The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 664: Chapter 664: Good News

Anyone could hear the pride in his words, but he was only speaking the truth. Who could blame him when his students were each more accomplished than the last?

Emperor Muwu heard him as well. He was in high spirits today and said directly, ”Tang Aiqing is absolutely right! To have taught such outstanding students, you are truly worthy of your title as Sacrificial Officer!”

Tang Zhongli shook his head repeatedly and chuckled. ”Your Majesty, you give this old servant far too much credit! The ones who truly earned the merit were Feng Zhang and Ye Yunfeng. I’ve been here in the Capital City the whole time; I didn’t help them one bit!”

”Tang Aiqing, there’s no need to be so modest. After all, when they return, they will still have to call you ’teacher,’ won’t they? HAHAHAHA!”

Emperor Muwu and the assembled officials were all in high spirits.

The court session eventually concluded in an atmosphere of excitement and joy.

Meanwhile, news of King Yan Nan and Feng Zhang leading their troops to a great victory over the Nanhu bandits in Long City spread rapidly in the capital.

...

Princess Qingyang was practicing her calligraphy at her residence when she heard the news.

She had been so worried about King Yan Nan that she hadn’t been sleeping well, her mind in constant turmoil. Ye Chutang had later sent over a calligraphy copybook to help calm her nerves.

Princess Qingyang had never had the patience for such things, but she also knew that if she went out riding in her current distracted state, she would be even more likely to get into trouble.

So, after much deliberation, she followed Ye Chutang’s advice and obediently stayed cooped up in her residence, practicing her calligraphy.

”Is what you’re saying really true!?”

Princess Qingyang almost thought she was hallucinating. She threw down her calligraphy brush and rushed over to the servant, her voice trembling with excitement.

”Is my father really returning to the Capital City soon!?”

The servant, also grinning from ear to ear, nodded repeatedly. ”It’s news from the palace, how could it be false? Everyone in the Capital City knows by now that our Prince has won a great victory and is returning in triumph!”

Princess Qingyang pressed a hand to her chest, where her heart was pounding uncontrollably beneath her palm.

Only one thought remained in her mind: ’My father is coming back! He’s safe and sound! Everything is all right!’

A storm of emotions crashed within her, and her eyes instantly turned red.

The servant was taken aback. ”Oh, my! Commandery Princess, why are you crying? The Prince is returning, and in such glory, too. This is a wonderful thing!”

Princess Qingyang quickly wiped the corner of her eye. Her tone was haughty, but she couldn’t hide the smile on her face.

”I’m not crying! This is joy! Joy, you understand!?”

”Yes, yes! You’re overjoyed!” The servant didn’t expose her, his tone full of emotion. ”You and the Prince haven’t seen each other in so long. That you can finally be reunited is a truly joyous occasion!”

”Of course it is!”

Princess Qingyang paced back and forth a few steps, then clapped her hands together abruptly.

”Quick! Prepare a horse!”

The servant was confused. ”Commandery Princess, are you going out? You’re... not practicing your calligraphy anymore?”

”What’s the point of practicing now!”

Princess Qingyang’s smile was radiant, her eyes sparkling.

”With news this good, I have to go tell Chutang immediately! Quick! We’re going now!”

...

Princess Qingyang rushed over to the Ye Family residence at lightning speed, her heart filled with excitement.

She was a frequent visitor, so a servant led her straight inside.

As it happened, Ye Chutang was inside grinding medicinal powder. Hearing the commotion, she looked up to see Princess Qingyang, vibrant and full of life, floating in like a red butterfly.

”Chutang, Chutang! I have the most wonderful news to tell you!”

Princess Qingyang’s face was alight with uncontrollable joy.

”My father is returning to the Capital City! He’s coming back safe and sound!”

The corners of Ye Chutang’s eyes crinkled in a smile. ”That’s wonderful. You and your father can finally be reunited.”

Princess Qingyang froze. Seeing her friend’s reaction, a suspicion arose in her heart and she widened her eyes. ”You already knew, didn’t you!?”

’Otherwise, there’s no way she’d react like this!’

Ye Chutang gave a noncommittal smile. ”Whether I knew sooner or later, it’s good news all the same. That’s what’s most important, isn’t it?”

”You’re right! But—”

Princess Qingyang nodded instinctively, but upon further thought, she felt something wasn’t quite right.

She glanced around, leaned in closer, and lowered her voice. ”Doesn’t that mean your news travels even faster than the eight-hundred-li express military report!?”

Princess Qingyang knew Ye Chutang had many methods and could always solve problems that others couldn’t. Otherwise, she never would have thought to ask Ye Chutang for help in the first place.

But...

”Isn’t that a bit too incredible!?”

Princess Qingyang’s eyes were filled with shock and admiration.

If it were anything else, that would be one thing. After all, the journey was long, and sending people or things back and forth took a considerable amount of time.

It was normal for Ye Chutang’s messages, sent by hawk, to be faster.

But an urgent report from the border was of the highest priority, delivered to the Capital City by nonstop riders. And yet... it was still a step behind Ye Chutang?

At this moment, even Princess Qingyang, with her fearless nature, felt a sense of apprehension and hesitation.

”No one else knows about this, right? If someone with ill intentions found out, a single accusation to the higher-ups would be enough to doom you!”

This involved top-secret military intelligence!

’If Ye Chutang can even get her hands on this kind of news first, is there anything she *doesn’t* know?’

”Isn’t it normal for me to know?” Ye Chutang blinked, her expression composed. ”A Feng won a great victory. As his older sister, it would be stranger if I didn’t know a thing about it, wouldn’t it?”

”?”

Princess Qingyang was momentarily speechless.

Seeing Ye Chutang’s perfectly matter-of-fact expression, she swallowed the words she was about to say.

’I mean... at first glance, that almost sounds reasonable, but you seem to have forgotten that you’re talking about a military secret, not household gossip!’

Princess Qingyang hesitated, wanting to say more but not knowing where to begin.

She wanted to say something but didn’t know where to start, so in the end, she decided to just drop it.

”You’re right about everything.”

In any case, now that her father was safe, the heavy weight could finally be lifted from her heart. The Ye Family’s fourth son had even earned military honors in the process, and his reputation was soaring—it was killing multiple birds with one stone!

Princess Qingyang flopped down into a nearby rattan chair and stretched comfortably.

”Sigh, I haven’t been sleeping well lately. The only time I could even doze off was when I was writing in that copybook you gave me and got bored out of my mind.”

Ye Chutang chuckled and teased, ”So, has the Commandery Princess’s calligraphy improved?”

Princess Qingyang waved her hand dismissively. ”It’s a miracle I managed to stick with it at all. Why are you setting such high expectations...”

Her mood lightened, and her tense nerves finally relaxed. Lying in the rattan chair and smelling the faint, bitter scent of medicine, she felt a comfortable drowsiness wash over her.

Ye Chutang smiled but didn’t press further, simply pouring the freshly ground powder into a Jade Bottle.

Several other medicinal herbs were laid out beside her.

Princess Qingyang yawned and asked idly,

”Are you making some new medicine?”

On her previous visits, she had rarely seen Ye Chutang this busy.

Ye Chutang nodded and said casually,

”A friend is coming to the capital in a while. His health isn’t very good, so I’m preparing some medicine for him in advance.”