7. Accusations and Counter Accusations
"Heh heh heh…"
In the carriage, Feng Zhiyao was laughing so hard he doubled over, his usual princely, elegant demeanor completely gone. Only after he finally stopped laughing did he raise his head to Mo Xiuyao beside him and say, "Xiuyao, this new Princess Consort of yours is quite entertaining. Ha ha… It's such a shame I didn't get to see Mo Jingli's expression just now…" A thoughtful look appeared in Mo Xiuyao's gentle eyes. Clearly, this new Princess Consort's behavior had somewhat taken him by surprise. Although he didn't know what she looked like yet, with a handsome father like Minister Ye and a mother who had been one of the Capital City's four great beauties, Ye Li's appearance, even if not peerless, wouldn't be too bad. What was even more unexpected was that her way of handling matters was nothing like the talentless and virtueless girl of the rumors.
"However, this Third Miss Ye is truly generous, giving away a Goddess of Mercy statue worth over five thousand taels of silver just like that. Isn't she afraid Mo Jingli won't actually pay up?" Mo Jingli was His Majesty's own younger brother; if he defaulted on payment, Third Miss Ye would truly have no recourse.
Mo Xiuyao gave a faint smile, shook his head, and said, "Mo Jingli values his reputation above all else. He would never let people say he took someone's things without paying and reneged on a debt."
Feng Zhiyao raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Then it seems like we have a good show ahead. As far as I know, last month Mo Jingli also took an authentic work by the Cursive Sage of a previous dynasty from Shende Pavilion. The two items together would be worth over ten thousand taels of silver. This time… His Majesty has actually been quite good to you; at least this new Princess Consort of yours is quite wealthy." Speaking of which, this Mo Jingli really was something else. On one hand, he abandoned her and broke off the engagement; on the other, he still brazenly took things from her family's shop. It was a disgrace for someone of royal birth to be so utterly shameless. Mo Xiuyao glanced at him. "When it comes to wealth, who dares to compete with your Feng Family?" The Feng Family was one of the four great merchant families of Great Chu and the only one among them with their main residence in the Capital City. Compared to the other three families, they naturally held more advantages and power. Feng Zhiyao waved his fan helplessly. "That's the Old Man's money; it has nothing to do with me. Who doesn't know that I'm just a good-for-nothing, spendthrift son who's down on his luck?"
As soon as Ye Li returned to the Ye Mansion, she was summoned by the Old Madam's maidservant. Stepping into Rongle Hall, she found, quite unusually for a time not designated for paying respects, that the entire family was gathered. Even the perpetually busy Minister Ye was present, sitting grim-faced at the Old Madam's left hand, glaring at the newly entered Ye Li. Ye Ying was nestled in Ms. Wang's embrace, whimpering and crying. Her watery eyes were red and swollen, making her look even more delicate, pitiful, and moving.
"Li'er pays her respects to Grandmother and Father. Greetings to Madam and the various concubines…"
"Wicked girl, kneel down now!" Before Ye Li could finish, BANG! The teacup in Minister Ye's hand smashed on the floor near Ye Li's feet as he roared.
Ye Li paused for a moment, then calmly took a step aside. "I don't know what I've done wrong. Would Father please clarify?"
Seeing she had no intention of admitting any fault, Minister Ye was about to erupt in anger again. However, the Old Madam coughed lightly, interrupting his outburst. "Li'er, today at Shende Pavilion, you were disrespectful in front of Prince Li. If word of this gets out, people will say our Ye Family doesn't know how to raise its daughters. When your Fourth Sister returns for her post-nuptial visit, you are to apologize to His Highness Prince Li. For the time being, stay in your own courtyard." Ye Li glanced at Ms. Wang, who was holding Ye Ying and had a faint smile playing on her lips. She then looked up at the Old Madam with a bewildered expression. "Grandmother, please forgive me. Since Grandmother says Li'er was wrong, then Li'er must have done something improper. However, Li'er is slow-witted and still doesn't understand where she erred. I earnestly request Grandmother to point it out."
The Old Madam was taken aback. Looking at Ye Li's genuinely perplexed face, she was momentarily speechless.
Ms. Wang helped Ye Ying sit properly, then rose and walked over to Ye Li, smiling amiably. "Li'er, the Prince is His Majesty's own younger brother. If you displease the Prince, our family cannot bear the consequences. Apologize properly to the Old Madam and the Master; we won't hold it against you."
Ye Li blinked, pressing her vermillion lips together as she pondered for a moment. The confusion on her face deepened. "Angered the Prince? But Li'er didn't say much to the Prince at all. The Prince wanted to buy the Goddess of Mercy statue but didn't have enough silver on him. Li'er had someone retrieve the item for the Prince to take away; there was no intentional obstruction. How could the Prince be angry? Unless… unless there's some flaw with the Goddess of Mercy statue?"
Everyone was speechless. Concubine Zhao, standing to one side, let out a PUFF!, covering her lips as she chuckled softly. "Third Miss, what Madam means is… how could you accept money from the Prince? Who would believe that Prince Li went shopping without carrying any silver? It's obvious he never intended to pay but was cornered by Ye Li's words, making him even pay for things he usually took for free. How could he not be angry?"
"What kind of talk is that, Concubine Zhao? Would the Prince really care about such a trivial amount of money? Besides… Shende Pavilion is a business. Let alone a Prince, even His Majesty wouldn't take things without paying, right?" Ye Li said in astonishment.
Concubine Zhao wasn't offended either and giggled. "Third Miss is correct. Even imperial procurement for the palace requires payment. If no one paid… who would still want to do business?"
"Silence! What nonsense are you spouting!" Minister Ye glared impatiently at his recently favored concubine. Concubine Zhao blinked her charming eyes and tactfully said no more.
Ye Li, looking as if she had a sudden realization, turned to Ms. Wang. "Could it be that the Prince is truly angry about this? Don't tell me… that all the merchants in the Capital City never accept money from the Prince? If that's the case, then it truly is Li'er's fault. Grandmother, Father, please don't worry. Later, Li'er will have someone return the silver, and additionally offer three thousand taels of silver as an apology to the Prince." Ms. Wang quickly tried to stop her, an unspeakable bitterness in her heart. If Ye Li really did this, then the Prince's reputation for never paying for things he buys in the Capital City would surely spread everywhere. Ye Li, paying no mind to Ms. Wang's expression, looked at the Old Madam with a face that was both worried and aggrieved. "If that's truly the case, then it would be better for Shende Pavilion and these other shops to close down sooner rather than later."
Minister Ye said with a cold face, "Shende Pavilion is part of your dowry. Why close it? It wouldn't look good when you marry into the King of Ding Kingdom's Mansion."
Ye Li frowned. "But… Shende Pavilion's monthly surplus is less than one thousand taels of silver. Yet, the items the Prince fancies each time are worth more than three thousand taels of silver. If the Prince comes once a month…"
Hearing this, both the Old Madam and Minister Ye were stunned and couldn't help but turn their gazes towards Ms. Wang. Shende Pavilion is one of the most well-known antique shops in the Capital City; how could its monthly surplus be less than one thousand taels of silver? And this Prince Li, a dignified Prince, taking something from the shop occasionally might be overlooked, but frequent visits are truly out of line. Even the Emperor doesn't have a habit of frequently taking things from his officials for free.
Ms. Wang was startled. She bit her lip, not daring to speak, her face gradually turning pale. The Old Madam stared at Ms. Wang and asked in a stern voice, "What exactly is going on?" It was common knowledge that for years, the income from the late Madam Ye's dowry shops had been contributed to the Ye Mansion's expenses. If someone was obstructing this, it was tantamount to embezzling the Ye Mansion's silver. The Old Madam herself had managed the household for a period when the late Madam Ye was gravely ill and thus knew very well that Shende Pavilion was one of the two most profitable shops in Madam Ye's dowry, with a monthly surplus of at least three thousand taels of silver.
Ms. Wang gritted her teeth and said in a low voice, "Old Madam, these past two years… perhaps business hasn't been very good…" She would never dare admit that the money had gone into her own private coffers.
Ye Li bowed to the Old Madam and said softly, "Madam is busy with the household affairs all day; how would she know about matters outside? Old Madam, you may not be aware, but our family has been terribly cheated by our subordinates. These past few days, Li'er carefully reviewed the accounts of all the shops. Take Shende Pavilion, for example. In reality, its annual surplus is at least thirty thousand taels of silver. However, starting three years ago, the amount turned over to the Ye Mansion annually has been less than ten thousand taels of silver. More than half has been embezzled by the managers below. Originally, Mother instructed before she passed away that these twelve shops, if managed profitably until Li'er's marriage, should yield at least two hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver. Apart from the Ye Mansion's expenditures, she, as the legitimate mother to the sisters and younger brother in the mansion, naturally intended to use some for the sisters' dowries. Unexpectedly… Mother's painstaking efforts have been in vain. In these past few years, the silver turned over to the Ye Mansion has been less than one hundred thousand taels of silver. This is the account ledger; please review it, Grandmother."
At this, the expressions of not only Minister Ye and the Old Madam but also the other young ladies and concubines present changed drastically. Over a hundred thousand taels of silver had vanished without a trace, and this involved the dowries for their own daughters! The hall immediately erupted into an uproar. A concubine cried out, "Master, Old Madam, even as she was dying, the late Madam Ye was thinking of us sisters and our sons and daughters! Master, you must severely punish those damnable scoundrels!"
Another agreed, "Exactly! Every one of them has a black heart, daring to embezzle money from our Ye Mansion!"