Unable to find the "evidence," he had no justification to act against the Ye family. Originally intending to take Yun Xiang away by force while only the elderly, weak, women, and children remained in the Ye household, now that Ye Pei had returned and brought along the Prefect of Southern Capital's men…
Lu Qian's eyes darkened.
He glanced at Yun Xiang standing behind Ye Xiren and her brother, then at Ye Pei, who had returned with reinforcements. His fingers clenched with audible cracks, but in the end, he gave up, squeezing out a single word through gritted teeth: "Let's go."
Ye Pei watched his retreating figure and called out loudly, "Lu Qian, I will report your actions today!"
Lu Qian paused mid-step, then stormed off without looking back.
Afterward, Ye Pei and Zheng Wen Jue stepped aside to talk for a while. Zheng Wen Jue left with the men from Nandu Prefecture, and the guards closed the main gate. In the blink of an eye, only the Ye family remained.
Liao Changying was frantic with worry, checking her daughter over and over, her face full of concern. "Xixi, are you hurt? Do you feel unwell anywhere?"
Ye Xiren shook her head. "I'm fine."
"Your wrist is already bruised!" Madam Liao exclaimed, instructing someone to fetch medicine. "How can you say you're fine? Come, let's apply the medicine first."
"Let's go to the main courtyard," Ye Pei said, lifting his chin.
The place was in chaos and not suitable for discussion. Today's events had been too sudden, and they needed to talk things through properly. Moreover, there was still the matter of Yun Xiang…
The group moved to the main courtyard.
Ye Changming scratched his head, utterly confused. "What exactly is going on? Why did the Imperial City Department suddenly barge in, so confidently searching for evidence?"
Zhao Shi didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked at Ye Xiren and voiced her biggest question: "How did the Guanyin Statue turn into a boot?"
"I switched it," Ye Xiren replied frankly. Within the family, there was no point in hiding things; otherwise, it would be difficult to uncover the truth. As Madam Liao applied the medicine, she took a deep breath and looked up. "You might find it hard to believe, but I saw it in a dream."
"Huh?" Ye Changming was stunned.
Ye Pei frowned and shook his head. "Xixi, this is a serious matter. Don't joke about it. How did you really know? Even I didn't get wind of the Imperial City Department's actions."
He had rushed back in time to intercept only after receiving Ye Xiren's message. Lu Qian had acted cautiously, ordering his men to block the Ye family's gates upon entry to prevent anyone from leaving or entering. This indicated that the coachman had left the Ye household earlier, timing his message to Ye Pei perfectly.
And then there was the boot in the prayer hall…
His daughter, Ye Xiren, had known in advance what would happen, down to the exact timing.
Who had told her?
She looked at Ye Pei, swallowing nervously. "Father, if even you didn't receive any news, how could I have learned about it elsewhere? It truly was the Bodhisattva's protection, using a dream to forewarn me of today's disaster and help me avoid calamity."
Her voice trembled slightly as she recalled the repeated beheadings, her breathing growing rapid. In truth, this wasn't the first calamity—it was already the second.
"This child," Ye Pei said, his expression stern and disapproving. "Now is not the time to hide things, Xixi. Tell me how you really knew, and let me handle it."
Could the person who sent the message have threatened her?
Who exactly was it?
Ye Xiren: "…"
After finishing the medicine application, Madam Liao looked at Ye Xiren's injured hand and sighed. "If Xixi doesn't want to say, don't pressure her for now. How the information came isn't important at the moment. What matters is how we deal with it."
Ye Xiren: "…"
She knew no one would believe her if she said it was just a dream. And if she told them she had been reborn over and over these past two days, dying and reviving, living and dying again, they would believe her even less!
Forget it.
If she hadn’t experienced it herself, she wouldn’t believe such a strange thing either. Even if she did convince them that she had been executed again and again, it would only add to their worries.
“Xixi, where did you hide the Bodhisattva statue?” Zhao Shi’s aged face was creased with a frown as she asked in a low voice.
“I smashed the Bodhisattva statue,” Ye Xiren pursed her lips, her expression grave as she thought of what was inside. “I broke it yesterday in the prayer hall. The porcelain shards and the things inside were hidden away by me.”
She had originally wanted to burn it directly, but she was afraid the contents might still be useful, so she kept them.
“What is it?” Ye Changming asked.
Without answering, Ye Xiren went to dig up the items, brought them back to the main hall, and handed them to Ye Pei.
Her hands were covered in mud, but the items were wrapped in oiled paper. Though the outside was muddy, the inside remained clean, untouched by any dirt.
“It’s actually the missing Southern Capital Forbidden Garrison Deployment Map? If this were found in our Ye family, His Majesty would surely be furious!
“A few days ago, the Northern Yan Delegation entered Nandu. Shortly after, the map went missing. The news was kept tightly under wraps—only His Majesty, Prime Minister Jiang, and a few others knew about it. They’ve been searching in secret. I only learned of this by chance, but I never expected the map to be in our Ye family!”
[Please keep the map safe and do not hand it over to anyone. Yan]
Ye Changming leaned over to look.
Yan?!
Their expressions shifted repeatedly.
Ye Changming suddenly stood up, moving so hastily that the pain in his injured foot made him grimace. “This is meant to implicate General Yan.”
From the map and the note, it appeared that someone surnamed Yan had entrusted the items to the Ye family, asking them to keep them safe. Beyond that, there were no other clues.
“The handwriting is delicate, almost like a woman’s?” Ye Xiren, who had already examined it countless times, softly reminded them.
Ye Changming clenched his fists, gritting his teeth:
“This is clearly a frame-up. The signature is just ‘Yan,’ but the Yan family of the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household is already gone! General Yan was detained when the Northern Yan Delegation entered Nandu. We don’t even know where he’s being held.
“From the timing of the map’s disappearance, it’s impossible for the Yan family to be involved. This note must be forged, deliberately meant to incriminate us.”
“Was Yun Xiang bribed to hide it inside Mother’s Guanyin Statue?” Madam Liao voiced her suspicion.
Hearing this, Zhao Shi lowered her eyes and calmly ordered, “We’ll find out by asking. Someone, bring Yun Xiang in.”
Soon, Yun Xiang was brought in.
She knelt on the floor, tears streaming down her face, her mouth gagged so she couldn’t speak, only shaking her head and making muffled sounds.
“Yun Xiang, our Ye family has treated you well, I must say. Through years of war, we migrated all the way from Beidu to the south. Your family couldn’t survive, so you voluntarily sold yourself into our household. In these chaotic times, human life is worth little, but Mother, kind-hearted as she is, not only took you in but also treated your mother’s illness…” Madam Liao pointed at her, each word an accusation.
The crime of colluding with the enemy would send their entire family to their deaths. The thought of it filled Madam Liao with rage and fury.
Yun Xiang shook her head desperately. After the cloth gagging her mouth was removed, she wept bitterly, kowtowing repeatedly:
“Old Madam! Old Madam, I didn’t mean to! This morning, when I went out to buy things, I was kidnapped. That person captured my parents and forced me to say that the evidence of collusion with the enemy was hidden in the Guanyin statue, only then would they release my parents… I truly didn’t mean to! I… I had to save my parents!”
"This morning? You didn't place the items? You didn't write the note?" Ye Pei frowned, not blaming Yun Xiang, but only raising the key information.
Yun Xiang lifted her head, answering urgently, "No, I didn't touch the Guanyin Statue, and I certainly didn't write any note. That person only told me to point at the Guanyin Statue and say those words!"
So it was true.
Ye Xiren let out a long sigh. Someone knew the items were inside, but merely used Liu Xu and Yun Xiang's mouths to find an excuse for a search.
That note had been placed inside long ago.
"Who was it?" Ye Xiren asked the crucial question again.
Yun Xiang hesitated.
"Smash!"
Ye Pei shattered the teacup, scattering porcelain shards across the floor, and sternly rebuked, "Foolish! The other party's scheme has already failed. If you speak up now, there might still be room for maneuver. If you refuse to say anything, do you think you can protect your parents?!"
With just that one sentence, Yun Xiang's defenses crumbled.
Tears of despair streamed down her face as she trembled and said, "It was… the person who barged in today… Commander Lord Lu."
Lu Qian!
Ye Changming immediately cursed, "So it was that dog who framed us! Betraying General Yan wasn't enough for him, and now he comes to harm us again?"
From the fact that he had led people to break in both times, certain they were doomed, it was clear this matter was somehow connected to Lu Qian. Hearing his name from Yun Xiang's mouth came as no surprise.
"But when exactly did he place it?" Ye Xiren looked at Zhao Shi, puzzled. "Grandmother, when did you receive the Guanyin Statue? Was there anything unusual?"
Zhao Shi lowered her head and thought for a long time before shaking it. "I received the Guanyin Statue some time ago. I didn't notice anything unusual. I don't know how the items got inside."
This trap to harm them had been set long ago!
One crime after another—even nine lives wouldn't be enough to escape.
Ye Xiren turned to the silent Ye Pei. "Father, why would Lu Qian want to harm us? And with such a grave crime as Execution of the entire family—do we have such deep enmity?"
Ye Pei held the Military Map and the note, rolling them together as he lowered his head in thought.
After a moment, he forced a faint smile and said softly, "You don't need to worry about this matter. Today, you risked delaying Lu Qian—you must have been frightened, right? Later, have the physician prescribe you a Calming Decoction and rest well. These matters will be handled by your father."
With that, he stood up and left.
But what if he couldn't handle it?
Yesterday, there was exam fraud; today, there's collusion with the enemy. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?
Ye Xiren chased after him, grabbing his sleeve, and stubbornly asked, "Father, I've grown up. Not telling me anything only makes me more anxious."
Ye Changming suddenly spoke up, "Is it because of General Yan?"
General Yan?
Ye Xiren frowned.
As for General Yan, she did know a little—or rather, everyone in Daliang knew.
Last year, General Yan was renowned, practically the savior of Daliang.
He came from the Yan family of the Loyal and Brave Marquis's estate, a lineage of military generals. A few years ago, when the war began, two generations of Loyal and Brave Marquises died in battle one after another. The Loyal and Brave Marquis's estate was nearly slaughtered by the Northern Yan people. Under the Northern Yan Iron Hooves, Daliang was utterly defenseless.
Last year, the court abandoned the northern territories, and the administrative seat hastily moved south. The Northern Yan cavalry pursued relentlessly, nearly reaching Nandu. It was then that General Yan emerged, leading the Yanjia Army to hold off the enemy at Huai'an Qu, where the two armies reached a stalemate.
He was a young general who had once saved the nation in times of crisis, but this man had a heavy thirst for blood. He slaughtered all the officials near Huai'an Qu, buried refugees alive, and disobeyed imperial orders, showing signs of rebellion. The emperor had sent several letters demanding his explanation, but all went unanswered.
When the Northern Yan Delegation entered Nandu for peace talks, General Yan led a squadron to ambush them, attempting to sabotage the negotiations. A fierce battle broke out between the two sides on the protective river of the Southern Capital City.
Fortunately, the ambush failed, and the entire court was outraged. To appease Northern Yan's anger and continue advancing the peace talks, General Yan was imprisoned under the charge of "rebel faction."
Ye Xiren's heart immediately tightened.
"Our family is connected to the rebel faction?!" she asked in disbelief.
If their family truly colluded with the rebel faction, what was there to save? Even if they tried a hundred times over, they would still face death!
Ye Pei let out a long sigh. "Court matters shouldn't be discussed with you, but given the current situation…"
He shook his head and explained the circumstances:
"General Yan has always lived on the border and never returned to the capital. We have no connection to him. However, if we want to reclaim the lost territories and return to Beidu, the court still needs him. Some of us in the court are trying to gather evidence to determine whether there are hidden circumstances behind General Yan's actions."
Ye Xiren recalled asking her grandmother about Lu Qian earlier. Now, connecting the pieces of information, she suddenly understood.
Lu Qian was one of the Loyal and Brave Marquis's adopted sons and someone General Yan trusted deeply. A few days ago, when the Northern Yan Delegation entered Nandu, General Yan launched a surprise attack, intending to join forces with the Imperial City Department to ambush the delegation.
However, Lu Qian had other plans, which led to General Yan's ambush failing and his subsequent arrest and imprisonment.
"Tomorrow, the third day of the third month, is the day of peace talks between Daliang and Northern Yan. The court is currently divided into two factions—the Peace Faction and the War Faction—and no consensus has been reached. His Majesty has yet to make a decision. Whether General Yan is a rebel is key to whether the peace talks can proceed."
Ye Pei continued, "We believe he is not a rebel and want to uncover the truth. Others, however, hope he is a rebel, so the matter can be settled once and for all."
As he spoke, he clenched the military map in his hand, let out a long sigh, and furrowed his brows with endless worry.
"So, Lu Qian betrayed General Yan and doesn't want such a ruthless person to be released. Father, you want to uncover the truth, which is why you were framed by Lu Qian?" Ye Xiren summarized from all the information.
Ye Pei nodded. "That's possible."
Ye Xiren still didn't understand. She bit her lip and tilted her head in confusion. "But… aren't peace talks a good thing?"
Even though she was raised in seclusion, Ye Xiren knew a thing or two about the disasters brought by years of war. The entire Daliang had suffered, with people struggling to survive. Just days after news of the peace talks spread, grain prices dropped, the Spring Examination was announced, and the people of the Southern Capital City finally regained hope instead of despair.
It was clearly a good thing—why would anyone want to stop it?
General Yan obstructed the peace talks because his family had a grudge against Northern Yan. Father wanted to save General Yan… wasn't that the "War Faction" he mentioned?
Peace without war was good for everyone—why continue fighting?
"Northern Yan is ambitious and invaded Daliang with their iron hooves. Who knows how many people died under their horses?" Ye Changming shook his head, his eyes filled with killing intent even with one arm in a sling. "The court hasn't reclaimed Beidu yet, and everything north of Huai'an Qu has been ravaged by them! How can we negotiate with such national and personal hatred? Moreover, I fear they aren't sincere about the peace talks and are hiding some sinister plot!"
Ye Xiren raised her hand and rubbed her temples.
Suddenly overwhelmed with too much information, she couldn't sort it all out clearly, and couldn't even distinguish right from wrong.
"Don't worry, rest well. Now that we know who harmed us, it'll be easier to handle. I'll go see the Emperor and have him thoroughly investigate Lu Qian and the others," Ye Pei said, patting Ye Xiren's head.
Then he added:
"Changying, take good care of the two siblings. I leave Yun Xiang to you to deal with. Guard the Ye Residence well."
With that, he quickly left.
Ye Xiren called out, "Father, the handwritten order Lu Qian holds belongs to Councilor Zhang. Be careful of him too!"
"I know," Ye Pei waved his hand and strode away.
Ye Xiren watched his retreating figure and let out a long sigh. Though there was still much she didn't understand, this crisis… was it over?
The Imperial City Department hadn't found any so-called evidence of collusion with the enemy, and they had exposed Lu Qian, who had framed them, allowing her father to handle it. The Ye family's calamity had been averted.
Knowing the culprit, she believed her father had the means to deal with it—otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to hold the position of Minister of Revenue steadily.
Ye Changming was still fuming, gritting his teeth as he cursed:
"That Lu Qian is truly despicable. Harming General Yan wasn't enough—he even tried to stop us from uncovering the truth for General Yan. If something had really happened to the Ye family, who would dare to help the young general? Wouldn't the court become the domain of those cowards in the Peace Faction? That Lu dog is nothing but a traitor!"
Ye Xiren couldn't help but roll her eyes. Ye Changming hadn't even entered the court as an official yet, but he was already a staunch member of the War Faction.
No wonder he was so anxious about the imperial examinations—he was eager to go and rally support.
She still felt uneasy and asked, "The peace talks are tomorrow. If they succeed, will Father suffer the same fate as General Yan?"
If the peace talks succeeded, everything General Yan had done would be deemed rebellious acts, and even his illustrious military achievements wouldn't be enough to offset them.
"Don't worry," Zhao Shi spoke up. "The War Faction and the Peace Faction each make up half of the court. Your father and the others are only concerned about Bei Yan's wolfish ambitions. The current Emperor is magnanimous; even if General Yan is convicted, your father won't be implicated."
With that, she sighed and stood up, supported by Liao Changying. "I'll go have the prayer hall tidied up. Xixi, if you're willing to say who told you about Lu Qian's scheme, come find me immediately. In these troubled times, don't bear it alone."
How could Ye Xiren answer?
She could only nod.
After Zhao Shi and Madam Liao left, Ye Changming nudged his sister with his elbow and lowered his voice, "Did you really dream that the Bodhisattva told you?"
"You believe me?" Ye Xiren's eyes lit up.
"I do," Ye Changming nodded emphatically, pulling her to sit down. "Tell me more. What exactly happened?"
Ye Xiren felt an inexplicable pang in her heart.
She had died four times and lived four lives. To help the Ye family avoid disaster, she had been constantly busy—going out to find people and confronting Lu Qian.
The always gentle and soft Ye Xiren had done many things for the first time. How could she not be afraid and fearful?
"Brother, it wasn't a dream. It was reliving…"
Finally, someone believed her. Ye Xiren recounted her experiences in detail, from the confusion of the first time to the lingering unease she still felt.
…Of course, she skipped the part about finding someone to stop Ye Changming from taking the imperial examinations.
"That's all," Ye Xiren said, letting out a long sigh. Sharing her story had lightened her burden, and she felt much more relaxed.
Lu Qian would be left for her father to deal with.
Once we find the person who framed them, we can figure out how to uproot the problem. Perhaps she could soon escape this nightmare and live peacefully with her entire family.
Ye Changming’s eyes sparkled as he blinked. “Go on.”
“Huh?” Ye Xiren was taken aback.
Ye Changming cracked a melon seed, spat the shell onto the table, and flashed a bright smile. “Keep making it up! This is the first time I’ve realized my little sister is a storyteller. The plot twists… they’re quite dramatic!”
Ye Xiren: “?”
“What happens next? Hurry up, I want to hear more.” Ye Changming looked expectant, even spitting melon seed shells right in front of Ye Xiren.
Ye Xiren: “…”
She took a deep breath and slowly said, “Get lost!”
Author’s Note:
Ye Xiren: This is my brother—the annoying kind of brother. 🙂