Chapter Forty-One: Brothers of the Past

"Brother, what do you want to do?" Ye Ling asked, puzzled.

"Don't worry about me, just rambling," Ye Xin replied with a smile. "Should I keep pretending to be unconscious? That way those cultivators won't come looking for me."

"They've mostly left. At least, no cultivators have come to the Ye family in the past two days," Ye Ling answered.

"Alright, Ling, go find Auntie so she won't worry about me any longer. And don’t forget to stop by the kitchen—I’m starving," Ye Xin said.

"I know," Ye Ling replied, rising and hurrying out.

"Baiqi, you mentioned Auntie deliberately to send Ye Ling away. What’s happened?" Ye Xin turned to Xue Baiqi.

"Master, Mo Yan has been waiting for you," Xue Baiqi said quietly. "Something happened at the prison, and Mo Yan noticed something strange across from the Ye family residence. It seems someone is watching us."

"What's across from the Ye family?" Ye Xin asked.

"It's the Wei family's annex," Xue Baiqi replied. "Wei Juan bought the mansion but doesn't live there himself. He just sent some servants, probably to humiliate the Ye family, making us live opposite their servants."

"Go let Mo Yan in," Ye Xin instructed.

A moment later, Xue Baiqi and Mo Yan entered Ye Xin’s room one after the other. Mo Yan was a man of few words, rigid by nature, with narrow brows, a hooked nose, and round, feline eyes, a long bow slung diagonally across his shoulder.

There's an old saying about faces: 'Hooked nose and hawk eyes, never trust.' It referred exactly to someone like Mo Yan. But Ye Xin, versed in psychology, paid no heed to such superstitions. Through countless trials, Mo Yan had proven that he never betrayed Ye Xin’s trust.

"The Second Master hasn't eaten for three days straight," Mo Yan said quietly. "It took me great effort to find out—the guards are deliberately withholding food. The warden is secretly instructing them to do so."

"Are they so eager to move against the Ye family?" Ye Xin sneered. "Iron Heart Sage is doing this on purpose—spreading rumors, then watching the families’ reactions. If everyone keeps silent, the Ye family is finished."

"It's partly Second Master’s own fault for giving Iron Heart Sage leverage," Mo Yan sighed. "After the Sirius Legion retreated, Iron Heart Sage sent Second Master to reorganize the defeated troops. Instead, he went to provoke the Grand Summon Kingdom. If he’d lost to Demon Finger Xiao or to Unyielding Zhuang, it’d be understandable, but Zhuang sent only a detachment and routed Second Master utterly!"

"You’re wrong," Ye Xin said calmly.

"Master, how am I wrong?" Mo Yan asked, confused.

"Think from Iron Heart Sage’s perspective," Ye Xin explained. "He finally got rid of Ye Guan Hai. He sends Ye Sui Feng to reorganize the remnants, hoping to preserve the Sirius Legion’s structure, not let it be destroyed. Yet, you win? What’s Ye Sui Feng up to? What does your Ye family want? Prove you’re the pillar of the David Kingdom? Prove Iron Heart Sage has always relied on you to survive? Fine, then I’ll destroy you completely!"

Xue Baiqi and Mo Yan looked at each other, speechless.

"Do you know why I kept telling you to watch my second uncle closely?" Ye Xin continued. "Because he’s no fool—far from it! Haha... My father was too dominant, achieved so much, everyone only noticed him and ignored the man hiding behind his back."

"I understand now, Master," Mo Yan managed a bitter smile. The Ye family was truly a den of extraordinary people. Ye Guan Hai needed no mention, and Ye Xin, so young, already showed brilliance—at fourteen he entered the Heaven’s Wrath Camp, at fifteen became its uncrowned king. Even the supposedly incompetent Ye Sui Feng had such deep cunning!

"Wei Juan’s army is advancing victoriously toward Lingding. Even if they want to take action, it’ll take months to prepare," Xue Baiqi said. "Master, Second Master’s life is hanging by a thread. I fear we won’t make it in time..."

"A man prone to suspicion is easy to manipulate—just spread rumors," Ye Xin said. "And, by the way, Zi Che Hui did a great job!"

"What do you mean?" Mo Yan was puzzled.

"Slayer arises, Demon Finger brings disaster, Heaven’s Wrath prospers, Grand Summon falls—haha, I heard this nursery rhyme even in Tianyuan City," Ye Xin laughed. "That kid really is perfect for spreading rumors everywhere."

"Master, are such rhymes actually useful?" Mo Yan asked.

"They’re very useful—immensely so," Ye Xin sighed softly. "Perhaps you think I’m shameless for praising myself like this, but you must understand: when the time comes, and Heaven’s Wrath Camp reappears, those well-known folk rhymes will sway the hearts of the people!"

"Zi Che Hui’s method is simple—I could do it too," Mo Yan said. "Just pay children a coin to sing the rhyme everywhere."

"Be careful, though—don’t let anyone notice," Ye Xin cautioned. "And Nine Cauldron City should be almost saturated; start spreading it farther afield."

"Understood," Mo Yan nodded.

"Mo Yan, you told Baiqi someone is watching the Ye family?" Ye Xin shifted the topic.

"Yes, my demon eye senses a presence focusing on the Ye family from over there—and it’s strong, very strong. I didn’t dare investigate," Mo Yan replied quietly.

"Baiqi, tonight find two warhorses, set their tails alight, and let them stampede into the courtyard across the way. Then you two go over and take a look," Ye Xin said.

"Master, isn’t that a bit too obvious?" Xue Baiqi protested.

"If they're spying in secret, they don’t want things to escalate," Ye Xin said. "To deal with sneaky people, sometimes you must be bold. Besides, we’re not causing trouble—just retrieving frightened horses. No one can object to that."

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside, followed by Deng Qiaoying’s voice, "Xin’er?!"

Deng Qiaoying and Ye Ling entered the room. Seeing Deng Qiaoying’s swollen eyes, Ye Xin leapt up and called respectfully, "Auntie."

"Why are you up? Lie down, lie down!" Deng Qiaoying cried, worried. "Your wounds are serious, you don’t know how to take care of yourself!"

"Auntie, I’m really fine now," Ye Xin moved his limbs. "See? All better!"

"Brother Xin!" came a shout from outside, and a burly figure burst in.

"You are... Wang Meng?!" Ye Xin exclaimed in shock. "You’ve grown so tall?!"

"Hahaha..." The burly man strode over to Ye Xin, giving him a bear hug, though he barely used any strength, separating after a gentle squeeze.

"You two brothers haven’t seen each other in four years, right?" Deng Qiaoying said with a smile.

"About that," Wang Meng replied. "Brother Xin, I remember you used to be half a head taller than me. How come you haven’t grown at all? Now I’m taller than you."

"Big oaf, big oaf—that’s exactly what you are!" Ye Xin said, curling his lip.

"Brother’s grown too, just not as fast as you," Ye Ling giggled. "Brother, I ran into Meng on my way to find Mom—he insisted on coming to see you."

"I’ve wanted to come for ages, but Nine Cauldron City’s been chaotic. The old man was afraid I’d cause trouble, kept me under close watch, so I was stuck at home," Wang Meng explained.

"Is the coast clear now?" Ye Xin asked. Wang Meng’s father was Wang Fang—a curious choice for a man’s name. Who knows what the elders of the Wang family were thinking.

"Yes, otherwise I wouldn’t be out," Wang Meng said.

Wang Fang presided over the Tai Ling Office, a pillar-class warrior. In terms of authority, Tai Ling was the equivalent of the police chief, so news traveled quickly. If Wang Fang thought things were calm, then the cultivators had mostly dispersed from the city.

Ye Xin’s return to Nine Cauldron City meant Wang Fang was his top target for alliance. At the very least, he couldn’t let Wang Fang side with Iron Heart Sage at a critical moment.

"Wang Meng, you’ve grown up now. You should be more cautious. Whatever Xin’er says in the future, always think twice before acting—do you understand?" Deng Qiaoying said, shooting Ye Xin a glare.

"Auntie, what’s that supposed to mean..." Ye Xin looked a bit embarrassed. In those memories, Wang Meng was his closest friend; most of their mischief was done together as brothers.

"What do you mean? Wang Meng used to be such an obedient child—he only learned bad habits from you!" Deng Qiaoying scolded.

"Brother, Meng nearly tried to rob the prison wagon once," Ye Ling suddenly said.

"What prison wagon?" Ye Xin was startled.

"When you were being escorted to the front lines," Ye Ling explained. "Meng actually rallied more than thirty family guards and charged out of Nine Cauldron City to chase the wagon..."

"Are you crazy?" Ye Xin stared at Wang Meng in disbelief.

"Heh heh..." Wang Meng chuckled awkwardly, clearly now realizing how reckless he’d been.

"Lord Tai Ling nearly coughed up blood in anger," Deng Qiaoying said. "He was fifty before he had you, his only son, always treated you as his treasure. If you hadn’t pushed him to the limit, he’d never have punished you so harshly!"

"Yes, Meng nearly caused a disaster that time. Luckily Lord Tai Ling found out and dragged him back," Ye Ling laughed, covering her mouth. "But he escaped death, not punishment. Meng got quite a beating—people say he howled till dawn."

"Let’s not mention it!" Wang Meng said through gritted teeth. "Auntie, Ling, I don’t care if you laugh—I was beaten so hard, I lost control of everything. He wouldn’t stop! For four whole years, I haven’t said a word to him—and I never will!"

"You child... There’s no lasting grudge between father and son," Deng Qiaoying frowned. "Especially when it was your fault. What’s there to resent?"