"Brother Ran..." Huo Tong'er was stunned by Yue Ran's words, her beautiful eyes staring at him in disbelief. Her lips trembled, and it took a long time for her to find her voice. "Brother Ran, what did you say?"
"I said, take your people and get out of my courtyard!" Yue Ran roared in a low voice, his gaze fixed on Liu Han and Yang Wei, who were guarding Xiao Man's door. "I told you to guard the door, is this how you guard it?"
"Reporting to Young Sect Master, the other party was numerous, and Aunt Jing Shu personally escorted them. The two of us were no match for them and could not resist. We could only guard Young Master Xiao Qin's room," Yang Wei quickly explained. "Furthermore, it was Miss Huo's daughter who came in. As mere servants, how could we dare to lay hands on a young lady?"
"Guards," Yue Ran commanded softly, and several guards appeared in the courtyard. "Greetings, Young Sect Master."
"Kill without mercy."
At Yue Ran's command, the guards drew their swords and struck. The servants and menials who had been happily decorating the courtyard were cut down before they could even let out a cry of pain.
Huo Tong'er was stunned by the scene. As a legitimate daughter of the Huo family, she had seen many such spectacles. However, she had always been the one in control. Now, she had become the one to be slaughtered, and the one slaughtering her was the cousin she adored.
"Brother Ran, what are you doing? They are my people..."
"I don't care whose people they are. They entered a place they shouldn't have, and they must pay the price," Yue Ran said coldly. "And you, get out of my courtyard immediately, and quietly get out!"
Tears welled up in her eyes. She had never imagined that one day she would be treated like this by Yue Ran. After all, Yue Ran had always been kind to her. Why had his demeanor changed so drastically today?
"Brother Ran, look clearly, I am Huo Tong'er."
"No matter who you are, you are not allowed to step into my courtyard without my permission!"
"Aunt allowed me to come in!" Huo Tong'er invoked Madam Yue. "Aunt told me to stay with Brother Ran. I'm not leaving."
"Don't use my mother to pressure me. No woman is allowed in my courtyard except my future wife!" Yue Ran grabbed Huo Tong'er and dragged her out. "Before I lose my temper, get out, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
"Brother Ran, you can't treat me like this. I am your fiancée!"
"I have no fiancée!" Yue Ran glared at Huo Tong'er and said word by word, "Don't spout nonsense here. Even if I had a fiancée, it wouldn't be you!"
"Brother Ran, what do you mean?" Huo Tong'er was completely bewildered. She had come for the position of Young Sect Master's wife, only for Yue Ran to tell her that his wife would not be her!
"It means exactly what you heard. I don't care what my mother told you, but I will only marry the person I love!" Yue Ran pushed Huo Tong'er out. "My rule is, without my permission, no one is allowed into my courtyard, no one!"
"Why are they allowed?" Huo Tong'er pointed at Yang Wei and the others.
"Because I allowed it."
"Brother Ran, in your eyes, am I even less than a servant?"
"Huo Tong'er, if you weren't from the Huo family and my cousin, you would be lying with those people in the courtyard right now," Yue Ran's tone was cold, heartless, and deep. He deliberately lowered his voice, as if afraid of disturbing someone.
"Why are you speaking in a low voice?" Huo Tong'er asked softly, looking at the two men standing motionless at the door. A thought flashed through her mind, "Are you afraid of disturbing that servant's sleep?"
Yue Ran frowned. "Don't make trouble here. Go back to my mother."
Huo Tong'er put her foot against the door and raised her voice, "Brother Ran, I traveled thousands of miles to celebrate your birthday, and this is how you treat me? That lowly servant, yet you treat them like a precious treasure. Are you mad?"
"Huo Tong'er, my patience is limited!" Yue Ran's voice turned completely cold. "Don't make trouble here. Who I am good to, and who I allow into my courtyard, is my business. It has nothing to do with you!"
"Your mother is my aunt. Before I left, my father told me that my purpose in coming to the Heavenly Sword Sect was to be your wife. Yue Ran, if you disgrace me like this for a servant, then whether the Huo family can still provide you with support is another matter!" Huo Tong'er had been pampered since childhood and was used to having her way in the Huo family. She had never suffered such humiliation, so she immediately confronted Yue Ran.
"I don't need the Huo family's support!" Yue Ran said word by word. "The Huo family needs support, not the Heavenly Sword Sect. Also, this is the Heavenly Sword Sect, not your Huo family. You would be wise to be careful!"
Huo Tong'er was cruelly shut out. Her entourage, on the other hand, had been mercilessly slaughtered by Yue Ran's order!
A moment ago, she had been immersed in the joy of decorating her new home.
The next moment, she had fallen from heaven to hell. Yue Ran had made his displeasure with her crystal clear.
She had thought that she was special to Yue Ran, that he liked her, and that the position of Young Sect Master's wife was hers. But now, things had changed.
"Aunt, I want Aunt to uphold justice for me."
Huo Tong'er wept uncontrollably. Madam Yue quickly had someone brew her a cup of calming tea and persuaded her to go to bed, then rubbed her temples with a headache.
"This brat! I thought he would at least consider their past relationship. Instead, he went and killed them all!"
"Madam, the Young Sect Master has always been a man of his word. We overestimated Miss Tong'er's standing in the Young Sect Master's heart." Jing Shu was also somewhat shocked. She had expected Yue Ran to drive the people away, but she hadn't anticipated that he would directly kill them, leaving only Huo Tong'er.
"How can I explain this recklessness to my elder brother?"
"Madam, there is another matter that is perhaps more worrying." Jing Shu glanced in the direction of the inner room. "Miss Tong'er said that the Young Sect Master treats Xiao Qin unusually. The reason he drove her out was because she disturbed Xiao Qin's rest."
Madam Yue was silent for a long time before she slowly said, "Go and tell the small kitchen to prepare a lavish dinner. Tonight, have Ran'er bring Xiao Qin to dine with us. It's almost time for Ran'er's birthday banquet, and I don't want anything to go wrong. We need to clarify their relationship first."
"Yes, Madam."
When Xiao Man woke up, the courtyard had already been cleaned. Yue Ran sat by her door, holding a pot of orchids. "Second Brother, you're awake. I noticed these orchids are blooming beautifully. Do you like them? If you don't, I'll take them out and throw them away."
Xiao Man took the orchids from Yue Ran's arms. "Where did you get them? You don't seem like the type to give flowers."
Yue Ran scratched his head awkwardly. "I just felt like you might like them, so I kept them."
"You're thoughtful. I like them very much."