Chapter 48 — The Emperor Wants to Arrange a Marriage for Prince Chen

When Ye Jingchuan fainted in the secret chamber, a lavish breakfast was being delivered to Ningchu Courtyard.

Qi Yanzhou also thoroughly searched the entire courtyard.

Just like in Xishou Palace, there were no secret passages.

Could it really have been the work of ghosts?

Ye Chutang looked at Qi Yanzhou, whose brows were tightly furrowed, and said, “Your Highness, if you don’t mind, join me for breakfast.”

Qi Yanzhou had only had a few bites of lunch yesterday and hadn’t eaten anything since then. He was actually a little hungry.

“I’ll trouble you then, Miss Ye.”

While they were eating, Ye Chutang deliberately asked, “Isn’t the theft at Ningchu Courtyard under the jurisdiction of the Capital Prefecture Magistrate? How did this matter end up in your hands, Your Highness?”

Qi Yanzhou figured that news of the theft in Xishou Palace would soon spread and decided to speak frankly.

“De-gonggong’s Xishou Palace was hit just like Ningchu Courtyard—completely emptied in a very short time.”

Ye Chutang’s lips curved into a smile, her brows also lit with amusement.

“What a delight. De-gonggong had it coming! That thief is incredible, daring to steal from the palace. Once the Emperor finds out, he’s going to be losing sleep over it.”

If someone could sneak into Xishou Palace to steal, they could just as easily sneak into the Qianqing Palace to take the Emperor’s head!

Qi Yanzhou looked at the gleeful Ye Chutang and reminded her, “Miss Ye, please watch your words.”

The Emperor was dim-witted and petty. He could not tolerate any unpleasant remarks.

Ye Chutang took a sip of bird’s nest soup and smiled. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. I know how to talk to people—and to ghosts.”

After finishing breakfast, Qi Yanzhou took his leave.

He needed to return to the prince’s residence to bathe and change before heading to the city gates to welcome the Emperor’s return.

Ye Chutang, meanwhile, lay down on her bed and entered her space under the pretense of taking a nap.

She spent some time organizing the cluttered items in her space by category.

In the space, things could float mid-air. Even without packing boxes, nothing ever got messy.

Once she was done tidying, she drank a glass of milk before exiting the space.

She had napped for about half an hour before getting up to practice martial arts in the courtyard.

She hadn’t been training long when Housekeeper Chen came running in, flustered.

“Miss, after the master entered your courtyard, he vanished. Do you know where he went? The Emperor is about to arrive in the capital, and the master must go to the city gates to welcome him!”

It was already nearly si hour (9 AM). If they didn’t leave now, they’d be late.

Ye Chutang thought about how if Ye Jingchuan angered the Emperor, she’d suffer along with him.

“Father said he had official business and left.”

The housekeeper had previously gone to the study and asked the guards, but they said the master wasn’t there.

Hearing this, he figured the master must not have wanted to be disturbed and had the guards say that on purpose.

“Thank you for the reminder, Miss. I’ll take my leave.”

The housekeeper returned to the study and, after explaining the situation to the guards, entered the room.

But he didn’t dare enter the secret chamber. He could only stand at the pitch-dark entrance and call out, “Master!”

Ye Jingchuan, who had been unconscious, was roused by the shouting. Remembering he needed to welcome the Emperor, he didn’t have time to worry about the looted secret chamber. In a panic, he hurried into a carriage bound for the city gates.

---

At that time—

News of the theft at the Li family granary was already spreading like wildfire.

“All the grain in the warehouse disappeared overnight, and the night patrol didn’t notice a thing!”

“I heard it was one man who did it—and Prince Chen caught him in the act, but sadly, he got away.”

“One man? That’s impossible! That much grain could crush him eight times over.”

“Exactly. Sounds like the officials can’t solve the case and are looking for someone to take the fall.”

“I heard it was a ghost thief. If the officials can solve that, I’ll eat my shoes…”

After someone started that rumor, the phrase “ghost thief” took on a life of its own, becoming more and more bizarre.

At first, it was said that a starving ghost had stolen the grain.

Then people claimed underworld soldiers were raiding for supplies.

Finally, the story became that there were too many souls in the underworld, and the King of Hell couldn’t feed all the little ghosts—so they had to steal grain from the living world.

Storytellers and novelists seized the opportunity, turning the “ghost thief” tale into all sorts of ghostly folklore, spreading it throughout the city.

Dan’er overheard bits of the gossip while picking up vegetables from the main kitchen.

She returned to Ningchu Courtyard and told Ye Chutang everything.

Ye Chutang had already guessed last night, when Qi Yanzhou caught her red-handed, that the empty granary incident would blow up. But she hadn’t expected the “ghost thief” theory to catch on like wildfire.

“Dan’er, go rest. I’ll make lunch today.”

“Miss, you mustn’t!”

“What, are you afraid my cooking will be inedible?”

Dan’er quickly waved her hands, flustered.

“That’s not what I meant. You’re noble and precious, Miss—how can you be doing this kind of rough work?”

Ye Chutang laughed. “Food is the top priority for the people. There’s nothing disgraceful about cooking. Go on and rest up—heal early so you can take over everything again.”

Dan’er knew Ye Chutang was doing this out of care, and her eyes filled with gratitude.

“Yes, Miss.”

Ye Chutang entered the kitchen. After Dan’er left to rest, Jinzhi came running over to help.

She watched Ye Chutang skillfully pick, wash, and cook the vegetables, her eyes turning red with sorrow.

If Miss hadn’t been betrayed by someone she trusted, she would’ve grown up spoiled and pampered—why would she ever need to learn any of this?

“Things must’ve been really hard for you on the estate, Miss…”

“Not as hard as you, Aunt Jin. Let’s not talk about the past—it’s bad luck.”

Jinzhi wiped away her tears and nodded earnestly.

“Bitter days are over—sweet ones will come.”

One of Ye Chutang’s quiet joys in her past life was cooking, and over time she had honed her skills.

While stir-frying, she avoided Jinzhi’s gaze and secretly took condiments out from her space.

Only with the right ingredients and seasoning could one make truly gourmet dishes.

She even used spiritual spring water for cooking rice.

Before the rice was even done, the courtyard was already filled with its sweet, fragrant aroma.

Soon, all the dishes were served.

Dan’er helped the still-weak Shuang’er to the dining room, then went out to call Wangcai, who was recovering in the outer courtyard, to join them for the meal.

The food was too delicious—every dish was polished off.

---

Imperial Palace.

The Emperor had returned to the palace and was holding a banquet for the officials.

Wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, the middle-aged man sat atop the dragon throne and glanced toward the second seat on the left—where Prince Chen sat.

“The climate in the southern borderlands is vastly different from the capital. Has Prince Chen adjusted during his stay here?”

Qi Yanzhou stood and bowed.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern. This subject is most grateful. I grew up in the capital, so I’ve naturally readjusted easily.”

The Emperor looked at the courteous and humble Prince Chen, who gave him no faults to pick on, but his eyes suddenly sharpened.

“I’ve heard you refused a marriage proposal with Princess Anping because your heart already belongs to someone. May I ask which family this young lady is from?”

This Prince Chen must not remain!

If he couldn’t strike directly at the Prince’s residence, then he’d go after the woman he loved.

Qi Yanzhou instantly saw through the Emperor’s intentions and replied, “She is a shaman doctor I met in Miaojiang. She once saved my life.”

Naturally, this wasn’t true.

He said it because Miaojiang was far from the capital.

Even if the Emperor wanted to interfere, he couldn’t reach that far in the short term.

The Emperor knew of this shaman doctor—her name was A’man.

When he heard she had saved the critically injured Prince Chen, he had been so enraged that he immediately sent assassins to kill her.

But due to the poisonous insects and miasma in the south, he had sent three groups in a row—all had vanished without a trace.

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

“If you truly like her, why haven’t you brought her to the capital?”

Qi Yanzhou lowered his eyes, a hint of sorrow in his expression.

“She has no interest in me, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor was a bit surprised. “There’s actually a woman who doesn’t like the dashing and invincible Prince Chen?”

“Southern women rarely marry outside their clan. They almost always choose husbands from within their own tribes.”

Although this wasn’t untrue, it greatly displeased the Emperor.

“All under heaven belongs to the Emperor. Prince Chen, your service in reclaiming the southern border is a great merit. I will grant you a marriage—have that shaman doctor brought to the capital and marry her here!”