The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: A Show of Strength

The horse stopped just in time, barely three feet from the carriage!

...

The entire street fell dead silent.

The noble ladies disembarked from their carriages one after another, staring at the scene, still shaken.

Who could have imagined something like this would happen right in front of the Long Princess Mansion?

However, when they saw the woman in red seated high on her horse, their shocked expressions vanished.

’It’s her. No wonder she’s so brazen...’

The woman in red retracted her long whip and looked down at Ye Shixian, her expression bold. ”Hey, you all right?”

Ye Shixian’s hair was a mess, her carefully chosen hairpins tangled together. With tears in her eyes and a look of lingering terror on her face, how could she possibly look ”all right”?

But at those words, her heart trembled, and the accusations caught in her throat couldn’t come out.

She struggled to her feet. She didn’t need to look up to know how many eyes were on her.

Ye Shixian was mortified and furious to the extreme.

’To be made a laughingstock in front of the Long Princess Mansion before I’ve even gone inside... I’ve lost all face!’

Just then, a hand suddenly appeared beside her, steadying her arm.

Ye Shixian turned her head to see that Ye Chutang had gotten out of the carriage at some point. She asked in a low, concerned voice, ”Shixian, how are you?”

Ye Shixian’s face flushed red, then went pale.

She wanted to shrug off Ye Chutang’s hand immediately, but with so many people watching, that was absolutely out of the question.

In the end, she could only suppress her feelings, shake her head, and force a smile.

”I-I’m fine. There’s no need to worry, cousin.”

She finally stood steadily, but ignoring everything else, she immediately curtsied to the woman in red.

”Greetings, Princess Qingyang.”

A glint appeared in Ye Chutang’s eyes.

’Of course. The only person with such fine equestrian skills who would dare to gallop so recklessly in front of the Long Princess Mansion could be none other than Princess Qingyang, Li Yue.’

Princess Qingyang’s father was King Yan Nan, who guarded the Southwest and had a decorated military record.

And Princess Qingyang was his only daughter. Doted on since childhood, she had developed a fiery and flamboyant personality.

Even other princesses and princes were quite polite in her presence, not daring to flaunt their royal authority.

Anyone could see that Princess Qingyang had just done that on purpose. But so what?

Ye Shixian didn’t even dare to utter a single word of reproach.

The woman in red swung herself off her horse.

She was tall, dressed in a striking red riding outfit with black boots. Her hair was tied back simply, and her features were bright and bold.

One look was enough to tell she had grown up spoiled.

A few servants hurried after her.

”Your Highness! Your Highness, you—”

Princess Qingyang casually tossed her whip over. ”This horse was spooked. Take it back and teach it a proper lesson.”

The servant scrambled to catch the whip and replied repeatedly, ”Yes!”

Only then did Princess Qingyang look back at Ye Shixian. She took a step forward and asked, ”Are you really okay? Maybe you should go to a physician. We wouldn’t want something to happen later and have people blaming me for it.”

’How could I do that!’

’I’ve waited so long for today. If I leave now, wouldn’t all my efforts be for nothing?’

Ye Shixian forced back her tears and managed a smile. ”Thank you for your concern, Princess Qingyang. This humble subject is truly unharmed.”

Princess Qingyang raised an eyebrow, not at all surprised by her answer.

She shrugged.

”Fine. Since you say you’re okay, then don’t go. Little Jiang, send a gift to the Ye Family later as an apology to Miss Ye.”

The servant behind her immediately agreed.

The smile on Ye Shixian’s lips was about to collapse.

Princess Qingyang had long found her disagreeable, and this time she had gone too far, giving her a true show of dominance in public!

’How could I ever hold my head high in the circle of the Capital City’s noble ladies after this...’

Princess Qingyang was about to turn and leave when her eyes fell on Ye Chutang standing beside Ye Shixian. She couldn’t help but stop and look her up and down.

An ordinary person, even if curious, wouldn’t be so direct and brazen, but Princess Qingyang was clearly no ordinary person.

She asked, ”Who are you? How come I’ve never seen you before?”

Ye Chutang lowered her gaze, about to reply, when Princess Qingyang suddenly seemed to remember something. ”Oh! I know! You’re that Second Miss Ye from the Ye Family who just came back, aren’t you?”

’It seems the news of our return has indeed spread throughout the entire Capital City.’

Ye Chutang nodded lightly. ”I am Ye Chutang. Greetings, Princess Qingyang.”

Princess Qingyang’s gaze shifted between the two of them, and she sneered.

”Cousins, are you? Ye Shixian doesn’t look much like you at all... I would have thought that after living in your family’s residence for a few years, sharing the same air and water, she’d surely start to resemble you more!”

Anyone could hear the sarcasm in her words.

Someone nearby let out a PFFT of laughter.

Although the laughter was quickly stifled, Ye Shixian still felt as if she had been slapped in public, her face burning with a fiery sting.

The Ye Family’s business was no secret.

In the past, everyone thought Ye Zheng’s entire family had died. As his younger brother, it was understandable that Ye Heng handled their affairs and moved into their residence. It wasn’t for outsiders to comment on.

But things were different now—Ye Chutang and her siblings were back!

Everyone knew that both branches of the Ye Family were now living together, and that Ye Heng’s family had no intention of moving out. Any discerning person could see their intentions at a glance.

However, it was ultimately their family affair. Besides, Ye Chutang and her siblings were orphans with no support, while Ye Heng had just been promoted to Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice and had a promising future.

Comparing the two, it was natural that no one would be so tactless as to stir up trouble.

Princess Qingyang, however, was the exception.

She wouldn’t give a mere fourth-rank official a second thought, not to mention she had disliked Ye Shixian for a long time. Today, she was determined to humiliate her in public!

Ye Chutang’s eyebrow twitched slightly. ’This Princess Qingyang is rather interesting,’ she thought.

”You jest, Princess Qingyang. Shixian and I have different fathers and mothers, so of course we look different.”

”Ah, right!”

Princess Qingyang had a sudden realization.

”She should look like her own mother! Or, if not, she should at least look like her full-blooded brother! Hey, by the way, didn’t your mother come with you today?”

Ye Shixian secretly bit her lip, filled with extreme resentment.

’Many people knew about the accident her mother had at the banquet a few days ago. Princess Qingyang was clearly saying this on purpose!’

Nevertheless, she could only suppress her humiliation and reply in a low voice, ”My mother is feeling unwell, and so she did not attend.”

Princess Qingyang waved her hand dismissively.

”Whatever. The Eldest Princess is still waiting in the mansion, and we can’t keep her waiting. Let’s go!”

With that, she strode directly into the mansion.

The other noble ladies exchanged glances, then followed suit.

No one came over to greet Ye Shixian.

Ye Shixian stood rooted to the spot. While helping her tidy her clothes and hairpins, Shaoyao grumbled in a low voice, ”That Princess Qingyang is really something else! If Mr. Murong finds out she bullied you like this, I can’t imagine how heartbroken he’ll be—”

Ye Shixian frowned slightly, cutting her off. ”Shaoyao.”

Only then did Shaoyao reluctantly fall silent.

Ye Chutang’s eyes narrowed.

’Murong?’