Chapter 49 – Let Ye Chutang Marry Prince Chen

As soon as Qi Yanzhou heard that the emperor was planning to bestow a marriage, he immediately walked to the center aisle between the dining tables on the left and right and knelt down.

“Your Majesty, please withdraw your decree. The shaman doctor saved my life. I am deeply grateful—how could I force her into something against her will?”

The emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly, and an intense pressure pressed down on Qi Yanzhou.

“This marriage is a reward I intend to grant. Is Prince Chen implying that I am forcing someone against their will?”

“Please do not be angry, Your Majesty. I simply feel that the people of Nanjian have fierce temperaments. If we force the shaman doctor to come to the capital, I fear the city may suffer from a Gu-poison disaster.”

These words in the emperor’s ears were both a threat from Qi Yanzhou and a sign of his protection over the shaman doctor.

However, Qi Yanzhou did remind him—if the shaman doctor really did come to the capital, she could pose a great danger!

“Prince Chen, you’ve been away in Nanjian for two years, delaying your marriage and failing to produce an heir for the Prince Chen’s estate. I feel guilty about this. Now that you’ve returned to the capital, your marriage should be prioritized.”

Qi Yanzhou could tell—the emperor wanted to assign him a wife, someone who could find the right moment to kill him!

“I’ve just returned to the capital. Although I am willing to marry, I’m not yet familiar with the noble ladies here and would like to wait a little longer.”

The emperor wanted to directly bestow a marriage but didn’t want to invite criticism.

“I’ll give you half a month. If by then you still haven’t made a decision, I will make the choice for you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Long live the emperor!”

“You may rise and return to your seat.”

As Qi Yanzhou sat back down, Grand Eunuch De reported to the emperor about wanting to marry Ye Anling.

The emperor had already learned of the commotion at the Minister’s Manor yesterday during his return to the capital.

He glanced at the silent and stone-faced crown prince and gave a nod.

“I approve.”

“This old servant thanks Your Majesty for your kindness!”

Suddenly, the emperor remembered something and looked toward Qi Yanzhou.

“I heard you asked Minister Ye’s eldest legitimate daughter for a piece of her calligraphy?”

Qi Yanzhou replied respectfully, “Yes. Miss Ye’s style is elegant, her calligraphy flows like drifting clouds and startled dragons. I liked it and asked for a piece.”

After speaking, he glanced at Grand Eunuch De.

“Grand Eunuch De shares my taste—he also asked for one.”

The emperor gave Grand Eunuch De a sidelong glance. “I’ve heard Miss Ye is a stunning beauty, a rare combination of talent and looks. Prince Chen, are you not tempted?”

Qi Yanzhou instantly understood—the emperor wanted him to marry Ye Chutang.

Because Ye Jingchuan was his trusted subordinate, he considered the Ye family’s eldest daughter as “one of his own.”

But what he didn’t know was that Ye Chutang and Ye Jingchuan were far from being of one mind.

Truth be told, marrying Ye Chutang was actually the best option for him.

First, she wasn’t one of the emperor’s people.

Second, it would make it easier for her to help him with the antidote.

But since she clearly had no intention of marrying him, he naturally wouldn’t force it.

“I’m just a rough man of the military, unworthy of Miss Ye.”

The emperor thought Qi Yanzhou declined because Ye Jingchuan was a favored subject, and that Ye’s eldest daughter had grown up in the countryside.

“Prince Chen has defended the country and achieved outstanding military merits. He’s more than worthy—even of a princess.”

Of course, he would never actually give a princess to Qi Yanzhou—he didn’t want him to father children with royal blood and have an excuse to rebel with legitimacy.

Qi Yanzhou couldn’t outright defy the emperor, so he used the half-month deadline as a buffer.

The emperor couldn’t press further without slapping his own face.

So he changed the topic and asked about matters at court.

Court affairs were firmly under Grand Eunuch De’s control. The officials only reported good news, never bad. Then came a wave of flattery that left the emperor in high spirits, chatting about the pursuit of immortality.

Because the emperor had just returned from Qingyun Temple and was tired from travel, the banquet ended fairly quickly.

Grand Eunuch De accompanied the emperor back to the Qianqing Palace for rest and took the opportunity to ask for an imperial edict.

All the officials congratulated Ye Jingchuan.

But he knew—they were actually waiting to watch him fall.

After some polite responses, he discreetly glanced at the second prince and left the palace.

The second prince noticed Ye Jingchuan had something important to say and quickly followed suit.

The two met in a secret chamber connected to the Minister’s Manor through an underground passage leading to a tavern.

“Minister Ye, what’s the urgent matter you needed to speak about?”

Ye Jingchuan knew meeting the second prince in broad daylight was risky, so he got straight to the point. “The warehouse’s weapons and provisions are gone.”

The second prince’s expression changed drastically. “Gone? What do you mean, ‘gone’?”

“They’ve disappeared—just like in Ningchu Court and Xishou Palace. The contents of the warehouse vanished.”

“You don’t actually believe those rumors about a ‘ghost thief,’ do you?”

Ye Jingchuan didn’t want to believe it either, but…

“The warehouse is under the library, guarded around the clock. There are no signs of the mechanism being tampered with, and the tunnel to the tavern can only be opened from inside the warehouse.”

In other words, stealing everything so cleanly—without a trace—wasn’t something an ordinary human could do.

Among the guards watching the library were the second prince’s own people.

Same with the tavern.

He immediately ruled out the suspicion that Ye Jingchuan had stolen from himself, and his expression turned serious.

“Minister Ye, aside from weapons and provisions, there weren’t any… other items in the warehouse, were there?”

Ye Jingchuan knew the second prince was referring to their exchanged letters.

Of course, he wouldn’t admit it. “Nothing else.”

The second prince leaned forward, eyes fixed on Ye Jingchuan’s.

“It doesn’t matter if the weapons and provisions are lost. They don’t have your name or mine on them—it’s just a financial loss. But if those letters fall into the wrong hands and reach my father, the Ye family will face extermination!”

Cold sweat broke out on Ye Jingchuan’s back, though his expression remained unchanged.

“I understand. That’s why I’d never leave behind anything that could harm others and not benefit myself.”

He’d kept the letters originally to blackmail the crown prince and the second prince, but now it was like a sword hanging over his own head.

He could only hope the thief really was a ghost—and not a person.

The second prince sat back and picked up a steaming cup of tea, staring into the swirling vapor.

“Forget about the missing weapons and provisions. Wait for Prince Chen to catch the ‘ghost thief’—then we’ll talk.”

Ye Jingchuan stood up. “Understood. I’ll take my leave.”

The second prince watched him go with a mocking gaze.

“Minister Ye, once you’ve boarded my ship, there’s no getting off. Cut ties with the crown prince cleanly.”

He wasn’t unaware that this old fox was trying to play both sides.

He’d only allowed Ye Anling to marry the crown prince because it served his own interests.

Ye Jingchuan paused mid-step.

“I am loyal to Your Highness alone.”

The second prince chuckled softly. “Then go quickly—the imperial edict for the marriage should be arriving at the Minister’s Manor very soon.”

Sure enough—

Not long after Ye Jingchuan returned to the manor, the emperor’s marriage edict arrived.

Eunuch De personally delivered it.

Since he was a eunuch, it wasn’t suitable to make a grand affair of the marriage, so the wedding date was set for ten days later.

Kong Ru was released from confinement to handle wedding preparations but would be re-confined after the ceremony.

After the Ye family received the edict, Eunuch De said to Ye Jingchuan, “Minister Ye, His Majesty has a verbal instruction.”

Ye Jingchuan had guessed what the verbal instruction would be.

He handed the imperial edict to his eldest son, Ye Anzhi.

“Zhi’er, take the edict to the ancestral hall and offer it up.”

Then he turned to the rest of the family. “No one return to their courtyards yet—I have things to say.”

Afterward, he gestured politely to Eunuch De.

“Please, come with me to the study.”

Once inside, Eunuch De got straight to the point.

“Minister Ye, His Majesty wishes for your daughter to marry Prince Chen.”

Ye Jingchuan knew the emperor had always wanted to eliminate Prince Chen and take down his entire household.

He also wanted to share the emperor’s burden, but Ye Chutang never listened to him.

“Eunuch, Chuer has a fiery temperament. I’m afraid…”

Eunuch De smiled. “As long as she’s under control, no matter how fiery her temperament is, she’ll have no choice but to obey.”