Chapter 768: Chapter 769: Urgent Summons

Fan Chengzhuo’s body gave an imperceptible twitch.

He stared at Ye Chutang in disbelief, almost thinking he had misheard. "Wha-what?"

’Didn’t that person die in that fire long ago?!’

’Why would Ye Chutang suddenly bring him up?!’

Seeing his reaction, Ye Chutang already knew the answer.

’It seems Fan Chengzhuo really did have a hand in Uncle Di’s imprisonment all those years.’

"I wonder if you’d be willing to talk, Mr. Fan?"

After a brief stupor, Fan Chengzhuo suddenly burst into laughter.

"Ha... Hahaha...!"

’Retribution!’

’This is truly retribution!’

He laughed with abandon, filled with the glee of having seen his deepest grudge avenged.

’Xiao Chenglin must have calculated everything, but he never would have imagined leaving such a gaping hole in his plans!’

"You... you actually have the nerve to ask me?" He gave a sinister laugh. "If you even know about him, is there anything you can’t uncover?"

He lowered his voice so that only the two of them could hear.

"You’ve already guessed the truth, haven’t you?"

Ye Chutang blinked, then smiled as well.

"Yes."

She gave a brisk nod.

"But getting confirmation from you is even better."

This was exactly the answer she was looking for.

"After all—" Ye Chutang’s tone shifted, a hint of pity in her eyes. "The poison has already seeped deep into your organs. It’s incurable, and your time is short. Wouldn’t it be a shame to leave with regrets?"

The expression on Fan Chengzhuo’s face instantly froze.

Confusion, disbelief, shock, terror...

His expression shifted rapidly, the change visible to the naked eye. Even his voice was distorted with horror.

"Wh-what did you say!?"

Ye Chutang’s eyes crinkled into a smile as she said softly,

"Didn’t I tell you before?"

"That you’ve been poisoned."

"I even gave you the prescription back then. A pity, though—"

Ye Chutang shook her head.

’Unfortunately, Fan Chengzhuo hadn’t believed her and had thrown the prescription away immediately.’

’He had brought this upon himself.’

Fan Chengzhuo finally realized what was happening, and it hit him like a physical blow. He was completely stunned.

He opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a single word. His face flushed a deep red, his eyes bulged, and his body began to shake violently.

The next moment, his vision went black. He fainted, toppling rigidly backward—THUD!

Seeing this, the nearby guards immediately rushed forward, on alert.

Ye Chutang took a step back.

"It seems Mr. Fan’s body won’t hold out much longer. I’ll leave him to you."

Fan Chengzhuo was a dead man walking, so they didn’t pay him much mind and quickly dragged him away.

"Did it go as you expected?"

Shen Yanchuan had appeared behind her at some point.

Ye Chutang looked back, one eyebrow raised. "You heard everything perfectly clearly, Princely Heir. Why bother asking me?"

With Shen Yanchuan’s skills, she was certain he hadn’t missed a single word of her conversation with Fan Chengzhuo.

Shen Yanchuan dipped his chin in a slight nod.

"If he had been a bit less suspicious, he might not have died so quickly."

Ye Chutang shrugged.

"He saw me as a thorn in his side. Of course he wouldn’t use my medicine."

It was only to be expected.

Shen Yanchuan looked ahead.

The rain had stopped. The dark clouds on the horizon were parting, and a few rays of sunlight slanted down.

"The sky is clearing up,"

he said.

...

The palanquin moved forward.

Xiao Chenglin appeared calm, but the fist hidden in his sleeve was clenched tight.

The man beside him looked back and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, it seems Mr. Fan has fainted."

Xiao Chenglin stared straight ahead.

"Pay it no mind."

’It would be best if he just died!’

’To this moment, he still had no idea why Fan Chengzhuo had suddenly turned on him.’

’It had all happened so suddenly, as if... an invisible hand were pulling the strings.’

’A growing unease settled in his heart. He felt he must have overlooked something.’

’What... was it?’

"But Your Highness, you..."

The subordinate still looked hesitant and worried.

’His Majesty already suspects you. If he really orders a full investigation, then—’

Xiao Chenglin naturally knew this as well.

’I don’t have much time left...’

His hand, resting on his lap, clenched and unclenched. A cold, murderous glint flashed deep in his eyes.

...

Shen Yanchuan went to Prince Lie’s Mansion. Ye Chutang, meanwhile, went to a side hall to take Emperor Muwu’s pulse and write a new prescription before she finally departed.

By now, the sky had cleared. The streets were bustling with people, many of whom were scholars who had come to the capital for the imperial examination.

Passing restaurants and inns, she could see people reading books or gathered in circles, engaged in spirited debate, their faces alight with anticipation and excitement.

"The exam seems to be the day after tomorrow," Ye Chutang said casually.

"You have a good memory, Second Miss!" the carriage driver said with a chuckle. "It is indeed the day after tomorrow! It’s a shame our Third Young Master isn’t participating this time. With his talent, he’d surely take first place!"

Many people felt it was a pity, but Ye Jingyan himself didn’t seem to mind.

For one thing, circumstances had been unusual these past few years, so his mind truly hadn’t been on it. For another, he was still young, so waiting for the next examination was just as well.

Ye Chutang knew he was mature and had his own plans, so she didn’t press the matter.

Still, watching the scholars, who were at once thrilled and nervous, Ye Chutang found their mood infectious. She smiled and said,

"That’s not a given. The world is full of brilliant minds, as numerous as fish in the sea. Even someone like Yan wouldn’t dare claim he’d be first. But if he does decide to take the exam in the future, we’ll have a lot to prepare..."

’Having an exam candidate in the family is like caring for a sacred animal.’ Ye Chutang thought she could get a feel for the atmosphere in advance. That way, she could do things properly when the time came.

...

「Evening. Prince Lie’s Mansion.」

Xiao Chengqi’s expression grew somber as Shen Yanchuan finished recounting the day’s events.

"So you deliberately let that group from Nanhu leave the capital?"

Shen Yanchuan lifted his teacup to wet his throat, speaking at an unhurried pace. "What else was I to do? If they stayed, the situation would only escalate. Besides, the Spring Examination is almost upon us. There can’t be any disturbances."

Xiao Chengqi nodded in agreement.

"You’ve always been thorough. This was indeed the best choice."

Some of the Nanhu wanted to cause trouble and shouldn’t have been let go so easily. Unfortunately, there were more pressing matters at home.

Anyone could see which was the greater priority.

"In any case, with the precedent set by Tuoba Yu, they’ll have to think twice before trying anything in the future. That should buy us a good period of peace. The more pressing matter now..."

Xiao Chengqi’s brow furrowed.

"Although my father, the Emperor, has ordered me to investigate, this matter is exceptionally tricky."

His expression was conflicted.

"If he really did those things, then... what on earth was he thinking?"

For a prince of the blood to commit treason!

"Even if he’s ambitious, he shouldn’t have stooped to this! What good would a war on the border do him?!"

Shen Yanchuan tapped his finger lightly.

"If nothing else, the Second Prince took the fall for it."

It seems now that among the many crimes previously pinned on Xiao Chengxuan, he was likely the scapegoat for quite a few.

Xiao Chengqi frowned.

"But even so, he’s a prince, how—"

Before he could finish, a flurry of hurried footsteps sounded from outside.

"Your Highness! An urgent summons from the palace!"

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