Ye Chutang thought of the gossip on the streets and said, "Your Highness need not feel indebted to me. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Admittedly, that was somewhat shameless of her to say.
After all, aside from wanting to break the deadlock, she also coveted the immense merit points Qi Yanzhou carried.
Qi Yanzhou wore a look of guilt. "I’ve implicated Miss Ye."
Had Ye Chutang not been chosen by the emperor as a pawn to deal with him, she wouldn’t have faced such peril.
Ye Chutang smiled. "I never imagined the illustrious Prince Chen, with his grand ambitions, could also be prone to melancholy."
Then she added,
"Your Highness, didn’t you also spread rumors about the An Prince’s Mansion and the imperial petition to pressure the emperor and the An Prince, ensuring they wouldn’t dare act rashly against me?"
Qi Yanzhou had indeed schemed this way.
But he suddenly realized these external pressures were of limited effect—utterly insufficient to guarantee Ye Chutang’s safety.
Had it not been for her exceptional medical skills and talent for disguise, she would have been doomed today!
"I know Miss Ye is capable, but the palace is beyond my reach. I can’t assist you there, so you must prioritize your safety. Without your life, nothing else matters."
The emperor guarded against him, and since he rarely stayed in the capital, he hadn’t managed to plant spies close to the emperor.
Ye Chutang felt Qi Yanzhou’s concern for her was excessive.
She replied earnestly, "Your Highness, rest assured. I value my life dearly. I wouldn’t take risks unless absolutely certain of success."
Not wishing to dwell on the pointless topic, she swiftly changed the subject.
"Your Highness, do you have charcoal pencils in your study?"
Qi Yanzhou nodded and fetched two for her.
Ye Chutang spent nearly an hour sketching portraits of all the known assassins.
"Your Highness, please copy these with a brush, then have Young Master Qin select a few to replicate. Hand them over to the Dali Temple to investigate these men’s identities."
She had no intention of shielding the damned emperor for sending shadow guards to the An Prince’s Mansion to attack her.
But as an "undercover agent," she couldn’t openly pursue the mastermind.
Leaving it to Qi Yanzhou and Qin Muyun was the perfect solution.
Qi Yanzhou examined the lifelike portraits and nodded.
"Miss Ye, even if I can’t implicate the emperor directly, I’ll ensure the An Prince suffers a heavy blow."
"I’ll await good news."
Ye Chutang then added, "To lull the emperor into complacency, I’ll be visiting Prince Chen’s Mansion frequently in the coming days."
"You’re always welcome. If you need my cooperation, just say the word."
"Good. I’ll stay for lunch today."
After inquiring about her preferences, Qi Yanzhou had the kitchen prepare a lavish feast.
Once lunch concluded, Ye Chutang left Prince Chen’s Mansion.
Instead of returning to the Minister’s Mansion, she headed to the bustling Poetry Pavilion, abuzz with chatter that day.
Scholars and students were heatedly discussing the outcome of Ye Chutang’s imperial petition.
"Reliable sources say Miss Ye has solid evidence of the An Prince’s schemes. Her petition is bound to succeed."
"Success means little! The An Prince is the emperor’s brother—naturally, he’ll side with him and shield him."
"Not necessarily! The commoners and scholars are watching. Even if the emperor wants to favor him, he won’t dare go too far."
"True. The imperial family cares deeply about appearances. They can’t outright lie."
"Exactly. Miss Ye’s plague cure has been made public. The people revere her as a living bodhisattva."
After eavesdropping outside, Ye Chutang entered the Poetry Pavilion.
She was now a celebrity there—everyone recognized her.
The moment she appeared, the crowd swarmed her, demanding details about the petition.
Ye Chutang took a seat in the main hall and ordered a pot of chilled tea.
After a sip, she said, "Please, everyone, take a seat. I’ll explain in full."
At once, the eager scholars gathered around her, firing questions.
"Miss Ye, did the emperor deliberately favor the An Prince and make things difficult for you?"
Ye Chutang produced the imperial pardon token.
"After learning of my near-fatal encounter in the An Prince’s Mansion, His Majesty granted me this token to compensate for the An Prince’s wrongdoing."
None had seen such a token before. They gaped at it, itching to touch its texture.
Another asked, "So the emperor is reasonable? The assassination attempt is just brushed aside? No punishment for the An Prince?"
Ye Chutang tucked the token away.
"The Dali Temple hasn’t closed the case yet. There’s no evidence directly linking the An Prince to the assassination, but his household bears negligence. He’s offered two shops, a hundred acres of fertile land, and a hundred taels of gold as reparations. If future investigations prove his involvement, the emperor will surely uphold justice."
"That’s fair, but the An Prince should compensate not just Miss Ye but also Prince Chen and Young Master Qin."
As these words spread beyond the Poetry Pavilion, the emperor’s edict granting Ye Chutang the pardon token was publicly announced.
After recounting the petition’s outcome, Ye Chutang skillfully steered the conversation, detailing every scheme the An Prince’s Mansion had plotted against her.
Her vivid narration incited outrage among the scholars.
Mission accomplished, she headed upstairs to solve a chess puzzle.
There, she overheard another topic.
"Word is Song Jingning is returning to the capital soon."
"Indeed. The Song family thinks he’s of marriageable age and wants to arrange a match."
"Which family’s daughter?"
"Rumors say they favor Miss Ye."
"A perfect pair—both talented and well-matched."
"I wonder who’s more accomplished in literature and scholarship—Song Jingning or Miss Ye?"
Ye Chutang hadn’t expected her own gossip while solving a chess puzzle.
Uninterested in men, she dismissed Song Jingning from her thoughts.
After cracking the puzzle, she left the Poetry Pavilion and returned to the Minister’s Mansion.
The moment she entered Ningchu Courtyard, Shuang'er knelt before her in tears.
"Young Mistress, the young master’s poison has flared up. He’s in agony—please save him!"
Ye Chutang ignored Shuang'er and asked, "Has there been any movement in Liuli Courtyard lately?"
