TNIBFT -Chapter 231 Five Years of Madness

“Heir?”

Old Yang was dumbfounded. His eyes widened as he stared at Ye Tian, unable to believe it.

There was too much information at once, and he couldn’t process it immediately.

Hadn’t he just become the city lord?

How was he the heir now too?

Old Yang mechanically turned to look at Ye Tian, then at the rugged man kneeling on the ground.

The man was dressed in tattered clothes, his hair messy, beard unkempt, but his eyes were resolute and courageous. His entire aura exuded iron and blood. He knelt, and the dozen or so men behind him also knelt.

Old Yang exchanged a glance with Duan Qingshan.

Everyone else in the hall looked utterly stunned.

The atmosphere in the hall was strange.

No one spoke. Ye Tian stepped forward and helped the man on the ground to his feet. “Stand up first.”

“I am your personal guard, Liao Fanjun of the Left Vanguard Army. We’ve finally found you!” The man cupped his fists, his voice trembling slightly.

Ye Tian nodded.

Then his gaze swept over the employees in the hall. “You all can get back to work. Do whatever you need to do.”

They bowed their heads and hurried away.

Old Yang took the two children back to the courtyard.

Duan Qingshan leaned against a pillar, holding his long sword, waiting for Ye Tian.

“Heir, we’ve been searching for you all these five years. We’ve come to Sifang City more than twenty times…” Liao Fanjun’s eyes were deep as he looked at Ye Tian, hands gripping his sleeves tightly, a mixture of joy, regret, and helplessness in his voice.

Although his memories were fragmented, like drunk flashes, only scattered scenes remained,

Ye Tian now understood his own origins.

Since these men were his people, placing them in Sifang City would give them a stable life and, at the same time, their unwavering loyalty would become part of his own forces. Now, with Sifang City in ruins and in need of rebuilding, it was the perfect time to employ capable people.

Ye Tian nodded, casting a grateful glance over everyone present. “Thank you all for your efforts.”

At these words, everyone’s eyes instantly turned red.

Over the years, no one knew how these personal guards had lived.

They hid and scuttled about, planning revenge, seizing opportunities, and searching for Ye Tian. They had no home, no country. Like rats in the streets, they never dared to walk under the sun.

They had thought it was all in vain, but now the heir had been found.

It was as if hope had returned.

Ye Tian spoke softly, “If I had known how hard you all were working, no matter the difficulties, I would have found you. But the events back then hit me too hard… I went mad for five years, losing all my memories. I made you suffer, and for that, I am truly sorry.”

“Mad for five years?”

Liao Fanjun grasped Ye Tian’s hand, his face full of grief and despair.

Some had said the heir was cowardly, afraid to die, hiding in Sifang City. They didn’t believe it completely, since the guards had searched everywhere for Ye Tian, and if he had wanted, he wouldn’t have gone missing for so many years.

Yet the truth was… like this?

They had misunderstood him!

“Thud!” There was a muffled sound.

Liao Fanjun shook his head, sank to his knees, and held Ye Tian’s hand, trembling as he said, “Heir, you have suffered!”

What kind of trauma could drive a tall, strong man to madness?

Wasn’t Ye Tian supposed to be the one who suffered the most?

Yet among them, some had still thought he was selfishly afraid to die?

Today, the heir had rebelled and become the city lord of Sifang City. He was already prepared to go to war with the Emperor of Daliang. Such an heir—how could he fear death?

Liao Fanjun’s expression was both tragic and heroic as he looked up at Ye Tian.

“Thud!”

“Thud!”

A dozen men behind him lowered their heads and knelt.

Ye Tian, full of helplessness, said, “We’re all one family. You were my father’s right-hand men, and now you are my family. One family doesn’t need to do this. Get up, quickly, all of you!”

Everyone was moved to tears.

Many even secretly wiped their eyes with their sleeves.

All the years of effort, in this moment, seemed worthwhile.

The scene was heartwarming and touching.

Duang Qingshan, leaning against a pillar, stole a glance. A sour feeling gripped his heart. Ye Tian was a good man—and someone who had endured a tragic past. Who would have thought that the master, who seemed so normal now, had once been a madman?

Duang Qingshan shook his head. He had thought his own life was miserable enough, but Ye Tian’s was even worse.

It seemed he would have to treat the master better from now on.

After some casual greetings,

Liao Fanjun took Ye Tian aside. The initial distance between them vanished completely. “Young Master, we actually came this time after everyone discussed it—we were to escort you out of Sifang City.”

“It’s just… we didn’t expect that, upon arriving in the city, we would hear that the city lord had been replaced.”

A twitch appeared at the corner of Liao Fanjun’s mouth.

But deep down, he was genuinely happy for Ye Tian. The Young Master had courage and strategy; everything they had done now had meaning.

“Leave Sifang City?”

Ye Tian frowned, about to speak.

Liao Fanjun continued, “Your subordinate understands the Young Master’s determination for revenge, but taking such a risk is tantamount to declaring war against the Emperor. Sifang City’s forces are weak, the land poor… I’m afraid—”

He didn’t finish his sentence.

Behind him, a large man with a bushy beard shouted, “Who cares? Death is death—sooner or later, it’s the same thing!”

“Hahaha… I even think it’s more exciting this way for the Young Master, right?”

He laughed loudly, turning to look at the others behind him.

The others all lowered their heads, no one replied.

The bearded man awkwardly looked at Ye Tian, grinning widely, revealing a row of snow-white teeth against his dark face.

Ye Tian found him amusing and raised an eyebrow. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Wang Dadao!”

“You can call me Xiao Wang! Alive, I’m Old Wang! Hahaha…”

“Pfft!” Ye Tian chuckled, thinking this Wang Dadao resembled Li Kui from the TV dramas.

“Wang Dadao!” Liao Fanjun scolded sharply.

Wang Dadao was unwilling, refusing to look at Ye Tian. “The men Zhao Old Dog brought include two Ninth-Rank experts and a Grandmaster-level expert. Zhu Heyu and Fang Shenghu and the others going… it’s just suicide. By the time Zhao Old Dog reaches Sifang City, we’re all dead anyway.”

“Shut your mouth!”

Liao Fanjun shouted, exasperated.

Where had Big Brother Fang gone?

To ambush Zhao Boping?

Ye Tian frowned, his expression turning icy. He glared at Wang Dadao. “They went to assassinate Zhao Boping? Knowing they’re no match, why go? What exactly are you all doing?”

Seeing Ye Tian furious, Liao Fanjun and the others immediately knelt again.

No one spoke to explain.

Ye Tian, furious, stood from his chair. Fang Shenghu had been the first person in this other world to sincerely care for him after he transmigrated—Ye Tian always regarded him as a true elder brother.

And now they had sent him to die for him?

No—he couldn’t just stand by and watch.

“Master!”

“Master!”

An anxious, delicate voice came. Ye Tian looked up to see Duan Yingying, her eyes red, rushing from the backyard. Her steps were frantic, tears streaming down her face. Seeing Ye Tian look at her, she quickly handed him a letter.

“It’s from Big Brother Fang,” she said.

“Master, I beg you… go save him!”

“Waaaah…”

Duan Yingying hid half her face in her sleeve, her shoulders trembling with sobs. Duang Qingshan also stepped out from behind the pillar, frowning. “Yingying, what are you doing?”

“Go back at once!”