Chapter 38: Driving Customers Away

The case of the Cao father and son had caused a massive uproar, and in its wake, the crimes of Lady Liu—the concubine of Magistrate Yang Zhen—were also exposed; she had been secretly accepting bribes and plundering the wealth of the common people.

In just a few short days, the entire landscape of Jiangling had shifted.

The Madam Zhou sent a portion of hibiscus cakes to Ye Chutang via Auntie Yang, asking her to convey her thanks, before quietly leaving the city with her child.

Ye Chutang accepted the gift of gratitude without asking further questions.

She had already done what she intended to do; as for the decisions of others, she would not interfere excessively.

When the brothers Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng went to the academy to withdraw from their studies, they thought they would be met with more of the teacher's sarcasm, only to find upon arrival that the academy was actually closed.

"I heard that people from the yamen went to the academy early this morning to 'invite' the teacher away!" Ye Yunfeng said, still finding it hard to believe upon returning home. "I wonder what crime the teacher committed?"

Given the teacher's social status, the yamen would never have come directly to take him away without concrete evidence.

"At this rate, who knows when the academy will reopen!"

Ye Yunfeng grew cheerful at this thought.

He had never liked studying, and he harbored an even deeper dislike for this particular teacher. Now that he could finally break free completely, how could he not be happy?

Ye Jingyan explained, "It seems to be related to the Cao family case."

Ye Chutang nodded in understanding; she was not surprised by this.

She had long suspected that the teacher held an exceptionally favorable attitude toward the two Cao brothers. When A-Feng had fought with Cao Chengwu, the teacher had sided with the latter without any reason, and had subsequently made things difficult for A-Feng and A-Yan on multiple occasions.

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

"It doesn't matter. Once we return to the capital, the Imperial Academy will have better teachers to instruct you," Ye Chutang said. "Pack your things over the next two days; we set off in three days."

Ye Jingyan asked in surprise, "So soon?"

He had assumed it would take at least another ten days or half a month. After all, they had not returned in three years, and returning so suddenly would require considerable preparation.

Three days... wouldn't that be too rushed?

Ye Chutang shook her head. "There isn't much to bring anyway. Since we are 'returning,' we shall travel light."

Her priority was speed.

She had already sent that letter; her goal was to arrive in the capital immediately following its arrival.

—She had never intended to receive a reply.

It was a notification, not an inquiry.

Ye Yunfeng picked up a wooden board with a sense of regret; it bore a notice stating that the medical clinic was closing.

This was something Ye Chutang had specifically instructed them to write and hang up the last time there was trouble at the clinic.

"I thought our clinic was finally going to reopen..." Ye Yunfeng sighed.

Having spent these three years in Jiangling, they had grown accustomed to the daily flow of people in and out of the clinic. To suddenly close it down completely felt... quite unsettling.

"Sister, when we return to the capital, will we stop running this clinic?" Ye Yunfeng asked reluctantly.

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

Ye Yunfeng's eyes instantly lit up. "So, we're still going to run it?"

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

Once they returned to the capital, the situation would be far more complex than it was now. Trying to open a medical clinic there would likely be very difficult.

He hadn't expected his sister to have such plans.

Ye Chutang clicked her tongue lightly. "You know how expensive the capital is; we must have a way to make a living."

Ye Jingyan was stunned. "But the second... aren't they all still in the capital? Surely they won't just leave us to fend for ourselves?"

It made no sense, neither in terms of sentiment nor logic!

Ye Chutang smiled, but her expression remained detached and calm.

"They are them, and we are us. As for whether this return brings joy or sorrow, only time will tell."

...

It was already evening by the time Shen Yanchuan returned to the clinic.

However, as soon as he arrived, he noticed something was wrong.

The courtyard seemed emptier than before.

Shen Yanchuan looked around, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly.

Lian Zhou also found it strange and couldn't help but say, "Huh, have all the herbs being dried these past few days been put away?"

They had lived in the clinic for quite some time and had basically mastered the process and timing of drying and airing the medicinal herbs.

This was the first time in a long while that the courtyard had been cleared so thoroughly of medicinal materials.

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

"No, they've been thrown away."

Lian Zhou followed his gaze and saw a pile of discarded herbs heaped next to the firewood in the courtyard.

"This—" Lian Zhou was shocked.

The Ye Medical Clinic had been targeted recently, and no new medicinal materials had entered for a long time. The remaining stock consisted of unused supplies that were quite precious; why were they being thrown away now?

Shen Yanchuan then looked toward the opposite room. Through a half-open window, he could faintly see a small figure sitting before a small table, intently examining a row of neatly arranged pouches.

A chubby little hand reached out, carefully squeezing each pouch in turn, her fleshy little face filled with reluctance.

—Sister said all of these should be put into one pouch, and some of the silver fragments should be exchanged for banknotes to make traveling much lighter.

But she loved these pouches so much; they were all things she had worked so hard to save! It was such a waste to throw them away, wuuu!

Little Wu rested her chin on both hands, frowning in deep thought for a long time before finally selecting one. She then began to empty the contents of the other pouches into it.

Most of it was silver fragments, along with a jade pendant and a gold whistle.

She was so focused that she failed to notice Shen Yanchuan watching her.

Lian Zhou's eyes widened. "Wait, how old is she? How did she save up this much pocket money!?"

Shen Yanchuan's mind raced, and he had already guessed what was happening.

"Pack your things," Shen Yanchuan said.

Lian Zhou failed to react for a moment. "Huh? Master, have you made your decision?"

"Not exactly." Shen Yanchuan tilted his chin. "We are about to be kicked out."

Lian Zhou: "..."

...

Sure enough, not long after they returned, Ye Chutang arrived.

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

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

Lian Zhou looked at her with complex emotions.

Anyone seeing those dark, warm eyes and that gentle, mild smile would believe her kindness and concern were heartfelt.

If not for his master's warning, who would have thought she had come to drive them out?

Recalling the scenes at the execution grounds earlier that day, a sense of both vigilance and admiration rose in Lian Zhou's heart.

To be a player in the game, yet maintain the poise of an outsider from beginning to end, calmly arranging and planning the entire chessboard...

He had never seen anyone else with such mental fortitude and scheming ability, except for his own master.

And Ye Chutang was merely a woman; if she were a man, it was hard to say whether she could hold her own against his master.

Before Lian Zhou could speak, a cold, clear voice suddenly drifted from inside the room.

"I'm afraid I must trouble Doctor Ye to check my pulse once more."

(End of Chapter)