[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming":3,"chapter-the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-134":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1563306,2027,"Chapter 134: Asking for Whom?","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-134",134,"\u003Cp>The first rays of the morning sun finally spilled down, landing on Ye Chutang’s face and highlighting her serene, composed expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sat with her back ramrod straight, her eyes lowered to the book in her hands. She was like a simple, elegant fine-brush painting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng came to her side and asked curiously, \"Sis, you’ve been looking at this book for a while. Have you figured anything out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang didn’t answer right away. Her slender, pale fingertips pressed against one of the pages, rubbing it gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she raised the book, turning it to that page and holding it up to the sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the one she’d bought from the bookshop, the one she now held was very different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most obvious difference was the paper. It wasn’t light or thin, and the corners seemed uneven, making the entire book feel much cruder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Ye Heng is obsessed with keeping up appearances. Why would he read such a crudely printed book?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang fell silent for a moment, rubbing her fingertips together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A layer of paper, as thin as a cicada’s wing, curled up slightly at the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This book has two layers!?\" Ye Yunfeng saw it clearly from the side, a shocked expression on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang tried to peel it further, but the page was sealed too tightly. She only managed to reveal about a fifth of the hidden page; the rest wouldn’t come apart. After two attempts, she gave up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’This book was hard to come by. I have to keep it in perfect condition.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likely woken by Ye Yunfeng’s shout, Xiao Wu, who was lying on the bed, groggily opened her eyes. She instinctively searched for Ye Chutang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang shot Ye Yunfeng a look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng laughed sheepishly. \"My fault! I got too excited and forgot Xiao Wu was here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan rose, scooped Xiao Wu into his arms, and looked over as well. \"Sis,\" he asked directly, \"could you make out what was written inside?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only a few words. I can’t be sure yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang gently patted Xiao Wu’s cheek. Xiao Wu happened to glance at the book in her hands and froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing the child’s expression, Ye Chutang’s brow twitched. \"What is it, Xiao Wu? What are you looking at?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Wu tilted her head, raised her small hand, and made a few gestures at Ye Chutang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang had a faint inkling of what she meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng was completely baffled. \"What is Xiao Wu trying to say?\" he couldn’t help but ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Wu scrambled out of Ye Jingyan’s arms, her little legs going PITTER-PATTER.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, she pulled a book from the cabinet beside the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or more precisely, an account ledger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan paused, stunned. He looked at Ye Chutang. \"Sis, aren’t these the ones you had me transcribe—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang gave a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Wu had already run back. She lifted her face and held the ledger high in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang recognized it at once. \"This is the ledger from one of the pawnshops.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had taken back the last three years’ worth of ledgers for those shops from Ye Heng. Then she’d had Yan transcribe all of them as quickly as possible, creating a complete, identical set of copies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She never expected Xiao Wu to dig one of them out now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Wu seemed anxious. She opened the ledger, flipped to a specific page, and pointed with a small finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan looked back and forth between the two books and finally saw it. \"April thirteenth... Wait! This is the pawnshop’s *real* ledger?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the small opening Ye Chutang had made, a line of partially hidden handwriting was visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t obvious at first, but with the two books side-by-side, they realized the handwriting looked identical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng blinked, a wide, proud grin spreading across his face. \"Wow, Xiao Wu! How did you ever find this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone else, seeing only the one-fifth of the page that Ye Chutang had revealed, would never have been able to make the connection from those few marks and characters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xiao Wu had matched it to the ledger with just a couple of glances!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang couldn’t help but marvel inwardly once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Xiao Wu’s sensitivity to numbers is even more astonishing than I’d imagined. Combined with her photographic memory, it’s almost frightening.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Wu beamed at the praise. But she quickly thought of something else, looked up at Ye Chutang, and pointed between the two books, shaking her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her meaning was clear: *Sis, the dates and the names of the pawned items are the same, but the numbers don’t match!*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang patted her little cheek and smiled. \"Thank you, Xiao Wu. I understand now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sis, what do you think he was thinking? To go to such lengths, hiding the real accounts between the pages of a book?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan had seen his share of people hiding ledgers and cooking the books, but he’d never encountered anything like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you hadn’t noticed there was something strange about his book that day, Sis, we’d still be completely in the dark.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though some time had passed, Ye Jingyan couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder as he recalled it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang’s gaze fell on the two books resting on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real ledger was right in front of her, but reading it wouldn’t be easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book was exquisitely made. Brute force wouldn’t work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She rubbed her slender fingertips together and suddenly asked, \"What’s the situation at Fengling Lane?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of this, Ye Yunfeng immediately perked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you think? The fire started in the west wing. It’s nothing but a pile of rubble now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang tilted her head. \"Just one room?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course not!\" Ye Yunfeng rubbed his chin. \"It burned down a third of their little courtyard too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang nodded slightly, her voice gentle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Second Uncle and his family have suffered a great loss. It’s only right that we pay them a visit to offer our condolences.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Long Princess Mansion.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Qingyang dismounted and strode inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, she spotted a familiar back ahead and quickly called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yanchuan stopped and turned to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Qingyang immediately caught up to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother, I feel like I haven’t seen you around lately. What have you been busy with?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yanchuan’s tone was indolent. \"Just say what you want to say.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Qingyang: ...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sized up the man before her, a strange smile suddenly appearing on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s nothing, really! I just wanted to ask when you’re planning to go to Wulan Mountain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yanchuan tilted his head slightly. \"You’re going too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Princess Qingyang has loved bustling places since she was a child. She’s never shown much interest in Wulan Mountain, yet now she’s asking about it...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s right!\" Princess Qingyang answered at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yanchuan raised an eyebrow slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The mountains are desolate and lonely. I doubt you’d be used to it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Qingyang shot him a glare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Does this man even know how to talk?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An idea seemed to strike her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Actually, I’m asking for someone. If you don’t want to say, then fine!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she swaggered ahead, feigning indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Shen Yanchuan ask casually, \"For someone? For whom?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Qingyang stopped, a smug, triumphant look she couldn’t hide dancing in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For Doctor Ye, of course!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something stirred in Shen Yanchuan’s heart, and he lifted his gaze to meet hers.\u003C\u002Fp>",1258,"2026-06-06T07:54:32.965Z",1,"novelbin.me","6e44e5ceabee33a00df1c140a0cb56ba42d2a1e7b323833d982e13f6b8430a32","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-135","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-133",302,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-cover.jpg"]