The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming-Chapter 133: Night Operation

In the dead of night, the sudden turn of events threw everyone into a panic.

Shadows rushed past one another as frantic shouts and cries echoed ceaselessly.

Ye Shixian was startled awake. She quickly threw on some clothes, but when she saw the brilliant blaze soaring into the sky outside, she froze completely.

Heedless of anything else, she immediately ran outside.

The courtyard was already in chaos.

"Bring water! Put out the fire! Put out the fire!"

Ye Shixian rushed forward, nearly tripping. With her hair in disarray, she was a wretched sight.

"How could the west wing suddenly catch fire?!" Ye Shixian’s heart leaped into her throat. "Mingze is still over there! Go save him!"

Shaoyao grabbed her, terrified herself.

"Miss, y-you, please calm down! People have already gone to check! The fire is too strong over there. It’s too dangerous, you shouldn’t go!"

Ye Shixian could already feel a faint stinging heat on her face. At Shaoyao’s words, she paused, gripping the maid’s hand tightly. Her expression was urgent. "No matter what, you must get Mingze out of there!"

Shaoyao immediately barked at the servants around them. "Didn’t you hear the Eldest Miss’s order? Hurry up and save the Second Young Master!"

Steeling themselves, the servants charged in.

CRASH—!

A burning door panel smashed heavily to the ground, sending sparks flying everywhere. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Ye Shixian jumped back a step, her lips pale.

She scanned the area and finally saw Ye Heng rushing over.

He had clearly also been woken from his sleep and had come in a great hurry. His expression was grim.

"What in the world is going on?!"

The butler, trembling, wiped the sweat from his brow. "Master, the fire started in the Second Young Master’s room! We’ve already sent people in to rescue him. P-please, try not to worry—"

How could Ye Heng not be worried? ’That’s my only son!’

"If anything happens to Mingze today, I’ll hold every one of you responsible!"

The butler shuddered and dared not say another word. He turned to urge the servants into the blaze to save the young master.

"Mingze!"

Mrs. Gao ran over, but when she saw the sky filled with flames, her legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground.

"Master! You have to save Mingze! If something happens to him, I don’t want to live anymore!"

Ye Heng was already consumed with worry, and Mrs. Gao’s wailing only annoyed him further. He roared, "What are you crying for! Mingze is fine! Nothing will happen to him!"

Mrs. Gao trembled and didn’t dare say more, simply staring at the massive fire as silent tears streamed down her face.

Bucket after bucket of water was thrown onto the flames, but the fire showed no signs of weakening.

It was the height of summer, hot and dry, and the fire spread with astonishing speed. In just a quarter of an hour, it had already engulfed more than half of the west wing.

Time seemed to crawl by.

After what felt like an eternity, Ye Mingze was finally carried out on someone’s back.

There were no burn marks on his body, but his eyes were tightly shut. He was unconscious.

Mrs. Gao immediately rushed over, her initial relief turning to shock. "Mingze? What’s wrong with you?!"

’He doesn’t look hurt at all, so how did he end up like this?’

The servant who had struggled to carry him out replied, "Master, Madam, the Second Young Master was already unconscious when we found him!"

Ye Shixian recalled something, and her heart went cold. "Mingze seemed to have had a lot to drink tonight—"

He should have been able to escape easily, but he had been too drunk to wake up in time. Inhaling a large amount of smoke had caused him to pass out.

Ye Heng shouted, "Quick, get a doctor! No, summon Doctor Zhang, the Imperial Physician!"

...

The fire burned for a long time, only to be extinguished late in the night.

But the entire west wing was now a heap of charred ruins.

Ye Shixian stared blankly at the scene, still in a daze.

’I never would have imagined that such an accident would happen so soon after we moved back here.’

"Miss? Miss?" Shaoyao glanced around nervously and whispered, "This is too strange. How could this happen right after we returned... Do you think the Second Young Master really has some sort of unclean presence attached to him—"

Before she could finish, Ye Shixian cut her off with a cold rebuke, "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Shaoyao panicked and quickly begged for forgiveness. "Forgive me, Miss! I—I misspoke!"

There were other people nearby, and Ye Shixian didn’t want to cause a scene. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and lowered her voice. "That’s enough! Isn’t there enough trouble for one night?!"

’The rumors about Ye Mingze had never died down. After tonight, they were bound to be dredged up and picked apart all over again.’

’Once you get a reputation like that, it’s not so easy to wash away!’

She suppressed her irritation. "I’m going to check on Mingze."

The wing was destroyed; staring at it would only cause more distress. Mingze hadn’t woken up yet, and that was the most important thing.

Ye Shixian turned and walked to the door of the room.

Ye Heng and Mrs. Gao were both inside. The atmosphere was heavy.

Ye Shixian walked over and glanced at Ye Mingze, who was lying on the bed. Doctor Zhang was taking his pulse, but he still showed no sign of waking.

"Father," she called out softly. "Please don’t worry, Mingze will be fine. I’ve already instructed people to handle the cleanup outside. We’ll be sure to find out exactly how the fire started."

Ye Heng’s brow furrowed, but his gaze remained fixed on Ye Mingze.

Ye Shixian tried to comfort him again. "It doesn’t matter that the building and our things are gone. As long as he’s alright—"

Ye Heng’s heart suddenly skipped a beat! He whipped his head around.

Seeing the look on his face, Ye Shixian asked hesitantly, "Father, what is it?"

Ye Heng didn’t answer her, instead striding quickly outside.

’The west wing was what burned. He had been worried about the fire this whole time, but he’d forgotten that his study was in the east wing!’

’Those things—’

The thought made him even more anxious, and he quickened his pace.

Ye Shixian, feeling uneasy, hurried after him, only to see him striding straight for the study.

"Father?"

BANG—!

Ye Heng kicked the study door open, his eyes sweeping rapidly across the room.

The inconspicuous Pear Wood Box was still sitting there quietly, its bronze lock securely fastened, showing no signs of having been touched.

Ye Heng closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

’Thank goodness, thank goodness!’

"Father? Were you... looking for something?" Ye Shixian, who had followed him in, looked completely bewildered.

Ye Heng took a deep breath. By the time he turned around, his expression had returned to normal.

"It’s nothing."

...

The eastern sky began to show the first pale light of dawn. The deep blue expanse was clear and high, as if coated in a layer of celadon glaze.

Ye Yunfeng grabbed the teapot from the table, tilted his head back, and chugged the water down. GLUG GLUG GLUG.

Ye Chutang brushed a bit of stray ash from the corner of her skirt before walking around the screen to the bedside.

Ye Jingyan, who had been sitting watch by the bed all night, looked back at her and was about to speak, but Ye Chutang gently shook her head and pointed toward the bed.

—Xiao Wu is sleeping soundly. Don’t wake her.

Ye Jingyan nodded, swallowing the words he was about to say. His gaze then fell on the object in Ye Chutang’s other hand.

It was a very familiar-looking book.

Spring Sun Mountain Record

No.

’This wasn’t the copy his sister had bought before.’