Watching the Great Elder busy himself, Ye Fan couldn't help but curve his lips into a cold smile.
Everything was proceeding according to his plan; this time, Lin Yue would have nowhere to escape.
Without disturbing the Great Elder any further, Ye Fan took his leave.
The first thing he did upon returning to the inn was to find Shen Bao.
"Brother Shen, this batch of items is of high value, and I'm always uneasy leaving it in Taiping Town. Why don't you take your men and escort this shipment back first? Keep an eye on the City Lord's Mansion and contact me anytime. I'll stall the Great Elder here, and once the time is ripe, I'll return to Jiangcheng."
It wasn't that Ye Fan was in a hurry to return; it was precisely because there were too many treasures in the City Lord's Mansion. If the mansion were to be breached, those items would inevitably be plundered by the Wang family. By then, he might not even get a single shard of pottery.
Therefore, when the critical moment arrived, Ye Fan had to go back to seize those items.
Seeing the cold glint in Ye Fan's eyes, Shen Bao knew he must have a plan.
Besides the two reasons mentioned above for sending him back first, there was another crucial reason: Ye Fan could protect Lin Yue. Although Shen Bao would no longer risk his life for Lin Yue, he could at least spare her life.
Nodding heavily, Shen Bao responded, "I'll arrange for manpower immediately. However, you should also leave a few people here for protection. Those from the Wang family are not ordinary individuals. If they develop any crooked ideas, they might be detrimental to you."
As an enforcer, he had seen too much of such deceit and cunning, so he had to remain vigilant.
Yielding to Shen Bao's insistence, Ye Fan smiled helplessly and agreed.
He understood Shen Bao; once a decision was made, ten oxen couldn't pull him back. If he didn't agree, Shen Bao would probably refuse to return to Jiangcheng and stay behind.
Thus, Shen Bao, with a few subordinates, drove through the night to escort the batch of treasures back to Jiangcheng.
As for the dozen or so enforcers left behind, they were to obey Ye Fan's commands implicitly.
The next morning, an enforcer reported to Ye Fan that a large contingent of men had arrived in Taiping Town and joined forces with the Great Elder. They had not intervened.
Ye Fan narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance. These people should be reinforcements from the Wang family for the Great Elder. He hadn't expected the Wang family to be so swift, arriving in Taiping Town from Jiangnan City in just one night.
Simultaneously, Ye Fan keenly sensed that the Great Elder held a pivotal position within the Wang family.
Otherwise, the Wang family wouldn't have acted so quickly.
A cold smile played on his lips, and Ye Fan muttered to himself, "Soon, he should contact me."
Just as Ye Fan had predicted, that evening, the Great Elder sent someone to invite Ye Fan for a meeting at the hotel.
Upon receiving the invitation, Ye Fan gladly went.
At the hotel, the Great Elder sat in the place of honor, with two middle-aged men seated below him. The two men bore a resemblance to each other, both with cold expressions and an air of arrogance.
"Great Elder, to think you would hold such regard for a mere insignificant figure?"
"Our Wang family has countless outstanding individuals. Why must the Great Elder inflate the prestige of others while diminishing our own?"
The two men looked at the Great Elder, questioning him with anger.
Hearing their words, the Great Elder's expression darkened slightly.
"Are you questioning me?"
His icy gaze swept across the faces of the two men, causing them to tremble instantly. They quickly stood up, cupped their hands, and said, "Please forgive us, Great Elder. We were only concerned that you might be misled by that person, which led us to speak so presumptuously."
Although they were both direct descendants of the Wang family, they were still too inexperienced before the Great Elder. Seeing his anger, they immediately lost their nerve.
Hmph~
The Great Elder snorted coldly, "The Wang family is no longer what it once was. Nowadays, the family is riddled with internal rot, and many are arrogant and ignorant. Do you truly believe the Wang family can cover the sky with one hand in Jiangnan? Let me tell you, if this continues, the downfall of the Wang family is not far off."
The Great Elder's voice grew colder, and his expression became increasingly somber.
These words were not mere threats but the truth.
Regardless of the scale of a family, if its descendants become complacent, indulging in pleasure and idleness, it marks the beginning of the family's decline.
When these individuals only know how to enjoy themselves and fail to consider the family's crises, the family is in danger.
Upon hearing the Great Elder's words, the two middle-aged men lowered their heads, daring not to refute. However, their eyes held a hint of disdain.
The Wang family had stood for hundreds of years, with profound foundations. While they wouldn't claim to control everything in Jiangnan, no one dared to easily provoke them.
Therefore, the Great Elder's words were nothing more than groundless fears.
"Although Ye Fan is young, his character and methods are both exceptional. Even I, after so many years, have never seen such an outstanding young man. I want him to join the family and serve as an example for those useless youngsters. If they still have ambition, they can follow in Ye Fan's footsteps, and the Wang family will have hope. If they have lost all ambition, then the Wang family can only fend for itself."
The Great Elder's words were sonorous and came from the heart.
However, those present in the hall did not focus on the Great Elder's earnest intentions. Instead, they paid close attention to his attitude towards Ye Fan.
From the Great Elder's words, they could deeply feel that Ye Fan held a significant position.
This was not a good sign for them.
"Great Elder, this is absolutely not advisable at this time. We still don't know Ye Fan's background. If he is sent by an opponent, wouldn't our Wang family suffer heavy losses?"
The middle-aged man quickly interjected to persuade him.
But the Great Elder's cold snort was his only reply: "Whether we can persuade Ye Fan is yet unknown, and you are already suspecting his intentions. Truly hateful! To judge a noble person with a petty mind. How can the Wang family have such fools like you?"
The Great Elder was furious and wished he could beat these two scoundrels soundly.
However, given his status, he could only unleash a torrent of scolding upon them.
It was at this moment that Ye Fan slowly walked in. He heard the Great Elder's angry roar from a distance, and Ye Fan frowned.
Upon entering the hall and seeing the Great Elder with a somber face and eyes full of rage, while everyone below kept their heads down, he immediately understood.
He walked forward slowly and respectfully cupped his hands in a salute.
"May I ask why the Great Elder sought me?"
The Great Elder glanced angrily at the middle-aged man before turning to Ye Fan, his eyes less furious.
"Brother Ye, this invitation was somewhat abrupt. Please forgive me."
With a forced smile, the Great Elder showed an expression of apology.
Ye Fan waved his hand indifferently: "Great Elder, you are too polite. We are allies, so such minor matters are not worth troubling yourself over."
This magnanimity made the Great Elder value him even more.
Then, he said with a smile, "All members of my Wang family have arrived in Taiping Town. We will launch an attack on Lin Yue early tomorrow morning. At that time, I fear I will be busy. Therefore, I invited Brother Ye here tonight, firstly to get acquainted with these members of the Wang family, and secondly, to ask for a favor."