Ye Heng noticed the tone was different from usual. But just as the thought flickered through his mind, the person continued:

"You may not know yet, but something happened at the Han Family’s residence today."

Ye Heng’s heart pounded. He felt dazed and nervous. "What?"

"Han Yao publicly accused you on the street, claiming you were the one who masterminded Ye Zheng’s death all those years ago. There were many onlookers, and by now, half of the Capital City knows. Also, a box was found in the Han Family’s courtyard, and it’s said to be related to the matter."

Ye Heng understood every word, but strung together, they left him completely stunned.

"Wh-what?! Han Yao is awake?!"

His legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed.

"He’s insane... He’s lost his mind! This is slander! There’s no proof! Where would the proof come from?!"

Ye Heng grew agitated and became incoherent.

He finally understood why this person had appeared. It was because such a huge mess had erupted!

"Your Highness! There can’t be any proof! It must be fake! This has to be a setup by them! Or... or it’s Han Tong! He’s the problem!"

Fear gripped Ye Heng’s heart. Staring at the figure hidden in the darkness, he was terrified.

"Your Highness! You must help your humble servant!"

The reason Ye Heng had held onto hope was his conviction that he still had value. Especially compared to Han Tong, he was extremely confident that if only one of them could be saved, he would be the one to survive.

But he never imagined Han Yao would drop such a massive bombshell!

’Is he trying to drag everyone down with him?!’

"How do you expect Us to save you?"

The man seemed to have no patience for his frantic shouting and cut him off directly.

"Are you certain that the things found at the Han Family’s residence have nothing to do with you? Nothing to do with what happened back then?"

Ye Heng said urgently, "Of course! You know as well as I do, I never personally handled any part of that incident three years ago!"

...

The night was deep and quiet.

Ye Chutang closed her book and trimmed the lamp’s wick.

The faint, warm candlelight cast a gentle glow, leaving a rare moment of peace.

She glanced out the window. Yan seemed to still be writing something, but A Feng was already fast asleep.

The two brothers hadn’t been to the Imperial College for a few days, but she wasn’t worried.

For A Feng, attending or not made no difference, while Yan didn’t need to go at all since he had already read everything they were teaching.

With that thought, Ye Chutang’s mind was at ease.

Xiao Wu was already tucked into bed. Seeing Ye Chutang get up and come over, she quickly patted the pillow.

’Big Sis! The bed is all warm! Come to sleep!’

Ye Chutang walked over and gently pinched her little nose.

"Always thinking of your big sis. I didn’t raise you for nothing."

Xiao Wu scooted back to make room, then looked cautiously at her neck.

Ye Chutang touched it.

"It’s fine, just a scratch. The wound might heal before this whole affair is even over."

Xiao Wu’s face lit up at her words, and she nodded vigorously.

Just as Ye Chutang was about to lie down, she caught sight of a small, bulging purse by Xiao Wu’s pillow.

"Hm?" Ye Chutang was a little surprised. "Did you forget to put your money away after counting it today?"

Every night before bed, Xiao Wu would meticulously count her little treasury and then carefully put it away.

Leaving it by her pillow like this was a rare occurrence.

But when Xiao Wu heard this, her eyes went wide, and she shook her head forcefully.

Watching her, Ye Chutang had a sudden guess.

"...Is this a gift for someone?"

Xiao Wu’s large, grape-like eyes sparkled, and she nodded her little head like a pecking chicken.

’Yes, yes!’

A name involuntarily popped into Ye Chutang’s mind, but she still asked, unwilling to give up hope, "Who is it for?"

Xiao Wu picked up the purse and gestured with it seriously.

’For the Young Master, of course!’

’He saved Big Sis today! Of course I have to thank him properly!’

Ye Chutang opened the purse and took a look. Her already reluctant heart soured even more.

"This much? Xiao Wu, are you giving him your entire life savings?"

It had been so hard for her to save up this small fortune! She was usually too reluctant to even buy a plate of hibiscus crisps, yet now she was being this generous, giving away so much in one go?!

Xiao Wu shook her head. ’It’s not that much! Compared to Big Sis’s safety, this is nothing!’

Ye Chutang said faintly, "...If your third and fourth brothers found out, they might get jealous."

Xiao Wu paused for a moment, then shook her little head like a rattle drum.

’Impossible! The Young Master is our whole family’s great benefactor! Third Brother and Fourth Brother wouldn’t have enough time to thank him, why would they be jealous?!’

Ye Chutang: "..."

"Actually, the Princely Heir’s family is very wealthy. He doesn’t need this—" Ye Chutang made a last-ditch effort.

But Xiao Wu’s heart was clearly set. She clutched the small purse tightly.

’The Young Master having money is his business, but thanking him is our business!’

’Big Sis, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother always say that you have to repay kindness and hold grudges, to know right from wrong. The Young Master helped them so much, so of course he must be thanked properly!’

Ye Chutang looked at her big, dark eyes, reached out to pinch her chubby little cheeks, and sighed in defeat.

"Alright, alright, we’ll do as you say. The next time we see him, you can give it to him. How does that sound?"

Xiao Wu nodded happily and placed the small purse back by the head of the bed. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned back to look at Ye Chutang.

Ye Chutang: "...What is it?"

Xiao Wu tilted her face up, her clear, bright eyes watching Ye Chutang seriously. Her eyelashes fluttered, a hint of confusion in her gaze.

’So, what thank-you gift is Big Sis giving the Young Master?’

Understanding the unspoken question, Ye Chutang fell silent for a moment.

Because she truly hadn’t given the matter any serious thought.

’After all, she’d helped Shen Yanchuan several times before. Now that he had lent a hand, wasn’t it just a fair exchange of favors? They should be even, right?’

But Xiao Wu wasn’t thinking about all that. She held Ye Chutang’s hand and thought back very seriously.

’Big Sis always used to settle her debts with people so clearly.

Back in Jiangling, Er Niu from the next street over sprained his ankle while gathering herbs in the mountains. He came to Big Sis for treatment, and after he recovered, he started bringing wild game to their house every day.

Sometimes it was a wild pheasant, other times a wild rabbit. Once, he even brought a wild ginseng root, which was very difficult to dig up.

Big Sis wouldn’t accept them, so Er Niu would sneak them into the backyard every time she went out to see patients.

But that didn’t last long. Xiao Wu remembered one day when Big Sis took two silver ingots from the back of a drawer and had someone deliver them to Er Niu’s home.

After that, Er Niu never brought anything over again.

Big Sis had said that she hated owing people favors more than anything.

So why, this time, when it came to her debt with the Young Master, was Big Sis being so muddle-headed?’