Chapter 12 Guarding Against a Father Who Embezzles Military Funds!
Chapter 12
On the first day of the third month, halfway there, she had Ma Shan lead a group of people to beat up her brother and stop Ye Changming from "cheating in the exam room," which has been completed.
On the second day of the third lunar month, the Guanyin statue in the grandmother's Buddhist shrine was smashed, and the military map and the note from the traitor were hidden, thus preventing "Grandmother from secretly possessing evidence of collusion with the enemy." This was completed.
The third day of the third lunar month.
Ye Xiren had barely slept all night. Estimating that it was about time, she stopped Ye Pei, who was preparing to go to the morning court. Before Ye Pei could speak, she anxiously asked, "Father, is there any news about the military rations that I asked you to investigate these past two days?"
She hadn't been idle the past two days; she had reminded him multiple times, but since she didn't know the specific details, she could only ask Ye Pei to investigate.
"We didn't find anything. I've had Lu Qian kept an eye on; he can't frame me. Xixi, don't worry. Getting up so early isn't good for your health. Go back to sleep..."
How could I not be worried?!
Ye Xiren was surprised that he didn't take it seriously at all, and she became anxious. "Just because Lu Qian didn't harm you doesn't mean that others won't harm you. Lu Qian must have been instructed by someone. Father, you want to expose the problem with that batch of military rations, but you will only get burned. Someone is framing you for all of this!"
She didn't miss Lu Qian's words, "The master instructed me." Although she didn't know if it was related to the Ye family's affairs, it was always better to be cautious.
We must be vigilant and defend it to the death.
Ye Pei's pupils contracted, and he suddenly looked at Ye Xiren: "You knew I would bring up the military rations case?"
Yesterday, Ye Xiren broke the trap set by the Guanyin statue and asked her to explain who told her. Ye Pei did not get a definite answer. When the military rations were mentioned, he assumed that Ye Pei had overheard something. He never expected that not only did she know about the Guanyin statue in advance, but she also knew that he would bring up the military rations case today!
This is still in the planning stages, and very few people know about it...
How did she know about both the peace faction's plot and the war faction's secrets?!
"That's not the point." Ye Xiren scratched her head, somewhat annoyed. "The point is that if you bring up the military rations case, they'll pin everything on you, accusing you of embezzling military funds. Haven't they found anything?"
"I really couldn't find anything." Ye Pei shook his head firmly, and after a while asked, "Who exactly told you the information? It must be their most trusted confidant, otherwise how could you know everything in advance?"
Ye Xiren: "..."
That's really not the point!
She wasn't surprised that she found nothing. Ye Pei was an extremely intelligent man; knowing that someone was targeting him, he would have taken precautions. He had brought up the military rations case himself, but in the end, he still fell into their trap...
The opponent's actions would be very difficult to detect and extremely difficult to deal with.
She took a deep breath, grabbed Ye Pei's sleeve, looked up into his eyes, and said, word by word, "Father, today you went to court to expose the military rations case, and afterwards, the court was in turmoil, and the Emperor demanded a thorough investigation into the matter."
"You were the one who reported the crime, but I never expected that the investigation would eventually reveal that it was you, the Minister of Revenue, who embezzled military funds and caused problems with the military rations delivered to the Yan family army. You confessed your crimes at the Dali Temple, wrote a confession in your own hand, and accepted your punishment. The Emperor was furious and sentenced my entire Ye family to be executed."
Upon hearing the words "execution of the entire family," Ye Pei's pupils contracted, and his face was filled with horror.
Ye Xiren slowly exhaled and said:
"Whether you believe my personal experience, my dream, or even if someone told me... this is what will happen today. Father, are you still going to court? Do you really think no one can frame you?"
Not only did they frame her, but they also successfully sent her entire family to be executed, making it her fifth execution.
Ye Pei remained silent for a long time.
He looked into Ye Xiren's eyes, her dark eyes clear and innocent. Even as she spoke of such terrible things, her eyes burned with a burning rage, yet she still possessed a firm resolve and courage—a resolve to stop the nightmare from happening and a courage to save the Ye family.
This is his daughter.
After a long pause, Ye Pei spoke, his lips trembling slightly: "Xixi, no matter how you know, your father believes you."
Just as Ye Xiren was feeling happy, he gave a wry smile:
"But I can't skip court. Today is the day of peace talks between Liang and Bei Yan, which is of utmost importance. Bei Yan's intention to negotiate may not be genuine, so Father can't not go and see. Besides, officials are not allowed to miss the morning court without a valid reason, so I have no reason not to go."
Ye Xiren tried to stop him, not wanting him to go!
Just like cheating in the imperial examination, you can't decide what happens in the examination hall, but you can prevent Ye Changming from going. This is the simplest way to "cut off the fuel supply".
"How could that be? Father can ask for leave!" Ye Xiren's eyes widened, insisting that he shouldn't go.
Ye Pei shook his head and smiled bitterly:
"If I feign illness to take leave, an imperial physician will come to verify it. Those who want to frame us will not let the opportunity pass. Once it is verified, it will be a crime of deceiving the emperor."
Upon hearing this, Ye Xiren hesitated for a moment and asked cautiously, "The crime of deceiving the emperor? It's just asking for leave... Is it that serious?"
"It's very serious." Ye Pei nodded seriously, with absolute certainty. "If His Majesty is displeased, this is a crime punishable by the execution of the entire family."
Ye Xiren: "..."
Ye Pei raised his hand and rubbed her head. His eyes were steady and powerful, and his voice was firm and resolute: "Xixi, don't worry. Now that I know, I will definitely not fall into the trap. Since there is still some time before the court session, I will go and make some arrangements."
Upon hearing this, Ye Xiren's shoulders relaxed completely, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Ye Pei's expression turned serious, and he waved towards the door: "Old Jiang."
Butler Jiang walked over quickly, and Ye Pei was about to take him out.
Ye Xiren was still worried, so she tugged at Ye Pei's sleeve and took a few steps forward, blinking her eyes as she instructed, "Father, don't mention the military rations case today, lest it cause trouble."
Ye Pei immediately nodded: "Don't worry, I won't mention it."
After saying that, he patted Ye Xiren's head with loving eyes before hurriedly leaving with Butler Jiang. The door opened and closed quickly, and the night breeze swept in with each opening and closing.
Ye Xiren tightened her cloak and twisted her handkerchief, still feeling uneasy. But when she thought that her father already knew about this and would deal with it so that she wouldn't fall into the trap again, her tension gradually disappeared.
It was still dark, with a bright moon and few stars. Ye Xiren yawned, turned around, and went back to her room to sleep.
Outside the door.
After whispering a few words to Butler Jiang, Ye Pei frowned deeply, his eyes filled with intense emotion. He turned to look at the closed door and remained silent for a long time.
-
The hour of Wei (1-3 PM).
After waking up from her nap, Ye Xiren began to wait anxiously again. She paced back and forth in the courtyard, as if there were nails under her feet, making it impossible for her to stand still.
Ye Changming leaned back on a recliner in the pavilion, tossing away the sunflower seed shells. He covered himself with a book, and on the table were a plate of sunflower seeds and a plate of shelled sunflower seed kernels. This man liked to eat sunflower seeds, and especially loved to eat a handful of sunflower seed kernels together.
He looked at Ye Xiren with a helpless expression, and finally couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with you? Can't you sit down and rest for a while?"
Ye Xiren turned around.
She picked up the fruit lying nearby and threw it at Ye Changming. She was already frantic with worry, but this guy was completely oblivious and was so leisurely peeling sunflower seeds...
After the hour of Wei (1-3 PM), it is the hour of Shen (3-5 PM).
The last time was the third day of the third lunar month, around 3 PM, when Ye Pei confessed to embezzling military funds at the Dali Temple. She still has no idea what the situation is in the palace. How can she not be anxious?
Did Ye Pei already know what was going to happen? Had he made any preparations in advance? Had the mastermind's scheme failed?
She felt anxious whenever she thought about these things, and she found the leisurely Ye Changming even more displeasing.
Ye Changming gasped after being hit by the fruit. "Ye Xiren! You murdered your own brother! Everyone should see what kind of shrew the demure and dignified Second Miss Ye really is!"
Ye Xiren glared at him fiercely.
After being distracted, her anxiety subsided somewhat. She sat down beside him, picked up the plate of sunflower seeds that Ye Changming had peeled, and put them in her mouth, chewing the seeds as if they were bones.
Ye Changming wanted to say something, but seeing her posture, he chickened out.
He picked up some sunflower seeds again and peeled them for her while asking, "What's wrong with you? Why are you so irritable? Is it because of your period...?"
Ye Xiren looked at him and after a long while said, "Brother, I really envy you."
"ah?"
"Carefree, heartless, your brain only needs to be filled with water, you don't need to think about anything, care about anything, have nothing at all." Ye Xiren sighed deeply.
Ye Changming: "???"
He was stunned for a long time, then raised his voice:
Are you calling me stupid?!
He raised his hand to hit Ye Xiren, but seeing her brows furrowed and unable to relax, he felt a pang of heartache and gritted his teeth, muttering, "If you weren't my own sister, I would definitely teach you a lesson!"
Ye Xiren ignored him, stuffing all the melon seeds into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster, silently muttering: Will it go smoothly or not?
Many questions remain unanswered. What exactly happened in the court, and how did the other party frame Ye Pei?
Although she was not familiar with the affairs of the court, Ye Xiren knew from the occasional words her parents uttered that Ye Pei, the Minister of Revenue, did not have much real power. However, by holding onto his position, he could firmly control everything within the Ministry of Revenue and thus remain in his position for a long time without being overthrown.
Ye Pei is a smart man. How exactly did the other party frame him?
What's even more puzzling is the so-called "confession at Shenshi" (3-5 PM). How could Ye Pei confess so quickly after being arrested? What happened to him at Dali Temple?
Ye Xiren had a doubt in her heart and turned to ask, "Brother, if an official goes to the Dali Temple, will he be severely tortured and forced to confess?"
"How is that possible?"
Ye Changming shook his head and poked Ye Xiren's head. "You, a mere maid in the inner quarters, are indeed completely ignorant of the unspoken rules of the court. If torture is required, you'll most likely be sent to the Imperial City Guard and imprisoned in Lu Qian's imperial prison."
"As for being imprisoned in the Dali Temple? That's mostly because officials commit crimes. They won't suffer too much torture in the Dali Temple. You don't know, the cells there are much more comfortable than the imperial prison. Officials go in there for a few days from time to time. How could they possibly be tortured into confessing?"
Ye Xiren frowned.
Ye Changming popped a melon seed into his mouth and said in a low voice, "Little girl, stop worrying about these things. Even if someone else is having a bad time at the Dali Temple, it will never be your father."
"Why?" Ye Xiren didn't understand.
Ye Changming leaned closer and lowered his voice: "Have you forgotten? The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is Uncle Bai, who passed the imperial examination in the same year as our father. They've been friends for many years..."
Ye Xiren's pupils contracted, and she stood up in disbelief.
Yes!
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is Bai Chengguang's uncle. The two have been friends for many years and have always supported each other in the officialdom. It is normal for Ye Pei to be tortured into confessing when he falls into the hands of Lu Qian of the Imperial City Guard. How could Uncle Bai not protect him when he is imprisoned in the Court of Judicial Review?
So what exactly happened?
wrong.
Something must be wrong.
Ye Xiren frowned, her mind racing with countless thoughts, a jumble of ideas she couldn't quite put together; she was missing a few pieces of information to piece everything together...
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded.
A note from the author:
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