[{"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-204":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},1563126,2027,"Chapter 204: It’s You","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-204",204,"\u003Cp>Lian Zhou said, \"Miss Ye, please do not be alarmed. Once the investigation of the Ye Family is complete, everything will be fine, provided no problems are found.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Shixian was dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Investigate the Ye Family?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Why would they suddenly investigate my family out of the blue!?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"N-No, you can’t!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lian Zhou was unmoved, his tone frigid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whether we can or not is not for you to decide, Miss Ye.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Ye Shixian’s head, chilling her to the bone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly realized something and whipped her head around to look at Ye Chutang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang blinked, a gentle, innocent smile gracing her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Me? What did I do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You! This must be your doing—\" Ye Shixian cried, agitated. \"Otherwise, why would they suddenly raid the Ye Family!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang lightly brushed the hem of her skirt, as if merely speaking so close to Shixian had sullied her clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cousin, I’m afraid I don’t understand. If Second Uncle hadn’t made a mistake in the first place, why would the family be investigated for no reason? Or do you believe I truly wield such power that I can make the Young Master do my bidding?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow in a smirk that wasn’t quite a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Surely you don’t think I can sway the Princely Heir’s thoughts as I please?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yanchuan met her gaze for a second before looking away, his expression calm and detached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest of Ye Shixian’s words caught in her throat. She couldn’t force out a single syllable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could afford to have a falling out with Ye Chutang, but she absolutely could not afford to offend Shen Yanchuan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she dared to agree in front of all these people, wouldn’t that be the same as publicly accusing Shen Yanchuan of being manipulated!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Shixian was reeling from the sudden blow, but she hadn’t lost her wits completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clenched her fists, each word seemingly squeezed through her teeth. \"I... I didn’t mean that, of course! I was just... I was just...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cousin, instead of wasting time arguing with me, you’d be better off asking Second Uncle yourself. He might give you a straight answer. Oh, I forgot—he’s in prison now. It would be extremely difficult for you to see him, even if you wanted to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang spoke slowly, deliberately, each word a sharp blade twisting in Ye Shixian’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, a flicker of faint sympathy crossing her gentle, beautiful face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should hurry back and tell Second Aunt and Mingze what’s happened. That way, they can prepare themselves. Don’t you agree?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Prepare?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Prepare for what?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the blood rushed to Ye Shixian’s head, and her mind went blank save for a single thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Father is in prison, Mother is ill, and who knows when Mingze will wake up. In the entire family, there’s not a single person left who can help me!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time in her life, Ye Shixian knew what true despair felt like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang glanced up at the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bright moon hung high, its light pure and cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’I wonder,’ she thought, ’if tonight will feel even longer than that snowy night I fled, three years ago?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door was thrown open, and a maidservant ran in, flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Gao had been tending to Ye Mingze all day and had only just found a moment to rest. Startled by the commotion, she scowled and snapped, \"What is all this? Have you forgotten all your manners? Just wait until the master gets back; none of you will be spared!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the maidservant was in no condition to heed her scolding. Pale with terror, she collapsed to her knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Madam! Madam, this is terrible! There are... there are government officers outside! A lot of them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did you say!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Gao froze in astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Why would anyone show up at this hour?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quickly looked outside—\u003C\u002Fp>",665,"2026-06-06T07:54:32.966Z",1,"novelbin.me","9260829df086ed8915bd8cedf2a88bdbecf4c676eb6bc7236afb6e1a4f1dc63d","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-205","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-203",302,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-cover.jpg"]