After the mind-reading and gossip-eating incident, officials in the imperial city were demoted one a

Chapter 136 Women Are Too Dramatic

“You came to me wearing a veil, and the person you were spreading rumors about was Madam Ye. She is an official’s wife, so I definitely need to know who you are.”

I took the money and followed you until you arrived at the Ye family's house in West Alley, where you removed your veil and I recognized you.

Zheng Tianxing stared sharply at Chunzhi and shouted loudly:

"You audacious Chunzhi, even now you still refuse to confess your guilt?"

Chunzhi's face turned deathly pale, her legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground.

"My lord, I didn't. This man is talking nonsense."

"My lord, everything I said is true. I make a living through dishonest means, and I have some survival skills. I even stole this hairpin from her head."

"Bring it up."

"Yes, sir." The constable took it from Zhang Dazhuang and happened to see that Ye Yuanru's hairpin looked very similar to the one on her head.

"My lord, this hairpin seems to be a pair with the one Ye Yuanru is wearing."

"Present them all."

The bailiffs removed the hairpin from Ye Yuanru's head and presented it to Zheng Tianxing.

"They are indeed a couple. What else do you have to say? You can't possibly have Zhang Dazhuang broken into your house and stolen it, can you?"

With the evidence presented, the onlookers began pointing and whispering about Ye Yuanru.

"So young, yet so vicious."

"Did Madam Ye offend her in some way?"

"Like mother, like daughter. I don't think Xue is a good person either."

Xue Ruoxue ignored the gossip about her and her daughter behind her, hoping only that her daughter could think faster.

"Chunzhi, you've been by my side for many years, and I've always treated you like a younger sister. I never imagined you would steal my favorite hairpin."

Tears welled up in Ye Yuanru's eyes once again as she bitterly rebuked Chunzhi.

"Miss, I..."

That hairpin was given to her by Ye Yuanru. Whenever she didn't want to wear it anymore, she would give her some.

"If you accept it, I won't treat you unfairly," Ye Yuanru said softly.

Chunzhi gritted her teeth. She knew a lot about Ye Yuanru and was certain that Ye Yuanru wouldn't abandon her, so she had no choice but to accept it.

“Miss, I noticed the hairpin was a bit worn, and I thought you wouldn’t wear it, so I took it without thinking.”

"You've served me for years. It's one thing to take away a flawed hairpin, but why did you have someone spread rumors behind my back?"

“Miss, I was just angry. The two young ladies from my uncle’s family humiliated you at the banquet, which is why I acted impulsively and wanted to avenge you.”

"You fool, they misunderstand me. If you do this, the misunderstanding between us sisters will never be cleared up, and this will harm me."

"Waaah...Miss, I was foolish. I meant well but did something wrong. I was wrong."

Zheng Tianxing watched the two act, resting his chin on his hand, and sighed inwardly that women were just too dramatic.

"My lord, Chunzhi did something foolish because of me. I beg you to be lenient with me."

Ye Yuanru kept kowtowing to Zheng Tianxing, begging for mercy.

"Ye Yuanru, do you take me for a three-year-old child? How dare you put on such a flawed act in court?"

Ye Yuanru trembled, her kowtowing motion froze, and her face grew even paler.

"My lord, why do you say such a thing?"

"Where would Chunzhi, a mere maid, get ten taels to hire someone to spread rumors? Are you going to accuse her of stealing your money again?"

"My lord, I did indeed steal the young lady's money."

Before Ye Yuanru could reply, Chunzhi admitted it.

Zheng Tianxing gradually lost interest and yawned. A yamen runner came in from outside and handed him a note.

"Now that the case is clear, I hereby sentence Chunzhi to thirty strokes of the cane for secretly instigating others, and to be detained for three months."

Chunzhi was terrified when she heard this. If she was beaten again, she would be locked up in jail. Would she even survive?

"Miss……"

Just as Chunzhi was about to speak, the bailiffs covered her mouth and dragged her away to be executed. Ye Yuanru's lips curled slightly, and then she stood up and chased after them.

"Chunzhi, Chunzhi..."

Fu Ling, who was standing at the yamen gate, secretly spat at Ye Yuanru's actions and cursed him as "hypocritical." She then went back to report to Ye Yaoyao.

“Miss, Xue Ruoxue is to return 5,500 taels to Manager Wu tomorrow, but Ye Yuanru is shifting the blame to her maid.”

"If their scumbag father doesn't help, their shop will be doomed."

With the return of 5,500 taels, Ye Mian has essentially gotten back the money he had taken from Liu Yunshu to support her family.

The Xue family's source of income was cut off, and Ye Yuanru's reputation was barely preserved; this outcome was expected.

Ye Yaoyao was busy in the pharmacy. "Fu Ling, give me a hand. Keep stirring this medicine until it becomes a paste."

"Miss, what kind of medicine is this?" Fu Ling sniffed; it was dark and had a faint medicinal scent.

"The medicine was bought on the black market, and the pills were made for my older brother to use when he went to the exam."

Ye Yaoyao had inquired about the examination venue's environment. For three days and three nights, they ate, drank, and relieved themselves in a small space, and no one dared to drink the water there.

Even the strongest person would be unharmed after three days. This medicine can refresh the mind and can replace meals, making people feel full.

"Miss, then make more and sell them; you're sure to make a fortune."

“I’ve bought all the medicine from the black market. Where would I get so many medicinal herbs?”

"Oh! That's a pity."

"Have the triplets returned?"

"Young Master and the others haven't returned yet."

The triplets each went out for their own reasons, while Ye Li'an looked at paintings at a calligraphy and painting stall on the street.

"Which one do you fancy, sir? My paper is a bit rough, but the artistic conception is quite good. I'll give you a discount if you buy two," the stall owner greeted him warmly.

Ye Li'an didn't really want to buy calligraphy and paintings. Ye Yaoyao said she wanted to sweep through the capital city's calligraphy and paintings in search of Phoenix Tail Flower, so Ye Li'an looked at each shop and stall one by one.

I would buy any painting of an unidentified flower, but unfortunately they were all common plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums.

Ye Lian shook his head and walked away. He found the next stall and hung up a few paintings. Unlike the other stalls that sold calligraphy and paintings, these paintings depicted rural life.

A realistic painting depicting chicks pecking at rice and flocks of chickens and ducks leisurely walking along the road. The stall owner was not there, and Ye Li'an was about to leave when a painting that had fallen to the ground caught his eye.

The drawing paper was also rough. When it fell to the ground and was folded in half, green vines could be vaguely seen. Ye Lian walked over and picked it up.

A painting depicts a thatched cottage with night-blooming vines climbing its roof, extending to a tree, and a line of poetry written in the upper left corner.

Orioles sing among the green willows beneath the leaves.

My melancholy thoughts are hard to express as I lean against this high tower.

The vines entwined around the old tree showed endless affection.

Alone, gazing at the setting sun, my thoughts wander endlessly.

"Where is the person who runs this stall, old man?" Ye Lian asked the noodle stall owner next door, picking up the painting.

"Just now, an old woman was startled by a passing carriage and fell down. The scholar took her to the clinic."

"Young master, would you like to buy calligraphy and paintings? Those are paintings by the scholar himself, twelve coins per piece."

"He paints these vines so well, I'd like to ask him for advice. I'll wait here for him to come back."

"Alright, young master, you wait here while I get back to work."

Ye Lian was hanging up the painting when he heard someone call from behind.

"Young master, write me a letter."

Ye Lian turned around and saw an elderly couple who mistook him for a stall owner.

“Okay!” Ye Li’an did not explain, but wrote a letter according to their description.