The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 380: Chapter 380: An Outsider

Ye Chutang turned her head to see Xu Rongqing rushing over with a nervous look.

Ye Chutang pulled back on the reins and asked, ”Mr. Xu, is there something you need?”

Xu Rongqing’s brows furrowed. ”Y-You’re going to search for them yourself?”

He had just heard the servants say that the Eldest Princess had given her own horse to Ye Chutang. ’This is bad,’ he thought, and immediately rushed over.

Ye Chutang nodded. ”Yes.”

”That’s too dangerous!” Xu Rongqing said, full of concern. ”How can you go alone? What if you run into—”

”Xu Rongqing?”

Princess Qingyang had only been gone for the time it took to fetch a horse, but when she returned, she saw someone standing before Ye Chutang—a refined, handsome young man. Alarms immediately blared in her mind.

Without a word, she moved to stand in front of Ye Chutang, sizing Xu Rongqing up from head to toe.

There were many scions of noble families in the capital, but few she respected. This Xu Rongqing, though not much of a fighter, wrote brilliant essays. Even her own father had praised him, saying that Xu Rongqing, son of Xu Fengchi, was a rare talent indeed.

Paired with his handsome looks, it was no wonder so many young ladies secretly adored him.

Yet, Xu Rongqing remained unmarried.

Looking at the scene now, what else was there to misunderstand?

’He’s obviously interested in my sister-in-law!’

Seeing her, Xu Rongqing offered a polite greeting. ”Greetings, Princess Qingyang.”

Princess Qingyang snorted and said loudly, ”With me by her side, there’s nowhere Chutang can’t go. Xu Rongqing, you underestimate people.”

Only then did Xu Rongqing notice the guards standing behind her, clearly part of their group.

He relaxed slightly but still felt uneasy. ”As it happens, I’m free. Let me go with you. There’s strength in numbers. Chutang, what do you think?”

Princess Qingyang was at a loss for words.

’He’s just trying to be helpful, how can I say no?’

Sure enough, Ye Chutang agreed with little hesitation. ”Then I must thank you in advance, Mr. Xu.”

Xu Rongqing let out a long breath, a smile spreading across his face. ”No thanks are necessary. Yan and A Feng have been gone for a while, and I’m quite worried myself.”

Princess Qingyang found him even more irritating. Nudging her horse forward with her legs, she inserted herself between the two, blocking Xu Rongqing’s view.

”Alright, time is short. Let’s get going!”

Ye Chutang paid no mind to the princess’s little games and simply gave a slight nod.

With his view blocked, Xu Rongqing had to lean to the side. ”Chutang, that’s a warhorse. It’s bigger and stronger than a normal horse and not easy to handle. Perhaps you should—”

Before he could finish, Ye Chutang had already put a foot in the stirrup, grabbed the reins, and swung herself onto the horse’s back with clean, fluid grace.

The entire motion was as smooth as flowing water, effortless and nimble.

Xu Rongqing was rendered speechless. His eyes widened slightly, a flash of astonishment in their depths.

’The girl in his memory, so frail and always so quiet, could actually...’

”Chutang, you... When did you learn to ride?”

And so skillfully, too. Even his peers, who prided themselves on their superior horsemanship and archery, might not have been any better.

Ye Chutang paused, then smiled. ”My older brother tried to teach me before, but I was never willing to learn. Later, I discovered it was more convenient to know how, so I learned.”

A lump formed in Xu Rongqing’s throat.

’More convenient?’

’How could this be a matter of mere convenience?’

’During those three years on the run, displaced and struggling, just how much hardship did she have to endure to raise her younger siblings and bring them back safely to the Capital City?’

Princess Qingyang was also watching Ye Chutang.

At first, she had been worried that the warhorse, with its fiery temperament, would be too much for Ye Chutang to handle. She never expected that in Ye Chutang’s hands, it would be so docile and obedient.

Without any hesitation, Ye Chutang tightened her grip on the reins and gazed toward the dense forest ahead.

”Yah!”

...

”What? Ye Chutang and Princess Qingyang went into the forest?”

Xiao Chengxuan, who had just sat down to rest in his tent, frowned.

His attendant replied respectfully, ”Yes, and with eight guards. It was said to be with the Eldest Princess’s permission. Also, Xu Rongqing, son of Xu Fengnian, has gone with them.”

Consort Ru, who was also there, showed a flash of ridicule upon hearing the news.

”Does she really think she can do anything?”

”This is the Royal Hunting Ground, not some muddy field where she can run wild!”

”The forest is teeming with wild beasts. She could be in mortal danger at any moment. That Ye Chutang, a lone woman... She really doesn’t know her own limits!”

”His Majesty has already mobilized the Imperial Army, yet she insists on playing the hero. Does she think she hasn’t drawn enough attention to herself?”

Sitting nearby, Xiao Lansi poured hot tea for Consort Ru and Xiao Chengxuan before saying hesitantly, ”I believe it’s because her two younger brothers haven’t returned yet. Father-Emperor ordered a search for Third Brother and the Princely Heir, but he never mentioned anyone else.”

’Status is everything. The search parties will naturally spare no effort for them. As for the others... they won’t receive the same attention.’

’Without a powerful family backing you, even if you get to come to the hunting grounds, you’re treated differently.’

’When something truly goes wrong, no one cares if you live or die.’

’Except for your own family.’

Xiao Chengxuan was clearly annoyed. ”The Eldest Princess, too. How can she be so indulgent? And even send her own guards with them?”

Xiao Lansi said, ”She saved the Eldest Princess’s life once. It’s only natural for the princess to treat her so well.”

”Who knows how she managed to sweet-talk the Eldest Princess,” Consort Ru said dismissively.

”The Eldest Princess is a woman of immense stature; people line up to die for her. If treating an illness counts as saving her life, then all those people in the Imperial Hospital would be her saviors by now!”

”And I don’t see the Eldest Princess giving any of them special treatment.”

”Only this Ye Chutang—”

”I hear she goes to the Princess Mansion periodically to help manage the Eldest Princess’s health. The Eldest Princess has no children of her own. Besides Shen Yanchuan, only Li Yue visits often. She must get lonely.”

Consort Ru sneered contemptuously.

”And speaking of which, this Ye Chutang is clever. Using her medical treatments as an excuse to frequently visit the Long Princess Mansion and keep her company, it’s no wonder she’s curried the Eldest Princess’s favor.”

Xiao Lansi kept her eyes downcast, staring quietly into her teacup, her thoughts diverging from Consort Ru’s.

’She had seen the Eldest Princess and Ye Chutang together in the tent today. Their interaction was so natural and close.’

’The Eldest Princess was practically overflowing with joy and affection for her.’

’It couldn’t possibly have been faked. Besides, given the Eldest Princess’s status, she had no reason to pretend about something like that.’

’And especially... the Eldest Princess had deliberately asked Ye Chutang to examine her, right in front of Your Majesty.’

’Now that they were back in the capital, it could have been done at any time. Yet, the Eldest Princess chose today, specifically.’

’On the surface, it was for the sake of her health, but in reality, wasn’t it to give Ye Chutang a chance to be seen by Your Majesty?’

’With her father and older brother dead and no foundation to speak of, life for Ye Chutang and her siblings in the Capital City should have been incredibly difficult.’

’But it wasn’t.’

’Everyone, including Your Majesty, knew of her superb medical skills and held her in high esteem.’

’What was the Eldest Princess really thinking, putting so much effort into helping an outsider?’