Severing Family Ties
Yang Xinlong, seated above, spoke up, “Lan Xiaozi never had such dangerous ideas before. Could it be that Lin Qiao has been whispering sweet nothings into his ear?”
Lin Qiao’s eyes widened, and he shook his head in disbelief.
“It’s definitely this seductive fox!” Chen Yun’s voice rang out sharply from the crowd. “Whose wife or husband doesn’t work after marriage? Yet he, on the very first day, had Yang Lan cook and even brought the meal to the fields. Tell me, if it weren’t for his seductive tricks, how could Yang Lan do such a thing?”
Even without Yang Qingnian’s incident, he had long been displeased with Lin Qiao.
Why was it that, despite both being less favored in their families, Lin Qiao didn’t have to do anything after marriage? It was simply unfair!
Lin Qiao looked up at them, feeling as if they were a row of monsters with gaping mouths, each wanting to take a bite out of him.
He shivered violently, praying in his heart, “Husband, please come quickly.”
“Qiao Ge’er, do you admit your guilt?” Elder Yang asked sternly.
Lin Qiao bit his lower lip, stubbornly shaking his head, and whispered, “I did nothing wrong. My husband is genuinely good to me, not because I… seduced him.”
“Insolent!” Elder Yang’s calm facade was cracking at Lin Qiao’s public defiance.
Yang Xinlong sneered, “Such a disobedient husband should be punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall!”
“That’s right!”
“Punish him well, and he’ll know his place.”
“I say, just give him a divorce letter. Let’s see how arrogant he is when he slinks back to his family!”
Listening to the insults and accusations from all sides, Zhang Shi’s face turned pale as he mocked inwardly: New Yang, these are your relatives, the clan you were so proud of.
He gripped Lin Qiao’s arm tightly and whispered, “I’ll hold them off. You find a chance to run.”
Lin Qiao’s eyes widened, shaking his head frantically.
“Xinyi, seize him and lock him in the ancestral hall. He’ll get food and water only when he admits his wrongs,” Elder Yang commanded.
As the burly men approached, Lin Qiao trembled with fear, shouting, “Husband!”
At that moment, Yang Lan was nearby, but Wen Ge’er didn’t know which house they were in. Hearing Qiao Ge’er’s shout, he perked up and ran towards the sound.
Seeing the tightly closed door, Yang Lan’s eyes filled with a fierce determination. He raised his leg, and with a loud crash, the flimsy door fell.
The crowd in the courtyard was startled by the sudden noise, turning to see Yang Lan, his face cold as ice.
Yang Lan saw Zhang Shi and Lin Qiao.
The two men had already grabbed them, and Yang Lan was very worried.
The incident at Willow Mountain had already left a deep trauma in Qiao Ge’er’s heart. Just as he was recovering, these people started hurting him again!
Yang Lan’s eyes blazed with anger. Before anyone could react, he kicked the two men aside, shielding Zhang Shi and Qiao Ge’er behind him.
“Lan Xiaozi!” Elder Yang’s cane struck the ground heavily in anger. “Are you really going to oppose us elders for the sake of one husband?”
Yang Lan looked at them and laughed coldly, “Elders? Do you even deserve that title?”
“Yang Lan! You’re being disrespectful!” Elder Yang clutched his chest in anger.
Yang Lan didn’t spare him a glance, instead turning to Yang Xinlong, who was sitting on the ground. “Uncle… oh no, you’re not my uncle anymore. Is there something you forgot to tell the elders?”
Yang Xinlong felt a chill under Yang Lan’s gaze, struggling to maintain his composure. “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Fifteen years ago, Uncle Yang made a promise. Haven’t you told the elders yet?” Yang Lan taunted.
Zhang Shi had an inkling of what he was about to reveal and hesitated, “Lan’er…”
“Father, don’t worry. This isn’t my fault, and it won’t affect my exams,” Yang Lan reassured him.
Hearing this, Zhang Shi knew Yang Lan was determined to reveal everything and sighed, saying nothing more.
Yang Xinlong’s heart pounded, and he blurted out, “Yang Lan! If you dare speak out, I’ll make you pay!”
Yang Lan despised being threatened, especially by someone unworthy of fear.
He smirked and bowed to the clan elders. “Respected elders, I’m not being disrespectful, nor am I breaking the Yang family rules. Fifteen years ago, I, Yang Lan, severed ties with Yang Xinlong. My surname may belong to any Yang clan, but definitely not the Willow Leaf Village Yangs.”
“Yang Lan!” Yang Xinlong shouted, but he couldn’t stop Yang Lan’s words, and he slumped to the ground, defeated.
The elders were shocked by this revelation.
Yang Lan knew what they were thinking.
In ancient times, bloodlines and clan ties were paramount, embodying the idea that one person’s success could elevate the entire family. In the Willow Leaf Village Yangs, he was the only one in centuries to pass the student exams, the sole hope for the younger generation to rise.
But now, Yang Lan declared he had no ties with them, leaving them with deep regret.
After a brief silence, Elder Yang spoke, “Yang Lan, you were young and naive back then. I can give you a chance now…”
He was interrupted by Yang Lan, “No need. I just want to take my father and husband home.”
Since becoming a clan elder, Elder Yang was used to respect, and being slighted by a junior left him displeased.
“That’s your choice. I hope you won’t regret it later!”
Yang Lan chuckled, “If staying here means my father and husband live in fear and illness, then I’d regret it.”
“Fine, let him go!” Elder Yang said coldly. “Let’s see how far he gets without the Yang clan’s support!”
Yang Lan said nothing more, helping Zhang Shi and Lin Qiao out of Yang Xinlong’s house.
If he hadn’t been so determined about the exams before, from today, he would give it his all.
Living well would be the best revenge against these people.
“Father, Qiao Ge’er, are you alright?” Yang Lan asked with concern.
Lin Qiao looked at him, eyes sparkling, “I’m fine! I knew you’d come, so I wasn’t scared at all!”
Zhang Shi smiled, not exposing his bluff.
Seeing their spirits high, Yang Lan breathed a sigh of relief.
Not long after, Wen Ge’er ran over, looking up at them with worry.
Zhang Shi smiled, ruffling Wen Ge’er’s hair. “Good child, uncle and brother are fine. We owe it to you today.”