Chapter 8: All Your Money Is Under My Control

Seeing the unkind look in Yun Zhaozhao’s eyes, Sheng Xingye immediately changed his tune. "I’m accompanying you on your return to your parents' home; shouldn’t you show some sincerity?"

"Sincerity? What are you referring to?" Yun Zhaozhao asked with keen interest.

"This, of course." Sheng Xingye rubbed his fingers together, his tone malicious. "What else did you think I meant?" It certainly couldn't be you, you shrew!

Yun Zhaozhao arched an eyebrow. "Alright! How much do you want?"

Sheng Xingye felt a thrill of joy; today was truly a day for fortune to smile upon him! He immediately held up five fingers and shook them. Then, under the intensity of Yun Zhaozhao’s stare, he slowly retracted four of them.

"One wen? Fine."

"One wen?!" Sheng Xingye’s eyes widened in fury. "Yun Zhaozhao, are you playing with me?"

"How could I? We are husband and wife; what is yours is mine. Whether it’s one wen or one tael, it’s just moving money from the left hand to the right. It’s the gesture that counts."

"Who is doing this for the 'gesture'?" Sheng Xingye huffed indignantly. "And you said what’s mine is yours—does that mean what’s yours is mine, too?"

"Thinking too much is a sickness; you need treatment." Yun Zhaozhao smiled without warmth. "I just heard you mention that 'Ruyi House.' Doesn’t a single round at Ruyi House cost a lot of money?"

"At least ten taels! Your one wen wouldn't even be enough to send a beggar away!"

"Ten taels a round? Then wouldn’t the wins and losses in a single night reach hundreds or thousands of taels? I truly didn't realize, my dear husband, that you were so wealthy! However—" Yun Zhaozhao shifted her tone, beaming with a smile, "no amount of wealth can withstand such reckless squandering."

Sheng Xingye snorted, "My money is my business—don't you try to tell me how to spend it!"

"In the past, I couldn't interfere, but from now on—" Yun Zhaozhao said, enunciating every word, "your money belongs to me!"

Sheng Xingye exploded with rage. "On what grounds?!"

"Jin Chui, come here. Let our good son-in-law see exactly on what grounds." Yun Zhaozhao stood with her arms crossed, looking perfectly composed.

"Coming!"

Jin Chui didn't hesitate. She grabbed a heavy stone stool, spun it twice with ease, and then tossed it aside.

"Bang!" The stone stool landed a hundred meters away, shattered into pieces.

Chang Sheng’s legs turned to jelly with fear. If a mere maid was this brutal and fierce, could the rumors about the Sixth Madam slaughtering people on the frontier like chopping vegetables actually be true? Sheng Xingye couldn't help but imagine himself being crumpled up like that stone stool and tossed away, and he felt a wave of nausea.

Yun Zhaozhao clapped her hands and gave an order: "Xiao Dao, take some people and go audit your master’s assets."

"You are not allowed to go!" Sheng Xingye panicked. "Yun Zhaozhao, you crazy woman, do you think I won't divorce you right now?"

"I don't." Yun Zhaozhao completely ignored his impotent roaring and instructed Xiao Dao, "Remember, I want all assets, including his private holdings."

"What are you standing there for? Go and stop her!" Sheng Xingye kicked at Chang Sheng, who had been playing dead on the side. The poor man had just managed to stand up under his master's glare when Jin Chui scooped him up with one hand and tossed him aside.

"You lowly maid, how dare you! Release Chang Sheng at once!" Sheng Xingye was about to chase after her, but Yun Zhaozhao stepped forward and lightly rested one hand on his shoulder.

Sheng Xingye immediately felt as if a thousand catties of weight were pressing down on him. He had to summon all his strength just to stand straight, his handsome face turning beet red.

Soon, Xiao Dao returned. She had expected to find a large sum of money, but there were only four thousand taels in banknotes and some jewelry.

"Just this much?"

"My Lady, I checked. The young master truly has no private holdings and no extra income. According to the servants, the young master is quite... generous with his spending, so he has never saved anything. Most of what we have here are the red envelopes he received today, plus what he just got from the Duke and Duchess."

Yun Zhaozhao felt a sense of existential despair.

"Ha! It’s a good thing I spend money as soon as I get it, otherwise, it would all have gone to you, you crazy woman!" Sheng Xingye felt immensely satisfied seeing Yun Zhaozhao’s foul expression.

But the next moment, Yun Zhaozhao grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward violently.

"Yun Zhaozhao, you madwoman, what... what are you trying to do now?" Sheng Xingye struggled, shouting loudly to bluff his way out. "I'm telling you, I was only humoring you before! Don't you dare push your luck!"

Yun Zhaozhao scoffed in disdain and reached into his robes.

"Wait, where are you touching? Stop! Yun Zhaozhao, you poisonous woman, do you have no shame? Someone! Come here! Where have you all died off to..."

Before long, the entire Duke’s residence echoed with Sheng Xingye’s heaven-shaking, soul-stirring wails.

When the main courtyard sent people to investigate, Sheng Xingye looked like a delicate flower that had been trampled and ruined, radiating a sense of utter brokenness.

"Sixth Young Master, are you alright?"

"Get out!"

Inside the room, Yun Zhaozhao carelessly tossed the three thousand taels of banknotes she had scavenged from Sheng Xingye onto the table. "Xiao Dao, how much is my dowry worth?"

"My Lady’s dowry is naturally substantial. There are thirty thousand taels in banknotes alone hidden at the bottom of the chest, not to mention the rare treasures and the rewards bestowed by the Emperor for the wedding. Even the General’s treasury was more than half-emptied."

*Damn it, what a huge loss!*

"Jin Chui, go tell Sheng Xingye that from now on, all his money is to be handed over to me. If he dares to waste a single wen, I will carve the meat from his bones and sell it by the pound!"

The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became, so Yun Zhaozhao simply lay back on the bed to sleep. In a half-dreaming state, she vaguely heard a "buzzing" electrical sound.

Yun Zhaozhao snapped awake and sat up. In her mind, a faint, intermittent voice sounded—one so quiet it was almost imperceptible. Although she couldn't clearly make out the words, she keenly sensed it was the voice of Sheng Hongfei and a system.

She immediately got out of bed and headed toward Sheng Hongfei’s Fangfei Garden. Sure enough, the closer she got, the clearer the voice became.

*[Host, the immediate priority is to obtain the token and win the Fourth Prince’s favor. As for those who bullied you in your past life, there will be plenty of time to deal with them later.]*

Yun Zhaozhao frowned slightly. No wonder she had found Sheng Hongfei a bit strange; she was a reincarnated soul.

*[No, if that bitch Sheng Wanqing isn't eliminated, I won't have a moment's peace. Besides, the Fourth Prince’s ascension to the throne is still years away; there's no rush.]*

Sheng Wanqing? Yun Zhaozhao thought back carefully; she didn't recall any woman by that name during the morning tea ceremony. It seemed she would need to have someone look into that.

*[Host, let me remind you: at the palace banquet in three days, the Fourth Prince will recognize Yun Chuchu. If you don't complete the mission and get the sachet before then, prepare for an electric shock penalty!]*

The system fell silent after saying this. Yun Zhaozhao waited a long time but heard nothing more, so she had to leave. However, she clearly remembered that in the morning, as soon as she stepped out of her room, the voice in her mind had faded. Why could she hear it from across the courtyard this time?

Suddenly, a realization struck her: could it have something to do with that so-called remote connection?