The two remained by the writing desk—one standing, the other sitting. Xiao Lanting refused to let go of her waist, leaving Yun Juan no choice but to stay where she was.
Her gaze drifted casually over the documents on the desk. She wasn’t trying to pry, but the files lay open in plain sight. Unless she were blind, she couldn’t help catching bits and pieces.
Because part of the page was obscured, she only made out scattered words:
“…Zhonglu Earl’s Estate… letter… find a way… retrieve it.”
Combined with what she remembered from her previous life, Yun Juan quickly guessed what it was about.
She patted Xiao Lanting’s shoulder.
“Xiao Lanting, are you taking me to the Zhonglu Earl’s Estate because the Crown Prince has given you a mission?”
He finally released her and leaned back lazily in his chair.
“Just come with me. When the time comes, all you need to do is provide me with a distraction. You won’t have to do anything else.”
Yun Juan’s breathing grew slightly heavier.
In her previous life, around the New Year, the Zhonglu Earl’s Estate had suddenly been exposed for secretly raising private troops and illegally occupying military farmland.
The Earl’s eldest son, a high-ranking officer stationed with the army in western Yunnan, had been charged with eight major crimes, including embezzling military funds and claiming others’ military achievements as his own. He was escorted back to the capital and sentenced to death.
The Zhonglu Earl’s Estate had always been loyal supporters of the Crown Prince.
At the time, everyone praised the Crown Prince for placing righteousness above personal ties by exposing the Earl’s ambitions. Soon afterward, the entire household was executed—every last member, without a single survivor.
On the surface, it seemed like nothing more than an ordinary corruption case.
But several years later, after the Crown Prince fell from power and a new Crown Prince ascended the throne, the Zhonglu Earl’s Estate was posthumously exonerated.
The new Crown Prince declared that every crime the former Crown Prince had accused the Earl of was, in truth, committed by the Crown Prince himself.
As for the Earl’s son in western Yunnan, he had merely been made a scapegoat to shield the Crown Prince’s maternal uncle.
In her previous life, the one who had helped the Crown Prince destroy the Zhonglu Earl’s Estate…
…was Xiao Lanting.
Back then, Xiao Lanting had died before the new Crown Prince came to power, so he was never held accountable.
But in this life…
If he survived…
Wouldn’t he end up sharing the same fate as the Crown Prince?
Yun Juan unconsciously clenched her fingers.
“Xiao Lanting… why do you serve the Crown Prince?”
“Because he is the Crown Prince.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
She smiled lightly.
“It wasn’t easy for him to become Crown Prince either. I’ve heard that when Her Majesty was still Noble Consort Shu, there was another favorite—Consort De—who rivaled her. Consort De became pregnant first and even gave birth to the Emperor’s eldest son.”
“What a pity. Her family later rebelled and was wiped out, and she herself died in childbirth along with the child.”
“If the Third Prince had somehow survived… who’s to say who would be Crown Prince today?”
She smiled brightly, as though she were simply indulging in harmless gossip.
Xiao Lanting barely listened.
“Mm.”
“Back then, the struggle between Consort De and Noble Consort Shu for the position of Empress also drew in the maternal clans of two imperial consorts. In the end, the current Empress prevailed, while Consort De’s entire clan disappeared.”
“But many of her former followers still serve in court. They’ve only survived because the Empress’s family has kept them suppressed.”
“If the Crown Prince ascends the throne, those people will almost certainly be executed.”
She nudged him gently.
“Tell me… if the Third Prince were still alive, do you think those old followers would risk everything to support him?”
“And if they did…”
“Could he defeat the Crown Prince?”
Xiao Lanting narrowed his eyes.
“You’re awfully talkative today.”
“I’m only speaking my mind.”
She shrugged.
“The Zhonglu Earl’s Estate supports the Crown Prince, yet he’s planning to eliminate them. I’m simply afraid of the old saying—when the rabbit dies, the hunting dog gets cooked; when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.”
“You’re overthinking it.”
“So if the Third Prince were really alive, could he defeat the Crown Prince? If that happened, you’d be implicated too.”
She looked at him steadily.
“Aren’t you afraid of dying?”
Xiao Lanting answered calmly.
“In a struggle for the throne, there will always be winners and losers. No matter what, you have to choose a side.”
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
“So that’s what this is about.”
“You’re worried I’ve chosen the wrong master… and that I’ll drag you down with me?”
“I married you. My life is tied to yours now.”
She met his gaze.
“So it’s only natural for me to be afraid.”
“I won’t lose.”
A cold gleam flashed across Xiao Lanting’s eyes.
Yun Juan sighed inwardly.
He had followed the Crown Prince for over ten years.
That wasn’t the sort of allegiance one could simply abandon overnight.
All she could do was take things one step at a time.
If the future Crown Prince from her previous life truly returned…
She would simply have to grit her teeth and endure it alongside Xiao Lanting.
Besides…
As long as Xiao Lanting remained alive, perhaps the current Crown Prince would not necessarily lose.
The Marquis of Yingchuan had been dragged there against his will by Madam Qin and looked thoroughly annoyed.
“What exactly did you call me here for?”
Madam Qin smiled.
“The other day, didn’t you ask Yun Juan to help manage the household? I assigned her a few account books. I thought it would be nice for you to hear how she did.”
The Marquis knew perfectly well what she was trying to do.
Madam Qin always seemed determined to court disaster.
No wonder Xiao Lanting never spared her.
“I’ve got plenty of work at the yamen. I don’t have time for your household squabbles.”
He rose to leave, but Madam Qin hurried over to stop him.
As they argued, Yun Juan arrived with her attendants.
“Father. Mother.”
“You’re here.”
Madam Qin practically forced the Marquis back into his seat, her smile dripping with ill intent.
“Since you’re here, go ahead.”
“The Marquis has high hopes for you.”
“Don’t disappoint him.”
Yun Juan maintained a graceful smile as she accepted the ledgers from Jiaoyue and placed them on the table between them.
“I’ve finished reviewing all five ledgers.”
“Overall, there aren’t any major problems. There are only a few minor discrepancies.”
“I’ve written them all down.”
“Please have a look.”
Madam Qin’s smile froze.
“You… finished all of them?”
She immediately grabbed one ledger and flipped through it.
The Marquis raised an eyebrow with interest and casually picked up another.
He randomly questioned Yun Juan about several entries.
She answered every question fluently and calmly.
Not a single mistake.
Madam Qin stared in disbelief.
“You completed all this… by yourself?”
“Mother Yu stayed in Xiaoyao Pavilion these past two days.”
“If Mother doubts me, she need only ask her.”
Madam Qin looked toward Mama Yu.
The old servant bowed respectfully.
“Young Madam has spent these past two days reading the ledgers in her room. Aside from Miss Jiaoyue helping verify a handful of entries, everything else was completed by Young Madam alone.”
“Excellent!”
The Marquis shut the ledger with a loud clap.
“I didn’t expect someone so young to be so capable.”
“Very impressive.”
Then he pointed to the problematic entries and frowned.
“What’s the story behind these discrepancies? Did you question the shopkeepers?”
“The accounts are rather old, and the shopkeeper couldn’t remember clearly.”
“So I investigated them myself.”
“These were all purchases made on credit. The remaining payment was never delivered, which is why the books don’t balance.”
Yun Juan smiled faintly as she looked toward Madam Qin.
“The invoices show that they were taken on credit by your niece, Miss Qin Lan.”
“The shop repeatedly requested payment but received no response.”
“So the matter was simply left unresolved.”
Madam Qin’s eyes darted around guiltily.
“This was from October last year!”
The Marquis slammed the ledger onto the table.
“Qin Shi! What’s the meaning of this?”
“Is my Marquis Manor your Qin family’s private treasury?”
“My Lord—”
Madam Qin hurriedly tried to explain.
“I… I only just learned of this. I’ll retrieve the money immediately…”
Everyone knew how close Qin Lan and Madam Qin were.
Qin Lan visited the manor almost every month.
To claim Madam Qin had no idea her niece had been buying on credit from the family’s shops…
Not even a fool would believe that.
The Marquis shot her a cold glare before turning to Yun Juan.
His decision had already been made.
“Yun.”
“Your mother-in-law is getting older.”
“She’s no longer as meticulous with the accounts as you are.”
“From now on, every quarterly set of ledgers from the manor’s shops and estates will be reviewed under your supervision.”
“Take this responsibility seriously.”
“Yes, Father.”
“My Lord… then what about me…?”
Madam Qin pointed anxiously at herself, her eyes already reddening.
“You?”
The Marquis snorted.
“Take some time to rest.”
“The older you get, the more muddleheaded you become.”
With a sweep of his sleeve, he strode away.
Madam Qin swallowed her grievances, wiping away tears as she hurried after him.
When Xiao Lanting returned from court that afternoon, the first thing he saw upon entering the room was Yun Juan sitting primly at the table, chin raised proudly.
She cleared her throat dramatically.
“Ahem.”
Then she picked up the household tally tokens lying on the table and held them up, the corners of her lips lifting triumphantly.
“Easy as pie~”