TMBIABHL: Chapter 38

 Glossary

·Ye Chutang (叶初棠): Female protagonist. Heir to an ancient medical family. Runs the Ye Clinic.

·Ye Jingyan (叶璟言): Third Brother. Also called A-Yan.

·Ye Yunfeng (叶云风): Fourth Brother. Also called A-Feng.

·Little Five / Xiao Wu (小五): The youngest Ye sister.

·Shen Yanchuan (沈延川): The Marquis of Dingbei. Currently recuperating at the Ye Clinic.

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

·Zhou Shi (周氏): Auntie Yang's niece. Wife of Liu Si.

·Auntie Yang (杨婶子): Neighbor of the Ye family.

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Chapter 38: Evicting the Guest

The case of the Cao father and son caused a huge uproar, and along with it, the crimes of Magistrate Yang Zhen's concubine, Liu Liyi—taking bribes and exploiting the people's hard-earned wealth—were also exposed.

In just a few short days, the entire atmosphere in Jiangling had changed.

Zhou Shi entrusted Auntie Yang to deliver a box of hibiscus cakes to Ye Chutang, asking her to pass on her thanks, before quietly leaving the city with her child.

Ye Chutang accepted this gift of gratitude and didn't ask any further questions.

She had done what she wanted to do. As for other people's decisions, she wouldn't interfere too much.

Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng went to the academy to withdraw. They had expected to be subjected to another round of the tutor's sarcastic remarks, but when they arrived, they discovered the academy hadn't even opened its doors.

"I heard the yamen runners went to the academy first thing this morning and 'invited' the tutor away!" Ye Yunfeng said when he returned home, still finding it hard to believe. "I wonder what crime the tutor committed?"

Given the tutor's status, unless there was solid evidence, the yamen definitely wouldn't have gone directly to his door to take him away.

"This means who knows when the academy will be able to reopen!"

Ye Yunfeng became happy again as he said this.

He never liked studying and particularly disliked this tutor. Now that he could finally be free of him, how could he not be happy?

Ye Jingyan explained, "It seems it's also related to the Cao family case."

Ye Chutang nodded in understanding, not particularly surprised by this.

She had long felt this tutor showed unusual favoritism toward the Cao brothers. Back when A-Feng fought with Cao Chengwu, he had unreasonably sided with the latter and had repeatedly given A-Feng and A-Yan a hard time afterwards.

Now that the Cao family had fallen, it was only to be expected that he would be implicated.

"That's not important. Once we return to the capital, the Imperial College will have better tutors to teach you," Ye Chutang said. "You two pack your things over the next couple of days. We'll set off in three days."

Ye Jingyan asked with some surprise, "So soon?"

He had thought it would take at least another ten days or half a month. After all, they hadn't returned for three years. This sudden decision to go back required quite a bit of preparation.

Three days… wasn't that too rushed?

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Ye Chutang shook her head. "We don't have many things to bring in the first place. Since we are 'returning,' we should travel light (meaning: with minimal baggage)."

What she wanted was speed.

She had already sent that letter. What she wanted was to arrive in the capital right on that letter's heels.

—She had never wanted a reply.

It was a notification, not an inquiry.

Ye Yunfeng picked up a wooden board somewhat regretfully. On it was written a notice that the clinic was closed.

This was the same notice Ye Chutang had specifically told them to write and hang out the last time the clinic ran into trouble.

"And here I thought our clinic could finally reopen…" Ye Yunfeng sighed.

Over these three years in Jiangling, they had grown accustomed to the daily comings and goings of patients at the clinic. To close it down completely now felt… really quite disorienting.

"Big Sister, when we go back to the capital, does that mean we won't run the clinic anymore?" Ye Yunfeng asked reluctantly.

Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow. "When did I ever say that?"

Ye Yunfeng's eyes instantly lit up. "So we will keep it open?"

Ye Jingyan, however, frowned and looked at Ye Chutang. "Big Sister?"

Once they returned to the capital, the situation would be much more complicated than it was now. Trying to open a clinic again would probably be very difficult.

He hadn't expected Big Sister still had such plans.

Ye Chutang clicked her tongue lightly. "You know how high the cost of living is in the capital. We'll need a way to make a living."

Ye Jingyan was taken aback. "But Second… Aren't they still in the capital? Surely they wouldn't just abandon us?"

That wouldn't make sense, logically or emotionally!

Ye Chutang smiled, but the expression in her eyes was distant and calm.

"They are they, and we are we. Once we return, who will be happy and who will be worried remains to be seen."

...

Shen Yanchuan returned to the clinic in the evening.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

But the moment he stepped inside, he sensed something was off.

The courtyard seemed more spacious than before.

Shen Yanchuan looked around, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly.

Lian Zhou also felt it was strange and couldn't help saying, "Huh? All the herbs that were drying these past few days have been put away?"

They had lived at the clinic for quite some time now and had basically figured out the process and schedule for airing and drying herbs.

This was the first time in all this while that the courtyard had been cleared of herbs so thoroughly.

Suddenly, Shen Yanchuan's gaze fixed on a certain spot.

"No. They were all thrown out."

Lian Zhou followed his line of sight and only then noticed a pile of discarded herbs beside the firewood in the yard.

"This—" Lian Zhou was startled.

The Ye Clinic had been targeted for some time and hadn't acquired any new medicinal herbs. These were all leftovers from before and, in principle, quite valuable. So why were they all being discarded now?

Shen Yanchuan then looked toward the room opposite. Through the half-open window, he could vaguely see a small figure sitting seriously before a low table, looking at a row of neatly arranged money pouches.

A chubby little hand reached out and carefully squeezed each pouch in turn, the small, round face full of reluctance.

—Big Sister said to put everything into one pouch, and to exchange the broken silver for banknotes, so it would be much lighter to carry on the road.

But she really liked these pouches too! They were all ones she had painstakingly saved up! Throwing them away is such a pity, wuwuwu!

Little Five propped her chin on both hands, her little brows furrowed in deep thought for a long time before she finally selected one. Then she began taking the contents out of the other pouches and putting them inside.

Mostly it was broken silver, along with one jade pendant and one golden whistle.

She was so focused she didn't notice Shen Yanchuan watching from nearby.

Lian Zhou's eyes widened. "No way, how old is she? And she's saved this much pocket money!?"

Shen Yanchuan, however, had a flash of insight and had already guessed what was happening.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"Pack our things," Shen Yanchuan said.

Lian Zhou didn't react immediately. "Huh? Master, you've made a decision?"

"Not exactly," Shen Yanchuan said, lifting his chin slightly. "We're about to be kicked out."

Lian Zhou: "……"

...

Sure enough, not long after they returned, Ye Chutang came over.

"How is Young Master Shen's recovery progressing?"

Ye Chutang stood outside the door, her tone gentle and concerned.

Looking at her, Lian Zhou felt complex emotions.

Anyone seeing those dark, gentle eyes and that soft, warm smile would think she was offering genuine kindness and concern.

If not for the master's heads-up, who could have guessed she was here to evict someone?

Recalling the scenes from the execution ground earlier that day, Lian Zhou felt an added mix of wariness and admiration.

Clearly a player in the game, yet from start to finish, she had maintained the demeanor of an outsider, calmly planning and orchestrating the entire board…

Such intellect and strategy—aside from his own master, he had yet to see a second person with such qualities.

And Ye Chutang was merely a woman. If she had been born a man, perhaps she could have been a worthy rival for his master. It was hard to say.

Before Lian Zhou could speak, a clear, cool voice suddenly came from inside the room.

"I'm afraid I must trouble Physician Ye to take my pulse once more."

(End of Chapter)

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