latelenovela Chapter 116 116 Astonishment
Chapter 116 116 Astonishment
Chapter 116 116 Shock
Ye Pianran's gaze was icy cold as it fell upon Yue'er, causing her to take a slight step back. Ling Shu and Ling Yi were greatly shocked and immediately rushed forward to protect Ye Pianran.
Ling Shu thought about how she had diligently taught Yue'er the rules of the Marquis's mansion these past few days, gradually treating her as one of her own. Just now, while bathing, she had even been unable to resist speaking well of Yue'er in front of Ye Pianran. Her voice changed with anger:
"Who exactly are you? What is your purpose in infiltrating Miss's inner circle?!"
Yue'er hadn't expected to hide it from Ye Pianran for long, and now that she'd been exposed, she remained calm and asked without any panic:
"How did you realize something was wrong, Miss?"
"First, the calluses on your palms are concentrated at the base of your thumb and forefinger, a sign of years of wielding a sword. Second, your gait is more steady than others, indicating a solid foundation and martial arts skills. Third, you can lift water that would require the combined efforts of Lingyi and Lingshu, demonstrating your strength far surpasses that of ordinary people," Ye Pianran said slowly. "And one more thing, perhaps without your own awareness, is that whether you are standing or sitting, your posture is never relaxed; you are like a sword about to be drawn. With so many flaws, wouldn't I be incredibly dull-witted if I couldn't see them?"
"Miss's observations are so insightful, I am completely convinced."
Yue'er was filled with admiration. She took a step back, bowed deeply to Ye Pianran, and said loudly:
"My name is Ye Lingyue, and I have come here to protect Miss on the orders of the Third Prince!"
As early as when she realized that Yue'er was no ordinary person, Ye Pianran had guessed Yue'er's identity and purpose in entering the Marquis's mansion. But she never expected that this girl would actually be sent by the Third Prince!
Lingyi and Lingshu were also shocked, looking at Ye Lingyue with hesitation.
"Did the Third Prince send you?" Ye Pianran's face showed obvious astonishment. Why would the Third Prince do this? No... why didn't he tell her beforehand, instead orchestrating this farce?
“Not bad,” Ye Lingyue nodded.
"Since the Third Prince sent you, you should have just told me directly. Why did you have to lie to me?" Ye Pianran's mood was very complicated, and she couldn't help but feel a little angry: "The villains who tried to rob you in the market, and your father who has already been 'buried', were they all arranged by the Third Prince?"
Upon noticing Ye Pianran's anger, Ye Lingyue panicked slightly: "Miss, please calm down! This matter has nothing to do with the Third Prince; it was all my idea. The Third Prince only told me to go to the Marquis's residence to protect you. I heard that you are kind-hearted, so I came up with this method to get close to you!" The Third Prince cares so much about you; I hope that because of her, you won't become dissatisfied with him and ruin his plans!
She kept mentioning the Third Prince, making Ye Pianran's ears burn. She pretended to be calm and gave a cold snort: "Even so, you shouldn't have deceived me with such a tragic backstory."
Ye Lingyue smiled, but the smile looked inexplicably bitter: "It's not entirely to deceive you, Miss. I am indeed from Shuzhou, and my parents are indeed dead. However, I was only seven years old when they passed away. After they died, I left Shuzhou and traveled north to beg until I met my master, who gave me a place to stay, which allowed me to survive until now."
"What you just said, Miss, truly touched my heart." Ye Lingyue lowered her head. "If I had met you sooner, Miss, my parents wouldn't have died, and my family wouldn't have fallen apart..."
The tears in her eyes and the sorrow in her gaze were so real that Ye Pianran's anger slowly dissipated, and she let out a helpless sigh:
"Fate plays tricks on us."
"Miss, please allow me to stay by your side," Ye Lingyue raised her head, "I will do everything in my power to prevent anyone from harming you!"
“Once you enter Lanxin Courtyard, you won’t just be protecting me,” Ye Pianran corrected her. “You also need to carefully watch over the safety of Madam and Young Master.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Lingyue knew she could stay. She beamed and immediately cupped her hands, saying, "This servant obeys!"
"You..." Ye Pianran wanted to say something more, but in the end she found herself speechless.
"Is there anything you need, Miss?"
Ye Pianran sighed again: "Please pass on a message to the Third Prince for me. Just say... Thank you for your kindness, Third Prince. I am deeply grateful."
Ye Lingyue smiled and her eyes crinkled: "Yes, this servant will take care of it right away."
The Northern Martial Prince's Mansion was even more solemn and austere at night than during the day. No servants moved about within the vast mansion; only soldiers in soft armor patrolled the area. Inside the study, Chunyu Yang was reviewing military reports from the border when he suddenly heard the voices of guards outside.
"Your Highness, Ye Lingyue requests an audience."
Chunyu Yang frowned immediately. Ye Lingyue was Ye Cangqiong's junior sister. He recruited her into the manor to arrange for her to protect Ye Pianran. She should be serving at the Marquis's manor right now, so why did she suddenly return? Could it be... that something serious has happened at the Marquis's manor again?
"Announce it," he said in a deep voice.
A moment later, the study door was pushed open, and Ye Lingyue, dressed in the clothes of a maid from the Marquis's mansion, entered and bowed respectfully:
"Your subordinate Ye Lingyue greets Your Highness."
"What happened? Why are you back at this hour?" Chunyu Yang asked.
Ye Lingyue lowered her head and replied, "Miss saw through my identity and specially sent me back to deliver a message to the Prince."
Upon hearing that nothing had happened at the Marquis's residence, Chunyu Yang breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Miss said she was very happy to thank the Third Prince for his kindness." Ye Lingyue's eyes darted around mischievously, and she took it upon herself to change the meaning of her words.
Upon hearing this, Chunyu Yang's expression softened slightly, and his voice even carried a hint of warmth: "How did she see through you?"
This time, Ye Lingyue no longer dared to act on her own initiative and told Chunyu Yang in detail how Ye Pianran had discovered her.
“Her intuition is indeed sharp.” Chunyu Yang’s lips curled up slightly, and a beautiful figure appeared before his eyes. Then, the longing he had been trying to suppress burst forth like a flood that had broken through the dam, becoming uncontrollable.
It's been a while since I last saw her. I wonder what she's been up to lately? Is she still holed up in her room, diligently studying those medical books Liu Luluo threw at her, like before? The autumn imperial examinations have already begun, and her half-brother has gone to the examination hall to take them. He must be having an easier time than before, right? I wonder what her expression will be when she finds out that Ye Lingyue was sent by him...
Seeing that he was completely absorbed in his studies, Ye Lingyue lowered her head and chuckled to herself, then looked up and asked, feigning seriousness:
"Your Highness, I must return to the Marquis's residence to report to Miss. Is there anything you would like me to convey to her?"
A thought flickered in Chunyu Yang's mind. Deliver a message to her? He hadn't considered that before…
After pondering for a moment, he took out a piece of paper, wrote a sentence on it, and then handed it to Ye Lingyue.
"Deliver this letter to her for me."
"Yes, I will personally deliver it to Miss!" Ye Lingyue replied with a beaming smile.