This clearly matched up with what they’d seen when inspecting the shops earlier. Because the zhuangzi (estates) had gone missing, there were no goods sent to the shops, which then became desolate. The lazy shopkeepers just drifted along day by day, and those with scheming minds started stocking goods on their own and using the shops to sell their private merchandise.

Shen Yi’an nearly passed out from shock. Even Li Xun was stunned—he hadn’t expected Liu Yufu to be that bold.

Skimming a bit of silver was one thing. But those zhuangzi were part of Fuchang Bo Mansion’s ancestral holdings, and she’d dared to touch even those?

And why? Logically, Shen Song had been the one set to inherit the title—that meant those zhuangzi would’ve been her own son’s eventually. Selling them off benefited no one. It wasn’t like she needed to liquidate them just to spend.

Something’s fishy here. Li Xun’s gaze flickered as he slowly flipped through the ledger, saying nothing—just quietly observing Shen Yi’an’s reaction.

And Shen Yi’an’s reaction? Far more dramatic than he’d expected.

He staggered to his feet, mumbling, “Impossible… she must have stored the land deeds somewhere else. I’ll ask her, I’ll get them back…” But even as he spoke, deep down he knew—he was just lying to himself. He didn’t even make it two steps before blood welled at the corner of his mouth, and he collapsed to the ground.

The room fell silent for a moment.

The two accountants Shen Yi’an had hired panicked and rushed to lift him. “Boye! Boye!” But Shen Yi’an’s jaw was clenched tight, his face turning blue—he was completely unconscious.

Li Xun and Shen Tang: “……”

Did he pass out from heartbreak, betrayal, or because the estate and money were gone?

Well, no time to analyze that now. As useless as this father was, they couldn’t just let him die. Li Xun pinched his brow and ordered the servants to quickly ready a room in Quzhu Courtyard for Shen Yi’an, then had the steward take his name card and rush to the Imperial Medical Academy to fetch a taiyi (imperial physician).

The chaos alarmed many in the mansion. Word even reached the inner courtyard—Liu Yufu heard about Shen Yi’an’s collapse.

At first, she was genuinely worried. But when she learned he’d collapsed in Quzhu Courtyard, she froze.

It’s over. He must’ve found out… She clutched Bi Tao’s hand in panic, completely overwhelmed. This had come too fast—she was filled with dread.

Bi Tao clenched her jaw. “Yiniang, now’s the time. We have to follow Liu Mama’s plan. Boye’s fallen ill—this is the perfect opportunity! We might as well take this chance to get rid of the eldest young master once and for all… that’s the only way to secure the furen’s dowry and tie up that loose end!”

Liu Yufu clutched at her lap, eyes resting on a letter she’d taken out from the pastry box on the table—sent by Liu Mama.

To be honest, if she’d just listened to Liu Mama from the start, none of this would’ve happened… Liu Yufu’s eyes welled with tears. She deeply regretted her own stupidity.

Back then, when Guan Yunying passed away, Shen Yi’an immediately brought Liu Yufu and her two children into the mansion and gave her control of the household finances. But the old servants left behind by Guan Yunying were hateful—they looked down on her, mocked her lack of skills, and deliberately made trouble.

It was around that time that Bi Tao got close to Liu Wang’er’s wife, calling her “godmother,” helping Liu Yufu win over some of the staff. As for external matters, she handed those off to her own blood brother—Wang Daren—the same man who had sold her off back then.

Liu Mama had always warned her to get rid of Wang Daren, but she hadn’t listened. She even suspected Liu Mama of trying to monopolize her. Now, Liu Yufu was filled with regret. If she’d just stayed under Liu Mama’s control, none of this would’ve happened.

Wang Daren embezzling a bit on the side was fine—Fuchang Bo Mansion had money to burn. But what she didn’t expect was that Wang Daren, sent to Huainan on her orders to inspect the estates, got lured into smuggling private salt and opium (afurong).

Skimming profits off estate produce was slow money. Selling banned goods? That was fast cash. Huainan was full of salt traders—it wasn’t hard to find a channel. Opium was banned by the court but widely used in the black market.

By the time Liu Yufu found out, Wang Daren had already completed two transactions.

And she didn’t even discover it herself—someone came looking for her. The man claimed to be an aide to the Huainan Salt Inspectorate and accused her of smuggling salt and opium. Then they dragged Wang Daren out—bound and gagged.

Wang Daren was not just her blood brother but also her employee. He’d gone to Huainan under her direct orders. When she claimed ignorance, the man didn’t even listen.

Their demands were twofold: return the profits from the first two deals—about 30,000 taels, not hard—and pay an additional 50,000 taels “for favors,” or else the salt smuggling charge alone could reach the Emperor’s ears. With how cruel the Crown Prince was rumored to be, not only would Fuchang Bo lose his title, but the whole house might face execution.

Liu Yufu could tell Shen Yi’an if it were just financial mismanagement, but this? She didn’t dare. She struggled all night, then stole 50,000 taels from the household accounts and handed it over.

But that was only the beginning.

That man was a bottomless pit of greed. Not long after, he claimed the zhuangzi in Huainan were involved in the salt deals and demanded the land deeds. Liu Yufu, terrified, complied.

That only whetted his appetite. Recently, he’d started targeting Guan Yunying’s dowry directly.

Liu Yufu didn’t understand—if it was just money, Guan Yunying’s dowry was worth maybe a few hundred thousand taels. A huge sum, yes, but with Shen Yi’an’s love, she could think of a way to get it. Yet the man insisted on that dowry.

She had no choice. That’s when the idea formed: eliminate the eldest young master and seize Guan Yunying’s dowry. That’s how it led to the attempted drowning, to withholding medical care.

She had tried everything, hiding it from Shen Yi’an for over two years. She’d endured so many threats from that inspector’s aide, and now—she’d lost control of the household and even risked her son’s title. All that effort, all those secrets, and it had still come to light.

Now, even Shen Yi’an’s favor—her final lifeline—was slipping away.

In utter despair, Liu Yufu’s eyes fell once again on that letter.

At last, she made up her mind. “Now… it’s the only way left.”

Since Quzhu Courtyard was in the outer compound, the arrival of the taiyi didn’t require the inner courtyards to retreat—made things simpler. While they waited, Xiao Wan was still begging Shen Tang to continue the Legend of the White Snake.

Shen Tang was speechless. “Seriously? That’s our biggest master in the mansion, your Gongzi’s father lying unconscious. Shouldn’t you at least pretend to be serious…?”

Li Xun didn’t care at all and grinned. “Then just speak quietly—don’t let anyone outside hear.”

Shen Tang: “……”

So the group huddled up again, listening to the rest of the story in whispers.

Before long, an elderly taiyi with white hair arrived carrying a medicine case. The inner attendants didn’t have to greet him—just hid behind the screen and briefly explained the situation.

After examining Shen Yi’an, the taiyi administered some acupuncture. “Boye’s life isn’t in danger. It’s just that his anger rushed to his head too fast, blood surged upward, and he fainted. But after he wakes… his body might not be fully responsive, and his face might feel a little off.”

He didn’t say it outright, but Shen Yi’an had had a mild stroke.

The doctor wrote a prescription, and the steward hurried off to get the medicine.

Li Xun wasn’t too concerned. As long as the man didn’t die, it was fine. He just didn’t want this whole incident to delay his plans to enter the palace.

He turned to the bookkeepers and said, “This matter is serious. Since Boye is still unconscious, please remain in Quzhu Courtyard for now until he wakes and can make decisions.” This was mainly addressed to the accountants from Hua’s and Sheng Guogong’s families.

They agreed.

But the two hired by Shen Yi’an hesitated. “With Boye unconscious, it would be customary for an yiniang to come care for him…” But they had helped calculate the accounts—they knew this was no time to call in Liu Yiniang. “Should we call Mei Yiniang instead?”

Li Xun had never met the other two yiniang. After the incident with the river, and seeing how they stood by and did nothing, he had no favorable impression of them either.

After a moment’s thought, he said, “Liu Shi is not to step outside the second gate, and she is forbidden from communicating with anyone outside. Let the four maids sent by Zhou Mama come and attend to him instead.” He also left four second-rank maidservants from Ganlin Courtyard to help out, then finally returned to his own residence.

But the rest of the day… was just one headache after another.

While Shen Tang was chatting in the main room, a little maid accidentally bumped into a display shelf. A porcelain vase fell—narrowly missing his head—and shattered on the ground.

“Aiya!” The whole room was startled.

Li Xun immediately checked that Shen Tang wasn’t hurt before turning to inspect the vase. The young maid who’d caused the mess had dropped to her knees, trembling in fear.

“Forget it, it didn’t hit anyone. Get up,” Shen Tang said. The girl looked about eleven or twelve, pitiful and small—he couldn’t bear to be harsh.

“You’re way too generous,” Zhan Er scolded lightly, looking mournfully at the broken pieces. “That was a beauty vase Furen gifted to Gongzi on his tenth birthday.” Then she turned on the maid. “Clumsy thing! Don’t come into the inner room again. Go get a broom and dustpan!”

Li Xun wasn’t bothered. “People are more important than things. It’s just a vase.”

But something caught Shen Tang’s eye among the shattered porcelain. He leaned in to look more closely. Just as he did—after avoiding getting hit earlier—he accidentally cut his finger on a shard.

…Seems he couldn’t dodge this bloodshed after all.

“Forget it.” Shen Tang sighed and decided not to look anymore. “I’m going to rest.”

He hadn’t cultivated at all today—too busy dealing with mundane drama.

Zhan Er called Xiao Wan to clean up, then fetched some medicine and bandages for Shen Tang. “Don’t be careless. Wrap it up properly when you get back.”

Shen Tang nodded. But once in his room, he looked at the blood on his fingertip… and added it to his cinnabar.

Since he was already bleeding—might as well not waste it.

After calming his energy, he didn’t draw a space pouch this time. On a whim, he picked up a blank talisman and, with smooth strokes, drew a Soul Summoning Talisman.

Maybe it was the added blood, or maybe his spiritual flow was especially good today, but this talisman turned out to be the best one he’d drawn all week.

He admired it proudly for a moment, then tucked it between the pages of a nearby ledger.