Innate Great Emperor

Chapter 15: Open Scheme Defeats Conspiracy

The steward flinched. Like a scorpion stung him. His face went pale.

That smile—bright, almost sunny—instantly reminded him of the straw men in Ye Jin's courtyard. Lifelike. Flayed.

Ye Jin saw his terror. His smile faded. His eyes turned cold.

"You didn't badmouth me to Father, did you?"

"Young Master! Never! Absolutely never! I wouldn't dare, not with ten times the courage!" The steward's legs trembled. He nodded like a pecking chicken.

"Good." Ye Jin patted his shoulder. He smiled warmly. "Actually, it wouldn't matter if you did."

That smile almost made the steward piss himself. A tiger in sheep's clothing was far more terrifying.

In the main hall, Ye Shouzheng sat in a sandalwood chair. He looked haggard. The arrogant Second Madam was absent.

Ye Shouzheng had two wives and two concubines. The primary wife was Ye Jin and Ye Feng's mother. She vanished without a trace when Ye Jin was six.

Then Madam Wan married Ye Shouzheng with lightning speed. She took the rank of second equal wife. She bore a son, Ye Lin.

Ye Shouzheng also had two concubines: Yunzhi and Qiuchan. They were servants brought by Ye Jin's mother. He had no other concubines. No outside women.

These two concubines were loyal to Ye Jin's mother. They cared deeply for the two brothers. But they bore no children. Their status was low. They only had Ye Shouzheng's favor.

The cunning Second Madam never worried about them. No threat. She focused solely on Ye Jin. A thorn in her side.

Ye Jin felt a surge of satisfaction. The disgraced Second Madam was surely hiding in her chambers. Too ashamed to show her face.

Ye Shouzheng looked at Ye Jin. His already ugly expression worsened. He thought he knew his son.

But now? Standing before him, Ye Jin felt like a stranger. For the first time, Ye Shouzheng sensed his depths.

The Ye family had deep roots. A Martial Lord once rose from their ranks. To avoid bloodshed, the ancestors passed down only internal arts. No external techniques. Reading came first. Their spirit-nourishing arts were exquisite.

Ye disciples studied and cultivated qi from childhood. Ye Shouzheng was over forty. He looked thirty. But in one month, gray streaked his temples.

When Ye Jin was arrested, Ye Shouzheng felt ashamed. He made excuses and left the estate. He only returned to preside over the judgment.

He left Ye Jin to rot in that lightless hole for a month. Not even a rat for company.

After the judgment, he left again. "Inspecting family businesses." Ten days away. He returned today.

He'd planned to stay away until Ye Jin was exiled. But he couldn't. Ye Jin had turned the estate upside down!

In days, four vault guards blocked Ye Jin. He killed them on the spot. Then hung their corpses. Then flayed them and stuffed them with straw.

Ruthless. Then Ye Jin's purge began. He used the terrified steward to get a list of all the Second Madam's servants. Then he struck.

One by one, her loyal servants were dragged to the punishment room. Beaten to death. Hung for display. Including a deputy steward she promoted.

The estate was shell-shocked. Panic spread. Her servants feared Ye Jin would snap. Their skins would hang on his straw men.

The Second Madam—self-proclaimed master of intrigue—broke down. Ye Jin ignored her traps. He used his status as eldest son. He framed her servants directly. Half her loyalists were cut down.

Without her network, she was crippled. Facing Ye Jin's mastery of violence, she grew terrified. She didn't dare confront him. She summoned Ye Shouzheng to control him.

Ye Shouzheng knew Ye Jin was making an example. He understood his son's anger. But this was too bloody.

"You're becoming more unruly by the day!" Ye Shouzheng suppressed his rage. "Did you go to the vault?"

"Yes. I have that right." Ye Jin was calm. Unbothered. "Did the Second Madam convince you to revoke my token?"

The Second Madam's image was plummeting. Even a fool wouldn't favor a venomous snake. If she wanted Ye Jin's vault token, Ye Shouzheng wouldn't allow it. Especially not with Ye Jin watching.

"You do have that right!" Ye Shouzheng's eyes flashed with anger. "Then why kill the guards?"

"He broke the rules." Ye Jin's voice was flat.

"Insolence!" Ye Shouzheng slammed the table. "You're playing with lives! And you dare talk to me about rules?"

"I am talking about rules!" Ye Jin raised his head. His voice was cold. "If the Second Madam breaks the rules, as eldest son, I have the right to drag her to the ancestral hall and execute her by family law! Father, do you believe me? Do you think I dare?"

A fierce aura erupted from Ye Jin. A wolf-like brutality flashed in his eyes. Ye Shouzheng's face went pale.

Like ice water poured over him. His anger extinguished. "You... you dare speak to me like this? How did you... become like this?"

Ye Shouzheng stared at him. Like a stranger. "Jin'er, I can't believe it. You killed people. Such cruelty. Is this what you should do? You're only sixteen!"

Ye Jin smiled. White teeth flashed. Ye Shouzheng's heart clenched.