The household accounts were divided into two parts.
One portion was the public estate, controlled by the old madam’s people and used for the daily expenses of the entire household. These records were complicated, involving social obligations, food and drink, general spending, and even expenses for all servants in the residence.
Since she had only just returned, she didn’t even have trusted people under her command yet, so it was naturally not the right time to investigate that part.
What she was currently reviewing were the private assets left by her parents—such as her maternal grandmother’s dowry, her mother’s dowry, imperial rewards sent by the palace to the family in earlier years, and spoils of war her father had earned on the battlefield. These were all placed under the storerooms of her eldest brother and youngest brother.
There were quite a lot of account books in this category as well, and the money flowing through them was like water.
For example, the eldest brother’s purchase of the “Wugou Jade Pagoda,” or the youngest brother hosting banquets for so-called “friends,” were all paid from this pool of assets.
Every year, the eldest and youngest brothers would send items to the border. She had once thought those were funded by the public household, but now it was clear that was not the case at all. The old madam’s yearly contributions amounted to only about a hundred taels of silver.
One must understand—public property did not belong entirely to the second branch.
Even in a family division, the second uncle’s share could not exceed thirty percent. Moreover, some properties had been granted by the royal family because of the title itself, and could not even be counted as divisible assets in a future split.
Yet now, the second branch had clearly taken all the benefits, while still leaving the eldest and youngest brothers to bear the reputation for wrongdoing.
Of course, the spending of those two brothers… was indeed somewhat shocking.
Ye Yunmian flipped through the accounts again and again, and the more she read, the more she felt that they were not her biological brothers at all—but two walking money pits.
In a certain year, eighth month: the eldest brother withdrew 80,000 taels of silver. According to the storyline, this was used to auction a Seven-Colored Pendant. It was originally meant as a birthday gift for an old prince with close ties to the Duke’s household, but… it was instead given to the female protagonist as a token of love.
In September: a piece of rare iron from the storeroom and a box of cloud-pattern pearls were sold…
In October: the eldest brother withdrew 5,000 taels. This was when the female lead was doing charity work at the city gate, and he spent a large sum to buy more grain and clothing for her.
Another year in March: the eldest brother took 2,000 taels. In the plot, the female lead’s family opened a restaurant, and he gifted a golden toad ornament inlaid with jewels…
Another year in July: the eldest brother purchased a private residence… she also knew about this. In the story, after the female lead repeatedly rejected him, he imprisoned her for ten days, after which the male lead rescued her. Of course, in reality, the eldest brother had done nothing improper.
This year, May: a manor outside the capital was sold, and 10,000 taels were withdrawn…
…
On average, the eldest brother withdrew large sums every two or three months, while the younger brother’s spending was more like a “steady trickle.”
At minimum, twenty taels; at maximum, three thousand taels—at least ten withdrawals every month.
The accounts also recorded income from those private assets, and while money was still coming in, it was far outweighed by expenses. Over the years, even the best items in the storeroom had gradually been sold off, and even the shops and farmland had been mostly depleted.
Ye Yunmian felt an overwhelming sense of frustration.
These spendthrift “wealth gods” were actually her own brothers.
At that moment, she even felt that no one needed to act against them—she could personally chop them herself and end it all.
Ye Yunmian forced herself to calm down, her expression as cold as frost.
At this point, she also understood why the eldest brother had said that checking the accounts would lead to many deaths. Whenever the younger brother withdrew large sums, he always noted the purpose. Many young nobles in the capital had received gifts from him, and in addition, members of the second branch—the second uncle, second aunt, and their children—had also sent servants to withdraw money in his name, all stamped with her foolish younger brother’s seal.
If she had returned three years earlier, there would still have been room to recover losses.
But now, most of the money had already been wasted.
She quietly picked up paper and brush and began writing and calculating again.
At that moment, the old madam stormed in.
“Yunmian girl, are you dissatisfied with the people I arranged for you? Why have they been standing outside for an entire morning?” she said bluntly.
In noble households, gifts from elders were not to be refused.
Ye Yunmian looked up. “Thank you for your kindness, Old Madam. It’s just that these maids all seem rather delicate, and I am an undisciplined person myself. I fear I might unintentionally mistreat them.”
“They are just servants. Once bought into the household, they serve their master. What do you mean delicate or not? Use them as you please!” the old madam immediately replied.
Ye Yunmian paused briefly, then nodded. “That may work. Then please trouble the Old Madam to bring over their contracts of servitude. It would make things easier to manage.”
“What? You don’t trust me?” the old madam snapped. “I’m keeping watch over them. They wouldn’t dare act up. If you suffer any grievance, just tell me and I’ll stand up for you!”
After all, their families were still in her hands. Even without the contracts, she was not afraid they would disobey.
But how could she so easily let this girl get her way?
Ye Yunmian frowned slightly.
After a moment, she set aside her brush and calmly said, “Then let them go guard my cousin sister’s courtyard and urge her to move out. If they can’t even handle such a small task, then don’t bother coming back.”
“…!”
The old madam’s face twitched.
This damned girl was quite clever.
“You are the elder sister—taking your younger sister’s courtyard will not sound good if word gets out. Yunmian girl, you still need to marry,” the old madam said earnestly, clearly trying to dissuade her.
“There’s no need for the Old Madam to worry. You are already advanced in years; it is time to enjoy your retirement. You cannot keep interfering in the younger generation’s affairs. Besides, it is precisely because you indulged her too much that my cousin had the courage to seize my courtyard. She should be taught a lesson, or else when she marries into the Yuanyi Marquis household in the future, it will bring shame to me,” Ye Yunmian replied calmly, as though chatting idly.
The old madam almost wanted to spit in her face.
Bring shame to her?!
Who exactly was bringing shame to whom?!
Truly an unrefined girl—speaking without manners or tact, lacking respect for elders. Even dressed in fine clothes, she could not hide her crude nature!
The old madam left in anger.
But the moment she stepped out of Ye Yunmian’s courtyard, her face turned pale as if she were about to faint. The servants around her hurried to support her, and the old nanny cried out loudly, “Quick, call the physician! The Old Madam has been angered unconscious by the eldest miss!”
With that, within an hour, everyone in the capital connected to the Duke’s household would hear of Ye Yunmian’s “tyranny.”
Ye Yunmian had suspected the old madam might be acting, but didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. Her endurance truly seemed rather poor.
She ignored the noise outside and continued her work.
After organizing the account books, she asked her eldest brother to lend her some people.
Although her eldest brother was a villain in the story who had done many things that led to him being abandoned by all, even until his death, there were still loyal servants willing to die for him. Those people were reliable to use.
However, she hadn’t expected that he would actually send his most trusted old servant—Liang Bo.
Liang Bo had once been her father’s personal attendant and had even followed him into battle. Later, he was injured and lost one eye.
Her father had promised that his children would take care of him for life, so he had remained by the eldest brother’s side. In the original plot, no matter how uncontrollable the eldest brother became, he never laid a hand on Liang Bo, showing great respect for him.
“Miss.” Liang Bo greeted her respectfully and bowed.