Ye Xi felt a bit stiff.
Yi Yuan's fingertips were warm as they gently caressed her uninjured skin. Everywhere they touched sent a tingly itch, causing Ye Xi's face to flush involuntarily.
"Um, okay."
Yi Yuan also froze slightly, but still maintained his composure on the surface and casually withdrew his hand.
Ling Yan stepped forward to remove Ye Xi's fake wound.
The room fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, Ye Xi asked:
"Tell me, if my biological mother saw this wound on my face, how would she react?"
Ye Xi's question came out of the blue, and everyone present was momentarily stunned.
Since learning about Ye Xi's background, Yi Yuan had been secretly helping her search for her real family. However, this matter dated back a long time, and Ye Xi had no memory of her childhood at all. No one knew how old she was when she got lost, so finding her family was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Ye Xi's sudden question was probably triggered by Qian Fangxue's attitude just now, which touched on the concerns deep in her heart.
After all, although according to the Ye family, Ye Xi was found after getting lost. But what kind of "getting lost" was it? Did she get separated on her own? Was she abducted? Or...
Was she abandoned?
Ye Xi always felt uneasy.
Yi Yuan felt as if there was a heavy stone weighing on his heart, and he didn't know how to answer for a moment. Sai Xing beside him instinctively wanted to say, "She would surely be heart - broken," but thinking that she herself was sold to a human trafficker by her own mother, her lips parted and closed several times, but in the end, she didn't utter a single word.
However, Ye Xi didn't really expect an answer. After saying that, she changed the subject and asked:
"Your Highness, has there been any progress in finding a woman with a similar figure to mine?"
"Lin An just reported," Yi Yuan frowned and looked at Ye Xi calmly, "saying that they've found a common woman who just arrived in the capital. They've already reached an agreement with her. She should be brought here soon."
"Good."
"You..." Yi Yuan wanted to say something to comfort Ye Xi.
But Steward Chen suddenly came over and reported:
"Your Highness, Mian Xiao is back. He's waiting for you in the Qingcang Pavilion now."
The words Yi Yuan hadn't said were swallowed back. He replied in a deep voice:
"Okay, I'll go there now."
When he reached the door, Yi Yuan paused for a moment and finally said:
"Anyway, the people around you all care about you."
Ye Xi was stunned. Before she could react that Yi Yuan was answering her previous question about how her biological mother would react if she saw the wound on her face, Sai Xing quickly chimed in:
"Yes, yes. This servant is really heart - broken."
Even the always aloof and taciturn Ling Yan let out a soft "um".
Ye Xi felt a warm current in her heart and couldn't help smiling.
Regardless of what her biological family was like, at least the care from the people around her was genuine. There was no deception or concealment.
That was enough.
Meanwhile, at the Ye family -
"Where's Ye Xi? You didn't bring her back?"
As soon as Qian Fangxue stepped through the main gate, Ye Pengcheng frowned and asked.
"She's still holding a grudge and refused to come back. It's the territory of the Prince of Yu'an. I couldn't just tie her up and bring her back."
Qian Fangxue also looked dissatisfied: "That bitch! How dare she blame Yaoyao for having an affair with Young Master Cao! An unwanted bastard whose life was saved by our Yaoyao. How dare she covet other things!"
Ye Pengcheng waved his long sleeve impatiently and said:
"Fine. Let her vent her anger in the Prince of Yu'an's mansion. Otherwise, outsiders might think we're bullying her. Anyway, it's her own choice not to come back. It's her own reputation that will be damaged."
"Did you put the bracelet on her?"
Qian Fangxue gave Ye Pengcheng a disdainful look and said:
"Of course I did. If I didn't, how could we check if the life - calamity she's supposed to bear for Yaoyao is still there? I put that bracelet on her myself."
Ye Pengcheng's expression softened a bit. He asked:
"Good. You mentioned a celestial maiden before. Can she really restore Yaoyao's reputation? Is she reliable?"
"As long as she's willing to say that Yaoyao has absolutely no affair with Cao Sheng, with her fame in the capital these days, she will surely prove Yaoyao's innocence."
Qian Fangxue replied.
"But that celestial maiden acts according to her own will and is not easy to control. I have to discuss with her first and also make a backup plan."
A flash of harshness passed through Qian Fangxue's eyes. She continued:
"If she changes her mind at the last minute, we'll have a counter - measure."
"Good." Ye Pengcheng showed a hint of a smile. He took Qian Fangxue's hand and said tenderly, "Xue'er, you're really my virtuous wife."
Ye Pengcheng had been having a really tough time these days.
First, there were constant problems in his official career. Then, because of Ye Jueyao's incident, he was impeached by many people, accused of being a bad father and having a poor family upbringing.
Some even said that it was because of his immoral behavior that such things happened. As a vice - minister of the Ministry of Rites, if his own moral character was flawed, how could he arrange and preside over sacrificial ceremonies?
The Emperor had temporarily suspended him from his post and ordered him to handle his family affairs first. But there was no indication of when he would be reinstated or how.
Ye Pengcheng always felt uneasy, as if someone was secretly against him, but they hadn't really struck a fatal blow, leaving him completely in the dark.
He was now just hoping to solve Ye Jueyao's matter as soon as possible so as to silence his colleagues in the court and find an opportunity to return to the court to safeguard his official career.
However, this moment of tenderness lasted only for a short while. Then Ye Jueyao let out a panicked scream.
Ye Jueyao had fallen ill after returning because of the trauma she suffered in the prison of the Court of Judicial Review. She was easily frightened by everything. Qian Fangxue could only console her daughter with a heart full of pain and helplessness.
At this time, Ye Xi had already met the woman Lin An had brought back. Her name was Jiang Ning.
She was gentle and quiet, not asking a single unnecessary question.
Ye Xi was very satisfied. She asked Jiang Ning about her background and her purpose of coming to the capital again to make sure that what she said matched Ye Xi's expectations. She just wanted to earn some silver to settle in the capital and find the man she admired. She had no other ulterior motives, so Ye Xi felt relieved.
While they were talking, Lin An came over. He bowed to Ye Xi and said:
"Miss Ye, His Highness has something to ask of you. Please come with me."
If Yi Yuan needed her help, it was most likely that Mian Xiao had brought back that Xu Pan, and she would be needed to read his mind.
"Okay." Ye Xi let go of Jiang Ning and stood up. She said to Sai Xing:
"Sai Xing, arrange a private room for Miss Jiang. I'll be back soon."
"Yes."
Sai Xing led Jiang Ning away, and Ye Xi took Ling Yan and went to the Prince of Yu'an's mansion through the back door.
When she arrived, she saw a man in his thirties with traces of torture on his body kneeling on the ground, looking terrified and pleading:
"Everything this humble one said is true. I wouldn't dare to hide anything at all. Your Highness can go and investigate..."
Just then, he saw a woman with a wound on her face covered by gauze. The gauze didn't detract from her beauty at all; instead, it made her look even more pitiful and as beautiful as a celestial being.
Xu Pan was immediately stunned and forgot what he was going to say.
Sensing Xu Pan's gaze, Yi Yuan's face darkened.
He suddenly thought that it was a wrong decision to ask Ye Xi to "read the face".
Especially since Ye Xi would have to hold this villain's hand all the time during the "face - reading". He himself hadn't even had a proper touch yet!