Qingyang Marquis looked at his eldest son, whose face had been swollen almost beyond recognition, his expression darkening to the extreme. He stared fixedly at Ye Chu. “What audacity! To dare cause trouble in my Qingyang Marquis Residence!”
His voice roared like a lion, echoing continuously through the hall. Some people felt pain in their eardrums from the sheer volume! Yet more people watched with gloating delight. To beat the eldest young master right in the Qingyang Marquis Residence, Ye Chu was clearly courting death!
“Men! Tie this brat up!” Qingyang Marquis had not yet recognised Ye Chu. He shouted at the residence guards who had followed him in.
Watching the group of guards surround him, Ye Chu smiled. “Uncle Qing truly underestimates your nephew. Do you really think these good-for-nothings can bind me?”
Qingyang Marquis froze at the form of address. Finally he remembered who the youth before him was. He found it equally unbelievable. Earlier he had thought some new talent had emerged in Yao City, capable of defeating his son. He never imagined it would turn out to be the scum who had vanished from Yao City three years ago.
But rumours said he had been beaten to death by Marquis Weiyuan. How was he still alive! Most importantly, three years ago he had been nothing but a useless waste. Yet now he could actually defeat his own son!
The doubts in his heart actually caused Qingyang Marquis to hold back his temper. He snorted at Ye Chu. “I never expected a disaster like you would still be alive! What? Planning to bring calamity to Yao City again?”
Ye Chu shrugged. “Yao City is too small. My horizons have broadened considerably now! Bringing ruin to Yao City holds no appeal. If I am going to cause trouble, it has to be in a grand place like the imperial capital!”
Su Rong heard Ye Chu’s words and could only laugh wryly. She thought to herself, have you really turned wickedness into your profession? Planning to wreak havoc in the imperial capital? Such ambitions were better off discarded!
“Good! Excellent! Quite ambitious!” Qingyang Marquis laughed in extreme anger. “Though you remain a scoundrel, at least you are no longer completely useless!”
“Uncle Qing flatters me! If I am a scoundrel, then your son is simply unfit to appear in public!” Ye Chu smiled. Suddenly a flush appeared on his face. He twisted his clothes shyly and said with embarrassment, “Actually, in the three years outside, everyone has been praising me as skilled in both literature and martial arts!”
“Pfft…”
Many people could not hold back and sprayed out their drinks. In their hearts they cursed: Someone praising Ye Chu as skilled in literature and martial arts? Damn, who in the world went blind?
Even Ye Chao could not help turning his head away. Although Ye Chu had already been expelled from the Ye family, he still felt ashamed on behalf of those words. How could the Ye family produce such a shameless person!
“Skilled in both literature and martial arts?!” Qingyang Marquis stared at Ye Chu in astonishment, deeply disdainful. Now that he knew it was Ye Chu, he was no longer in a hurry to act. “I would like to see just how you are skilled in both literature and martial arts!”
“In literature I can wield a brush…”
Before Ye Chu could finish, Su Rong, Liang Shan, and Zhang Su’er all instinctively turned their heads away. It was over! This fellow was about to recite his lewd poem again! Reciting it in front of so many people, was he not afraid of being drowned in spit?
“In literature I can wield a brush to bring peace to the world, in martial arts I can mount a horse to settle the universe! Does that count as being skilled in both literature and martial arts?”
Su Rong was stunned. She had not expected Ye Chu to recite something other than the lines that made her blush furiously. With a trace of surprise, she looked at Ye Chu. She thought to herself that after three years apart, he had gained some real knowledge and even possessed such talent!
Ye Chu looked shy, scratching his head as though very embarrassed. “This really is not me praising myself! Others could not refuse my request and composed this poem for me! Actually, I also feel I am not quite that impressive!”
“Pah!” Including Liang Shan, many people could not help spitting in disdain. Who would believe this was composed by someone else for you? With your character, who would possibly praise you?! This was clearly something you made up to put gold on your own face!
“You truly make me see you in a new light! Compared to your former ignorance and incompetence, you have at least gained some learning!” Qingyang Marquis said. “But how do we settle the matter of you injuring Qing Xiangming?”
“Uncle Qing! I was just about to bring that up!” Ye Chu said indignantly. “The son you raised lacks proper discipline! Uncle Qing, what a figure you are, known in Yao City as a gentleman! Yet your son disgraces you. He lost a bet and refused to honour his word. Where has all his gentlemanly integrity gone? I felt he was too disobedient, so I took it upon myself to discipline him a little on your behalf. Uncle Qing will not blame me, will he?”
“You want to discuss gentlemanly integrity with me?” Qingyang Marquis suddenly felt like laughing. Did Ye Chu not know what kind of image he had in everyone’s minds? Moreover, did his own son need disciplining from you?
“Of course! Upright gentlemen like Uncle Qing and myself are hard to find even a third one in all of Yao City!” Ye Chu said very seriously. His words made many people want to rush up and kick him hard. Could this fellow stop disgusting them already?!
Qingyang Marquis stared at Ye Chu. Watching him stand there lazily, corners of his mouth curved in a casual arc, he felt even more amazed! Compared to three years ago, Ye Chu had changed too much. Three years ago, facing him, Ye Chu had shown nothing but fear and timidity.
Yet now, on Ye Chu’s body, he actually saw a kind of calm composure that remained undisturbed by favour or disgrace? Yes! Precisely composure! How in the world could such a quality appear on Ye Chu!!
“Uncle Qing, do not just stand there. Bring out the three-hundred-year lingzhi so your son can correct his mistake.” As he spoke, Ye Chu walked towards Qingyang Marquis.
Seeing Ye Chu approach, Liang Shan’s heart pounded in terror! Ye Chu still dared to get close to Qingyang Marquis? One slap from him and Ye Chu would either die or lose half his life!
“Marquis! Why waste so many words on this brat? A scum of Yao City. Getting rid of him would be doing the city a favour!” One of the Qingyang Residence guards shouted. He had personally witnessed Ye Chu allowing his followers to violate the residence maidservants back then. His hatred for Ye Chu needed no explanation!
Seeing Ye Chu walk towards him, Qingyang Marquis snorted and swung a palm towards him!
But before the slap could land on Ye Chu, Ye Chu reached out and grabbed his wrist. “Although I know Uncle Qing has missed me after so long, I never expected you to be so enthusiastic as to want to give me a hug! But I am very sorry. I do not like men touching my body!”
Qingyang Marquis was shocked that Ye Chu could seize his move so swiftly! He thought to himself, no wonder Qing Xiangming was no match for him!
Qingyang Marquis struggled, trying to break free from Ye Chu! But soon his expression changed dramatically. With disbelief, he looked at Ye Chu! Even with his full strength, he could not shake off Ye Chu’s grip!
Qingyang Marquis thought it was an illusion and struggled several more times. His hand remained firmly held by Ye Chu! Massive waves surged in his heart. Yet Ye Chu simply smiled at him, his expression natural and relaxed!
Of course the others did not know what had happened. They thought Qingyang Marquis really wanted to embrace Ye Chu but was being held back. Only a few people noticed the change in Qingyang Marquis’s expression.
“Uncle Qing, can you give me the lingzhi now?” Ye Chu subtly released Qingyang Marquis’s hand.
Staring fixedly at Ye Chu, Qingyang Marquis’s expression was complicated. After a long moment, he shouted to the guards, “Carry the young master inside for treatment. Also, deliver the three-hundred-year lingzhi to Ye Chu!”
“Marquis!”
The hall erupted in an uproar. No one could believe this was Qingyang Marquis’s decision!
“No more words! Do as I say! All of you, follow me inside!” Qingyang Marquis shouted at the guards and led the group of guards into the inner residence.
Though the guards were unwilling, they could only grit their teeth and follow. Yet the resentment in their hearts grew even stronger. At the same time, they did not understand why the marquis had let Ye Chu go!
Only Qingyang Marquis, walking at the front, felt massive waves crashing in his heart. He could not accept this fact! Although the exchange had been brief, it was clear that Ye Chu possessed absolute dominance over him! That was why he had chosen to yield. If he truly lost to Ye Chu, what face would he have left to meet his peers in Yao City? Everyone knew Ye Chu had always been regarded as a scum and a waste!
He himself had reached the peak of the true qi realm. For Ye Chu to absolutely suppress him… what level of strength was that? Could it be that he had reached the second layer of refining one’s own primal spirit! At the thought of this possibility, Qingyang Marquis felt as though ten thousand horses were galloping through his heart, impossible to calm! Although he was not the top expert in Yao City, even falling short of a few among the younger generation, he had never imagined Ye Chu could surpass him! It was one thing for those heaven-gifted prodigies to surpass him, but Ye Chu? Could he be considered heaven-gifted?
“Ye Chu… just how strong has he become?”