The head of the Imperial Medical Bureau had assumed this visit would merely involve a routine pulse check, never expecting such a dire situation.
Regarding the poisoning, Ye Jingchuan clearly had no intention of elaborating, and Imperial Physician Wang knew better than to pry.
"Lord Ye, perhaps we could start with a standard antidote prescription."
Whether it would work was uncertain, but at least it wouldn’t cause harm.
Ye Jingchuan nodded. "Thank you, Imperial Physician Wang. Please keep the matter of my wife and me being poisoned confidential."
He pulled out a hundred-tael silver note from his sleeve and pressed it into the physician’s hand.
Imperial Physician Wang declined the money.
"Rest assured, Lord Ye. This old man knows when to hold his tongue."
His decade-long tenure as head of the bureau was owed to his strict adherence to treating illnesses—not prying, not gossiping.
After writing the prescription, he prepared to take his leave.
Ye Jingchuan quickly added, "Might I trouble you to examine my younger son, Jun'er? He’s been secretly harmed by the household physician since childhood, and his health is nearly ruined."
"Lead the way."
They arrived at Glazed Courtyard.
Imperial Physician Wang looked at Ye Anjun lying in bed—frail, pale, his body utterly depleted.
After taking the boy’s pulse, he pulled Ye Jingchuan outside, his expression grave.
"Lord Ye, I fear the young master has less than two years left. At best, I can prescribe tonics to ease his suffering."
Hearing the same prognosis as previous physicians, Ye Jingchuan seethed with hatred for Kong Ru.
"No need. I already have plenty of tonic prescriptions."
"Lord Ye might consider seeking Divine Doctor Xue for the young master. Now, I must take my leave."
After seeing Imperial Physician Wang out, Ye Jingchuan headed for Tranquil Dawn Courtyard.
Tranquil Dawn Courtyard.
Ye Chutang was practicing martial arts again.
Dan'er, sorting vegetables for dinner, asked, "Miss, may I train with you?"
She wanted to learn some self-defense skills.
Ye Chutang stepped forward, testing Dan'er’s bone structure before shaking her head.
"Your bones have hardened. It’s too late for martial arts, but I can teach you simpler defensive techniques. We’ll start once your injuries heal."
Dan'er beamed. "Thank you, Miss!"
Jinzhi shuffled over, grinning foolishly. "Miss, Jinzhi wants to learn too!"
She would train hard to protect her young mistress!
"Alright."
Ye Chutang agreed, then pulled Jinzhi into a horse stance.
When Ye Jingchuan arrived, he took one look at Jinzhi’s sloppy posture and sneered.
"I need to speak with Chutang alone. All of you, leave."
Jinzhi giggled vacantly, pretending not to understand.
Dan'er outright ignored him.
Shuang'er, resting inside, did rise—only to retreat when she saw the others staying put.
Ye Jingchuan’s authority as family head was being flouted. "Are you all deaf?" he roared.
Ye Chutang lifted her gaze, her mocking eyes meeting his fury.
"Lord Ye, if you want to flaunt your authority, you’ve come to the wrong place."
Remembering his purpose, Ye Jingchuan softened.
"Chutang, you once said you could cure Jun'er’s illness. Was that true?"
"Of course."
"Then I leave him in your hands."
"Gladly. But I don’t work for free."
Ye Jingchuan had anticipated her extortion. "How much?"
Ye Chutang stepped closer. "Father, this time I don’t want money."
His heart lurched. "Then what?"
Slowly, she enunciated, "Ye Anzhi is a lecherous monster. I want him ruined."
She’d promised Dan'er vengeance, and she never broke her word.
She’d planned to expose Ye Anzhi’s depravity during the homecoming banquet but missed her chance.
Ye Jingchuan stared in disbelief. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Choose: your eldest son’s reputation or your second son’s life."
"Chutang, you swore to treat Jun'er after the banquet!"
She marveled at his audacity.
"Lord Ye, are you delirious? Have you forgotten what happened at the banquet? If sacrificing Ye Anzhi isn’t enough, I can drag the entire Ye family down with him!"
Leaning in, she whispered,
"Father, does the Crown Prince know you secretly support the Second Prince?"
If this reached either the Crown Prince or the Emperor, the Ye family would fall.
Ye Jingchuan paled.
How had she uncovered this? Had the "ghost thief" who emptied his secret vault been her?
Impossible! The stolen items were too numerous for one person to move or hide.
Struggling to compose himself, he hissed, "Chutang, such treasonous talk is fatal! The Ye family’s fate is tied to yours!"
She smirked at his panic.
"Yet you didn’t consider that when scheming against me."
Done with his hypocrisy, she delivered her ultimatum.
"Father, I’ll ask once more: Who will you protect?"
If forced to choose, Ye Jingchuan would pick his second son.
The eldest was already a lost cause—even if he inherited the title, he’d squander it. The younger son must be saved and groomed.
Grimly, he asked, "Chutang, even Imperial Physician Wang said Jun'er has two years at most. Can you really save him?"
He couldn’t afford to sacrifice the heir only for the spare to die.
Ye Chutang reminded him, "Had I not intervened that day, Jun'er would already be dead."
True enough. Ye Jingchuan relented.
"If you cure Jun'er, I’ll ensure Anzhi’s disgrace—but only after Ling'er’s wedding."
"Today. No negotiations."
He bristled. "That’s impossible—"
She cut him off, fox-like.
"A man of your brilliance will find a way."
Gritting his teeth, Ye Jingchuan told himself to endure—just five more days!
"Fine. I’ll try. When do I get the antidote for the Heartbreaker Poison?"
"Bring me half of Kong Ru’s dowry after you’ve done your part."
Tang Wanning’s dowry far surpassed Kong Ru’s. Without hesitation, he agreed.
"Deal."
Before leaving, he asked, "Is the antidote for one person or two?"
Ye Chutang held up one finger.
His jaw clenched. "Kong Ru can’t die yet. Ling'er and Yin'er’s weddings would be postponed!"
"Relax. She won’t die until she’s suffered enough."
Satisfied, Ye Jingchuan left.
Half an hour later, a maidservant—her body covered in wounds—was found hanged at the Minister’s Mansion gates.
Before dying, she’d bloodied her lips cursing Ye Anzhi’s bedroom atrocities.
Another maid scattered the instruments he’d used to torture them outside officials’ homes, vividly recounting his perversions.
By the time the news reached Tranquil Dawn Courtyard, all of the capital knew.
Ye Anzhi was ruined.
