Chapter 3: Your Silang Has Killed Someone!

When Ye Chutang came out, the sky had just turned dark. The last batch of herbs in the courtyard had already been neatly put away by Ye Jingyan, and the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen; one could vaguely see Ye Yunfeng wildly wielding a spatula.

Ye Chutang clicked her tongue lightly.

Ye Jingyan had been sensible since childhood and never gave her cause for worry. It was only this little brat Ye Yunfeng who often caused trouble outside. However, every time before she could get angry, he would start working diligently, leaving her punching into cotton.

What was more, he cooked a mean meal, making it even harder for Ye Chutang to stay mad.

The four siblings sat together eating dinner. Ye Yunfeng looked at Ye Chutang carefully: "Big Sister, you're not mad at me anymore, right?"

Ye Chutang looked at today's exceptionally sumptuous dinner and thought, *This kid hasn't been raised in vain.*

At first, for a period of time, she couldn't cook. She had led three children through a long stretch of bitter, unbearable days.

She truly had no talent for cooking; after all these years, there wasn't the slightest improvement. Later, it was the youngest, Number Four, who took the initiative to take over the task, allowing the family to finally eat proper meals.

"I wasn't mad to begin with," she said, picking up a piece of food for the little milk-baby beside her, saving her the trouble of reaching with her short arms. "It's just troublesome."

The Cao family people are difficult to deal with; otherwise, she wouldn't have planned to take the initiative to go apologize.

Speaking of trouble... how could she forget there was an even bigger trouble at home?

Ye Chutang's eyes narrowed slightly, recalling that strike from the attendant named Lian Zhou during the day.

The sword left its sheath, extremely sharp, cutting through iron like mud—it was no ordinary item.

More critically, his move was clean and ruthless. That murderous intent overflowing in an instant—he had definitely killed people!

Either a veteran soldier who had been on the battlefield, or a specially trained shadow guard. In short... a master who could bring such an attendant out was obviously no simple figure either.

Ye Chutang had a bit of a headache.

How did she manage to provoke such a troublesome master?

...

That night, just as Ye Chutang returned to her room, she saw a small lump rising under the quilt.

"Little Five? Where are you?"

Ye Chutang deliberately didn't look that way, circling the room once.

After a good while, the little milk-baby couldn't hold back anymore, suddenly flipping the quilt and beaming at her.

"Gotcha! So you were hiding here!"

Ye Chutang went over and scooped the little milk-baby up, deliberately pinching her soft cheeks. "Let me see who went to bed without washing their feet!"

The little milk-baby hurriedly stuck out two white, chubby little feet.

——They don't stink!

Ye Chutang carried her to carefully wash her little face and feet. Looking at the small bed specially made by a carpenter beside the bed, she hesitated for a moment, but still tucked her back into her own quilt.

The little milk-baby succeeded, blinking her eyes, biting her hand and laughing, milky-cute and adorable.

Actually, she was already four and a half years old this year. Ye Chutang had thought about separate beds, but had never succeeded.

When Ye Chutang first transmigrated over, Little Five was just a one-year-old baby. Later, the family met with misfortune, and Ye Chutang acted as both sister and mother, carrying her everywhere every day. Three years passed, and dependence had long since become habit.

Little Five was especially clingy to her.

Ye Chutang fell asleep quickly, but this sleep was not peaceful.

She had a nightmare.

In the dream, a carriage traveled on the official road. The cold wind was biting, heavy snow flying. The fields front and back were desolate. The sky was gloomy, dark clouds stacked up, looking as if they would collapse at any moment.

She leaned against a woman in her thirties. The woman helped her retie the collar of her greatcoat, holding her hand, speaking gently in a low voice: "Ah Wan's hands are still so cold. It'll be better in a few days when we reach Wuzhou."

The woman also held a swaddled infant in her arms.

Opposite sat a man in cyan brocade robes, quite thin, with straight shoulders and back.

He smiled apologetically: "Li Niang, making you and the children suffer with me."

The boy sitting next to him raised his brows and smiled: "Ah Wan, look, Ah Yan and Ah Feng aren't afraid of the cold like you! When we reach Wuzhou, you must exercise properly!"

Two still-tender boys huddled together making faces proudly.

Ye Chutang opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found she couldn't utter a single word.

The next moment, a black arrow suddenly shot into the carriage!

*Thud!*

Ye Chutang's heart leapt into her throat.

Run! Run—

Flashing blades and swords, the vision before her eyes gradually blurred. Mother was protected in Father's arms, while Eldest Brother blocked in front of her, a full eleven arrows in his back.

"Ah Wan..." Blood kept spilling from the corner of his mouth. "Take... take them... live... live well..."

She couldn't make a sound. Warm, fishy-sweet blood splashed onto her face.

But the next moment, the scene changed. The wind and snow disappeared. On the street, lanterns swayed, crowds surged, willow branches by the river swayed in the wind.

Little Five ran ahead holding a lantern. Ye Chutang meant to chase her, but suddenly sensing something, she abruptly looked back—only to see a cold, stern blade light flash in the dark alleyway!

Ye Chutang's eyes snapped open!

She sat up, only to find her forehead already beaded with fine cold sweat.

She glanced to the side; fortunately, the little milk-baby hadn't been woken by her.

Ye Chutang let out a breath of relief, but that near-death feeling from the dream remained vivid, leaving her emotions unsettled for a long time.

Actually, she hadn't dreamed of those past events for a long time. She thought with the passage of time, the memories would gradually blur. But obviously, they hadn't; on the contrary, they had become increasingly clear in the passing years.

She touched her face, still feeling as if it had been scalded by hot blood, a faint ache lingering.

She sat quietly in the darkness for a long time before letting out a long breath, murmuring softly.

"...That man is really bad luck!"

Clearly she had lived so many peaceful days, yet on the very first day she ran into him, she had such a dream!

If his attendant hadn't been so fierce, she wouldn't have recalled those past events, and wouldn't even be able to sleep well.

Although he's good-looking, he's really not great—ominous!

Better send him packing soon...

Ye Chutang didn't dwell on the second half of the dream, lying back down to continue sleeping.

Unexpectedly, early the next morning, a commotion started outside. Someone was pounding on the door with force, accompanied by wailing cries.

"The Ye family killed someone! Murder!"

Ye Chutang's sleepiness vanished instantly.

She glanced out the window, then quickly dressed and got up.

The little milk-baby was also startled awake, instinctively clutching her clothes tightly, eyes full of panic.

Ye Chutang stroked her little face.

"Big Sister will be right back. Little Five, be good and wait here, okay?"

The little milk-baby nodded obediently, reluctantly letting go.

Ye Chutang walked into the courtyard and saw Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng had also risen upon hearing the noise.

The three looked at each other, all unaware of what had happened outside.

Ye Chutang looked at Ye Jingyan: "Ah Yan, take good care of Little Five. Ah Feng, stay here. I'll go take a look."

Ye Jingyan was worried but still nodded, turning and striding quickly toward Little Five's room.

Ye Yunfeng wanted to follow, but was rooted to the spot by a look from Ye Chutang.

Then, she walked over, unbolted the door, and pushed it open.

A black coffin was placed in front of the Ye family's main gate. Madam Cao from the Cao Family Restaurant wore a white headdress, her eyes red and swollen, prostrated on the coffin wailing loudly.

Three layers inside and three layers outside, the surroundings were packed with onlookers.

Ye Chutang's heart sank: "What happened?"

Seeing her, the woman wailed even more tragically, pointing at her and screaming hoarsely

"You still have the nerve to ask! Your Ye family's Fourth Son killed my son!"