The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 436: Chapter 436: Parents’ Home

The frankness and clarity of her expression left Xu Fengchi at a loss for words.

After all, he was a grown man; it was hardly appropriate for him to be discussing such matters with her.

But he couldn’t trust anyone else with this.

After a long moment of deliberation, Xu Fengchi began, choosing his words carefully.

”Indeed. You... Before, Ye Heng had his own schemes and nearly married you off into that wretched Han Family. But that was quite some time ago. Now that you’ve been in the capital for a few months, is there any family that has caught your interest?”

Ye Jingyan put down his teacup.

Ye Yunfeng shifted in his seat.

Even Xiao Wu’s little hand, holding a pastry, froze in mid-air. He blinked his big eyes and peeked over at his older sister.

’Is Uncle Xu asking about my sister’s marriage!?’

Though Xiao Wu was young, he understood what Xu Fengchi meant.

’But... how will she answer?’

Ye Chutang arched an eyebrow slightly.

She hadn’t expected Xu Fengchi to bring this up before she arrived. However, after hearing what Sun had said earlier, she had anticipated it, so she wasn’t surprised now.

She smiled. ”I think things are quite good as they are.”

Xu Fengchi was taken aback.

”You...”

”The matters that kept me so busy have finally wrapped up, so I can get some proper rest. Of course, I can’t stop for too long. After all, the tavern and the other shops still need to be managed.”

In all of that, she hadn’t mentioned marriage once.

Xu Fengchi knew she was sharp-witted. Her words meant she truly hadn’t given it any thought.

But...

Xu Fengchi sighed.

”Chutang, you are exceptionally clever. I know you don’t need to depend on anyone to live a good life. It’s just... you’re only seventeen, with all the best years ahead of you. To have a compatible partner by your side would be a precious blessing.”

Ye Chutang knew it had taken a lot for him to say this.

She was not an ungrateful person.

She wouldn’t have paid it any mind if others had advised her, but Xu Fengchi was different.

Xu Fengchi seemed to drift into a memory, his gaze growing distant.

”Your father once told me that marrying your mother was the happiest thing that ever happened to him.”

After Ye Zheng became an official through the imperial examinations, his career rose meteorically. But from start to finish, Li Niang was the only one by his side.

The two were a deeply devoted couple. In all their years of marriage, they never once had a single argument, making them the envy of countless people.

A few hazy fragments of memory flashed through Ye Chutang’s mind.

They were the original owner’s deeply buried memories. Though many years had passed, they still brought a warmth to her heart when she recalled them.

She nodded lightly. ”My mother said the same thing.”

That was why, even though she died on the road north, she never felt a single shred of regret, because she was with Ye Zheng.

Xu Fengchi knew she had a mind of her own and didn’t expect to convince her with just a sentence or two. He simply said:

”You can handle matters far greater than this, let alone something like this. I won’t press the issue. Just know that no matter what you choose in the future, you can always consider this place your second home!”

Ye Chutang hadn’t expected him to say something like that. For a rare moment, she was stunned.

Then, a slow smile spread across her lips, and a ripple of emotion seemed to well up in her eyes.

”I understand your kind intentions, and I am deeply grateful.”

...

After lunch, Ye Chutang chatted with Xu Fengchi for a while longer.

They discussed the court session and the specific details of the numerous ongoing cases.

”Even though today is a day of rest, the people at the Ministry of Justice and the Imperial Supervision Office have not been idle. Prince Qi—Xiao Chengxuan—is implicated in a great many cases and has connections to numerous officials. Just investigating the ones Xu Jie confessed to will take a very long time.”

His Majesty had given them ten days to investigate. The fact that Xu Fengchi was able to present that testimony was already a remarkable feat.

The specific details still need to be thoroughly investigated and confirmed.

Xu Fengchi had been so busy he was run off his feet and hadn’t had a single good night’s sleep. He was only just now taking a day off.

Tomorrow, he would have to go back to the grind.

Ye Chutang nodded in understanding. ”Prince Qi’s influence is deeply entrenched and complex. It certainly can’t be unraveled overnight.”

Besides, with Consort Ru and Jiang Zhao Yuan behind him, they would never just sit back and wait for their doom.

There was no telling how many twists and turns lay ahead.

Xu Fengchi clasped his hands behind his back and sighed. ”Regardless, Xiao Chengxuan has been demoted to a commoner. It won’t be so easy for him if he tries to stir up trouble again.”

At this, he glanced at Ye Chutang.

”I know you’re not satisfied with this outcome, but these things can’t be rushed. As the investigation continues, perhaps...”

He trailed off, stopping himself.

Ye Chutang just smiled. ”I understand.”

In truth, no one could guarantee that ”perhaps.”

If Emperor Muwu truly wanted to protect this son, he had plenty of ways to do so.

Ye Chutang hadn’t expected to take the life of a favored Prince so easily anyway.

She changed the subject. ”You mentioned earlier that besides the Changzhou granary incident, the construction of the Li River dikes is also being reinvestigated?”

”That’s right.”

Xu Fengchi’s expression grew much more serious.

”This year, many parts of Sui Nan have suffered from continuous rain and widespread flooding. But the Li River dikes were immensely expensive to build and were even specially reinforced and repaired. Logically, they shouldn’t have been breached so easily. Xu Jie mentioned this in his testimony. I suspect... this will implicate quite a few people up and down the chain of command who have been lining their own pockets.”

”Do you remember Sun Lian’an?”

Hearing this name, Ye Chutang’s eyelashes fluttered.

She nodded. ”I remember.”

The former Minister of the Ministry of Industry, exiled after being dismissed for embezzling thirteen thousand taels of silver.

On the day he left the capital, Ye Chutang had even gone to see him off personally.

”He’s connected to this case as well.”

Xu Fengchi glanced around and lowered his voice.

”My guess is that the allocated silver taels were distributed through him.”

Ye Chutang understood instantly. ”Are you saying he knows where the money went?”

Xu Fengchi shook his head. ”That’s not the point. The point is, it seems he was acting under someone’s orders.”

There are countless corrupt officials in the world, each taking their cut from top to bottom. That’s nothing new.

But if someone deliberately schemed to divert this silver... then it’s not a simple case of embezzlement.

”We haven’t found out who specifically, but... it might also be related to Xiao Chengxuan.”

The more Xu Fengchi investigated, the more shocked he became.

This once-glorious Prince Qi had been involved in so many shady dealings behind the scenes!

Ye Chutang lowered her eyes.

”The truth will come to light eventually.”

...

Before they knew it, it was 3:00 PM, and Ye Chutang’s party finally took their leave.

Watching the carriage disappear around the corner, Sun felt a pang of melancholy. As she turned, she couldn’t resist giving Xu Fengchi a sharp, secret pinch.

Xu Fengchi flinched in pain.

”Yu, what was that for?”

’What is she angry about now?’

Without a word, Sun pulled him back into their room and shut the door.

Xu Fengchi was completely baffled. ”What’s the matter? Who’s upset you now?”

Sun retorted angrily, ”Who else could it be! What on earth were you saying to Chutang today!?”