TMBIABHL: Chapter 11

 Character & Term Glossary

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

· Zhou Shi (周氏): Wife of the accused Liu Si. Her public accusation changes everything.

· Cao Chengwen (曹成文): The eldest son of the Cao family. His true nature is being exposed.

· Wu Xu (吴旭): The yamen runner, who performs his duty impartially.

· Ye Jingyan (叶璟言): The third brother (三郎). Thoughtful and observant.

· Ye Yunfeng (叶云风): The fourth brother (四郎). His impulsive nature is a recurring point of concern for his sister.

· Feather Duster (鸡毛掸子): A common household tool used for cleaning, but also sometimes used for disciplining children. Used here as a metaphor.

---

Chapter 11: He Needs to Learn His Lesson

The shrill, piercing scream was like a sharp blade, instantly tearing through everything. The entire street fell into dead silence.

Everyone stared in shock, unable to believe their ears.

What… what did that woman just say?

She said Liu Si killed the Cao family's Second Young Master on the orders of the Eldest Young Master!?

The crowd stirred.

"Heavens! Is what she just said true?"

"The Cao brothers always had such a good relationship! How could the eldest kill the younger?!"

"Yes! I often saw the two brothers going in and out together; they're brothers!"

Someone clicked their tongue, their tone strange.

"Brothers? Same father, different mothers. What kind of 'real brothers' are they?!"

This remark instantly reminded everyone else present, and they looked at each other.

Yes! How could they have forgotten that!?

But…

"They grew up together since childhood; surely he wouldn't be so cruel?"

Someone quickly refuted, "You can't be sure! I heard Master Cao heavily favored the second son and even wanted to pass the family business to him. Wouldn't the eldest be anxious?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

Cao Chengwen's face was extremely ugly.

Furious and ashamed, he spat out, "What nonsense are you spouting!?"

He never imagined this woman would say such a thing in front of so many people!

But how did she know about this!? He had made it perfectly clear to Liu Si beforehand that he must not leak a word!

That Liu Si! He should have been dealt with long ago!

Hearing the surrounding discussion and the various gazes fixed on him, Cao Chengwen's heart beat rapidly, almost leaping out of his chest.

"You vile woman! Don't make unfounded accusations!"

Zhou Shi had already thrown caution to the wind and wouldn't be intimidated by him. Seeing Cao Chengwen's eagerness to silence Liu Si, emotions churned in her chest. Without a second thought, she retorted, "I'm not spouting nonsense!"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

She looked at Wu Xu and the others, fell to her knees with a thud, and swore a poisonous oath to the heavens: "Honorable Constables! I dare swear here: if a single word I say is false, may heaven strike me with lightning, and may I die a terrible death!"

Seeing she was really about to continue, Cao Chengwen quickly stepped forward and kicked her viciously in the shoulder.

"Open your eyes and see where this is! How can you allow yourself to talk such rubbish here!? Liu Si killed my brother! A life for a life is only right and proper!"

As he moved to strike again, Wu Xu immediately stepped forward and stopped him.

Facing the yamen personnel, Cao Chengwen had to stop. His eyelid twitched rapidly.

"Constable Wu, she's insane! The words of a madwoman can't be trusted, don't you agree?"

Wu Xu said sternly, "Whether her words are true or false, we will investigate and verify them ourselves."

Cao Chengwen's heart sank.

From the sound of it, were they really planning to investigate further?

If that vile woman was just spouting nonsense,that would be one thing, but what if she really produced some evidence? Then…

His mouth felt dry. He said urgently, "Constable Wu, she's clearly framing me! I'm innocent! Chengwu was my own brother! How could I harm him! I really—"

Before he could finish, he met the other's gaze and swallowed the rest of his words.

He had lost his composure.

Wu Xu gestured with his head and commanded, "Take her back to the yamen!"

Cao Chengwen clenched his fist.

But things had reached this point. If he persisted further, it would only make him look guilty.

Wu Xu said, "Don't worry, Eldest Young Master Cao. If she is indeed slandering you, we will certainly clear your name."

Knowing there was no room for reversal, Cao Chengwen suppressed his anger again and finally gritted his teeth and said, "Then… thank you!"

Zhou Shi was quickly taken away. After a few steps, she suddenly seemed to remember something, turned her head sharply to look at Ye Chutang, her eyes filled with tears.

"Physician Ye, my child…"

Ye Chutang nodded gently. "I will tell Auntie Yang."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Zhou Shi gave a pale smile and mouthed silently: Thank you.

The farce thus concluded.

Watching the figures disappear inside the yamen, Ye Chutang, holding her umbrella, turned to leave.

However, after just a few steps, she was stopped by Cao Chengwen.

He stood a step away from her, his face gloomy, grinding out each word through clenched teeth.

"It was you who deliberately incited her to frame me, wasn't it!?"

Ye Chutang blinked gently, looking very curious. "Why would you say that, Eldest Young Master Cao?"

Cao Chengwen sneered, took a step forward, lowered his voice, and pressed, "What promise did you make her just now, to make her suddenly so reckless? She didn't even care about her own life anymore?"

It must be that Ye Chutang held a grudge because they initially tried to frame Ye Yunfeng, and was deliberately taking revenge like this!

He had seen it clearly just now; that vile woman had specifically looked back at Ye Chutang!

There must be some shady deal between them!

A slight smile touched Ye Chutang's lips. "Why is Eldest Young Master Cao so agitated? If she is making a false accusation, this is a good chance to investigate clearly and clear your name."

Cao Chengwen's face stiffened; for a moment, he was unable to respond.

The girl's eyes were clearly dark and gentle, seemingly non-threatening, but for some reason, he didn't dare meet her gaze at this moment.

As if afraid she might see something.

Ye Chutang smiled faintly. "Also, regarding matters without evidence, you should choose your words carefully, Eldest Young Master Cao. Trouble comes from the mouth. By the way, Master Cao will be back soon, right? Having suddenly lost his beloved son, I wonder how grieved he will be. I also hope they can uncover the truth quickly. Otherwise, if these rumors of fratricide reach Master Cao's ears, he would surely be even more heartbroken, don't you think?"

A chill ran up Cao Chengwen's spine!

Could it be…could it be that Ye Chutang also knew something!?

"You—"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Ye Chutang didn't give him another chance to speak. She nodded slightly and turned to leave.

…

Auntie Yang went to Liu Si's house and brought the child to her own home.

With both parents gone, the child cried for a long time.

Hearing the crying from the neighboring courtyard finally gradually subside, Ye Jingyan put down the book in his hand and asked, "Elder Sister, why did you intervene to help them? When Liu Si was helping Cao Chengwen, he was trying to ruin us completely."

If not for Elder Sister's intelligence, the one waiting for death in prison now would be A-Feng.

"When seeking revenge, you must target the right enemy." Ye Chutang glanced outside and said casually, "Besides, A-Feng is too impulsive. He needs to learn his lesson."

This would save him from constantly getting into fights and causing trouble outside; it's utterly annoying.

Ye Jingyan: "…"

He suddenly felt that Cao Chengwen seemed a bit unlucky.

After all that effort and scheming, he was merely a convenient feather duster used by Elder Sister to teach A-Feng a lesson…

The rain lightened but continued relentlessly.

Ye Chutang put away her umbrella. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed some mud stains had splashed onto her shoes again.

She went into the inner room. Under the bed lay another pair of dirty shoes.

Overnight, the mud stains on them had half-dried.

She changed into clean clothes and shoes. Remembering she hadn't decocted Shen Yanchuan's medicine for the day, she went to the medicine room.

The small stove bubbled and gurgled, the bitter scent of medicine dispersing in the damp air.

…

Hearing the footsteps in the courtyard, Shen Yanchuan looked up. The slender figure of the young woman came into view.

His eyebrow quirked slightly, and he smiled faintly, his meaning unclear.

"Quite hard on dresses and skirts."

(End of Chapter)

---

Translator's Note: check out my other work— My Younger Sister Insisted On A Marriage Exchange Wanting To Make Me The Wife Of A Marquis and Rebirth as the Matriarch of a Noble Family (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

← prev next →