What?
Ye Zhinan marveled at her own language skills. Looking at the person beside her, Shen Beiting frowned, pursed his lips, full of rebellious spirit, yet still had to respectfully receive the imperial edict and express his gratitude.
Ye Zhinan was forcefully pressed down to kowtow three times. When she raised her head, there was a red mark on her forehead.
"Lord Shen, don't just stand there. Hurry up and release the person!"
The yamen runner, seeing the young girl on the ground looking aggrieved from the pain, urged.
How could Shen Beiting be willing? He asked persistently, "Your Majesty always punishes evildoers severely. Why this time..."
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted. "How could you dare to fathom Your Majesty's thoughts?"
"I wouldn't dare, sir. I hope you can give me some pointers."
Saying so, Shen Beiting stuffed something shiny and white into the other person's hand. Ye Zhinan wasn't interested but just pricked up her ears to listen.
The man leaned close to Shen Beiting's ear and whispered, "The Empress Dowager has just recovered from a serious illness. His Majesty is praying for her blessings!"
"This..."
Shen Beiting had nothing more to say. He threw down the chain that bound Ye Zhinan and escorted the official out of the prison.
"Miss, you're really a celestial being. Hurry up and go. May you be happy in the future and bless us brothers with peace and safety!"
A jailer quickly untied Ye Zhinan as soon as the prefect left. Then he kowtowed several times and sent her out.
Ye Zhinan walked out of the cell and took a deep breath. "I'm out!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she was grabbed by a big hand and dragged into a dark corner. Immediately afterwards, she heard rapid breathing beside her ear.
"I'm so glad you're okay!"
Qin Yihuai hugged the person in his arms tightly.
This was the first time he disregarded etiquette and unleashed his feelings without reservation.
Ye Zhinan struggled to stick her head out of his arms. "Hurry up, I'm suffocating!"
Qin Yihuai was stunned for a moment and loosened his arms, but still didn't let go of the person in his arms.
"Sorry. Is this better?"
"It's a bit better, but your..."
Ye Zhinan was so shocked that her mind went blank. She felt something was wrong but also cherished this warm embrace. So she stuck her head out to take a couple of breaths and then buried it back in his arms.
"You hugged me. You have to take responsibility!"
"I will. I'll go to Lord Ye to propose marriage right away!"
Qin Yihuai's eyes were bright, and his deep eyes stared intently at the person in his arms.
Ye Zhinan looked at that extremely handsome face and reached out to pinch it.
"What are you doing?"
Qin Yihuai covered his reddened face and asked.
"I'm checking if I'm dreaming. Since it's not a dream, a word spoken is like water spilled. Once a word is out..."
"Even a team of four horses can't take it back!"
Qin Yihuai tightened his embrace.
This time, he wouldn't let go.
After surviving the disaster, the two rushed back to the Ye Mansion. At this time, the Ye Mansion presented a different scene.
Ye Shenyan was sitting in the courtyard in a daze, holding something yellow in his hand. Han Xiangmei was alternately happy and sad. When she saw Ye Zhinan, she couldn't help crying out loud.
"Mother, I'm back. Why are you crying?"
"I'm so happy you're back. It's just this imperial edict..."
Han Xiangmei pointed at what Ye Shenyan was holding. Only then did Ye Zhinan realize it was an imperial edict. It turned out that the official had come to the Ye Mansion first and then gone to the prison.
According to the imperial edict, Ye Shenyan was reinstated and ordered to return to the capital immediately. However, Ye Yingfeng was not mentioned in the edict. So, according to the rules, he still had to stay in the northern border in exile.
What was the logic behind this?
Ye Zhinan was completely confused. Looking at her poor elder brother, Ye Yingfeng, however, seemed nonchalant. He pulled his younger sister away from beside Qin Yihuai and sized her up and down.
"I heard you suffered a lot in prison. It's all my fault for being useless."
Saying so, he glared at the man beside him.
"I didn't do much. We should thank His Majesty for granting amnesty to the world."
Although Qin Yihuai said he didn't do much, his actions were actually quite significant. Otherwise, the Empress Dowager wouldn't have recovered from her long - term illness.
Ye Shenyan felt deeply guilty. There was a bit more confusion in his vicissitudinous eyes, but his voice was still deep and powerful.
"We need to set off as soon as possible. Can you do it?"
This question was addressed to both Ye Zhinan and Ye Yingfeng.
Ye Zhinan nodded. "I'm fine. It's just big brother..."
"I'm okay too." Ye Yingfeng continued without hesitation.
"Good. Then Nannan, you rest for two days, and we'll set off immediately."
"..."
Qin Yihuai opened his mouth but didn't say anything in the end. He had dinner at the Ye Mansion and drank two pots of tea, but still said nothing.
Finally, when he was leaving, he just left a "Rest well" and then left.
Ye Zhinan watched his departing back and felt an emptiness in her heart.
"What are you thinking about?"
Han Xiangmei saw her daughter sitting in the yard in a daze. She pulled her hand over and applied some ointment.
"I'm fine."
The words had a double meaning.
Ye Zhinan wanted to indicate that she was physically okay and also that she was in a good mood.
But how could Han Xiangmei believe it? A smile curved her lips, and she applied a bit more strength with her hand.
"Was Inspector Qin going to say something today?"
Ye Zhinan was stunned and quickly withdrew her hand. "Mother, be gentle."
"Don't change the subject!" Han Xiangmei tightly grasped her arm, but the strength in her hand lessened a bit.
"I, I wasn't!" Ye Zhinan lowered her eyebrows to hide the tenderness in her eyes.
After a moment, she raised her head, looking both shy and angry. "Mother, I have a friend. A man confessed his love to her but didn't make it public. What do you think the man means?"
"Your friend?" Han Xiangmei looked at her daughter and said with a smile in her eyes, "Then tell your friend that this man is no good!"
"What? Why?"
Ye Zhinan got excited and twisted her hand. "It hurts!"
Han Xiangmei said seriously, "A confession that is not aimed at marriage is not serious."
Ye Zhinan felt that the words sounded familiar and couldn't help nodding. She went to sleep dejectedly.
She had a good night's sleep.
The bed at home was soft, the quilt was warm, and it was quiet outside the window.
Ye Zhinan was hoping that the person would appear so that she could ask why he didn't say anything.
Just as she was thinking, there were three soft knocks on the window.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
Ye Zhinan preempted the other person before he could speak.
"You're going back to the capital!"
As if he hadn't heard her words, Qin Yihuai started to talk on his own. "I know that Lord Ye is a gem that has been covered in dust and doesn't belong here after all. But it's coming too fast. I haven't..."
His eyes dimmed. Ye Zhinan quickly asked, "Haven't what?"
"Here, this is for you to eat on your way back to the capital."
Qin Yihuai changed the subject and took out a package.
"Okay, thank you!" Ye Zhinan's stubbornness didn't allow her to be proactive. So she took the package and put it aside without even looking. Then she took out a booklet from her bosom and threw it to him.
"This is for you. Consider it a token of gratitude."
"What's this?" Qin Yihuai opened it and a look of surprise flashed across his eyes. "How did you get this?"
"I took it on a whim. It's useless to me, but it might be useful to you."
It was an account book that Ye Zhinan had found when rummaging through things in the prefect's mansion. So she just took it on a whim.