Ye Zhinan knew better than anyone that she wasn't in modern society.
If it were in the future, she could confidently say that if the sky were to fall, there would be taller people to bear it.
But looking at the current situation, even if the sky did fall, the first thing those on top would do was to let those below die first.
Maybe the Lord of Heaven would spare them after taking enough lives.
"I might..."
A weak voice came from the crowd, faintly tinged with sobs. This time, Ye Zhinan saw clearly who it was.
It was the woman who had been crying earlier. She recalled in her mind but found no memory of this woman.
Apart from the encounter just now, it seemed they had never had any contact.
"She's the widow from the east of the village. Her name is Shen Rong. She has a son, and life has been tough for her."
Qin Yihuai whispered a reminder beside her.
Ye Zhinan frowned slightly, a flash of sympathy in her eyes, which quickly faded.
Only those who have suffered the most could stage a comeback.
"Can you weave cloth?"
Shen Rong nodded vigorously, pulling out a piece of cloth from the bamboo basket beside her and handing it to Ye Zhinan.
"I don't know what kind of cloth you need, but my weaving skills are right here. I can make tightly woven cloth, not to mention the loose kind you need."
Her family was already penniless, so she didn't mind taking this one more gamble.
The outcome was already set, but if there was a chance for a turn - around, she was definitely going to seize it.
"However, I don't have any money. If we're going to conduct research, you'll have to provide me with the cloth."
Money wasn't a problem. She had enough money to build greenhouses for the entire village.
If the loss was small, maybe she could even help the neighboring village.
But she still couldn't fully trust Shen Rong.
The psychological shadow left by Wu Yangping was too great. She was always very cautious about people who suddenly appeared.
She couldn't let the past repeat itself, and she definitely couldn't put herself in an unjust situation again.
"Here's what we'll do. Come to my place. I'll provide you with the cloth, and I'll also study with you. Maybe we can make progress faster."
A hesitant look appeared on Shen Rong's face, as if she was wavering.
Ye Zhinan narrowed her eyes slightly. Could it be that this woman was showing her true colors so soon?
"It's okay, but I have a child at home. I need someone to watch over him, and I also need to cook lunch."
"I'll provide you with meals. Bring your child to my place, and you just need to focus on researching the cloth."
Everyone's faces showed surprise. They didn't expect Ye Zhinan to go to such great lengths just for a piece of cloth.
Her family was barely able to feed themselves, and now they were going to take on two more mouths to feed.
People who didn't know might think they were extremely wealthy.
Shen Rong tightly clutched the hem of her clothes, rubbing it back and forth. Finally, she made up her mind.
"Okay, I can go hungry. Just make sure my child is well - fed."
Ye Zhinan smiled, feeling much more at ease.
She noticed that some people were eager to try. Just as they were about to raise their hands, she spoke first.
"Our family is poor. We can't afford to support so many people. Only Shen Rong will do. As for the others, it's just that the timing is wrong. You came too late."
She looked pointedly at those who had just wanted to raise their hands, a mocking sneer on the corner of her mouth.
She just wanted to tell them that some things couldn't wait.
Once you missed the opportunity, it was gone forever.
She wasn't an official, nor did she want everyone to rely on her. But in the face of interests, she still needed absolute obedience.
Shen Rong went home to prepare, and Ye Zhinan also prepared to go home.
Chen Zhenhai followed the Ye family and whispered to Qin Yihuai.
"Miss Ye is quite capable. She's clearly using a tactic to warn others. She just wants to tell those villagers that those who contribute will surely be rewarded, while those who try to benefit without contributing are just wasting their time."
Qin Yihuai didn't say a word. He just looked at Ye Zhinan's back as she walked in front, a faint smile on his lips.
Chen Zhenhai looked at his expression and got goosebumps all over.
He really didn't know what to make of it.
After sending them home and having dinner, Qin Yihuai had basically completed his task.
There were still many things to do at the supply station, and the work hand - over wasn't finished yet. He said a few polite words and then turned to leave.
Ye Zhinan lay on her big bed, looking at the ceiling. She couldn't fall asleep.
"What are you doing in there? Didn't you say you had something to talk about during the day?"
Ye Shenyan wrapped his robe around him and stood outside Ye Zhinan's room. His voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for both of them to hear.
Ye Zhinan thought that since her father didn't mention this matter after returning home, he must have forgotten it or had other plans.
She didn't expect him to be waiting for her like this.
"Wait for me. I'll come out right away."
She didn't even bother to get dressed properly. She just threw on a coat and rushed out in three quick steps.
Ye Shenyan looked at her like this, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and helplessness.
"Look at you. You don't act like a proper young lady at all. Who would want to marry you in the future?"
Ye Zhinan smiled and leaned against Ye Shenyan, acting coquettishly. Her words were full of flattery.
"If no one wants to marry me, I'll just stay by your side and take care of you in your old age. Besides, my father has very high standards. Even if someone wants to marry me, you might not approve of them."
Ye Shenyan was hit right in his heart. He pretended to be angry and gently tapped Ye Zhinan's nose.
Remembering the serious matter, they put away their joking expressions and looked at each other seriously.
"The Wei family has someone backing them. It seems that the Wei family is not as simple as it appears."
Ye Zhinan voiced her speculation. She always felt that the origin of the Wei family was too strange.
To be honest, Ye Shenyan's crime had nothing to do with the Wei family. If they were really demoted, it was mostly fabricated or forced.
"The official positions of the Wei family in the palace have been gradually marginalized. Although they seem extremely powerful on the surface, they're actually just an empty shell."
The Wei family and Ye Shenyan used to be on good terms, but later, due to various problems, they went their separate ways.
The two families took different paths but ended up with the same outcome.
It was laughable, yet it also hid a mystery.
Ye Zhinan propped her chin up, lost in thought. Ye Shenyan looked at her and slowly said,
"It's just the two of us here, father and daughter. If you have any thoughts, just say them boldly."
"I think the Wei family is paving the way for themselves, and they're stepping on us to climb higher."
Even though the Wei family was well - known, it was just an empty shell.
Even if they carried a lot of infamy, as long as they had real power, they wouldn't be threatened and could get what they wanted.
This was the heartache of the Wei family.
And the person backing them had seen this point clearly.
"Maybe the Wei family wasn't really demoted. They're more like spies, monitoring us. Using our deaths to ensure their survival is the real purpose of the person behind them."
Ye Shenyan stroked his beard, a faint smile in his eyes.
After thinking for a moment, he suddenly asked Ye Zhinan a question.
"What do you think will be the fate of people who know too much?"