Chapter Forty-One: Shameless

"What happened?" Jiang Ziyang's expression grew solemn. He was well aware of the steward's cultivation; if even the third steward was in such a state, it must be a grave matter.

The third steward was a tough man—blood still dripped from his wounds, yet he hadn't uttered a word of pain. He spoke quickly, "Master, just half an hour ago, masked intruders broke into our estate and clashed with us! There were five of them in total, moving swiftly. We killed two, two escaped, and one was severely injured. He should still be hiding somewhere in our estate!"

The members of the Jiang family present shuddered at the news, and anger surged within them. Someone had dared to storm the Jiang estate—clearly, they were being utterly disregarded.

Jiang Ziyang waved his hand, dismissing those around him. He barked, "Search—"

"Yes, sir!" The Jiang family members quickly dispersed. The estate was vast; if the intruder was truly hiding, finding him would not be easy.

Jiang Ziyang asked again, "How are your wounds? How many did we lose?"

"Thank you for your concern, Master. I'm fine! Only two servants, careless, got their legs broken—but their lives are not in danger. The intruders weren't here to kill; it seemed more like they were… searching for something!" The third steward spoke his conjecture through gritted teeth.

A flash of fury crossed Jiang Ziyang's eyes. The Jiang family had no shortage of treasures, many of them ancestral. Even losing a single piece would be a painful blow.

Su Ye interjected, "Steward, do you know who they are?"

"We're not sure yet. But if we capture the wounded one, we'll get answers!" Shame washed over the third steward's face. The Jiang family's defenses had always been considered impregnable, yet five men had managed to breach them.

"Let me help with the search!" Su Ye said, moving to act.

Jiang Ziyang stopped him, "That's not necessary! Both you and Liuying are wounded—it's unwise to take any more risks. Anyone able to infiltrate the Jiang estate won't be weak. Go and rest. I'll have someone bring you medicine soon."

Seeing Jiang Ziyang’s stern demeanor, Su Ye glanced at the still frail Jiang Liuying and nodded, "Alright. If you find the fugitive, let me know—I’d like to see who sent them!"

The third steward spoke up in time, "Miss, young master, your rooms haven’t been searched yet—they’re still dangerous. Please rest in the main hall. Everyone is gathered there, and the chief steward is present. You'll be safe."

"Alright," Su Ye replied, then instinctively glanced at Jiang Liuying’s wrist. He paid little mind to his own wounds, but she was still bleeding, and her wrist was slick with blood; a doctor should be called immediately.

"What are you staring at? Haven't you seen a beauty before?" Jiang Liuying shot him a glare, clicked her little leather shoes, and strode straight toward the hall.

Su Ye touched his nose, feeling awkward, and followed her to the hall.

Inside, they found thirty or forty people gathered—noisy and tumultuous. The loudest voices belonged to Wei Qiang, his cousin, and Shu Qin, his aunt.

Both were clearly upset, berating a servant about something.

When Su Ye and Jiang Liuying entered, they finally quieted, and the hubbub faded instantly.

Wei Qiang sprang from the sofa, eyeing Su Ye up and down. "Hey... loser—cough, cough—Su Ye, I heard you regained your cultivation? Took first place in the challenge tournament? Is that true?"

Su Ye had no fondness for Wei Qiang and said simply, "Yes."

Wei Qiang closed his eyes in agony, cursing bitterly as if he deeply regretted something.

Jiang Liuying grabbed a bag of chips, tasted one, found it not to her liking, and handed them to Su Ye. "Listen, Qiang—he’s back, and even Yu Zhisha couldn’t beat him! If you want to live a long life, don’t provoke him, got it?"

"I—I know, of course! I never mess with Su Ye, right?" Wei Qiang forced a sheepish smile, then glanced at Su Ye’s hands, finding them empty. He quickly asked, "Hey, Su Ye, I heard you got a lot of rewards for first place! Show us, will you?"

Su Ye had no intention of boasting. He replied gravely, "Just a card, some money. The other is an internship invitation from the Martial Alliance. Nothing worth showing."

Shu Qin immediately spoke, "Is that all? I heard there were cultivation manuals, spirit herbs, and elixirs. You’re not secretly keeping them for yourself, are you? You’re part of the Jiang family now—those belong to us. Don’t take things you shouldn’t."

Wei Qiang chimed in, "The Jiang family is a big clan; everything is based on seniority and qualifications. You’ve freeloaded here for years—shouldn’t you hand those things over to the family?"

Su Ye’s brow furrowed. He had indeed lived at the Jiang estate for years, but when he first left his own family, he brought several precious items—all of which he had given to the Jiang family. Measured in money, it would last him another ten years.

Even setting that aside, the only ones with true authority in the Jiang family bore the Jiang name. These two cousins had no right to speak.

"Oh? And what position do you have to say such things?" Su Ye asked coldly.

Jiang Liuying grabbed another handful of chips and tossed them at Wei Qiang—covering him in crumbs. She barked, "Qiang, I’ll tell you once: don’t stir up trouble! My father’s word is law here, not yours!"

Wei Qiang dared not raise his voice to Jiang Liuying, his face full of distress. "No, cousin. Listen—it’s different now. He used to just eat and drink here, but now he’s back and strong. If you don’t make him behave, he’ll turn the place upside down! I’m only thinking of the Jiang family!"

Shu Qin added, "Su Ye, you’ve lived here so long—you’re part of the family! I speak plainly, don’t take offense. I heard you gave away three rewards for first place to the Ning family. You had no right to do that; you must get them back!"

She paused, then raised her voice, "Your Martial Alliance invitation card should go to Wei Qiang! He’s more qualified to intern with the Alliance. You have a deep feud with the Yu family—if something happens, all will be lost! As for your twenty million card, we won’t touch it; you keep it, since you did some good. I’ve arranged things this way—no objections, I hope?"

Before Su Ye could reply, Wei Qiang shouted, "Hey, wait! I object. Su Ye, I bet on you to lose, and I lost over three million. You have to compensate me!"

When he finished speaking, the hall fell silent. A heavy, oppressive atmosphere spread quietly.

Everyone’s gaze turned to Su Ye.

Rage burned in Su Ye’s eyes. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "How ridiculous! I risked my life for these rewards—why should I let you dictate what I do with them? I was able to return to school, and Liuying and I made it out safely. Ning Shuang played no small part in that! You want me to break my promise and take back what I gave? Now you want the Martial Alliance card and compensation for your betting losses? The two of you are shameless! How dare you say such things! Hmph!"

Wei Qiang was furious in turn. "Su Ye, are you rebelling? No matter how you earned those rewards, no matter what you accomplished, or how well you did outside—you must obey the Jiang family. If not, you’ll be punished by family law!"

Su Ye laughed coldly. "Wei Qiang, who do you think you are? Say one more word, and I’ll slap you silly!" He stepped forward, causing Wei Qiang to retreat in panic.

The stewards and servants hurried to intervene, urging both sides to calm down.

Butterfly, her cheeks flushed, nearly in tears, rushed to Jiang Liuying. "Miss, please say something! Don’t let them fight—they’ll cause trouble!"

Jiang Liuying glanced over, her stunning face showing disdain. "What’s it got to do with me? Let them fight if they want. If Dad punishes me, it’s not you who’ll get in trouble. Go ahead—fight, fight!"