The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

"What did you say? Ye Chutang kicked you out!?"

Ye Heng slammed his teacup down, overcome with shock and rage.

"She’s gotten far too bold!"

Fang Xuran looked indignant.

"Isn’t that the truth!? You’ve been the one managing the tea shop for all these years, and today she just marches in to audit the books, deliberately picking fights and finding fault, and then she throws me out! This is clearly a direct challenge to you!"

He was the manager appointed by Ye Heng, so anyone could guess that he was firmly on Ye Heng’s side.

For Ye Chutang to pull a stunt like this was a slap in Ye Heng’s face. She was clearly making a power play for absolute control!

Ye Heng was irritated and couldn’t help but scold him, "And you! She goaded you with a single sentence, and you walked right into her trap. You brought this on yourself!"

If Fang Xuran hadn’t brought it up himself, Ye Chutang probably wouldn’t have had such an easy time.

But it ended up in a mess like this!

Fang Xuran looked embarrassed, filled with regret.

"I... I was careless. I just saw a girl of seventeen or eighteen and assumed she was completely clueless about business. I never thought she’d actually be able to pick out a problem!"

Only after leaving did Fang Xuran realize that Ye Chutang had intended to drive him out from the very beginning. But by the time he understood, it was too late.

Ye Shixian, who was sitting to the side, sneered upon hearing this. "Manager Fang, you were a bit reckless. You should have thought about it. My dear cousin was in exile for years, yet she managed to return to the capital unscathed. Of course she has a few tricks up her sleeve. Since you were so careless as to underestimate her, you have no one but yourself to blame for being played."

Fang Xuran’s face flushed then paled.

"S-so, what do we do now?"

’This manager position has been very profitable for me. If I really lose it, what will I do then?’

Ye Heng thought for a long moment with a grim expression, then suddenly asked, "After you left, did they stay at the tea shop the whole time?"

Fang Xuran looked hesitant and lowered his voice. "Well... I’m not sure..."

It was useless to send anyone over now. Ye Chutang had the property deeds, and Fang Xuran had left publicly of his own accord. No matter how one looked at it, Ye Chutang was blameless.

Even more troubling...

"You’re saying she can actually understand those ledgers?" Ye Heng frowned.

Fang Xuran, still unconvinced and resentful of Ye Chutang, spoke with a harsh tone.

"How could a sheltered young lady like her possibly understand the tea shop’s ledgers? I figure she only knows a thing or two because she happened to run into that tea merchant. But that’s all superficial knowledge. There’s no way she understands the more complex details!"

Ye Heng thought that made sense and relaxed slightly.

But he had suffered several losses at Ye Chutang’s hands recently and no longer dared to underestimate her as he had before. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "What about the other businesses, besides the tea shop?"

Fang Xuran was taken aback. "Other businesses? What, do you think she’s capable of going through all of them and digging up their issues?"

’How could that be possible?’

’After all, each of those businesses is different. She’d be lucky to audit even one or two of them.’

Ye Shixian scoffed. "Even if she doesn’t have the ability to audit them all, today’s drama at the tea shop is enough to put her in the spotlight. The rumors said she fell from a cliff and was gravely injured, but she looks perfectly fine to me. She’s only been back for two days, and she’s already stirring up trouble again."

"Forget it. It’s not like she can make any big waves. Let’s just ignore her for now."

Ye Heng had made thorough preparations before handing over those ledgers, so he felt secure.

’Even if Ye Chutang manages to pick out a few small issues, the most she’ll suspect is that the manager was cooking the books to line his own pockets.’

’It would have nothing to do with me.’

Fang Xuran panicked. "Sir, you mean... you’re just going to let her do as she pleases?"

’Then what about me?’

How could Ye Heng not see what he was thinking?

"Go home and lay low for a while. We’ll talk again in a few days. She’s all alone, with several younger siblings to look after. How can she possibly have time to manage the tea shop on top of that?"

Fang Xuran still felt uneasy, but he didn’t dare to defy Ye Heng, so he had no choice but to agree. "Yes, sir."

...

Once Fang Xuran had left, Ye Shixian spoke up. "Father, do you see now? That Ye Chutang... even when we leave her alone, she comes looking for trouble with us! Look how well-prepared she was. She must have been plotting this for a long time!"

Ye Heng’s expression was grim. "She has two powerful backers now, the Long Princess Mansion and the Dingbei Marquis Mansion. It’s no wonder she’s acting so brazenly."

The mere mention of this made Ye Shixian bristle with indignation.

"She’s just lucky and full of cunning schemes. Come to think of it, if she didn’t have a few tricks up her sleeve, how could she have raised those burdens?"

As she spoke, she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, right, Father. With the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet approaching, I’d like to get a new piece of jewelry."

Ye Heng frowned. "Don’t you have plenty already?"

"The ones I have are either too cheap and not fit for the occasion, or I’ve worn them before. I heard this palace banquet is going to be even more grand than the polo match. How can I attend looking so shabby? I’d be a laughingstock, and people would mock our Ye Family!"

’If the other ladies and their daughters saw, who knows how they would mock me!’

’Especially when we’re struggling, we can’t afford to look inferior!’

Ye Heng quickly understood. "It’s just one piece of jewelry. Go pick something you like and buy it."

As he spoke, he turned, took a box from a small cabinet behind him, and pulled out a few silver notes.

"Take this for now, but remember, you must be discreet," Ye Heng instructed.

Ye Shixian’s eyes swept over them, and her face immediately lit up with delight.

’One thousand taels!’

"Thank you, Father!"

She had long known her father had considerable savings, but she still hadn’t expected him to be so generous in one go!

Ye Heng looked pleased. "This is a rare opportunity. Make sure you dress up beautifully. When Murong Ye sees you, he is sure to be captivated."

’His daughter was exceptionally beautiful. As long as she could marry Murong Ye, the entire Ye Family would benefit from the association.’

Ye Shixian’s smile froze for an instant before she quickly composed herself.

"Father, actually I—"

"Master! It’s terrible!"

The steward rushed in, his face frantic.

"The verdict on Lord Han Tong’s case is in! Execution by beheading on the sixteenth of the eighth month!"