Chapter 12: The Capital

The commotion at the magistrate’s office spread like wildfire, and within a single day, it had reached every corner of Jiangling.

The incident had already garnered significant attention, and now that it seemingly involved the Cao family’s fratricidal strife, it stirred the gossip-mongering instincts of many.

The next day, brothers Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng went to the academy as usual. The moment they arrived at the entrance, they were met with all sorts of gazes.

The attention was focused particularly on Ye Yunfeng.

Ye Yunfeng was carefree and paid no mind to any of it, while Ye Jingyan remained as quiet and reserved as ever, his expression unchanged.

It was as if the chaos of the outside world could not affect them in the slightest.

The brothers were only a year apart, and since the academy was small and didn't take in many students, they attended classes together.

The two of them acted as if they hadn't noticed the gazes of their classmates at all, taking their seats one after the other.

A young boy was pushed forward by a few others; his mouth moved, but he couldn't seem to find the words.

It was Ye Yunfeng who lost patience first: "If you have something to say, spit it out."

The boy at the front finally spoke cautiously: "That... Ye Yunfeng, Cao... Cao Chengwu’s death, it really has nothing to do with you, right?"

Ye Yunfeng had expected them to ask this and sneered, "What do you think? If I had really killed him, would I still be sitting here right now?"

Wouldn't I have been arrested already?

These people were truly ridiculous.

The boys looked at each other.

They had never seen such a thing in Jiangling before; the shock left them feeling both fearful and curious.

"Then... then does that mean he really died from eating river shrimp?"

Ye Yunfeng snorted: "I opened the coffin and saw it with my own eyes! Could that be fake?"

Hearing this, the group involuntarily took a step back, their eyes filled with a hint of dread.

Opening a coffin to examine a corpse in the middle of the street!

Ye Yunfeng was only twelve years old! This was far too bold!

A thin, small boy couldn't help but ask: "Aren't... aren't you afraid? That was... that was a coffin containing a dead person!"

Ye Yunfeng found it amusing.

"What’s there to be afraid of with a dead person? My elder sister said that sometimes, the living are more terrifying than the dead!"

A dead person lying there wouldn't harm anyone!

Hearing him mention Ye Chutang, the expressions of the group became very complex.

Another tall, thin boy muttered under his breath: "Speaking of which, your sister is so fierce, who would dare to marry her in the future!"

Ye Yunfeng flared up instantly and stood up with a "thud": "What did you say!"

The boy was startled by him and felt a surge of cowardice. After stepping back, he felt ashamed of his reaction and raised his voice to retort: "Did I say something wrong? Which girl is like your sister, daring to open a coffin and examine a corpse in public!"

Ye Yunfeng laughed in anger: "My sister is the most amazing woman in the world! You don't know a damn thing!"

The boy snorted: "So what if a woman is amazing? If she can't get married in the future, she'll still be unwanted!"

Ye Yunfeng clenched his fists, the veins on his forehead throbbing.

Seeing him like this, the boy thought he was about to strike and felt afraid again.

"You! What do you want to do! Are you going to start a fight here!?"

Someone nearby chimed in: "Exactly! Don't forget, you just beat up Cao Chengwu here two days ago. You want to cause trouble again? The master will never tolerate your insolence!"

Ye Yunfeng gritted his teeth, but to everyone's surprise, he didn't lash out as he usually would.

He sneered: "I hit him because he deserved it! As for you lot... you aren't worth my effort!"

Ye Jingyan had put down his book at some point, his delicate and handsome face calm.

He glanced at Ye Yunfeng, a flash of approval in his eyes.

Sister was right; the incident with the Cao family had indeed taught A-Feng a lesson, and he was no longer as impulsive and prone to trouble as before.

Seeing that Ye Yunfeng hadn't moved, everyone assumed he was afraid and couldn't help but laugh loudly.

"What do you mean 'not worth it'? You're just scared! You're a coward!"

Ye Yunfeng tightened his fists further. The next moment, he heard Ye Jingyan say calmly from behind him: "My sister opening the coffin to examine the body was to prove her brother's innocence, and A-Feng taking action was to defend his sister's reputation—both are acts of supreme courage. As for you few, instead of focusing on your studies, you are wagging your tongues behind others' backs in a place of learning. I wonder, how are you any better than us?"

The words left the group feeling extremely ashamed and embarrassed. They wanted to retort, but didn't know where to begin.

"You—"

Before they could finish, someone suddenly shouted: "The master is here!"

The group scrambled to disperse and returned to their seats.

Shortly after, an elderly man with a long beard and wearing a robe walked in.

He glanced at Ye Yunfeng first, then frowned slightly.

The old master disliked such students the most, not to mention that the academy had recently been dragged into trouble because of Ye Yunfeng.

Ye Jingyan pulled Ye Yunfeng, and only then did Ye Yunfeng sit down.

However, the next second, the master spoke.

"Ye Yunfeng, the article you were asked to memorize last time—can you recite it?"

Ye Yunfeng froze for a moment, a look of difficulty appearing on his face.

He never liked reading, and with so many things happening over the past two days, he had forgotten all about it.

The master didn't seem to expect him to know it either, and let out a cold snort: "All brawn and no brains!"

He walked up to Ye Yunfeng and took out a wooden ruler.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Ye Yunfeng didn't retreat and simply held out his hand.

*Smack!*

The master didn't hold back, and a bright red mark instantly appeared on Ye Yunfeng's palm.

Ye Yunfeng pressed his lips together, not making a sound.

The master then looked at Ye Jingyan behind him and said pointedly: "This is an academy, a place for scholarship! We have you study hard so that you may understand reason, not to indulge in sharp-tongued bickering! Some people shouldn't think they are so remarkable just because they can recite a few books!"

Everyone could tell this was a rebuke aimed at Ye Jingyan.

The boys who had been arguing earlier turned back to make faces at them, their eyes filled with smugness.

Ye Jingyan acted as if he hadn't seen it and nodded gently: "The master is right."

Only then did the master turn back, satisfied, and begin the lesson.

...

"Third Brother, I really don't understand. It's one thing for the master to dislike me, but why does he dislike you too?"

On the way home from the academy, Ye Yunfeng couldn't help but complain.

His third brother was impeccable when it came to reading and writing essays, yet the master insisted on making things difficult for him and never gave him a pleasant look.

"Isn't it just because you refuted him once when you first started attending? It was clearly his mistake in teaching, yet he blamed you in the end!" Ye Yunfeng kicked a pebble away, feeling very indignant for him.

Ye Jingyan, however, was long used to it: "It's a small matter, no need to pay it any mind."

Ye Yunfeng's mouth moved, but in the end, he couldn't help but mutter softly: "If only we were still in the capital, it would have saved you from being delayed, Third Brother—"

"A-Feng!"

Before he could finish, Ye Jingyan interrupted him immediately, his expression stern.

"Don't mention this in front of Sister again."