Inside the side hall, Ye Xinrou blinked her large eyes and looked at Yang Kai. She stared blankly for a good while before suddenly covering her mouth with a delicate laugh.
Still laughing, she said, "Young Master, you're really underestimating people. Why would I want to betray the Second Young Master and defect to you? If I actually did that, what kind of person would I, Ye Xinrou, be? And how would the world view our Ye family?"
"Just joking, no need to take it seriously." Yang Kai smiled and shook his head.
He knew perfectly well that Ye Xinrou would never do such a thing.
The battle for succession was organized by the Yang Family to select the next patriarch. Forces both great and small from across the land participated, most of them hoping to latch onto the Yang Family's coattails in the process.
But the other seven Great Families of Zhongdu had no such intentions.
They were already deeply rooted and powerful in their own right. Even if they couldn't quite match the Yang Family, they weren't far behind.
Moreover, they coexisted with the Yang Family in Zhongdu, bound by countless intricate and inseparable connections. There was no need for them to curry favor with the Yang Family.
The sons and daughters of the seven Great Families participated in the succession battle primarily to temper themselves and hone their abilities. They didn't particularly care about winning or losing. Victory would naturally be cause for celebration, but defeat wouldn't entail significant losses either.
So even though Zhao Yi's estate was in a difficult situation now, Ye Xinrou would never betray him to defect to Yang Kai. Doing so would cause enormous damage to the Ye family's reputation.
"Then what exactly do you want?" Yang Kai's gaze burned into Ye Xinrou. "If I'm not mistaken, you must have been waiting outside for quite a few days?"
There was no reason he would be found the moment he stepped out of the estate.
The only explanation was that this woman had been staking out the place.
"Actually, I don't want much." Ye Xinrou shook her head. "It's just that the situation is clear now. Your victory is only a matter of time, Young Master. One could even say that if you wished, you could crush the other two opponents right now."
Yang Kai fell silent, a glint of wariness in his eyes. He wasn't sure whether this Ye Xinrou had come to gather intelligence.
"The future head of the Yang Family will undoubtedly be you, Young Master." Ye Xinrou's beautiful eyes shimmered as though she could already picture Yang Kai reigning supreme. Her breathing quickened slightly, and a captivating flush crept across her cheeks. "And as it happens, I'm rather drawn to the strong. Young Master is exactly that sort of person."
"You really are bored out of your mind." Yang Kai curled his lip, his face full of disdain.
A cold glint flashed through Ye Xinrou's eyes, but it was quickly suppressed. She giggled softly. "Let me be direct then. I've come this time with only one request."
"What request?"
"That after you become the head of the Yang Family, you'll look after my Ye family."
Yang Kai's expression turned odd. He glanced sideways at her. "Your Ye family is one of the eight Great Families, after all. Surely you don't need my protection?"
Ye Xinrou slowly shook her head, her expression turning somber. "You may not know this, Young Master, but all eight Great Families are in decline. Many of our best fighters are approaching the end of their lifespans, and the younger generation's abilities are uneven at best. Most of them are spoiled, arrogant, and good for nothing. Last time, in the battle against the Cangyun Evil Ground, our side suffered devastating losses without managing to eradicate the evil ground. The prestige of the eight Great Families has taken a considerable hit. I'm not sure how much longer such glory can last. I've always believed that you, Young Master, are someone who can create miracles. The entire succession battle has been a stage where you've repeatedly pulled off the impossible. Under your leadership, the Yang Family's future could very well surpass what it is now. But the other seven Great Families..." She chuckled softly. "I don't think anyone among them has that kind of ability."
"When that time comes, as your strength grows and theirs wanes, the Yang Family might truly dominate Zhongdu. It could command the world, not just hold nominal authority the way it does now."
Yang Kai was visibly moved. He suddenly realized he had underestimated this woman's foresight.
She truly deserved to be from one of the eight Great Families. Character and temperament aside, she had remarkable vision.
Currently, the eight Great Families still followed the Yang Family's lead, but the other seven weren't weak either. Each one harbored ambitions to replace the Yang Family.
Yet none could find the opportunity.
But regardless of which family it was, they were all indeed in decline.
The problems Ye Xinrou described were things Yang Kai had occasionally considered as well, though he'd never dwelled on them since he felt they didn't concern him directly.
Hearing her analysis now, he found it to be quite convincing.
The eight Great Families had enjoyed their privileges and wielded their power for far too long. As the saying goes, wealth rarely survives three generations. After reaching the pinnacle, decline is inevitable. The decay would come sooner or later.
The signs were already showing.
The young masters and ladies of Zhongdu each believed themselves to be superior to all others, having forgotten the hardships and dangers their forebears endured to build this golden era.
Someone like Qiu Ziruo could one day end up leading the Qiu family. What hope would the Qiu family have then?
Gao Rangfeng, Kang Zhan, Meng Shanyi, Liu Qingyao — they all possessed some degree of ability, but whether their families would decline under their leadership was something no one could predict.
"Perhaps we won't live to see all of this unfold, but I'm simply preparing for the future. It's always better to be prepared than not, wouldn't you agree?" Ye Xinrou gazed at Yang Kai with confidence.
Yang Kai nodded gently.
"The way I see it, Young Master is no ordinary person. The Yang Family under your leadership will definitely be better off than it is now. If I don't build a good relationship with you now, I'm afraid I'll miss my chance." Ye Xinrou spoke candidly. Her expression and tone were completely genuine — it was clear she truly meant every word.
"I admit what you make sense." After a moment's contemplation, Yang Kai looked up at her, the corner of his mouth curving upward. "But what's in it for me if I agree to this?"