[{"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-23":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},1563245,2027,"Chapter 23: Still a Backup Plan","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-23",23,"\u003Cp>Ye Chutang watched her quietly, thinking, ’So this is her real goal.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, she’d claimed the prescription was lost, probably thinking that with no way to verify it, she could just sling this mud at the Ye’s Clinic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she didn’t expect Ye Chutang to have a second copy of the prescription, which caught her off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, that didn’t matter. If one trick failed, she had another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The medicine she had that day clearly wasn’t from the Ye’s Clinic, yet she dared to claim it was now, which showed this was all pre-arranged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Ye Chutang remain silent, the woman thought she had scared her and pressed smugly, \"What, you don’t dare?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhen also looked at Ye Chutang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things had reached a point where searching the clinic was unavoidable. If Ye Chutang refused, it would only prove she had something to hide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, he heard Ye Chutang say in a calm voice, \"The Ye’s Clinic has a clean conscience and nothing to fear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her shoulders were straight and her eyes were clear, radiating utter confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who saw her would think she was truly open and guilt-free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, seeing her reaction, a triumphant glint flashed in the woman’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Of course Ye Chutang dares to talk big now, but once they search the clinic, we’ll see if she’s still so tough!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhen immediately ordered, \"Search!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang’s gaze swept impassively over the woman’s face as she raised her voice and asked, \"Wait. If nothing is found in the Ye’s Clinic, that would prove you’re making a false accusation, wouldn’t it? What will you have to say for yourself then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How could they possibly not find anything in your clinic—\" The woman paused, then sneered, \"If they don’t, I’ll be at your mercy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A slight smile touched Ye Chutang’s lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In that case, it’s a deal. Everyone here is a witness, so don’t you dare go back on your word.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being stared at by those dark, clear eyes, the woman’s heart inexplicably began to pound with panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She deliberately looked away and said stiffly, \"We’ll see if you’re still so bold after they’ve searched the clinic!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye’s Clinic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan, Ye Yunfeng, and Xiao Wu waited together inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan took out the book his sister had left him. Ye Yunfeng, anxious, paced back and forth. Xiao Wu cradled an abacus and stared at the closed main door with a melancholy look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Sigh, the clinic’s closed. No Silver to be made today.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if guessing what she was thinking, Ye Jingyan turned a page in his book and passed her a purse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This just came in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Wu’s eyes lit up. She took the purse and squeezed it several times with her two small, soft, and chubby hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling its heavy weight, the smile on her face grew even brighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes sparkled as she glanced at the room next door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’It would be great if they stayed here forever! Then my sister could collect money from them for a lifetime!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan followed her gaze and suddenly remembered something. \"Oh, right. My sister said we’re covering their room and board for the time being. A Feng, when you cook later, make enough for two more people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng scratched his head. \"Third Brother! What time is it to be thinking about food? Our sister is still at the government office, and we don’t even know what’s happening!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that Ye Jingyan was completely without worry, but he trusted his sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry. Our sister told us to just wait at home, so that’s what we’ll do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng plopped down onto a chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, however, a commotion came from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng leaped to his feet and exchanged a look with Ye Jingyan. \"Is our sister back?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You watch Xiao Wu. I’ll go see.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Ye Jingyan put the book away and headed outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan hadn’t expected his sister to return so quickly, much less accompanied by so many people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially—the Lord County Magistrate was here too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhen didn’t actually have to come, but with several murder cases recently in Jiangling, he had to make an appearance and show that he wasn’t idle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, Liu Yiyi had specifically asked him this morning to pay close attention to Ye Chutang’s case. He had readily agreed, so naturally, he had to come along to investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ye’s Clinic wasn’t large. There was one room in the front for consultations, and behind it was a square courtyard with a few bedrooms and a pharmacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhen raised a hand, and the government officers quickly split up to search.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Ye Jingyan frowned, hurried to Ye Chutang’s side, and asked in a low voice, \"Sister, what’s going on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang shook her head slightly. \"It’s too complicated to explain in a few words. Just let them search for now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Jingyan could only swallow the rest of his questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Ye Yunfeng, who had been waiting inside, saw the people coming and going in the courtyard and couldn’t sit still any longer. He came out, leading Xiao Wu by the hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon seeing Ye Chutang, Xiao Wu let go of Ye Yunfeng’s hand, ran toward Ye Chutang on her short little legs, and threw herself into her arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang ruffled her hair and took her small hand. \"Don’t be afraid, Xiao Wu. They’re just here to look for something.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Wu was a little bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know any of these people. Why were they searching her home?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng glanced around and saw how roughly the government officers were searching. In just a short time, they had turned the once-clean and tidy courtyard into a complete mess, and anger flared in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’I just finished cleaning this!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Do they have any idea how much effort it will take to put all this back in order?!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He started to speak several times but forced himself to hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Forget it! This is no time to worry about that!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Still...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister, what exactly are they looking for?\" Ye Yunfeng couldn’t hold back any longer and asked with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang said, \"They’re looking for what they expect to find, of course.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Yunfeng: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Isn’t that the same as saying nothing at all? What on earth—’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Found it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A government officer suddenly cried out in excitement. All eyes turned to him, just in time to see him pull a handful of Chuanwu from a drawer in the medicine cabinet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chuanwu is an irregularly shaped cone, bulging on one side. At first glance, it looks a bit like yellow ginger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held the pieces of Chuanwu under his nose and sniffed. \"This stuff seems to have been soaked in wine!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chuanwu can be used in medicine, but it has a certain toxicity, which becomes even stronger after being soaked in wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman nearly jumped out of her skin. \"That’s it! That’s the stuff that was in the medicine she prescribed for me that day!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She immediately turned to Ye Chutang, her voice harsh. \"Ye Chutang! This was found in your clinic in front of everyone! What do you have to say for yourself now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtyard fell deathly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was truly ironclad evidence. How could she possibly refute it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, however, Ye Chutang suddenly asked, \"Aren’t you going to keep searching?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was taken aback. Even the government officer who had found the Chuanwu didn’t react immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang lifted her chin. \"Our courtyard may not be large, but a lot of people live here, and there are plenty of miscellaneous items. Why don’t you all search a bit more and see what else you can find?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman sneered, \"This is more than enough! Are you still trying to deny it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\" Ye Chutang blinked. \"Are you saying that these few soiled pieces of Chuanwu are enough to convict me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s voice rose. \"Of course! You—wait, what do you mean by that?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang tilted her head to look at the government officer who had found the Chuanwu. \"Smell it again, carefully. What other scent is on it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was startled. He subconsciously brought it closer to smell it again, and his expression changed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finding this strange, Yang Zhen frowned and demanded, \"What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Chutang smiled faintly. \"It’s nothing. It’s just that it should also be stained with the smell of tung oil.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tilted her head slightly and explained in a light, cheerful tone, \"Oh, I forgot to mention. Since we haven’t been able to buy medicinal herbs for several days, the medicine cabinet was nearly empty. So, I had Yan and A Feng clean it out and give it a fresh coat of tung oil to refurbish it. The only downside is that tung oil dries slowly—it takes a full three hours. Anything placed inside during that time would get tung oil on it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a hint of curiosity, she smiled and asked, \"I wonder, are there any traces of it on these pieces of Chuanwu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1519,"2026-06-06T07:54:32.685Z",1,"novelbin.me","a421cd6209916be913eb88ecac503c6c701811aa9c41981f51901c5ba483b842","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-24","the-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-chapter-22",302,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-duke-s-pampered-darling-is-so-scheming-cover.jpg"]