Only after being reborn did I realize that I was the white moonlight of a powerful minister.

"Mingxuan, tell me, haven't you been studying hard every day?" Ye Xianrong still firmly believed that his son hadn't stolen anything.

He pulled his son over to Ye Mingyue and his brother, saying, "Tell them that as long as you can guarantee you didn't do it, even if it goes to the authorities, I, as their father, will stand up for you!"

"Enough!" Ye Mingxuan's collar was pulled askew. At this point, he knew he couldn't escape. "So what if I stole it? You all prepared so much dowry for Ye Wanning, living a life of luxury while we, the second branch, suffer every day. I just couldn't stand it, so I stole the jewelry!"

"Really?" Ye Mingyue raised an eyebrow and asked sarcastically.

"Of course!" Ye Mingxuan's "of course" left Ye Xianrong and his wife dumbfounded.

Ye Xianrong had just been so confident that he wasn't afraid of going to the authorities, but now he was really serious.

Li's face also turned pale. She hadn't expected her son to actually steal something, but at this moment, she was still thinking of protecting him. "Oh dear, he's just a child and doesn't know any better. Don't hold it against Mingxuan. He was just tired from studying and that's why he acted impulsively. Now that the jewelry has been found, let's just let it go. We're all family, and we shouldn't let this become a laughing stock. It wouldn't sound good if word got out."

By this point, Li's tone had softened considerably.

However, the Ye brothers, Ye Mingyue and Ye Mingxuan, would not let Ye Mingxuan off so easily.

Ye Mingyue had no affection for the second branch of the family to begin with, and, not wanting to miss out on the drama, said, "Second Aunt, aren't you curious where Ye Mingxuan spent all that money? Judging from your reactions, he definitely didn't give it to you and Second Uncle."

“It must have been used for studying.” Li said without even thinking.

"Why does studying have to cost so much money!" Ye Mingde couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and scold Ye Mingxuan, thinking about his behavior. "Ye Mingxuan, instead of studying properly, you go to brothels every day and even redeem prostitutes. You're just a spoiled brat!"

"What?" Ye Xianrong and his wife were both dumbfounded.

Madam Li shook her head vigorously, "Impossible, absolutely impossible! Everyone around Mingxuan says he went to the academy, how could he go to a brothel? Ye Mingyue, don't talk nonsense and ruin Mingxuan's reputation, I'll never forgive you!"

“We’ve already sent people to the innermost courtyard in Tongluo Lane.” As Ye Mingyue spoke, Cui’er was brought over. “Look, this is the girl Ye Mingxuan redeemed. Why don’t you ask her yourselves?”

When Cui'er saw Ye Mingxuan, she ran over in fear, "Ye Lang, these people are so scary. They broke into our house and kidnapped me without saying a word."

Cui'er sweetly clung to Ye Mingxuan's arm, clearly behaving like someone from a brothel. With such an intimate gesture, Li Shi and Ye Xianrong understood without Ye Mingyue and his brother needing to say anything more.

"You..." Ye Xianrong pointed at his son, "You haven't been to the academy at all?"

Ye Mingxuan avoided eye contact, not daring to answer.

Seeing his silence, Ye Xianrong knew what was going on. "I'll beat you to death, you unfilial son!"

Before Ye Xianrong could rush over, Madam Li stopped him, saying, "Master, don't be impulsive. What if Mingxuan has been bewitched by this vixen? Don't be angry. Men sometimes make mistakes, it's okay as long as they know their mistakes and can correct them. Mingxuan, quickly apologize to your father, sell this vixen far away, and promise to study hard from now on."

Upon hearing that she was to be sold, and recognizing that this was the Ye family, Cui'er quickly knelt down. "Madam, please understand, Ye Lang and I are truly in love. I have no desire for a title, I only wish to serve Ye Lang silently. Please don't sell me, I beg you."

Cui'er was quite perceptive and knew when to back down.

Ye Mingxuan did not move. His parents had always forced him to study, but after so many years, his academic level was not even average in the academy.

Reading, reading, it's always about reading.

He had long been impatient with reading it.

Who doesn't want to pass the imperial examinations and gain official status?

He wanted to, but after several attempts, he made no progress. He even had to take the imperial examination for the lowest degree (xiucai) three times before finally passing.

Hearing his mother still want him to study, Ye Mingxuan clenched his fists. "Yes, Cui'er and I are truly in love. I want to take Cui'er as my concubine."

"Taking a concubine?" Ye Xianrong could hardly breathe. "You haven't even married yet, and you're already taking a prostitute as a concubine? If word gets out, what family would marry their daughter to you?"

"I don't care, I'm going to take a concubine!" Ye Mingxuan was determined to take a concubine today. Since things had already escalated to this point and there was no way to improve them, he might as well take this opportunity to give Cui'er a proper status, so that he wouldn't have to secretly see her in the future.

"You unfilial son!" Ye Xianrong pointed at his son, his fingers trembling more and more violently, until his vision went black and he fainted.

His fainting spell startled Li, and Ye Mingde quickly sent someone to fetch a doctor.

When the doctor arrived, he said that Ye Xianrong had been angry and might have suffered a stroke. Li Shi couldn't hold back anymore and sat down to cry.

At this moment, Old Madam Ye arrived. Originally, she hadn't told Ye Wanning about this, but Ye Wanning hadn't visited her for a long time after returning home, and Ye Xianrong had fainted from anger, so she had no choice but to tell her.

Madam Ye was furious. After learning what had happened, she immediately came over. Seeing that Li was only crying, she cursed her as a useless thing. Then she looked at Ye Mingxuan kneeling on the ground and hit him with her cane.

Seeing her son being beaten, Li felt heartbroken and quickly called out, "Mother!"

"Even now, you're still protecting him?" Old Madam Ye glared at Li Shi. "A doting mother spoils her son, that's exactly what you're talking about! Shut up! Mingyue, take Mingxuan to the ancestral hall, give him twenty lashes, and make him kneel before the ancestors to reflect on his actions. As for that Cui'er, find a slave trader and send her away far away. Give the pawnshop a lot of silver, and don't let them leak the word."

It's best not to air your dirty laundry in public. Even though it's a scandal involving the second wife, it will still affect the entire Ye family.

With Madam Ye speaking up, Li Shi could only keep quiet, no matter how much she loved her son.

Ye Xianrong remained unconscious, making Ye Wanning's homecoming banquet somewhat somber.

It wasn't that Ye Wanning and her siblings cared much about the second branch of the family, but rather that Ye Xianrong had suffered a stroke. As the old lady's son, everyone was hesitant to joke or laugh because of the old lady's mood.

After lunch, when the old lady returned home, Lin and the others pulled Ye Wanning aside to talk, asking her how she was doing at the Xie family's house.

"I heard from Yunzhi that Le'er slept with you on your wedding night?" As the eldest sister-in-law, Madam Lin was more concerned about these things.

Ye Wanyu also came over, looking at Ye Wanning with curiosity.

Jiang Si couldn't bring herself to ask such a question, but she was equally curious, looking at Ye Wanning and waiting for a reply.

Only Ye Wanhua blushed with embarrassment and said she would go pour tea for the others.