Young Master Ye Yunfei, please hurry and save Xiao Yue! The people from the family's Enforcement Hall have taken her away. She's being interrogated under torture!"
As soon as Ye Yunfei stepped out of his room, a maid rushed into the courtyard, calling out urgently.
"Hongmei? What's wrong? What happened to Xiao Yue?" Ye Yunfei's gaze turned icy.
Hongmei was one of the few servants in the Ye Family who was relatively close to Xiao Yue and shared a good relationship with her.
"Young Master Ye Qiang is missing a True Spirit Pill. Chunfang came forward to testify, saying she personally witnessed Xiao Yue sneaking out of Young Master Ye Qiang's room. So, Steward Ye from the family Enforcement Hall brought his men and arrested Xiao Yue. She's being questioned right now. Young Master Ye Yunfei, please go save her quickly, or they'll beat her to death!" Hongmei said anxiously.
"Who is Chunfang?" Ye Yunfei's eyes were filled with cold intent.
"Chunfang is Young Master Ye Qiang's personal maid," Hongmei answered.
"Ye Qiang! Hmph, very well, absolutely wonderful! You dare lay a hand on someone under my protection? You truly have no regard for your own life!"
In that instant!
A chilling aura emanated from Ye Yunfei's body, his eyes flashing with bone-piercing killing intent.
Ye Yunfei was one hundred percent certain that this was a deliberate frame-up targeting Xiao Yue.
Xiao Yue had entered the Ye Family at the age of six and had always stayed by Ye Yunfei's side. After Ye Yunfei had his accident and became a cripple, the vast majority of the Ye Family servants avoided him like the plague. Only Xiao Yue remained completely unchanged towards him, instead showing even more concern and consideration. While Xiao Yue was nominally Ye Yunfei's maid, in Ye Yunfei's heart, he had always treated her like his own younger sister.
Daring to target Xiao Yue was equivalent to touching a dragon's reverse scale—an act guaranteed to provoke Ye Yunfei's wrath!
"Hah, the Ye Family really doesn't regard me as a young master anymore. It's about time I performed some surgery on this family and cleansed out some of the maladies lurking within," Ye Yunfei sneered.
"Hongmei, thank you for bringing me the news. You don't need to concern yourself with what happens next."
Ye Yunfei returned to his room, retrieved a longsword, and with killing intent radiating from him, strode with large steps towards the direction of the Enforcement Hall.
The Ye Family's Enforcement Hall was located in the western part of the family estate.
"Halt! The Enforcement Hall is a family restricted area. No one is allowed to enter without permission!"
At the main entrance of the Enforcement Hall, two guards saw Ye Yunfei approaching with a sword in hand. After a momentary surprise, they both shouted in unison.
Over the years, the family Enforcement Hall had, in reality, been firmly controlled by Ye Zhongnian and his two sons. Therefore, the Enforcement Hall personnel held no regard whatsoever for Ye Yunfei, the so-called young master of the Ye Family.
"Whoever dares stand in my way will die," Ye Yunfei said coldly, walking towards the interior of the Enforcement Hall.
"How bold! Ye Yunfei, you worthless cripple, clearly have no respect for the Enforcement Hall..."
One of the guards flew into a rage, taking a step forward to block Ye Yunfei's path.
Swish!
A chilling streak of swordlight swept horizontally. The guard's head was severed, sent flying as blood splattered violently.
"Worthless... you... you..."
The other guard paled in terror, his soul seeming to flee his body. He stumbled backward, unable to form a complete sentence.
Thud!
The sword in Ye Yunfei's hand pierced through his throat, emerging from the other side as a spray of blood shot out.
Ye Yunfei pulled out his sword and, without looking back, stepped into the interior of the Enforcement Hall.
Inside the Enforcement Hall at this moment.
"You little slut! With both material evidence and witnesses present, you still dare to deny it! This True Spirit Pill was searched from your person!"
A harsh, cruel voice rang out as a man of average build sneered, holding a True Spirit Pill in his palm.
This man was called Ye Fu, the steward of the Enforcement Hall.
The Ye Family Enforcement Hall was overseen by the family's Second Elder, Ye Haoyuan. However, under normal circumstances, it was Ye Fu who managed daily operations personally, with Ye Haoyuan directing from behind the scenes. Ye Haoyuan belonged to Ye Zhongnian's faction.
A young girl around fifteen or sixteen knelt on the floor. Both sides of her face were covered in palm prints, swollen and red, streaked with tears, her expression filled with fear.
It was Xiao Yue.
"Steward Ye, I... I really didn't steal the True Spirit Pill. That pill wasn't taken from me..." Xiao Yue pleaded with a pale face, clearly terrified.
"Hmph, still refusing to admit it! Chunfang, you tell us, what exactly did you see?" Ye Fu said with a cold laugh.
"Today, I went out to buy daily necessities for the young master. Young Master Ye Qiang also had business to attend to outside, so no one was watching over his courtyard. When I returned, I personally saw Xiao Yue leave the door of Young Master Ye Qiang's room in a panic. After Young Master Ye Qiang returned, he discovered a True Spirit Pill was missing."
A maid named Chunfang spoke up, looking at Xiao Yue with a mocking gaze.
In the past, when Ye Yunfei was still a genius, she had felt inferior, unable to hold her head high in front of Xiao Yue. Now, it was different. The tide had turned. Ye Yunfei had become a cripple, while Ye Qiang and Ye Lei were the leading figures among the Ye Family's younger generation. As Ye Qiang's personal maid, her status had naturally risen with his influence.
"Little slut! With evidence and witnesses both present, you have no choice but to confess! According to Ye Family regulations, any servant found guilty of theft will be severely punished without leniency. Right now, you have two paths before you. First, have your hands and feet severed and be expelled from the Ye Family! Second, reveal the mastermind behind you. Speak! Was someone instructing you to do this?!" Ye Fu barked harshly.
"No... Steward Ye, I've been wronged. Please, believe me..." Xiao Yue trembled all over with fear.
"Hmph, less nonsense, slut! Which will you choose?!" Ye Fu pressed.
"No! I won't choose either! I want to stay by Young Master Ye Yunfei's side and continue serving him!" Xiao Yue shook her head as she shrank back towards the corner in fear.
"Hmph, you little bitch. This isn't up to you. Very well, since that's your attitude, I'll consider you've chosen the first option. Men, sever her hands and feet, then throw her out of the Ye Family!" Ye Fu ordered cruelly.
"Yes!"
Immediately, two servants stepped forward, holding sharp long blades. Grinning sinisterly, they walked towards Xiao Yue, who was kneeling in the corner.
"No... Steward Ye, I beg you, spare me..." Xiao Yue shivered uncontrollably.
"Wanting me to spare you is simple. As long as you provide evidence that the worthless cripple Ye Yunfei instructed you from behind the scenes to steal the True Spirit Pill, I will let you go," Ye Fu took a step forward, bent down, and whispered coldly, word by word, into Xiao Yue's ear.
It was clear that Ye Fu was trying to force Xiao Yue to admit that Ye Yunfei was the mastermind. On the surface, this frame-up targeted Xiao Yue, but in reality, it was specifically aimed at Ye Yunfei! A Ye Family young master instructing his maid to steal spirit pills—now that was a charge that, if confirmed, would be more than enough to cause serious trouble for Ye Yunfei and his father. Right now was the most critical moment in Ye Zhongnian's power grab. The Ye Zhongnian father and sons were doing everything possible to smear Ye Yunfei and his father, all to ensure a smooth ascension.
"No! I didn't steal the True Spirit Pill, and Young Master Ye Yunfei certainly didn't order me to! Steward Ye, please believe me..." Xiao Yue shook her head desperately.
Slap!
Ye Fu slapped Xiao Yue across the face. Her delicate frame was sent tumbling to the ground by the force.
"Sever the hands and feet, toss her out of the main gate!" Ye Fu shouted.
At that very moment, a figure rushed into the Enforcement Hall and gently helped Xiao Yue up.
It was Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei supported Xiao Yue with his left hand. In his right hand, he held a sword from which fresh blood steadily dripped.
"Xiao Yue, I'm sorry. I arrived late," Ye Yunfei said softly, his heart aching as he looked at Xiao Yue's severely swollen cheeks and her bleeding lips.