Third Elder Chu laughed in response. He asked with interest, “First Elder, you must be joking. Liuyue’s acceptance to Tian Lu Academy has brought the whole Chu family honor. Why do you want to punish her instead?”
Everyone in the hall fell into a more awkward silence.
If it were any other child of the Chu family who had gotten into Tian Lu Academy, they would definitely be exhilarated. However, this person happened to be Chu Liuyue—the person the entire Chu family had bullied for over a decade!
The better she was now, the more embarrassing it was for the Chu family! She became living proof, showing everyone how blind the Chu family had been all these years.
Since the whole Imperial City had learned of this matter, the family wondered how many people would be laughing behind their backs, even if they came to offer their congratulations!
How many people were waiting to see them make a laughingstock of themselves!?
First Elder was irate. “That’s all the more reason to discipline her! Clearly nothing was wrong with her! She’s even quite talented, yet she pretended to be a good-for-nothing and deceived the entire Chu family. Now that she’s basking in the limelight, where does that leave us?”
Chu Yan suppressed the anger in his heart and seriously said, “First Elder is right! I didn’t expect Chu Liuyue to have such deep thoughts, but I absolutely believe that she did this on purpose today!”
He had been out dealing with things today, but he immediately rushed back when he heard the news. At the moment, all he could feel was extreme hatred and resentment toward Chu Liuyue.
Not only did she get herself into Tian Lu Academy, but she even participated in the mid-term examinations! She came in second place for the Xuan Master examination while taking first place for the warrior examination! Chu Liuyue had completely surpassed Minmin.
How could Chu Yan accept this?
“If all the children in the Chu family follow her example and behave like her, the Chu family won’t exist in the future.”
When everyone in the hall heard what Chu Yan said, they exchanged looks among themselves. Each of them wore a different expression.
Chu Yan seemed to speak for the entire Chu family. In reality, everyone knew he was taking this opportunity to exact his own private wrongs.
He was extremely proud of his daughter, Chu Xianmin, for being the family clan’s most outstanding daughter. However, Chu Liuyue had outshone and defeated Chu Xianmin. How could he wholeheartedly accept it when he might even be plotting to kill Chu Liuyue?
The Third Elder sipped his tea leisurely. “Outsiders might not know whether there’s an actual problem with Liuyue’s body. However, as members of the Chu family, we should know better. At that time, His Majesty asked several people to diagnose her, and all of them said she had a defective Yuan meridian. When our family clan tested her a few years ago, we also detected no force in her body. First Elder, you say she has deceived us all, then are you suspecting that all those people lied as well?”
The First Elder turned pale. “I didn’t say that!” He couldn’t afford to mess with those people, who were of prestigious status. If word got out, he wouldn’t have an easy time dealing with them.
Chu Yan refused to give up. He snorted coldly and said, “Of course, those guys can’t be wrong with their diagnoses. Chu Liuyue is the only one at fault! According to Third Elder, she previously had a defective Yuan meridian. So, how did she manage to turn herself into a genius in the blink of an eye? She never said anything about what happened in between! If she hadn’t gone to Tian Lu Academy and taken the exams today, there’s no telling when this would have been discovered!”
The crowd exchanged looks among themselves. In fact, this was what confused them the most. What really happened to Chu Liuyue’s body for her to experience such a huge and abrupt change?
“Could it be… those herbs she bought some time ago?” someone whispered with uncertainty.
“After the herbs were delivered, Chu Liuyue handled everything by herself. Are you trying to tell me that she repaired her own Yuan meridian?” First Elder was furious, but he only laughed at the absurdity!
During that period of time, he had sent his men to monitor Chu Liuyue and her father in secret. However, his men never saw anyone enter their courtyard. Nobody could repair her Yuan meridian in the whole Country Yao Chen, so how could she manage to do that on her own?
Either fate decided to give her a chance, or someone more powerful was secretly helping her! Whatever the reason behind her change, he was going to dig it up!
“The family head is still in seclusion, so I will handle all of the Chu family’s matters. When Chu Liuyue returns, immediately bring her here for interrogation!” First Elder’s eyes swept across the great hall, looking at everyone with authority, and finally landed on the Third Elder.
“The family head entrusted the whole family to me. Naturally, I have to be responsible for everyone. Chu Yin, you have been opposing me all this while. What exactly are your intentions?”
The Third Elder sneered inwardly. He thought of how shameless this old thing had gotten! He is indeed a lawless man without his master!
Chu Yin relaxed, leaned back in his chair, and said, “First Elder, you misunderstood me. I am not opposing you. I just feel that there aren’t many from the Chu family’s younger generation that can show their skills. We finally have Chu Liuyue—a top genius warrior and Xuan Master, who has been favored by Tian Lu Academy’s teacher—and her future is limitless.
“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she is the Chu family’s future face. There should be a limit to the questioning, interrogation, or punishment, even if First Elder wishes to do so. Of course, considering how wise and devoted you are to the Chu family, you will definitely not do anything excessive. Right?”
First Elder was choked beyond words. Finally, he swung his sleeves furiously. “That goes without saying!”
At this moment, a pageboy suddenly burst through the door in a flurry. “First Elder! Big Missy has returned!”
First Elder reprimanded him furiously. “She’s already back! Why are you panicking?” He looked up, towards the outside. “Where is she? Tell her to come see me at once!”
The pageboy threw himself onto his knees, looking flustered and helpless as he stammered, “I-It’s… it… Big Missy is back, b-but she’s standing outside the front door. She refuses to come in!”
“What?” First elder frowned. “What is she trying to do now? She won’t come in, so we have to go invite her in?”
All these years, Chu Liuyue had been a coward in the Chu family. Though she had just been accepted into Tian Lu Academy, she became so arrogant!
He gave a low grunt and looked at the crowd. “How is this not an issue? Look at her! She’s already putting on airs!”
The crowd in the hall had mixed reactions.
Third Elder asked, “What did she say?”
The pageboy wiped the sweat from his brow. “Missy s-said… she wants you to go out and see her.”
“She’s rebelling!” First Elder slapped the table when he heard that. “Who does she think she is?”
Third Elder stroked his beard and chuckled. “First Elder, Chu Liuyue is not a nobody, but a rare genius seen only once a century. She has the most outstanding presence among the Chu family’s entire younger generation. You said that the family is your priority earlier. Are you… not willing to go?”
“You!” First Elder was irate. “Fine! I’d like to see what tricks she has up her sleeves!”
…
Chu Liuyue stood in front of the Chu family estate’s main gates with her hands clasped behind her back. Her eyes were calm and indifferent as she stared at the two big golden characters ‘Chu Family’ on the gate.
She had suffered much injustice and many grievances here. Today, she was going to reclaim everything!