Ye Xiren lowered her head without answering.
The person in the carriage opposite glanced at Liu Doxi, then looked toward Ye Xiren, who had stepped aside with her head bowed, and slowly spoke: “It was my subordinate who was at fault, offending the young lady.”
He looked at the coachman, his voice calm: “Let’s go, Mole. Return and accept your punishment yourself.”
Hearing this, Ye Xiren looked up.
Inside the carriage was a young man with skin as fair as jade, sharp eyebrows, and bright eyes—quite different from the rough-skinned Northern Yan people. He leaned lazily in the carriage, a charcoal brazier fixed inside glowing with firelight.
Though he spoke words of apology, there was little sincerity in them; his manner was casual. He wore luxurious brocade robes, a fluffy fox-fur vest framing his face, accentuating his red lips and white teeth. His gaze swept casually toward Ye Xiren, and their eyes briefly met.
Ye Xiren’s eyelids trembled slightly. She withdrew her gaze and stood quietly to the side, head bowed.
“Yes,” the Northern Yan coachman glared fiercely at Ye Xiren’s coachman but dared say nothing more. Carefully driving the carriage away, Liu Doxi and the others followed, their voices of polite conversation gradually fading into the distance.
A potential conflict dissipated without a trace.
The coachman felt somewhat aggrieved and muttered, “Second Miss, it wasn’t my fault. That Northern Yan coachman was rude and ignored the rules, suddenly rushing out. If I hadn’t reined in the horses in time, perhaps…”
Ye Xiren slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding, her tense shoulders relaxing. She looked at him, her tone calm: “So what? Do you want to reason with the Northern Yan Crown Prince?”
Did he think everyone else was blind and couldn’t see who was at fault?
The coachman forgot his anger, shocked: “The Northern Yan Crown Prince? The eldest prince known as the Northern Yan Military Strategist?!”
The late emperor was young and had no brothers, and the current emperor is young and not yet married. Upon hearing the address “Your Highness,” Ye Xiren guessed it could only be a prince of Northern Yan, and moreover…
The leader of this Northern Yan Delegation was precisely the eldest prince of Northern Yan, the next King of Bei Yan—Chizhan Lan Ce.
If it were a “Your Highness” of their own court, one might still reason with him. If it were just over ten days ago, they might still dare to argue with the Northern Yan people. But at this critical juncture of peace talks between the two nations, who would dare provoke the Northern Yan people?
Among the officials who arrived later, the leaders were Assistant Grand Councilor Liu Doxi and Minister of Rites Li Renyi. Faced with the Northern Yan Delegation, whom even the court had to treat with deference, how could they afford to offend them? Ye Xiren was terrified of death, timid.
Having avoided trouble, they were fortunate today.
The coachman was also shaken, repeatedly patting his chest: “Fortunately, that one was courteous and didn’t make things difficult for us.”
Thinking of the person he had just seen, he couldn’t help but sigh: “Who would have thought the Northern Yan eldest prince would be such an ethereal, immortal-like figure, with a rather good temper…”
“Let’s go, we’re heading back,” Ye Xiren said noncommittally, re-entering the carriage.
She held no favorable impression of Northern Yan people.
Not to mention their wanton encroachment upon Daliang and various misdeeds.
Just recently, Ye Xiren hadn’t forgotten what the Imperial City Department said yesterday: when news of the “Examination Fraud” reached the palace, if not for the Northern Yan people gloating, their family might not have been immediately sentenced to Execution of the entire family… With national enmity and personal hatred, what favorable impression could there be?
The coachman drove away, deliberately slowing down this time, afraid of encountering such important figures again.
On the other side.
Chizhan Lan Ce suddenly asked: “Whose family does she belong to?”
Li Renyi was taken aback.
Liu Doxi smiled slightly: “Judging by the carriage, it belongs to the Ye family—Minister of Revenue Ye Pei. They have only one son and one daughter, so it must be the Ye family’s second young lady.”
Chizhan Lan Ce nodded.
After a long moment, he said, "She is clever."
The carriage finally returned to the Ye Residence.
Ye Xiren stood at the entrance, faintly hearing the clamor inside—Ye Changming's wails and Madam Liao's soothing words.
"Mother, I want to go to the Spring Examination!"
"Oh dear, calm down a little. The Spring Examination has already begun. How can you go in this state? Can you even hold a brush? Besides, you're still young. There will be time for the next Spring Examination."
"Ahhh!"
…
Chaos reigned, lively and boisterous.
Ye Xiren lifted the hem of her skirt and hurried inside.
In the room, Ye Changming was howling on the bed, "It hurts so much! Isn't there any medicine to stop the pain in my arm? That quack doctor!"
"Young Master, be careful. You mustn't injure your hand again." Pang Jin's round face was filled with worry. "The physician said that although it's not serious, a tendon or bone injury takes a hundred days to heal. You must rest properly."
"That's right. You've already taken the medicine, so you'll just have to endure the pain for now." Madam Liao set the medicine bowl aside.
Seeing Ye Xiren enter, Madam Liao stood up. "Come and see your brother. He's been crying nonstop since he returned. His hand has been treated, but he's throwing a tantrum because he couldn't take part in the Spring Examination."
She shook her head, utterly helpless.
Ye Changming suddenly sat up, slamming his uninjured hand down as he cursed loudly:
"I don't know which despicable scoundrel did this to me, but just wait—I'll definitely uncover the mastermind behind it! Ruining someone's future, what a vile, wretched creature! May his whole family suffer misfortune, and may none of them pass the exams!"
Ah, this…
Perhaps you shouldn't curse yourself?
Ye Xiren instinctively shrank her neck, feeling a little guilty.
But when she thought of the suffering from several instances of execution of the entire family and her brother, who couldn't be stopped from rushing to his death, that bit of guilt vanished without a trace.
Madam Liao shook her head and left the room. Ye Xiren brought over the plate of candies placed nearby and said gently:
"Brother, you'll surely come out on top next time. Perhaps heaven prevented you from participating this time to protect you. Have a candy and don't be angry."
She fed the candy to Ye Changming.
Ye Changming swallowed it in one gulp, moved. "You're the one who cares about me the most, little sister."
Crunching the candy loudly, he squeezed out the words through gritted teeth, one by one: "Just let me catch that despicable scoundrel who harmed me!"
"Good little sister" Ye Xiren wore a gentle expression, smiling without a word.
Ye Pei returned from his duties. Having likely received the news earlier, he headed straight for Ye Changming's room.
"Father." Ye Xiren set down her book and stood up.
Ye Pei was no longer young, already in his forties. In previous years, he hadn't shown much age, but since becoming the Minister of Revenue, with Daliang embroiled in years of warfare, his hair had gradually turned white, and the wrinkles on his face had deepened.
Yet he was slender in build. From the faces of Ye Xiren and Ye Changming, it was clear that Ye Pei had been a handsome man in his youth. Now older, he was refined and kind.
"Xixi." Ye Pei smiled, then turned to Ye Changming, who had started wailing on the bed, and frowned. "That's enough. If you couldn't take the Spring Examination this time, just try again next time. What kind of man cries and shouts like this?"
Ye Xiren picked up her book and left, letting the father and son talk inside.
Ye Xiren walked out of the room.
Outside, Madam Liao had brought the account books and was checking the accounts.
Ye Xiren went over and sat on the stone stool opposite, her skirt draping down. Her slender fingers naturally picked up the familiar account book and began flipping through it.
Madam Liao glanced up, then lowered her head again to continue checking the accounts, saying as she worked, "Don't worry about your brother. Let him howl. Missing the Spring Examination isn't a bad thing. Your father and I both disagree with him entering the court now. The situation is too chaotic, and his temper is too impulsive."
After speaking, she pushed the other account books over:
"Help me calculate how much was spent on purchases last month. When you marry, you'll have to manage the household. If you can't even figure this out…"
Ye Xiren responded almost instinctively:
"Twenty-six taels and three qian."
Madam Liao paused, looking up in surprise. "When did you calculate that?"
Ye Xiren suddenly smiled and shook her head. "Yesterday."
Wasn't it indeed "yesterday"?
Even though it was still the first day of the third month.
Madam Liao found it strange. When had her daughter calculated the accounts yesterday? She hadn't known about it.
Ye Xiren picked up a brush and wrote down the number, murmuring, "The household expenses are growing larger and larger. This amount is just for buying rice and vegetables. With grain prices so high, no wonder there are refugees everywhere."
Hearing this, Madam Liao let out a long sigh, her eyes filled with helplessness. "There's nothing to be done about it. The war hasn't stopped, and it's the third month—the lean season when last year's grain is gone and the new harvest isn't ready. Grain prices have risen from ten qian per sheng to fifty qian. Our household can still afford to eat, but who knows how many people are starving in the north now?"
After the southward relocation of the mobile administration, Beidu was practically left to Bei Yan. The entire area north of Huai'an Qu was left to the Northern Yan Army to ravage. Those vicious barbarians—who knew what they had done to the northern lands?
Ye Xiren thought of Ma Shan with his sickle hanging at his waist, of those people secretly sleeping in the alleyways… Refugees weren't allowed into the capital. What she saw in Southern Capital City was just the tip of the iceberg—and the best part of it at that.
Seeing her frown, Madam Liao comforted her again:
"Fortunately, Bei Yan is preparing for peace talks. Since Chizhan Lan Ce entered Nandu, news has been spreading everywhere. With the court's reassurance, grain prices dropped a few days ago to twenty qian per sheng. Things will get better."
Ye Xiren nodded.
War was never good. Even before the peace talks began, the situation everywhere had already changed. That was a good thing, right?
She looked at the account book, calculating the time.
The sun slowly set, time passed bit by bit, shadows grew longer and more slanted. The closed gate remained quiet, with no sign of anything unusual. Only occasionally could Ye Changming's curses be heard.
Madam Liao had already left. Ye Xiren sat alone in the courtyard, waiting quietly.
Tap, tap, tap.
Ye Xiren lightly tapped her fingers, counting the time. The sun sank to the horizon. Her eyes gradually grew moist, her eyelids trembled, and a teardrop fell onto the account book, spreading softly.
"Young Miss?" Xue Chan exclaimed in surprise, rushing forward anxiously.
Ye Xiren shook her head and said nothing.
The golden sunset light bathed her face. She tilted her head toward the light. The fiery red sun at the horizon wasn't blinding, slowly sinking lower. Layers of clouds encircled the sun like a ring, overlapping and dyeing half the sky red. Flocks of birds swept across the sunset, and wisps of white smoke rose from the chimneys of houses, drifting upward into the sky.
As she watched, tears streamed down Ye Xiren's face, yet a brilliant smile slowly spread across it. Her dark eyes grew brighter and brighter. The heart she had been holding up finally settled as the sun set.
Author's Note:
Ye Xiren: I saved them!
The Ye Family: …You're overthinking it.