Ye Xiren returned to her courtyard drenched in sweat.
Xue Chan approached with a worried expression. "How did you injure your hand? The Spring Examination has already begun. The eldest young master won’t be able to take the imperial exams this time."
Ye Xiren picked up the water brought by a maid, drank it in one gulp, and let out a long sigh.
This time, she had gone easy. Ye Changming, full of energy, had caused an even bigger fuss than before, insisting on attending the Spring Examination. It had taken quite some effort to restrain him, nearly exhausting her.
But how could she let him go?
If he didn’t go, he might live until the second day of the third month. If he did, he wouldn’t even make it past the first. Together with Madam Liao, she had forced him to see a physician. Only after the Spring Examination period had passed did she finally feel at ease.
Then, the "good sister" who had just been worried about her brother’s injury instantly changed her expression, left him behind, and walked out of Ye Changming’s room, letting him throw his tantrum alone.
"It’s better that he didn’t go. The injury isn’t serious—he’ll recover in a few days." Ye Xiren finished another cup of tea before finally setting down the teacup.
Last time, she had acted harshly because Ye Changming had repeatedly caused the entire family to be executed. Even with a minor injury, he had insisted on attending the Spring Examination, bringing disaster upon the Ye family once again. Having been reborn with rage, filled with anger and fear, she had ordered Ma Shan to strike harder.
But after the incident in the ancestral hall on the second day of the third month, Ye Xiren suddenly realized…
Perhaps there was more to the examination hall than met the eye.
Thinking this way, Ye Changming hadn’t intentionally brought disaster upon the Ye family. Years of sibling affection—if it weren’t for Pang Jin and Shou Yin’s exceptional martial skills, Ma Shan’s inability to restrain them, and her waking up too late with no time to spare, she wouldn’t have chosen to have Ma Shan beat Ye Changming.
After all, Ye Changming was stubborn to the core, dead set on attending the Spring Examination. No one could stop him, and no amount of persuasion worked!
The calamity of the first day of the third month had passed.
But there was still the second day of the third month, the "evidence of guilt" hidden inside the Buddha statue…
Ye Xiren abruptly stood up and walked toward her small study. She picked up a brush and paper, about to write something, but paused and looked at Xue Chan, who had curiously followed her. "Leave first."
Xue Chan scratched her head.
The young lady was acting strangely today. She refilled Ye Xiren’s tea, quietly left the room, closed the door behind her, and stood guard outside to keep others from approaching.
Once alone, Ye Xiren wiped the sweat that had broken out again and began urgently sorting through the events of the past few days. She picked up her brush and wrote in delicate, elegant script.
Ye Pei valued literature and had taught Ye Xiren alongside Ye Changming. From a young age, she had read many books—historical biographies, tales of the supernatural—but nothing like what she was experiencing now!!
She must have encountered an immortal or a ghost.
Dying and coming back to life, living only to die again.
But it could also be the blessing of the Bodhisattva or her ancestors, allowing her to be reborn again and again to help the Ye family avoid disaster. Perhaps only by averting the calamities could she truly break free.
"On the first day of the third month, I was beheaded without knowing anything. This was the first Execution of the entire family."
"Still on the first day of the third month, I vaguely sensed something amiss and warned Ye Changming not to commit examination fraud. He was furious, and I’m certain he would never do such a thing. But because he entered the examination hall, he was still beheaded. This was the second Execution of the entire family."
"Again on the first day of the third month, repeating the second time. Through conversations with the guards, I learned that the examination fraud incident had enraged the Emperor and Prime Minister Jiang, with Bei Yan adding fuel to the fire. This was the third Execution of the entire family."
“By preventing Ye Changming from taking the imperial examination, we avoided the first day of the third month. But on the second day of the third month, it was Grandmother concealing evidence of collusion with the enemy. We were taken to Dali Temple by Lu Qian, and before the night was over, the imperial edict arrived. That was the fourth Execution of the entire family.”
Ye Xiren’s hand paused, a drop of ink falling onto the paper. Her brows furrowed tightly:
“That’s odd. For the first to the third times, the Bei Yan people added fuel to the fire, so the judgment and execution were swift. But what about the fourth time? Why were we beheaded on the same day as well?”
Could it be that the military map and note alone were enough to directly convict, leaving no room for defense?
Also, when were that military map and note hidden?
The Buddha statue had no seams. Who put them inside? Liu Xu? And when did she slip them in?
…Could it be that someone swapped the Buddha statue?
But when was it swapped?
Ye Xiren circled the first and second days of the third month, then circled the first through fourth instances, and also circled the Execution of the entire family.
What connection was there between fraud and collusion with the enemy?
And what connection was there between these two dates?
Ye Xiren sank into deep thought.
Something flashed through her mind. Her pupils contracted, and the brush fell onto the table. Splattered ink turned the paper pitch black, covering some of the words on it, like blood splashing over the four characters for “Execution of the entire family.”
This was the connection!
Whether it was the first day of the third month or the second day of the third month, the Ye family was inevitably accused of a crime, and the outcome was always Execution of the entire family!
Having avoided the “Examination fraud” on the first day of the third month, they instead faced the “Concealing evidence of collusion with the enemy” on the second day of the third month.
Thinking of this, Ye Xiren felt her breath catch, almost suffocating.
Whether it was tampering with the examination hall or targeting Daliang’s most important military map, it revealed the opponent’s methods and their relentless, deadly determination!
Who exactly was it?
Calm down.
She knew little of the outside world and even less about whom the Ye family had offended. What mattered now was not identifying the culprit but verifying her suspicions. Survive first, then find the mastermind behind it all…
Today was still the first day of the third month. Liu Xu had been brought to her early in the morning. If it was certain that Examination fraud couldn’t kill the Ye family and the method was changed, then Liu Xu hadn’t acted yet.
Ye Xiren breathed a sigh of relief.
But soon, her tension rose again.
No.
If she prevented Liu Xu from carrying out her task, there might be other schemes waiting for them. She couldn’t make too many changes, or she might very well fall into an unknown trap again.
Ye Xiren picked up the brush and threw all the papers with writing into the brazier, burning them clean.
Then, she stepped outside.
“Miss?” Xue Chan, stationed at the door, snapped back to attention.
Ye Xiren asked, “Xue Chan, where is Liu Xu?”
Xue Chan was momentarily stunned before replying, “The old madam dotes on you, miss. When I relayed your request to her, she immediately sent Liu Xu to our courtyard. She’s still in the side room. Would you like to see her?”
Ye Xiren shook her head sharply, her expression grave as she instructed:
“Xue Chan, I can only trust you now. Keep a close eye on Liu Xu in secret, but make sure she doesn’t notice. It doesn’t matter what she does. Don’t tell her anything, and don’t let her sense anything unusual.”
Xue Chan felt inexplicably alarmed, but having grown up with Ye Xiren since childhood, their bond was extraordinary. Always obedient and well-behaved, she quickly nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m going to Grandmother’s place first.” Ye Xiren turned and left.
She was going to verify her suspicions.
Had the Guanyin statue in the family shrine been tampered with?
The Ye family had few members, and Ye Xiren had always been doted on. She reached the prayer hall almost without any obstruction. Her grandmother had not yet begun her prayers, so the hall was empty.
She dismissed all the others and picked up the statue of Guanyin.
On the third day of the third lunar month in her previous life, she had knelt here and carefully examined this statue. The White Jade Guanyin was compassionate, looking exactly the same as it did now.
She inspected and touched it from top to bottom, finding no opening that could be pried open—only a thin seam at the bottom.
Was the willow catkin stuffed in from here?
Ye Xiren held it up to the light but still couldn’t see inside clearly.
She pursed her lips and held her breath. No matter what, she had to save the Ye family and protect the lives of everyone. She didn’t know when these repeated "Rebirths" would stop, and she couldn’t afford any mistakes.
"Bodhisattva, Grandmother, forgive me," Ye Xiren murmured.
As her words fell, she smashed the statue down with force.
A crisp sound echoed as the White Jade Guanyin shattered into pieces all over the floor.
Ye Xiren stared at the fragments on the ground, her pupils contracting in disbelief.
"I wonder what the young lady wants with this willow catkin?"
"I don’t see what’s so special about it."
"Exactly, why did the young lady specifically ask for her from the old madam?"
…
Xue Chan was tidying the young lady’s clothes when she overheard the chatter. Frowning, she stepped out and scolded, "What are you doing? Don’t you have anything better to do? What the young lady does is none of your business. If I hear any more gossip, I’ll have you all dismissed!"
The maids immediately paled, bowed, and retreated, not daring to utter another sarcastic word.
Xue Chan muttered to herself, "I’d like to know what the young lady sees in that willow catkin. I could learn it too…"
Just then, Ye Xiren walked out, her steps unsteady, her mind dazed, her brows tightly furrowed, and her eyes vacant.
"What on earth is going on?" Ye Xiren murmured.
"Young lady?" Xue Chan’s heart tightened, and she hurried forward to support her, her face full of concern. "What’s wrong with you?"
Ye Xiren entered the room and sat down by the table, leaning on it for support.
Suddenly snapping back to her senses, she grabbed Xue Chan’s wrist. "Where’s the willow catkin? Go and call her in!"
Xue Chan looked aggrieved.
Ye Xiren didn’t notice, her mind a tangled mess of chaotic thoughts.
Xue Chan had no choice but to go out and summon her.
Footsteps gradually faded away, then quickly approached again—two sets of footsteps, one after the other.
The willow catkin hurriedly stuffed a bracelet into Xue Chan’s hand and whispered, "Miss Xue Chan, do you know why the second young lady summoned me?"
"I can’t accept this," Xue Chan refused, pushing the item back. Her tone was calm. "The second young lady has a gentle temperament, and we don’t follow such rules here. As long as you behave properly, no one will give you trouble."
The willow catkin remained somewhat nervous.
"Second young lady!"
Ye Xiren sat inside, looking at the willow catkin with an expressionless face as she asked a strange question: "Which foot did you step in with first?"
"Huh?" The willow catkin looked bewildered.
She instinctively glanced down at her feet and murmured, "My left foot?"
"How dare you! You actually stepped in with your left foot first! Guards, tie her up and throw her into the woodshed!"
Xue Chan: "…"
Xue Chan’s raised foot froze mid-air, unsure whether to step forward. Wait, was that my left foot or my right foot?