“This spring, the Marquis’s mansion garden was replanted with crabapple trees,” Li Zhiyue said calmly. “The garden is about three acres. Planting one tree every six feet, that would be about six hundred seedlings. Am I correct?”

Zhao Weijia was stunned.

Even she was fuzzy on such minor estate details. How could the young lady know so precisely?

Sweat broke out on her back, and she stammered, “Y-Yes, that’s right.”

Li Zhiyue sneered, “In the capital, one crabapple seedling costs no more than three hundred copper coins. Including other expenses, it shouldn’t have exceeded two hundred taels of silver in total. Then why do the accounts show over three hundred taels?”

She slammed the ledger toward her.

Originally priced at two hundred, but charged over three hundred — with over a hundred taels pocketed illegally.

The flower steward could embezzle that much in one quarter alone. Imagine how rotten the entire estate’s accounts must be!

Zhao Weijia’s knees buckled.

She didn’t understand how the madam herself couldn’t figure out the accounts, yet the young lady saw through it instantly.

How could this be?

But with physical evidence, she had no room to deny.

Quickly realizing the situation, she knelt, repeatedly kowtowing and confessing, “Young lady, I was momentarily blinded and made a mistake. Please have mercy and give me another chance. I won’t dare do it again…”

Everyone in the room went pale.

Who would have thought that the usually extravagant young lady could actually spot problems in the accounts?

In other words, she wasn’t unable to read the books — she just hadn’t bothered.

If she took it seriously, none of them would escape.

Zhao Weijia was the first to be caught.

Who would be next?

The dozen stewards exchanged nervous glances, afraid to make a sound.

Li Zhiyue’s anger flared quickly, then faded just as fast.

She knew well that greed was human nature, and much of the estate’s corruption was due to the master’s tolerance.

Moreover, these stewards were deeply entangled in the estate. Punishing them harshly would leave no one left to manage the property and risk unrest.

Li Zhiyue stood up and helped Zhao Weijia to her feet, smiling gently, “I already said, just return what you took that you shouldn’t have. Then this matter will be considered closed.”

She looked at everyone, “You’re all dismissed. Bring what you owe before nightfall. Late submissions will not be accepted.”

Relieved as if granted amnesty, they hurriedly withdrew.

Li Zhiyue glanced at the four senior maids behind her, who clearly looked scared and nervously lowered their heads.

She said softly, “Go. Help your parents sort out the accounts properly. Don’t mess up and cause trouble.”

Mo Yu and the others quickly thanked her.

Li Zhiyue shook her head.

There were five masters and sixty-eight servants in the Marquis’s mansion, all tangled up as family-born servants.

Since the advantages outweighed the disadvantages, she wouldn’t move these servants for now, but she planned to bring in some fresh blood to stir things up.

Otherwise, these family-born servants might truly think the estate can’t do without them.

After lunch, the stewards gradually returned.

One by one, dusty and downcast, they knelt and handed over what they had embezzled over the years.

Some had already spent all their silver and brought gold and silver jewelry to offset their debts. Soon, the table was covered with silver coins.

“Zhao Weijia: one hundred twenty taels.”

“Li Qingsong: two hundred thirty taels.”

“…”

Twelve stewards handed over a total of 2,321 taels of silver, along with some jewelry and utensils.

Li Zhiyue sneered twice.

If you don’t understand how much two thousand taels are, converted to modern currency it’s roughly 1.4 million yuan.

This was only what was embezzled in the past couple of years—a huge sum in any era.

“Stop kneeling. Stand up,” she said kindly. “I’m young and this is my first time managing the household. If you all forgive me, it will be the fortune of our Marquis’s mansion. Mo Yu, bring everyone some silver to drink with.”

She pushed forward a pile of small silver coins.

A slap followed by a date — first stabilize their hearts, then slowly reassign the stewards later.

Mo Yu distributed a small amount to each steward, about five or six taels each.

“Thank you, young lady!”

All the stewards lowered their heads in thanks.

Whether sincere or resentful, at least none dared show discontent openly.

She began the serious talk: “The mansion uses too much ice daily. For example, every room in my courtyard has an ice basin, and the ice just melts away unused. Even with all the mansion’s wealth, this is wasteful. From today, each courtyard can only have up to twenty ice basins.”

If she couldn’t increase income yet, at least she could reduce expenses to help the mansion endure.

The procurement steward, Li Qingsong, was a male steward and related closely to the family, indicated by his surname Li.

Because the young lady had just asserted her authority, he hesitated before saying, “At the end of June, ice prices rose sharply. With madam’s approval, I ordered seven, eight, or nine months’ worth of ice at once. The silver has already been paid. If the courtyard ice usage decreases, the already purchased ice will go unused.”

Li Zhiyue put down her teacup.

Ice bought at high prices in June, if resold cheaply now, would cause heavy losses.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up with an idea, smiling: “Follow my instructions first. The remaining ice already has a plan.”

Li Qingsong nodded without asking further.

After handling other matters, Li Zhiyue took out paper and pen to start writing.

In this hot weather, how wonderful it would be to drink a cup of iced bubble milk tea or iced lemon water.

She decided to see if she could make such a thing. If successful, the mansion would gain a large new source of income.

The pearls in bubble tea were usually made from sweet potato or tapioca starch, but sweet potatoes hadn’t been introduced yet in this era, so she settled on glutinous rice as an alternative.

Lemons, called ‘limengzi’ in ancient times, were of uncertain price.

After listing all the needed ingredients, Li Zhiyue handed the list over.

Mo Yu took it and was stunned. “Miss, what is this you wrote?”

Li Zhiyue suddenly realized she’d written in simplified characters, quickly snatched the list back, and cleared her throat: “I’ll read it aloud; you rewrite it.”

She decided to learn traditional characters and brush up on calligraphy later, to avoid embarrassment outside.

After Mo Yu rewrote the list, she went to prepare the items.

Just then, a young servant rushed in: “Young lady, something bad happened!”

Li Zhiyue recognized him as Fu An, attendant to her foster elder brother Li Muyun.

She calmly asked, “What’s wrong?”

“The heir lost money at the gambling house!” the servant said. “He said he wants to win back everything he lost and sent me to get money from you. Also, he instructed not to tell the Marquis or madam!”