TMBIABHL: Chapter 51

 Glossary

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

·Little Five / Xiao Wu (小五): The youngest Ye sister, approximately 4 years old.

·Ye Heng (叶恆): Ye Chutang's second uncle. Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

·Lady Gao (高氏): Ye Heng's wife.

·Ye Mingze (叶明泽): The Second Young Master of Vice Minister Ye's household.

·Ye Shixian (叶诗娴): Ye Heng's daughter.

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

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

·Shen Yanchuan (沈延川): The Marquis of Dingbei.

---

Chapter 51: Good Taste

Ye Heng glanced quickly at Ye Chutang and immediately refuted, "How can that be? No other academy, no matter how good, can compare to the Imperial College! Enough, no more discussion. My mind is made up on this matter!"

Having just been promoted to Vice Minister, many people were watching him openly and secretly, looking for flaws. He naturally had to do everything impeccably to avoid giving them ammunition.

If they couldn't keep up once there… well, that would be the brothers' own problem and had nothing to do with him, their uncle.

By then, they might not be able to bear it and ask to withdraw themselves.

Seeing Ye Heng's resolute attitude, Lady Gao could say no more.

Ye Chutang nodded and gave a polite bow.

"Thank you, Uncle."

...

With A-Yan and A-Feng's schooling settled, and without having to pay tuition, Ye Chutang was quite satisfied.

They had just stepped out of the courtyard when they ran into Ye Mingze, who was just returning.

Fuming from the day before, he had spent the night at Spring Breeze Pavilion and still reeked of strong, lingering alcohol.

Seeing Ye Chutang and, behind her, Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng, Ye Mingze's anger flared again. He glared at them hatefully.

"You, get… get out! Get out of my house!"

Ye Yunfeng stepped forward, but Ye Chutang subtly stopped him.

She clasped her hands, seeming utterly unruffled by his words. "Mingze, you're drunk."

Ye Heng, who had been sitting inside, heard the commotion and hurried out, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

"What nonsense are you spouting! How dare you stay out all night! Your audacity grows by the day!"

Lady Gao hurriedly pulled at him from the side. "Husband! Anger harms your health! Besides, Mingze just had a bit too much to drink. How can we take the words of a drunkard seriously? Right, Chutang?"

As if Ye Chutang would be overly petty if she took offense.

Ye Chutang smiled slightly. "Aunt is right. I see Mingze has had quite a lot. He should go back to his room and rest early."

The words "his room" stung Ye Mingze again. He gnashed his teeth. "You shouldn't have come back! If not for you, I—"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Lady Gao immediately shot a look at Yu Hong. "Hurry and take Mingze back! And go brew him a bowl of sobering soup!"

Yu Hong acknowledged repeatedly and called two other servants. The three of them together hauled Ye Mingze away.

The rest of his words were muffled and went unsaid.

Of course, everyone present knew exactly what he had meant to say.

Ye Shixian wore an apologetic expression. "Cousin, Mingze didn't mean those words. Please don't mind them."

"How could I?"

The corners of Ye Chutang's lips curved up.

Ye Heng was strict, Lady Gao was doting. A young master already ruined by such upbringing would only bring endless trouble.

She was more than happy to watch the show. Why would she mind?

...

After a simple tidy-up back at their rooms, Ye Chutang took the siblings out.

A-Yan and A-Feng hadn't been back to the capital in years. Little Five had been barely over a year old when they left and had no memory of it. Now that they had finally returned, they should properly look around.

Ye Chutang politely declined Ye Shixian's offer to accompany them.

Ye Shixian hadn't really wanted to go with them anyway. After being refused, she didn't insist, using the excuse of needing to look after Ye Mingze to stay behind.

The siblings arrived at the street. Looking at the bustling, prosperous scene, their feelings differed.

Ye Jingyan sighed softly. "After three years apart, the capital seems unchanged, still as noisy as before."

Ye Yunfeng was visibly more excited. "Yeah! Such a lively scene can only be seen in the capital! If we were still in Jiangling, where would we see this?"

He held Little Five and pointed in a certain direction. "Little Five, look! That's a sugar figurine maker! Want me to buy you one?"

Little Five widened her large, dark eyes and nodded vigorously.

Ye Yunfeng immediately walked over with her. "Uncle! One sugar figurine, please!"

The elderly sugar figurine maker looked up at Little Five and smiled kindly. "Alright! How about—one that looks like this little one?"

His movements were skilled. Before long, a chubby, adorable little girl sugar figurine appeared in his hand.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Little Five watched, completely captivated.

Soon, the old man handed the figurine over. "Here! Hold it tight, little one!"

Little Five, however, shook her head. She seriously held up four fingers.

The old man was taken aback, only then noticing Ye Chutang and Ye Jingyan following behind. He couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

Which family's young masters and misses were these? Each one so exceptionally good-looking!

He smiled and asked Little Five, "You want four, is that it?"

Little Five quickly nodded.

"Alright! Coming right up!"

In no time, four sugar figurines were ready.

Lifelike and vivid.

Ye Chutang also found it quite amusing.

When she first awoke in the body of the Ye family's second young miss, it was just a few days before Ye Zheng's demotion to Wuzhou. The original host's body was frail, and she had to rest in bed for several days to gradually recover and digest the host's memories.

But in truth, the original Ye Chutang hadn't grown up in the capital either.

Ye Zheng had passed the imperial examinations at a young age, brilliant and talented. Later, entering officialdom, he had been helped and promoted by patrons all the way.

But for the first dozen or so years of his career, he hadn't served in the capital, so the whole family had lived elsewhere.

It was only four years ago that he was transferred back to the capital.

Unfortunately, Little Five had just been born then, and Ye Chutang's health was poor, so they temporarily stayed in the south to recuperate.

Half a year later, when the weather warmed, Ye Zheng had them brought to the capital.

However, after arriving, she couldn't adjust to the climate, her illness flared up repeatedly, and she spent another half-year bedridden.

So she, too, didn't have many concrete impressions of the capital.

While A-Yan and A-Feng might feel nostalgia, Ye Chutang felt more curiosity.

At that moment, Little Five stopped Ye Jingyan from paying. She pulled out her own money pouch, took out a piece of broken silver, and handed it over. Then she carefully took all four sugar figurines in her hands as if they were treasures.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

—Big Sister! Third Brother! Fourth Brother! And her! The whole family, together and complete, were all here!

...

By the time they finished wandering and returned, it was already afternoon.

Little Five couldn't put the four sugar figurines down.

Ye Chutang sat at the table, lost in thought.

Now that they were back in the capital, she needed to think about making money.

After all, there would be many expenses ahead.

Opening a clinic wasn't very realistic; her current status posed too many inconveniences.

She had to think of another way.

Today on the street, she had taken a liking to three shop locations but hadn't decided which one to choose.

"Little Five." Ye Chutang beckoned to her and scattered three paper balls on the table. "Pick one."

Little Five pattered over. Though she didn't know what her big sister was planning, she obediently picked one out.

Ye Chutang unfolded it and smiled.

She had indeed picked the one with the highest rent, on the same street as Moon-Viewing Pavilion, where every inch of land cost a fortune.

"This one it is."

...

In the evening, Lian Zhou hurried back to the residence.

"Master, there's been no movement at Moon-Viewing Pavilion for now."

Shen Yanchuan wasn't surprised. "Keep watching."

Lian Zhou acknowledged, his expression slightly odd. "Master, there's one more thing…"

Shen Yanchuan said mildly, "Speak."

Lian Zhou hesitated a moment before lowering his voice.

"Physician Ye seems to have taken a liking to the fabric shop diagonally opposite Moon-Viewing Pavilion. What do you think…"

Shen Yanchuan's brush paused. He chuckled softly.

"Her taste is quite good."

(End of Chapter)

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