After earning money from selling grain, Lin Shi wanted to strike while the iron was hot and continue purchasing grain, but Ye Wanning stopped her.
Ye Wanning knew full well that her sister-in-law wasn’t suited for business. She persuaded her to reclaim the previously sold Shuitian and Pumian. With the rental income, their household circumstances wouldn’t match the standard when her parents were alive, but they wouldn’t be tight-fisted either.
After calming down, Lin Shi followed Ye Wanning’s advice and ended up with eight hundred taels of silver left in hand. Their daily meals could now include one meat dish.
Meanwhile, Ye Wanning used her private savings to acquire two shops selling cosmetics and clothing.
In her previous life, married to Zhou Yu, days had been too impoverished. What commodities were rising in price, what items were trending—Ye Wanning had always kept a close watch.
Now with the opportunity, she had to make money breed money. Having funds in hand would be a safeguard, no matter what happened in the future.
Over the past month, she had been closely monitoring Zhou Yu’s situation. She had to admit, Zhou Yu was truly patient. Despite rumors flying about him being a sponger and keeping an Outside Woman, he still greeted everyone with a smile. Even when people cursed him to his face, he didn’t argue. Aside from returning home and going to the Hanlin Academy, Zhou Yu only visited the residence of the Right Prime Minister.
Having lost the estate, Zhou Yu rented a small house. His previous servants were all dismissed, leaving only Feng Ran to run errands. Washing and cooking were all done by Xu Zhuling.
Fusheng kept a daily watch on the Zhou family’s situation and came to report the day before yesterday, “Madam Zhou is determined to have Zhou Hanlin marry Xu Guniang, even invoking filial piety, but Zhou Hanlin simply won’t agree. Over this matter, Mother Zhou curses daily, to the point where the neighbors are tired of hearing it. Xu Guniang is remarkably tolerant; even under these circumstances, she works diligently without complaint. Also, the usurious loan lenders have already connected with Madam Zhou. In total, she has borrowed thirty taels, and with compound interest, it has ballooned to forty taels.”
“Wait a little longer. When the amount she’s borrowed becomes something Zhou Yu can’t repay, then send someone to demand payment.” Ye Wanning had plenty of patience.
At the time, Yunzhi didn’t quite understand why Madam Zhou needed so much money, but Ye Wanning knew clearly, though it wasn’t appropriate to explain to Yunzhi.
Zhou Yu had no money on hand, and Xu Zhuling’s private savings wouldn’t be used for household expenses. Zhou Yu had to ask Mother Zhou for money. Despite her cursing, Mother Zhou still doted on her son. However, her private funds were limited, and Zhou Yu still had to socialize at the Right Prime Minister’s residence, so his spending hadn’t decreased much. Mother Zhou had no choice but to find ways to get money.
Moreover, Mother Zhou had great confidence in Zhou Yu. No matter how destitute they were now, she firmly believed that Zhou Yu would eventually rise to a high ministerial position.
It was just borrowing some usurious loans—five or ten taels at a time—Mother Zhou thought they could certainly repay it.
When it came to Zhou Yu’s career prospects, Mother Zhou unconditionally supported him. It was only regarding Zhou Yu’s marriage that she couldn’t see the stakes clearly, but this was related to her limited perspective.
Ye Wanning was in a good mood. Coinciding with the cosmetics shop’s opening, she took Yunzhi to have a look.
She knew what was currently popular in Jingcheng. The shop had just opened with a promotion: buy a hairpin and get rouge for free. As soon as their carriage stopped, they could see the shop was packed with people.
“Young lady is truly remarkable to come up with such a brilliant idea,” Yunzhi praised.
The mistress and maid alighted from the carriage. Ye Wanning wore a veil hat, intending to discreetly go to the second floor, but unexpectedly, Yunzhi was recognized.
“Well, if it isn’t Yunzhi from the Ye Family’s eldest young lady’s side? You still have the heart to come browse a cosmetics shop?”
The speaker was Wang Lin. She didn’t have any grudge against Ye Wanning, but she had a past with Ye Mingyue.
Three months ago, Ye Mingde took Ye Mingyue to meet with Wang Lin for a matchmaking viewing. Although Ye Mingyue had no interest in Wang Lin, with his elder brother present, he obediently cooperated.
Matchmaking viewings between families should be based on mutual consent—if unwilling, it should simply be left at that. However, someone spread the news of their meeting, and Wang Lin and her mother began privately circulating rumors about Ye Mingyue’s shortcomings, attempting to shift the blame for the failed marriage prospect onto him.
While Ye Mingyue himself didn’t mind, Ye Mingde was so furious he couldn’t sleep for two nights. Seeing his elder brother anxious and with dark circles under his eyes, Ye Mingyue felt it inappropriate to confront the women directly. Instead, he brought Jin Ziguan and a few others to repeatedly intercept the Wang family brothers.
He declared that his own reputation was already tarnished anyway, and since the Wang family had caused his family distress, he would make sure the Wang family lived in constant fear.
After the Wang brothers were beaten several times, Lord Wang could bear it no longer and personally brought Madam Wang to apologize, finally putting an end to the matter.
Last month, the news of Ye Wanning and Zhou Yu’s broken engagement spread like wildfire.
Now, seeing the person in question arrive, everyone turned to look. Ye Wanning tried to sidestep and leave but was blocked by Wang Lin.
“Sister Ye, why are you in such a hurry to leave? I haven’t finished speaking. Actually, I feel quite sorry for you. Zhou Hanlin may be a bit flirtatious, but aren’t all men prone to taking multiple wives and concubines? If you had just endured it and married him, things wouldn’t have escalated so badly. Now your own reputation has suffered—was it really worth it?” Wang Lin’s face was full of mockery. She was already engaged to someone she considered ten thousand times better than Ye Mingyue.
Ye Wanning had initially intended to ignore Wang Lin, but since Wang Lin insisted on provoking her, she was no longer the tolerant, good-tempered person she used to be.
Removing her veil hat, Ye Wanning stared directly at Wang Lin. “We’re both women—what’s the point of blocking and mocking me? Wang Lin, it was Zhou Yu who did wrong. How does that affect my reputation? Why don’t you elaborate? How exactly has my reputation suffered? Most of the people here are women, and we all understand how crucial marriage is for a woman. Would any of you be willing to marry a man who kept an Outside Woman even before marriage?”
While having multiple wives and concubines was common, taking a concubine still required the main wife’s consent—that was the rule.
“You… why are you being so fierce?” Wang Lin, unable to argue back, weakened in demeanor.
“I’m not being fierce—my tone is still quite mild now,” Ye Wanning snorted. “On the other hand, your Wang family’s actions are disgraceful. Failing to secure a match and then resorting to slander? I heard you’re engaged to the Zhao family. I wonder if the Zhaos know that you once had a matchmaking viewing with my family?”
“I… Ye Wanning, don’t speak nonsense!” Wang Lin panicked. Hearing others ask if it was true, she couldn’t handle the pressure and fled with her maid.
Ye Wanning didn’t respond to the others’ questions and went upstairs with Yunzhi. If she remembered correctly, the young master of the Zhao family indeed had no interest in women but was fond of Longyang. Not long after he married Wang Lin, the two fought over this very issue.
Wang Lin would face her own retribution—Ye Wanning didn’t even need to lift a finger.
After sitting down, the shopkeeper brought the account books, and Ye Wanning examined them carefully.
Just as she was nearly finished, a sudden commotion arose from the street. Glancing casually out the window, she spotted Xie Bohuai being stopped by a carriage.
Yunzhi immediately recognized the carriage’s owner. “Miss, it’s Zhao Yun Jun Zhu’s carriage. Why is she stopping Lord Xie?”
Ye Wanning knew the reason. Xie Bohuai had a notorious reputation, but he was exceptionally handsome—without exaggeration, his looks could rank first in Jingcheng. Zhao Yun Jun Zhu was infatuated with attractive men; ever since her first encounter with Xie Bohuai, she had clung to him relentlessly. Today’s street confrontation was likely because the princess had been provoked to the point of disregarding propriety.
They were some distance from Zhao Yun Jun Zhu’s carriage, unable to hear the conversation inside. After Xie Bohuai spoke a few words and attempted to leave, the princess suddenly burst out of the carriage, puffing her cheeks and spreading her arms to block his path.
“Xie Bohuai, I told you to get in the carriage! Did you not hear me?” As the favored daughter of a father deeply cherished by the Emperor, and the only legitimate daughter in her family, Zhao Yun had been spoiled since childhood—there was nothing she couldn’t obtain.
“Jun Zhu, this official has duties to attend to,” Xie Bohuai replied impatiently.
“I don’t care about your duties! I want you to accompany me for a spring outing, so you will. Let others handle Zhenfu Si affairs. If you find it difficult to refuse, I’ll speak to Grandfather Emperor later and have you transferred to a leisurely post.” Zhao Yun Jun Zhu was determined to have Xie Bohuai.
Everything Xie Bohuai had achieved was earned through blood and sweat. Were it not for the princess’s untouchable status, he would have already resorted to force.
Seeing Zhao Yun Jun Zhu raise her eyebrows in provocation, Xie Bohuai tightened his reins, making his horse retreat slightly. It was then he noticed Ye Wanning watching the spectacle from behind her window.
Was she enjoying the show?
Xie Bohuai’s expression darkened. Suddenly whipping his horse fiercely, he charged toward Zhao Yun Jun Zhu. Just before collision, the horse reared up, leaping over the princess’s head. As he passed beneath Ye Wanning’s window, he lifted his gaze to meet hers.
Their eyes locked. Ye Wanning’s heart fluttered inexplicably—why did she sense Xie Bohuai was seething with anger?