Chapter 616: Chapter 616: The Sins Do Not Extend to the Children

Seeing Yi Huai’s reaction, what could Yi Lin not understand?

He stepped forward directly, ignoring Yi Huai’s frail appearance, and delivered a slap across his face, “You unfilial son, you dare to hide such an important matter; do you realize how much danger you’re inviting upon our Yi Family?”

By now, what was there left not to understand? Yi Huai had not simply forgotten; it was intentional.

Because Yi Huai knew very well that if he truly revealed the situation, there was no way the Baili Family would spare Yi Huai today.

“Father, I didn’t–” Yi Huai tried to open his mouth to defend himself, but under Yi Lin’s icy gaze, all his words choked in his throat, unable to be voiced.

In the cold indifference of Yi Lin’s stare, the glimmer of hope in Yi Huai’s eyes also began to extinguish gradually, because he knew his father had truly given up on him. Without the support of the Yi Family, he had no way to gain the forgiveness of the Baili Family. Was the rest of his life doomed to be a struggle in agony?

Just thinking about the pain that had wracked him earlier, he truly wished he could just die and be done with it!

But then, considering the tortures that Huang Wan would face after death, he lost the courage to commit suicide.

“If Family Head Yi wishes to discipline his son, then please take him back to the Yi Family for punishment!” Baili Hengyuan said with a cold sneer, “We of the Baili Family do not take pleasure in watching others discipline their children!”

Yi Lin’s complexion was unsightly. After a silent pause, he finally spoke again, “Then if I expel Yi Huai from the Yi Family, would that count as a sufficient explanation for you, the Baili Family?”

“Father!” Yi Huai could hardly believe his own ears.

What did his father mean by this–was he truly giving up on him? No, he absolutely could not leave the Yi Family. Now that he had lost everything, what would he do if he were also expelled?

Once expelled, it meant not only leaving the Yi Family, but also leaving the enclave of the Hidden Families.

For many years, he had focused on studying the Divination Skill with no other means of livelihood. Without his family, how could he survive?

Moreover, he had children. What about his children?

Even if they were not expelled alongside him, life would still be difficult with a father like him.

However difficult life might be, it wouldn’t compare to being cast out of the Yi Family.

“Don’t call me father,” Yi Lin said with no trace of mercy, sounding as if he were not speaking to his own son, “When you committed such an act, you should have foreseen this outcome.”

Watching Yi Lin’s relentless demeanor, the hope within Yi Huai diminished little by little. He could tell that his father would show no more mercy this time.

Without looking at Yi Huai again, Yi Lin turned his head to face Baili Hengyuan, “Family Head Baili, what do you think?”

Now that Yi Huai’s fate was beyond saving, Yi Lin could only give up. However, since he had to give up on such a talented son, he naturally couldn’t let his family fall into danger. Otherwise, would it not be a loss in vain?

Hearing Yi Lin’s merciless words, Baili Hengyuan couldn’t help but laugh bemusedly, “So, Family Head Yi, you are willing to deal with Yi Huai now? Just moments ago, that was not what you were saying!”

Despite Yi Lin’s about-face, the expressions on Zhong Niangyao and Lu Yichen’s faces showed no change, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary.

“Just now, I hadn’t thought things through,” Yi Lin continued, “With Yi Huai committing such atrocious acts against nature, doesn’t he deserve his punishment? As the head of a family, I must not shield him.”

Anyone could tell that such contradictory statements were mere fabrications. Yet, at such an event, voicing such words seemed somehow not amiss.

Baili Hengyuan glanced at Yi Huai, about to say something, when Zhong Niangyao beat him to it.

“What about the children of Yi Huai and Huang Wan?” Zhong Niangyao’s lips curled in a smile, but her eyes were devoid of laughter, only coldness, “Will their children also be driven out of the Yi Family together?”

“Zhong Niangyao!” Yi Huai’s voice was filled with hatred, his eyes bloodshot and fierce, “Must you be so relentlessly ruthless?”

This was a question he had already considered earlier. Deep down, he hoped his children wouldn’t be affected, so he had not spoken up about it until now.

But to his dismay, Zhong Niangyao was intent on taking it to the extreme!

“Am I being relentlessly ruthless?”

Zhong Niangyao didn’t even glance at Yi Huai. She looked straight at Yi Lin, speaking cheerfully, “I haven’t even held against them the wrongdoings of Yi Huai and Huang Wan, so how could it be considered ruthlessness?”

Yi Lin frowned, his face showing a hint of hesitation, “Just as you said, the acts of Yi Huai and Huang Wan should not fall upon them. The sins of the father should not be visited on the children, right?”

Yi Huai let out a sigh of relief, feeling as if a great weight had lifted from his heart.

“The sins of the father should not be visited on the children, but there’s one prerequisite to that,” Zhong Niangyao shook her head, “which is also, the benefits should not extend to the children.”

“If Huang Wan had not stolen my mother’s vitality, they wouldn’t have had the chance to be born at all. Their birth itself carried original sin, and now to say they are innocent, doesn’t that seem a bit untenable?”

Yi Lin was at a loss!

He had decided to expel Yi Huai from the family, and he was not going to change that. But as for those grandchildren, he had no intention of punishing them.

They were of his own flesh and blood, and not only were the grandchildren talented, but they were also exceedingly filial and dear to him.

Now, to drive out his grandchildren as well, he truly found it difficult. But Zhong Niangyao’s every word seemed justifiable, leaving him unable to retort.

Ultimately, Yi Lin looked to Baili Hengyuan, “Family Head Baili, what do you think? You’ve met those children; they are indeed as I said, good and pure-hearted. Could you really bear to have them driven out and left destitute?”

Upon hearing Yi Lin’s words, Baili Hengyuan frowned, his face showing a trace of hesitation, finding himself in a dilemma.

He had seen Yi Huai’s children and indeed, as Yi Lin said, they were good children!