“Big Brother, you’re here. Come and sit down.”
Seeing Ye Huaibo standing frozen at the entrance, Ye Jinyun found it rather amusing.
She knew perfectly well how stunning her face was, but seeing such an expression on the face of her usually composed and steady eldest brother was truly eye-opening.
Hearing her familiar, pleasant voice, Ye Huaibo finally snapped out of his daze.
He quietly took a breath.
It really was his little sister. He wasn’t imagining things.
Walking over to her, he asked,
“Yun’er, is this the secret you wanted to tell me?”
Ye Jinyun smiled and nodded.
“What do you think, Big Brother? Did I scare you?”
A faint blush crept onto Ye Huaibo’s handsome face.
Remembering his earlier reaction, he felt slightly embarrassed.
“You’ve seen me make a fool of myself. I was indeed shocked. But more than that, I’m relieved to know that you can protect yourself.”
The moment he saw Ye Jinyun’s breathtakingly beautiful face, he had already guessed that the red birthmark had been her own doing.
Although he had no idea how she had accomplished it, the fact that she had managed to hide the truth for so many years without anyone discovering it meant that whatever she had used was something unknown to ordinary people.
And that made him happy.
It meant that Ye Jinyun was capable of protecting herself.
Even after entering the palace, she would likely be able to survive there.
“You’re not angry that I’ve kept this from you all these years, are you?” Ye Jinyun asked.
She touched her cheek lightly.
She still remembered how, years ago, the red birthmark had seemingly appeared overnight.
Ye Huaibo had been terrified.
He had thought she had eaten something poisonous and that her face had been permanently disfigured.
Later, however, the physician had examined her and declared her perfectly healthy, with no signs of poisoning.
The doctor had suggested that the mark might have been something she was born with and that it had only surfaced as she grew older.
Only then had Ye Huaibo finally relaxed.
He had even comforted her, saying that even if no one wanted to marry her in the future, as long as he was around, he would support her for the rest of her life.
Now, gazing into her clear and innocent eyes, he shook his head.
“Of course not.”
A warm smile appeared on his face.
“I couldn’t be happier. The fact that you’ve found such an excellent way to protect yourself is something to celebrate. Even if you kept it from me, that’s perfectly understandable.
“Besides, haven’t you chosen to tell me now?
“That means that, in your heart, I am someone you trust.”
Ye Jinyun looked up at the gentle young man before her.
Her bright, clear eyes met his star-like gaze.
Unable to hold back, she broke into a radiant smile.
Ye Huaibo remained in Ye Jinyun’s courtyard until he watched Qing’er carefully repaint the red birthmark on her face, restoring her familiar appearance.
Only then did he finally take his leave.
Not long after he departed, an imperial messenger arrived from the palace bearing an edict.
The entire Ye family hurried to the courtyard and knelt to receive it.
The eunuch unrolled the decree and proclaimed:
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:
Ye Jinyun, second daughter of Ye Zhongqiu, Minister of Revenue, is hereby bestowed the rank of Guiren (Noble Lady).
Ye Jinrong, third daughter of Ye Zhongqiu, is hereby bestowed the rank of Cairen (Talented Lady).
Both shall enter the palace in three days’ time.
Respect this decree.”
The Ye family immediately bowed.
“Thank you for His Majesty’s grace! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”
After receiving the imperial edict, Father Ye stepped forward and discreetly inquired about the results of the other selected young ladies.
At the same time, he slipped a generously stuffed money pouch into the eunuch’s hands.
The eunuch weighed the pouch in his palm and smiled with satisfaction.
It wasn’t really a secret.
Every family wanted advance knowledge of the rankings so they could prepare accordingly, and he was more than happy to earn a little extra silver.
Thus, he informed Minister Ye of the ranks granted to the selected daughters of the various noble households before taking his leave to deliver the next decree.
According to him, the highest-ranking newcomer this year was Chu Mingrou of the Duke of Chu’s Estate.
Because of the influence of the Imperial Noble Consort, the Emperor had granted her the title of Jieyu.
Meanwhile, Shen Lanxin of Yongding Earl Manor and Bai Ruoli of the Prime Minister’s Residence had both been granted the rank of Meiren (Beauty).
The person Ye Jinyun cared most about, Lin Qingtang of the Zhenyuan General’s Manor, had received the rank of Cairen, the same as Ye Jinrong.
As for the remaining selected women, most had been granted ranks of Guiren or lower.
After the eunuch left, the Ye Residence erupted into celebration once again.
Neither of the Ye daughters had received low-ranking titles.
Ye Jinrong had even been granted the rank of Cairen.
To the household, this indicated that the Emperor valued the Ye family and had not casually assigned their daughters insignificant positions.
When the official decree announcing their ranks was finally read aloud, Ye Jinyun at last felt the full reality of the situation.
She really was about to enter the Imperial Palace.
No matter how unwilling she was.
No matter how desperately she wished to avoid it.
She was still destined to become a bird trapped inside a gilded cage.
Sensing the worried gaze that Ye Huaibo kept directing toward her, Ye Jinyun turned and gave him a reassuring smile.
Ye Huaibo drew a deep breath.
Then he lowered his head, lost in thoughts known only to himself.