Chapter 80: Young Master Qin, Do You Like Me?

Ye Jingchuan suddenly remembered something and stopped Ye Chutang.

“Chuer, wait a moment.”

Ye Chutang halted and turned around. “What’s the matter?”

“Your name has become quite famous recently. Many of my colleagues want to form a marriage alliance with the Minister’s residence. What do you think about that?”

“I plan to take all the men who want to marry me and make them part of the Minister’s residence, as my concubines,” Ye Chutang replied.

Ye Jingchuan: “…”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

Ye Chutang forced a fake smile.

“It was you who spoke nonsense first. Consider this a kind warning—don’t matchmake arbitrarily, or the consequences will be severe!”

Upon hearing this, Ye Jingchuan became anxious and quickly reassured her.

“Don’t worry, I promised you I wouldn’t interfere with your marriage.”

Ye Chutang thought of the gossip she heard at the royal hot spring villa and smiled, her grin reaching her eyes.

“I believe you wouldn’t dig your own grave.”

With that, she turned and left.

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Liuli Courtyard

Kong Ru was still in pain, her throat so hoarse that she couldn’t speak a word.

When the maid saw Ye Chutang enter the room, she not only didn’t stop her, but also stepped back and quietly left.

Ye Chutang walked over to the messy bed.

In less than two days, Kong Ru had lost so much weight she appeared to have aged more than ten years.

She clutched her stomach tightly, curled into a ball, her brows furrowed in pain.

“Does this feeling of suffering not feel like death?”

Hearing Ye Chutang’s voice, Kong Ru’s once unfocused eyes gained a sharp focus.

She couldn’t eat because of the pain, and after starving for two days, her whole body felt weak. Even turning her neck was a struggle.

Ye Chutang, watching Kong Ru move like it was in slow motion, roughly turned her head towards her.

“Does it hurt? Don’t worry, it will hurt even more later.”

Kong Ru hated Ye Chutang deeply, but she didn’t dare to show it. Her eyes were full of pleading.

“Chuer… I was wrong, please… please…”

Ye Chutang grabbed Kong Ru’s neck, cutting off the words she hadn’t finished.

“Don’t worry, you won’t die yet. Where are the slaves’ contracts?”

Kong Ru once again felt the suffocating fear.

Her blue-tinged face turned ashen, her stiff body trembling violently.

She barely managed to speak a few words, “The bottom shelf of the wardrobe.”

Ye Chutang released Kong Ru, retrieved a locked wooden box from the wardrobe.

She didn’t ask for the key, instead she smashed the lock.

Inside the box, there were not only the slaves’ contracts, but also land deeds, store contracts, and house deeds.

She didn’t take anything else, just the contracts for Xiu’er and Xinghua.

Then, she shoved the box back into the wardrobe.

As she was about to leave, Ye Chutang gave Kong Ru a few needles and fed her a pill.

“During the day, you will seem like a normal person, but after tonight, the pain will double.”

If she let Kong Ru suffer without relief, she would die within two days.

She couldn’t let her die so easily!

The pain in Kong Ru’s body disappeared instantly, and she seemed to come back to life.

She didn’t care about what would happen that night, as long as the pain could stop for even a moment.

Otherwise, she couldn’t contact her father to take action.

To Ye Chutang, Kong Ru was already a dead person, and she didn’t care about the hidden hatred in her eyes.

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Ningchu Courtyard

Ye Chutang handed over the three slave contracts to Hongxiu.

“The estate is large enough to grow vegetables and raise poultry. There are embroidery jobs in the town that you can do. It’s enough to support yourselves. If you need help, go find Aunt Wang in the village.”

Hongxiu didn’t take the slave contracts. Instead, she knelt and kowtowed three times.

“Miss, your life-saving grace, I will never forget. If you ever need me, I will not hesitate to help.”

Her life was saved by the young lady, and she would forever be loyal to her.

Ye Chutang took back the contracts.

“Alright, let’s go. The carriage is waiting outside.”

“I will pray for you every day, Miss, wishing you peace and prosperity.”

After saying this, Hongxiu got up and left.

Once she was gone, Ye Chutang went out again, heading to the Yinshi Tower.

At the entrance, she encountered Qin Muyu.

“Miss Ye, may I have a word with you?”

After his father returned from court and mentioned the proposal for a marriage alliance, he became anxious and angry.

His father said, “Yun’er, the Minister said he wouldn’t interfere with Miss Ye’s marriage, and the Prince of Chen also asked me to tell you that if you truly like Miss Ye, then boldly pursue her, and don’t let yourself regret it.”

So, he came to the Yinshi Tower to wait for Ye Chutang.

Ye Chutang looked at Qin Muyu, whose cheeks were flushed and who couldn’t even look her in the eye, and saw through his thoughts.

She tilted her head towards the building, “If you want to talk, come in.”

After saying that, she glanced at the plaque hanging outside the building and answered.

Qin Muyu immediately followed her, answering in turn.

The Qin family was a family of scholars, and none of their descendants lacked talent.

Especially Qin Muyu, the eldest son, who had been taught by his grandfather, the Imperial Tutor, from a young age. Passing the imperial exams was a piece of cake for him.

But he had been playing the role of a spoiled young master, so no one knew his true talent.

The bookboy passed Qin Muyu’s answer to the teacher.

Soon, the teacher instructed, and smiled as he said to Qin Muyu, “Master Qin, please come in.”

Qin Muyu nodded and entered the Yinshi Tower.

As soon as he entered, he saw Ye Chutang surrounded by a group of men, teaching them.

The stunning young lady was calm and confident, exuding a charm that captivated him.

He didn’t approach her to interrupt, but silently waited, occasionally stealing glances.

The more he looked, the more he felt unworthy of such a remarkable woman.

After dealing with a few people, Ye Chutang spoke, “Everyone, we’ll continue discussing later. I’m leaving with Master Qin for now.”

Then she turned to Qin Muyu, “Shall we go to a private room?”

Compared to her poised demeanor, Qin Muyu seemed uneasy.

“Uh… as you wish, Miss Ye.”

Although Ye Chutang requested a private room, she didn’t close the door, to avoid any rumors about being alone with a man.

She asked in a low voice, “Master Qin, do you like me?”

Qin Muyu, who was pouring tea for Ye Chutang, nearly dropped the teapot upon hearing her question.

His face turned bright red, and he immediately pressed his trembling right hand with his left, finishing pouring the tea. Then he put down the teapot and sat properly, but because of his nervousness, he didn’t know where to place his hands and feet, looking restless.

“Ye… Ye… Miss Ye, you… you saw through it?”