After finishing the meal, Old Lady Ye said to Madam Chen, “At my advanced age, my energy isn’t what it used to be. After eating, I just want to rest. Since I’m leaving, my daughter-in-law and granddaughter will probably feel restless staying behind, so I’ll just take them with me and bid farewell. When we host the return banquet in a few days, you must certainly come.”

Madam Chen had already heard from her daughter about what happened by the lake. She had also sent someone to inquire about it and learned that it was the Ye family’s First Master who had escorted the thief out through the back door after speaking with her husband. She understood this was an internal Ye family matter, though she didn’t know how it had spilled over into the Chen residence.

Since the entire Ye family was keeping it quiet, she naturally didn’t want to meddle. Now that the Ye family women wanted to leave, she certainly wouldn’t try to keep them. After exchanging a few polite words, she saw Old Lady Ye off.

Madam Tao noticed Ye Yaming taking Ye Yaqing with her onto Old Lady Ye’s carriage, so she quickly followed and instructed her maids and servants, “You all take the carriage behind us.”

Seeing that Old Lady Ye did not object, the maids and servants acknowledged the order and boarded the carriage that Madam Tao had arrived in.

“Did something happen earlier?” As soon as the carriage started moving, Madam Tao asked impatiently.

Old Lady Ye fixed a stern gaze on Ye Yaqing.

She knew something must have happened, otherwise Lin Mama and Liu Po wouldn’t have failed to return with them. Moreover, when Ye Yaming and Ye Yaqing had returned to the hall, both their expressions were clearly off.

But since both granddaughters had returned safely, and the matter had been handled by Ye Yaming, whatever had happened couldn’t have been too serious. Therefore, she could remain more composed than Madam Tao.

“First, Aunt, let’s talk when we get home,” Ye Yaming said.

Their carriage was still on the main street. If Madam Tao became agitated after hearing the news and made a scene, all of Ye Yaming’s efforts at the Chen residence would have been wasted.

“We’ll discuss it when we get home,” Old Lady Ye declared with finality.

Upon arriving home, Ye Yaming recounted the entire incident to the two of them in detail.

Learning that her daughter had nearly fallen into the lake, Madam Tao became so angry she nearly had a heart attack.

She slapped Ye Yaqing on the shoulder, “How could you be so foolish? I told you that the man was suspicious and asked you to send someone to notify me, but you were so easily deceived and didn’t listen to me. Now look what happened—you almost lost your life!”

After Ye Yaming had brought Ye Yaqing back to the hall, although Yaqing had harbored suspicions about Yang Chuzhi, she still couldn’t believe he was that kind of person. When he had professed his feelings for her, he had seemed so sincere—how could it possibly have been a lie?

The fall into the water must have been an accident.

She had been wrestling with these conflicting thoughts.

Even now, after hearing Ye Yaming objectively describe the situation again, she still couldn’t accept the truth.

Or perhaps, having lived for sixteen years and finally meeting a man she liked who had just told her he liked her too, Ye Yaqing was unwilling to believe it was all a deception, and that the man was a fraud.

Ignoring her mother, she turned to Ye Yaming and said, “What proof do you have that he tampered with the railing? Couldn’t it have been caused by something else? You falsely accused him of being a thief and had him arrested in front of everyone. Even if he isn’t sent to the magistrate’s office, his reputation is ruined.”

Ye Yaming didn’t want to argue with her.

You can never wake someone who’s pretending to be asleep.

Besides, Ye Yaqing had her parents, and it wasn’t Yaming’s place to teach her how to behave. With Ye Hongchang and Madam Tao’s shrewdness, they would make Ye Yaqing see the truth.

She addressed Old Lady Ye, “Grandmother, when I rescued Second Sister, I broke out in a cold sweat, and my body still feels sticky and uncomfortable. I’m going back to take a bath.”

She glanced at Ye Yaqing, “Perhaps Yang Chuzhi is a good person who truly cares for Second Sister. Maybe someday I’ll even have to call him Brother-in-law. I won’t play the villain here. Let First Uncle and First Aunt worry about this matter. I’m leaving now.”

Old Lady Ye said, “Go ahead. We owe you a great debt for today. If not for you, your Second Sister falling into such cold water might have cost her half her life, if not the whole of it. Regardless of what she thinks, your First Uncle and First Aunt are surely grateful to you. Go and get some rest.”

These words made Ye Yaqing’s face alternately flush and pale.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t grateful to Ye Yaming; she just didn’t believe Yang Chuzhi was a thief and was upset at Yaming for falsely accusing him.

“Yes, indeed, we’re so grateful to you, Yaming. You don’t know how thankful your First Aunt is. If not for you, how could your sister be sitting here safe and sound today? You go rest first, and your First Aunt will properly thank you later.”

“There’s no need for thanks. Second Sister and I are blood siblings after all. There’s no way I could have just watched her fall into the lake. I’ll take my leave now,” Ye Yaming waved her hand and left the hall.

As soon as she left, Old Lady Ye immediately asked, “Where are the Old Master and the First Master? Go find them.”

In Lin’an City, banquets typically began in the morning, with lunch served as the main meal. If time permitted, guests could stay and enjoy themselves at the Chen residence throughout the afternoon.

The Ye family women had returned home after lunch, leaving half a day remaining.

As for Ye Yaqing’s matter, Ye Yaming had said she wouldn’t get involved, so she didn’t. She took a comfortable bath, practiced her calligraphy, and read for a while. Had Old Lady Ye not sent someone to summon her for dinner at the main house, she wouldn’t have bothered to inquire about the aftermath of the Yang Chuzhi incident.

When she arrived at the main courtyard, she was surprised to find Ye Hongchang and Madam Tao there as well.

The moment she entered, Ye Hongchang formally bowed to Ye Yaming with the utmost respect.

Ye Yaming quickly stepped aside to avoid accepting such a formal gesture.

“Yaming, we owe you a great debt of gratitude. Without you, Qing’er’s life would have been ruined, and our Ye family would have faced serious trouble,” he said with genuine appreciation.

Ye Chongming, seeing that Madam Tao also seemed about to bow, spoke up, “Enough! Behaving like this, aren’t you overwhelming the child? Is this gratitude or are you trying to harm her?”

This remark left Ye Hongchang and Madam Tao looking embarrassed.

Ye Hongchang hadn’t intended to shorten Ye Yaming’s life; he simply felt that such a formal bow was necessary to express the depth of his gratitude toward her.

Old Lady Ye personally came over to take Ye Yaming’s hand and seated her beside herself. She said to Ye Hongchang and his wife, “If you truly want to show your gratitude, don’t just say it—at least offer some gifts of thanks.”

“Of course, of course,” Ye Hongchang agreed repeatedly.

They had already prepared gifts, which were placed nearby.

At his signal, a maid brought forward a brocade box, opened it, and revealed shining gold ingots inside.

Ye Hongchang said, “This is First Uncle’s thanks to you.” Seeing Ye Yaming strongly refusing, he continued, “I know that money is rather crude and that I should give something more elegant that young ladies prefer. But I know you’ve purchased an estate and still owe money. This is one hundred taels of gold—not much. Compared to your Second Sister’s lifetime happiness, this small token of gratitude is nothing.”

At this moment, another maid opened another box, revealing a complete set of the four treasures of the study.