Xie Jingxing had only been back at Prince Rui's Estate for a few days before he had to leave for Ruyang City again. Since Lu Zhengchun had chosen Ruyang as the base for his rebellion, and the city's factions were already complex, although the Ink Feather Army was clearing out the remaining rebel forces, they were only dealing with the military remnants. The deeply hidden lackeys of Lu Zhengchun were another matter—the imperial family intended to spare none of them this time. Better to kill three thousand by mistake than let one escape, so Xie Jingxing was personally tasked with handling the cleanup.
After Xie Jingxing's departure, all affairs of Prince Rui's Estate, both internal and external, fell to Shen Miao's responsibility. The estate held significant influence throughout Longye, and many court officials were still watching closely, observing its every move. At such a critical juncture, not the slightest misstep could be allowed. Shen Miao, as usual, frequently engaged in conversations with the noble ladies, subtly disseminating information to maintain control over the situation.
The disaster brought by the Lu family had passed. Since the rebellion had started in Ruyang, the common people of Longye were largely unaffected, aside from venting their anger by cursing the Lu family as traitors and rebels.
With the populace settled, court officials dared not act rashly, and the overall situation stabilized, everything seemed to return to normal—except for one family.
The Ye family, the residence of the Grand Councillor.
Ye Maocai had weathered the political storms of the court for many years. When the Yongle Emperor first ascended the throne, he had been a frail youth, but now that youth had grown into an inscrutable man, wielding the same ruthless tactics as his father. The Ye family saw no way out.
Ye Maocai was neither as foolish nor as arrogant as Lu Zhengchun. The power displayed by the Yongle Emperor made it clear to Ye Maocai that the Ye family stood no chance against the Great Coolness imperial family. At best, they could be a minor thorn in the emperor's side—an insignificant nuisance—but the price the Ye family would pay was the fate of their entire household.
No one wanted to die, and no one was willing to walk willingly into a dead end.
Ye Maocai had to start planning an escape route for himself. He hoped to save his only heir, but if necessary, even that could be sacrificed. The biggest challenge, however, was that the Ye family's every move was now under the imperial family's watchful eyes. Breaking free would be incredibly difficult.
Moreover, no one had anticipated how swiftly the Yongle Emperor would act.
On this day, Shen Miao had just returned from the residence of the Censor's wife as evening approached. The long summer had finally ended, and the first hints of early autumn were in the air. The flowering trees in the courtyard had begun shedding leaves, scattering a thin layer that was swept away, only for the wind to blow a few more down. Jing Zhe was often exasperated by this, but once the wind passed, she would inevitably pick up the broom to sweep the courtyard again.
Shen Miao stood at the edge of the courtyard when Uncle Tang happened to pass by. Seeing her, he smiled and said, "Madam, the kitchen has prepared soup today. Once it's ready, I'll have someone bring you a bowl. You've been leaving early and returning late these days—it must be exhausting."
"It's just talking with people. Hardly exhausting," Shen Miao replied with a faint smile. Then, thinking of Xie Jingxing, still in Ruyang, she couldn't help but sigh.The matter was far from over. The calmer Longye appeared now, the deeper the hidden dangers lurked. Even if the Ye family was dealt with, what about Ming Qi thousands of miles away? Her heart was torn in two—one part worrying about Ming Qi, the other anxious over Great Coolness. How much longer could the Yongle Emperor's health hold? When would Fu Xiuyi and the Qin State join forces to attack Great Coolness? These were all unpredictable. If anything unexpected happened, the only one in the Great Coolness royal family who could shoulder the responsibility was Xie Jingxing. Similarly, she would also face more problems.
Xie Jingxing was right—there was no time left. The time they had to leisurely plan against their enemies was indeed running short.
As she pondered this, Mo Qing hurried in with a strange expression. These days, Shen Miao had tasked Mo Qing with monitoring Ye Mei and her brother day and night. Ye Mei had already connected with Jin Xingming, who was about to leave Great Coolness. Shen Miao absolutely could not let her succeed. In some ways, Ye Mei was even more of a lingering threat than Ye Maocai.
"His Majesty has issued an edict summoning Ye Maocai to the palace," Mo Qing reported.
Shen Miao was taken aback. "The palace?"
Mo Qing nodded. "Yes. Right now, the Ye residence is in chaos. Servants are scattering and trying to flee, but the palace guards have sealed the exits. Inside, it's utter disorder."
Shen Miao murmured, "So soon..."
It was common knowledge that the Yongle Emperor intended to deal with the Ye family, so she wasn't surprised. But with Xie Jingxing currently in Ruyang and the emperor's health failing, issuing orders while Xie Jingxing was present might have offered more security. However, Shen Miao reconsidered—the emperor's swift action was almost lightning-fast. If even she found it abrupt, Ye Maocai must have been caught completely off guard. The Ye family was cunning, with multiple escape routes. If given a chance to recover, Ye Maocai might slip away later. By summoning him to the palace under the guise of an audience, they could first detain him. Capture the leader, and the rest would crumble. With the Ye residence leaderless and in disarray, dealing with them would be effortless.
After a moment's thought, she said, "You, Cong Yang, and Tie Yi must go to the Ye residence immediately and keep an eye on Ye Mei and her brother. If they make any moves, follow them first. If they attempt to leave Longye, stop them and bring them back—dead or alive."
"All three of us watching Ye Mei and her brother?" Cong Yang jumped down from a tree and remarked, "Seems like overkill. I heard Madam Ye is no simple woman either. Why don't I keep an eye on her instead?"
"Don't bother with her," Shen Miao replied. "Though she's clever, she's ultimately just a woman. From what we've gathered these days, Ye Maocai never let her meddle in his political affairs. She has no access to his power, so she remains merely a smart woman. The emperor didn't summon her precisely because he recognized this—she alone can't stir up trouble. But Ye Mei and her brother are extremely cunning. If they leave the Ye residence so easily, it can't be that simple. She must have some plan, something that benefits herself. That's what you need to watch out for most."Cong Yang thought for a moment and found her reasoning sound, so he nodded in agreement. Tie Yi had always been one to follow orders without question, and Mo Qing was even more so. Just as the three were about to leave, Shen Miao paused suddenly and called out to them, saying, "Oh, one more thing. If you encounter that young master from the Ye family who has difficulty walking, don’t harm him. And if anyone tries to hurt him, remember to lend him a hand."
...
Amid the night, chaos reigned within the Ye residence.
No one had expected the imperial family to suddenly send someone to "invite" Ye Maocai away. Though the servants didn’t know exactly what had happened, whispers had been circulating for days. Ye Maocai’s resistance when he was taken only confirmed their suspicions. Some were hastily packing their clothes and jewelry to flee, others wept silently in their rooms, convinced escape was impossible, while a few pretended nothing was wrong, hoping it was all just a misunderstanding and carried on with their tasks—burying their heads in the sand. The entire household was gripped by panic.
These servants had always been well-disciplined under Madam Ye’s management, but when life and death were at stake, no one but a saint could remain composed.
Amid the turmoil, Madam Ye had already begun gathering her valuables.
She had long seen through Ye Maocai’s plans. Though she had once held onto a sliver of hope for him, his escape strategy had never included her from the start. "Husband and wife are birds of the same forest, but when disaster strikes, each flies alone." Madam Ye now saw this truth clearly. If Ye Maocai had no regard for their marital bond, she would act as though she had no husband. The escape route he had arranged now conveniently served her instead—after all, Ye Maocai was the primary target in the Yongle Emperor’s eyes.
She meticulously searched the room for banknotes and jewelry that could be easily carried, determined not to sit idly by and await her fate.
Ye Mei and Ye Ke were doing the same.
Ye Ke paced restlessly in his room, his brow furrowed with anxiety, repeatedly asking Ye Mei, "Sister, is this really happening? Is the Prime Minister’s residence truly finished? How is this possible? There wasn’t even a hint of this before. Maybe His Majesty summoned Father to the palace just for some court matters—it might not be what we think."
Ye Mei, meanwhile, was packing away banknotes. Days earlier, she had begun systematically pawning jewelry for silver and converting it into universally accepted banknotes within Great Coolness. These were easy to carry and absolutely essential. She replied, "Are you still deceiving yourself at this point? If it were just a simple discussion of court affairs, why would Ye Maocai have tried to flee with armed resistance when he was taken? It’s clearly a case of attempting to escape punishment."
"But there wasn’t the slightest sign of this before!" Ye Ke still refused to believe her.
"You just weren’t paying attention."
Ye Ke’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Ye Mei. "What do you mean, Sister? Did you know about this all along? If you knew, why didn’t you tell me?""I was just making a random guess, relying mostly on intuition. I don't have any evidence, so even if I told you, would you believe me?" Ye Mei sneered inwardly but maintained a gentle tone: "Besides, I can handle these matters myself. You're still my brother after all. Now that the Ye family is in trouble, we can't let ourselves sink with it. We must find a way to escape. I'll take you with me."
Ye Ke's expression was complicated, as if he was deeply unwilling: "I used to think staying in the Ye residence was the best choice, but not only did I fail to secure an official position, now we have to flee like stray dogs. Thinking about it, it would have been better if we hadn't followed the Ye family here from Qinzhou in the first place. This is worse than before."
"Not necessarily," Ye Mei carefully gathered all the banknotes, dividing them into several portions and hiding them securely before saying: "We must first preserve our lives. Don't just sit here waiting. Go back to your room and gather your valuables. These things will be useful when we escape."
Ye Ke moved his lips but ultimately said nothing, hanging his head in resignation as he left Ye Mei's room. It seemed he had decided to follow her advice and return to pack his belongings.
After he left, Ye Mei waited for a long time until there was no more sound outside before standing up. A shadow flickered in her eyes. She paused briefly, then quietly stepped out of the room.
She headed toward Ye Maocai's study.
The door to Ye Maocai's study was closed. Usually, only Ye Ke and Madam Ye entered, and Ye Maocai occasionally spoke with them there. However, Ye Maocai was a cautious man. If he truly wanted to hide something, he likely wouldn't keep it in such an easily accessible place as his study. Yet sometimes the most dangerous place was the safest—Ye Maocai might have deliberately hidden it there to defy expectations.
But Ye Mei had a hint from Ye Ke. She knew Ye Maocai had hung a portrait of a beauty in his study, and there seemed to be something unusual about it—something "important," as Ye Maocai had called it. Now that Ye Maocai had been taken away and Ye Ke's hopes for promotion were dashed, the item would remain hidden there.
With the prime minister's residence in chaos, no one was guarding the study. Ye Mei entered effortlessly and quickly found the portrait. It hung on the wall opposite Ye Maocai's desk. She approached it, running her hands over the surface, but the painting was smooth, with no irregularities.
How had Ye Ke discovered it?
Unwilling to give up, Ye Mei searched carefully again but still found nothing. Frustrated, she wondered if Ye Maocai had moved the hidden item elsewhere. Blaming the portrait, she glared at it—then noticed something odd about the beauty depicted.
The woman in the painting stood beneath a peach tree, holding a cup with a faint smile, her cheeks flushed as if shy from the wine. Yet her eyes were cold, devoid of any warmth, and strangely bright, creating an eerie illusion of lifelikeness that sent a chill down one's spine.Ye Mei's heart skipped a beat. She suddenly reached out to touch the eyes of the beauty in the painting. Sure enough, her fingers encountered a hard protrusion. Pressing down firmly, she heard a crisp "click." The section of the wall where the painting hung suddenly recessed inward. Her heart racing, she reached inside and pulled out an iron box.
This box must contain what Ye Ke had mentioned—Ye Maocai's precious possession. Once she had it in hand, Ye Mei wasted no time and turned to leave.
Just then, the study door creaked open. Startled, Ye Mei saw Ye Hongguang wheeling himself in on his wheelchair.
Spotting Ye Mei, Ye Hongguang was equally surprised. "Eldest Sister?"
Ye Hongguang had been deeply troubled that day.
The entire household was in chaos, with servants running about in panic. As a disabled young master with little standing in the family, he had always relied on Ye Maocai's protection to avoid outright mistreatment. But with Ye Maocai gone, Madam Ye paid him no heed, and the servants followed suit. Not even a single person remained to push his wheelchair.
Though worried about Ye Maocai, Ye Hongguang found no one in the household willing to speak with him. Overcome with sorrow, he had wheeled himself to Ye Maocai's study, as if the lingering presence there could still make him feel like a sheltered young master of the Ye family.
Never did he expect to find Ye Mei inside.
"Eldest Sister, what are you doing here?" Ye Hongguang asked.
Still clutching the iron box, Ye Mei relaxed slightly upon seeing it was him and smiled. "Oh, Father asked me to retrieve something for him earlier, to give to him when he returns from the palace. Seeing how busy the servants were, I came to fetch it myself."
"What is it?" Ye Hongguang's gaze fell on the box in her arms. "Is it this box you're holding?"
Ye Mei smiled. "Exactly." She added, "Are you here to look for something too, Third Brother? I won't disturb you then. I'll leave the room to you—take your time." She made to leave, but as she stepped past his wheelchair, Ye Hongguang suddenly spoke up.
"Eldest Sister, did you know Father never allows women in his study?"
Ye Mei froze mid-step.
Ye Hongguang's eyes, usually clear and innocent, now seemed piercingly sharp. "Eldest Sister, why are you lying? Why deceive me?"
"I'm not deceiving you," Ye Mei steadied herself and smiled. "What I said is true. You can ask Father yourself when he returns—you'll see I'm telling the truth."
Ignoring her words, Ye Hongguang continued, "Is it because of that box you're holding? Are you trying to steal what's inside? This box belongs to my father, doesn't it? Though I don't know what it contains, since you're stealing it during this chaos, it must be very important and valuable to him."
Ye Mei was stunned.
This frail, disabled young master had indeed inherited something from Ye Maocai after all. Though inexperienced in worldly matters, he was undeniably sharp.
Ye Mei's grip on the box tightened imperceptibly."Put down that box, and I can pretend nothing happened," Ye Hongguang said.
"Third Brother," Ye Mei tried to coax him, "Father asked me to take this box. I really didn't steal it."
"If you didn't steal it and Father told you to take it, then there's no hurry. You can personally hand it to him when he returns," Ye Hongguang refused to yield an inch.
As the time of her rendezvous with Jin Xingming drew nearer, Ye Mei grew anxious and snapped, "What if I refuse?"
"Why would you refuse?" Ye Hongguang frowned. "Does that mean you really stole it?"
Ye Mei felt a surge of irritation. Ye Hongguang's way of thinking was unlike others', and she couldn't even figure out how to threaten or bribe this young man. He was clever enough to see the uniqueness of the box and block her at this critical moment, yet foolish enough to believe she would simply hand over what she had obtained.
Seeing Ye Mei hesitate, Ye Hongguang's patience waned. He said sternly, "If Eldest Sister insists on refusing, I'll have no choice but to call Mother over to stop you."
Madam Ye?
Though insignificant in the eyes of the Yongle Emperor—merely a clever woman—Madam Ye was the undisputed authority in the Prime Minister's residence, commanding all the servants. Though she acknowledged Ye Mei as her daughter, she sided more with Ye Maocai. If Madam Ye found out, the box would surely be lost.
"No!" Ye Mei blurted out.
"Then put down the box."
Ye Mei pleaded, "Third Brother, listen to me—"
"Guards!" Ye Hongguang suddenly shouted, startling Ye Mei into clamping a hand over his mouth. He struggled, but being unable to walk and too weak to resist, he was completely at her mercy. As she muffled his cries, her gaze fell on the large silver scissors gleaming in a nearby wastepaper basket.
A cold glint flashed in her eyes as an idea struck her. Without hesitation, she grabbed the scissors and, without so much as a frown, plunged them viciously into Ye Hongguang's chest.
Stifled by her grip and caught off guard by the sudden attack, Ye Hongguang kicked weakly, his eyes wide with disbelief as if he couldn't fathom such cruelty existed in the world. He no longer had the strength to scream, only managing a choked gasp from his throat.
Ye Mei glanced at him coldly. "I didn’t want to kill you, but you talked too much," she said icily before turning away.
Ye Hongguang collapsed onto the floor, his wheelchair overturned, blood pooling beneath him. He strained to crawl toward the door to call for help, but the distance, once so close, now seemed an insurmountable, endless path of despair.
Tie Yi and the others had just arrived at the Ye residence but found no trace of Ye Mei, assuming she had fled in the short time. When they checked the study, they were horrified to discover Ye Hongguang lying in a pool of blood, barely clinging to life.
Cong Yang asked, "What happened? What do we do now?"
Mo Qing emerged from another room and said, "Ye Mei and her brother are planning to escape. Tie Yi, you're the fastest—you should be the one to follow."Tie Yi acknowledged and leaped out the window, vanishing into the night.
When Mo Qing's gaze fell upon Ye Hongguang lying on the ground, he was also startled and asked, "What happened?"
"No idea?" Cong Yang scratched his head, crouched beside Ye Hongguang, and checked his breathing. "Still alive, but who knows if he can be saved."
"Looks like someone set him up," Mo Qing said. "Quick, make some noise and get people over here."
"Give it a rest." Cong Yang clapped his hands. "The servants in this mansion are all too busy saving their own skins right now—who has time to care about this young master? Ever heard the saying 'a fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken'? Besides, the lady of the house doesn’t like him much either. Seeing him like this, she’d probably clap her hands in delight—why would she bother calling a physician for him?"
"Then let's take him back." Mo Qing walked over to Ye Hongguang and picked him up effortlessly, given the boy's frail condition. "Madam has shown special favor to this boy. It wouldn't be right to leave him to die. I believe if Madam were here, she would make the same choice. Let's take him back to find Young Master Gao first. Whether he lives or dies will be up to fate."
Cong Yang shrugged. "As you say."
Just then, the boy suddenly opened his eyes and struggled to utter a few words.
"Mei... stole... things... ran..."
"What does he mean by that?" Cong Yang asked, puzzled.
But Ye Hongguang's head lolled to the side again, unresponsive no matter how they called to him.
"No idea. Let's hurry before someone comes," Mo Qing said. The two didn't dare delay any longer and quickly left the scene.
Shen Miao sat in her room waiting for news. The Yongle Emperor's actions had come so swiftly that many plans had to be moved up. Making plans was one thing, but seeing them through successfully was another.
However, Tie Yi and the others had been gone for so long that her heart grew heavy. She wondered if Ye Mei had already escaped.
Just as she was thinking this, Jing Zhe exclaimed excitedly, "They're back! They're back!"
Shen Miao stood up as Gu Yu's surprised voice came from outside the door, "What's going on here?"
"Fetch Doctor Gao quickly," came Mo Qing's voice.
The door was pushed open, and Mo Qing and Cong Yang entered. Mo Qing was carrying someone in his arms. He placed the person on the bed, and when Shen Miao took a closer look, she gasped in shock. "Ye Hongguang!"
"When we arrived, we found him lying in the study, apparently stabbed by someone from the household. Ye Mei and her brother were trying to escape. Tie Yi is already following them and leaving signals along the way. I'll catch up with them shortly. We've already sent someone to fetch Young Master Gao," Mo Qing explained.
"Who in the Ye household would have such deep hatred for a child?" Shen Miao felt both sorrow and anger seeing Ye Hongguang's face, which bore a striking resemblance to Fu Ming's, in such a state. "To harm a child like this..."
"Could it have been Ye Mei?" Cong Yang suggested.
Shen Miao frowned. "What makes you say that?"
"The boy woke briefly and said a few words: 'Mei stole things ran.' I think he meant that Ye Mei stole something and fled. Perhaps she was caught in the act by Ye Hongguang and decided to silence him," Mo Qing speculated.
"But what could she have stolen?" Cong Yang wondered. "Gold and jewels? To harm a child for such things—tsk, that woman is truly ruthless."
"No," Shen Miao suddenly said.
The two men were taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"Something's not right. This doesn't add up." A thought flashed through Shen Miao's mind, and without hesitation, she ordered, "Cong Yang, go immediately and follow Tie Yi's signals. If you see Li Mei trying to leave Longye, whether by land or water, don't stop her—but delay them. Make them move slower, as slow as possible."
"Not stop them?" Cong Yang was confused.
"No, don't stop them," Shen Miao confirmed. She glanced again at Ye Hongguang on the bed and called for Jing Zhe and Gu Yu to assist Gao Yang when he arrived.
Finally, she turned to Mo Qing. "Mo Qing, come with me to the study."Though everyone was baffled, seeing her grave expression, they dared not argue and naturally followed her lead.
Shen Miao's gaze was as cold and sharp as a blade.
Mei Furen stealing and running away?
Stealing what? Running where?
Shen Miao had already guessed her intentions—that was precisely why she had come to see her off.
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