Zhao quickly reacted, her face changing instantly as she turned to sternly scold Ye Cheng.

“You’re becoming more and more outrageous!”

“How have I taught you all these years?”

“Chuan’er is your younger brother, he’s still young. As the older brother, you should show patience and make compromises. How can you argue with him?”

“Tonight, go to the Ye family ancestral hall and kneel there for the night to reflect on your behavior!”

After scolding Ye Cheng, she turned to glare at Ye Ren. “And you! When you saw the two brothers quarreling, why didn’t you step in to mediate? All those years of study seem to have been for nothing!”

Ye Ren immediately bowed his head, accepting the reprimand with a serious expression.

After Ye Zhenghuai entered the front hall, he saw this scene.

His brows furrowed as he glanced around and then, upon seeing Ye Chuan, his expression immediately darkened.

“What’s going on again?”

Ye Cheng and Ye Ren quickly approached and saluted him. “Father!”

Zhao smiled while supporting Ye Zhenghuai to sit down. “My husband, it’s nothing. It’s just that Cheng’er and Ren’er were being thoughtless.”

“These two boys have really gone too far. When Chuan’er returned, they didn’t even think to comfort him!”

“I’ve already scolded them. You should rest, don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything at home.”

Ye Zhenghuai silently looked at the bruise on Ye Cheng’s face, then at Ye Chuan who appeared unharmed. His anger started to rise.

“Ah, you…”

He sighed in both frustration and sorrow as he held Zhao’s hand, then pointed at Ye Chuan. “After all these years, you’re still like this, always protecting this rebellious child!”

Zhao, sensing his frustration, quickly red-eyed and gave a gentle smile. “My husband, don’t say that. I haven’t protected anyone. They are all my children.”

“Trying to hide it from me?”

Ye Zhenghuai was even more heartbroken. “Look at what’s happened to Cheng’er!”

He suddenly turned around, glaring angrily at Ye Chuan. “Rebellious child! You dare come back and cause trouble again? Do you think I won’t punish you for your defiance?!”

Ye Chuan wasn’t going to indulge him. He sneered coldly.

“If defiance is a crime, what about being ungrateful, heartless, and unappreciative? Isn’t that a crime too?”

“You animal!”

Ye Zhenghuai was hit with the sore truth and instantly became furious.

Seeing the situation threatening to escalate, Zhao quickly stepped in, worried that the deal involving the slave contract and the jade pendant would fall apart. She hastily tried to calm him down.

“My husband, don’t get angry, Chuan’er was just speaking out of frustration!”

Ye Chuan, tired of the family’s insincerity, impatiently waved his hand.

“Enough talk. Bring me the slave contract. The jade pendant is yours. Don’t waste my time!”

Ye Zhenghuai was stunned.

“Slave contract? What slave contract?”

Zhao quickly interjected, “My husband, Chuan’er wants to redeem a maid in the house, which is a good deed. I had already agreed to it, but this child insisted on exchanging it for something. Oh, what does it matter, we’re all family…”

“Maid?” Ye Zhenghuai finally noticed Ye Ying’er, who had been hiding behind Ye Chuan. He took a couple of glances and felt she looked familiar, but he didn’t pay much attention.

When Lady Chen was still alive, Ye Zhenghuai had grown distant, and he’d rarely seen Ye Ying’er.

But when the jade pendant came up, Ye Zhenghuai’s interest was piqued, and he suppressed his anger.

“You’re saying you want to exchange it for your jade pendant?”

Ye Chuan didn’t say much. He simply raised the jade pendant in his hand.

Ye Zhenghuai’s eyes immediately brightened, and he said coldly, “Fine, I approve. Hand the pendant to your second mother.”

It seemed the eldest son had a chance to become the prince consort, and Ye Zhenghuai didn’t care much about Ye Chuan’s defiance anymore.

Zhao was quick to act. Upon hearing Ye Zhenghuai’s decision, she eagerly stepped forward and handed over the slave contract she was holding.

“Chuan’er, take it.”

Ye Chuan accepted the slave contract, checked it, then handed it to Ye Ying’er. He casually tossed the jade pendant to Zhao.

Zhao quickly caught it, her face flashing with a moment of ecstatic joy, but she quickly hid it, acting flustered and uncertain.

“Chuan’er, you shouldn’t listen to your father. Second mother is an elder. How could I take your things…”

She said that, but her hand was tightly clutching the jade pendant, with no intention of returning it.

“Stop talking!” Ye Zhenghuai quickly intervened. “Put the pendant away!”

“Yes, my husband…”

Zhao suppressed her excitement, feigning helplessness as she stored the pendant.

Ye Zhenghuai was in a much better mood now, pleased with the unexpected windfall. He snorted coldly and glared at Ye Chuan.

“Go back to your room. I won’t hold it against you this time, but if you repeat this behavior, you’ll face combined punishment!”

“Combined punishment?” Ye Chuan took Ye Ying’er’s hand, scoffing coldly.

“Ye Shilang, do you have the face to say that in front of my mother’s memorial?”

“Back when my mother and the Empress were alive, why didn’t you dare act so tough in front of me?”

“You…” Ye Zhenghuai was again speechless. His old face turned red, and his hands started to tremble in fury.

Ye Chuan laughed joyfully, leading Ye Ying’er out of the hall.

Just as they were about to step out of the front hall, Ye Chuan suddenly stopped, turned, and gave Ye Zhenghuai a playful smile.

“By the way, Ye Daren, since you already have the pendant, let me offer you one more piece of advice before I leave.”

“I think the prince consort position is more suitable for second brother.”

The moment these words left his mouth, Ye Zhenghuai, Zhao, Ye Cheng, and Ye Ren all slightly shifted in their seats.

Ye Cheng gritted his teeth, his face full of resentment.

Ye Ren’s eyelid twitched slightly.

“After all, second brother is highly educated, with great knowledge. He is likely to place among the top three in this year’s imperial exam!”

“Then, when he succeeds, the prince consort position will be his. Won’t the Ye family be famous in one day?”

“Furthermore, only someone like second brother, with such talent, could be a proper match for the royal princess, right?”

With that, Ye Chuan and Ye Ying’er left in a carefree manner.

The entire front hall was plunged into an oppressive silence.

Ye Zhenghuai’s face was dark as he remained silent.

Zhao furrowed her brows, her heart uneasy.

Ye Cheng anxiously tugged at his hair, both angry at Ye Chuan and fearful that his parents might change their minds.

Ye Ren, however, seemed to be the calmest of all. He stood there, motionless, betraying no emotions.

The uncomfortable silence lingered for a long while until a servant suddenly entered and reported.

“Master, there is an imperial decree!”

Ye Zhenghuai snapped out of his thoughts and quickly got up to head out of the front hall.

Zhao and her sons immediately followed.

“The Emperor has an order. Minister Ye Zhenghuai, after tomorrow’s morning court, bring your son to the Imperial Study to discuss the marriage matter previously arranged by the Empress. The decree is as follows!”

After the eunuch delivered the decree, the family of four returned to the front hall, the atmosphere now even more tense.

Ye Zhenghuai held the decree, deep in thought and silent.

Zhao, though anxious, didn’t dare speak.

Finally, Ye Cheng couldn’t hold back any longer. “Father, please… say something!”

Ye Zhenghuai suddenly looked up, his eyes sharp, making Ye Cheng step back in fear. He lowered his head and kept quiet.

Ye Ren, on the other hand, threw a glance at his elder brother. A clear sign of displeasure flashed across his face.

The silence continued for a while until Ye Zhenghuai finally made a decision.

“Give the pendant to Cheng’er. He will go with me to the study.”

With that, he stood up and left.

It was clear now that both Ye Zhenghuai and Zhao thought Ye Ren had a good chance of placing in the top three in the imperial exam, making him an ideal candidate for the prince consort. But if one son served in the imperial court and the other married into the royal family, the benefits would be maximized!

Ye Cheng, overjoyed, took the pendant from his mother’s hands and followed his father to the study.

At that moment, Ye Ren’s face darkened, unable to conceal his anger.

Zhao noticed this change and immediately felt a chill in her heart, her smile faltering as she tried to comfort him weakly.

“Ren’er…”

“Mother!” Ye Ren cut her off, his voice calm but with a hidden edge. “I’m tired from my journey. I’ll go rest now.”

With that, he turned and left.

Zhao watched her second son’s retreating figure, a cold shiver running down her spine…

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