Chapter 1851: The Frail Young Master

"A Liu."

"Second Young Master." The personal attendant hurried over.

"My younger brother Xiao Chen woke up yesterday, and he just tied the knot with his new husband Ye Yuchi; we should let all the city's folk share in the joy. Tomorrow we'll distribute cold‑relief gifts at the city gate to celebrate the wedding."

Ye Zining's face instantly turned deathly pale, and he stumbled back several steps.

He's not stupid, of course he could understand the meaning behind Jin Enxing's words.

Everyone in Chuan Ze Cheng knows that Ye Zining is the one doing the proxy marriage; if word gets out tomorrow about Ye Yuchi, all their plans will come to nothing… and they'll bear the blame of deceiving an imperial merchant.

An imperial merchant is an official!

How could the Ye family bear such a reputation?

Ye Bing‑tian dared not speak out in anger, suppressing his panic as he urged Jin Enxing: even if Ye Yuchi is from the Ye family, and will become an in‑law, we must not sever the ties between our houses.

All Ye Bing‑tian got in reply was the sight of Jin Enxing climbing into the carriage, and a word of advice.

"Please arrange the return‑visit banquet in seven days, Old Master Ye; otherwise, when my elder brother returns to Chuan Ze Cheng, I will certainly not let you off."

Ye Bing‑tian felt his words choke in his throat; only then did fear finally rise.

Since Ji Ji De resigned and returned home, the eldest son of the Jin family, Jin Yu Dong, has taken the post of fourth‑rank senior secretary—how could mere merchants like them dare to provoke him?

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Ye Bing‑tian drew a deep breath: "No… I still have to think of a way!"

Those shops and silver are already the Ye family's—no one dare try to take them back!

"Old Three, come with me!"

Ye Lao San grunted, yet his heart secretly leapt with joy.

Who would have thought that young Ye Yuchi would still have such fortune! Even if the Ye family can't get those shops, they'll still belong to his son!

Ye Zining seethed with resentment, feeling the Jin family had gone overboard.

They used power and shops to force him into a proxy marriage, then tried to wipe the slate clean of all blame!

And Ye Yuchi…

Thinking of that troublesome cousin, Ye Zining flew into a rage from all sides.

"If I weren't protecting him at home, would he even have today's fortune? Everyone keeps bullying me."

Lady Ye felt a pang of pity: "All right, your father will have a plan for this; anyway, it's no longer your concern."

"At worst, I'll be nicer to Ye Yuchi at the return‑visit banquet."

——

After a few days of marriage, they finally welcomed the day the snow stopped.

Chuan Ze Cheng rarely sees such snow, but for the street beggars and folk who can't afford charcoal, it's brutal; these days Jin Enxing has been busy with the granary manager, handling the relief distribution.

Everyone in the Jin family was busy—only Jin Chen was at leisure.

Living carefree was fine, but feeling under the weather made it uncomfortable.

These days, Jin Chen opens his eyes seeking his husband, closes them wanting to hold his hand—heaven knows how much he just wants to snuggle up to sleep, but Ye Yuchi is too shy, not willing at all.

Given his husband's high Blackening Value with no sign of dropping, Jin Chen decided to first adapt, then pretend not to notice Ye Yuchi's extra attention to his shops.

Fortunately, their feelings are cultivating nicely—at least Jin Chen thinks so.

"Don't want the medicine, take it away." Jin Chen leaned back in the chaise, hands tucked in, unwilling to open his eyes.

"Oh dear, young master, you've always been hopeless with medicine."

Duo Yu really had no luck; coaxing and cajoling didn't work, and the medicine in his hand had already been reheated twice.

"The medicine never used to be this bitter."

"That's because it contains herbs the old Daoist picked from Heavenly Mountain—hard to come by, young master."

Jin Chen lay there eyes closed, nose covered, muttering, "I think that old Daoist just wants to torture me to death."

At that moment he heard a sound from behind the screen, suddenly weak and limp he collapsed, his handsome face pallid, the back of his hand lightly pressing his forehead as he coughed softly.

"Cough… cough cough cough."

Ye Yuchi had just finished checking the shops and returned; as soon as he entered the room he heard Jin Chen coughing and hurried inside past the screen.

"Husband, what's wrong?"

He sat beside Jin Chen, but before he could ask, Jin Chen reached out and grabbed his waist, his chest rising and falling as if suppressing pain.

"Cough cough cough… Ah Ci."

Jin Chen then lay on Ye Yuchi's legs, turned to bury himself in his embrace, voice trembling, "Let me hold you, I feel awful."

Ye Yuchi felt a little flustered, quickly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from Jin Chen's brow, and had Duo Yu fetch a blanket to cover him.

"I only went out for an hour—why am I coughing again?"

"I don't know." Jin Chen looked up at him, long lashes damp, peach‑blossom eyes hazy, "I've waited so long for you, Ah Ci—if you don't come back I can't eat anything."

Ye Yuchi let out a slight sigh, his heart sour and bitter, unwilling to admit that while checking those shops his mind kept drifting to the young master back at the manor.

That's certainly not how it should be.

He ought to plan more for himself, or else this rebirth would be wasted.

But since ancient times, feelings are the hardest to control.

【Detected: villain triggers Heartbeat Value, Heartbeat Value +10, total 10!】

Instantly Jin Chen felt his breathing ease a little, the suffocating feeling in his chest easing, and he held Ye Yuchi tighter.

"Ah Ci, it's wonderful having you."

Ye Yuchi patted Jin Chen's back, his phoenix eyes softening at the words, "Then husband, may I feed you the medicine?"

"If Ah Ci won't let me take the medicine, that would be even better."

No choice—Jin Chen was helped up and gulped down half a bowl of the bitter brew, the taste numbing his tongue.

Jin Chen buried his face in Ye Yuchi's neck and whispered, "Ah Ci, you've been so good to me—I'll give you a gift."

Ye Yuchi's eyes flickered slightly; he raised his hand and brought the medicine bowl to Duo Yu, gesturing for him to leave.

"Husband, you're overpraising; being good to you is what I ought to do."

Jin Chen seemed not to have heard that remark, continuing to talk to himself: "I still have many shops under my name, all given by my second brother and father, but I don't know how to manage them at all."

"I'll give them to you, all right? That way... even if I die later, Ah Ci will have plenty of money."

Ye Yuchi's breath hitched, and he involuntarily clenched Jin Chen's hand.

This should have made him happy.

But hearing it only gave him an inexplicable, subtle panic.

"Husband, don't spout nonsense; you have to avoid taboo."

"So do you want it or not?"

Jin Chen lifted his gaze to look at him; his eyes were veiled in a misty haze, yet his expression was earnest.

Ye Yuchi's expression stiffened a bit; instinctively he avoided Jin Chen's gaze, his phoenix eyes drooping slightly, a chill flickering in them.

"Young Master, are you testing something?"