Chapter 204: It’s You
Lian Zhou said, "Miss Ye, please do not be alarmed. Once the investigation of the Ye Family is complete, everything will be fine, provided no problems are found."
Ye Shixian was dumbfounded.
’Investigate the Ye Family?’
’Why would they suddenly investigate my family out of the blue!?’
"N-No, you can’t!"
Lian Zhou was unmoved, his tone frigid.
"Whether we can or not is not for you to decide, Miss Ye."
The words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Ye Shixian’s head, chilling her to the bone.
She suddenly realized something and whipped her head around to look at Ye Chutang.
"You!"
Ye Chutang blinked, a gentle, innocent smile gracing her lips.
"Me? What did I do?"
"You! This must be your doing—" Ye Shixian cried, agitated. "Otherwise, why would they suddenly raid the Ye Family!?"
Ye Chutang lightly brushed the hem of her skirt, as if merely speaking so close to Shixian had sullied her clothes.
"Cousin, I’m afraid I don’t understand. If Second Uncle hadn’t made a mistake in the first place, why would the family be investigated for no reason? Or do you believe I truly wield such power that I can make the Young Master do my bidding?"
Ye Chutang tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow in a smirk that wasn’t quite a smile.
"Surely you don’t think I can sway the Princely Heir’s thoughts as I please?"
Shen Yanchuan met her gaze for a second before looking away, his expression calm and detached.
The rest of Ye Shixian’s words caught in her throat. She couldn’t force out a single syllable.
She could afford to have a falling out with Ye Chutang, but she absolutely could not afford to offend Shen Yanchuan!
If she dared to agree in front of all these people, wouldn’t that be the same as publicly accusing Shen Yanchuan of being manipulated!?
Ye Shixian was reeling from the sudden blow, but she hadn’t lost her wits completely.
She clenched her fists, each word seemingly squeezed through her teeth. "I... I didn’t mean that, of course! I was just... I was just..."
"Cousin, instead of wasting time arguing with me, you’d be better off asking Second Uncle yourself. He might give you a straight answer. Oh, I forgot—he’s in prison now. It would be extremely difficult for you to see him, even if you wanted to."
Ye Chutang spoke slowly, deliberately, each word a sharp blade twisting in Ye Shixian’s heart.
She paused, a flicker of faint sympathy crossing her gentle, beautiful face.
"You should hurry back and tell Second Aunt and Mingze what’s happened. That way, they can prepare themselves. Don’t you agree?"
’Prepare?’
’Prepare for what?’
All the blood rushed to Ye Shixian’s head, and her mind went blank save for a single thought.
’Father is in prison, Mother is ill, and who knows when Mingze will wake up. In the entire family, there’s not a single person left who can help me!’
For the first time in her life, Ye Shixian knew what true despair felt like.
Ye Chutang glanced up at the sky.
The bright moon hung high, its light pure and cold.
’I wonder,’ she thought, ’if tonight will feel even longer than that snowy night I fled, three years ago?’
...
BANG!
The door was thrown open, and a maidservant ran in, flustered.
Mrs. Gao had been tending to Ye Mingze all day and had only just found a moment to rest. Startled by the commotion, she scowled and snapped, "What is all this? Have you forgotten all your manners? Just wait until the master gets back; none of you will be spared!"
But the maidservant was in no condition to heed her scolding. Pale with terror, she collapsed to her knees.
"Madam! Madam, this is terrible! There are... there are government officers outside! A lot of them!"
"What did you say!?"
Mrs. Gao froze in astonishment.
’Why would anyone show up at this hour?’
She quickly looked outside—