Ye Chutang noticed Ye Anling’s unpleasant expression and immediately played the role of a naive sweetheart.
"Second Miss Ye, did I buy too much?"
Without waiting for Ye Anling’s reply, she continued, "Earlier, when you said you’d give me all your savings to use, you were just being polite, right?"
"My apologies, I took it seriously."
With that, she called out to the shopkeeper, "Stop packing. I don’t want any of it."
Ye Anling was put on the spot.
No matter how unwilling she was, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse payment.
"Elder Sister, I keep my word. If you like them, take them all. At worst, I’ll pawn a few pieces of jewelry."
Most people would have bought less after hearing such words.
But Ye Chutang had gone shopping precisely to spend Ye Anling’s money, so she didn’t hold back.
"Alright, shopkeeper, have everything loaded onto the Minister's Mansion’s carriage."
Ye Anling swayed slightly, nearly fainting from anger.
Doctor Xu was reapplying her medicine and accidentally pressed on her wound.
She winced in pain, tears welling up in her eyes.
Soon, her wound was freshly bandaged.
The shopkeeper brought the ledger to Ye Anling.
"Second Miss Ye, the total comes to three thousand one hundred fifty taels. Since you’ve purchased so much, I’ll round it down to three thousand taels."
Ye Anling’s vision darkened at the sum, but she gritted her teeth and replied, "Fine. You may send someone to the Minister's Mansion later to collect the payment."
Doctor Xu packed his medical kit and slung it over his shoulder.
"Second Miss Ye, the consultation and medicine fee is two taels of silver."
Neither Ye Anling nor Qiulu had any money left.
She had no choice but to turn to Ye Chutang. "Elder Sister, I’ve already given you all the silver notes I brought today."
Her implication was clear—she wanted Ye Chutang to cover the fee.
But Ye Chutang handed all the silver notes and loose change back to her.
"I kept them safe for you. Not a single coin was spent."
Her words made it sound as if Ye Anling had treated her like a money-handling maid.
Ye Anling clenched her jaw and gave Doctor Xu two taels of silver.
Then she said to Ye Chutang, "Elder Sister, I never intended to take back the money I gave you. I’ll return the two taels I used once we’re home."
"Fine. It’s getting late—let’s head back."
Finally, Ye Chutang was ready to return to the mansion, and Ye Anling exhaled in relief.
But just as they reached the door, Ye Chutang suddenly stopped.
As Ye Anling tensed, Ye Chutang turned back to the shopkeeper and said, "Shopkeeper, I won’t be embroidering handkerchiefs for wages anymore."
The shopkeeper was taken aback by her sudden change of mind.
"Very well, as you wish, First Miss Ye."
She couldn’t very well force her.
Ye Anling initially thought Ye Chutang had come to her senses and remembered her status as the Minister’s legitimate eldest daughter.
But Ye Chutang’s next words nearly made her spit blood.
"My mother left me a dowry worth a fortune. Even if the Minister's Mansion is poor, I won’t suffer."
Hearing this, many recalled the grandeur of Tang Wanning’s marriage to Ye Jingchuan.
"They say the Tang family of Jiangnan, the wealthiest in the region, doted on their youngest daughter and gave her the finest treasures as dowry."
"One hundred twenty-eight dowry chests filled an entire ship—half the Tang family’s wealth!"
"First Miss Ye sits on mountains of gold and silver, yet she was sent to the countryside to live in hardship. It’s truly pitiable."
Though the embroidery shop’s owner hadn’t witnessed the grand wedding procession, she’d often heard tales of it in the palace.
A dowry rivaling the national treasury—no one could help but envy it.
She smiled and said, "First Miss Ye truly has no need to earn money. The dowry your mother left would last you a lifetime, even if you spent lavishly."
"That would be true… if no one coveted it."
With that, she left the shop.
Ye Anling followed in a daze.
Her confidence in becoming the Crown Princess—and later, Empress—rested on Tang Wanning’s priceless dowry.
Now that Ye Chutang had exposed the dowry’s existence, would her dreams still come true?
After the two left, the shop buzzed with gossip.
"First Miss Ye seems simple-minded, but she’s no pushover."
"As expected of a merchant’s daughter—even raised in the countryside, she’s shrewd."
"Indeed. Despite being at a disadvantage, she effortlessly turned the tables."
"With her mother’s dowry, matchmakers will wear out the Minister's Mansion’s doorstep."
"The Minister's Mansion is in for some drama!"
By the time Ye Chutang and Ye Anling returned to the Minister's Mansion, five explosive rumors had spread across the capital:
1. Ye Chutang outshone the Princess of Anping.
2. Eunuch De wanted to marry Ye Anling.
3. Ye Chutang survived by selling embroidered handkerchiefs.
4. Ye Jingchuan was so poor he only had five thousand taels.
5. Lady Tang had left her only daughter a dowry worth a fortune.
In the palace, Eunuch De learned that Ye Jingchuan disapproved of his match with Ye Anling and wanted to substitute his more beautiful legitimate eldest daughter instead.
A connoisseur of beauty, Eunuch De had only considered Ye Anling at the Empress’s insistence.
If he could trade for a more pleasing wife as his companion, all the better.
But he despised being manipulated and owed the Empress an explanation.
Thus, he resolved to claim both—Ye Anling, who dreamed of being Crown Princess, and Ye Chutang, with her priceless dowry.
As for gossip, he couldn’t care less.
"I look forward to the Minister's Mansion’s homecoming banquet in three days."
His shrill, laughter-laced voice sent chills down spines.
"Xiaozhuzi, investigate First Miss Ye. I want her portrait."
He would see for himself whether Ye Chutang truly lived up to her reputation as a peerless beauty.
"Yes, Grand Eunuch."
Meanwhile, at the Minister's Mansion...
Ye Jingchuan sat in the main hall’s seat of honor, glaring at Ye Chutang as veins bulged at his temples.
He slammed the table. "Ungrateful wretch, kneel!"
Ye Chutang remained standing. "May I ask why the Minister is so angry?"
"You know full well what you’ve done!"
"Then tell me, which of my words were lies?"
Ye Jingchuan nearly had a stroke.
"You’ve shamed the Minister's Mansion! How dare you claim innocence!"
Ye Chutang smirked mockingly. "Minister, put yourself in my place. Did I truly do wrong?"
Of course, Ye Jingchuan would never empathize with her.
His heart ached only for his precious Ye Anling!
"Anling suffered grave injuries protecting you, yet you slander her! Have you no conscience?"
Ye Chutang scoffed. "She wasn’t protecting me—she was protecting this face meant to seduce Eunuch De."
By now, Eunuch De surely knew Ye Jingchuan wanted her as a substitute bride.
Would the eunuch make life difficult for her scoundrel of a father?
Mentioning Eunuch De only enraged Ye Jingchuan further.
He stormed toward Ye Chutang, raising his hand to strike her face.
Smack!
Once again, Ye Chutang met his palm with her own—this time with full force.
A sickening crack followed as Ye Jingchuan’s hand broke.
"Ahhh!"
His agonized scream nearly blew the roof off.
His swollen palm turned a dark, bruised purple.
Staring in disbelief at his limp, mangled hand, he writhed in pain, eyes rolling back.
Steward Chen and guards rushed in at the commotion.
They found Ye Jingchuan cradling his broken hand, howling, while Ye Chutang watched coldly.
Horrified, Steward Chen asked, "My lord, what happened?"
He immediately sent guards to fetch the mansion’s physician.
Ye Jingchuan gritted his teeth against the pain, hissing sharply as his gaze locked onto Ye Chutang with murderous intensity.
He barked an order to the guards, "Seize this wretched girl and give her twenty strikes with the rod!"
