Volume One, Chapter Five: Completely Ruined

"It is merely a little shadow puppetry. Why must you make such a fuss, Madam, and abandon the decorum befitting the mistress of the Prime Minister’s estate?"

Ye Yuntang gently swayed the exquisite shadow puppet in her slender fingers, tilting her head slightly. Her beautiful eyes, filled with innocence and bewilderment, stared directly at Lady Wang.

The excitement that had previously animated Lady Wang’s expression vanished in an instant!

The Prime Minister, who had followed closely into the room, was also left speechless the moment his eyes fell upon the scene. Furrowing his brows in frustration and confusion, he demanded, "In the dead of night, what on earth are you doing, playing with puppets here?"

Ye Yuntang looked even more aggrieved and innocent as she replied, "Father, your daughter was merely in her own quarters, enjoying these puppets for amusement. I have disturbed no one’s peace, nor have I violated any rules of the house. I truly do not see how this concerns anyone else."

Lady Wang looked embarrassed, and the Prime Minister’s face remained cold and stern.

"A young lady of the inner chambers should be studying the Precepts for Women, yet you busy yourself with such vulgar trifles. What kind of behavior is this?"

Ye Yuntang’s eyes turned cold as frost. "And you, barging into your daughter’s private quarters in the middle of the night with so many servants—what is your intention? Even if you harbor resentment or disdain for me, you should not act in such a manner. Are you trying to completely destroy my reputation? How am I to hold my head high in this estate or face others in the future?"

Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister glared at Lady Wang. "This is all the trouble you have caused!"

Lady Wang’s eyes darted around, and she quickly stepped forward. "My Lord, I heard someone shouting that there was a thief. I was only acting out of concern! Why blame me?"

"What are you all standing there for? Get out of here!"

The Prime Minister stormed off, but just as he was leaving, he heard shrill, piercing cries echoing from a nearby courtyard.

"Oh? Where are those screams coming from?" Ye Yuntang, looking as if she were eager to stir up trouble, walked toward the adjacent courtyard. "The sound seems to be coming from my younger sister’s residence. With such tragic cries, I hope nothing serious has happened."

"You stay right where you are!" At the Prime Minister's command, Ye Yuntang was blocked from entering the courtyard.

The Prime Minister marched furiously toward Ye Feiyao’s residence. Lady Wang, sensing disaster, tried to stop him, but she was no match for his momentum. They burst through the door, only to be met with a scene of scandalous indulgence.

"Ah—!" The Prime Minister gasped in shock, his eyes bulging like copper bells. "You… what are you two doing?!"

Inside, Ye Feiyao was in disarray, the two of them entangled in a frantic, feverish delirium. The servants tried to pull them apart but failed, eventually having to douse them with several buckets of cold water before they could be separated.

After regaining her senses, Ye Feiyao turned ashen, trembling like a leaf in the wind. She stuttered, unable to form a complete sentence: "Father… I… I…"

The Prime Minister was livid, his hands clenched into fists, the veins on his forehead throbbing. He whipped around and roared at Lady Wang, "This is the 'fine' daughter you have raised! Is this how you indulge her in her debauchery on a daily basis?"

Lady Wang had collapsed to the floor in terror, her face paper-white and her lips bloodless. She stammered in defense, "My Lord… I… I have no idea how this happened…"

"Speak! How did this happen?"

Ye Feiyao knelt on the floor, weeping bitterly. "It was Ye Yuntang! It must have been that wretch! She was jealous that Brother Zimu favored me, so she wanted to ruin me and destroy this marriage!"

The Prime Minister slammed his hand on the table. "Go, bring the eldest daughter here!"

As soon as Ye Yuntang arrived, Ye Feiyao lunged at her, spewing insults. Ye Yuntang did not tolerate her for a moment, shoving her aside. "You have committed your own sins, and now you come to slander me? You truly are beyond redemption!"

"You lie! It was clearly you who sent a maid to harm me…"

Ye Yuntang cut her off immediately. "Since you keep insisting that I harmed you, why not bring the man here to confront us and see who is truly at fault?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Feiyao fainted on the spot. Lady Wang immediately began wailing, fussing over her daughter and playing the victim before the Prime Minister.

Ye Yuntang scoffed, "Fainting again, are we? Don't move, I'll revive her." She pulled out a thick silver needle and aimed it at Ye Feiyao’s philtrum. Before the needle even touched her lip, Ye Feiyao gasped and snapped back to consciousness.

"Oh? Not fainting anymore?"

Ye Feiyao’s body swayed unsteadily. "Father, your daughter truly knows nothing of today’s events. Someone wanted to harm me. I implore you to investigate this thoroughly…"

By now, a pool of blood had formed beneath her. Having recently suffered a miscarriage and now enduring such strenuous activity, her body was likely ruined. The Prime Minister, seeing this, felt a pang of pity. "Hurry and take the second miss back to be treated."

Seeing that the show was over, Ye Yuntang turned to leave.

"You rebellious daughter, stop right there!"

Ye Yuntang picked at her ear. "Why are you shouting so loudly? I am neither blind nor deaf like you!"

"Wretch! Did you do this today?" The Prime Minister’s face was dark, as if he wanted to devour her alive.

"Don't you know in your heart who did this?" Ye Yuntang cast a light glance at him. "If you refuse to believe me, then let us invite the magistrate to judge the case. How about that?"

The Prime Minister was left speechless by her retort. Though furious, he knew that if this matter reached the authorities, the Ye family would become the laughingstock of the city and lose all reputation. Yet, he was unwilling to let Ye Yuntang off, suspecting she was inextricably linked to the affair.

"Do not think you can threaten me with the authorities and have me drop this. You have always been at odds with Yaoyao. Now that she has suffered such a calamity, you stand by making sarcastic remarks. How can I not suspect you?" The Prime Minister suppressed his rage, trying to find a crack in Ye Yuntang’s expression.

Ye Yuntang only sneered, "Father, if you are determined to convict me, you will find a pretext. You would do better to investigate where that man came from and who brought him into the estate, rather than slandering me here without a shred of evidence!"

The Prime Minister gave her a deep, chilling look. This girl could no longer be kept around. He said in a low voice, "I have already chosen a marriage prospect for you. Let the past remain in the past. Stay in the estate and behave yourself; do not cause any more trouble!"

With a flick of his sleeves, he walked away coldly.

In early April, the palace held the Spring Sacrificial Banquet. All civil and military officials were permitted to bring their families into the palace to pay respects at the ancestral temple and pray for the well-being of the realm.

Even though Lady Wang was incredibly reluctant to take Ye Yuntang along, she had to suppress her loathing for the sake of the family’s face and reputation. With a stiff face, she brought her along in the carriage.

The carriage swayed as they traveled; no one spoke, and the atmosphere was stiflingly oppressive.

At the palace gate, Xue Zimu stood tall before the carriage. His exquisite, luxurious brocade robes shimmered in the sunlight, only adding to his dashing appearance.

"Brother Zimu, were you waiting here specifically for me?" Ye Feiyao leaped lightly from the carriage, rushing toward him impatiently.

A gentle smile played on Xue Zimu's lips. He slowly reached out, his long, slender fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her temple. His voice was low and filled with doting affection: "If I were not waiting for you, who else would I be waiting for?"