Because of one person's arrival, the front courtyard of the Zuo Family had fallen into a strange silence.
Wei Yunhai and Wei Dayong stepped back slightly. With the Forr Chief Military Commander's intervention, they just needed to wait for the outco.
Yu Feng lowered his head, clutching a docunt his subordinate had just handed him as cold sweat stread down his face.
The onlookers around seed sowhat relaxed, clearly adopting the attitude of watching a show.
Only the mbers of the Zuo Family wore grim expressions, quietly waiting for their Family Head, Zuo Yuanfei, to make a move.
Zuo Yuanfei slid a cup of wine in front of Chen Yang and said evenly, "A toast to you."
"Good wine." Chen Yang held the base of the cup with both hands and swirled it gently. The rich aroma of wine wafted into his nose. He let out a soft chuckle but showed no intention of drinking.
Zuo Yuanfei's gaze darkened. His hand, raised in mid-air, froze for a second. As he drew it back, he said flatly, "A few days ago, my father was invited to the Imperial Clan. However, I will certainly inform my father of your visit today."
The implication was clear: If Chen Yang had any other ideas, he should think twice. The Zuo Family didn't just have its own power; it was backed by the great tree of the Imperial Clan. You might be able to ignore the Zuo Family, but what about the Imperial Clan?
Instantly, the atmosphere grew tense. All eyes locked onto Chen Yang, waiting to see how the Forr Chief Military Commander would react.
Unexpectedly, Chen Yang ignored him. He released the wine cup, picked up his teacup, poured himself a drink, and asked Zuo Yuanfei, "Shall we get straight to the point?"
Zuo Yuanfei's gaze turned instantly glacial. He had assud that the prestige of Zuo Chang, combined with the backing of the Imperial Clan, would be enough to suppress his opponent. As long as the man wasn't too aggressive, the matter could still be negotiated. And yet... Seeing the man's nonchalant deanor and the powerful aura he naturally exuded, Zuo Yuanfei, the Sect Leader who had long held a high position, felt an imnse pressure.
At the side, Zuo Long seethed, gnashing his teeth in a burgeoning rage. This guy was only two years older than him, yet he had such a self-satisfied air about him that even his own father seed a rank below.
HUFF. Chen Yang blew on his teacup, raised an eyebrow slightly, and glanced at Zuo Long.
CREAK. Zuo Yuanfei shot to his feet. The hasty movent caused his chair to make a piercing noise as he moved to shield Zuo Long behind him. He bowed slightly. "He's still young. It's not worth your while to take issue with him."
Still young? Zuo Long's eyes blazed with fury, his teeth nearly ground to dust. He couldn't stop himself from blurting out, "Dad, what are you doing? This is our ho, the Zuo Family's estate!"
He was almost thirty years old, yet he was being called "still young" in public. What a colossal humiliation!
"What about the Zuo Family? You will be silent," Zuo Yuanfei said coldly.
Zuo Long was left speechless.
The crowd was stunned. First, he had slapped Zuo Fan, and now he was saying such things, completely disregarding the occasion and his own dignity. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, who could have believed it?
Zuo Long lowered his head and said no more, his eyes swirling with an extre, venomous resentnt.
Chen Yang lit a cigarette, quietly waiting for Zuo Yuanfei's response.
After just a few short sentences, cold sweat was beading on Zuo Yuanfei's forehead. How could he not see it now? The Forr Chief probably already knew about the conspiracy behind the unified exam. Moreover, he intended to see this through to the end.
"It's a bit noisy here. Shall we move sowhere else?" Zuo Yuanfei proposed after a mont's thought, hoping to resolve the matter privately.
BANG. Chen Yang set his teacup down on the table. "Dayong here used to be my ssenger Officer," he said flatly. "On the battlefield, he could take on several enemies at once. Seeing that he was young and had great potential, I had him sent to the academy for further training, expecting him to play an even greater role in the future. Over these years, he hasn't disappointed , always finishing first in his class."
Chen Yang flicked his cigarette ash. His eyes, fixed on Zuo Yuanfei, suddenly narrowed into slits from which a cold light shot out. "And now, soone wants to pass off a fraud as the real deal, letting all his years of hard work go to waste."
"Do you really think I'm a pushover? Hmm?!"
The question exploded like a clap of thunder. Zuo Yuanfei, whose nerves had been stretched taut this whole ti, nearly snapped. His mouth twitched involuntarily, and his face, now pale as paper, left everyone around him utterly stunned.
"Is... is he terrified?"
"The esteed head of the Zuo Family is being lectured and doesn't dare make a peep?"
Whispers spread through the crowd, punctuated by nurous sharp intakes of breath. It was truly a frightening sight.
Zuo Yuanfei was, indeed, terrified. At that mont, he felt as if he were being stared down by a savage, primordial beast. The chilling pressure threatened to crush his very body.
"His years of hard work? If he didn't do well on the exam, that's his own problem! Why are you causing a scene at my family's ho? If you can't handle losing, you might as well go bash your head against a wall and get it over with! Only he's allowed to be first, and no one else is? That's hilarious!"
It had to be said, Zuo Long's shalessness surpassed even his father's. His words were forceful and delivered with absolute certainty, his confidence highly infectious.
"Dad, there's no need for you to keep backing down just to de-escalate things! The Zuo Family acts with integrity. Why should we swallow this insult in silence?" Zuo Long was only getting more worked up.
Zuo Yuanfei's expression shifted multiple tis. He shot Zuo Long a fierce glare before finally saying, "If you insist there was a problem with the unified exam, then let Dean Yu Feng step forward and give an impartial statent. Dean Yu Feng, you were in charge of the entire process. Speak."
Zuo Yuanfei stared at Yu Feng, his frigid gaze like two daggers of ice. The warning was self-evident.
WHOOSH. All eyes in the courtyard focused on Yu Feng.
Yu Feng trembled from head to toe and nearly collapsed to his knees. This...
"These... these are their exam papers." Yu Feng wiped the thick sweat from his brow before placing the docunt on the table. His voice trembled as he said, "The scores of Wei Dayong and Zuo Long were, in fact, switched."
Zuo Yuanfei was speechless.
The crowd stared in disbelief.
The statent was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, sending ripples in all directions.
In an instant, not only the Zuo father and son but everyone present was wide-eyed and dumbstruck.
What in the world is happening?! Not only was Yu Feng not helping the Zuo Family, he was now pointing the finger at them?
"Yu Feng!!" Zuo Yuanfei leaped to his feet, so angry his eyes looked as though they would burst. "Stop spouting nonsense! Have you no professional integrity as a dean?"
BOOM! Yu Feng fell to his knees, facing Chen Yang. "Commander, it was Zuo Yuanfei who made switch the papers! I have a recording to prove it."
Zuo Yuanfei was speechless.
Following this, the vast courtyard fell deathly silent, with only the sound of beating hearts echoing in the air.
"Commander?"
"So this guy really is the Forr Chief Military Commander…"
In truth, so had guessed it from the start, but to have the fact laid bare before them was still shocking and bewildering.
This was especially true for Zuo Long.
"Go. Deal with them."
Zuo Long stood frozen, utterly silent.
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