The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 377: Chapter 377: Bestowing a Marriage

Ye Chutang nodded, but then narrowed her eyes slightly, studying her for a moment.

That look made Xiao Lansi inexplicably flustered. ”Wh-what is it?”

”It’s nothing. It’s just... judging from your pulse, Your Highness was once afflicted with a potent poison. It went deep into your organs and was extremely dangerous. Yet for some reason, aside from some weakness, your body shows no other obvious symptoms.”

Ye Chutang paused, then smiled faintly.

”It must be that Your Highness is profoundly blessed to have escaped with your life.”

Consort Ru listened for a while before she finally understood. ”...So you’re saying, for her to be like this now is a great fortune amid misfortune?”

Ye Chutang nodded. ”If it were anyone else, they likely would not have survived. What medicine did Your Highness take at the time?”

Xiao Lansi looked bewildered. ”Th-I... I don’t know either. I only had two palace maids and two guards with me when I went out that day. When I fainted, a local farmer happened to be nearby. He picked some herbs and fed them to me. My maids and guards were reluctant at first, but with no other options, they let him try. And after that, I actually recovered.”

In such a desolate and remote place, venomous snakes and insects were countless. The locals, having lived there for years, were often the most knowledgeable about what was poisonous and how to treat it.

All things considered, she had been incredibly lucky.

Ye Chutang withdrew her hand. ”Your Highness’s body has no major issues, so there’s no need to worry. I will write a prescription to replenish your blood and vital energy. If you take it consistently for a month, your condition will improve.”

Xiao Lansi was both surprised and delighted. ”Really? Thank you so much!”

Consort Ru also relaxed. ”That’s good, that’s good... Lanxi, what you went through was too dangerous! You might escape with your life once, but what about a second time? Or a third?”

Xiao Lansi gave a sweet and playful smile. ”Mother Consort, haven’t I already returned to the Capital City? How could something like that happen again here?”

Consort Ru still looked shaken. She gently patted her chest and chided, ”You, you’re just too reckless!”

She then turned to Emperor Muwu and pleaded softly, ”Your Majesty, Guanling is still too remote and too dangerous! This consort is truly worried. Lanxi happens to be seventeen this year, an age for marriage discussions. Why not bestow a marriage upon her and let her stay in the Capital City? She could keep this consort company. What do you think, Your Majesty?”

A palace maid had already brought over a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. Ye Chutang lowered her gaze, her expression focused as she wrote the prescription, as if she hadn’t heard a word Consort Ru said.

Emperor Muwu glanced at Xiao Lansi, lost in thought.

Xiao Lansi also seemed completely unprepared for Consort Ru to suddenly bring this up. A blush instantly spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.

”M-Mother Consort...”

Emperor Muwu had never been fond of this daughter. But after not seeing her for so many years, the little girl from his memory was now a graceful young woman. Especially after hearing her talk about being poisoned and nearly dying, it was impossible for him to feel nothing at all.

A rare hint of guilt flickered in his eyes. Though it was faint, it was enough.

After a long silence, Emperor Muwu finally said, ”Alright.”

Xiao Lansi’s eyes widened slightly in astonishment, but Consort Ru reacted with lightning speed, immediately smiling and saying, ”Lanxi, hurry and thank your Imperial Father!”

Xiao Lansi rose, walked to the center of the room, and performed a kowtow.

”Your daughter thanks Imperial Father for his grace. Long live Your Majesty.”

Although she moved hastily, her every action was graceful and proper.

Watching her, Emperor Muwu felt an increasing sense of satisfaction with this daughter he had not cared for in years.

He smiled and asked, ”Then, Mei’er, among the many talented young men in the capital, who do you think would be the best match for Lanxi?”

Consort Ru’s eyes shifted thoughtfully. She smiled and said, ”The second son of Marquis Zhongyong. He turns twenty this year. He is also handsome and dashing, with both superior talents and looks. He would be a perfect match for Lanxi. I believe he is the most suitable choice.”

Ye Chutang’s brush tip paused.

’Oh ho, Xie Anbai.’

’That young master deliberately feigned illness and didn’t come today. Who knows where he’s off having fun right now. But he probably never imagined that even if he stayed away, this monumental fortune would still land on his head.’

’Sigh. When a person is destined for good fortune, there’s just no stopping it.’

The Eldest Princess, however, frowned, seeming to disapprove. ”That boy is a rebellious rascal. How could he possibly be a good choice?”

Who in the entire Capital City didn’t know about the Xie Family’s little hellion?

No family that doted on their daughter would be willing to marry her to him.

But Consort Ru laughed. ”Eldest Princess, you worry too much. It’s not a big deal for a young man to be wild and fond of fun. Once he gets married, he’ll naturally become steady and responsible.”

The Eldest Princess still didn’t relent.

Xie Anbai and Shen Yanchuan were close friends. She knew her own grandson, and she knew Xie Anbai as well.

This marriage could not be allowed.

”The talented young men in the capital are countless. Lanxi has only just returned, so there’s no rush. We can take our time to choose,” the Eldest Princess said lightly.

Consort Ru’s expression turned a little sour.

With the Eldest Princess’s stance so clear, she feared His Majesty would not agree.

Sure enough, the next moment Emperor Muwu spoke up. ”Indeed. That boy is still immature. The Xie Family is in a constant state of chaos—besides that little grandson Xie Pei, it’s all because of him. Even if you tied him up, he’d still escape in the middle of the night. Why bother with the trouble?”

The smile on Consort Ru’s lips completely froze.

But she quickly recovered her composure and said softly, ”It was this consort who was being thoughtless.”

”No matter. Lanxi will be living in the palace from now on. You can just take your time and choose carefully for her.”

The matter was thus set aside.

Seeing Ye Chutang put down her brush, the Eldest Princess asked, ”Chutang, have you finished writing the prescription?”

”Yes.”

Ye Chutang nodded, presented the prescription, and then gave a few instructions on how to decoct the medicine.

The Eldest Princess smiled and said, ”It’s stuffy in this tent, and not very interesting. Besides, you’ve been out for a while. If Xiao Wu can’t find you, she’ll probably miss you terribly. You should go on back.”

Ye Chutang curtsied and then withdrew.

As she left the tent, she could faintly hear Consort Ru’s laughter from inside. ”They’ve been in the forest for a while. They should be back soon.”

It sounded as if she wasn’t the least bit troubled by what had just happened.

As if her proposal had just been a casual suggestion.

Ye Chutang’s expression was indifferent as she walked away.

Princess Qingyang was holding Xiao Wu and playing with her. As Ye Chutang approached, she noticed that Xiao Wu was holding a small slingshot.

She felt a headache coming on.

’A Feng finally left, so why is there another one now?’

’Are they obsessed with turning Xiao Wu into a little rascal?’

But Xiao Wu was quite impressive. Perhaps because of the foundation her Fourth Brother had laid, she casually fired a stone, and it flew out, skipping off a fallen leaf up ahead.

”Xiao Wu, you’re so good at this!” Princess Qingyang’s eyes lit up.

Praised, Xiao Wu lifted her small face and giggled happily.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, she was the first to turn around. Upon seeing Ye Chutang, she immediately threw down the small slingshot in her hand and trotted over on her little legs.

”Big Sis!”