Chapter 57: Counting Money Until Your Hand Cramps

Lady Ye indeed has a storage room where she keeps all the valuable items she’s hoarded over the years.

She was reluctant to give anything away but steeled herself and said, “No…”

As soon as she denied it, her neck was slashed by a sharp blade.

Warm blood soaked her undergarment, and she hurriedly changed her response.

“It’s in the side hall!”

After handing over the authority to manage the household to Kong Ruzhi, she rarely entertained guests.

The side hall had little use, so it had been converted into a storage room.

Lady Ye’s voice was a little loud, waking the maid Gui who lived near the main house.

Although Gui didn’t know what had happened, she could tell from the tone that something was wrong.

She quickly responded, “Old Madam, I’ll come right away.”

Her voice roused all the maids and servants in the East Ear Room.

Hearing the noise, Ye Chutang knocked Lady Ye unconscious with a dagger handle, tied the corners of the quilt, and threw it into her space.

She quickly went to the side hall and smashed the door lock.

There was no time to organize the items in the storage room, so she shoved everything into her space.

By the time Gui had gotten dressed and left the East Ear Room, Ye Chutang was already standing under the osmanthus tree at the corner of the wall.

Before leaving, she used her earth manipulation abilities to bury the garbage from her space several feet under the ground.

After reaching Ningchu Courtyard, she was exhausted and immediately removed her makeup and rested.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, the courtyard door was knocked.

“Chuer, open the door!”

Ye Chutang recognized the voice of Ye Jingchuan and guessed why he had come to Ningchu Courtyard.

She lit the oil lamp in the room, and Dan’er got up to open the courtyard door.

“Master…”

Ye Jingchuan pushed past Dan’er, who was standing at attention, and stormed into the firewood room.

When he saw the bridal chest still there, he let out a relieved sigh.

Ye Chutang came out from the main house, yawning and asking, “Father, what brings you here so late at night?”

Ye Jingchuan closed the firewood room door and said, “Your grandmother’s courtyard was robbed.”

“Could it be like Ningchu Courtyard, everything was stolen clean?”

“No, not everything. Just the valuable items were taken.”

Ye Chutang adjusted her clothes and said, “The Ye family keeps getting robbed. Could it be because we’ve done too many immoral things?”

This remark made Ye Jingchuan’s face darken.

“Don’t talk nonsense! It’s because a big tree attracts the wind! Your courtyard is fine, I’m leaving now.”

“Father, don’t forget the land and field deeds.”

“I’ll give them to you tomorrow morning.”

After Ye Jingchuan left, Ye Chutang said to Dan’er, “I was disturbed from my sleep. I’ll sleep in tomorrow, and you can go to the main kitchen for breakfast. Don’t worry about me.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Ye Chutang turned and rested in her room.

Having been tired for two consecutive nights, she slept until late in the morning.

She didn’t get up immediately but entered her space to check the spoils from last night.

Although Lady Ye’s wealth wasn’t as much as Ye Jingchuan’s, it was still quite impressive.

Some of the items clearly had been gifts from her parents and were worth a lot.

Ye Chutang neatly arranged everything.

“Sleeping until I wake up naturally, counting money until my hand cramps, what a joy!”

Saying this, she went to wash up.

In ancient times, people brushed their teeth with willow twigs and salt, and washed their faces with plain water, which she couldn’t tolerate.

So, she would clean herself in her space before going to the back courtyard to wash up a bit.

After washing, Ye Chutang came out of her space and lifted the bed curtains.

Hongxiu, who had been sleeping on the noblewoman’s couch, had already woken up.

She was afraid of disturbing Ye Chutang’s rest, so she dared not move, her body stiff from remaining still.

Upon hearing the noise, she immediately got up.

But because her body was stiff, she lost her balance and fell to the ground.

Ye Chutang, seeing this, didn’t even have time to put on her shoes and used her lightness skill to rush to Hongxiu’s side, supporting her.

Hongxiu, flustered, wanted to thank her, but the pain in her tongue prevented her from speaking.

She could only look at Ye Chutang gratefully.

Ye Chutang spoke gently, “Don’t be so formal. Open your mouth, and I’ll check the injury.”

Hongxiu hadn’t rinsed her mouth yet and was afraid of disturbing Ye Chutang, so she shook her head.

Ye Chutang didn’t force it, but reminded her, “When you rinse your mouth later, don’t just use salt, use a diluted saltwater solution, otherwise it will irritate the wound and affect healing.”

Hongxiu nodded and, in pain, put on her outer clothing and left the room. Ye Chutang had just found a set of clothes to wear when Dan’er came in to comb her hair.

While doing so, she told her some gossip.

“Miss, Aunt Jiang is really hateful. You kindly helped the Third Miss get a portion of Lady Kong’s dowry, and yet she’s eyeing the dowry left for you by the Madam.”

Ye Jingchuan had said last night that the dowries would be divided this morning, but after Lady Ye’s incident, it was postponed.

Ye Chutang could understand Aunt Jiang’s actions but wouldn’t let her succeed.

“Greed never ends well!”

“Don’t worry, she won’t get away with it.”

Dan’er continued, “The old madam was extremely frightened last night and developed a high fever. The doctor came but didn’t see any improvement. The master came twice and wanted to ask Miss to take a look, but I said you were still resting and turned him away.”

Ye Chutang gave Dan’er a thumbs up. “Well done!”

“Miss, I also heard some news, but I’m not sure about its truth.”

“Tell me.”

Dan’er lowered her head, leaning closer to Ye Chutang’s ear and speaking in a low voice, “I heard that the Emperor intends to marry you off to Prince Chen, but Prince Chen rejected it.”

Ye Chutang was shocked by this news and turned to look at Dan’er.

“Who did you hear this from?”

Why on earth would the Emperor want to marry her off to Qi Yanzhou?

“When I went to the main kitchen to fetch breakfast, I heard the cook say it. Her husband often supplies food to the palace.”

This implied the news might have some truth to it.

Ye Chutang frowned. “What else did you hear?”

Dan’er shook her head. “Nothing else.”

“Has Shuang’er returned?”

“Not yet. She should finish cleaning all the toilets by noon.”

Just as Dan’er finished speaking, Ye Jingchuan arrived again.

Ye Chutang heard him quietly ask Le’er, “Is Miss still not awake?”

Le’er was a smart person and knew she was awake but didn’t answer.

“I don’t know.”

“Where’s Dan’er?”

“I don’t know.”

Ye Jingchuan was getting angry. “What are you doing? How come you know nothing when I ask?”

Le’er looked at Ye Anjun in her arms and said, “My duty is to take care of the young master.”

Hearing this, Ye Jingchuan’s gaze finally landed on his second son.

Whether it was his imagination or not, Jun’er seemed to have lost a bit of color in his face.

He asked Le’er, “Has Miss started treating the young master?”

“Yes, last night Miss did acupuncture on the young master. He slept well last night.”

Ye Jingchuan patted Jun’er on the head. “Jun’er, listen to your elder sister, get up quickly.”

Jun’er obediently nodded. “Okay.”

Just then, Ye Chutang came out of the main house.

“Chuer, you’re finally awake! Quickly go check on your grandmother, she’s very ill.”

“I haven’t washed up, and I haven’t had breakfast, I can’t go.”

Ye Jingchuan immediately stepped forward, handing her the land deed and field contract for the rural property.

“Chuer, wash up and have breakfast first, I’ll wait for you.”

Ye Chutang ignored him and went to the back courtyard to wash up.

Hongxiu, who had been afraid of Ye Jingchuan, had already finished washing and was hiding in the corner.

Ye Chutang beckoned her over.

“Come here, I’ll check your injuries.”

The area where her tongue had been stitched was slightly inflamed, but that was normal.

As long as proper cleaning and anti-inflammatory treatment were done, the swelling would soon subside.

The blood flow in the mouth is rich, so the healing would be quick. Generally, the wound would heal in about five days.

After about ten to fifteen days, the stitches would dissolve, and it would be fully healed.

“No problem, your tongue will be fine. For the next half month, you can only drink soup and eat porridge, keeping it light.”

Hongxiu was stunned, unable to believe that not only could she survive, but she would also be able to speak. She looked at Ye Chutang in disbelief.

Dan’er said, “Don’t doubt it, it’s true. There’s lean meat porridge in the kitchen, specially saved for you. Go eat.”

Ye Chutang didn’t pay further attention to Hongxiu. After washing up, she returned to the courtyard.

Dan’er had already prepared breakfast for her, kept warm in the pot, and immediately brought it to her.

Ye Jingchuan immediately sat opposite Ye Chutang.

He was about to speak when Ye Chutang cut him off.

“Father, I heard the Emperor wants to marry me off to Prince Chen? What’s going on?”