Chapter 99: Emptying Out Prince An’s Manor

Ye Chutang watched the commotion for a while, then got ready to leave and take care of serious business.

Just then, Princess An came hurrying over.

“Everyone, I apologize for the poor hospitality today. Please forgive us. I’ve prepared some small gifts as a token of goodwill, and I will personally visit to apologize another day.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Zheng roared, “Something this serious happened today—until it’s fully investigated, no one is allowed to leave!”

He knew the destruction of the guest courtyard had nothing to do with the officials and their families.

But keeping them here would put pressure on Prince An and speed up the investigation.

Ye Jingchuan said, “Prime Minister Qin, there’s no need to vent your anger…”

Before he could finish, Qin Zheng cut him off with a cold laugh.

“Minister Ye, your daughter is missing, alive or dead, and you seem quite pleased about it?”

Ye Jingchuan reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on—instantly bristling.

“What nonsense are you spouting? I’m also very concerned about Chu’er’s safety. I just don’t want to take it out on the wrong people.”

“Wanting the truth is considered lashing out? Minister Ye, did you feed all your learning to the dogs? Or do you already know who did it and are just trying to muddy the waters and let them escape?”

With that provocation, Ye Jingchuan flared up.

“Fine! Investigate it! Until the truth is found, no one leaves!”

Prince An didn’t want to fall out with the Qin family, so he stepped in.

“The weather is hot—please rest in the main hall or the garden for now. As soon as there’s any news, I’ll inform you immediately.”

Princess An and the heir quickly escorted the guests out of the guest courtyard, leaving only Qin Zheng and Ye Jingchuan behind.

Ye Chutang was the first to leave. She tunneled underground into the back courtyard.

Most of the servants and guards of Prince An’s Manor were still digging through the ruins of the guest courtyard, while the maids were busy attending to guests in the main hall and the back courtyard.

Except for Ye Anling’s room, the rest of the back courtyard was practically deserted.

Once Ye Chutang had a clear grasp of the back courtyard layout, she went straight to Prince An’s main quarters.

This was the most heavily guarded area of the manor and the only part of the back courtyard that had anyone watching.

She emerged from beneath the floorboards of the bedroom and swept everything into her storage space.

Before leaving, she doused the place with gasoline—and lit it.

Because of the strong daylight, the smoke from the bedroom wasn’t immediately visible. It wasn’t until dark black smoke began curling up that the guards realized it was on fire.

By then, Ye Chutang had already cleared out all the books and letters from the study.

She even found the vault and emptied it out.

As she left the study, she heard the guards shouting.

“The bedroom is on fire! Go inform the prince and princess!”

A burning match dropped as the words fell, igniting the gasoline-soaked study.

Next, Ye Chutang moved on to the storage room across from the study.

She didn’t know when Prince An would die—

But she did know when his manor would become a ruin: Today!

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The main residence was right behind the front courtyard. Guests chatting under the covered walkway noticed thick smoke rising and rushed to find Zhao Qingshu.

“Your Highness, is the back courtyard on fire?”

Just as Zhao Qingshu was about to check, a guard from the main residence ran over, covered in soot.

“Your Highness—”

“Save it. I’m going to see for myself.”

By the time Zhao Qingshu reached the back courtyard, Ye Chutang had already emptied the storage room and set it ablaze.

The massive main residence was engulfed in thick smoke. Timber crackled and popped in the heat; the air burned.

“How could it catch fire?”

The guard remembered what he saw when he opened the bedroom door. His lips trembled.

“Your Highness… It was the ‘Ghost Thief.’ There’s nothing left in the prince’s bedroom!”

“And the study—it’s been cleaned out too.”

Zhao Qingshu’s face darkened and turned to the storage room.

“Go check it!”

The door was locked, but the guard was skilled. He kicked it open in one go.

Flames and smoke burst out, scorching his hair into curls.

Zhao Qingshu took a deep breath and ordered, “Quick! Call people to put out the fire!”

But before the flames in the main residence were extinguished, fire broke out in the other courtyards too.

Ye Chutang had saved the Blossoming Courtyard—where Princess Anling lived—for last.

As soon as she entered, she heard a furious roar.

“What’s wrong with Prince Qi?! Why didn’t Brother Yan jump in to save me?!”

“I want those two scoundrels cut into pieces and ground to dust!”

“You cowardly, greedy fools! I, your princess, will not spare you!”

Smash!

A teacup shattered on the ground.

“All of you—out! Kneel for two hours!”

Two close maids came out of Princess Anling’s room and obediently knelt in the shade outside.

Ye Chutang slipped into Princess Anling’s room in a flash.

The princess was fuming, eyes shut tight, unwilling to see anyone.

Suddenly, she sensed a shadow fall over her. A chill touched her neck.

She opened her eyes in alarm.

A strange man had appeared, pressing a sharp dagger to her throat.

She tried to scream, but the blade nicked her neck.

Ye Chutang spoke in a man’s voice, “Don’t move. Don’t shout. Unless you want me to rape you before I kill you.”

Princess Anling was trembling, begging through her tears.

“Please, hero… I’ll do whatever you say, just don’t kill me…”

“Call me Ghost Thief.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Princess Anling thought of the infamous Eighteen Levels of Hell at Dengtian Tower.

Eighteen young women, all dead in horrific ways. She was going to be the nineteenth, wasn’t she?

She trembled so hard she went pale. “You… you…”

And fainted on the spot.

Ye Chutang was speechless. “What a coward. Only knows how to bully the weak.”

After putting away her dagger, she tossed Princess Anling onto the floor and emptied her entire room.

Then she gave the girl a few hard slaps to wake her up.

“I’m going to ask you a few questions. Answer truthfully and I’ll let you live.”

Seeing her room completely stripped bare, Princess Anling trembled even harder.

“Okay, I’ll tell you everything. I promise.”

“Why is the emperor so determined to have Prince Chen marry Ye Chutang?”

Princess Anling had thought the Ghost Thief would ask where the prince’s treasures were. This question caught her completely off guard.

She froze for a second, then quickly shook her head.

“I don’t know. All I know is the emperor told Prince Qi to set them up, to make sure they had skin-on-skin contact so the marriage could be justified.”

Ye Chutang curled her lips into a cold smile. “Useless people don’t deserve to live.”

Princess Anling burst into sobs.

“I really don’t know anything else—I swear I’m not lying! If I’m lying, may I die horribly!”

“You like money, don’t you? I’ll tell you where all the manor’s money is.”

Like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, she listed all the hidden money sources in Prince An’s Manor.

Ye Chutang listened, smiling faintly. “Pretty good at hiding, aren’t they?”

Two of the hiding spots were so unexpected that she hadn’t even thought to check them.

She gave Princess Anling a solid kick, sending her flying into the doorway. Her head slammed into it, and she passed out again.

The two maids outside heard the noise but didn’t react.

Just then, the heir Zhao Qingshu came rushing over.

“Why are you two kneeling here? Where’s the princess?”

He’d noticed all the other fires had broken out in the princess’s courtyards and had come to check the only one that wasn’t burning yet—Blossoming Courtyard.

One maid quickly said, “We upset the princess, and she ordered us to kneel. She’s resting in her room.”

Though Zhao Qingshu was her brother, he couldn’t barge into her chambers directly.

“You, go check if she’s alright.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The maid got up and hurried to the bedroom door—but couldn’t push it open.

“Your Highness, the door won’t open. I think it’s been locked from the inside.”

Zhao Qingshu immediately realized something was wrong. He charged forward and kicked the door open.

Princess Anling, who had been leaning against the door, was sent flying—straight into the gasoline-soaked room, just as the flames began to catch.