Chapter 161: Clearing Out the Entire Minister’s Residence

The palace maid was frightened by Ye Anling’s cold and harsh gaze. She hurriedly picked up the fallen items for the return ceremony.

“Madam, the Grand Steward has instructed that you take your dowry and leave early, returning as soon as possible.”

That’s right. The reason why the Grand Steward wanted Ye Anling to return was to get her dowry from her.

To maintain his position, he needed money to smooth things over.

But both the Shou Gong Palace and the Emperor’s private treasury had been completely emptied.

With no money in hand and no rewards to expect, his only option was to set his sights on Ye Anling’s dowry.

Although her dowry was modest, it was better than nothing.

Ye Anling knew that her dowry was her last bargaining chip.

She took a deep breath, tried to calm her emotions, and snatched the return gifts from the palace maid’s hands.

“You didn’t need to remind me. I haven’t forgotten the purpose of my return.”

After speaking, she limped into the Minister’s residence.

The Ye family did not have a head of the household at the moment, and with Ye Jingchuan not present, it was up to the Old Madam of the Ye family to receive Ye Anling for her return ceremony.

She looked at the two items for the return ceremony on the table, and her eyes twitched.

Such a good marriage, yet the return gifts were so miserly—she really didn’t seem to care about her family at all!

“Ling’er, why didn’t Grand Steward come back with you?”

Ye Anling smiled and replied, “Grand Steward is highly favored by the Emperor and needs to review memorials. He truly couldn’t leave the palace. Please forgive him, Grandmother.”

Although she wasn’t lying, the truth was that the Grand Steward didn’t care enough about her to come.

The Old Madam naturally didn’t dare to speak ill of the Grand Steward in front of the palace maid.

She reminded Ye Anling, “Since you’re married, you must serve your husband well and live in harmony.”

“Grandmother, don’t worry, I understand. When will Father return?”

Ye Jingchuan had been granted five days of rest by the Emperor to focus on his son’s wedding preparations.

At that moment, he was in the Ministry of Revenue, handing over work to the two secretaries.

The Old Madam knew this and said, “He should be back around noon.”

“Grandmother, where do you think my dowry is?”

“You just arrived and haven’t even warmed the seat, and you’re already asking about your dowry. You really are like a daughter married off and tossed away!”

The Minister’s residence was now under the management of the Old Madam, and the financial deficit had her worried.

She knew Ye Anling’s dowry would be taken away, but it still made her angry.

Ye Anling’s suppressed emotions broke out, and she said sarcastically, “Grandmother, if you don’t want me to take my dowry, go speak to the Grand Steward. I have no objections.”

“You…”

“Grandmother, think carefully before losing your temper. I am now the Grand Steward’s wife!”

The Old Madam’s face turned red with anger, and she stood up in a huff.

“I am unwell and cannot entertain the Grand Steward’s wife. Please, make yourself at home.”

Ye Anling watched the Old Madam’s angry retreating figure and asked, “Grandmother, is there any hope left for my brother?”

She didn’t want to become a lonely widow, even if her brother was useless.

The Old Madam truly cared for Ye Anzhi.

At hearing this, she staggered, almost collapsing.

“Your brother will be sentenced to death after autumn.”

After speaking, her figure slumped, and her steps grew unsteady.

Ye Anling clenched her fists, thinking of the culprit, Ye Chutang.

This wicked person had caused her family’s destruction and yet was able to marry the man she desired. She hated it!

The Grand Steward hated Ye Chutang for stealing the dowry. Why hadn’t he dealt with her?

The palace maid reminded her, “Madam, you should go check on your dowry.”

Thinking about how the Grand Steward needed her dowry, Ye Anling slapped the palace maid across the face.

“Remember, I am the master!”

Afterward, she looked at her palm, which had turned red, and felt much better.

She called for Steward Chen and asked, “Where is my dowry?”

“Madam, it’s in the side room of Ningxiang Court.”

After Ye Chutang took away the dowry that Tang Wanling had left for her, Ye Jingchuan sent what little remained of the dowry back to Ye Anling’s courtyard.

Seeing how meager the dowry was, he added ten more boxes, making a total of thirty-two.

Ye Anling returned to Ningxiang Court and entered the side room.

Looking at the extra boxes, her mood improved again.

“Steward Chen, is the dowry list ready? Has it been filed with the authorities?”

Once it’s filed, she could retrieve it in full when the Grand Steward loses power!

Steward Chen replied respectfully, “Master has already taken care of it.”

Afterward, he opened the closest dowry box to the door and handed Ye Anling the dowry list.

“Please, Grand Steward’s wife, keep this safe.”

Just as she was about to take it, the ground beneath her suddenly shook.

“Ah!”

She screamed and immediately grabbed the door frame, but still couldn’t steady herself.

Steward Chen quickly fled the side room.

Then, he witnessed an eerie scene.

Everything around him seemed normal, except for the violent shaking of the side room, with tiles continuously falling and clattering loudly.

“Someone! Quickly, someone! Save the Second Miss!”

When Ye Anling and the palace maid were rescued by the guards, there was a loud crash, and the side room collapsed into ruins.

Ye Anling stared blankly at the swirling dust, but quickly reacted and shouted, “The dowry, quickly, find my dowry!”

Before the words were even finished, the shaking stopped.

The guards immediately stepped forward, clearing the fallen tiles, beams, and collapsed walls.

After moving the debris, all they found was a broken wooden floor.

There was no dowry, not even a dowry box in sight.

Steward Chen’s face turned pale when he saw the scene.

“Ghost… the ‘ghost thief’ is here again!”

He quickly ordered the guards, “Go check the First Miss’s courtyard. Her dowry might have been stolen too.”

When the guards went to Ningchu Court, they ran into Ye Jingchuan, who had just returned from the Ministry of Revenue.

Ye Jingchuan furrowed his brow in displeasure. “What’s all this rushing about?”

“Master, the Second Miss’s dowry was stolen by the ‘ghost thief.’ The First Miss’s dowry might not be spared either.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Jingchuan was more flustered than the guards.

“Quickly, go check! Also check Qingyou Court and the warehouse!”

He immediately ran to the Buddhist Hall, his legs moving as quickly as wheels.

At the Buddhist Hall, he immediately ordered the floorboards to be dug up to see if any dowry boxes had been buried there.

But after digging down three inches, all they found was soil—no boxes.

When the guards returned from Ningchu Court, they reported the same thing.

“Master, the First Miss’s dowry in the wood house is gone.”

“Also, Qingyou Court has been emptied.”

“And the warehouse… it’s empty too.”

Ye Jingchuan, already on edge, coughed up a mouthful of blood and fainted.

In Ningchu Court, Ye Chutang stared at the empty wood house, pretending to be sad.

“Why does the ‘ghost thief’ like to steal my things so much? I’ve been stolen to the point of being penniless!”

She hadn’t planned to take the dowry so soon but was prompted by the words of the palace maid to Ye Anling.

As long as Ye Anling no longer held any value to the Grand Steward, she would make her suffer!

But simply stealing Ye Anling’s dowry would have been too obvious, so she emptied the entire Minister’s residence.

San’er and Jin Zhi, who didn’t know the full story, cursed the ‘ghost thief’ profusely.

Jun’er took out the red envelope that Ye Chutang had given him earlier.

“Elder sister, here’s one for you. When I grow up, I’ll earn a lot of money for you to spend.”

Ye Chutang smiled and patted Jun’er’s head.

“Don’t worry, elder sister still has many silver notes, so I’m not short of money. You can keep this red envelope for yourself.”

Then she took a large handful of money from her space, with values ranging from fifty taels to ten thousand taels.

“San’er, Jin Aunty, the ‘ghost thief’ saved my life. How much gold, silver, or jewels he takes from me is not too much.”

Upon hearing this, the two of them didn’t feel any relief.

Jin Aunty looked at the empty wood house and said with concern, “Miss, the dowry is gone. What will we do for the wedding?”

A bride’s dowry is important to a marriage, as it makes her family appear more prestigious.

Ye Chutang knew what Jin Zhi was worried about, so she comforted her. “Jin Aunty, the King of Chen’s family isn’t shallow, and as long as I want to make money, I’ll never run out of it.”

Jin Zhi had no doubts about Ye Chutang’s abilities.

She thought about Qi Yanzhou’s feelings for Ye Chutang, and her gloomy mood dissipated a little.

“Miss

, you’re right.”

With that, the servants began clearing the empty wood house, and the anxious mood turned into a much more relaxed one.

Ye Chutang had already sent a message to the palace about the disappearance of the dowry.

The ‘ghost thief’ was not to be blamed.

Her only hope was that the Minister’s residence wouldn’t be blamed.

Ye Anling had no idea that the Grand Steward’s schemes were already in motion, but her hatred was only beginning.