TMBIABHL: Chapter 3

 Character & Term Glossary 

· Ye Chutang (叶初棠): The female protagonist, a reborn heir to an ancient medical family. The "Black-Hearted Lotus." Runs a small clinic in Jiangling. Also referred to by her childhood name 'A-Wan' (阿晚) in the dream sequence.

· Shen Yanchuan (沈延川): The male lead. A severely wounded nobleman currently recuperating at Ye Chutang's clinic.

· Lian Zhou (连舟): Shen Yanchuan's attendant/guard.

· Ye Jingyan (叶璟言): The third brother (三郎), calm, gentle, and studious.

· Ye Yunfeng (叶云风): The fourth brother (四郎), fierce, hot-tempered, and protective.

· Little Five / Xiao Wu (小五): Ye Chutang's youngest sister, around four and a half years old.

· Caoji Restaurant (曹记酒楼): The largest restaurant in Jiangling, owned by the powerful Cao family.

· Madam Cao (曹夫人): The mother of the Cao Second Young Master.

· A-Wan (阿晚): Ye Chutang's childhood name, used by her family in the past.

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Chapter 3: Your Fourth Brother Killed Someone!

When Ye Chutang stepped outside, dusk was just beginning to settle. The last batch of herbs in the courtyard had already been neatly put away by Ye Jingyan, and the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, where Ye Yunfeng could vaguely be seen wielding a spatula with frantic energy.

Ye Chutang clicked her tongue softly.

Ye Jingyan had been sensible since childhood, never causing her any worry. It was always Ye Yunfeng, this little rascal, who constantly got into trouble outside. Yet, before she could even get angry, he would start working diligently, making her feel like she was punching cotton.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

The infuriating part was that he was an excellent cook, making it impossible for Ye Chutang to stay mad at him.

The four siblings sat together for dinner. Ye Yunfeng watched Ye Chutang cautiously. "Elder Sister, you're not angry with me anymore, right?"

Looking at the unusually sumptuous spread on the table, Ye Chutang thought that raising this kid hadn't been in vain.

In the beginning, she didn't know how to cook, and they had endured a rather miserable period she'd rather not remember.

She truly had no talent for cooking and hadn't improved one bit over the years. Eventually, Fourth Brother had taken over the task, and the family could finally eat proper meals.

"I wasn't angry to begin with," she said, serving the little one beside her some food so her short arms could reach. "I just find it troublesome, that's all."

The Cao family was difficult to deal with; otherwise, she wouldn't be planning to proactively go apologize.

Speaking of trouble... how could she have forgotten the even bigger trouble currently residing in her house?

Ye Chutang's eyes narrowed slightly as she recalled the sword drawn by the attendant named Lian Zhou during the day.

The blade, once drawn, was exceptionally sharp, capable of slicing through iron as if it were mud—no ordinary weapon.

More crucially, his moves were clean, precise, and ruthless, and the murderous intent that had leaked out in that instant—he had definitely killed before!

He was either a soldier who had seen battle or a specially trained shadow guard. In any case... someone who traveled with such an attendant was clearly an even more formidable figure.

Ye Chutang felt a headache coming on.

Why did she have to get involved with such a troublesome individual?

...

That night, as soon as Ye Chutang entered her room, she saw a small lump under the quilt.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"Xiao Wu? Where are you?"

Ye Chutang deliberately avoided looking there, walking a circle around the room.

After a good while, the little milk bun couldn't contain herself any longer and threw the quilt off with a flourish, beaming at her.

"So that's where you were hiding!"

Ye Chutang went over, scooped up the little one, and deliberately pinched her soft, chubby cheeks. "Let me see who's getting into bed without washing their feet!"

Xiao Wu hurriedly stuck out her two pale little feet.

—Not stinky!

Ye Chutang carried her off to carefully wash her face and feet. Glancing at the small bed specially made by the carpenter beside her own, she hesitated for a moment before finally tucking the child back into her own quilt.

Having gotten her way, Xiao Wu blinked, biting her hand and giggling, adorably cute.

Actually, she was already four and a half years old. Ye Chutang had considered having her sleep separately but had never succeeded.

When Ye Chutang first woke up in this life, Xiao Wu had been just a one-year-old baby. After the family's misfortune struck, Ye Chutang had acted as both older sister and mother, carrying her around every day. Three years had passed, and dependence had long since become habit.

Xiao Wu was especially attached to her.

Ye Chutang fell asleep quickly, but her rest was uneasy.

She had a nightmare.

In the dream, a carriage traveled on an official road. A bitter wind blew, and a heavy snow fell. Barren fields stretched out ahead and behind, the sky gloomy with layers of dark clouds, looking as if it might collapse at any moment.

She was nestled beside a woman in her thirties. The woman retied the collar of her cloak, held her hands, and said softly, "A-Wan, why are your hands still so cold? It will be better once we reach Wuzhou in a few days."

The woman also held a swaddled infant in her arms.

Sitting across from them was a man wearing dark blue robes, very lean, his shoulders and back straight.

He smiled apologetically. "Li-Niang, I've made you all suffer, following me like this."

A youth sitting beside them raised his eyebrows with a smile. "A-Wan, look, A-Yan and A-Feng aren't as afraid of the cold as you are! Once we get to Wuzhou, you'll have to train properly with us!"

Two young boys huddled together, making smug faces at her.

Ye Chutang opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found she couldn't utter a single word.

The next moment, a black arrow shot suddenly into the carriage!

Thwack!

Ye Chutang's heart clenched tightly.

Run! Quick—

Blades flashed, sword shadows weaved. Her vision gradually blurred. Her mother was shielded in her father's embrace, while her eldest brother stood guard in front of her, eleven arrows embedded in his back.

"A-Wan..." Blood continuously spilled from the corner of his mouth. "Take... take them... live... live well..."

She couldn't make a sound. Warm, metallic-tasting blood splashed onto her face.

Then, the scene shifted. The wind and snow vanished. Lanterns swayed on the street, the crowd was bustling, and willow branches swayed in the wind by the river.

Xiao Wu, holding a lantern, ran ahead. Ye Chutang meant to chase after her, but suddenly sensing something, she whirled around. There, in the dark end of an alley, a sharp glint of a blade flashed!

Ye Chutang's eyes snapped open!

She sat up, realizing a fine layer of cold sweat had broken out on her forehead.

A glance confirmed the little milk bun hadn't been woken by her.

Ye Chutang breathed a sigh of relief, but the feeling of imminent death from the dream remained vivid, leaving her unsettled for a long time.

She hadn't dreamed about those past events for a long time. She had thought the memories would gradually fade with time, but clearly, they hadn't. Instead, they had grown sharper with each passing day.

She touched her cheek, still feeling as if it had been scalded by blood, a faint, lingering pain.

She sat in the darkness for a long time before finally letting out a long breath, muttering under her breath.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"...That man is just plain unlucky!"

She had been living a peaceful life for so long, yet on the very day she encountered him, she had such a dream!

If his attendant hadn't been so fierce, she wouldn't have been reminded of those past events, unable to even sleep properly.

Handsome, yes, but the man himself is really not great—an ill omen!

Better to send him on his way sooner rather than later...

Ye Chutang refused to dwell on the latter part of the dream and lay back down to sleep.

Unexpectedly, early the next morning, a commotion erupted outside. Someone was pounding heavily on the gate, accompanied by wailing cries.

"The Ye family are murderers! Murderers!"

Ye Chutang's sleepiness vanished instantly.

She glanced out the window, then quickly dressed and got up.

Xiao Wu was also startled awake, instinctively clutching Ye Chutang's clothes, her eyes wide with fear.

Ye Chutang stroked her little face.

"Elder Sister will be right back. Xiao Wu, wait here nicely, okay?"

The little one nodded obediently, reluctantly letting go.

When Ye Chutang reached the courtyard, she saw Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng had also heard the noise and gotten up.

The three exchanged glances, none knowing what was happening outside.

Ye Chutang looked at Ye Jingyan. "A-Yan, look after Xiao Wu. A-Feng, wait here. I'll go see what's going on."

Ye Jingyan was worried, but he nodded and turned to quickly head towards Xiao Wu's room.

Ye Yunfeng wanted to follow her out but was pinned in place by a single look from Ye Chutang.

Then, she walked over, drew the bolt, and pushed the gate open.

A black coffin was placed directly in front of the Ye residence's main gate. Madam Cao of Caoji Restaurant, a white cloth tied around her head, her eyes red and swollen, lay draped over the coffin, wailing loudly.

A crowd of onlookers pressed in, layer upon layer.

Ye Chutang's heart sank. "What is the meaning of this?"

When the woman saw her, her grief seemed to intensify. She pointed a trembling finger at Ye Chutang and shrieked with all her might:

"How dare you ask! Your Ye family's Fourth Brother killed my son!"

(End of Chapter)