TMBIABHL: Chapter 27
Glossary
·Ye Chutang (叶初棠): Female Protagonist. Heir to an ancient medical family. "Black-Hearted Lotus." Runs a clinic in Jiangling.
·Little Five / Xiao Wu (小五): Youngest sister. ~4 years old. Non-verbal but expressive.
·Auntie Yang (杨婶子): Neighbor of the Ye family.
·Shen Yanchuan (沈延川): Male Lead. The Marquis of Dingbei.
·Lian Zhou (连舟): Shen Yanchuan's attendant/guard.
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Chapter 27: Young Master Shen? He Won't Do
Auntie Yang was flustered and at a loss. "Ph-Physician Ye, I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
Ye Chutang shook her head gently, indicating it was fine, then beckoned to Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu trotted over on her short legs, holding a grass-woven dragonfly, presenting it to Ye Chutang like a treasure.
—She made this herself!
Ye Chutang gave her a thumbs-up. "Xiao Wu is amazing!"
Xiao Wu pursed her lips into a smile.
Ye Chutang took a small silver ingot from her purse and handed it over.
The little one's smile widened. She planted a kiss on Ye Chutang's cheek, then scurried out again.
Auntie Yang watched this scene, momentarily unsure what to say. After a long moment, she said, "Little Five probably doesn't remember what happened before, right? That's good, that's good…"
A child her age could already understand the things Auntie Yang had just mentioned. A sensitive child might have been sad for a long time, but Xiao Wu seemed completely unfazed.
Ye Chutang smiled faintly and nodded. "She's young."
Auntie Yang's gaze rested on Ye Chutang's face, and she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Physician Ye's looks and bearing truly seemed as if she had stepped out of a painting. You couldn't find another like her in all of Jiangling.
Moreover, to have kept Xiao Wu's innocent and lively disposition was truly rare.
But for a woman to raise several younger siblings alone was truly arduous. When real trouble came, there wasn't even a single person at home who could help her.
Auntie Yang couldn't help but say, "Physician Ye, maybe you should reconsider and find a man to marry into your family!"
Plop.
Ye Chutang's wrist faltered. A drop of thick ink fell onto the paper, blooming into a blot.
She sighed, replaced the sheet of paper, and then said, "Didn't I tell you before that I have no such plans? Why are you bringing it up again?"
Taking care of these few children at home was exhausting enough. Adding a man into the mix would be the end of her.
(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)
But Auntie Yang was anxious on her behalf. "Isn't this for your own good? Look, you handle all the affairs inside and outside the household by yourself. It's so hard! You don't have three heads and six arms—how can you take care of everything? Finding a man could at least help share the burden!"
Ye Chutang didn't blame her for thinking this way. Auntie Yang was raised in this era, believing deep down that a woman still needed to rely on a man to survive. She also genuinely thought Ye Chutang had it hard and was advising her out of kindness.
But Ye Chutang truly had no interest in the matter.
Finally, Ye Chutang had no choice but to brush her off. "Auntie Yang, you know my situation. There aren't any suitable candidates."
What family would be willing to marry a woman with three children in tow?
Back when Cao Chengwen sent someone to propose, the message, between the lines, was that being able to take her as a concubine was already a great fortune for her.
Ye Chutang had politely shown the messenger the door right then and there.
"Besides, with all this trouble now, it's probably even more complicated."
Ye Chutang had intended to dissuade Auntie Yang with this, but to her surprise, the older woman slapped her thigh upon hearing it.
"How is there no suitable candidate! The one living in your house—I think he's very suitable!"
Ye Chutang: "…???"
A rare trace of bewilderment appeared in her eyes because she truly couldn't see what about her and Shen Yanchuan was suitable.
But Auntie Yang was very enthusiastic. "Though he doesn't go out much, I caught a glimpse of him when I came just now! My, that face is truly beyond compare! Although he's a bit sickly, with you here, Physician Ye, there's certainly no problem!"
Seeing Ye Chutang silent, Auntie Yang widened her eyes. "Has he already married?"
Ye Chutang choked slightly.
"I don't know."
She didn't want to have the slightest connection with that man—why would she care if he was married or not?
Auntie Yang remained very proactive. "Then go ask! If he's also unmarried, he can just marry into your Ye family!"
Over the years, Auntie Yang had actually always been concerned about Ye Chutang's lifelong major matter (i.e. marriage), but she never saw any good candidates. Many were interested in Ye Chutang, but in Auntie Yang's eyes, they were all flawed. Only Cao Chengwen's conditions were somewhat acceptable, but he was only willing to take her as a concubine—how could that be acceptable!
(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)
Now, having finally encountered someone who, at first glance, seemed extremely well-matched with Ye Chutang, Auntie Yang naturally didn't want to miss the chance.
"Physician Ye, if you're too embarrassed, I'll go inquire for you!"
As she spoke, she stood up to go outside. Ye Chutang quickly stopped her.
"Auntie Yang, please don't trouble yourself over this for me. I'm busy enough worrying about A-Yan and A-Feng. How could I have time for other things?"
Seeing Auntie Yang still hadn't given up, Ye Chutang continued, "Moreover, that Young Master Shen…"
She paused, then said without changing her expression, "His constitution isn't very strong."
"Ah?" Hearing this, Auntie Yang's face filled with regret. If it were other flaws, they could more or less be remedied, but poor health wouldn't do. If even Physician Ye said so, it proved he was truly hopeless.
She finally abandoned the idea, waving her hands repeatedly. "Then forget it! A man with poor health is no good!"
If they really got together, wouldn't that just hold Physician Ye back?
…
Shen Yanchuan's body had almost fully recovered. The two wounds on his chest and abdomen were now just faint scars, and the residual poison in his system had been mostly cleared.
On this day, he unusually took Lian Zhou out with him and didn't return to the clinic until evening.
Auntie Yang happened to be coming out just as she caught sight of the master and servant and couldn't help but look them over a few more times.
As she looked, she sighed inwardly: What a pity! This man's features and build are truly impeccable, but how could he just—
Sigh!
Auntie Yang shook her head and left.
Shen Yanchuan stepped over the threshold but suddenly halted.
He tilted his head slightly and asked, "That person just now…"
Lian Zhou immediately said, "That's Auntie Yang from next door to the clinic. You saw her the first day you arrived."
That was when she had rushed over to tell Ye Chutang that Ye Yunfeng had gotten into a fight at the academy and she needed to go see.
(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)
Shen Yanchuan certainly remembered, but that wasn't what he was asking about. Rather—
"Is there something wrong with my face?"
Lian Zhou shook his head, somewhat puzzled why his master would ask such a thing. "No, there isn't."
Shen Yanchuan's brow moved slightly.
Then why did he have the feeling that Auntie Yang had been looking at him with such a subtly strange expression just now?
After pondering it briefly to no avail, he simply stopped thinking about it.
Just as he was about to step inside, he felt something bump into his leg.
Thump.
Xiao Wu landed on her bottom on the ground, rubbing her forehead as she looked up in confusion.
She had been running too fast and, not paying attention, had run straight into someone.
At the same time, a book fell from her arms.
Shen Yanchuan bent down to pick her up when he heard Ye Yunfeng's voice from ahead: "Xiao Wu! You took the wrong book!"
A book?
Shen Yanchuan glanced casually,but then his gaze settled on the book's title, his eyes sharpening slightly.
—"Admonitions to Emperor Taizong"
(End of Chapter)
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