Chapter 425: Slander
Chapter 425: Slander
Jade Bamboo peak was covered in lush green bamboo trees. Inside the bamboo forest stood a tower named Jade Bamboo Little Tower. It did not have a large area, but it was extremely exquisite. It was where Matriarch Lin stayed.
Other than a few Grand Elders who dedicated themselves to cultivating so they could extend their lifespans and did not question worldly matters, Matriarch Lin was actually in charge of the Lin family. Jade Bamboo Little Tower became the spot where the highest power resided in in the Lin family.
At this moment, in the Jade Bamboo Little Tower, Matriarch Lin was sitting on her chair. Two maid servants were standing beside her, massaging her shoulders. Her eyes were slightly closed, as if she was about to fall asleep. On the surface, Matriarch Lin looked like an ordinary old granny from a rich, noble family. It was as if because an old person was lacking in mental energy, they would doze off from time to time.
“Matriarch Lin…”
A woman dressed in a palatial gown entered and bowed to Matriarch Lin. She was Lin Xintong’s grandaunt.
“Oh? Fenggu… ” Matriarch Lin opened her eyes slightly. After glancing at her, Matriarch Lin nodded, motioning her to take a seat.
Lin Xintong’s grandaunt, Lin Fenggu, had previously pushed for the Lin family and Shen Tu family clan marriage alliance. Although it was proven that the Shen Tu family clan had nefarious motives, people like Lin Fenggu were not punished, they were only reprimanded.
After all, there were too many people who sided with the Shen Tu family clan. Even the Matriarch herself had ordered Lin Xintong to eat the relic at the final moment.
For this, Matriarch Lin had self-reflected for three days, so as to remember this lesson.
“Matriarch, it’s about that Yun Yantian…”
The woman in palatial gown said distastefully. She still had a lot of prejudice towards Yi Yun.
“Oh?” Matriarch Lin frowned slightly. She had a hunch that Lin Fenggu would not say anything good, “What about him?”
“It’s this, I received some information regarding him. His true name is Yi Yun and he was born in the Eastern regions. Furthermore, even in the backward Eastern regions, he was an extremely normal civilian. His background could not be any humbler.”
“And this is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that he has an elder sister of a different surname. His sister is actually from the… Desolate race! Furthermore, she is a very important figure in the Desolate race. After his sister’s identity was exposed, this Yi Yun had actually desperately protected his sister to let her escape. He gave a Desolate race spy a chance to launch a sneak attack.”
“And because of this, he was imprisoned. However, it seems that this Yi Yun has something to do with the Shepherd Boy. A few days later, the Shepherd Boy came personally, risking being besieged by Humans. He saved Yi Yun and took him away, and because of this he had paid quite a sizable price!”
“Hence, I suspect that Yi Yun is actually a Desolate race spy. He has nefarious motives coming to our Lin family!”
Lin Fenggu gave a series of deductions, making Matriarch Lin’s frown grow tighter, “Where did you hear that from?”
“That… ” Lin Fenggu hesitated before saying, “I went to the dungeon to visit Shen Tu Nantian. It was Shen Tu Nantian who told me… ”
“Shen Tu Nantian!” Matriarch Lin’s eyebrows ticked upwards. She would not easily believe Shen Tu Nantian’s words now. However, if he had lied, it would be easily exposed. After all, there was Yi Yun’s master, Su Jie, who could be questioned. Furthermore, sending someone to the Eastern regions would allow them to easily find out.
“He has a Desolate race sister… ” Matriarch Lin knew that this was likely true. As for Yi Yun covering for the Desolate race spy, Matriarch Lin believed this was likely Lin Fenggu or Shen Tu Nantian deliberately distorting the facts and making embellishments.
“Back then the person who imprisoned Yi Yun was Shen Tu Nantian, right!?”
Matriarch Lin understood the crux of the matter quickly. She knew that Shen Tu Nantian was in the Eastern regions some time ago. Since he knew so much about Yi Yun and in such clear detail, obviously Shen Tu Nantian was personally involved in it.
“I see. Shen Tu Nantian has a feud with Yi Yun. No wonder he changed his name, and even wore a mask.”
“Matriarch, you are indeed prophetic. That’s how it was!” Lin Fenggu quickly continued while flattering her. “Hence, Yi Yun is using our Lin family to get his revenge on Shen Tu Nantian in their personal feud. He isn’t dedicated to the beneficial outcome of the Lin family. His motives are not pure!”
“That evil little creature’s ties with the Desolate race isn’t clear. He might even betray the Human race in the future. If you were to ask me, we should quickly chase him out of the Lin family. If I had my say, crippling his cultivation would be best to prevent any repercussions!”
“But then… I know Matriarch is kind. So although this evil little creature has ulterior motives, the Lin family is slightly indebted to him, so we can’t do anything to him.”
“However, if we were to chase him out of the Lin family, Shen Tu family clan will naturally deal with him. At that moment, we will not be criticized, and it would also prevent any repercussions. It’s killing two birds with one stone.”
“Besides, that evil little creature is very greedy. He took Shen Tu Nantian and the Thousand Hand Granny’s interspatial rings. He pocketed all the good items in them for himself. Amongst the items included Shen Tu Nantian’s companion sword, and the ancient Desolate Heaven technique manual! If we are to chase him away, we need him to leave those behind! Actually, Shen Tu Nantian and the Thousand Hand Granny were captured by our Lin family and their cultivation was restrained by our Lin family. The evil little creature had only provided a little information, so he has no right to get all those benefits!”
“Matriarch, you should also know that the Desolate race has always been eyeing the Human race. The moment we go to war, who knows what kind of sabotage that evil little creature will commit. If at that moment, our Lin family is still retaining the evil little creature, we would become a sinner of the Human race!”
Lin Fenggu tried her best to let her imagination run wild as she described various serious consequences to the Matriarch. This caused the Matriarch’s expression to sullen slightly, “Did Shen Tu Nantain tell you all of this?”
“U…” Lin Fenggu’s heart sank as she did not know how to respond. From the way the Matriarch’s face had turned sullen, she did not know what the Matriarch was thinking.
“No… Of course not.” Lin Fenggu quickly shook her head.
“Although Shen Tu Nantian is of poor character, he was involved in it himself after all. What he said is worth exploring. But if you didn’t hear them from what he said, then all of what you said was just your imagination?”
The Matriarch’s tone changed, causing Lin Fenggu to jump with fright. She hastily said, “But what I said isn’t impossible!
The Matriarch looked at Lin Fenggu with cold eyes, “The bunch of you only gossip behind others’ back, and speak badly of someone in front of me. Other than slandering talent, what else can you do!?”
“If the family only had people with such gossipy tongues, and no one with ability, the Lin family would have fallen in the hands of the Shen Tu family clan this time! In 10,000 years, our family could have been annihilated.”
“I… ” Lin Fenggu’s words seemed stuck. She opened her mouth, but she did not know what to say. The Matriarch usually had extremely strong stances, so before she raged, no one would know what she was thinking. If one said words in a muddle headed fashion that did not agree with her thoughts, the outcome would be terrible.
“Go face the wall and ponder over your misdeeds for ten days!”
Matriarch Lin’s voice was cold. Lin Fenggu wanted to say something, but eventually, she swallowed her words, before obediently leaving.
After Lin Fenggu left, the Matriarch’s expression still didn’t look good.
In her heart, she was naturally biased towards Yi Yun.
In fact, she really liked Yi Yun. He was young and had excellent talent in the Desolate Heaven technique. His future prospects were immeasurable. His personal relations with Lin Xintong were also good.
Such a person would provide a lot of help for Lin Xintong in the future.
The Matriarch did not mind that Yi Yun had a Desolate race sister of a different surname. However, she was afraid that he really was involved with the Desolate race. Then, it would be like a precious piece of jade that had a fatal flaw in it.
Hence, even though the Matriarch had reprimanded Lin Fenggu, she still needed to investigate the matter regarding Yi Yun. Lin Fenggu’s words were not enough to make her gullibly believe in them, but she too would not gullibly believe Yi Yun just because of her personal preference.
“Send the order, get someone from the Family Rules Hall to see me.”
The Matriarch said to a maid servant.
The Lin family’s Family Rules Hall was responsible in maintaining the family’s domestic discipline. Most of the time, they would also be sent out to perform some missions.
The Matriarch had planned to let people from the Family Rules Hall travel to the Eastern regions to investigate what had happened. She wanted to know if Yi Yun’s actions had been anything out of the ordinary.
“Yes.” The maid servant retreated. The Matriarch could not feel relaxed. She did not mind Yi Yun taking Shen Tu Nantian’s and the Thousand Hand Granny’s items. She was afraid that because of his relationship with the Desolate race, Yi Yun would favor the Desolate race.
That night, people from the Lin family’s Family Rules Hall set off. The Matriarch did not summon Yi Yun to meet her, so Yi Yun carried on staying on the Jade Bamboo peak.
However, three days later, people from the Shen Tu family clan came.
They were here to negotiate with the Lin family. They had also brought the information regarding the Great Empress mystic realm!