Ye Chutang had just stepped over the threshold when she heard footsteps approaching.

It was Ye Jingyan, who had come out to see what the commotion was.

"Sister?"

Ye Chutang looked up. "Yan."

As she moved, Ye Jingyan finally caught sight of the bloody mark on her neck. His expression changed in an instant, and he hurried forward. "Sister! You’re—"

Ye Chutang gave him a small smile and soothed him in a warm voice, "It’s just a minor injury. I’ll explain later."

Ye Jingyan had always been one to listen to her, so even with countless questions swirling in his mind, he forced himself to hold them back.

He glanced toward the door.

"That noise from just now... sounded like the Princely Heir and Xu Rongqing, didn’t it?"

...

The main gate slowly swung shut. Only when he heard the crack of a whip nearby did Xu Rongqing finally snap back to his senses.

He turned his head and was met with a pair of eyes—pitch-black, cold, and bottomless.

Xu Rongqing wasn’t well-acquainted with Shen Yanchuan, but from their few interactions, he had the subtle feeling that Shen Yanchuan disliked him...

The atmosphere grew tense. Xu Rongqing cupped his fists in a salute, preparing to take his leave.

However, Shen Yanchuan spoke first.

"I hear you didn’t return to your estate after leaving the palace last night, Lord Xu?"

Startled, Xu Rongqing looked up instinctively, only to find the young man before him looking perfectly composed, his tone casual.

It wasn’t a question, but a mere statement of fact.

Xu Rongqing felt a flicker of uncertainty. He hesitated before speaking. "You ask this, Princely Heir, because..."

Shen Yanchuan seemed to crack a smile, the favoritism in his tone unmistakable:

"When it concerns the Ye Family and her, one must naturally be exceedingly cautious."

...

"Sister, what on earth happened to you?"

The moment they were back in the inner room, Ye Jingyan immediately demanded, his voice devoid of its usual composure.

Ye Chutang waved her hand dismissively. "Han Yao just grazed me, it’s nothing serious. Don’t worry. Your sister has always cherished her life; I wouldn’t make a trade that isn’t worth it."

’A minor flesh wound in exchange for a chance to bring the truth to light. It was worth it.’

Seeing that she didn’t want to elaborate, Ye Jingyan turned to Ye Yunfeng. "A Feng, what were my instructions before you left?"

’I told him again and again to protect our sister, and yet—’

Ye Yunfeng hung his head, overcome with guilt. "It’s my fault. I didn’t protect her."

"It’s not his fault," Ye Chutang said, shaking her head.

’A Feng is one thing, but Yan is smart. He must have guessed what I was planning today.’

A fire seemed to burn in Ye Jingyan’s chest—he knew his sister had gone out today to make a scene, but he never expected her to get hurt, especially in such a dangerous spot!

’If anything had happened—’

"A Feng, go get my medicine. It’s in the medicine cabinet, third row, second compartment."

Ye Yunfeng had a stomach full of apologies and regrets he wanted to voice, but at her words, he pushed it all aside. With a quick acknowledgment, he hurried off.

Once he was gone, Ye Chutang glanced toward the east room. "Where’s Xiao Wu?"

"Still sleeping," Ye Jingyan said. "He fell asleep after solving those problems you left for him."

Ye Chutang felt a little relieved.

’She had worried Xiao Wu would get bored and come looking for her, so she’d left him something to pass the time. It seemed to have worked; he’d been much more obedient.’

’It was a good thing he was still asleep. Otherwise, he’d get red-eyed again if he saw the state she was in.’

"I’m really fine." Ye Chutang took a sip of tea to soothe her hoarse throat. Seeing Ye Jingyan’s brow still tightly furrowed, she couldn’t help but smile. "I came back in one piece, didn’t I?"

She gave him a simple account of the morning’s events. Her tone was light and nonchalant, as if she were recounting a story about someone else, showing no trace of the fear or lingering dread one would expect from being taken hostage.

"Han Tong is indeed a deep schemer. He even managed to get leverage over someone as cautious as Ye Heng. It’s a pity he raised such an impulsive, brainless son, who single-handedly destroyed his entire family’s future and their very lives."

As Ye Chutang spoke, Ye Yunfeng returned with the medicine, rushing to hand it to her.

"Sister! Here!"

’He’s fast.’

Ye Chutang took the white jade bottle, her eyes curving into a smile. "You did well today. It looks like you haven’t been slacking in your training. Now that we’ve found that box, many things will be much easier to handle."

As she spoke, she opened the bottle, and a faint, bitter medicinal aroma filled the air.

Only then did Ye Jingyan notice that the Snow Cloth in her hand looked unfamiliar; it didn’t seem to be hers.

"Sister, what’s this...?"

Ye Chutang followed his gaze. As her eyes fell upon it, the look in Shen Yanchuan’s eyes as he handed her the handkerchief inexplicably flashed through her mind.

Clear and profound, yet like an ocean concealing a storm beneath its surface.

She snapped out of her reverie, an eyebrow arching slightly.

"A debt."

...

After Murong Ye left, Ye Shixian had gone back to bed to catch up on her sleep. But she had barely lain down before she was woken by a commotion.

"It’s terrible! Terrible!" Shaoyao cried, running in with a pale, panic-stricken face. "Miss! Something awful has happened to the Han Family!"

Ye Shixian frowned. "What is it now? Why are you in such a panic!"

’Her mind was already a mess, and Shaoyao’s shouting startled her so badly she thought her heart would leap from her chest.’

"Trouble for the Han Family has nothing to do with us. Why are you making such a fuss—"

Shaoyao, paying no mind to decorum, fell to her knees, her legs giving way. Her eyes were red and her whole body trembled. "Miss! Y-You don’t understand! Han Yao took Ye Chutang hostage! A-And he publicly accused the master, saying he was the one who orchestrated Lord Ye Zheng’s death!"

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her. Ye Shixian’s mind went completely blank.

She flung off the covers and shot to her feet, taking two quick steps forward, her face ashen. "What nonsense are you spouting!?"

Shaoyao said through her tears, "Miss, how could I dare speak nonsense about something like this? The other servants are all talking about it! I heard that Han Yao forced the Princely Heir to release his father. The Princely Heir sent men to intercept Lord Han Tong’s prison carriage and brought him back to the Han Family. But who would have thought that after Lord Han arrived, Han Yao went mad and started frantically slinging mud at our master! I-I also heard that the Princely Heir followed his lead and found a box of physical evidence in the Han Family’s courtyard! Now, the Han father and son have been taken into custody by a special escort to await judgment from the Holy Emperor!"

CLANG!

Ye Shixian staggered back a step, accidentally sweeping a teacup off the table. It shattered into countless pieces on the floor.

She sank onto a chair, utterly devastated and unable to process what she’d heard for a long time. She just kept muttering, "How is this possible... How could this happen!?"

’I thought with Murong Ye’s help, we would finally see a turn for the better. Who knew something like this would happen out of nowhere!’

Wiping her tears, Shaoyao pleaded, "Miss! Oh, Miss! What are we going to do now? If... if the master’s crimes are really proven—"

SLAP!

Ye Shixian slapped Shaoyao hard across the face. A mixture of terror and rage contorted her features as she shrieked, "Insolence! Who gave you permission to say such things! Say another word of this nonsense and I’ll tear that mouth of yours to shreds!"

Shaoyao was knocked to the floor, and half of her face immediately swelled up, turning red and stinging with a fiery pain.

But how could she dare to utter a single word in her defense?

She had served Ye Shixian since she was a child and had never seen her in such a rage. She could only cry and kowtow in a panic. "Forgive me, Miss! Forgive me! It was my mistake! I deserve to die!"

Ye Shixian clutched her chest, but her frantic, racing heart only beat more wildly, spinning out of her control.

’What should I do?’

’What in God’s name am I supposed to do now?!’