Innate Great Emperor

Chapter 5: Judgment Day - Counterattack

A noble house with centuries of history cannot be compared to nouveau riche like the Wan family. The Ye Pack raised their children with strict rules of etiquette. Every disciple was taught noble education from birth. They were born with a sense of superiority.

The Ye elders were even worse. Their noses pointed to the sky. Even the princes and ministers of the Dayu Dynasty couldn't compare. If Ye Jin stole, especially from an outsider, it went against his very identity. The Ye Clan of the capital far outshone the upstart Wan family.

Would a noble steal from a beggar's bowl? Would a tiger snatch a carrot from a rabbit's mouth? With that single sentence, Ye Jin bound the entire Ye Pack to his side.

Ye Jin glanced at the pale-faced Second Madam. He said coldly, "Uncles and elders, some women bear sons who haven't even grown up to become the Pack Heir, yet they dare to be so vicious and try to kill me! If they kill me today, tomorrow they might kill my brother! And the day after? Who will it be then?"

Ye Jin roared at the top of his lungs. His voice turned hoarse and shrill. The moment he said that, the elders' expressions changed drastically. Their gazes toward the Second Madam turned strange. Their faces grew hesitant.

Internal strife among Ye elders was normal. Fighting to the death didn't matter. But an outsider fighting the Ye Pack was a different matter entirely. No matter what, Ye Jin was a Ye. The Second Madam was a Wan. Her actions clearly aimed to spark infighting!

What did she mean by this? Did she want to usurp the Ye Pack? To ride over them? Or to destroy their reputation? One chilling thought after another rose in the elders' minds. Even Ye Jin's father, Ye Shouzheng, stared at his wife with sharp eyes. The Second Madam broke out in cold sweat.

Framing Ye Jin for stealing her niece's undergarments—she had arranged it. In Dayu law, theft meant a whipping at most. But the Ye Pack was different. The Ye Pack had merit in founding the dynasty. A noble house passed down for centuries.

Their reputation meant more than life itself. They would not tolerate such a scandal. Ye Jin's vile, shameful crime humiliated every elder! It would ruin his name and leave him no place in the Ye Pack! But she never imagined Ye Jin would fan the flames and bite back with bone and teeth.

It caught her off guard and flushed the Wan family's years of effort down the drain. An atmosphere of shared hatred filled the hall. Every spearhead pointed at the Second Madam! And the Wan family behind her!

"You! Ye Jin!" The Second Madam looked at the crushed snake in his hand. Shocked and furious, she screeched, "This is a frame-up! Slander!"

Ye Jin crossed his arms and sneered, "Second Madam, I'm the one locked up. My crimes are full of holes. Yet you accuse me of framing you? I didn't name you directly. Why so defensive? Guilty conscience?"

Elder Xiong's bronze-bell eyes flashed with sharp light. He gave the restless Second Madam a cold look. The warning in his eyes made her squirm. Ye Tianxiong was the Grand General guarding the eastern border. He held the title of Grand Tutor and Pillar of State. Known as a God of Slaughter.

With immense power and the Emperor's trust, if he truly raged, the entire capital would shake. Let alone the Ye estate. "Uncle, rest assured. Let us handle the investigation. We won't disappoint you." A rat-whiskered elder spoke up.

"Yes, yes." Several Ye elders chimed in. "Grand Elder is a pillar of the nation. Busy with state affairs daily. Let us handle small family matters." Ye Tianxiong swept his eyes over the smoothing-over elders. He said coldly, "Family matters may not concern the state, but they concern the Ye Pack's future! Are they small matters?"

After a long pause, Elder Xiong raised a hand. "Enough, everyone. I, Ye Tianxiong, will pass judgment today." He glanced at the wooden Pack Alpha, Ye Shouzheng. "Any objections, Alpha?"

"I should recuse myself. I leave the judgment to you, Uncle." Ye Shouzheng's eyes showed exhaustion. He nodded. One was his eldest son. The other was his favored Second Madam. His two closest people, locked in such a bitter struggle.

A profound chill and disappointment filled him. Regardless of victory or defeat, he as the Alpha would always suffer the most.

"I will say this. The roots of a pack's decline are two: lost justice in the rules, and internal strife! Both now exist in our pack! I hope you elders learn from this. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Ye Tianxiong swept his gaze. His aura surged.

"Ye Jin! The Wan family is an old ally. Your suspicions aren't fully cleared. I hereby declare your temporary exile from the Ye Pack! But I will not strip your name from the pack records. To return, two conditions: First, clear your name. Second, perform a great merit for the pack. Accomplish either, and you remain the eldest son!" Ye Tianxiong sighed. "Furthermore, I will write a recommendation for you to cultivate at the Qingyang Sect in Xiyun City. You depart in one month. Do you accept?"

Though Ye Tianxiong was fierce and upright, even he had to consider the Ye Pack's greater interests. Thus, Ye Jin's grievance and sacrifice were inevitable. But Ye Jin didn't care. He never expected a counterattack to flip everything. Surviving, and driving a wedge between the Ye and Wan families, was a perfect strategic win.

"Thank you, Grandfather! I accept!" Ye Jin was overjoyed. He kowtowed, then shot a provoking look at the pale Second Madam. "But what about the snake? What if someone tries to kill me on the road?"

"You..." The Second Madam nearly exploded from the insinuation. She ground her teeth. "Insolence! I'd like to see them try!" Elder Xiong slammed the table and roared. His beard bristled. His killing intent made him look like a demon.

Several powerful Ye elders darkened their faces. Cold, sharp gazes shot like arrows. They glanced at the Second Madam, intentionally or not. The stern warning made her shiver. No one dislikes profit. The Ye Pack was no exception.

But Ye disciples had a broader vision. If someone touched the pack's core, these elders—who usually fought over scraps—would instantly unite, fangs bared. This was why the Ye Pack endured. Otherwise, a fierce man like Ye Tianxiong wouldn't hold the power of life and death.

Elder Xiong stared at him. "Ye Jin, I will investigate the snake. You are exiled, but remember: Ye Pack disciples do not bully others, and are not bullied! I swear, if anyone harms a Ye disciple, I will chase them to the ends of the earth and fight to the death!"

Every word struck like iron. Ye Jin was filled with admiration for this domineering elder. Elder Xiong added, "I will send a pack expert to escort you. Piao Ling, come out." He clapped his hands.