296: Tell your master to come over and kowtow to you, calling you "Dad"!

The smile on Sima Nong's face froze completely, and more sweat broke out on his forehead.

Why did every word out of Ye Chen's mouth carry a sting? He completely ignored the usual rules of engagement!

And...

It made one want to explode in anger.

If the Master hadn't sent him to negotiate with Ye Chen... he really wouldn't have wanted to come.

The things he said weren't just a little bit unpleasant!

He struggled to maintain the smile on his face.

"Mr. Ye, you've truly misunderstood!"

"That fragment... sigh, it's an internal family matter, it's hard to explain in a few words."

"But for offending you, whatever the fault, it is all my Sima Family's fault!"

"The Master sincerely wishes to resolve this grievance, there is absolutely no falsehood!"

Looking at his performance, Ye Chen suddenly felt a bit bored.

"Enough, enough, Butler Sima, stop acting out this melodrama in front of me."

"Let's both be direct."

"Tell me, why has your Sima Family come to me with such fanfare? What do you actually want?"

"Is it really just to apologize?"

Ye Chen sneered, "Do I, Ye Chen, look like a three-year-old child?"

Sima Nong opened his mouth, about to continue his rhetoric... but Ye Chen was already too lazy to listen.

He tilted his head and jerked his chin toward Night Owl.

"Give your master a call."

Night Owl reacted extremely quickly and nodded immediately: "Yes!"

Without any hesitation, she pulled out her phone, found Jessica's number, dialed it, and pressed the speakerphone button.

"Beep... Beep..."

Watching this scene unfold.

Sima Nong and the followers behind him all changed color at the same time!

Ye Chen's sudden move completely threw off their rhythm!

But it was too late to stop it, because the call was connected.

Jessica's voice came from the other end.

"Disciple, what's wrong? Is something happening on Mr. Ye's side?"

Night Owl glanced at Ye Chen.

Ye Chen spoke unhurriedly into the phone.

"It's me, Ye Chen."

"I'm asking you something. In the Black Prison's intelligence network, have there been any special movements regarding the Sima Family of the Capital recently?"

"Specifically... anything related to me."

On the other end of the phone, Jessica immediately became serious: "The Sima Family? Please wait a moment, I'll check right away!"

Sima Nong's heart suddenly leaped into his throat.

He already knew who the person on the other end of the phone was.

Blood Rose!

Jessica!

The woman who took over the Black Prison!

He hurriedly took a step forward and defended himself loudly: "Mr. Ye! Prison Master of the Black Prison! This is truly a huge misunderstanding! My Sima Family definitely did not..."

"Shut up."

Ye Chen gave him a faint glance, a look that made all of Sima Nong's subsequent words get stuck in his throat.

Not even half a minute had passed.

Jessica's voice rang out again.

"Mr. Ye, I found it."

"According to the incompletely destroyed contact records and fund flow tracking within the Black Prison, before the Former Palace Master Gongsun Long issued the dark order and personally infiltrated Dragon Country, the Sima Family had provided some domestic cover and intelligence on rendezvous points through secret channels."

"There are relevant data backups of this within the Black Prison."

"In other words..."

Jessica's voice turned even colder.

"In this encirclement and suppression operation against you, the Sima Family was aware and provided assistance."

Sima Nong's face turned deathly pale instantly, his lips trembled, but he couldn't say a single word.

The followers behind him were also ashen-faced, dripping with cold sweat.

Damn it!

Who would have thought that Ye Chen and his people would pull a move like this?

Now it's great.

Before the negotiations even started, they were about to end?

Ye Chen slowly leaned back against the chair, a look of realization appearing on his face.

"Oh."

"So that's the reason..."

"Afraid I'd find out you stabbed me in the back, so you rushed over here, wanting to use these things to shut my mouth?"

He picked up the bank card and spun it between his fingertips.

"Butler Sima..."

"Does your Sima Family think I, Ye Chen, haven't seen much of the world?"

"Just this little bit of stuff makes it very difficult for me."

He lightly tossed the bank card back into the wooden box.

Sima Nong's face instantly turned as white as paper, and cold sweat slid down from his temples.

"Mr. Ye, what... exactly will it take for you to be willing to settle this grievance with my Sima Family?"

"Please give me a clear word so that I can go back and inform the Family Head."

He was truly out of tricks.

Better to let the Family Head contend with this little, cunning bastard!

Hearing this, Ye Chen put on an expression of serious thought.

A few seconds later.

He looked up at Sima Nong and said something shocking.

"How about this."

"Let your Family Head, Sima Li..."

"Personally come before me, kneel down and kowtow three times, and then call me 'Father'."

"As long as he does that, I'll act as if all that previous mess never happened."

"How about it?"

As soon as these words came out, the entire restaurant seemed to have been put on mute.

The expression on Sima Nong's face was instantly replaced by a sense of extreme grievance.

Even the followers behind him snapped their heads up, their eyes spewing fire, their fists clenching until they cracked.

Damn it!

This was blatant humiliation!

The other party clearly had no intention of shaking hands and making peace with them!

"Mr. Ye!"

Sima Nong took several deep breaths before he could barely suppress his rage.

"This is absolutely impossible!"

"My Sima Family is one of the Five Great Families of the Capital, with a heritage spanning centuries; our face is more important than Mount Tai!"

"If it truly goes as you say, and the Family Head kneels and kowtows in public, and even calls you 'Father'..."

The muscles on his face twitched violently, "If this gets out, what face will my Sima Family have left to stand in the Capital? What foundation would be left to speak of?!"

"Hmm, you have a point."

"Your Sima Family's face is very important, and your foundation cannot be shaken."

Ye Chen nodded.

Hearing this, Sima Nong thought Ye Chen's attitude had softened and was about to say something, but then... Ye Chen's tone shifted, and an innocent expression appeared on his face.

"But..."

"What the hell does that have to do with me?"

Sima Nong: "???"

Sima Family members: "???"

Good grief!

Is this guy going to go head-to-head with the Sima Family?

Sima Nong's chest heaved violently, he almost couldn't catch his breath, and the finger he pointed at Ye Chen was shaking.

"Ye Chen!"

"Don't push people too far!"

"My Sima Family came today with great sincerity. Don't take an inch and ask for a mile, otherwise..."

Before he could finish, Sima Nong's words came to an abrupt halt.

Because the Ye Chen in front of him had vanished without warning, like a ghost.

The next second.

A powerful hand, like an iron vice, gripped his throat.

And then.

Lifted him into the air.

Ye Chen's face appeared right before his eyes.

In those calm eyes, Sima Nong's face, distorted by suffocation and terror, was clearly reflected.

"What?"

"Want to threaten me again?"

Ye Chen's voice was very light, yet it pierced Sima Nong's ears like an ice pick.

"I have a bit of a bad temper, and what I hate most is when people threaten me."

"Especially after I've set my conditions, and someone still tries to bargain with me, or even... wants to talk tough."

His hand gripping Sima Nong's neck tightened slightly; Sima Nong's eyes immediately rolled back, and his feet kicked futilely.

"My conditions will not change."

"Go back and tell Sima Li: either do as I say."

"Or..."

He released his hand.

Sima Nong slumped to the ground like a broken sack, clutching his throat and coughing violently, with tears and snot flowing.

Ye Chen looked down at him, indifferent to the extreme.

"Just tell him to wash his neck and wait."

"In a few days, when I have some free time, I will personally go to your Sima Family Manor..."

"And have a good talk with him."

He spoke the last few words slowly, each one like a heavy hammer striking the hearts of Sima Nong and all the followers.

"Now..."

Ye Chen turned and walked toward his original seat, his back to them, as he waved his hand casually.

"Take your things and get lost."

Sima Nong gasped on the ground for a good while before his subordinates tremblingly helped him up.

His face was grey and defeated, his eyes unfocused, not daring to look at Ye Chen again.

"Go... quickly, let's go..."

The followers felt as if they had been granted a grand amnesty. They hurriedly supported Sima Nong, whose legs had turned to jelly from fear, and turned around in a panic, stumbling out of the restaurant's entrance.

In fact.

Someone accidentally tripped over the threshold and fell flat on their face, but they didn't dare to stay; instead, they scrambled away and disappeared outside.

Silence returned to the restaurant.

Night Owl put away her phone and looked at Ye Chen: "You're just letting them go like that?"

Ye Chen sat back in his chair and took a sip from his teacup.

"Otherwise?"

"Keep them for dinner?"

He put down the teacup and looked out at the empty street, his gaze turning slightly cold.

"Just an old dog delivering a message, there's no point in killing him."

"I've set the conditions; whether they accept them or not is their business."

"It's even better if they don't accept..."

The corners of Ye Chen's mouth curled up slightly. "I happen to be lacking a reason to go to the Capital and stretch my muscles."

Night Owl remained silent.

She knew that Ye Chen's words were by no means a joke.

The Sima Family was simply courting death this time. Of all the people to provoke, they actually had to mess with a guy like Ye Chen...