Ye Zhinan turned around and left without any hesitation. Seeing that the other person showed no reaction at all, she felt even more annoyed. As soon as she got back to her room, she gobbled up all the food she had just gotten.
The noise she made was so loud that Han Xiangmei thought there was a rat in the house. She grabbed the rat poison and searched everywhere, only to find her daughter lying on the bed, rubbing her stomach and muttering to herself.
When she got closer, she saw a pile of chicken bones, duck necks, and pig elbows scattered on the ground. If it weren't for the even breathing of the person on the bed, she would really have thought Ye Zhinan had been poisoned. She let out a long sigh and covered the girl with the quilt.
"You idiot! Why didn't you say anything!?"
Ye Zhinan suddenly grabbed Han Xiangmei's hand tightly.
"You're the idiot. Eating so much at night. Whoever does that will feel uncomfortable!" Han Xiangmei was so angry that she slapped Ye Zhinan, scaring her so much that she jumped from the bed to the ground.
"Mother?"
"Judging from the way you can eat, sleep, and hit people, it seems you enjoyed your time in prison quite a bit. I was so worried about you for so long for nothing." As Han Xiangmei said this, she took out a sour plum. "Digest your food."
"You're the best, Mother!" Ye Zhinan said as she popped the plum into her mouth.
It was so sour!
"You're trying to kill your own daughter!" She made a face but was reluctant to spit out the plum.
"If you like him, I'll talk to your father."
Ye Zhinan almost swallowed the plum upon hearing this. It got stuck in her throat for a long time. Fortunately, Han Xiangmei remembered the Heimlich maneuver and helped her spit out the plum.
"Mother, you really are trying to kill me!" Ye Zhinan lay on the bed, gasping for breath. She hadn't recovered from the shock when she got a flick on the forehead.
"I'm serious. Although I don't like the way you two meet each time, as long as you like him, and considering what happened this time, I can tell that Inspector Qin is really worried about you. So why don't you set the marriage date first?"
Han Xiangmei was serious, and Ye Zhinan felt nervous.
"You know everything?"
They always thought their night meetings were foolproof, and Qin Yihuai, an expert, showed no reaction at all. How could her mother find out so easily? Could it be that...
That damned Qin Yihuai did it deliberately!
"Don't blame him. He has his own considerations. Since you two like each other, don't be restricted by other things."
Han Xiangmei's words shocked Ye Zhinan again.
Her mother seemed to be the worm in her stomach. Although this metaphor was disrespectful, it was vivid. How did she even know what Ye Zhinan was thinking in her heart?
Ye Zhinan was speechless and could only nod obediently.
"Okay, go to sleep. Although you're not seriously injured, the prison is full of yin energy. It's hard to sleep well there."
With that, Han Xiangmei tucked in the quilt for her and left.
That night, Ye Zhinan really couldn't fall asleep.
Early the next morning, the sun rose, the birds sang, and the flowers were blooming especially brightly. Everything was wonderful, except that Ye Zhinan walked out of her room listlessly with a pair of panda eyes.
"Mother, I'm going to the fields."
Han Xiangmei grabbed Ye Zhinan. "What fields? We're going back to the capital. Are you still half - asleep?"
Right, they were going back. Her father's name had been cleared!
Ye Zhinan suddenly woke up. But the mystery lingering in her heart remained unsolved. So she turned around and rushed in front of Ye Shenyan. "Father, who exactly framed you? Has that person been caught? Are you going back to the capital this time to deal with that matter?"
She bombarded him with a series of questions, but Ye Shenyan only replied flatly with two words: "Eat!"
"Father!"
Ye Zhinan didn't want to give up. Just as she was about to continue asking, she met his stern look and immediately sat down obediently to eat.
After the meal, Ye Shenyan left the house with a walking stick without giving any explanation.
Ye Zhinan was packing up their luggage in the house. But she just sat there for a long time without knowing what to pack.
They came here empty - handed. When they moved into this dilapidated tile - roofed house, it was bare. Now the only things they felt sorry about were the unharvested watermelons, the newly - raised fish, and the vegetables in the backyard. So she had an idea, took out paper, ink, a brush, and an inkstone, and started writing.
The watermelon field goes to Lu Yanlai.
The medicinal herb field + the fishpond goes to Sister Hong.
The vegetables in the backyard go to Liu Ruonan.
...
Soon a piece of white paper was filled. She looked at it again and again and was quite satisfied.
"You've given everything away. What am I going to eat, your brother?"
Ye Zhinan was startled. She saw Ye Yingfeng standing behind her at some point.
"Why didn't you make a sound?"
"I'm good at kung fu." Ye Yingfeng pointed at the paper. "This is like you're making your last will."
"Spit, spit, spit. That's bad luck. Spit quickly and pat the table."
Ye Zhinan spat first, looked at the table, and then stared at Ye Yingfeng until he did the same.
"Where did you learn this? How come I... Ouch!"
Before Ye Yingfeng could finish his sentence, Ye Zhinan pinched his mouth and forced him to do it.
"You have chickens, ducks, and hands. If not, go find Li Feilong. You're such a big man. You won't starve to death. You're really not reassuring."
As Ye Zhinan said this, a look of contempt flashed across her eyes. This look really silenced Ye Yingfeng, and he didn't say a word for a long time.
After everything was ready, they were just waiting for the departure date. People from the capital came to pick up the Grand Tutor and return to the capital. The grand occasion was comparable to an inspector's tour.
The common people were stunned, and so was Ye Zhinan. Her father had never been so high - profile before. But this time, Ye Shenyan was wearing his official robe, showing his full official prestige. His eyes were calm and imposing.
Everyone involuntarily lowered their heads and watched as Grand Tutor Ye got into the carriage and left.
Ye Zhinan also changed into a brand - new cream - colored dress. This dress was made overnight by Liu Dongxing. The Liu family stood in the farewell team with red eyes. Lu Yanlai was holding Xiaohu. The child was crying like a tearful mess. Li Feilong accompanied Ye Yingfeng and patted his shoulder to comfort him from time to time.
Ye Zhinan was looking for a familiar figure in the crowd. But after looking around, she even saw the thirteenth concubine of the Wei family but didn't find that person.
She dejectedly put down the curtain of the carriage. Han Xiangmei held her hand. "Trust him."
Trust. Ye Zhinan had never doubted Qin Yihuai's sincerity. But...
The wheels rolled, making a creaking sound on the ground. Each sound seemed to hit Ye Zhinan's heart, causing sharp pain.
She stared at the road they had come from. It was similar but different.
When they came, they were in shackles. When they left, they were extremely glorious. Ye Zhinan couldn't see clearly or understand the world.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped. Someone in front shouted, "We're here. Please get off the carriage, my lord, madam, and miss."
They were going to change from a carriage to a boat.
"We didn't take a boat when we came." Ye Zhinan asked, looking at the surging river.
At this time, a man in a dark - blue official robe ran over. "Reporting to miss, crossing the river is faster. His Majesty has ordered that my lord return to the capital as soon as possible."
"Then let's board the boat!" Ye Shenyan didn't suspect anything and boarded the boat first.
Although Ye Zhinan was skeptical, she still helped Han Xiangmei and followed onto the boat.
"You two follow me closely and don't get separated."
Ye Shenyan whispered to the mother and daughter before boarding the boat.
Ye Zhinan nodded.
Sure enough, her father also thought something was fishy.