Chapter 59 0061: The Ye Family’s Road to Ruin (Vote Requested)

City Lord’s Mansion.

The heads of the Cao, Duanmu, and Jin families arrived together to pay a visit to the city lord.

Lord Guo found himself with a headache.

“Just tell them I’m unwell and unable to receive guests. Ask them to come another day,” Lord Guo instructed his subordinate.

No sooner had the words left his lips than the three elders appeared at the entrance to his bedchamber.

“City Lord Guo, it’s been a long time. I trust you’ve been well?”

His subordinate was left awkwardly speechless.

Lord Guo immediately greeted them with a smile. “What rare wind has brought the three of you here? Has something happened outside?”

He was feigning ignorance.

“Indeed.” The Duanmu patriarch smiled. “Someone caused trouble recently. For your sake, I endured it. But today, the Jin and Cao families have also been provoked. I wonder, City Lord, how you plan to shield him this time?”

Lord Guo could only smile bitterly inside.

“If you continue to protect him, City Lord, you will truly chill our hearts,” said the Cao family head. “That boy from the Ye family, Ye Fearless, dared to break his vow of sobriety and defile Jin Yun, the young lady of the Jin family. Did you know Jin Yun was already promised to my grandson, Cao Zheng? Zheng went to the Ye family to demand justice—what fault is there in that? Tell me, did he do anything wrong? If it were you, wouldn’t you deal with the one who dishonored your family? Answer me!”

“Master Cao, mind your words,” warned the confidant beside the city lord, casting a sharp glance at the Cao patriarch.

This was a veiled insult.

The Cao patriarch’s temper flared. “What did I say wrong? Tell me!”

He practically roared at the city lord’s confidant, stunning him into silence.

The heads of these great families were not just names—they carried real weight.

Lord Guo gestured for his confidant to stand down, then turned to the Cao patriarch. “Yes, Cao Zheng did nothing wrong.”

“That settles it. But Chu Yun—an outsider, a son-in-law of the Ye family—took it upon himself to strike at my Zheng for something unrelated to him, showing no respect for the Cao family. City Lord, what kind of person does that? Isn’t this a blatant provocation? Shouldn’t I treat him as an enemy?”

“Master Cao, please calm yourself,” Lord Guo hastened to redirect the blame from Chu Yun, still hoping to salvage the situation. “Let’s wait until Cao Zheng wakes up, shall we? I promise to investigate this matter thoroughly.”

“What’s left to investigate?” snorted the Duanmu patriarch. “By the time you finish, the five remaining members of the Ye family will have fled. Word is Chu Yun has already escaped. He’s backed by the Hou family, a traitor colluding with forces outside Guanshan Territory. How can such a man be considered a candidate for city lord?”

“The matter of city lord candidates is not for us to speculate on,” Lord Guo snapped at the Duanmu patriarch.

The Cao patriarch spoke in a grave tone. “We expect you, City Lord, to find the culprit. Regardless of how he is dealt with, shouldn’t he be brought in first? We know you favor this boy, but you must understand, no one can predict what he’ll become. For now, our three families have brought considerable benefit to Watchtower City. Yet our privileges are being trampled. If you won’t stand up for us, our hearts will truly grow cold.”

Simply put, they wanted Lord Guo to give his consent so they could act against Chu Yun at once.

The Cao patriarch was right. No one could say what heights Chu Yun might reach in the future. But if Watchtower City lost the support of these three great families, its overall strength would truly suffer. It wasn’t just Lord Guo—Master Qin would also have to consider whether this was wise.

Lord Guo took a deep breath, then opened his eyes and looked at the three elders. “Very well. Grant me this favor: do as you wish with the Ye family. As for the boy… give him one more chance.”

The three elders stared intently at Lord Guo, but he met their gaze without flinching, his own aura no less formidable.

He knew that if he backed down now, Chu Yun would be taken down immediately.

The three elders locked eyes with him for a long while, understanding that Lord Guo had already compromised as much as he could. Any further retreat might prompt him to bring in the lord of the territory, which would not bode well.

At last, the Cao patriarch said, “Fine. The Ye family is ours. But if that boy dares interfere, don’t blame us!”

After leaving the city lord’s mansion, the three family heads walked side by side. The Duanmu patriarch frowned deeply. “Brother Cao, we could have pressed harder just now. Victory was in our grasp. Why did you give up?”

“You think I gave up?” The Cao patriarch chuckled. “This is retreat for the sake of advance! Securing the right to deal with the Ye family is already a win. Now we’re betting on whether Chu Yun will truly abandon them.”

“But Chu Yun is just a son-in-law. He has no real affection for the Ye family. Why would he care for their safety?” asked the Duanmu patriarch.

“We’ll see how we play it.” The Cao patriarch smiled. “If Chu Yun truly abandons the Ye family and runs, no matter which family he tries to join in the future, he’ll always be rejected. Think about it: the moment trouble arises, he’ll have a history of fleeing. Who would dare take him in? We’ll thoroughly humiliate the Ye family, use them as an example. If Chu Yun wants any future at all, he’ll have to step forward!”

City Lord’s Mansion.

Lord Guo stood in his office, watching the three elders stroll away in the garden. He asked his confidant, “Where’s the boy?”

“In the slums,” the confidant replied. “Meditating, it seems.”

“He hasn’t run yet?” Lord Guo was incredulous. “Does he not realize whom he’s offended? That boy is bold indeed. Luckily I managed to protect him this time, but who knows about next time. Let’s just hope he keeps his head down for now. Once the Ye family is dealt with and the matter passes, we can revisit it. Call Vice Commander Li—tell him not to worry about the Ye family anymore.”

Ye family residence.

After receiving the call, Vice Commander Li waved to the guards. “Withdraw.”

The city lord’s men promptly pulled out from the Ye estate.

Meanwhile, Cao Zheng’s father, Cao Mo, received a call from the family head. He glared at Ye Zhenhuan’s family of five and shouted, “Keep watch over them. If even one escapes, you’ll answer to the family law!”

The trained warriors responded with a loud, “Yes!”

“It’s over. The city lord won’t help us,” Ye Wu Zhao trembled in terror.

Ye Linglong hugged her two younger brothers, soothing them. “It’ll be alright, it’ll be alright!”

In truth, she felt anything but secure.

She was lost, too.

But seeing her family forced to the brink, as the heir, she had to do something.

Helplessness flashed in Ye Linglong’s eyes, followed by a trace of determination. If worst came to worst, she was willing to sacrifice herself for her family, no matter what it took.

(After tonight, a new week begins. Give me your votes—I need the motivation to keep writing!)