C11 Patriarch of the Jiang Family

"Lee Yifan pays his respects to the Patriarch."

Upon arriving at the doorstep of the Jiang Family's Patriarch, Lee Yifan found Jiang Mengyuan seated in the grand hall.

Jiang Mengyuan's gaze was piercing, his eyes sharp as blades as he coldly scrutinized Lee Yifan. In a stern voice, he demanded, "Lee Yifan, you've got some nerve, attacking my guards. Where do you get the audacity?"

Lee Yifan was taken aback by Jiang Mengyuan's sudden hostility, yet it wasn't entirely unexpected.

After all, these guards were loyal to Jiang Mengyuan. Striking them was akin to a direct affront to their master, so Jiang Mengyuan's anger was understandable.

Suddenly, a formidable presence radiated from Jiang Mengyuan.

In that moment, he resembled a wild beast ready to leap at Lee Yifan and consume him.

Yet, Lee Yifan showed no fear. Instead, he retorted boldly, "Not only am I in the right, but the Patriarch should discipline those guards. Furthermore, I've been harassed since my arrival at the Jiang Family. Those responsible must be held accountable."

Jiang Mengyuan's icy stare bore into Lee Yifan. To the Jiang Family, Lee Yifan was nothing more than a nobody. If not for Jiang Yurou's insistence on their association, they would have disregarded him entirely.

And yet, this nobody dared to issue commands to the Patriarch of the Jiang Family.

If word of this reached the rest of the Jiang Family, they would be shocked beyond belief.

In that moment, Jiang Mengyuan's eyes were frosty, glinting with a chilling light. As the Patriarch, within the Jiang Family's domain, disrespect toward him was unthinkable. But here was Lee Yifan, brazenly directing him. It was an outright affront to his authority.

Jiang Mengyuan remained silent, but the oppressive atmosphere in the room intensified.

Lee Yifan felt as though a massive weight was bearing down on his chest. Nonetheless, he stood undaunted, his gaze steady as he faced Jiang Mengyuan.

"As an envoy from White Cloud Ravine, my intent was to propose an alliance with the Jiang Family. Since the Patriarch is not receptive, I shall take my leave." Lee Yifan's stance was resolute. Not even Jiang Mengyuan, the Patriarch of the Jiang Family, could compel him to submit.

Moreover, he intended to turn the tide against his adversary.

"Wait, what did you just say?"

Jiang Mengyuan looked at Lee Yifan incredulously and asked, "Are you saying that White Cloud Ravine is willing to form an alliance with the Jiang family?"

The name White Cloud Ravine seemed to carry a special allure.

Any power in Ilanahil would want to be associated with it.

Yet, White Cloud Ravine was notoriously standoffish. Despite interactions with the major families, it maintained its distance and had never allied with any of them.

Now, the prospect of White Cloud Ravine seeking an alliance with the Jiang family was like a massive windfall landing squarely on Jiang Mengyuan's head.

But, he had just let that opportunity slip through his fingers.

"Lee Yifan, are you truly here to represent White Cloud Ravine in forming an alliance with the Jiang family? What proof do you have? If you're deceiving me, are you aware of the consequences?"

Jiang Mengyuan's presence intensified, his expression stern.

"If the Jiang family head doesn't trust me, then let's drop the matter. It's not my loss, after all."

With that, Lee Yifan turned and headed for the door.

He didn't actually plan to leave; instead, he was angling for Jiang Mengyuan to ask him to stay. Given Jiang Mengyuan's earlier reaction, Lee Yifan was confident that he would be politely persuaded to remain.

Just then, Jiang Kui and Jiang Yishan arrived together.

Upon entering the room and spotting Lee Yifan, their eyes flashed with animosity.

"Lee Yifan, you have the audacity to seek out our patriarch? Today will be your end."

Jiang Yishan shot him a venomous look before addressing Jiang Mengyuan, "Patriarch, this man ambushed me and my cousin today. I've also heard he injured your gatekeeper. His actions are utterly lawless. If we don't severely punish him, he'll start to think he can treat the Jiang family as if it were his own Lee family."

"That's not quite right. Even in the Lee family, he's nothing but a cast-off cur."

Jiang Kui chimed in, "Exactly. A reject who's been swept out of his own family dares to strut around in our Jiang household. We must put him in his place."

After finishing their taunts, the two men stared at Lee Yifan as if he were a ghost.

They were convinced that, given their influence and Lee Yifan's assault on the family head's guard, the head would certainly discipline him severely today.

Jiang Kui regained his composure, looking down at Lee Yifan with a sense of superiority. "Lee Yifan, if you kneel and beg for mercy now, I might persuade the family head to go easy on you."

"Really?"

Lee Yifan regarded them with a sly smile.

"Hmph, don't try to act so composed, Lee Yifan. You've dug your own grave by coming here today. If you manage to leave unharmed, I'll kneel and call you 'father.'"

"I doubt I could father someone your size," Lee Yifan replied coolly.

"You'd better worry about yourself," Jiang Yishan said with a cold laugh.

Lee Yifan looked at them and suddenly flashed a wide grin. "Did you know I can tell fortunes? I've read the stars tonight, and they foretell that the family head will punish you. If you ask nicely, I might intercede on your behalf."

The two burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, Lee Yifan, do you think you can kill us with laughter? The family head punishing us? You must be dreaming," Jiang Yishan scoffed.

"Delusional ramblings, utterly absurd," Jiang Kui said with scorn.

Unperturbed, Lee Yifan shrugged and turned to Jiang Mengyuan. "Patriarch Jiang, they've been threatening and intimidating me. I'm so frightened. Perhaps it's best if I leave; otherwise, I might not even know what hit me. Right?"

Jiang Mengyuan's anxiety spiked at the prospect of Lee Yifan's departure.

Without Lee Yifan, forging an alliance with White Cloud Ravine would become a challenge.

Reflecting on how Jiang Kui and Jiang Yishan nearly jeopardized the family's interests, Jiang Mengyuan commanded sternly, "Jiang Kui, Jiang Yishan, apologize to Lee Yifan immediately and then go to the Reflection Hall to contemplate your actions."

What?

Jiang Kui and Jiang Yishan were in utter disbelief.

Their family head had actually demanded that they apologize to Lee Yifan and take time to reflect on their actions.

Could this really be their leader?

"Patriarch, surely you're mistaken. It's Lee Yifan who should be apologizing and reflecting, not us," Jiang Kui protested.

"Yeah, that's right..."

"Silence! I told you to apologize to Lee Yifan. Are you now refusing to heed my commands? If you don't make amends with Yifan today, you can no longer consider yourselves members of the Jiang family," Jiang Mengyuan declared sternly.

Realizing that Jiang Mengyuan was dead serious, Jiang Kui and Jiang Yishan felt as though the world was crashing down around them, a chill settling in their hearts. They had approached Jiang Mengyuan for support, only to find him siding with Lee Yifan.

Moreover, according to Jiang Mengyuan, failure to apologize would result in their expulsion from the Jiang family.

Without the family's shelter, they were nothing.

"I'm sorry, I... I was wrong!" Jiang Kui muttered, head bowed, mustering all his strength to utter the apology.

"I'm sorry!" echoed Jiang Yishan, also bowing his head.

Lee Yifan, feigning a lapse in memory, inquired, "Who was it that wanted to call me 'daddy' earlier? How about saying it again?"

Jiang Yishan, overcome with rage, spat out a mouthful of blood.

Glaring at Lee Yifan with intense fury and fingers clenched to the point of blanching, he whispered through gritted teeth, "Daddy!"