Shen Yunjiao gave Fu Xia a subtle wink, signaling her to lead all the servants out of the room. In an instant, the maids bowed their heads and retreated, and the room returned to silence, leaving only her and Ye Zhixuan sitting opposite each other.
"Zhixuan, I just heard about the Ye family's situation in Fuxia. You came all the way from Yongzhou to see me, is it also about this?" Shen Yunjiao said softly.
Ye Zhixuan's gaze shifted to Shen Yunjiao's face. With red eyes, she opened her mouth with difficulty and said, "Yunjiao, I am really desperate. I have asked everyone I know, but no one is willing to help me."
Looking at Ye Zhixuan's tearful eyes, Shen Yunjiao felt very complicated. This was a corruption case personally confirmed by the Emperor. Who would dare to get involved in this mess?
Fortunately, Lord Ye was only imprisoned and was not immediately executed.
Out of caution, Shen Yunjiao asked again, "Did your father really not embezzle the disaster relief funds?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Zhixuan immediately looked up, her voice trembling and changing tone, "How could that be?! Father is an honest and upright man, with nothing to his name."
"On the day the house was ransacked, the soldiers searched the Ye family's house thoroughly, seemingly trying to find some evidence to prove my father's crimes. Ironically, they spent most of the day and couldn't find anything of value. Even so, my father was still taken away by them."
Shen Yunjiao was taken aback, then asked, "Has Lord Ye offended anyone? How could he suddenly be framed?"
Ye Zhixuan shook her head. "I don't know. My father never talks to me about politics."
Shen Yunjiao remained silent, thinking that all fathers in the world were indeed the same.
She fell silent, her mind racing as she considered how to help Ye Zhixuan.
But in Ye Zhixuan's view, Shen Yunjiao's silence was tantamount to rejection.
Ye Zhixuan suddenly knelt down on the bed, bit her lower lip, and said with difficulty, "Yun Jiao, help me save the Ye family, save my father. I am willing to be your slave to repay you."
Shen Yunjiao was most afraid of people kneeling before her, and a strange panic welled up in her heart.
So she hurriedly got up and tried to help Ye Zhixuan up, but the silk on the bed was too slippery, and she slipped off the bed and fell solidly to the ground.
Shen Yunjiao immediately felt a burning pain, and tears instantly filled her eyes. The pain also distorted her expression.
Ye Zhixuan was also startled and quickly came over to help her back to bed.
Shen Yunjiao felt a little embarrassed. She had originally intended to help Ye Zhixuan up, but she herself had fallen down instead.
"Zhixuan, it's not that I didn't want to help you just now, I was thinking about how to help you."
Ye Zhixuan's complexion finally warmed up a bit at that moment. Although it was still somewhat pale, it was not as deathly pale and frightening as before.
Shen Yunjiao continued, "Investigating cases without His Majesty's permission is a serious crime in this dynasty. Perhaps I should ask my father to help the Ye family."
Her voice was like a clear spring, calm and steady, but Ye Zhixuan hesitated and asked cautiously, "Is Lord Shen willing to help?"
"Why won't my father help? Does he have some kind of conflict with Lord Ye?" Shen Yunjiao's expression changed slightly, and she hurriedly asked.
That shouldn't be the case. They were colleagues in the court and close neighbors, so their relationship should have been very harmonious.
"Yun Jiao, have you forgotten? My father was transferred to Yongzhou by Lord Shen's invitation," Ye Zhixuan said slowly. "You may not know, but Yongzhou is a strategically important border region, often plagued by bandits, and everyone in the court avoids it like the plague. Anyone with eyes can see that Lord Shen's decision to transfer my father there shows their discord."
Shen Yunjiao paused for a moment, then understood what Ye Zhixuan meant.
Ye Zhixuan gave a wry smile, and then heard Shen Yunjiao ask:
"Have they ever had any conflicts?"
"I don't know," Ye Zhixuan shook her head. She had only heard her father mention Lord Shen once, and he simply said, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together."
Shen Yunjiao fell silent. If what Ye Zhixuan said was true, then Shen Zhizhang might not be willing to help investigate the Ye family case.
If I were to ask Shen Qinghuai for help, I'm afraid my father would be just as angry if he found out.
After much thought, Shen Yunjiao realized that there was only one person who could help her—Yan Shiman.
"Zhixuan, stay at the Shen residence for a few days. I will help you find someone who can help the Ye family overturn their case," Shen Yunjiao said confidently, patting her chest.
A look of surprise and delight flashed in Ye Zhixuan's eyes. She hadn't expected that Shen Yunjiao would agree to help her without hesitation.
She silently raised her sleeve to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, lowered her gaze, and replied, "Okay."
Now, the only person she can rely on is her old friend Shen Yunjiao.
After carefully wiping away her tears, Shen Yunjiao called in Granny Lin, "Granny, please prepare a clean room for me, one that's close to me, for Zhixuan to stay in."
Ye Zhixuan lowered her eyelids slightly and said thank you somewhat reservedly.
Shen Yunjiao gave her a reassuring smile.
Ye Zhixuan is a kind-hearted and good girl worth getting to know. Shen Yunjiao couldn't bear to see her all alone in a foreign land, especially since Ye Zhixuan had given the original owner a lot of help in the original story.
Shen Yunjiao secretly made up her mind that whether it was to help the original owner repay a debt of gratitude or to make another friend, she would do her best to help her.
After having dinner with Ye Zhixuan, Shen Yunjiao found an excuse to go to Ziyun Tower.
The servants at Ziyun Tower already recognized Shen Yunjiao and knew she was a distinguished guest of Young Master Yan, so they led her directly to a private room on the second floor.
But this time, Yan Shiman was late in arriving.
Shen Yunjiao waited for a full hour before she finally caught a glimpse of Yan Shiman.
He was wearing a loose, uncharacteristically disheveled purplish-red brocade robe, with the collar askew and his boots uneven, one higher than the other, looking completely unkempt and unlike his usual neat and tidy appearance.
Moreover, Shen Yunjiao noticed that the expression on his face was very strange.
As if he had just been through a fierce battle, there was still sweat on his smooth forehead, a light flush on his face, and slightly red at the corners of his eyes, making him look extremely handsome.
This—it's as if I've just done something bad.
As soon as Shen Yunjiao thought this, her heart trembled. She stood up from her seat but dared not step forward rashly.
Shen Yunjiao asked cautiously:
"Young Master Yan, have I come at the wrong time? Perhaps I should come back in a few days?"
Yan Shiman seemed not to hear her speak. He stood motionless at the door, his face blank.
Seeing Yan Shiman behaving so strangely, Shen Yunjiao could only call him again: "Yan Shiman".
Yan Shiman suddenly came to his senses. He pinched his cheek uncertainly to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He quickly closed the door and looked up at Shen Yunjiao.
"Miss Chen, do you think it's possible for a man to suddenly turn into a woman?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com