Xin Jiuwei hurriedly went to the ancestral hall and sure enough, she saw her brother kneeling straight in the middle of the hall, with her father holding a rarely used rattan cane, as if he was about to administer family punishment!

“Father!” Xin Jiuwei walked over quickly, put on a smile, and stood between her father and brother. “Why did you come back so early? You didn’t even ask someone to tell me. I’ve been missing you.”

Xin's father was tall and had a cold face, not quite like a civil official. His eyes were imposing even without anger.

His expression softened slightly when he saw Xin Jiuwei.

"Why aren't you resting so late? Go back and rest, don't worry about things here."

Xin Jiuwei first looked to the side. Qi Huaiyu had just been tricked by Xin Jiuwei at the treasure appraisal meeting, but now he was acting as if nothing had happened, with a humble and gentle demeanor.

He even smiled when he met Xin Jiuwei's gaze.

Xin Jiuwei could tell at a glance that the reason her brother was forced to kneel as soon as their father returned was because of this person.

She suppressed her disgust for Qi Huaiyu and smiled, speaking to her father in her usual coquettish tone, "Father, my brother has been studying very hard these past few days, so why do you punish him as soon as you get back? It's so unreasonable."

"Diligent?" Father Xin sneered. "If he had even a little bit of effort, he wouldn't be so foolish!"

Xin Yunzhou protested, "I clearly..."

Father Xin said, "You don't need to make excuses! Huaiyu has already told me what happened today. If he hadn't taken the blame for you, you might have gotten into a big mess!"

It was obvious that Qi Huaiyu was going to twist the truth in front of their father, so Xin Jiuwei spoke up before her brother could:

“Father, my brother was wrong today, but he was wrong to trust others too easily. At most, he was a little simple-minded. It was far from enough for you to use family discipline.”

Qi Huaiyu, standing to the side, then feigned concern and advised, "Jiuwei, this is not something you can control. You've already made quite a splash today, so go back and rest early."

He had just suffered a major hemorrhage, and he spoke to Xin Jiuwei with gritted teeth.

But in front of Xin's father, he put on a mask of elegance and charm.

Xin Jiuwei sneered inwardly, ignoring him, and said to her father, "I suppose you heard about today's events from Qi Huaiyu, right? Don't you want to hear what my brother and I have to say?"

In the past, when Xin Yunzhou was punished under Qi Huaiyu's instigation, Xin Jiuwei always stood on Qi Huaiyu's side, unconcerned about it. Today's unusual behavior has also caught the attention of Xin's father.

He glanced at Xin Jiuwei. "Are you speaking up for your brother?"

Xin Jiuwei said, "My daughter is my sister, so naturally she should side with her brother. Besides, what happened today wasn't my brother's fault at all. How can I stand by and watch him be wronged?"

Xin's father glanced at his daughter without showing any emotion, and said to Qi Huaiyu, "You should go back first."

Qi Huaiyu was taken aback: "Uncle..."

Father Xin simply waved his hand, leaving Qi Huaiyu with no choice but to leave.

After he left, Xin's father allowed Xin Jiuwei to speak.

Xin Jiuwei understood her father's personality and didn't make up any stories. She simply told him how Qi Huaiyu had tricked Xin Yunzhou, along with the dispute at the treasure appraisal meeting.

After listening, Xin's father slowly asked, "Since Yunzhou switched the items without telling you, how did you know he fell for Huaiyu's trick?"

Xin Jiuwei had already prepared her explanation: "Wang Qing accidentally saw A Yong spending money, and that's when my daughter made her guess."

Father Xin then asked, "How did you know that Huaiyu took the original Golden Wind and Jade Dew Cup? Even your brother didn't know about this."

She couldn't very well say that she was a reincarnated person who only saw through Qi Huaiyu's methods before she died in her previous life. Xin Jiuwei cautiously said, "This is just my guess. Given Qi Huaiyu's personality, he will probably choose it."

After a moment of silence, Xin's father waved to Xin Yunzhou.

"You made a mistake today because you were stupid and not even as quick-witted as your sister. Go back and think about it carefully."

Xin Yunzhou felt like he had been granted a pardon. He glanced gratefully at Xin Jiuwei, then quickly got up from the ground and left.

Once only the father and daughter remained in the ancestral hall, Xin's father's expression softened somewhat, and he asked Xin Jiuwei:

Why didn't you speak up for Huaiyu today?

Xin Jiuwei unconsciously tightened her grip on her skirt, somewhat nervous. "Because his methods today chilled my heart. I am still a daughter of the Xin family, so naturally I must protect my brother."

“Protect.” Mr. Xin repeated her words, smiling slightly. “It’s like the sun has risen in the west. My young lady from the Xin family has such lofty ambitions.”

"Father is laughing at me." Xin Jiuwei adopted her former spoiled manner. "My brother is simple-minded and easily distrusts others. If I don't protect him, won't he be harmed sooner or later?"

Mr. Xin was surprised, "You actually have the ability to say that other people are simple-minded."

Xin Jiuwei was slightly taken aback, then suddenly lifted her skirt and knelt down to her father.

Mr. Xin frowned. "What are you doing?"

“Father.” Xin Jiuwei stopped smiling and looked serious. “In the past, it was actually your daughter who was truly trusting others. In the days since Father left, it’s as if I’ve been in a dream and have figured some things out.”

"The methods Qi Huaiyu used at today's treasure appraisal event have truly chilled my heart. I've come to a realization: no matter what, the Xin family is our eternal blood ties, and I will never blindly trust Qi Huaiyu again."

“These past few days, I have retrieved the Xin family’s belongings from Qi Huaiyu. However, since Qi Huaiyu works for Father, there are many things I cannot make decisions on. I only beg Father to trust me this once and be wary of Qi Huaiyu.”

She knew her father wouldn't believe her with just a few words, but if she didn't speak frankly sooner, it would be too late later.

Xin's father looked at Xin Jiuwei in silence for a long time before saying, "I understand. Get up now."

Xin Jiuwei stood up and saw her father walk slowly around the ancestral tablets of the Xin family twice, his hands behind his back.

He then said to Xin Jiuwei, "Go back and rest."

Xin Jiuwei said no more, bowed her head and said goodbye.

The next day, she heard some bad news.

Qi Huaiyu reappeared at the Xin residence, in the study she had recently arranged for Xin Yunzhou.