather, but had never regarded her as a granddaughter. In his eyes, she was nothing but a disgrace and stain on the family.

After a storm of scolding, without waiting for Ye Ranyin’s response, he coldly ordered, “You’ve caused the family serious losses. Everything the Wen Family returns will be confiscated by the family. You, a useless waste, don’t deserve those good things. Leaving them with you would only be a waste.”
The smile faded from Ye Ranyin’s face, leaving her exquisitely beautiful features expressionless. She quietly listened as the Ye Family Head finished speaking, then replied in the same cold, emotionless voice, “The engagement has already been annulled. If you, Family Head, are truly reluctant to part with the Wen Family as in-laws, you might consider marrying into them yourself.”

“You! Useless! What did you say?” The Ye Family Head could hardly believe it-Ye Ranyin was being so rebellious! It was one thing for her to defy the Wen Family, but now she even dared to defy him – a senior elder of the clan?

Ye Ranyin ignored his fury and continued, “I believe I’ve made myself clear. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

“You! Rebellious! Rebellious! You little bastard, you really want to overturn the heavens. Do you really think I wouldn’t dare kill you?” Now that Ye Ranyin was completely useless, a chilling murderous intent suddenly flashed in the Ye Family Head’s eyes.

Others feared Ye Caiwei and dared not touch Ye Ranyin; he, however, wasn’t afraid. He couldn’t imagine Ye Caiwei would actually turn on him – the family’s patriarch – just for a worthless daughter.

In the Ye Family Head’s eyes, Ye Ranyin was already a discarded child of the family.

Just then-

“Heh.” A faint, ambiguous chuckle suddenly rang out, breaking the tense, murderous atmosphere in the room.

“Who?” The Ye Family Head looked up, only then realizing that the young man who claimed to be just passing by was still sitting atop the wall, having never left.

“Where did this little thief come from? Are you seeking death?”

“Hmph! What a mighty Family Head! Such arrogance. Brother Qi, aren’t you coming out yet? If you’re any later, this young master’s life will be forfeit!”

“Brother Ye, why the jest?” As soon as the young man finished speaking, another voice sounded, carrying a faint sense of pressure.

Then, a youth dressed in azure robes descended from the air. He wore a crown of purple jade, his features handsome and dignified, a faint smile on his lips – but the smile did not reach his eyes.

“Uncle Ye,” he addressed the Ye Family Head slowly, “one must not be discourteous to honored guests.”

Seeing the newcomer, the Ye Family Head’s expression changed drastically.

“City Lord!” He hurriedly rose, leading the others to greet him. “What brings you here?”

The newcomer was none other than Qi Wuyang, the City Lord of Qingyang City, who had taken office just two years before. It was said he came from a great family in the Imperial Capital of the Eastern Dragon Empire and was exceptionally gifted. Though only a little over thirty, he had already reached the Heavenly Martial Realm, making him the youngest City Lord in the Eastern Dragon Empire. Not to mention the Ye Family Head-even the renowned Miss Fang of the Fang Family in the Imperial Capital would have to yield before him.

Now, when he called the Ye Family Head “Uncle Ye,” it was merely courtesy; in his presence, the Ye Family Head was barely better than an ant.

“Today, I am here accompanying Young Master Ye,” Qi Wuyang introduced the youth atop the wall. “This is Young Master Ye Yilan, third son of the Protector Duke’s Mansion in the Imperial Capital.”

“Protector… Protector Duke’s Mansion?”

At the sound of those four words, everyone’s breath involuntarily trembled.

Even in distant Qingyang City, they had all heard of the Protector Duke’s Mansion, which had stood tall in the Eastern Dragon Empire for centuries.

This was the family that had sworn brotherhood with the founding emperor, married princesses, and whose sons were all paragons of talent-the Protector Duke’s Mansion!

A young master from such a family must surely be a figure of the highest nobility!

The Ye Family Head’s mind buzzed at the words “Protector Duke’s Mansion.” It took him a moment to recover, and then he bowed deeply, his face full of caution and even flattery. “So it is Young Master Ye. I was discourteous just now-please forgive me.”

Ye Yilan winked at Ye Ranyin, who looked entirely uninvolved, and said in a lazy tone, “Since you know you were discourteous, then kneel and repent.”

At these words, the Ye Family Head froze for a moment, then stared in astonishment.

He had only offered a polite word, yet this Third Young Master Ye actually dared to demand that he kneel?