Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Qingzhou
The attendant whispered, "As you commanded, all activities have been temporarily halted to avoid drawing unwanted attention and trouble."
Xiao Chengxuan’s expression relaxed.
"Good."
’He was reluctant to do so, but at a time like this, the slightest disturbance could put him in a perilous situation. Best to lay low and observe for now. It wouldn’t be too late to act once the situation became clearer.’
...
Time flew by. Several days later, Ye Chutang and her siblings finally arrived in Qingzhou.
Standing outside the city gates, Ye Chutang gazed into the distance.
Qingzhou was a small place, nothing compared to the vast and majestic Capital City. Yet looking at the city gates, she felt an unexpected sense of familiarity.
"We’re finally here!"
Ye Yunfeng’s eyes shone with unconcealed excitement.
This feeling was completely different from how he’d felt when they returned to the Capital City.
For the past few years, they had yearned to return to the Capital City to uncover the truth and clear their family’s name. Now, returning to Qingzhou, their hearts filled with nothing but fondness and a sense of peace.
Xiao Wu poked her head out from Ye Chutang’s arms, her large, grape-like eyes full of curiosity as she peered ahead.
She had been too young and had no memories of this place, so this return trip was a novel experience for her.
Every blade of grass, every tree, was an unfamiliar sight.
As they approached the city gate, the guards on duty noticed their party and immediately stepped forward to question them.
"Who are you?"
A small place like Qingzhou rarely saw such a procession.
Ye Jingyan stepped forward, cupping his fist in a salute.
Before he could speak, however, the lead guard stared at his face and exclaimed, "A boy from the Ye Family!?"
Ye Jingyan froze, looking at the man.
"You know me?"
The guard slapped his thigh. "It really is you! It’s only been a few years, and you’re already a grown man!"
Seeing Ye Jingyan’s lingering confusion, he quickly added, "It’s me, Pan Ying! I used to play cuju with your older brother back in the day! Don’t you remember?"
Ye Jingyan finally managed to superimpose the face before him with a blurry image from his memory.
"Brother Pan?"
It wasn’t Ye Jingyan’s fault for not recognizing him at first. Back when Ye Xiting dominated the ranks of Qingzhou’s youth, Ye Jingyan was still young and had no real memory of such things.
Pan Ying, on the other hand, had recognized him instantly, purely because—
"You look so much like your older brother."
Pan Ying muttered repeatedly as he looked the young man up and down.
"That build, that face... it’s like you were carved from the same mold!"
The only real difference was their demeanor. Ye Xiting had been a notorious troublemaker, the king of the neighborhood kids. He picked fights wherever he went, and even boys several years older than him didn’t dare cross him. They were all wary of him.
Back then, Pan Ying had been one of Ye Xiting’s "little brothers."
The Ye Jingyan before him, however, was gentle and handsome, quiet and reserved, with more of a scholarly air about him.
Although he bore a striking resemblance to his older brother at first glance, a closer look made it easy to tell that they were two very different people.
After listening for a moment, the other guards finally understood the identity of the group.
"...Are those Lord Ye’s children?"
Qingzhou hadn’t produced many prominent figures, and Ye Zheng was one of them.
So when Pan Ying mentioned him, they quickly put two and two together. The gazes that fell upon the group became complicated and subtle.
They had all heard the rumors—that Lord Ye had been demoted years ago and had met with an "accident" on the road.
No one had expected that the Ye Family’s descendants were still alive, and what’s more, had returned to Qingzhou!
Especially since it seemed they were also...
Pan Ying glanced behind them. A guess formed in his mind, and he asked with some uncertainty, "Are you all here to..."
Ye Jingyan nodded slightly and said politely, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Pan. I’ve returned this time with my older sister and siblings. We plan to bring our father, mother, and older brother home to rest."
So it was true.
The guards exchanged glances. Pan Ying felt a tightness in his chest, unsure of what to say.
People were coming and going at the city gate, and their arrival had already drawn considerable attention. Now, having overheard a few words and understood the reason for their visit, they became the focus of even more eyes.
"Is that really Lord Ye Zheng’s family!?"
"Didn’t they say they all died in an accident years ago? How are they..."
"Say what you will, but there’s no mistaking the third son of the Ye Family! His eyes, his expression—he’s the spitting image of his father and older brother!"
"Sigh, what a tragedy... To think the Ye Family once produced two high-ranking officials. How glorious was that? Who would have thought they’d meet such an end..."
Pan Ying felt as if a stone was weighing on his chest. In the end, he could only pat Ye Jingyan’s shoulder.
A warmth spread through Ye Jingyan’s heart, and he gave another solemn salute.
...
News that the Ye Family’s children had returned spread quickly.
Qingzhou was a small place that could never keep a secret, especially since Ye Chutang had no intention of hiding their return this time.
As they traveled onward, Ye Chutang lifted the carriage curtain to observe the scenery outside.
It wasn’t as bustling as the Capital City. The long, narrow bluestone paths wound and twisted with a charm all their own.
Ye Yunfeng leaned against the carriage wall, still lost in thought about what had just happened. He murmured distractedly:
"I can’t believe someone still remembers our older brother."
After Ye Zheng became a court official, he spent most of his time away and rarely returned to Qingzhou.
He was only home for an extended period once, during a period of mourning. At that time, never mind Xiao Wu, even Ye Yunfeng was barely old enough to understand things.
Later, after Ye Zheng went to the Capital City and established himself, he sent for them to join him.
Roughly calculating, that was already many years ago.
Ye Jingyan was silent for a moment before saying, "If our older brother knew, he would be very happy."
This only further proved that bringing their father, mother, and older brother back home was the right decision.
The carriage stopped in front of a residence where a servant was waiting. Seeing them, he immediately hurried forward.
"Greetings, Second Miss, Third Young Master, Fourth Young Master, and Fifth Miss. The journey must have been tiring. The residence has been prepared. Please, come in and rest."
Ye Chutang stepped out of the carriage, holding the black sandalwood box, and looked up.
This was the Ye Family’s ancestral home. Though called a residence, it wasn’t actually very large.
It was only after Ye Zheng became an official that he had specially hired people to renovate it, turning it into the reasonably spacious and clean home it was today.
Ye Yunfeng, holding Xiao Wu, stood behind them and exchanged a look with Ye Jingyan.
Ye Jingyan asked, "Older Sister, what’s our plan now?"
Ye Chutang withdrew her gaze. "Everyone is exhausted from the journey. Let’s go inside and recover our strength. At the auspicious hour tomorrow, we will break ground and transfer their remains."
...
「That night.」
Ye Chutang stood before a desk and took out a rolled map, spreading it flat.
On it were two places marked with red circles.
One was the Capital City, the other Qingzhou.
Her gaze swept quietly over the map before finally settling on a certain spot.
She raised her hand and drew another red circle on it.
—Shiluan City.
