When Ye Li and Ye Zhen arrived at Ye Ying’s courtyard, Ye Ying was selecting dazzling ornaments on the table with Wang Shi. Seeing the two arrive together, Ye Ying was momentarily surprised but quickly masked it, rising with a smile to greet them.
"Eldest Sister, Third Sister, what brings you here together?"
Ye Zhen smiled. "I heard Fourth Sister was busy, so I stopped by Third Sister’s place first. Since she was also coming here, we decided to come together."
Ye Ying gave a light laugh. "Eldest Sister, what are you saying? What could Ying’er possibly be busy with? Eldest Sister, Third Sister, please sit."
Ye Li followed behind them, raising an eyebrow in amusement. This was the first time she had seen Ye Ying speak to her sisters without a trace of arrogance—especially toward sisters born from concubines, whom she had always looked down upon. It seemed the Old Madam’s methods were indeed formidable, managing to change Ye Ying so much in such a short time.
Faced with Ye Ying’s unusually warm and affectionate greeting, Ye Zhen also seemed slightly uncomfortable. She glanced at Ye Ying several times before allowing herself to be led inside to pay respects to Wang Shi.
"Greetings, Mother."
"Madam." Ye Li bowed faintly.
Wang Shi watched Ye Li’s composed demeanor, gritting her teeth inwardly. Though she had been elevated to the position of principal wife for many years, Ye Li had never once addressed her as "Mother." While she didn’t want Xu Shi’s daughter calling her that either, the fact remained that Ye Li was the only true legitimate daughter of the Ye family. This always made Wang Shi feel as though her position as the household’s mistress lacked legitimacy.
She had once whispered complaints into the master’s ear, but for some reason, no matter how much she tried to influence him, he had never insisted on Ye Li changing her address.
"Mother, Ying’er would like to chat with Eldest Sister and Third Sister. If you have other matters to attend to, please go ahead," Ye Ying said, holding Wang Shi’s hand and acting coquettishly.
Wang Shi gazed at her beautiful daughter with doting pride, her mood immediately lifting. After all, in the end, hadn’t she won? Her daughters—one a palace consort, the other the legitimate wife of Prince Li—and her son, who would one day become the master of the Ye family. Meanwhile, Xu Shi had died early, her birth daughter could only marry a crippled prince, and her adopted daughter was destined to be a concubine.
"Alright, you sisters chat properly. There are still some matters I need to handle up front. I’ll take my leave first."
The three sisters rose to see Wang Shi out. Once she had left, Ye Ying immediately pulled Ye Zhen and Ye Li to sit down, looking at them apologetically.
"Eldest Sister, Third Sister, Ying’er was immature in the past and often neglected you both. I hope you can forgive me."
Hearing this, Ye Zhen glanced at Ye Li in puzzlement before smiling. "Fourth Sister, you jest. Between sisters, what is there to forgive? In the future, this elder sister will still rely on you."
Ye Ying smiled gently. "As Grandmother said, we are all sisters and should support one another. Eldest Sister, there’s no need to speak of relying on me."Ye Li sat to the side, listening to the two of them chatting idly, and had a rough idea of what Ye Laofuren had said to Ye Ying. However, she was somewhat surprised that Ye Ying would actually heed Ye Laofuren's teachings so readily. Of course, she believed even more in another saying: "A leopard cannot change its spots." Even if Ye Ying truly listened to Ye Laofuren's guidance, it was impossible for her personality to undergo such a drastic change in such a short time. It seemed... something had happened recently that she wasn't aware of.
Late at night, the normally quiet Minister's residence remained brightly lit in anticipation of the wedding the next day. Even the young maids in Ye Li's Qingyi House were visibly excited, as the fourth young miss's marriage into Prince Li's Palace was a grand occasion, and everyone in the household would receive a generous reward. Ye Li dismissed the maids around her and, as usual, picked up the book she hadn't finished reading, sitting under the lamp to read while occasionally pausing to write. After some time, the distant clamor seemed to gradually fade away. Ye Li, feeling weary, raised her hand to rub her temples, and her upright posture slowly slumped to one side. Her calm eyes grew heavy with drowsiness, and after blinking a few times, she finally succumbed to sleep, closing her eyes slowly. The quiet, cool room was utterly silent, save for the occasional crackle of the lamp's flame.
A long while later, a dark figure slipped out of Qingyi House. Seemingly very familiar with the layout of the residence, the figure easily avoided the guards, leaped over the backyard wall, and vanished into the dark night. Inside Qingyi House, the elegant and serene boudoir no longer held any trace of its owner—only an open book lay on the floor beside the desk.
Outskirts of the Capital
In the shadowy woods, a tall, dark figure carried a long, bundled object as it darted between the trees. It stopped only when it spotted another imposing figure standing not far ahead.
"You're late," the man in the shadows said sternly.
"No, you're early," the black-clad figure replied with a lazy chuckle. Gazing mockingly at the man whose face remained obscured, the figure continued, "I heard the Ye family's fourth young miss is the capital's number one beauty. I didn't expect you'd have no interest in her and would instead pay to steal away the third young miss, who's neither talented nor beautiful. Or... is it that this third young miss is actually the real stunner? I didn't get a good look earlier since I was in a hurry—might as well take a look now." With that, the figure lowered the person from its shoulder and reached out to brush aside the hair covering the unconscious face.
"Enough! You can leave now," the man's voice grew colder, laced with anger.
The black-clad figure shrugged and grinned. "In that case, good luck to you." Without further delay, the figure placed the woman on the ground, gave another shrug, and vanished into the woods with a few agile leaps.The figure in the shadows scrutinized the woman on the ground for a moment before stepping out from under the trees. In the dim moonlight, a cold and stern face faintly emerged, glaring fiercely at the unconscious girl. His once handsome features now appeared somewhat twisted in the darkness. "Ye Li, don't blame me for being ruthless. Blame your own misfortune. Even something I discard isn’t for Mo Xiuyao to pick up!" He bent down and reached for the girl's collar, but the moment his fingers touched it, his vision darkened, and a sharp pain shot through his neck. He collapsed instantly. The girl, who had seemed unconscious, opened her clear eyes and casually pushed the man falling toward her, sending him tumbling backward. The loud thud as he hit something was promptly ignored.
Ye Li leisurely adjusted her attire before turning her gaze to the man now sprawled on the ground, her expression tinged with mild disappointment. When she had first noticed the suspicious incense in the room, she had assumed someone was targeting her—only to find it was Mo Jingli, and for such an idiotic reason. Circling him once, she genuinely wondered for the first time if Li Wang Dianxia had been rendered mentally deficient by his emperor brother’s upbringing. After a brief, fruitless contemplation, she dismissed the thought. Calmly, she retrieved an inconspicuous coil of silk thread from her sleeve and deftly bound the man on the ground.
Surveying her handiwork, Ye Li nodded in satisfaction. Though unremarkable in appearance, the silk thread was exceptionally strong and flexible. Unless Mo Jingli possessed some legendary profound internal energy, no ordinary person could break free. As for her knotting technique, she was even more confident—unless he could dislocate his bones, he’d remain tied until someone rescued him. She doubted he had brought any guards for such a sneaky endeavor, and the current situation confirmed it. "Hope he makes it to tomorrow’s wedding," she mused irresponsibly. Finally, she vented her irritation with a kick at the unconscious figure before retracing her steps toward the edge of the woods.
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