TMBIABHL: Chapter 10

 Character & Term Glossary

· Ye Chutang (叶初棠): The female protagonist, a reborn heir to an ancient medical family. The "Black-Hearted Lotus." Calm and perceptive, yet willing to intervene.

· Zhou Shi (周氏): Auntie Yang's niece, wife of the accused Liu Si. Desperate and frantic.

· Cao Chengwen (曹成文): The eldest son of the Cao family. His behavior grows increasingly aggressive and suspicious.

· Wu Xu (吴旭): The yamen runner.

· Liu Si (刘四): The Cao family servant who has confessed to the murder.

· Yamen (衙门): The local magistrate's office or government court.

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Chapter 10: Why Trouble Her Further

When Ye Chutang arrived at the entrance of the yamen, it was already surrounded by several layers of people, all craning their necks to see inside.

The sound of a woman's mournful weeping came from within.

"Sir! Please, just let me see him! I beg you!"

It sounded somewhat familiar.

Ye Chutang moved forward. Someone noticed her and quickly made way.

"Physician Ye is here! Make way!"

Ye Chutang had lived in Jiangling for three years. She was gentle, polite, and an extremely skilled physician, earning everyone's respect.

Yesterday's incident with the Cao family had made many people doubtful, but fortunately, the yamen had found the real murderer today, clearing the Ye family's Fourth Lad of suspicion.

Now, seeing Ye Chutang again and remembering her courage in publicly opening the coffin to examine the corpse yesterday, the crowd felt both respect and awe towards her.

A path quickly opened in the middle, allowing Ye Chutang to see the scene inside.

Zhou Shi was crying, tears and mucus streaming down her face, begging the yamen runners to let her see Liu Si one more time.

The runner said impatiently, "Kneeling here is useless! That Liu Si is a murderer, a convict sentenced to death! Do you think you can see him just because you ask?"

Zhou Shi's eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying all night.

"He's wronged… He's been wronged!"

The runner acted as if he had heard a joke. "Wronged? He confessed himself! How could it be false?!"

He waved his hand. "Alright, alright, hurry up and go back! Do you need us to escort you out personally?"

It was still raining. Zhou Shi was soaked, her hair disheveled, looking utterly wretched.

She seemed lost, despair flashing in her eyes. "So… so… he's definitely going to be beheaded?"

"Obviously!" The runner shoved her. "The Cao family is being magnanimous by not blaming you and your child! Now get lost!"

In a small place like Jiangling, a murder case was extremely serious. Liu Si had killed someone; his family would have no face to continue living here.

Especially since he had killed the Cao family's Second Young Master.

Zhou Shi, unsteady on her feet, fell into a puddle of stagnant water, splashing a few drops of filthy water onto the hem of Ye Chutang's dress.

Ye Chutang bent down and supported Zhou Shi's arm.

Zhou Shi looked up blankly into a pair of dark, gentle almond eyes.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Ye Chutang said softly, "Be strong. Your child is still waiting for you at home."

These words seemed to finally bring Zhou Shi back to her senses.

Yes!

Her six-year-old child was still locked alone at home!

If something happened to her too,then—

Zhou Shi hurriedly wiped her face, only to find her tears had long since mixed with the rain, indistinguishable.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ye Chutang noticed the cloth strip bandaging Zhou Shi's left hand had fallen off at some point, revealing a fresh cut.

Soaked by the rain, the wound looked somewhat pale and wasn't very deep.

Not serious enough to require Golden Sore Medicine.

Just as I thought, Ye Chutang mused.

Actually, she had only been guessing at first. She hadn't expected Wu Xu to act so quickly, nor had she expected Liu Si, with his cowardly nature, to confess everything after just half a night of questioning.

Oh, no—not everything.

Just then, a few people emerged from the yamen.

The crowd quieted for a moment.

Ye Chutang seemed to sense something and looked up.

It was Cao Chengwen.

He looked haggard, as if he hadn't slept well all night either.

He was accompanied by his personal servant and a yamen runner.

Standing on the steps, he bowed solemnly to Wu Xu and the others. "Constables, thank you so much! You found the murderer so quickly! If it weren't for you, my brother would have died a wrongful death!"

Wu Xu waved his hand. "This is our duty. Please accept our condolences, Eldest Young Master Cao. Go back and comfort Master Cao and Madam Cao."

Cao Chengwen nodded heavily, then said through gritted teeth, "Who would have thought that just a few usual beatings and scoldings from my brother would make Liu Si bear such a grudge and use such a vicious method to kill him! I beg you, constables, to behead him publicly as soon as possible! Otherwise, we simply cannot swallow this anger!"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Wu Xu didn't immediately agree, only saying politely, "We understand how you feel, but we must follow the proper procedures. Don't be impatient, Eldest Young Master Cao. The evidence is conclusive now. Even if that Liu Si wants to quibble or overturn the case, it's absolutely impossible."

Cao Chengwen clenched his fist, wanting to urge them further, but he understood Wu Xu was right.

No matter how smoothly the case was investigated, it still required a certain amount of time to be fully resolved. It couldn't be concluded today and the execution carried out tomorrow.

Although he worried about unexpected complications, there was no other way now...

And besides, all the evidence was laid out clearly; there shouldn't be any further issues.

Cao Chengwen clasped his hands and thanked the men again before turning to leave.

Unexpectedly, after just a few steps, his path was blocked.

"Eldest Young Master Cao!"

Accompanied by a mournful cry, a figure rushed towards him.

Startled, Cao Chengwen quickly stepped back two steps but was still splashed with filthy water.

He looked at the person with disgust and found a somewhat familiar-looking woman in her twenties.

"Who are you!?" he frowned and scolded.

"Eldest Young Master Cao! It's me! Liu Si's wife!" Zhou Shi seemed to have found a lifeline. She knelt in the water, kowtowing repeatedly. "I beg you, save him! Save him! Our child is only six; he can't be without his father!"

Cao Chengwen's frown deepened. He cursed coldly, "You still dare to plead for him! Your man killed my brother! We haven't even settled that score with you yet!"

Zhou Shi looked utterly distraught.

If she had looked more carefully, she might have seen the deep warning in Cao Chengwen's eyes, but in her current panic, how could she notice?

Her mind was filled only with Ye Chutang's words from moments before—the child is still waiting at home.

The child… the child!

Seeing Cao Chengwen about to leave, Zhou Shi, desperate, threw herself forward and clung tightly to Cao Chengwen's leg, pleading bitterly.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"Young Master! Young Master, I beg you! Please help! Liu Si, he's so timid, how could he dare to do such a thing! He… he's always listened to you. He did this all for—"

Cao Chengwen, both angry and frantic, kicked her hard in the chest!

"What nonsense are you spouting!?"

He used all his strength in that kick, making Zhou Shi cough up blood on the spot.

Her head felt dizzy and muddled. The strong metallic taste of blood in her mouth made her chest churn.

The cold rain fell on her body, the chill piercing to the bone.

Cao Chengwen shouted angrily, "What are you standing around for!? Drag her away! She's making a disgraceful scene!"

"Yes!"

Several servants immediately rushed over, looking fierce and menacing.

At that moment, a gentle, clear voice suddenly spoke.

"Eldest Young Master Cao, she is just a woman, and with a young child at that. She is already pitiable enough. Why trouble her further?"

Zhou Shi looked up. Through the curtain of rain and the crowd of onlookers, all watching with cold indifference, the only one who stood up to speak for her was actually Ye Chutang.

Cao Chengwen snorted coldly. "How am I troubling her!? It was her own man who committed the evil deed! His worthless life isn't enough to pay for my brother's! If she causes any more trouble, she and her son will not fare well either!"

These words completely shattered Zhou Shi's last shred of reason.

She suddenly looked up, her eyes bloodshot, staring fixedly at Cao Chengwen, and screamed hoarsely:

"It was you! If you hadn't put him up to it behind the scenes, how could Liu Si have dealt such a deadly hand to the Second Young Master!"

(End of Chapter)

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