The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 685: Chapter 685: Are You Telling Me What to Do?

The weight in Fan Chengzhuo’s heart finally lifted. ”Good! Good!” he said repeatedly.

Ye Chutang shot him a strange glance. ”Someone poisoned you, so why do you seem so happy about it?”

A cold sweat broke out on Fan Chengzhuo’s back, but he did his best to maintain a calm facade. ”I am happy. I’m just relieved I happened to run into you, Second Miss Ye. Otherwise, I might have been harmed in secret without even realizing it. That would be a truly unjust way to die!”

Ye Chutang nodded with understanding. Seeing that Fan Chengzhuo didn’t want to discuss the matter further, she didn’t press him. Instead, she wrote him a prescription and gave him instructions on how to take the medicine.

Fan Chengzhuo thanked her profusely and took his leave.

The moment he was back in his carriage, Fan Chengzhuo pulled out the prescription. He let out a cold snort, then tore it to shreds and tossed it aside.

’Since she couldn’t find anything and was convinced I was poisoned, all the better.’

The charioteer asked, ”Sir, are we still going to see that other physician?”

Fan Chengzhuo was in no mood for that.

Besides, Ye Chutang had examined him in full view of the public. If he were seen going somewhere else for a second opinion, it would only raise more difficult questions.

’In any case, I know my own body.’

He said, ”No, we’re not going. Head back to the mansion.”

”Yes, sir.”

The carriage moved forward slowly, its wheels rumbling softly over the bluestone road.

The crowds thinned, and the streets grew much quieter.

Sitting inside the carriage, Fan Chengzhuo was suddenly struck by a pang of regret.

He spoke again. ”Don’t go back to the mansion yet. Turn around.”

”Huh?”

The charioteer was puzzled. He glanced up at the sky and tried to reason with him.

”Sir, it’s getting late. If we’re not going back to the mansion, where else could we be going?”

Fan Chengzhuo’s tone was icy. ”I told you to turn around, so turn around. Why are you asking so many questions?!”

The charioteer flinched. ”Yes, sir! Of course, sir!” he said hastily.

He asked no more questions, simply tugging the reins and bringing the whip down. CRACK!

”Giddyup!”

...

Night fell, starless and moonless.

Dark, heavy clouds spread across the night sky in clusters, leaving only a few thin cracks through which a faint light peeked, tracing the edges of the oppressive blackness with a delicate silver lining.

Xiao Chenglin was in his study, reading a book.

The flame of the lamp was no bigger than a bean.

It cast his slight figure upon the wall, making him appear achingly desolate.

For some reason, though he sat with his head slightly bowed and his gaze fixed on the book before him, he hadn’t turned a page in a long time.

His handsome face was half-hidden in the shadows, his lowered eyelids casting a dark shade that made his thoughts inscrutable.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door.

”Your Highness, Mr. Fan requests an audience.”

Xiao Chenglin snapped back to reality and looked toward the door, his brow furrowing slightly.

’What’s he doing here at this hour?’

”He said he has an urgent matter to report.”

The attendant hesitated for a moment.

”Should I let him in, Your Highness?”

Xiao Chenglin was silent for a moment before replying, ”Bring him in.”

”Yes, Your Highness.”

Soon, approaching footsteps grew louder, and the door was pushed open.

”Mr. Fan, this way, please—”

The next moment, Fan Chengzhuo walked in.

He advanced a few steps with a slight bow and saluted formally. ”Your humble servant greets Your Highness.”

Xiao Chenglin asked coolly, ”What could possibly be so important that it warrants a personal visit at this hour?”

His tone was calm, but to Fan Chengzhuo’s ears, it carried an icy edge that inspired an involuntary sense of fear.

Fan Chengzhuo quickly replied, ”Rest assured, Your Highness. I waited until after dark to come, and I left my carriage in a separate alley. No one saw me.”

Prince Jing’s Mansion had few servants, but they were all Xiao Chenglin’s trusted confidants.

So even though he had been seen by the staff upon entering the mansion, it wasn’t a concern.

News of his visit would not get out.

Xiao Chenglin was growing impatient. ”Just get to the point.”

”Yes, Your Highness.” ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Fan Chengzhuo hastily agreed.

Then, he recounted everything that had happened during the day.

”...I am absolutely certain I wasn’t mistaken. That man was from Prince Lie’s Mansion! I suspect that Ye Chutang and Prince Lie... have been secretly colluding for some time!”

Xiao Chenglin listened but remained noncommittal. ”Yunlai Tavern is a business. Businesses welcome all customers. Prince Lie enjoys his wine, so it’s not unusual for him to send someone to buy some.”

But Fan Chengzhuo was insistent. ”What Your Highness says is reasonable, but you’re overlooking one thing: the second floor of Yunlai Tavern is all private rooms! And business for those rooms is even better than on the first floor. You often need to book half a month in advance, and the clientele are all either rich or noble. Ordinary people can’t even get up there.”

Even Fan Chengzhuo himself had only been given a spare table on the first floor during his first visit.

”If Prince Lie had gone himself to enjoy wine and conversation on the second floor, there would be nothing strange about it. But today, it was only his trusted aide. And when the man was leaving, he brushed right past me. I’m certain of it—he didn’t smell of wine at all. He hadn’t been drinking!”

Fan Chengzhuo’s expression was desperate.

”Your Highness! There’s definitely something suspicious going on here!”

Hearing this, Xiao Chenglin’s certainty began to waver.

”If what you say is true, it is indeed strange...”

He mulled it over, a faint suspicion forming in his mind. ”Could it be... that Prince Lie’s coma was also related to her?”

Fan Chengzhuo acted as if a lightbulb had just gone off. ”Almost certainly!” he said with conviction. ”After Prince Lie’s... incident, she was the one in charge of his treatment. Doesn’t that mean she could have made him wake up whenever she wanted? No! I should say... she could make him wake up whenever *Prince Lie* wanted!”

The words were convoluted, but Xiao Chenglin understood their meaning instantly.

His lips thinned into a line as he fell into thought.

Fan Chengzhuo grew more animated as he spoke. ”If that’s not the case, how could Prince Lie have woken up so coincidentally, right on the eve of the Wazhen Mission’s arrival? He then naturally took Your Highness’s place to preside over the peace talks!”

It had been all but settled that Xiao Chenglin would be the one to preside!

But the moment Xiao Chengqi awoke, everything changed.

Xiao Chenglin had suffered a major setback but had no grounds to complain.

Thinking about this, Xiao Chenglin’s frown deepened.

”This is all just your speculation. Without proof, it’s nothing. Besides, she cured Prince Lie of poison before and saved his arm. He owes her a great debt, so it’s normal for them to be in contact. Perhaps... it’s also possible Yunlai Tavern sent wine to Prince Lie’s Mansion on their own initiative. After all, in everyone’s eyes, Prince Lie is the one most likely to inherit the throne, is he not?”

Fan Chengzhuo hadn’t expected Xiao Chenglin to remain unconvinced even after he had laid everything out so plainly. He grew anxious.

”Regardless, it’s a fact that they are in contact! Your Highness, this is a matter of great importance. We must investigate it thoroughly! If we overlook this, and those two join forces to plot in secret, then in the future—”

Xiao Chenglin’s expression instantly turned cold. His voice was like ice, carrying an invisible, chilling pressure as he enunciated every word.

”Are you telling me how to do my job?”