Wen Jinwen felt deeply guilty but didn't want to bring up the old matters in front of the children.
Judging from the reactions of the siblings, he guessed that they were unaware of what had happened.
The past grievances should not involve the children.
"The details of what happened have been written in a letter. I gave it to your father when we parted. I don't know how long our friendship will last, but I won't give up on clearing your father's name," Wen Jinwen said.
He had been running around for this matter, but no matter how hard he tried, Ye Shenyan's charges seemed set in stone, with no loopholes to be found.
Ye Zhinan pursed her lips and looked at Wen Jinwen calmly, showing no emotion.
Back then, Ye Shenyan was falsely accused of plotting a rebellion.
He was reported to have instigated the crown prince to turn against the emperor, intending to cultivate his own forces, usurp the throne, and install a puppet emperor.
The reason they targeted Ye Shenyan was simply because he was the crown prince's tutor and was the closest to the crown prince.
"Uncle Wen, the past is over. My father has a clear sense of right and wrong and can surely measure the friendship between people. Please don't take it to heart," Ye Zhinan said calmly. She said a lot of polite words to barely fool Wen Jinwen.
No matter how their friendship was, they hadn't completely fallen out yet.
Even if there were grudges in their hearts, it shouldn't be up to the younger generation to break the ice.
Ye Shenyan's absence this time might mean he had other plans.
If he really harbored hatred, he wouldn't have sent his children here.
"I have an unseemly request. Wei Shishi and I grew up together. Even though she has gone astray, I still want to go and see her," Ye Zhinan bowed to Wen Jinwen and waited for his response.
The man waved his hand, and a servant immediately understood and led her to the prison.
The prison was pitch - black, faintly emitting a stench and the smell of blood.
Some people were moaning in pain in the corner, while others were indignant.
Only Wei Shishi was kneeling on the ground, carefully washing her face with the rainwater that had accumulated in the corner.
"At this point, you still care about your appearance. You're really not going to shed a tear until you see the coffin," Ye Zhinan said.
Wei Shishi shivered all over and stiffly turned her head to look at Ye Zhinan.
She let out a cold laugh, which gradually grew louder. Finally, she clutched her stomach and laughed until tears streamed down her face.
"You're just jealous of me. You're jealous that I'm more beautiful than you and can win the favor of the county magistrate. You don't know that I've secretly saved some money. If that old fool hadn't let me down, I'd be the county magistrate's wife by now," Wei Shishi said. Then she stopped laughing, and hatred flashed in her eyes.
She proudly touched her face and desperately flaunted her meager beauty.
Ye Zhinan calmly watched her go crazy. Finally, she squatted in front of her and took out a divorce letter from her bosom.
"The county magistrate already has a wife. She just didn't want to suffer in the northern border, so she found a way to stay in her natal family. Only you would be stupid enough to believe his words," Ye Zhinan said.
From beginning to end, Wei Shishi was just a pawn. Before, she was a mistress kept outside, a disgraceful woman.
With just a little silver, she could be made to be completely devoted.
Now she was a brainless scapegoat. Once her savior fell, she was nothing.
"I've told you before not to rely on your beauty to please others. This is a lesson for you," Ye Zhinan said.
Wei Shishi pounced on the railing like a mad dog, her eyes bloodshot with hatred, wishing she could tear Ye Zhinan to pieces.
"It's not up to you to teach me. Do you think you're some kind of pure person? You've been playing the Zhao family and Inspector Qin like a fiddle. Sooner or later, you'll get your just deserts!" Wei Shishi shouted.
Ye Zhinan couldn't hold back anymore. She raised her hand and slapped Wei Shishi hard.
She used all her strength to vent all the grievances she had suffered these days. She frowned and looked at Wei Shishi with disgust.
"I have a clean relationship with the Zhao family. We only interact occasionally because of the friendship between our fathers. Do you think buying the Zhao family's greenhouse will solve all your problems? Stolen things will always bring trouble," Ye Zhinan said. Then she turned around and left.
When Ye Zhinan came out, Qin Yihuai was waiting outside.
"Aren't you going back?" she tilted her head, her eyes full of confusion.
Qin Yihuai nodded and looked at the carriage not far away. His voice was calm, showing no emotion.
"I'm waiting for you," he blurted out without thinking. Realizing his rudeness, he quickly added, "Magistrate Shen is concerned about you and your brother. It's getting late, and the road is not safe. He specifically asked us to escort you back."
Ye Zhinan had a smile on her lips, but there was a scrutinizing look in her eyes. However, she just let it go and happily jumped into the carriage.
She wasn't the kind of person who would be too proud to accept a good thing. Naturally, she would seize the opportunity to enjoy herself.
Ye Yingfeng was in a bad mood and remained silent all the way. He exuded an aura that warned others to stay away.
Ye Zhinan and Qin Yihuai huddled in the corner, not daring to provoke him.
The three of them remained silent, making the atmosphere extremely awkward.
Finally, they arrived home. Ye Zhinan got off the carriage and let out a sigh of relief.
Finally, she could breathe the free air.
"Go to bed early tonight so that you'll have the energy to work in the fields tomorrow," Qin Yihuai whispered as he approached her. In fact, he secretly stuffed a package into her hand.
She didn't say a word but put it in her bosom. She didn't open it until she entered the house.
She carefully unwrapped the oil - paper package and found that it contained crispy candies.
"He's really at ease. He still has the time to buy things," Ye Zhinan murmured. Although her words were full of reproach, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.
She picked up a piece of candy and slowly put it into her mouth.
The sweetness instantly spread out, sliding down her throat and into her heart.
She noticed that there was a piece of paper under the candies, and she could faintly see some words on it.
"After many twists and turns, this is just a token of my feelings. Let the past go. The truth will come to light. Cultivate yourself first, and then think about others."
She read it over and over again before understanding the deep meaning in Qin Yihuai's words.
It was not really a token of gratitude but an attempt to persuade her to be more open - minded. Besides, he wanted to warn her not to meddle in other people's business and to protect herself first.
Before her joy had faded, she suddenly heard a sound above her head.
It seemed that a tile had become loose.
"Who's there?" she almost instinctively shouted. She rushed out of the door and vaguely saw a figure running away in a hurry.
The footsteps suddenly stopped at the corner, as if the person had stopped.
A mischievous smile appeared on her face. She raised her eyebrows, and a naughty thought came to her mind.
"Be upright. A thief is not a good thing. If a rat comes again, I'll ask my father and brother for help," she whispered close to the wall.
There was a rustling sound from the corner, and then the footsteps gradually faded away.
It seemed that the person had run away in despair.