Chapter 4: Opening the Coffin to Examine the Corpse

Ye Chutang’s brows furrowed.

"What did you say?"

Cao Chengwu is dead? But yesterday, A-Yan clearly said that those few people only suffered superficial injuries and would recover after a few days of rest. How could this—

Madam Cao wailed and beat her chest: "My poor son! You died so unjustly! If it weren't for Ye Yunfeng beating him half to death yesterday, how could he have died when he was perfectly fine! A life for a life! Hand over Ye Yunfeng right now! Make him pay for my son's life!"

The surrounding crowd was also shocked.

"The Cao family's second young master is gone?"

"Isn't this too sudden? I saw him perfectly fine yesterday morning! How could such a thing happen in the blink of an eye?"

"Didn't you hear her? It was the Ye family's fourth son who beat him to death! That boy isn't very old, but he’s full of brute strength and doesn't know how to hold back. It’s not impossible that he accidentally beat someone to death! It’s just a pity for Boss Cao and Madam Cao! They raised their precious son so big, only for such a thing to happen!"

"Exactly! That Ye family fourth son looks like trouble. He’s only twelve and already caused a death! What will he be like when he grows up!? Someone like that must be sent to the authorities!"

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

Ye Chutang’s expression darkened, her thoughts racing.

Although A-Feng is impulsive and hot-tempered, he has always known his limits. Especially with A-Yan there, it would be impossible for him to let A-Feng use excessive force.

There must be something wrong with Cao Chengwu’s death.

Thinking this, she stepped forward and said, "Madam Cao, we also deeply regret the passing of your son, but we absolutely cannot accept the charge of murder without evidence."

Madam Cao was highly emotional: "What more evidence do you need! Many people at the academy saw Ye Yunfeng fighting with my son yesterday! They are all witnesses! After A-Wu went home, he suddenly passed away in the middle of the night without warning! If this isn't Ye Yunfeng's fault, then whose is it!"

"In the middle of the night?" Ye Chutang keenly caught the words in her statement. "Do you mean that when he first returned home yesterday, he was actually fine?"

Madam Cao choked for a moment, then retorted loudly, "Who said he was fine! He had several wounds on his body at the time! We even specifically hired a doctor to bandage him! Ye Yunfeng is so young yet so ruthless, laying such heavy hands on his own classmate! If it wasn't him, then who could it be!"

Standing beside Madam Cao, Cao Chengwen comforted her while looking at Ye Chutang with a troubled expression.

"Second Miss Ye, you should just hand over your brother! This matter has nothing to do with you; we won't make things difficult for you!"

Ye Chutang did not budge an inch, saying firmly: "You have no proof, yet you want to arrest my brother. There is no such logic in this world."

Cao Chengwen seemed somewhat annoyed: "Why are you protecting a murderer like this!?"

Ye Chutang looked at him steadily with her dark eyes: "Eldest Young Master Cao, watch your words. The authorities haven't even convicted my brother yet. Since you are saying this, could it be that you are more powerful than the authorities?"

"You!" Cao Chengwen’s expression panicked for a split second. "I didn't say that! Don't you go twisting my words!"

Madam Cao’s gaze moved past Ye Chutang toward the inside of the gate, gritting her teeth: "Why won't he come out!? He killed someone, is he feeling guilty!?"

With a "bang," the gate was pushed open violently, and Ye Yunfeng, unable to hold back any longer, strode out.

"I didn't kill him!"

Ye Chutang looked back at him. The boy’s fists were tightly clenched, his chest heaving with suppressed anger: "Big Sister! I only punched him a few times, I didn't kill him!"

Seeing him, Madam Cao became even more agitated, screaming: "If it wasn't you, then who was it!? Give me back my son's life!"

As she spoke, she prepared to rush forward.

Ye Chutang moved slightly, shielding Ye Yunfeng behind her, her voice low but resonant.

"Madam Cao, if your son was truly killed by my brother, I wouldn't need anyone else to act; I would take him to the jail myself! But if it wasn't him, I will absolutely not be polite to anyone trying to smear him with such filth!"

Madam Cao’s eyes widened: "Ye Chutang! What do you mean by that? Are you saying I’m intentionally framing you!?"

Ye Chutang said, "Since you insist that my brother killed your son, I must see for myself, don't you agree?"

Madam Cao was stunned: "Y-you, what do you mean!?"

Ye Chutang stepped forward and arrived before the black coffin.

"A-Feng, open the coffin!" She said, enunciating every word. "Take a good look and see if you are the one who killed him!"

No one expected Ye Chutang to do this, and for a moment, everyone was stunned. Although Ye Yunfeng didn't understand why she would do this, he always listened to his big sister. Without hesitation, he strode to the coffin, braced his hands, and exerted force!

The heavy coffin lid was actually pushed open by a boy of only twelve!

"Ah!"

The crowd retreated in panic, yet couldn't help but peek out of curiosity.

Only then did Madam Cao snap out of it, screaming as she lunged forward.

"Ye Chutang! You—"

Ye Yunfeng immediately blocked her path, his presence imposing. Madam Cao was momentarily intimidated and dared not move forward.

Ye Chutang did not back down, turning her head to look at Madam Cao: "Are these hemorrhagic purpura on your son’s body also caused by A-Feng’s punches?"

Madam Cao was speechless: "W-what?"

Ye Chutang lifted her chin: "His face and body are covered in large patches of purple spots. These are clearly not caused by someone hitting him. To conclude that he died at A-Feng’s hands based on this is perhaps too hasty."

Madam Cao was bewildered. She rushed over and lifted Cao Chengwu’s sleeve, and sure enough, she saw large patches of purple spots spreading across his skin.

These were definitely not marks that would appear from a fight.

"T-this..."

Early this morning, when she heard from the servants that her son had died, she had fainted. When she woke up, only one thought was in her mind—it must be because of Ye Yunfeng, who had fought him yesterday!

When she first saw the purple spots on her son’s face, she assumed they were caused by the fight and didn't pay much attention. Now, pointed out by Ye Chutang, she realized that her son’s hands and body also had such marks.

Anyone could see that this was absolutely not normal!

Some of the bolder onlookers also peered over, whispering.

"T-this is a bit strange! I remember seeing Cao Chengwu on the road home yesterday; he had injuries on his face, but they didn't look like this..."

"If all these were caused by the Ye family's fourth son, wouldn't he have been beaten to death on the spot?"

"Exactly! If Cao Chengwu had looked like this on his face and body yesterday, how could the Cao family have let it go and only come to cause trouble today? I think it’s highly likely something happened after he got home!"

Ye Yunfeng quickly looked at Ye Chutang: "Big Sister, I didn't do this!"

Seeing Cao Chengwu’s state, he was also shocked, and he immediately understood that there must be something fishy going on!

"I know." Ye Chutang gave him a reassuring look, then asked Madam Cao, "Madam Cao, was your son allergic to anything?"