Chapter 239 – You’re Suspicious Too (2)
“When were these medicinal herbs destroyed? Ask the medicine farmers in the medicine field. If you’re still not convinced, then ask Master Qin.” Ye Zhen said, coldly. “The medicinal herbs in the glasshouse are extremely precious. I hope that when the whole truth is revealed, whoever sabotaged the medicinal herbs will be punished as one deserves!”
Qi Jin’s face was quite unsightly. Since the time she had heard that the medicinal herbs in the glasshouse had been destroyed, she had been repressing her rage.
“Where is Master Qin?” The headmaster requested for Qin Fuzi.
After a while, a person returned saying Qin Fuzi was outside the glasshouse, weeping and refused to come.
The headmaster immediately shot to his feet. “I’ll go take a look.”
Imperial Physician Huang immediately followed him out.
Madam Huang snorted coldly, revealing a witheringly imperious look at Ye Zhen as if she had already seen the outcome she imagined: Ye Zhen kicked out of the academy. “Let’s go and have a look too.”
Su Xinmei followed in silence with her head down.
Ye Zhen turned to look back at Qi Jin. She believed that she was certainly feeling the same way as her at the moment.
“Let’s go and see how much of the herbs have been damaged,” Qi Jin said.
As they approached the medicine field, a wailing reached their ears. Then, they spotted Qin Fuzi in the distance.
“My fire lotus flower! … my black dragon tongue! Who in the world killed you!” Qin Fuzi thumped his chest and stomped his feet and cried at the thought of the fire lotus being casually plucked, it had withered beyond repair. Crestfallen, he mourned at the death of this precious treasure, and no amount of consoling did him any good.
[T/N: dragon tongue- is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine with the scientific name Sauropus spatulifolius]
Ye Zhen pursed her lips tightly, looking coldly at the shambles that was once a proud glasshouse. The mutilated medicinal herbs lay scattered all over the ground, the pots that held them shattered. The fire lotus was mercilessly trampled upon, its delicate petals pulverized beyond recognition. Of the numerous precious healing herbs, not one was spared. The heart-wrenching scene stood as a testimony to the savagery of the miscreant.
Who in the world actually destroyed these precious medicinal herbs just to deal with me? Does one not know how hard it is to cultivate these medicinal herbs?
“Lu Yaoyao, you have such a vicious heart for destroying every medicinal herb in the glasshouse!” The headmaster seethed and huffed, staring daggers at Ye Zhen.
“Headmaster, is such a student still worthy of staying in this academy?” Not wanting to lose the momentum, Imperial Physician Huang fueled the fire.
“Now, there is still no proof that Lu Yaoyao destroyed the medicinal herbs. Imperial Physician Huang, how do you know it was her?” Qi Jin asked, coldly.
Ye Zhen paid no attention to them, silently walked past, lifted the fire lotus, and muttered. “Such a selfish and treacherous person may cross the sea by trick, but will certainly never have good days in the future.”
[T/N: cross the sea by trick- to achieve one’s aim by underhanded means.]
“Lu Yaoyao, are you talking about yourself?” Huang Fuxiang looked at Ye Zhen contemptuously. She couldn’t believe that the headmaster was still unnecessarily dawdling and not expelling this wretched girl out of the academy at this instance.
Ye Zhen glanced at the door of the glasshouse. “The door lock is in good condition, it seems that someone came in with the key…”
“Enough!” Imperial Physician Huang shouted in a stern voice. “Lu Yaoyao, don’t try to make any excuses. You destroyed the glasshouse. This incident cannot be brought to justice without driving you out of this academy. You have to stand before the empress dowager, and you shall not be spared, never!”
Qin Fuzi’s howling was suddenly put to a stop. He stared at Imperial Physician Huang in incredulity, and asked, “Who destroyed the glasshouse? I shall tear that person to pieces!”
Imperial Physician Huang pointed to Ye Zhen. “It is her! Master Qin, you should have at least thought of this kind of day when you handed her the key. ”
“Lu Yaoyao doesn’t have the key. How could she get in?” Qin Fuzi asked loudly, “How can we get to the bottom of this matter? Lu Yaoyao had already returned the key to me. I too came to the glasshouse at noon, there was nothing unusual about the medicinal herbs then. How could something like this happen just when I turned around?”
Imperial Physician Huang’s face slightly changed. “Master Qin, you can’t be partial to her just because she is your student. You said that the medicinal herbs were fine at noon, but Lu Yaoyao came to the medicine field at noon. Who is to say she really returned the key to you? This incident seems suspicious.”
“At noon, I discussed with the dean when to send the fire lotus to the palace. If Physician Huang doesn’t believe me, she should go seek the dean!” Qin Fuzi grumpily declared. “Don’t look at Lu Yaoyao as if she has already been proven guilty. You’re already putting all the blame on her!”
Without waiting for Imperial Physician Huang to speak again, Qin Fuzi pointed to Huang Fuxiang and Su Xinmei. “Haven’t you two been to the medicine field today? You are under suspicion too!”
She hadn’t expected for a finger to be pointed to her, and definitely not this soon. So, a flustered Huang Fuxiang promptly said, “I haven’t been here. Master Qin, you can’t accuse me of this.”
Su Xinmei wanted to say that the two of them just came to collect some medicinal herbs. But now that Huang Fuxiang had spoken first, she couldn’t give an explanation anymore.
She glanced and frowned at the dumb Huang Fuxiang, a little ruffled and upset.