Chapter 6
Edward Quan ·
4
The accountant I had brought from home and I spent an entire afternoon going through two years of the residence’s books.
Three cups of ginseng tea Chunhe brought grew cold in turn.
Fine sweat dotted Master Chen’s forehead.
He pointed to an entry, his voice tense.
“Your Highness, look. Since two years ago, five hundred taels a month have been listed as repair expenses. Yet there is no record of major repairs to any pavilion or building.”
I followed his finger.
My eyes darkened.
Five hundred taels.
Every month.
Twelve thousand over two years.
And that was only one item.
Another ledger listed eight thousand more under *charcoal purchased as gifts*.
All the money went to one place.
A separate residence outside the city.
“Whose residence?”
Master Chen shook his head.
“The books record expenses, not its owner.”
“Chunhe.”
I looked up.
“Take two longtime servants who know the household’s history. Ask at the property brokers about Liu families outside the city.”
She understood and quickly withdrew.
One double-hour later, she returned.
“We found it.”
“A merchant surnamed Liu bought that residence three years ago.”
“I learned something else too.”
“That family is Miss Liu’s maternal family.”
The Liu family.
When Father was commander-in-chief in the capital, he had personally handled a sensational embezzlement case.
Liu Qian, vice minister of revenue, had colluded with Jiangnan salt merchants and stolen three hundred thousand taels of disaster-relief funds.
The witnesses and evidence were conclusive.
Liu Qian was sentenced to immediate execution.
All his property was confiscated.
His family fell into ruin.
That vice minister was Liu Ruyue’s maternal uncle.
Father was her family’s enemy.
And my husband, Xiao Jingyan, was using our Shen family’s money to fill their bottomless pit.
I took the marked ledgers.
Cold spread through my body.
I had been the fool all along.
With the books, I went straight to Xiao Jingyan’s study.
He was discussing business with his advisers.
He frowned when I entered.
“Whatever it is, later. I’m busy.”
“It’s urgent.”
I went to his desk and slammed the ledgers down before him, one by one.
Pages flew.
The black entries looked painfully stark.
“Your Highness needn’t hurry with work.”
“Look at these first.”
His advisers wisely bowed and withdrew.
Soon we were alone.
He picked up the top ledger and turned a few pages.
His expression gradually changed.
“You checked the accounts?”
“Otherwise, how could I know how devoted you are?”
I stared at him, speaking each word clearly.
“Using my Shen dowry to support the Shen family’s enemies.”
“You’re impressive, Xiao Jingyan.”
He snapped the book shut and sprang up.
“What enemies?”
“The Lius fell long ago. Ruyue’s uncle was punished. Why drag the older generation’s grievances into today?”
“How easy to say!”
I laughed in anger.
“Father purged corruption for the nation. You call that a family grievance?”
“Those three hundred thousand taels were lifesaving money for countless people!”
“The Lius brought this on themselves!”
“Enough!”
He roared low.
“They’ve paid the price!”
“Ruyue’s grandmother is old.”
“Her aunt is chronically ill.”
“There are children.”
“If I don’t help, am I to watch them starve in the streets?”