1885 – A cloud of dense fog (1/2)

Old Man Guan rolled his eyes. “How is this different from just now when you said that not having a loss is precisely having an advantage? Not moving can place great suspicion on them, but if they had moved, how are they not already wicked beyond redemption? It’s nothing more than a desire to add guilt!”

“Hehehe…” Ye Yunduan had a fit of hollow, forced laughter. Immediately he used an even more sincere manner to state, “Today’s matter is indeed very important, it could even be said to be an unprecedented crisis of the Ye Family forces. Yunduan wants to say the truth here…”

Old Man Guan coldly said, “Who doesn’t yet know that the present situation is not wonderful? You have some more words you want to say, could it be that anyone still won’t let you speak the truth?!”

Ye Yunduan’s eyes were cold. He said in a sinking voice, “Good, then I was at fault formerly. If I’ve said something offensive, these few old men please forgive me! Until now, I have one matter that I’m extremely puzzled by, and I would like the seven oldsters to give me a straightforward reply.”

“Don’t be so troublesome, just say it straightforward!” Old Man Qin said lightly. However, the expression in his eyes turned very vigilant, similar to guarding against a thief, as he stared at Ye Yunduan.

In his mind, Ye Yunduan immediately choked again, but the smile on his face did not change. With exceptional sincerity, he asked, “That Monarch’s Hall’s Monarch Ye, indeed is a hero. But what I’m exceptionally puzzled by, so much so that in my mind I’m rather uncomfortable and even jealous… is that every time you mention him, this Ye feels all… cough cough cough, at least it’s the case that in you seven’s hearts, the difference between me and that Ye Xiao is very big… Could it be that there’s just that much of a disparity between me and Ye Xiao?”

Hearing him admit he was jealous of Ye Xiao, the seven old men were all a bit embarrassed. Regarding Ye Yunduan’s question, though, they felt unable to reply. You just straight up asking us totally makes us feel awkward, how is that good?

As for the disparity, it’s not really big like that…

It’s not that we aren’t willing to reply to your question, it’s that we’re afraid to injure you young fellow’s self-esteem, is that good?

Between you two, this so-called disparity actually doesn’t exist!

“Even if you had a strong first impression of him, but… we have been host and guests thoroughly enjoying ourselves for over two years now…” Ye Yunduan continued complaining. “That Ye Xiao, is he really that good?”

The seven old men looked down their noses at the ground, the whole room went silent in a moment with no one making a sound.

Indeed, they really didn’t know how to say the truth, that he really was that good! It really was enough to hurt someone!

“Cough cough cough…”

After a long time, Old Man Song finally supported his other few old brothers after seeing them all avoid each other. He braced himself to stand out, deliberately choosing his words one at a time, saying, “Young Master Yunduan, we have been watching together… this one part, I can’t deny is outstanding…”

“But we also watched Monarch Ye’s ability grow and mature all along…”

“Looking at both sides and saying who is strong and who is weak, this question… this, this…” Old Man Song kept repeating, as he couldn’t think of a good way of expressing it. Could it be that I really must explain: Ye Xiao is so much stronger compared to you… how are you compared to Ye Xiao at all? Knowing or not knowing something has no comparison, how can it not hurt? Insisting on comparing is precisely malicious!

How is this not evidently committing an offence?

Stammering as he thought for a long time, he finally remembered, damn! Weren’t we discussing the question of who shifted the blame? This isn’t important right now, how did we get off track way over here?

Complexion whole, he said, “Your question simply just isn’t the important thing here, the reason why we disapprove of your theory is because… that is just absolutely not possible. It’s precisely because you’re jealous that you resolutely hung on to someone not capable and not relevant, making a reluctant connection, so much so that launching against that target would only be a waste of resources and work to no avail… yes?”

The other six old men were as if they awoke from a dream, and each and every one of them nodded their heads again and again. “Exactly, exactly! Boss Song said it spot on, providing food for thought, and now we should in this way return to the matter at hand!”

“Currently we are already at confronting the motive of this extremely dangerous shifting of blame. We will research what response is proper, but this requires very, very careful discussion… if we do otherwise, we’ll immediately face possibly the entire Human Realm Upon Heavens’ hostility.”

Arriving at this point, Old Man Song glanced at Ye Yunduan, his eyes resentful of the iron for not becoming steel. “At this crucial point in time, Young Master Yunduan, despite everything, insists on involving us in this matter that has no reason, no foundation, no origin. It depends on me to say that the most important thing for Young Master Yunduan to do at present is precisely to get your jealousy under control. Youngsters being competetive is not a bad thing, but you have to take a look at the occasion.”

The other six oldsters nodded together. “Right, right… At this kind of time, it’s because jealousy of virtuous and capable people can delay major events, failing to divide between private and public, that’s the thing that a military commander needs to abstain from the most.”

Ye Yunduan nearly fainted at this.