Time Travel: The Noble Family

Xiang Wei silently sighed as she observed Yueyao’s expression. After all this talk, Yueyao still considered the Lian family as her own kin, otherwise, why would she have left herself an ace up the sleeve? It’s better that I take action; treating such a person with kindness would only be perceived as weakness.

Xiang Wei said, "Old Grand Master Lian, we still have a copy of the kitchen maid’s statement from that day. Although the kitchen maid is dead and without her confirmation, as long as this statement is spread and with Lord Ma’s corroboration, I believe the Lian family will soon make a name for themselves in the Capital City." It had always been rumors before, but now with physical evidence and testimonies, once this spreads, the Lian family is completely finished.

Lian Dongfang had never imagined that Yueyao still had a card to play, even keeping the kitchen maid’s statement. Lian Dongfang, looking at Yueyao, said, "The Lian family raised you, and this is how you repay us?" If he had known she would turn out to be such an ingratiating traitor, he should have made her disappear back in Jiangnan.

Yueyao bit her lower jaw and remained silent.

But Xiang Wei wasn’t going to be intimidated by Lian Dongfang: "The debt of upbringing should be repaid to one’s biological parents, and has nothing to do with Old Grand Master Lian. Lady Mo has plotted against our miss time and again. If it weren’t for our miss considering herself part of the Lian family, do you think you could stand here and accuse her, Old Grand Master Lian?

Xiang Wei used to think Yueyao was foolishly irritating—always targeted repeatedly by enemies yet always avoiding confrontation and never striking back. But gradually, she came to understand Yueyao’s concerns. While spreading this matter might indeed win her some justice, it would also completely ruin Yueyao’s reputation. No one would accept someone who betrayed their own clan, and Yueyao wouldn’t be able to make a stand in the Capital City

Yueyao might not care about her own reputation, but she couldn’t disregard Tingzheng’s. If her reputation were tarnished, she might never again be eligible to intervene in Tingzheng’s matters. Tingzheng, too, would become handicapped because of her issues.

Lian Dongfang would not engage in a war of words with Xiang Wei; he only stared at Yueyao and said, "What do you really want from all this? I absolutely disagree with Tingzheng going to Guangdong and Guangxi with Li Guoxing." It would seem as though the Lian family member had all died out, needing an outsider to sustain the Lian progeny.

Yueyao finally spoke, "Uncle, I will handle Tingzheng’s matters myself from now on, and you won’t have to bother with our sibling affairs anymore."

Lian Dongfang, his eyes dark, said, "You want to leave the Lian family?" His words were a threat to Yueyao, implying if she dared do so, he would expunge her and Tingzheng from the Lian family’s registers.

In this era, lineage was more paramount than heaven; being expunged by one’s clan meant becoming a person without roots. Once expelled, Yueyao and Tingzheng would no longer have any ties.

Upon hearing this from Lian Dongfang, Yueyao immediately laughed and said, "Uncle, don’t forget the Lian family isn’t ruled by you alone. If this really escalates to a clan dispute, I hope you, Uncle, will not regret it then." The shoeless are not afraid of those with shoes; she dared to wager that Lian Dongfang would not dare to risk losing, as he could not afford to lose.

Enraged to the point of nearly spitting blood, Lian Dongfang eventually left the room. As he left, he threw a parting shot at Yueyao: "Take care of yourself."