"Miss, what was that sound just now?"

Shaoyao asked with a hint of confusion as she walked into the room.

She had just gone to reheat the food and seemed to have heard something as soon as she returned.

A flicker crossed Ye Shixian’s eyes. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear in a concealing gesture and sat down on the stool. "It was nothing. I was just wondering how Father is doing..."

Shaoyao, suspecting nothing, set down the tray and sighed. "Miss, you’re trapped in the residence now, restricted at every turn. The only thing we can do is hope that the Master can clear his name soon and have his case overturned."

Ye Shixian clutched her chest and let out a long breath. "Yes..."

Though Murong Ye had promised to help, no one would know the outcome until the very last moment.

After all, he had failed to persuade His Majesty to release her father during the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet the night before last. This time...

Seeing that Ye Shixian still looked worried sick, Shaoyao tried to comfort her again. "Miss, don’t worry. The Master has many close colleagues in the court. Someone is bound to help!"

Ye Heng was a smooth operator, always skilled in such matters.

However, Ye Shixian didn’t feel any relief upon hearing this.

’How can those people be trusted? Everyone looks out for themselves. When you’re successful, they’ll beat a path to your door, but when you’re down on your luck, your home becomes a deserted street. Some might even kick you while you’re down—’

Suddenly, Ye Shixian’s heart skipped a beat, and she shot to her feet.

"Wait! Today... today—"

She took a few quick steps, grabbed Shaoyao’s arm, and asked urgently, "Today is the day of Han Tong’s execution, isn’t it!?"

Shaoyao, not understanding the reason for her mistress’s agitation, nodded blankly. "I think... I think so. Miss, is something wrong?"

Ye Shixian’s heart inexplicably began to race, and a strange sense of unease washed over her.

"Go and—" She was about to ask Shaoyao to go out and gather some news, but then she remembered their current predicament and forced the words back down. "Never mind!"

She wrung the handkerchief in her hands, pacing back and forth in a panic.

’Now, I can only hope that everything goes smoothly and that by noon—Han Tong’s head will have rolled!’

...

Han Yao’s words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly sending ripples through the crowd!

The surrounding crowd stood stunned for a moment before an uproar erupted!

From what Han Yao was implying, there was solid evidence that Ye Heng had murdered his own brother! And that Han Tong knew everything about it!

"No wonder! I was saying before, things were fine, and then Ye Heng suddenly brought men to the Han Family to cause trouble, even drawing blood! So he was trying to silence a witness?"

Everything that had happened before suddenly had a logical explanation!

Ye Chutang stood frozen to the spot, as if it took her a long time to process what Han Yao had just said.

Her slightly chapped and bleeding lips moved, and her dark, lustrous eyes were filled with utter shock and bewilderment.

"What... did you say?"

Her voice was extremely faint, as if it could be carried away by the wind at any moment, yet it stood out starkly amidst the clamor of the bustling street.

The noisy chatter vanished in an instant as countless gazes, all with complex expressions, fell upon her.

Everyone in the Capital City knew that Ye Chutang had long since broken ties with Ye Heng’s family. But no matter what, they were all members of the Ye Family. That tie of blood was something that could never be severed.

But now—

Who in the world could remain calm and composed after learning that their own parents and older brother had been murdered by the relative they once trusted and loved most?!

Han Yao savored her expression, a hint of madness and satisfaction coloring his eyes. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"What, surprised? Ye Chutang, this isn’t the only unscrupulous thing your dear Second Uncle has done! Back then, Huo Yucheng—"