The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 92 - Assistance

Who would have thought that retrieving a woman from a mere dowry estate would be so troublesome? Ye Jingchuan spent half the night trying to get Lianyi out, ending up unexpectedly disheveled.

No wonder they needed him. How could anyone else break into such a heavily guarded place and rescue a girl without raising alarms? Ye Jingchuan began to suspect that Song Chuyi had tricked him, especially as he noticed Lianyi frowning constantly.

In just one night, the defenses at the Marquis Manor's estate seemed to have tightened, and Ye Jingchuan keenly observed that the number of soldiers stationed both inside and outside had increased significantly.

He drove the carriage into the estate, casually grabbing someone to send the carriage to the back courtyard, while he rushed off to find Ye Jingkuan. With so many new guards, anyone could tell something was off.

At the same time, Song Chuyi brought Miss Chen to find Song Ren and happened to run into Ye Jingchuan.

Song Chuyi was a little surprised to see him back already but, not wanting to leave Miss Chen and ask about Lianyi in private, they exchanged greetings and entered the main hall together.

As soon as he stepped in, Ye Jingchuan understood why the estate's defenses had suddenly increased. Sitting in the main seat was none other than the Heir Apparent, dressed neatly in white robes with arrow sleeves. Ye Jingchuan exaggeratedly raised his eyebrows.

Why was the Heir Apparent here instead of staying safely in the Eastern Palace? What was he doing in such a chaotic place?

"Your Highness didn't come here just to flaunt your martial arts skills and catch Tartar invaders, did you?" Ye Jingchuan glanced at Zhou Weizhao, clearly displeased.

"Shut up!" Ye Jingkuan scolded him impatiently, "Haven't you caused enough trouble already? We haven't even settled the matter with you, and now you're just asking for more!"

Zhou Weizhao leisurely set his teacup down on the table and turned his head to look at Ye Jingchuan.

Though they were around the same age, their temperaments couldn't have been more different. Ye Jingchuan still carried the youthful impulsiveness of a boy, while the young heir before him exuded a calm maturity, his sculpted features betraying no excess emotion.

Was it possible that the Daoist monastery's environment had a particularly nurturing effect?

"If you're dissatisfied, I'm always free to spar with you again," Zhou Weizhao said, seemingly unaffected by Ye Jingchuan's defiance. He even smiled slightly. "But martial arts are meant to strengthen the body and protect the country. Recklessness and aggression are not virtues."

Ye Jingchuan, still unconvinced, wanted to retort, but when he caught Ye Jingkuan's warning glance, he refrained and merely huffed in frustration.

Song Ren and Song Jue, being outsiders and in the presence of the heir apparent, dared not intervene, leaving the atmosphere in the room rather tense.

Miss Chen frowned slightly, as if wanting to say something, but she hesitated due to the situation. She sat with a composed expression, her almond-shaped eyes calmly looking ahead, maintaining an elegant demeanor.

Song Chuyi, on the other hand, was unaware of the prior conflict between Ye Jingchuan and the Heir Apparent. Her mind was preoccupied with whether Lianyi had been safely rescued, so she appeared somewhat distracted.

At that moment, a military officer dressed as a Centurion entered with a female assistant, reporting that there seemed to be an unidentified woman in the carriage Ye Jingchuan had brought, and her name didn't match anyone listed in the estate's registry.

Ye Jingkuan immediately frowned and turned to Ye Jingchuan, asking angrily, "What trouble have you stirred up this time?"

Ye Jingchuan instinctively wanted to say it was someone sent by Song Chuyi, but he suddenly remembered she had warned him not to let her family find out. He froze.

Song Chuyi instantly guessed that the person in the carriage was Lianyi, and she couldn't help but feel alarmed.

Since the Heir Apparent arrived last night, the number of guards at the estate had more than doubled, and the number of soldiers patrolling the grounds had also increased significantly. The inspection of suspicious individuals had become much stricter than before.

The worst part was that, with the Heir Apparent, Ye Jingkuan, Song Ren, and Song Jue all present, she no longer had any authority. If she were to admit that Lianyi was hers, it would undoubtedly draw Song Ren and Song Jue's attention. Song Ren might not be as sharp, but Song Jue was exceptionally clever and would definitely press for details...

Seeing Ye Jingchuan standing there, mouth agape but saying nothing, Ye Jingkuan's thoughts grew even darker. Rubbing his forehead, he barely suppressed his anger and ordered, "Interrogate her harshly! I want to know exactly where she came from!"

Ye Jingchuan had already committed a grave mistake by leading the Tartars into the area, and if he made another misstep now, not even the gods could save him.

Ye Jingkuan was furious with his younger brother but knew he couldn't let him continue down this reckless path. He had already been suspicious after failing to find Ye Jingchuan all night, but he had been too preoccupied with discussing matters with the Heir Apparent to deal with it earlier. Now, hearing that Ye Jingchuan had inexplicably brought back a woman of unknown origin, his wariness only deepened.

Lianyi, already mute, could never withstand torture. Song Chuyi could no longer remain calm, and with a worried expression, she opened her mouth to speak.

But before she could say anything, the Heir Apparent laughed lightly and said, "The other day, I made a joke with Jingchuan, telling him that if he could bring back the best chef from Guiyan Tower who specializes in preparing fugu, I would spar with him again. I didn't expect him to actually take it seriously. He must have gone to Guiyan Tower overnight, no?"

This was exactly the kind of thing Ye Jingchuan would do. Ye Jingkuan shot him a fierce glare, annoyed that he had remembered such a thing at such a critical moment.

Song Chuyi hadn't expected the Crown Prince's heir to intervene, and while she was relieved, she also felt a bit tense.

Song Ren and Song Jue, on the other hand, did not suspect anything. They simply assumed that Ye Jingchuan had caused another reckless mess and that Song Chuyi was not involved.

Though reluctantly, Ye Jingchuan accepted the favor. After a long silence, he nodded slightly.

Zhou Weizhao then turned to Song Ren and Song Jue with a smile. "Since he went through all the trouble to bring the chef here, I ask that you two kindly take her in."

Song Ren and Song Jue quickly agreed, naturally thinking to leave the matter to Nanny Xu for handling.

He had truly guessed the situation and, in a roundabout way, managed to help her! Song Chuyi was startled by this realization and couldn't help but glance at him.

The Heir Apparent remained calm and composed, showing no signs of anything being amiss.

Yet somehow, it seemed as though he knew everything.

Having already owed him once before, Song Chuyi now owed him yet again. She felt a bit lost, unable to decipher the thoughts of this heir. After some deliberation, she decided to set aside her confusion for now.

After all, the most important thing at the moment was to deal with Lianyi. Although Song Chuyi had gained some influence and freedom in the Song family, it was far from enough to stand up to the other members of the family. If Lianyi fell into the hands of Song Jue or Song Ren, it was hard to say whether things would continue to go smoothly.