Chapter 55: Conspiracy (1) Sensing that the Second Elder’s immense surge of power had turned destructive, Duan Tianrao instinctively protected Ye Xun. The Elders from the Duan household hurriedly moved to shield the couple after realizing the impending danger. “No one here is besmirching your name. You know what you did.” An Elder warned gravely. “What did I do?” The Second Elder gave a contemptuous laugh. “I’ve trained in seclusion for far too long, giving people like you the time to make up false accusations during my absence!” The frenzied Second Elder prompted the Elders to raise their guard. “It’s clear you’re capable of committing the crime without being there in person, perhaps by making hidden arrangements with one of your confidants or attendants?” one of the Elders coldly retorted. By now, Ye Ling had realized the purpose of this fiasco. He had been pondering over the motives of the people from the Duan household, but now he could clearly tell that they were part of the Great Elder’s conspiracy to frame the Second Elder for the failed assassination! Ye Ling knew very well why the Great Elder wanted to eliminate the Second Elder. In terms of strength, the Second Elder was the only one on par with the Great Elder in the Ye household. If he was gone, the Great Elder would be able to deal with Ye Ling and Ye Qingtang without restraint. “Wait! Yesterday’s matter is still under investigation! Accusing the Second Elder will be jumping to conclusions. It isn’t fair!” Ye Ling came forward. Looking coldly at the Great Elder, he added, “I can vouch for his loyalty. The mastermind is definitely not him.” The Great Elder glanced at Ye Ling. “Sir, I know you’re on good terms with the Second Elder. But as the old saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Such a thing only happened during his absence. Our deaths will mean the household falling into his hands. Him being in seclusion at the same time is too perfect a cover-up. Don’t you think this situation favors him too much to be a mere coincidence? Believing he is innocent will be playing into his hands,” he stated indifferently. Ye Ling’s face clouded over. He would never believe those allegations. Moreover, he knew that the mastermind behind the assassination attempt was the Great Elder himself. What shocked him was the Great Elder’s audacity and ruthlessness in making such a claim to frame the Second Elder. However… Even if he possessed all this information, the cold, hard truth before him made him realize… Even if he revealed what he knew, it would still be meaningless… Everyone present, including Ye Xun, was on the Great Elder’s side. If he acted rashly and divulged the truth, the Great Elder would make use of the opportunity to eliminate him as well! “Father, the Great Elder is merely concerned for your and our household’s well-being. Denying the Second Elder’s crime for old time’s sake will not do. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Be firm on this. Even if it’s not for yourself, think of it as assurance for Tang Tang’s safety,” Ye Xun voiced her concerns, though it was merely a fa?ade. Her advice appeared sincere but mentioning Ye Qingtang served as a veiled warning to Ye Ling that his daughter’s safety would not be guaranteed if he refused to cooperate.