Chapter 115: Give It a Try

It looked as though Ye Xiong had not yet received the news. Ye Xuan found it strange. Could it be that Ye Quan had not told Grandpa about what had happened? He hurried over to him.

“Yes, Grandpa. I just got back,” Ye Xuan said with a nod.

He helped his grandfather to his seat, and seeing him up close, he realized that the old man was truly unwell. He looked completely different from the person in his memories.

Ye Xiong gestured for the guards beside him to take those people away for training.

Then he pulled Ye Xuan closer and began to talk with him.

“Grandpa, there’s something I want to ask you.”

“What is it?”

Having lived to his age, Ye Xiong naturally knew from Ye Xuan’s expression that it had to be something important.

“My father said that I can’t be with the person I love. What does that mean?”

“Do you have someone you love?”

Instead of answering, Ye Xiong asked him another question.

“I suppose I do.”

“Can we talk about this after you have children?”

“Grandpa, having children is still a long way off. I want to know what this is really about.”

“Since you insist on knowing, then I’ll tell you. I don’t know how much longer I have left, anyway. There are some things about Ye Manor that you should know. Ye Manor has an unwritten rule—one that must nevertheless be followed. After the next heir has a son, the mistress of Ye Manor must undergo a trial. If she fails, you must kill her.”

“What?”

“Your grandmother failed the trial, and so did your mother. That is why I believe your father meant that your wife would fail it as well. Everything he has done has been for Ye Manor. The burden he carries is immense.”

Ye Xuan nearly broke down when he heard this. What kind of twisted rule was this?

“Grandpa, are you saying that my mother was killed because she failed the trial?”

“Yes.”

“Why? She merely failed it. Is it really that important?”

“It is. To Ye Manor, it is that important. If your mother had not been killed, the Ye family could not have continued. Ye Manor does not permit traitors. Women who marry into the family are outsiders, and they must pass the trial. If she were not killed, all the guards would have moved against her. That would have been even more cruel for your mother. Forgive your father, Ye Xuan. He had no choice. Rather than dying at the hands of the guards, it was better for her to die by his own hand.”

Ye Xiong let out a sigh. He had not wanted to speak of it, but he did not have much time left.

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“No. No, I don’t want this.”

Ye Xuan stared at everything in horror. It was sick. All of it was sick.

“It’s sick, Grandpa. Why? Don’t you miss Grandma? Don’t you hate yourself?”

How could anyone bring themselves to kill the person they loved?

“That is why your father told you not to marry the woman you love. Because this ends in tragedy.”

“Then what is the point of marrying someone you don’t love?”

Ye Xuan could not accept it. He absolutely could not. For the sake of this ridiculous trial, the women of the Ye family had died one after another.

No wonder. No wonder there was no grandmother, no mother—nothing. They lived in a world ruled entirely by men. It was unbearably cruel.

“Ye Xuan, Xuan’er, calm down. I shouldn’t have told you this.”

“Grandpa, I… I can’t accept it.”

“Whether you can accept it or not, you must. Remember this: if you truly love her, then do not marry her. Do you understand?”

Perhaps Ye Xiong truly pitied his grandson. Ye Xuan had clearly fallen deeply in love, or he would not have looked so helpless. Seeing him like this broke the old man’s heart.

With death approaching, Ye Xiong valued family ties more than ever. The guilt he had carried over killing his own wife in his younger years rose painfully within him. The Ye family had been shackled to this absurd tradition for generations. How could any woman possibly pass such a trial?

It was too cruel. To Ye Xuan, it was like thunder exploding overhead. He could hardly believe it. How could anyone believe something like this?

When he returned to his room, his entire body was nearly collapsing. He looked utterly miserable.

“What happened to you?”

Si Nuo-sang had been waiting outside the whole time. When she saw Ye Xuan approaching, she was startled. His expression frightened her even more.

Ye Xuan embraced her without saying a word.

Something was terribly wrong with him.

“Ye Xuan, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“I’m fine. I’m fine.”

Even his voice was trembling. He had come to save her, not to kill her.

He had suffered too many shocks—the death of his mother, and the horrifying future that awaited him. He simply could not process it all at once. He was overwhelmed with grief.

Si Nuo-sang hugged him tightly as well.

“Why don’t we leave? Seeing you like this is breaking my heart.”

Her eyes were filled with worry and fear. She truly regarded him as a friend. Ye Xuan had sincerely gone this far for her, so she had to protect him in return.

“You’re calling this fine? You’re clearly not fine at all. Do you realize how abnormal your mental state is right now? I’m worried about you.”

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Si Nuo-sang’s concern helped Ye Xuan regain a little control over himself. He could not let her continue worrying about him.

“I’m just exhausted. I want to rest.”

“All right. Then go and get some rest.”

Si Nuo-sang looked at Ye Xuan. He did need to rest properly in his current condition.

“Mm. You too. Go to bed early.”

Ye Xuan looked at her, unwilling to make her worry. Though it was already too late for that—she had been worrying about him for so long.

Si Nuo-sang returned to her own room to rest. She continued to worry about Ye Xuan, but sleep soon overcame her, and by midnight she had drifted into a deep slumber.

The next morning, after she got up, she went to Ye Xuan’s room and found that he was already awake. He was standing in the courtyard, stretching his back.

“Ye Xuan.”

She walked over to him.

“You’re awake. The air is wonderful this morning.”

Ye Xuan smiled at her. His smile made it seem as if nothing had happened the night before.

He looked relaxed and charming. It was good to see him like this.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just had a bit of a breakdown last night. You know my relationship with my father isn’t good. I needed to let some things out.”

“Is that so?”

Although his explanation was flawless, she still found it difficult to believe him.

He seemed so natural that it only made her more suspicious.

“Of course. Let’s go have breakfast.”

“I haven’t washed my face yet.”

“Oh. Go have one of the maids bring you a basin of hot water.”

Ye Xuan immediately called for a maid. She quickly brought hot water, and Si Nuo-sang washed and tidied herself before following him to breakfast.

However, Ye Xuan did not eat at home. There was a gathering taking place, and many street vendors had set up outside, though there would not be much available so early in the morning.

“Tofu. Let’s have this.”

She pointed toward a nearby stall. She had seen the dish before but had never tasted it, so she wanted to give it a try.

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