The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 115: Chapter 115: All the Heart Desires Shall Be Achieved

Ye Chutang turned back in surprise. ”What does this have to do with him?”

Xu Rongqing was on duty at the Hanlin Academy today and didn’t even come to watch the polo match. ’Why bring him up all of a sudden?’

Shen Yanchuan gazed into her eyes and saw only clarity.

He suppressed the thoughts in his heart, his thin lips curving slightly. ”It’s nothing. I was just thinking that Lord Xu and your esteemed father were old friends. If you were in trouble, they certainly wouldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

Xu Fengchi’s attitude had already been made very clear in public on the day of the Ye Family’s banquet.

Xu Rongqing had known the Ye siblings since childhood, so of course he felt the same.

Ye Chutang nodded. ”Uncle Xu and his family have indeed treated me very well, but that’s precisely why I don’t want to trouble them.”

She would resolve these matters herself.

Shen Yanchuan understood. He suddenly turned his head and began to cough softly.

Only then did Ye Chutang remember Xiao Wu mentioning earlier that Shen Yanchuan seemed unwell.

”Has the Princely Heir been feeling unwell recently?” she asked, sitting back down. ”Is it because your previous injuries haven’t fully healed?”

Shen Yanchuan shook his head. ”I probably just caught a chill from the rain a few days ago.”

Having just accepted his favor, it was only natural to return it in kind.

”Shall I take the Princely Heir’s pulse?”

Shen Yanchuan did not refuse, extending his wrist. ”Then my thanks to Doctor Ye.”

The next second, her slender, cool fingertips rested on his wrist.

After a moment, Ye Chutang said, ”The Princely Heir’s body is recovering well. It’s just that the weather has changed these past few days, and you’ve caught a slight chill. I’ll write a prescription. Have someone brew it for you to take daily.”

Shen Yanchuan agreed with a ”Very well,” and took out a brush and paper.

Ye Chutang took them and wrote out the prescription.

Shen Yanchuan lowered his gaze to look at it, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Besides two lines of medicinal ingredients, there was a strange, inverted triangular symbol in the bottom right corner.

He raised his eyes to look at Ye Chutang.

”My memory of what happened three years ago is hazy, but I vaguely recall a black-clothed man with a black wooden tablet hanging from his waist. It had a symbol like this drawn on it.” Ye Chutang’s tone was gentle, calm, and composed. ”I just don’t know if I’ll ever have the chance to see that same wooden tablet again.”

”That’s not so difficult. If you search around and test the waters enough, you’re bound to run into it.”

Shen Yanchuan folded the paper and put it away, then offered Ye Chutang a faint smile. ”Then allow me to wish Doctor Ye in advance: may all that your heart desires come true.”

...

Ye Shixian waited for quite a while before she saw Ye Chutang get out of the Dingbei Marquis Mansion’s carriage, holding Xiao Wu.

With her was a heavy box, which one could tell at a glance was filled to the brim.

’Could all of that be gifts from the Princely Heir to Xiao Wu?’

A flash of jealousy shot through Ye Shixian’s heart.

’I really don’t know what’s so great about that little girl. The Eldest Princess likes her, the Princely Heir is incredibly generous to her, and now she’s brought back so many nice things just from watching one polo match.’

”Cousin.”

Ye Shixian forced a smile and went to greet them. She had intended to use the opportunity to exchange a few words with Shen Yanchuan, but before she could even open her mouth, Lian Zhou had already cracked the whip, turned the carriage around, and left.

”...”

Ye Shixian’s chest tightened, and she seethed with resentment.

Just then, the brothers Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng also returned in their carriage. Seeing Ye Shixian, Ye Yunfeng immediately jumped down and looked around.

”Huh? Second Uncle, didn’t you all come back a while ago? Why didn’t you go inside? It doesn’t look like your things are on our carriage.”

Ye Heng’s face turned green.

Ye Shixian took a deep breath and forced a smile. ”It’s nothing. We saw the Princely Heir’s carriage was behind us, so we decided to wait for Cousin and Xiao Wu. We just didn’t expect to wait so long.”

She looked at Ye Chutang, trying to read her expression, and asked jokingly, ”Could it be that Cousin and the Princely Heir were having such a pleasant conversation that you stayed a while longer?”

Ye Chutang found this amusing.

’Ye Shixian seems to think she’s hiding her little schemes so well, yet she still has to probe so circuitously.’

”Not at all. It was only because the Princely Heir gave Xiao Wu quite a few trinkets, and it took some time to organize them. That’s what caused the delay.”

As Ye Chutang spoke, she turned to Ye Yunfeng. ”A Feng, move that box back inside later, too.”

”Got it, Sister,” Ye Yunfeng immediately replied with a smile.

Ye Shixian felt as if another stone had been pressed onto her chest, making it ache dully.

She had wanted to ask a few more questions, but now she couldn’t utter a single word. Afraid she would lose control of her emotions if she stayed any longer, Ye Shixian gave a couple of perfunctory replies and quickly turned to leave.

’She wasn’t the least bit interested in how many things the Heir of Duke Dingbei had given Xiao Wu!’

Ye Mingze was about to leave with her, but after just two steps, Ye Heng called out to him.

”You, come with me to the study!”

Ye Mingze immediately guessed that his father wanted to talk to him about returning to the Imperial College. His brows furrowed, and he felt a strong sense of resistance.

But he didn’t have the guts to defy Ye Heng, so he could only follow sullenly.

Ye Jingyan took Xiao Wu from Ye Chutang’s arms and watched the receding backs of the father and son, a thoughtful look on his face.

”Sister, I saw Second Uncle go looking for the Lord Sacrificial Officer earlier. They talked for quite a while. Ye Mingze will probably be returning to the Imperial College soon.”

Ye Chutang smiled.

”Not necessarily.”

...

”What did you say? Say that again!”

Ye Heng stared at Ye Mingze in disbelief.

Ye Mingze’s face was full of irritation. ”I said I don’t want to go back to the Imperial College.”

”Are you insane!” Ye Heng snapped. ”You’re only sixteen! If you don’t go to the Imperial College, where do you want to go? Countless people would kill for the chance to get in! Do you have any idea how much I had to swallow my pride today to beg Tang Zhongli before he finally relented and agreed to let you go back?!”

It would have been better if he hadn’t mentioned it. Now that he had, Ye Mingze grew even more annoyed and muttered, ”It’s not like I asked you to go beg him. Why are you blaming me?”

Ye Heng was shocked speechless. He never would have imagined his son would say such a thing.

Ye Mingze decided to throw caution to the wind. ”The truth is, I haven’t wanted to go for a long time! I hate it there! Especially after Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng started attending, you have no idea how nasty the things people say are! If I go back now, you can’t even imagine how many people will laugh at me!”

The veins on Ye Heng’s forehead throbbed with anger.

”You unfilial son! If you don’t go, what will you do for your official career?!”

He had sent Ye Mingze to the Imperial College for two reasons: one, because it had the best Assistant Teachers, and two, because most of his classmates were the sons of powerful and noble families, which would allow him to build connections.

’He had exhausted every means to pave the way for Ye Mingze, only to be blamed for it in the end. How laughable!’

Ye Mingze’s head was throbbing.

”It’s not like that’s the only path in this world! Can’t you just help me think of another way?”

Ye Heng was so angry he almost laughed.

’Easier said than done!’

”Do you think your old man is some imperial relative who can give you whatever you want!?”

Ye Mingze was unconcerned and shrugged.

”So what? You started out as just a provincial official, and now you’ve come to the Capital City, live in a grand mansion, and even have connections with the Second Prince—”

SLAP!

Ye Heng landed a harsh slap across Ye Mingze’s face!

”What nonsense are you spouting!”