Nan Xiao's hand holding the prescription froze. "Your Highness, Xi Ze cannot go."
Jiangnan was over two thousand li away from the capital, and the round trip would take at least ten days. Given their lord's current physical condition, he needed a highly skilled physician by his side at all times.
Qi Yanzhou glanced at Ye Chutang and said, "With Miss Ye here, I will be fine. Have Xi Ze set out immediately and gather medicinal supplies for treating plague along the way through the prefectures."
Nan Xiao understood the severity of a plague outbreak. If it spread unchecked, the casualties would number in the tens of thousands at the very least.
"As you command, Your Highness."
"If a plague truly breaks out in Jiangnan, have Xi Ze stay to assist. And make sure everyone knows that these prescriptions came from Miss Ye."
"This subordinate will relay the message to Xi Ze exactly as instructed."
After Nan Xiao left, Qi Yanzhou turned to Ye Chutang, preparing to bow in gratitude.
Ye Chutang quickly sidestepped. "Your Highness need not be so formal. As a physician, saving lives is my duty."
With that, she made to take her leave.
Qi Yanzhou's gaze lingered on her. "Miss Ye was outside the pavilion earlier, wasn't she?"
Ye Chutang curled her index finger and awkwardly rubbed her nose.
"I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It just wasn’t the right moment to make an appearance."
Qi Yanzhou cleared his throat, equally embarrassed.
"That was my mother acting on her own. I never intended to casually select a noblewoman for marriage."
He didn’t want Ye Chutang to misunderstand him as someone who treated women as objects to be picked and chosen.
Ye Chutang coughed lightly.
"I also overheard Your Highness and Concubine Chen’s conversation behind the rockery."
She then gave a thumbs-up.
"Your Highness’s unwavering devotion to the witch doctor is admirable. I’m sure you’ll overcome all obstacles and be together."
Qi Yanzhou hurried to explain, "The witch doctor and I aren’t—"
Before he could finish, Ye Chutang pressed a finger to her lips in a silencing gesture.
"Your Highness can rest assured. Today, I saw nothing and heard nothing. Not a single word will leave my lips. Farewell."
With that, she swiftly departed.
Qi Yanzhou’s unfinished explanation stuck in his throat, leaving him deeply unsettled.
He considered chasing after her to clarify but found the thought absurd. His raised foot lowered back to the ground.
Unaware of Qi Yanzhou’s inner turmoil, Ye Chutang retraced her steps.
When she passed the garden pavilion again, she pushed aside the gauzy curtains and stepped inside.
Concubine Chen was seeing off the noble ladies.
Spotting Ye Chutang’s sudden entrance, she smiled. "Miss Ye, have you and Zhou’er finished speaking so soon?"
Ye Chutang: "..."
Concubine Chen, saying such things in front of these noblewomen—what was she implying? Using her as a shield?
"Replying to Concubine Chen, it was only a few words, so naturally, it didn’t take long."
She then swept her gaze over the noblewomen and delivered a direct, face-to-face rebuttal.
"You accuse me of eavesdropping? I wasn’t here for a wife selection—no need to join the crowd."
"You call me dishonorable? Then what does that make you, slandering others behind their backs?"
"Yes, I am Ye Chutang, renowned throughout the capital. If you have a problem, let’s settle it."
"Just because His Highness rejected an imperial marriage proposal doesn’t mean I can’t visit Prince Chen’s Mansion. Meanwhile, those of you who weren’t even eligible for such a proposal—what gives you the right to be here?"
The noblewomen were stunned into silence, gaping at Ye Chutang.
They burned to retort but feared being labeled as ill-mannered shrews—after all, this was Prince Chen’s Mansion, not their own homes!
Having already witnessed Ye Chutang’s bluntness, Concubine Chen wasn’t surprised by her vengeful streak.
She glanced at the noblewomen who were seething with silent resentment and quickly stepped in to mediate.
"Miss Ye, they didn’t mean any harm. Could you do me this small favor and let it go?"
Ye Chutang swept her eyes over the noblewomen’s attire, and a thought immediately took root in her mind.
"Concubine Chen, please forgive my blunt words. Empty talk means nothing—if you want to prove yourself, you must show real skill."
"Since we clearly don’t see eye to eye, ladies, why don’t we settle this with a competition?"
Concubine Chen: "..."
How did this suddenly turn into a challenge?
Qi Yanzhou’s voice suddenly drifted in from outside the pavilion.
"Miss Ye’s literary talent is unmatched. I fear none of the ladies present could compare—it would hardly be a fair contest."
At his words, the noblewomen assumed Prince Chen disapproved of Ye Chutang and was siding with them.
Overjoyed, several of them eagerly chimed in.
"Your Highness is absolutely right. Our literary skills are mediocre at best..."
Ye Chutang cut Luo Rou off.
"Your Highness, you misunderstand. I merely suggested they compete with me using their strengths—how is that unfair?"
Qi Yanzhou’s lips curved slightly, carrying a trace of unconscious tenderness.
"In that case, Miss Ye is indeed not being unfair."
Ye Chutang had long sensed Qi Yanzhou was helping her, likely repaying the favor for the medicinal prescription she’d given him.
His men had raced across miles to deliver it—if a plague had truly broken out, it would have earned him great acclaim.
Seizing the opportunity, she challenged the noblewomen, "Since you all look down on me, do you dare compete?"
Luo Rou, eager to impress Qi Yanzhou, spoke up.
"Of course I dare. But I wouldn’t want Miss Ye to feel I’m bullying you—after all, I’m only skilled in martial arts."
"What a coincidence. I know a thing or two myself."
Hearing this, Qi Yanzhou’s smile deepened.
With Ye Chutang’s skills, ten Luo Rous wouldn’t stand a chance against her.
Unaware of the truth, Concubine Chen assumed Ye Chutang was merely flattering herself by calling her skills "a thing or two."
Worried Ye Chutang might suffer, she cautioned,
"Miss Ye, the Luo family comes from a military background. Miss Luo has trained in martial arts since childhood."
Ye Chutang smiled. "The better the skill, the more interesting the match."
Seeing she couldn’t dissuade Ye Chutang, Concubine Chen turned to Luo Rou.
"Since this is a friendly match, let’s keep it civil."
Luo Rou nodded. "Naturally."
She wasn’t foolish enough to flaunt her strength before Concubine Chen and Prince Chen.
"The pavilion is too small. Miss Ye, shall we step outside?"
"Wait a moment."
Luo Rou thought Ye Chutang was backing out and smirked mockingly.
"Has Miss Ye changed her mind?"
Ye Chutang retrieved a piece of warm jade from her spatial storage and placed it on the stone table in the center of the pavilion.
"A simple match is dull. Let’s make it interesting with a wager."
Six noblewomen were present, four of whom had attended Ye Chutang’s homecoming banquet.
They all knew how, with just one poem, she had not only humiliated Princess Anping but also walked away with a fortune in wagers.
Now, history was repeating itself, and their faces twisted in reluctance.
The jewelry they wore today was their most prized—treasures they rarely brought out.
"Miss Ye—"
The Minister of Revenue’s daughter was about to refuse when Luo Rou spoke at the same time.
"Fine!"
She had attended the Minister’s banquet and knew Ye Chutang’s wager was a trap.
But she had absolute confidence in her martial prowess!
Luo Rou, dressed in practical attire, wore little jewelry.
She removed her ice-grade amethyst pendant and placed it on the table.
This move infuriated the other five noblewomen.
Luo Rou, confident in her victory, had thrown them to the wolves without a second thought.
How outrageous!
They even secretly hoped Ye Chutang would win.
If they were going to lose face, they’d lose it together—if their purses were going to be emptied, they’d be emptied together!
Luo Rou paid no attention to the other noble ladies’ sour expressions.
Their relationship was nothing more than a superficial rivalry—there was no need to pretend to be sisters.
Right now, she had the perfect opportunity to impress both Concubine Chen and Prince Chen while also winning the prize. Why wouldn’t she take it?
"Miss Ye, after you."
The two stepped onto the pathway outside the pavilion.
Luo Rou glanced at Qi Yanzhou standing not far away, her cheeks flushing with a coy pink hue as her voice turned sweet and delicate.
"Miss Ye, don’t worry. I’ll hold back and won’t hurt you."
Ye Chutang’s rosy lips curved into a sly smirk.
"I’ll return the same courtesy to you. Let’s begin."
