Marrying a treacherous official

Huo Xi recounted in detail to Cui Zeming the incident of Wang Mama's insubordination.

"Has the lady stored the rewards in the inner courtyard storeroom?"

"Yes."

"So you're sending Granny Wang to me to deal with this?"

"Yes."

Cui Zemin was born with a pair of cold and indifferent eyes, and when he slightly turned his gaze, it revealed a hint of coldness and gloom.

"What a scheme! She got the reward, but I ended up having to do all the work of offending people."

Even if Huo Xi was dull-witted, he knew that he had messed up the task the general had entrusted to him.

He knelt on the ground, bowed his head and said, "I have failed in my duties, please punish me, General."

Cui Zemin stood before the long table, gazing at the desolate shadow of a single red maple tree outside the window, and commanded:

"Find Judge Wu and receive twenty strokes of the military rod."

"Your subordinate obeys."

This matter should have ended there; we should have stopped while we were ahead.

However, Huo Xi was still preoccupied with the task assigned by his wife. After hesitating for a moment, he mustered up the courage to ask, "General, what should be done with Granny Wang?"

Cui Zemin turned back to look at him with a sinister gaze, "Where is Granny Wang?"

Huo Xi truthfully replied, "At Minghe Hall."

"You expect me to go to Minghe Hall with my sword to arrest them?"

"Your subordinate... dare not..."

"The outer courtyard never interferes in the internal affairs of the mansion. When Madam asked me to deal with Granny Wang, you readily agreed. You did whatever she said. You were sold out, and you're still helping her spread rumors."

Cui Zemin was tied up by this matter, suspended in mid-air, caught in a dilemma, wishing he could kick Huo Xi away.

"Find Judge Wu and give him another twenty lashes."

"Yes, General."

Huo Xi was so scolded that he couldn't even lift his head. He was afraid that forty strokes of the military rod would not be enough to appease the general's anger, and if the general took his anger out on him again, he would be beaten half to death.

He dared not linger any longer, bowed and left the outer study to seek out Judge Wu to carry out the punishment.

A gray pigeon swept across the dark blue sky, flapping its wings and swooping down to leap through the window, landing steadily on the pen holder.

Cui Zemin took a roll of paper from under the gray pigeon's claws, read the letter, and then casually threw the paper into the incense burner, where it burned to ashes.

Chi Ying pushed open the door and entered, curtsied and said, "Madam has come and says she has something to ask of you, sir."

Cui Zemin lowered his head and smiled to himself.

He didn't go to her to demand an explanation, but she came to him of her own accord. "Please come in."

Yunji led Huachao behind her, her skirts swaying slightly as she moved into the outer study.

After she bowed slightly, she said clearly:

"Last time, when the palace's rewards were brought into Qinghui Courtyard, there was a lot of noise. Considering the solemnity of the national mourning, I ordered Huachao to discipline the servants in the outer courtyard and register them. The rewards were then moved to the storeroom in the back courtyard. This is the register; please take a look, my husband."

"Thank you for your trouble, Madam."

Cui Zemin didn't even glance at the ledger, staring intently at her as he asked, "Where's the storeroom key?"

"In Huachao's hands."

Yunji smiled and replied, "If you need to withdraw anything from the storeroom in the future, just tell Chiying to come and get the token. This is a rule set by the manor, and I have no choice but to abide by it."

If she wants a divorce, she needs money, starting with the head of the academy.

Seeing her scheming like this, Cui Zeming didn't know where she got the confidence to dare to interfere with him.

"Is Madam going to take control of my money?"

"I just don't want anything like what happened to Granny Wang to happen again."

Yunji said meaningfully, "If I leave it alone, then the internal affairs of Qinghui Courtyard will be decided by Minghe Hall. In order to share the burden with my husband, I have no choice but to take charge."

That was a perfect statement; even Cui Zemin couldn't find fault with her.

Yunji took the book from Huachao's hand and "bribed" him, saying:

"The new emperor has bestowed upon my husband three hundred acres of farmland. I wonder what your plans are for it? I have come up with a way to make money from it."

Cui Zemin was stuffed with a handful of books. He pulled out a few pieces of paper tucked between the pages, which turned out to be land deeds stamped with the official seal.

"There are a total of three estates."

Yunji noticed his fingers furiously turning the pages of the land deeds in the book, and seeing that he seemed interested, she offered her advice:

"A piece of land near the Xialiang Canal is low-lying and is perfect for raising fish in ponds. After water conservancy projects are built to bring in fresh water, taro can also be planted everywhere, along with water chestnuts, lotus roots, and water bamboo."

"The other plot of land is located in the suburbs of Shengjing. It is a hilly highland. Half of it is used for mulberry cultivation and silkworm breeding, and the other half is used for tea cultivation and tea processing. My husband also owns an embroidery workshop and a tea shop, which earn pure profit in silver."

"The remaining vast fields can be planted with wheat, millet, and sorghum. As long as a good landowner is found and the land is divided and rented out, the harvests can be plentiful for all three seasons. What do you think of managing these three plots of land in this way, my husband?"

Cui Zemin flipped through the books she had just received. She had made a fish-scale book out of just these three land deeds, recording in detail the shape of the land, the area, the ownership, and the taxes. The book was full of pictures and text, showing that she was a seasoned accountant.

Such wisdom and intelligence far surpass Huo Xi's.

He always used only two methods to deal with exceptionally intelligent people: if they couldn't be persuaded, he would eliminate them on the spot; if they could be persuaded, regardless of their background, he would definitely give them important positions.

She handed him the book, thus catering to his wishes; if she insisted on refusing it, it would be disrespectful of him.

"Madam, please take the register back and bring it to me for review on the fifteenth of each month."

"I'll listen to my husband."

Seeing that he readily agreed, Yunji breathed a sigh of relief, finally having the power to manage Qinghui Academy in her hands.

She tucked the book into a hidden pocket in her pipa sleeve and gracefully bowed to him in farewell.

As Cui Zemin watched her retreating figure, a bright smile appeared in his phoenix eyes, his mischievousness gleaming clearly.

They ran off so quickly, without even asking him if he was okay with it.

"The lady has left just like that?"

"Is there anything else you need, my husband?"

Yun Ji turned around, her ink-colored floral skirt creating ripples that gently spread outwards.

Cui Zemin strode towards her.

"It's getting late, and it's time to go to Minghe Hall to pay my respects to Madam Hou. It's rare for me to have some free time, so I'll accompany you."

Yun Ji frowned, her delicate eyebrows furrowing like dark spring mountains, thinking to herself that this guy was trying to drag her down with him.

"My husband may not know, but I caught a cold a few days ago and my asthma has been flaring up frequently. Fortunately, my mother took pity on me and exempted me from the morning and evening greetings. So I won't go with you to pay my respects."

"I see that Madam's health is no longer a problem."

Cui Zemin approached her and spoke, his gloomy voice hitting her ears painfully.

"When Madam handed me the register, she was so confident and self-assured. I suppose she won't have a relapse of her asthma when she gets to Minghe Hall. Didn't Madam want me to deal with Granny Wang?"

He chuckled lightly, "If I don't go and watch, how can I please Madam?"

If Yun Ji doesn't go, he'll use all the methods he used against Granny Wang on her. He lowered his voice and said:

"Then I'll trouble you to accompany me on this journey."