Humiliation in Public

Hearing their words, Xu Yin's expression changed again and again. If she had not been in a hurry to get to the council hall for the Lineage meeting, she would have ordered someone to tie these people up and whip them on the spot.

Su Chen, however, said softly, "Auntie, why bother arguing with ignorant fools? Don't let them anger you into harming your health."

In the martial world, ignorant fools who blindly echoed others could only end in one way—bringing about their own destruction.

That was why Su Chen did not bother with them, nor did he have the leisure to do so.

Soon, the three arrived at the council hall.

The Jiang Family council hall was a spacious, brightly lit rectangular hall.

By the time the three arrived, four tables had already been set up in the hall, with a total of fifty or sixty seats beside them.

Most of the seats were occupied, the hall packed with people and bustling with noise.

"Second Sister-in-law, you certainly came late today!"

The speaker was a richly dressed man seated at the central table. He had a full beard and looked rough and boisterous.

His voice was exceptionally loud as well. That single shout immediately drew everyone's attention.

Xu Yin's expression did not change as she said blandly, "Thank you for your concern, Third Brother. But there is still a quarter of an hour before the Lineage meeting begins. No matter how one looks at it, I am not late, so there is no need for Third Brother to shout so loudly, is there?"

"Heh heh, Second Sister-in-law, you are overthinking it! With Second Brother absent, can't I look after you in his stead?" The rough-looking man shrugged. He still wore a smile, but his gaze carried a trace of mockery.

Su Chen stood to the side, watching the rough-looking man. Gradually, the man's face matched one from his memories.

The Jiang Family's Third Master, Jiang He.

One of the Jiang Family's current rulers.

"We don't need your fake concern." Jiang Tingyi was straightforward by nature and could not help retorting.

"Tingyi, that is where you are wrong."

At that very moment, a leisurely voice suddenly came from the side. "When elders are speaking, it is already improper for a junior like you to interrupt. Yet you even talk back to your elders. It truly chills the hearts of us uncles."

Su Chen glanced sideways.

The speaker was dressed like a middle-aged scholar, fanning himself with a folding fan. He wore two thin mustaches and looked refined and cultured.

His seat was likewise at the central table, likewise in the seat of honor.

Su Chen narrowed his eyes. He was equally familiar with this face.

The Jiang Family's First Master, Jiang Shan.

He was likewise one of the Jiang Family's current rulers.

The late Old Jiang Family Head had four sons: the Jiang Family's First Master Jiang Shan, Second Master Jiang Hai, Third Master Jiang He, and Fourth Master Jiang Feng.

Among them, Second Master Jiang Hai was Xu Yin's husband. Gifted and upright, he had once been deeply loved by everyone in the Jiang Family.

But storms could rise from a clear sky. Jiang Hai had unexpectedly gone missing during a family mission ten years ago.

After Jiang Hai vanished, the authority that had originally belonged to him was divided between First Master Jiang Shan and Third Master Jiang He, creating the Jiang Family's present two-legged standoff.

As for Fourth Master Jiang Feng, he had lost an arm in an accident during childhood. Since he could not be considered a complete martial artist, he had always been rather quiet and withdrawn, a peripheral figure.

Since the Old Jiang Family Head passed away, the Jiang Family had delayed choosing a new family head. Jiang Shan, Jiang Hai, and Jiang He had once ruled jointly, but after Jiang Hai's accident, Jiang Shan and Jiang He had ruled together.

"Bah! Who cares whether your hearts are chilled? I can't stand the hypocritical faces of people like you..." Jiang Tingyi was about to continue when Xu Yin suddenly grabbed her arm and shook her head.

The meaning was obvious: she was telling her not to say any more.

"Mother, you are always like this..." Jiang Tingyi was extremely frustrated. This First Uncle and Third Uncle were no good birds, honey on their lips and daggers in their hearts. Taking advantage of the fact that she and her mother were a widow and orphan, they had squeezed them at every turn. Their purpose was nothing more than to force them out of the Jiang Family.

She had long seen through them, yet her mother never allowed her to confront them face-to-face.

"Tingyi, this has nothing to do with you." Xu Yin shook her head. The grudges between adults should not be borne by children barely in their teens.

Third Master Jiang He burst into laughter. "Second Sister-in-law, you need to educate your daughter properly. She speaks without restraint, with no respect for elders. How will she ever get married in the future?"

The moment those words fell, Xu Yin abruptly raised her head, a sharp gleam flashing through her eyes.

However, it vanished in an instant. Xu Yin soon calmed down and looked at her daughter. "Enough. The Lineage meeting is about to begin. Tingyi, sit down. Little Chen, you sit as well."

Su Chen answered, then sat with Xu Yin and Jiang Tingyi beside the central table.

Only direct members of the Jiang Family could sit at this table. Besides Xu Yin and her daughter, it was occupied by First Master Jiang Shan's family, Third Master Jiang He's family, and Fourth Master Jiang Feng.

Xu Yin quietly explained everyone's identities to Su Chen.

Seated beside Jiang Shan were his son and daughter, Jiang Mingxuan and Jiang Yuewu.

Seated beside Jiang He was his only son, Jiang Minghao.

Jiang Feng, meanwhile, had never married and had no children. He was all alone.

"Second Sister-in-law." At this moment, Third Master Jiang He's thunderous voice rang out again. "Whose little brat is sitting beside you? Why does he look so unfamiliar? Our Jiang Family Lineage meetings do not permit outsiders to attend!"

Xu Yin said calmly, "I was just about to explain. Su Chen is my nephew from my maternal family, as dear to me as my own son. He will be living in the Jiang Family from now on, so I brought him here to introduce him to everyone."

"Hmph!"

After hearing Xu Yin's words, Jiang He merely snorted unhappily, unable to say anything further.

After all, although Jiang Hai had been missing for many years, Xu Yin was still the Jiang Family's Second Madam in name. She was not without the right to take in a nephew from her maternal family.

Just then, First Master Jiang Shan slowly took up the conversation. "So he is Second Sister-in-law's nephew from her maternal family. Naturally, we welcome him. However, Second Sister-in-law, your nephew is not a direct member of the Jiang Family. It is improper for him to sit at this table. He should leave it."

Xu Yin froze. She had not considered this before coming.

Su Chen truly was not a direct member of the Jiang Family. Jiang Shan's demand that Su Chen leave this table was not excessive.

Xu Yin could not refute that point.

She frowned and looked toward the other three tables occupied by collateral family members. "But there are no vacant seats at the other tables."

"Isn't there still a table over there?" Third Master Jiang He pointed at a lonely single-person table in the corner.

Xu Yin looked over at his words and saw that the small table was covered in dust and piled with miscellaneous items. It was clearly just a table for storing clutter, not one meant for people to sit at.

At once, even with Xu Yin's good temper, her face filled with anger. "What kind of joke is this? Is that table for people to sit at?"

Jiang He snorted coldly. "I am merely telling you not to break the Jiang Family's rules!"

"Whoever wants to sit at that table can sit there. Little Chen will not!" Xu Yin replied coldly.

Did he take her for a fool? Jiang He was obviously humiliating Su Chen. How could she possibly agree?

The two remained deadlocked, and the atmosphere within the council hall gradually became strange.