Your Highness, your wife has had her virginity mark applied and married someone else.

Chunxi came in carrying a medicine box.

She skillfully stepped forward to treat Wei Ziye's wounds, her eyes lowered, appearing honest and dutiful.

Wei Ziye looked at her quietly, recalling the time ten years ago when her wet nurse passed away, and how she was exactly the same as she is now.

Respectful and humble, law-abiding and content, with just the right amount of manners and not too dull, her good habits made her the only elderly person in his courtyard.

Wei Ziye suddenly spoke up: "Over the years, has my attitude towards you changed at all?"

Chunxi paused, then shook her head: "The young master treats all servants equally, and has always been kind and fair."

"So do you think your presence might make Shen Mingshu jealous?" Wei Ziye's question started to go off the rails.

Chunxi reminded him: "Young Master, Fifth Miss once praised me for being meticulous and efficient in my work, and wanted to hire me as the manager of her private treasury. I don't think she would consider me in that regard."

Indeed, the one thing Shen Mingshu will never change her mind about in her life is her love for money. The fact that she entrusted her secret stash to Chunxi proves that she really wants to compete with Wei Ziye for his money.

How could it be because of jealousy?

"Then why would she reject you?" Wei Ziye scrutinized Chunxi: "What happened between you three years ago?"

Chunxi's mind flashed back to the abortion soup she had smashed that night, but her expression remained unchanged as she spoke softly.

"She once considered me a friend, but I am ultimately a member of the Wei family, and my stance has never changed, so I have disappointed her."

Wei Ziye was thinking about how the conflict between him and Shen Mingshu had affected Chunxi.

Little did they know that Chunxi was simply referring to the conflict between Shen Mingshu and the Wei family.

Chunxi looked at Wei Ziye, her eyes filled with an urge to speak but holding back.

In the end, however, they remained silent.

"In that case, let's ask the steward for another maid to serve her."

Is Wei Ziye about to welcome a second maid?

Chunxi frowned slightly. She said nothing, packed her medicine box, and left.

……

Midday.

Seeing that the person delivering the food had changed, Shen Mingshu asked, "Where's Chunxi?"

The maidservant curtsied and respectfully replied, "Sister Chunxi has been transferred to the storeroom as a manager."

A first-class maid became the maid in charge of Wei Ziye's private property?

Shen Mingshu's eyes flickered slightly.

This arrangement may seem like a promotion and a way to gain Wei Ziye's trust, but in reality, it directly diminishes Zhang Yu's sense of uniqueness.

If she were Zhang Yu, she would realize that the person who had something on her had lost their unique life-saving charm.

Perhaps she was too lazy to deal with it anymore and thought it would be safer to just eliminate the problem altogether.

In this way, even if Wei Ziye suspects something, after three years, he will not suspect the child.

Shen Mingshu nodded. "Go down."

"Yes."

A moment later, Shen Mingshu summoned her bodyguard: "Where is Wei Ziye?"

The guard replied respectfully, "An assassin has appeared in the palace, and the Crown Prince has just been urgently summoned to the palace."

"What a coincidence?"

She had just decided to make a move against Zhang Yu when this convenient opportunity presented itself.

They even made such a big commotion...

Shen Mingshu tapped her fingertips on the desk, and after a while, she got up and went to her desk.

"Give this letter to A-Yuan, and remember, deliver it personally."

Shen Mingshu handed him the envelope, and the guard respectfully accepted it before disappearing from the room in an instant.

……

Wei Ziye had a large private treasury.

With clear division of responsibilities between regions and management, Chunxi was able to quickly take over after a simple accounting check.

Countless black sandalwood display cabinets, layered and covered with plain-colored velvet cushions, stand against the walls on both sides of the entrance.

Chunxi casually opened one of them, and found treasures and cash inside.

At the very bottom were several boxes of loose silver and copper coins, which he could use to reward his servants at will. This was the place where supplies were consumed the fastest, but also where they were replenished the most.

With so many transactions going through the books, Chunxi spent some time on it, and in the end could only marvel at Wei Ziye's generosity.

Behind the carved stone door is the second floor.

The temperature here is even lower, and the air is crisp. Rows of tin boxes against the wall contain various shops, salt certificates, and secret correspondence between officials.

We need to be more meticulous here, especially regarding the selection of some rare medicinal materials.

After finishing her recitation, Chunxi felt a pang of emotion. No wonder Zhang Yu hated Old Madam Wei's favoritism so much; almost all of Wei Ziye's good medicines were sent to Old Madam Wei's side.

The innermost secret room is a tiny, dark chamber, barely big enough for two people.

As soon as Chunxue stepped forward, she was stopped by the people from Tiange: "Miss Chunxue, there is no need to take inventory here, please leave."

Chunxue nodded, put away the ledger, and as soon as she stepped out of the private vault, her hands were immediately seized.

"What are you doing?!"

Chunxue watched as they took away the account book she had just finished counting, then tore it up and let it be swallowed by the fire folding cloth.

The leader grinned wickedly and pulled out another ledger from his pocket. He opened it, then feigned surprise and covered his mouth.

"Oh dear! Chunxue, you've been a senior member of the Crown Prince's staff for a long time, how can you be so sloppy?"

Realizing she was being framed, Chunxue struggled: "Let me go! I didn't take it! I want to see the Crown Prince!"

"Tch, do you think you're some personal maidservant to the young master? The young master isn't someone you can just see whenever you want!"

The leading man waved his hand, and someone behind him took out a wooden box.

Inside was a piece of mutton fat jade.

"You wretched maid, you look honest, but you're full of wicked schemes! You dared to steal the young master's favorite jade pendant! You're up to no good, you must have filthy intentions towards the young master! Guards!"

Chunxue was dragged away with her mouth covered. "Take her away! Peel her skin!"

"Waaaah!" Haruyuki's desperate struggle attracted the attention of the guards holding the gate.

The two men came out and saw two men escorting a maid into the corner, their brows furrowed.

"What's all this noise about?"

The leader immediately greeted them with a fawning smile and handed over the silver.

"I apologize. My subordinates were acting on the orders of the Lady of the Marquis. Their actions were inconsiderate and disturbed you both. This is just a small token of my apology. Please don't take offense."

Upon hearing that it was the Lady of the Marquis's order, the two women glanced at the small amount of silver, as if insulted, and drew their swords, pointing them coldly at his neck: "Get out!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

……

On the carriage returning home.

As soon as Wei Ziye stepped off the carriage, he smelled a bloody odor, and his mind sharpened.

"How can there be blood in his body?"

The steward hurriedly explained, "Today, a maid broke the Lady Marquis's favorite jade cup, so..."

The butler carefully chose his words, then chuckled awkwardly, "He was punished as a result."

Wei Zi frowned slightly: "Dead?"

Sensing Wei Ziye's displeasure, the butler lowered his head and dared not speak.

Wei Ziye had a headache: "Next time, just take one item from my treasury to give to Mother. Don't let such a small matter cause chaos in the manor."

The steward nodded hurriedly, "Yes, I understand. There's one more thing: the Marquis has returned."

Wei Xu, like Wei Congyu, was someone who left early and returned late, busy with work all his life, and had no time to attend to matters of the inner quarters.

His early return today is probably also related to the assassination attempt on the Emperor.

Wei Ziye nodded: "Arrange dinner."

"Yes."

……

Qingyun Academy.

"Master, just as Fifth Miss said, the old lady finally intervened and saved Miss Chunxi at the last moment. She is currently being cared for in Qingshui Town."