Ye Chutang didn’t believe for a second that Ye the Fourth would get up so early for no good reason.

If he were on proper business, why wouldn’t he dare use the main gate? Why climb over the wall instead?

Based on past experience, whenever he acted like this, he was definitely up to something.

Ye Yunfeng shot his third brother a pleading look.

Ye Jingyan cleared his throat. "A Feng, he..."

"Let him speak for himself."

Ye Chutang cut him off without hesitation.

Ye Jingyan faltered. "...Oh."

Ye Yunfeng’s heart sank. He had no choice but to pin his last hopes on Xiao Wu. ’If she can just help me out, then Big Sis—’

CRUNCH.

Xiao Wu took a bite of her peanut brittle.

’Third Brother said I shouldn’t eat too much each day, but we already bought it. It would be such a waste not to finish it soon!’

Ye Yunfeng was left speechless.

’I knew this little girl was unreliable!’

He thought for a moment, then sidled up to Ye Chutang with a sheepish grin. "I wasn’t really doing anything. Big Sis, don’t you know me by now? It’s so much more freeing here than in the Capital City. I naturally wanted to get out and look around!"

It was true that the Capital City was full of rules. Countless eyes, both seen and unseen, were always watching them. Ye Yunfeng had felt like a caged bird, especially after entering the Imperial College, and was extremely ill at ease.

But that was definitely not the real reason he had gone out so early in the morning.

Ye Chutang lifted her gaze and gave him a cool look.

Ye Yunfeng’s heart sank. After a long moment of hesitation, he finally scrubbed a hand over his face and gave in.

"Fine, I can’t hide anything from you, Big Sis. I’ll just tell you the truth! I went to check on the homes of the people who sold their grain!"

Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

The confession came tumbling out of Ye Yunfeng all at once. "I got curious back when you were asking them about the grain sales, Big Sis. So for the past few days, I’ve been visiting their homes. They’ve already started rebuilding and repairing their grain cellars, just like you told them to."

A look of disappointment crossed his face. "I was hoping I might find some useful clues at their houses, but after several days of searching, I’ve come up with nothing."

Ye Chutang set down her teacup, no trace of surprise in her expression. She simply said, "They’re all hardworking people, just scraping by on what little grain they have. It’s normal that you wouldn’t find any evidence."

Those people don’t even know where their grain was sold, let alone anything else.

Ye Yunfeng froze, understanding her meaning in an instant.

He slumped back in his chair, dejected. "You’re right, Big Sis. I didn’t think it through."

The corners of Ye Chutang’s lips quirked into a slight smile. "So where did you go today?"

Ye Yunfeng’s head shot up!

Ye Chutang’s fair, slender fingers gently traced the rim of her teacup.

"You’ve picked up the scent of Spring Tidings in the Snow. Did you not notice it yourself?"

Ye Yunfeng’s eyes widened.

Ye Chutang tilted her chin up slightly. "That’s not something an ordinary family can afford."

Ye Yunfeng immediately lifted his arm, sniffing hard at both sleeves. He thought he could catch a faint fragrance.

But if his sister hadn’t pointed it out, he never would have noticed!

After a long moment of silence, Ye Yunfeng finally sighed.

’I really can’t hide anything from Big Sis...’

He cleared his throat and admitted guiltily, "T-today, I went to the County Magistrate Mansion."

Ye Jingyan immediately shot him a look. A crumb of peanut brittle, which Xiao Wu was halfway through eating, fell unnoticed as she looked up at Ye Yunfeng in astonishment.

’Fourth Brother actually went there!?’

A flicker of interest appeared in Ye Chutang’s eyes. "Oh? And—did you have fun?"