Before the clan elders could reach the door, Dongfang Yan had already dismounted and strode into the courtyard, leaving the clan elders looking at each other in bewilderment.
Dongfang Yinuo was the first to follow him in. The servants led Dongfang Yan's carriage and horses to the stable. From the moment Dongfang Yan entered the General's Mansion, the whole courtyard grew tense. Seeing Dongfang Yan's tight - lipped face, everyone had a good idea of what was going on.
Entering the main hall, someone immediately served tea. Dongfang Yan threw his whip heavily on the ground. With a dark face, he remained silent. He gulped down the tea served by the servant but still felt angry. So he picked up the whole teapot and emptied it in one go.
The venerable clan elders watched this scene in silence, not daring to say a word. After finishing the tea, Dongfang Yan flung the teapot down. Although he was a military general, he was no brute. Outbursts like this were extremely rare. Such a Dongfang Yan made everyone tremble with fear.
"Uncle, he refused to come, didn't he?"
Only then did Dongfang Yan turn his gaze to Dongfang Yinuo, as if he had just noticed her. After all, she was his favorite child. Dongfang Yan couldn't keep his face so stern. His tone softened a bit.
"Yinuo is back? How long have you been back?"
"For some time. Uncle has been in Qingyun Kingdom, so I didn't want to bother you. These days, I heard that you would be back soon, so I came to visit you."
"Good girl, you're so considerate. Is there something you need?"
Dongfang Yinuo had planned to tell her uncle about what had happened in the palace. But seeing that he was in a bad mood, she was afraid that burdening him with palace affairs would be too much for his health. So she just shook her head with a smile.
"It's nothing. How's your health, Uncle?"
She would surely do her best to solve the problems in the palace. For now, the urgent matter of the family was the top priority.
"Not so good. That boy in Qingyun Kingdom didn't even give me a kind word, even when I went there in person."
Moreover, the boy said that although he bore the Dongfang surname, he had never received any care from the Dongfang family. When his family was wiped out, the so - called family didn't offer any help. It was a stranger he had never met who saved him. Such a family, even if it was extremely powerful, wasn't worth his attention.
No one asked for details. Just by looking at Dongfang Yan's face, they knew that this was probably the greatest setback in the general's life.
"Uncle, is there no other way?"
Dongfang Yan shook his head.
"What if we find some capable and extraordinary people?"
"Yinuo, if there were such capable people in Dongzhou, they would have long become the honored guests of the great families. Such people would never take sides at this moment. Moreover, those who are not of our clan may have ulterior motives."
Silence. A long, wordless silence.
In Dongfang Yinuo's heart, her uncle had always been the bravest person in the world. He was always high - spirited, and there had never been a trace of worry on his face. Now, he seemed to have aged. When he frowned, a face full of wrinkles was visible.
"Uncle, I'll go and plead with Dongfang Yuxi. No matter what requirements he has, we'll agree to them."
"Yinuo, do you think that boy would care about these things? Now that he has such abilities, he can get whatever he wants. Do you know that in Qingyun Kingdom, he's just a strategist for the Jun family? That boy has no ambition. All he wants is a peaceful life. Even if you offered him the whole of Dongzhou, he probably wouldn't even take a second look."
Was there really such a person in the world? Dongfang Yinuo didn't believe it. As long as one was a human being, there would always be a weakness.
"Surely he must care about someone or something? By the way, Uncle, as you said, since Dongfang Yuxi is a loyal and righteous man, he must respect the person who saved him back then. If that person persuades him, he will surely agree to help us, right?"
Dongfang Yan sighed. He had thought of this long ago.
"Otherwise, do you think I would have stayed in Qingyun Kingdom for half a month?"
"Uncle?"
"I've searched and inquired. The person who saved that boy was Ye Ling, the former empress of the Eastern Swamp Wilderness."
Ye Ling, the empress of the Eastern Swamp Wilderness. Back then, she had been coveted by many kings in the Nine - Continent Continent. She was a legendary figure. With her strength as a woman, she had shouldered the responsibility of the Eastern Swamp Wilderness. During her reign, no one dared to have any ideas about the Eastern Swamp Wilderness. Her cruelty was well - known in the Eastern Swamp Wilderness. Many capable people in the Nine - Continent Continent had heard of her deeds.
However, such a legendary figure had died young, killed by the several confidants she had personally trained. Her body was nowhere to be found.
"She's dead?"
Didn't that mean there was no hope at all?
"I once saw Ye Ling's memorial tablet in that boy's room. Ye Ling's death back then shocked the Nine - Continent Continent. There's no mistake about this."
If that was really the case, then Dongfang Yuxi had no weakness left.
"Is there any other way? If soft methods don't work, we'll use force."
"You underestimate that boy's ability. It can be said that even the ancestor Dongfang Sheng of our Dongfang family may not be as capable as this boy."
Using force? That was even more impossible.
"Then what should we do?"
"Now the situation in Dongzhou is turbulent. Our family doesn't have a suitable heir. Among the younger generation, most are mediocre. If we support them to take over, it will be a disaster for the family."
So? Was there no way out?
"Now, we can only fight to the death."
"Yinuo, if I unfortunately die in this battle, you must remember that you are a daughter of the Dongfang family. You must carry the banner of the Dongfang family. If, in the end, none of us survive, you must preserve your life even if you have to compromise. Do you understand?"
The atmosphere dropped to freezing point. The fact that her always - confident uncle could say such things meant that in this battle, the Dongfang family had little chance of winning.
"Uncle, our Dongfang family has many informants and retainers in Dongzhou. It can't be that..."
"It might have been okay to say that before, but now it's different. Dongzhou respects men. Have you ever seen a great family where a woman inherits the family business? This is a rule passed down from our ancestors for thousands of years, and no one can break it. The people of Dongzhou are deeply rooted in this idea. Seeing that the Dongfang family has no capable people in recent years, the number of small families offering tributes to us has been decreasing every year."
The King of Dongzhou was different. Over the years, he had shown weakness, flattered Dongfang Ruoxi, and recruited officials everywhere. Without anyone noticing, he had laid a net for their Dongfang family. The King of Dongzhou had spent decades weaving this net, and now it was time to close it. How could he let this opportunity slip by so easily?
Most of the powerful spiritual herb masters and alchemists with strong spiritual power had now gone to the King of Dongzhou's side. What was left of their Dongfang family were mostly old generals. If they really fought, they might not get much of an advantage.
"Moreover, I heard that the King of Dongzhou has recently recruited two capable people. Their abilities are probably unmatched in the whole of Dongzhou."
This time, their Dongfang family was doomed to lose. A complete debacle.