Chapter 114：Must get to the bottom of it

After the birthday celebration ended, Helian Xuan asked someone to call Yaoyao over to him.

He had to admit, being alone with Yaoyao again was making him a bit uneasy. Her red lips, beautiful eyes, and delicate brows... how could he have believed that she was a guy?

The last time they met was still a humiliation that he didn't want anyone else to know. He was indignant about that for a long time, but when he found out the truth about her, he decided to let it go. Chunyu's woman was his sister-in-law and he should give her utter respect. 

"This is your salary," Helian Xuan said, gesturing for a servant to bring the tray to her. "There are two more silver notes there, a reward just for you. The birthday feast was a tremendous success and Old Ancestress was very satisfied. I am actually very pleased with it, too."

"You must take good care of the Wish Jade. That precious stone has an extraordinary meaning," Helian Xuan continued.

Ye Jiayao was curious. Was it a family heirloom? Was it a favor from the Helian Mansion?

Helian Xuan smiled as he saw her confused expression. "If you encounter any problems that you can't solve in the future, you can bring the Wish Jade to find me. No matter what the problem is, as long as it's in my ability, I will take care of it - but just once."

After Helian Xuan found out about her real identity, he'd been wondering how he could repay her for helping Little Jing. It was a good thing that his grandmother gave him the perfect opportunity today.

Did I hear him right? Ye Jiayao was befuddled at how Little Jing's older brother was acting.

"You can also ask small favors from Helian Jing." Helian Xuan was amused to see her surprised look. She must be wondering why I was being so nice to her.

Ye Jiayao remained silent, still not quite grasping what has gotten into Helian Xuan. She was so sure that she'd have to endure his sneering and hurtful barbs, but he was nothing but... civil. What happened?

"Okay, that's all. I know you are tired, you should get some rest." Helian Xuan had his servants send her out.

Ye Jiayao had just stepped out of the room when Manager Liu came in. "Royal Highness, Elder Princess has requested your presence."

Helian Xuan nodded, silently cursing his best friend. Xia Chunyu used his grandmother's celebration to punish Wei Liujiang and his wife, and now he left him to take care of the rest of the problems. What's more was that Xia Chunyu only revealed this to him after the incident had already happened! I've got a terrible friend!

Yu De could finally deal with the earlier problem as the guests have already left and the Old Ancestress has retired to her room to rest.

She was a prideful woman, and the little bitch from the Mu family humiliated the royal mansion. They were delusional if they think she'd just let it go that easily.

"The wife of Mu's nephew is really the Second Lady Ye, yet she was calling herself First Lady. When the servant called her out on it, she had the nerve to drag the mansion's name!" Yu De told Helian Xuan angrily. "The servant told Mum Gui that the second daughter had a secret relationship with Wei Liujiang. When the first daughter was sent to marry Wei, the second daughter had gone missing, too.

"It seemed that she took over the first daughter's place to become Wei Liujiang's wife. No one even knows if the first daughter is still alive! That woman is simply horrible! I wouldn't normally care about other people's business, but she brought this to our mansion! I won't have anyone humiliating our house and our workers!

"And the woman! She disappeared, Xuan-er! How could she disappear inside the royal mansion? How could she be here one second and gone the next? When did our mansion become so unsafe?" Yu De finished her tirade, her anger still as intense as it was when she started.

Helian Xuan sympathized with Ye Jinxuan for having such an evil stepmother and half-sister. It was fortunate that she survived all their cruelty.

"Mother, calm down. We won't let this go unpunished, I promise you. Little Jing told me that the woman had only gone missing after she saw Mu Qinchu and Wei Liujiang. They seemed to be having a fight then and talking about bribery as well. I know that they have something to do with this. I'm not sure if they bribed her or they asked people to dispose of her, but I will find out for you."

Yu De slapped the armrest in her fit of anger. "How dare they do this kind of things inside the Helian Royal Mansion?"

"Today is grandmother's birthday, Mother, please relax. If Grandmother finds out about this..." Helian Xuan tried to settle her mother down.

Yu De took a few deep breaths, trying to find her composure. "You'll get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. You'll report everything to me."

"I will, Mother." Helian Xuan bowed and left.

On the other side, Ye Jiayao and the others moved the leftover ingredients and other materials back to Heavenly Residence. They closed the kitchen door and talked about their share of the silvers.

"The salary for this time is 300 silvers. The restaurant wants 20% which is 60 silvers, so we'd have to distribute 240 among us. What do you guys think? How do we share them?" Ye Jiayao asked.

Zhong Xiang said, "Li Yao, you take them. Just treat us to a good meal next time and we'll call it even. I know that according to the rules, we are just helpers who are not eligible to take a share. You gave us a chance to work this feast, we are already very grateful for that."

Ye Jiayao smiled at Zhong Xiang. He was really an honest man. It was the reason why Ye Jiayao didn't give up on him.

"He's right, Brother Yao. Besides, we already got enough rewards today. More than 20 silvers! That's more than a few months salary. It is enough," Deng Haichuan said.

Wang Mingde piped up, "Brother Yao, you take it."

Ye Jiayao shook her head. "No, I am different. We're different. As I told you, we are a team. Everyone worked hard so you all deserve a reward."

Cui Dongpeng slapped his pocket and laughed. "I already have my reward here!"

"It was you who overdrew the money to buy materials for testing. We shouldn't split your reward anymore," Zhong Xiang said.

"That is different. How about I keep the half and I split the rest between the four of you? That's 30 silvers each."

"Too much," Zhong Xiang protested. "We'll take five silvers."

"Five is enough," everyone echoed.

Ye Jiayao didn't care and started to split the notes. "As long as you work hard, you'll succeed. I promise you that if you continue doing your best, in the future, you'll be able to afford your own house, get married, and have a great life."

Everyone's spirit rose up again at Brother Yao's words. He really was the best. The rewards in their pockets were the best evidence of how far they'll come if they follow Li Yao.

"Brother Yao, we will commit ourselves to you," Deng Haichuan said solemnly.

Everyone nodded determinedly.

Ye Jiayao smiled. "Hide your money. Don't show it off or others might get envious and do bad things."

The shadow of the sweet rice flour incident popped into everyone's head.

"I need to find a chance to ask him," Zhong Xiang said.

"He won't confess," Cui Dongpeng sneered.

"He might even swear that you framed him up," Deng Haichuan told him as he was familiar with Liu Qishen's temper.

Wang Mingde sighed. "We should look for evidence first. If we get that, we won't need his confession anymore."

Zhong Xiang asked hesitantly, "Li Yao, if it was really him, what would you do?"

What would she do? Ye Jiayao didn't know. She has always shared her rewards with him and yet he still set her up. If Little Jing wasn't greedy, they wouldn't have found out about the problem in time.

She could not just let this pass, but she also has to consider Zhong Xiang's relationship with him.

"I am not sure. It will all depend on his attitude." If he showed remorse, she'd let him go for Zhong Xiang's sake. If not...

Zhong Xiang nodded acceptingly. "We'll find the evidence first."

Everyone took their silver notes and left.

Ye Jiayao got up and stretched, mindful of her aching shoulder. She really wasn't looking forward to the walk back. All she wanted to do was lie on the two stools in the kitchen and sleep for about two days.

She walked out of Heavenly Residence and was disappointed when she didn't see Chunyu's horse cart. You Dumb Donkey, where are you when I need your care?

She only made it a few steps away when she heard the sounds of a horse cart coming towards her. She hesitated for a bit because it wasn't normally what Chunyu rides in.

"Yaoyao?"

Ye Jiayao stopped.

"Thank heavens, I made it. Get on the cart." Xia Chunyu jumped down the cart to lift her up.

"Why did you still come when you're so busy?" Ye Jiayao chided softly, not wanting to show how happy she was that he came.

"Why wouldn't I come? I was just a bit late because my mother kept talking my ear off!" Xia Chunyu complained, pausing when he saw her weary face. "Are you tired?"

"Yeah, and my arms are swelling." Ye Jiayao shook her arms a bit. 

Xia Chunyu massaged her right arm gently. "Does it hurt much?"

Ye Jiayao closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his hands. "It is alright."

Xia Chunyu's heart ached when he saw how exhausted she looked. She's been working non-stop for the past few days. She was so skinny, it was a wonder she was able to last that long.

"Ey, I am wondering what happened to Lee?"

"Ey, I heard, Old Ancestress rewarded you with the Wish Jade."

They started, talking on top of the other.