Chapter 56: Emptying Old Madam Ye’s Courtyard

The curfew in the capital started halfway through the hour of Hai (around 9:30 PM).

It was now past the hour of Hai, and there weren’t many people left on the streets. Most of the shops were already closing up.

From time to time, one could spot patrols from the Imperial Guards, who were responsible for maintaining the safety of the capital.

Ye Chutang went to the largest pharmacy in the city—Xinglin Hall.

The pharmacy assistant was just putting up the planks on the door, preparing to close up for the night.

Seeing Ye Chutang, dressed in lavish clothing, he quickly leaned the doorboard against the wall and stepped forward with a smile.

“Are you here to see a physician or to buy medicine, young master?”

Ye Chutang replied in a rough, masculine voice, “I want to buy herbs. A lot of them.”

As she spoke, she took out a gold ingot.

The pharmacy assistant’s eyes widened at the sight, and he stammered excitedly, “Y-Young master, p-please come in!”

After leading Ye Chutang inside, he hurriedly called toward the back hall, “Manager, we’ve got a big customer who wants to buy herbs!”

The shopkeeper had been in the inner hall tallying up the day’s accounts.

Upon hearing this, he immediately closed the ledger and came out in quick strides.

When he saw the gold ingot—about ten taels in weight—in Ye Chutang’s hand, his face broke into deep, delighted creases.

“Young master, what kind of herbs would you like to purchase?”

Ye Chutang casually tossed the gold ingot in her hand as she spoke. “My young master plans to enter the medicinal herb trade. We’ll be buying herbs here in the capital and selling them at high prices to the barren and bitter lands out west. I’ll take all the herbs you’ve got.”

She dared to make such a bold and open purchase because, unlike food, medicinal herbs weren’t a daily necessity.

Even if she bought out all the herbs in the capital, it wouldn’t cause a surge in market prices.

The shopkeeper thought her idea was rather unrealistic.

Those impoverished lands were severely lacking in herbs, true—but few could actually afford to buy them.

But that had nothing to do with him. As long as he made his money, that was enough.

His gaze followed the arc of the flying gold ingot.

“Young master, one gold ingot isn’t enough if you want to buy out everything in Xinglin Hall.”

Xinglin Hall was the largest pharmacy in the capital. Even many smaller shops sourced their herbs from here, and their storage was well-stocked.

“Go ahead and tally it up. My young master isn’t short on money.”

The shopkeeper gave Ye Chutang a probing look and came to a conclusion: a rich young fool!

“Young master, curfew is approaching fast, and it will take a bit of time to calculate everything. Perhaps you’d like to leave a deposit and come back in the morning?”

“My young master is in a hurry. It has to be tonight.”

The shopkeeper frowned. “There’s too much in the warehouse to move it all before curfew.”

“No need to worry. My young master has already made arrangements. Just start counting.”

“…Alright, please wait a moment.”

Ye Chutang reminded, “Shopkeeper, I’ve looked into herb prices, and I know my way around them. Don’t try to sell me inferior goods at premium prices or inflate the numbers.”

The shopkeeper quickly promised, “Rest assured, young master. Xinglin Hall has been around for a hundred years. We run an honest business.”

He turned to the assistant and instructed, “See to our guest.”

Just as the assistant was about to respond, Ye Chutang spoke again, “Once the pricing is done, gather up all the herbs for sale into the warehouse for easy inventory and transport. I’ll be stepping out for a bit, but I’ll be back soon.”

“Young master, will you be back before curfew?”

“Not sure. Leave a gap in the door for me.”

Before leaving, she left a gold ingot as a deposit.

The shopkeeper took the heavy piece of gold and confirmed it was genuine. His joy was evident.

He turned to the assistant and said, “Go gather the others. Keep out the daily prescription stock. Record the rest and move it all to the warehouse.”

The pharmacy’s wholesale price was roughly 20% lower than the retail price. If not for the need to keep some for prescriptions and consultations, the shopkeeper would’ve happily sold off everything.

“Yes, sir!”

The assistant immediately called over the other apprentices and porters. They started sorting the herbs that could be sold and moving them to the warehouse.

The shopkeeper, meanwhile, began calculating the total value of all their stock.

By the time Ye Chutang had visited every pharmacy in the capital with the same routine, it was already past midnight.

When she returned to Xinglin Hall, the shop was closed, but a board was missing from the door.

The apprentice was guarding the gap and saw Ye Chutang stroll back confidently. He figured she must’ve pulled strings with the authorities to be able to move herbs after curfew.

He removed another wooden board. “Young master, please come in. The shopkeeper is waiting for you in the inner hall.”

Ye Chutang entered and said, “Let’s go to the warehouse. I’ll verify the goods while checking the invoice.”

The shopkeeper agreed—it would save time. “Of course, young master, this way please.”

Fifteen minutes later, both the bill and the goods were in order.

Ye Chutang promptly paid the remaining amount. “Shopkeeper, have everyone cleared out of the warehouse. The people coming to move the herbs later can’t be seen. Anyone who sees them dies.”

“Understood, young master. I know the rules.”

“Good. Clear them out.”

The shopkeeper immediately dismissed everyone from the warehouse.

Ye Chutang transferred all the herbs into her storage space and arranged them for easy future sorting.

Before leaving, she opened the warehouse’s back door to the outside.

Then, using the same script, she cleaned out all the other pharmacies in the capital.

By the time Ye Chutang burrowed back into the Minister’s estate, it was already past 2:30 AM.

She emerged beneath the osmanthus tree in the southwest corner of Old Madam Ye’s courtyard.

The courtyard was huge. Lanterns flickered beneath the covered walkways. A maid on night duty sat at the entrance of the main room, dozing off.

The lantern swayed, casting Ye Chutang’s shadow long and short as it flickered.

She knocked the maid unconscious with a swift chop and tiptoed into Old Madam Ye’s room.

The room was scented with calming sandalwood—pleasant and peaceful.

Old Madam Ye was fast asleep, soft snores coming from within the curtained bed.

Ye Chutang was a bit sleepy herself and didn’t feel like rummaging around, so she just yanked the old woman up.

Old Madam Ye, rudely awakened, looked irritated.

“Who—”

As soon as she opened her mouth, a hand clamped over it. A rough male voice whispered by her ear:

“If you don’t want people thinking you’re meeting a man at night, chasing after young flesh like a hungry cougar, then shut up.”

Old Madam Ye was so terrified by the man’s voice that her eyes rolled back—and she fainted.

Ye Chutang: “…”

By the light of the lantern outside, she picked up a cold teacup from the table and splashed it on the old woman’s face.

Old Madam Ye sat bolt upright, saw the shadowy figure before her, and opened her mouth to scream.

Ye Chutang clamped a hand over her mouth again and tore open the old woman’s white inner robes, revealing a pale blue undergarment.

Old Madam Ye nearly lost her mind and struggled wildly.

She had been widowed for over twenty years. She couldn’t let some scoundrel ruin her reputation!

“If you want to die, keep struggling.”

Old Madam Ye stopped immediately.

Between chastity and death, the choice was obvious.

Ye Chutang mocked her with a look and let go.

“If you don’t want to end up stark naked hanging from the city gate, then hand over all your valuables.”

Old Madam Ye quickly pulled the blanket up to cover herself. “You only want money?”

“I wouldn’t mind getting both beauty and riches, but your loose skin and saggy flesh really kill the mood.”

With that, Ye Chutang dragged her off the bed.

“Go gather everything worth money. Don’t try anything stupid, or I’ll end you.”

She took out a long, gleaming Swiss army knife from her space and casually chopped off the corner of a small bedstand.

Old Madam Ye turned pale and nodded frantically.

“I’ll get it! I’ll get it right away!”

Ye Chutang used a thin silk blanket as a makeshift sack and spread it on the floor.

“Put everything valuable on here.”

“Y-Yes, of course.”

Her strong survival instinct wiped out any thoughts of defiance.

Soon, all the valuables in the room—jewelry, jade, ornaments—were piled into a small mountain on the blanket.

“Hero… that’s… that’s all I’ve got.”

Ye Chutang knew Old Madam Ye wasn’t trying anything funny, but she was certain there was more.

She pressed the cold blade of her knife against the old woman’s neck.

“Where’s the vault?”

---

Author’s Note:

Some readers think the female lead shouldn’t have saved Ye Anjun, so here’s an explanation:

1. Ye Anjun has never done anything bad. His moral value is high—he’s a good person with great potential.
2. The female lead doesn’t hate blindly. She never spares bad people, but she doesn’t kill good ones without cause.
3. While this story is about taking down scumbags and getting sweet revenge, the heroine is someone with both righteousness and compassion.