Mo Li

"Just look at what you've done!"

Old Madam's face was dark with anger as she threw the account books at Wang Shi's feet. Wang Shi had never imagined that what was meant to punish Ye Li would instead be turned against her with just a few words from the girl. As she flipped through the account books, Madam Wang's hands trembled more and more violently. She bitterly regretted underestimating this girl in the past. Despite never having been taught household management, Ye Li had uncovered every discrepancy in the accounts—even the secret ledgers from the shops. Clearly, her methods of handling people were anything but ordinary.

"Old Madam… My lord, this concubine—"

Old Madam snorted coldly. "No wonder you claimed the family couldn’t afford her dowry—you’ve been funneling money back to your own family!"

"Old Madam, your daughter-in-law is wronged! It was the greed of those below me—I knew nothing of this!"

"Knew nothing? Then you didn’t know your cousin was the manager of Hall of Prudent Virtue? Didn’t know you hastily replaced the managers of several shops?" Old Madam glared at Wang Shi. Having devoted her life to the family, she despised nothing more than Wang Shi using the Ye family’s wealth to benefit her own relatives—an intolerable act for any mother-in-law, especially since Wang Shi had risen from concubine rather than being formally wed as the principal wife.

"Li girl, where are those traitors?"

Ye Li lowered her eyes and answered respectfully, "Li'er took the liberty of detaining them. Those who signed indentures were given ten strokes of the cane, while the hired ones are to be sent to the authorities."

Old Madam frowned. "You’re still too soft-hearted, child. What good are ten strokes? Bring up the managers of Hall of Prudent Virtue and Treasure Trove Pavilion." These two shops—one dealing in antiques, the other in jewelry—were the most profitable of the twelve, accounting for nearly half of all income.

Soon, several trussed-up men were dragged in. The moment Manager Wang saw Wang Shi, he wailed, "Sister! Brother-in-law! Save me!"

Lord Ye shot Wang Shi a furious glare but remained silent.

Wang Shi, both furious and humiliated, snapped, "How dare you! Release the master’s uncle at once!"

Ye Li smiled apologetically. "So it truly is the Wang family’s uncle. Li'er thought it was just Fourth Sister’s joke. Though the Wang family isn’t a prominent clan, many of its members serve as officials—how strange that one would stoop to managing Hall of Prudent Virtue. However… the craftsmen and clerks there accuse Manager Wang of embezzling over eighty thousand taels over the years. I wonder—"

"Those vile slanders! My cousin would never embezzle!" Wang Shi declared firmly.

Ye Li glanced at Old Madam but did not argue. "Since Madam is willing to vouch for Manager Wang, Li'er naturally dares not doubt her. Later, we’ll have Manager Wang, the craftsmen, and the clerks confront each other before the Capital Prefect."

Wang Shi’s face paled. "Such a trivial matter doesn’t require troubling the Capital Prefect!" The newly appointed prefect, Qin Mu, was known as the Iron Judge—once in his hands, there would be no mercy.Ye Li reassured Wang Shi with a smile, "Madam, rest assured. If Uncle is indeed wronged, I will personally kneel and apologize to him. Guards, drag this traitor out and give him another fifty lashes!" She turned and pointed coldly at the Treasure Trove Pavilion manager lying nearby. The manager, who had just received ten lashes not long ago, turned ashen. "Third Miss, spare me! Third Miss... Madam, save me..." Wang Shi remained silent, her face dark.

The Old Madam narrowed her aged eyes slightly and calmly ordered, "Do as the Third Miss commands." Her gaze toward Ye Li carried deeper meaning. Ye Li knew the Old Madam was scrutinizing her but paid no mind, her icy stare fixed on the manager. "You are different from Manager Wang. You were sold to the Xu family as my mother’s dowry servant. My mother treated you well while she was alive, yet in just a few short years, you dared to betray your master. Even if you were beaten to death, no one would dare utter a word in your defense! Beat him ruthlessly!"

The manager collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably. The onlookers couldn’t help but feel a chill. They had assumed this obscure Third Miss was naive and easy to bully, but it seemed they had misjudged her.

"No... Third Miss, spare me! Madam, save me... Madam, most of the money I embezzled went to you! You can’t leave me to die!"

"Nonsense! What are you babbling? Drag him out at once!" Wang Shi shrieked in panic.

The manager was hauled away, and soon, agonized wails echoed from outside. The hall fell into silence until Ye Li’s clear, composed voice broke it. "Qing Shuang, have someone summon Manager Wang and everyone from the Hall of Prudent Virtue to the capital magistrate’s office. Inform Lord Qin that we’ve long heard of his impartiality and beg him to grant our Ye family justice."

"Yes!" Qing Shuang responded crisply.

"Wait..." Ye Ying stepped forward. "Grandmother, Father, this must not happen! If this goes to the magistrate, the scandal will tarnish Zhaoyi Niangniang’s reputation and Prince Li’s Palace... I... I won’t have the face to marry anymore. I beg you both to reconsider..."

"Mother..." Lord Ye looked at the Old Madam. Naturally, he also opposed involving the magistrate. The priority now was Zhaoyi Niangniang in the palace and Ye Ying’s impending marriage.

The Old Madam studied Ye Li, then frowned in disgust at Manager Wang. "Since we are relatives, it wouldn’t do for our families to fall out completely. But the shops belong to Li’er, and this cannot be overlooked. Return the missing silver as soon as possible. After all... we cannot afford to offend Prince Li, nor can we fail to answer to the Ding Royal Palace."

"Return it?!" Wang Shi cried out. Tens of thousands of taels were no small sum—how could she possibly repay it?

"Silence! As a stepmother embezzling the original wife’s dowry, do you think it sounds honorable? If you care not for your own dignity, at least think of Fourth Miss’s face—and Zhaoyi Niangniang’s in the palace! Bring me the household account books later. I want to see how you’ve been managing this household!"

Madam Wang turned deathly pale. The Old Madam was stripping her of her authority over the household. "Old Madam..."Ye Li stepped forward to interrupt Wang Shi, speaking softly, "Old Madam, the Wang family is, after all, the maternal family of Second Sister and Fourth Sister. Originally, giving them this money wouldn’t have been an issue. However... before my mother passed, she instructed that some should be set aside to honor Grandmother and to serve as dowries for my younger sisters. I thought it needn’t be much—since only Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, and Sixth Sister remain unmarried at home, let’s allocate ten thousand taels for each. Additionally, thirty thousand taels should be reserved for Grandmother’s personal use. That makes sixty thousand taels in total."

She then turned to Zhao Yiniang with a smile and added, "Auntie, don’t worry. If younger siblings are born in the future, I will naturally set aside their portions as well."

Zhao Yiniang was momentarily stunned, having initially felt some regret and resentment. But upon hearing Ye Li’s words, she brightened, covering her lips with a delighted laugh. "Then I shall take Third Miss’s kind words as a blessing. Truly, Third Miss lives up to being the legitimate daughter of our Ye family—such noble bearing."

Whether Ye Li would fulfill her promise in the future was uncertain, but her words alone were enough to please Zhao Yiniang.

Sixty thousand taels sounded insignificant compared to the original hundred thousand, but Ye Li knew much of that silver had been used by the Wang family to bribe officials or squandered extravagantly. Demanding sixty thousand taels from Wang Shi now would undoubtedly make her choke on her own blood.

After all, as long as Ye Zhaoyi remained in the palace and Ye Ying remained Princess Li, Old Madam would never truly punish Wang Shi. So, let her suffer a little.

Lord Ye, upon hearing this, immediately felt that Ye Li was being exceedingly generous and nodded approvingly. "Li’er speaks wisely. Proceed as you’ve suggested." Though he couldn’t act against Wang Shi for the family’s sake, he couldn’t help but resent her for diverting the family’s wealth to her own kin. His thoughts drifted to his late wife, who had always managed everything for the Ye family, and his gaze toward Ye Li softened further.

Old Madam also approved wholeheartedly—this arrangement preserved the dignity of both families while saving tens of thousands in dowry expenses. As for the Wang family... they lacked the power to oppose the Ye family, and besides, they were the ones at fault. Even if Ye Zhaoyi was born of a Wang daughter, she was still a daughter of the Ye family and would never wish ill upon her own household.

She looked at Ye Li with affectionate approval and praised, "Li’er conducts herself with such propriety—truly the virtue of a household’s matriarch. When you enter the Ding Royal Palace in the future, your grandmother need not worry. The Xu family’s upbringing is indeed excellent."

Wang Shi’s expression darkened further. If the Xu family’s upbringing was excellent, did that mean the Wang family’s was lacking?

Ye Ying shot a glance at Ye Li, then lowered her head in grievance.

Madam Wang still wanted to argue, but Old Madam cut her a cold glare and snapped, "Or do you truly wish to take this matter to the capital’s magistrate?"

"This humble concubine obeys. I will make up the silver as soon as possible," Wang Shi replied through gritted teeth, her resentment barely concealed.

"In a few days, Ying’er will be married. Until then, you shall remain in your courtyard and teach her the proper conduct of a wife."

"Yes."

This was effectively house arrest—she wouldn’t even have the chance to enter the palace and complain to Zhaoyi Niangniang.