Chapter 688: Chapter 689: The Invisible Hand

News that a delegation from the Nanhu was on its way spread quickly through the imperial court.

Those not in the know assumed they were coming to negotiate terms regarding the battle of Long City. Only a select few knew the true purpose of their visit: to rescue the captured Tuoba Yu.

But it was a rare event, regardless.

Rumors ran rampant throughout the Capital City.

Yet one of the key figures in this affair, King Yan Nan, wasn’t much involved in the discussions. He spent most of his time accompanying Princess Qingyang.

The father and daughter hadn’t seen each other in years, but there was no trace of distance between them.

Princess Qingyang wished she could tell him every interesting thing that had happened in the Capital City over the past few years. Although she had written to him often, it was never as satisfying as telling him in person.

Of course, she also tried several times to pry for inside details about the Battle of Long City, eager to hear the full story. But as much as King Yan Nan doted on her, he was a man who kept his public and private lives separate. Beyond what was in the official battle report, he refused to say another word.

After several failed attempts, Princess Qingyang finally gave up.

"If I had known my royal father was so tight-lipped, I would have asked someone else!"

Princess Qingyang lamented, lounging lazily in a recliner.

She raised a hand to shield her eyes with her sleeve, murmuring softly, "It’s only the third month, but the weather has suddenly warmed up. We’ve had several sunny days in a row; it’s almost getting too bright."

As she spoke, she seemed to recall something. She turned to Ye Chutang, her face a mask of curiosity and inquiry. "Hey, I remember the first time you saved my brother... wasn’t that last year, in the third month?"

Ye Chutang was arranging herbs on a bamboo mat. She nodded as she worked. "Yes, it was."

A whole year had passed in the blink of an eye. ’Time really flies,’ she thought.

But if one were to recount all the events of the past year, one couldn’t help but marvel at how much turbulence had been packed into such a short time.

Princess Qingyang propped her head on one hand and grinned. "It’s a shame I wasn’t there. It must have been quite a scene!"

Ye Chutang paused her work, recalling the moment, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I doubt the Princely Heir would agree."

She hadn’t held back at all back then. If it hadn’t been for the need to raise some Silver for A Feng, she might not have even let him in the door.

Princess Qingyang clicked her tongue. "I bet he was overjoyed! But it really was such a coincidence. I mean, of all the people in the world, how did he just so happen to knock on your clinic’s door on that very day? It’s fate! It’s a grand, fated connection!"

Ye Chutang: "..."

She gave Princess Qingyang a silent look. ’Is it just my imagination,’ she wondered, ’or is she more invested in every little interaction between me and Shen Yanchuan than we are?’

She was acting like someone completely obsessed with their ’ship’...

Ye Chutang wanted to say something, but she feared it would only send the princess’s imagination running wild and get her even more excited. She wisely chose to keep her mouth shut.

Princess Qingyang’s eyes darted around. "Oh, right, Chutang, has your fourth brother really not been back at all these past few days?"

Ye Chutang nodded. "Military discipline is strict. As long as he stays put and we know he’s safe, that’s enough. It wouldn’t be right for him to keep coming back."

The one day of leave he got before was special permission, granted only because of his meritorious service.

"It’s that strict, huh..." Princess Qingyang’s opinion of Ye Yunfeng improved even more. "In that case, your fourth brother really is a completely different person now."

The old Ye Yunfeng was brash, reckless, and impulsive, ready to start a fight at the slightest disagreement. But after half a year of tempering on the battlefield, he had clearly been completely transformed.

Princess Qingyang lay back down again with a helpless sigh. "Ah, I was hoping that if your fourth brother came back, I could ask him... but from the looks of it, that’s probably a no-go."

Ye Chutang lifted her gaze slightly. "Are you really that curious?"

Besides, the battle of Long City was won, and King Yan Nan had returned safe and sound. None of the things she had been worried about had come to pass.

"Sigh, how should I put it?" Princess Qingyang thought for a long moment, unable to suppress the feeling of an itch she couldn’t scratch. "It’s just... I just... want to know! After all, I had a small part in it too, wouldn’t you say?"

She grinned at Ye Chutang. "Of course, you were the key! Haha!"

Ye Chutang thought for a moment. "If you really want to know, why not go ask Xun Cheng?"

Princess Qingyang’s eyes lit up, and she shot up from her recliner. "Of course! Why didn’t I think of that!?"

He was the person Ye Chutang had contacted in the very beginning!

He was probably the one who knew the whole story better than anyone!

With nothing else to do, Princess Qingyang was a woman of action. She stood up and started heading out.

"I’m off, then!"

Ye Chutang called out to her. "Since you’re going, could you help me take these two packets of medicine to him?"

It would save her an extra trip.

Princess Qingyang readily agreed, quickly walking over to take the wrapped medicine before turning around with a flourish.

"You can count on me! I’ll make sure he gets it!"

With that, she vanished through the doorway as gracefully as a red butterfly fluttering in the spring breeze.

Ye Chutang went back to organizing the drying herbs.

She certainly hadn’t been idle lately. She had several new patients at once, and all of them required medicine she had to prepare herself.

For several days now, she hadn’t been able to wake up naturally.

Thinking of this, Ye Chutang couldn’t help but sigh.

’Once all this is over, I will definitely—’

Suddenly, she sensed something and looked over her shoulder. "Lord Lu?" she asked, surprised.

The Ye Mansion was usually protected by the Black Cavalry Guard in secret, and Lu Yu rarely made an appearance.

But today...

"My master has a message for you." Lu Yu’s expression was as cold and detached as ever, betraying no emotion.

Ye Chutang couldn’t be bothered to guess. "What is it?" she asked directly.

Lu Yu said, "Zheng Baosu will be escorted back to the Capital City today."

"Him?"

Ye Chutang was genuinely surprised.

"The Capital City isn’t exactly close to the Northern Border. How did they bring him back so quickly?"

Lu Yu was concise. "When the Imperial Army found Zheng Baosu, he was already on his way to the Capital City. They ran right into each other, so he is returning earlier than expected."

"Such a coincidence?" Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow.

Even a fool could tell something was off about that.

Zheng Baosu was supposed to be guarding the Northern Border. What could have possibly possessed him to abandon his post and head for the Capital City?

Even if he didn’t know his deeds had been exposed, caution alone would have prevented him from taking such a risk on his own.

The most likely possibility was... he wasn’t doing it "voluntarily."

Ye Chutang gave Lu Yu a long look, a smile playing on her lips. "He hasn’t even entered the city yet, but your master’s intelligence network is certainly impressive."

Lu Yu seemed not to catch her teasing tone. "My master said it was imperative that you be informed of this promptly."

Ye Chutang nodded thoughtfully, but a guess was already forming in her mind.

’Shen Yanchuan has probably been tracking Zheng Baosu’s every move for a long time.’

’Even more than that—’

’The path "back to the Capital" was one Shen Yanchuan laid out for him.’

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