Eunuch De had been schemed against today, humiliated in public, and was already in a foul mood.
Returning to Xishou Palace, he found the palace servants sprawled asleep everywhere, which only stoked his fury.
"Get up!"
His command fell on deaf ears—not a single person stirred.
Realizing something was amiss, Eunuch De strode to the nearest servant and yanked him up.
Upon discovering the man was unconscious, he checked several others, his face darkening with alarm.
He stormed into the bedchamber, only to find the main hall stripped bare and in complete disarray. His vision swam with rage.
While he was away, his home had been robbed!
"Guards!"
The imperial guards stationed outside Xishou Palace rushed in at his call.
"Your Excellency, what are your orders?"
Eunuch De’s expression was thunderous as he demanded, "Who entered Xishou Palace?"
"No one has come since you left, Your Excellency."
"If no one came, then where are my belongings?"
With that, he marched to his study.
The guards followed, only to gape in shock at the sight of the bedchamber—even the floorboards were gone.
"We have failed in our duty. Punish us as you see fit, Your Excellency."
Though they hadn’t neglected their posts, the theft under their watch left them accountable.
Ignoring them, Eunuch De entered his study.
Finding not a single scrap of paper left, he rushed to the now-open secret chamber.
A lifetime’s worth of wealth—gone!
Overcome with rage, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Investigate! Tear this place apart if you must, but find the thief!"
Whoever dared steal from him would pay with their entire clan’s lives!
The guards trembled under his wrath and knelt in obedience.
"At once, Your Excellency!"
Leaning against the wall, Eunuch De gasped for breath.
Then he remembered his most prized possession, hidden in the bedchamber. His heart lurched.
Scrambling onto the roof beam, he stared at the empty spot where the red cloth—and his treasure—should have been. His heart stopped.
"My lifeblood—"
Before he could finish, his vision darkened, and he collapsed.
Ye Chutang, watching from the shadows, sighed in disappointment as the guards caught Eunuch De. She slipped back to Ningchu Courtyard.
There, she discovered that the gifts from guests and the prizes she’d won with her poetry were all missing.
Dan'er, Shuang'er, and Wangcai were nowhere to be found either.
"Hmph. Trying to discard me after using me? Dream on."
Instead of rushing to confront Ye Jingchuan, she changed back into women’s attire.
No sooner had she finished than Ye Jingchuan barged in.
He had come earlier to demand, "Where were you just now?"
Ye Chutang lied effortlessly, "Watching Ye Anling make a fool of herself."
The mention of his wife and daughter entangled with Eunuch De turned Ye Jingchuan’s face greener than a meadow.
He was secretly relieved Kong Ru’s indiscretions hadn’t been exposed—otherwise, he’d never live it down!
Bringing Ye Chutang back had only worsened Ye Anling’s plight, cost him a fortune, turned the Ye family into a laughingstock, and earned Eunuch De’s enmity. Regret gnawed at him.
"You wretched girl! You—"
Ye Chutang cut him off, uninterested in his lecturing.
"Where are the gifts from the guests and my prizes?"
Ye Jingchuan sneered. "After the disgrace you’ve brought upon the Minister’s estate, making the Ye family a spectacle, you still dare ask for them?"
"Lord Ye, the one without shame is you—breaking promises and scheming against me. I haven’t even demanded compensation; you should be thanking your lucky stars."
Cornered, Ye Jingchuan changed the subject.
"The carriage to take you back to the countryside is waiting outside."
He couldn’t let this calamity stay in the Ye household any longer—it would ruin them!
Ye Chutang laughed coldly. "First you scheme against me, then steal from me, take my people, and now you’re throwing me out?"
Under her piercing gaze, Ye Jingchuan faltered, softening his tone.
"Chu’er, I’m not throwing you out. I’m sending you away for your safety."
"What have I done to need ‘safety’?"
"Everyone suspects you harmed Anling and plotted against Eunuch De. Staying in the capital will only bring you scorn—or worse."
Ye Chutang smirked at his half-hearted act.
"No matter. If anyone insults me, I’ll return it twofold. If anyone tries to kill me, I’ll snap their neck first."
Ye Jingchuan: "..."
"I only want what’s best for you—"
"Enough! Your ‘care’ has always been schemes. Spare me the hypocrisy; it’s nauseating."
His face burned with humiliation.
"Three days of etiquette lessons, and this is how you behave?"
"Etiquette is for humans, not dogs."
Before he could explode, she added,
"If you want me gone, fine. But return the gifts and my prizes, hand over my mother’s dowry, and give me a severance letter."
Ye Jingchuan’s brief relief vanished into fury.
"A severance letter right after your homecoming banquet? And demanding dowry before marriage? Absurd!"
Done with his nonsense, Ye Chutang forced a poison pill down his throat.
"Now you’ve taken Gut-Rending Powder too. Still eager to send me away?"
Ye Jingchuan, choking: "!!!"
"Monster! You’ll die horribly!"
"You have three days to rage or find a cure. Without the antidote, your guts will rot."
"There are plenty of skilled doctors in the capital!"
Ye Chutang saw through his bravado.
"Good luck then. Want a chance at survival? Return my servants."
"Killing your own father invites divine retribution!"
She grabbed his collar, whispering icily,
"You murdered your wife and still thrive. Why should I fear?"
Ye Jingchuan turned deathly pale.
He shoved her away, panicked. "What nonsense is this?"
"Why so nervous? Just a guess based on Kong Ru’s words. Or did I hit the mark?"
She wouldn’t expose him yet—the timing wasn’t right.
Ye Jingchuan scoffed. "Ridiculous!"
With that, he fled.
Ye Chutang called after him, "You have half an hour to return my belongings and servants. Otherwise, the antidote burns."
Though he didn’t respond, soon everything—and everyone—was returned to Ningchu Courtyard.
The gifts and prizes were placed in her chamber.
Dan'er, Shuang'er, and Wangcai, however, had been given twenty lashes. Their bloodied backsides left them unable to stand.
Ye Chutang’s voice turned icy. "Who ordered this?"
Shuang'er, lips trembling with betrayal, answered, "The Madam."
After years of loyalty, Madam had shown none in return.
Ye Chutang produced premium ointment from her space, handing it to Dan'er and Wangcai.
"Rest in the side room. I’ll send help to tend your wounds shortly."
Dan'er, mindful of her mistress’s precarious position, protested, "Miss, Shuang'er and I can tend each other."
Wangcai added, "This servant can manage alone."
"Don’t be stubborn. Go wait."
With that, Ye Chutang left the courtyard.
On her way to the Glazed Courtyard, she ordered the maids and servants to tend to the three injured individuals.
Hurrying to the Glazed Courtyard, she kicked the courtyard gate open with a single strike.
"Bang!"
The force of the gate shattered the doors of the main house.
Kong Ru, who had been bathing and freshening up, nearly leaped out of the tub in fright.
"Qiu He, go see what’s happening!"
Before Qiu He could even rise to investigate, Ye Chutang stormed into the bathing chamber, wielding a feather duster.
She seized Kong Ru by the shoulders, yanked her out of the tub, and flung her onto the floor.
Then, with swift and merciless strokes, the feather duster came down hard on Kong Ru’s backside.
"The indentured contracts of Dan'er and the other two are in my hands. You had no right to punish them. For the twenty lashes they endured, I’ll return them to you!"
"Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!"
"Ahhh! Ahhh!"
Kong Ru, raised in privilege and comfort, had never suffered such brutal discipline before.
Before Ye Chutang could finish, the pain had already knocked Kong Ru unconscious.
