The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 365: Chapter 365: Half a Life

The mere mention of this name filled Xiao Chengxuan with disgust, and his expression soured.

”That’s her! What, you know her?”

Xiao Lansi shook her head. ”Not exactly. I just returned to the Capital City and only had time to come see you, brother. How could I know anyone else? It’s just... I have heard the name before. The palace consorts have mentioned her.”

Xiao Chengxuan’s tone was mocking. ”She’s quite the character, always the center of attention wherever she goes. It would be stranger if you hadn’t heard of her.”

He had thought Ye Chutang had finally gotten herself into some real trouble. All he had to do was watch from the sidelines and see her utterly defeated, her reputation in ruins.

Who would have thought there would be such a shocking reversal!

”Is that Ye Shixian crazy?! What reason would she have to kill her own mother?!”

It was obvious that once this news got out, no one would be talking about Ye Chutang anymore. Some might even think she had been wrongly accused and feel sorry for her!

”What has Shuntian Prefecture found?”

The attendant bowed his head. ”Your subordinate has been incompetent. I have not been able to find out anything yet.”

This only irritated Xiao Chengxuan further.

He had no one in Shuntian Prefecture. Even before, when he was at the height of his power, several attempts to win over the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, Zhao Chengyin, had failed.

The man was a slippery old fox of the court. Zhang Qian, whom he had personally promoted, was cut from the same cloth.

Shuntian Prefecture had become a tough nut to crack, giving Xiao Chengxuan a massive headache.

He couldn’t handle them when he was influential, let alone now.

”I understand. You’re dismissed. Report to me immediately if you hear anything!”

”Yes!”

The attendant withdrew respectfully. Extremely agitated, Xiao Chengxuan grabbed the wine jug to pour himself a drink, only to lift an empty vessel and remember it was already dry.

Xiao Lansi rose to pour him some tea, consoling him. ”Brother, why trouble yourself over such matters? Since the case has been sent to Shuntian Prefecture, there will be a verdict sooner or later.”

Xiao Chengxuan frowned. ”You haven’t been in the Capital City for a long time. You don’t know how troublesome that Ye—that the people from the Ye Family are!”

Xiao Lansi seemed a little confused.

”Brother, are you talking about... Ye Chutang? But I heard her medical skills are unparalleled. Everyone in the palace admires her greatly, saying she raised several younger siblings all by herself, which is truly extraordinary for a woman. And I believe before she returned to the Capital City, she also saved the life of the Heir of Duke Dingbei by a stroke of luck—”

”It’s just crooked trickery! Nothing worth mentioning!” Xiao Chengxuan cut her off, the disgust in his eyes nearly overflowing. ”As for her medical skills... the rumors make her sound like a goddess, but how many have seen it with their own eyes? She can turn a minor ailment into a life-threatening disease. With talk like that, even a quack can become a miracle doctor!”

Xiao Chengxuan had always looked down on Ye Chutang. She was just a disgraced daughter of an official, with no father or brother to back her. Who knows how she got to where she is today?

Xiao Lansi paused, seeming to hesitate. ”But... I heard that both the Long Princess Mansion and the Dingbei Marquis Mansion treat her as a guest of honor.”

Xiao Chengxuan was dismissive.

”You’ve never met her. Once you do, you’ll see. That woman is extremely cunning and full of schemes!”

He said this, then looked at Xiao Lansi’s innocent and docile appearance and shook his head.

”Forget it. Just stay away from her! Otherwise, you won’t even know what hit you when she sets you up!”

Xiao Lansi blinked, revealing a soft, timid, and obedient smile.

”I will do as you say, brother.”

...

Ye Shixian had never in her life imagined she would one day be locked away in the Heavenly Prison.

The dim, cramped corridor, the cold, hard iron doors, and the nauseating stench that filled her nostrils made her heart pound with fear.

But what disturbed her most were the shrill, sharp screams and moans, like those of vengeful ghosts.

CLANG!

The cell door slammed shut, and the prison guard turned to leave.

”Wait!” Ye Shixian called out hastily. ”Where is Shaoyao? Where is she being held?”

She had deliberately looked around just now, but after a full scan, she couldn’t find a trace of Shaoyao.

The prison guard said impatiently, ”During the interrogation just now, you only claimed you were framed and stubbornly denied everything else. The official has ordered another hearing tomorrow, where you will confront that Shaoyao in court! As for where she’s being held, that’s not for you to ask. Just wait!”

With that, the prison guard left without another moment’s delay.

”I—”

Ye Shixian reached out, trying to grab him, but her hand met only empty air.

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine. She instinctively looked up and saw the inmates in the cells across from her, their eyes fixed like vipers on her slender, fair, exposed wrist.

One look at that wrist and it was clear she was the young mistress of a wealthy family, completely out of place and jarring to the eye in a place like this.

The hair on Ye Shixian’s arms stood on end, and she quickly pulled her hand back.

A burst of laughter immediately came from the cells opposite her.

”Which family’s young miss is this? To think she’s sunk so low as to be stuck in here with us.”

An indescribable terror welled up from the depths of her heart. Ye Shixian huddled in a corner, wrapping her arms around herself, but she still couldn’t stop trembling.

Those gazes didn’t disappear. They were like vipers lurking in the shadows, ready to strike and kill her at any moment!

She finally realized that this place was filled with the most vicious and depraved criminals.

’My days here are going to be absolute hell!’

’I have to get out of here as soon as possible!’

But that was easier said than done.

It’s unclear who shouted it first, but suddenly a voice yelled, ”Don’t you guys know? She was thrown in here for killing her own mother!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the previously raucous and noisy crowd fell completely silent.

The atmosphere became utterly bizarre.

Ye Shixian instinctively shrieked in rebuttal, ”I didn’t! Someone framed me... They framed me!”

Another hoarse voice mocked, ”Being ’framed’ for a crime like that? That’s not something just anyone can manage, is it?”

Ye Shixian was instantly choked into silence.

She covered her ears, unwilling to hear another word from them, and just kept repeating under her breath:

”I didn’t kill her. It wasn’t me. I’m innocent... I’m innocent!”

...

「That night.」

Ye Chutang finished wrapping the prescribed medicine. Her slender, fair fingers, as delicate as green onions, moved like a flurry of dancers, tying the packet in a few swift motions.

Xiao Wu sat across from her, her chin resting in her hands, looking puzzled.

’Big Sis has rarely treated patients personally since we returned to the Capital City. Why is she suddenly preparing medicine herself again?’

Ye Chutang finished her task and gently rubbed her chin, lost in thought.

”This should be enough to keep him half-alive...”

This made Xiao Wu even more curious.

’Half-alive?’

’Big Sis never has any trouble saving people. Fourth Brother said that if King Yama decrees someone dies at the third watch, Big Sis can keep them alive until the fifth. So why is she only leaving this person with half a life?’

Seeing Xiao Wu staring at the medicine packets with a bewildered expression, Ye Chutang smiled and gently poked her on the nose.

”What are you looking at? Want a taste?”

Xiao Wu quickly covered her nose and recoiled.

No, no, no!

’Medicine tastes awful! It’s not as good as jujube cakes! And it’s definitely not as good as chestnut and red bean paste!’

Ye Chutang, for her part, hadn’t expected Ye Heng to be so useless. He was already on the verge of death before even reaching Tongbei.

Of course, he couldn’t be allowed to die.

’At least, not now.’