Volume One, Chapter 10: What Reward Do You Seek?

She hurriedly dodged, “You’re not a child anymore; what reward do you still want?”

Qi Jinshan chuckled softly, his deep voice sending a shiver through Xie Mingyue’s earlobe.

“Madam,” his warm palm slid up her arm, inch by inch, caressing her cheek. Qi Jinshan’s gaze burned with intensity. “You are very different today from before.”

He had not seen Xie Mingyue smile like this in many years.

Perhaps she smiled at her maids, but before him, her expression was always one of disdain.

Qi Jinshan’s vision blurred momentarily; he couldn’t resist leaning closer to gently kiss the corner of her temple.

Xie Mingyue shut her eyes tightly. Would Qi Jinshan notice anything odd about her?

Her entire focus was on concealing this; even when the man kissed her, she hardly reacted.

Qi Jinshan’s eyes darkened further.

His lips moved downward, capturing a softness, kissing even more tenderly.

This felt like a dream.

A strange sensation coursed through her limbs. When she came back to herself and realized their closeness, she couldn’t help but push him away.

“No… Qi Jinshan, I’m not feeling well.”

She still feared such intimate contact. Though Qi Jinshan treated her kindly, she was not yet able to open her heart and accept him.

After all, she had only just met the Qi Jinshan of ten years later.

“Mm, then sleep.”

Qi Jinshan left a final kiss on her lips, quickly released her, and lay back down.

Xie Mingyue curled into the corner, her heart pounding wildly.

Never before had any moment so clearly told her that she had truly come to the future—to become Qi Jinshan’s wife.

He would kiss her, hold her, and in time, they would have children…

Under Qi Jinshan’s heavy, watchful gaze, Xie Mingyue slowly fell asleep.

The next morning, she awoke to find herself alone in bed.

Wasn’t Qi Jinshan off resting today?

Wutong smiled with pursed lips. “Master left early to meet with Marquis Qian in the front courtyard. He brought a chest key to the main household storage and a roster from the Elder Madam Jinhe.”

Xie Mingyue flipped through them, understanding that Qi Jinshan had likely explained the matter of the Yun family to Marquis Tongqing.

Now that she held the ledger key, it meant she was to truly begin managing the main household.

After Qi Jinshan’s men searched Qionghua Courtyard to ensure all was well, Xie Mingyue returned to the yard. The maids and elder servants had been replaced by a new group, all appearing honest and trustworthy.

Xie Mingyue sat down while Wutong stood beside her, addressing the women below the steps.

“You all saw the fate of the three wet nurses yesterday, right?”

The maids and elder servants had been selected by Qi Jinshan’s people. Having heard they served the unfavored madam, many harbored some resentment. Yet, seeing the madam actually stay in Master’s room and only return to the courtyard well after noon, her rosy complexion gave no hint of neglect.

“We will serve the madam faithfully, harboring no ill intentions.”

Some clever ones immediately showed their loyalty.

Xie Mingyue said nothing, letting Wutong speak again.

“Good. Know who your mistress is, do your duties well, and you will receive your due rewards.”

Afterwards, she waited for Xie Mingyue to nod, then distributed the prepared silver rewards.

Xie Mingyue didn’t want Wutong to overexert herself but couldn’t easily decide on personal attendants. So she selected four second-rank maids to work under Wutong’s supervision.

“Master will have lunch in the courtyard today. Wutong, watch over the kitchen. I’ll stay in the room to review the ledgers. No need to serve me.”

Once everyone was assigned their tasks, Xie Mingyue returned to the table and slowly went over the account books.

Qi Jinshan was reserved and restrained; many questions she asked went unanswered, but the ledgers revealed some truths—such as what kind of life she had lived over the past ten years.

A glance showed that Xie Wanqing had manipulated many entries in the main household’s accounts.

Eggs that cost one wen each appeared as ten wen in the ledger. Snowflake charcoal burned in winter was supplied in far greater quantities than one winter’s consumption, yet the ledger showed shortages, causing the household to purchase more.

Such discrepancies were minor sums individually, but accumulated over the years, they amounted to tens of thousands of taels.

Xie Mingyue stared quietly at the swaying branches outside the window.

Though she did not manage the main household, Yun Shi was not one to relinquish control easily. Since Xie Wanqing dared to openly embezzle funds, she must have colluded with Yun Shi—otherwise, Yun Shi would not have allowed control of the household affairs to fall into the hands of the second wife.

No wonder Yun Shi spoke up for Xie Wanqing yesterday—they were in cahoots.

Yun Shi could not act freely now; the next to be dealt with was Xie Wanqing.

A cold glint settled in Xie Mingyue’s eyes. She pulled another ledger from the pile.

Opening it, she realized it wasn’t the main household’s accounts but those of Qi Jinshan’s estate.

She checked the title page—indeed, it was the estate’s ledger, handed to her along with the main household’s key roster.

From the previous book, she saw that no one restrained the estate’s affairs. Qi Jinshan sent many fine things to the estate, but it lay in decay; aside from necessary expenses, there were no other costs. The year’s spending was far less than usual, leaving room for Xie Wanqing to manipulate accounts.

What else could she discover from Qi Jinshan’s ledger?

Xie Mingyue pursed her lips and turned the pages again.

The estate's accounts were clear and orderly, mostly daily expenses and social engagements. No extravagant spending, except for a quarterly payment of over five hundred taels for a property in Guinan Lane.

The ledger marked it as a rental.

Xie Mingyue’s face paled; she could not turn the page.

A man whose wife she was forbidden to touch rented a place outside for long periods, spending five hundred taels each quarter—what else could he be doing?

Her suspicions were confirmed: Qi Jinshan kept himself clean at home but maintained a mistress elsewhere.

“Madam, Master has arrived.”

Wutong entered with a smile. Xie Mingyue instinctively closed the ledger, seeing Qi Jinshan silhouetted in the doorway. Perhaps due to their closeness yesterday, he walked straight in and stood beside her desk.

“Why do you look so pale while reading the ledgers? Eat first.”

Qi Jinshan placed his large hand on the ledger. Xie Mingyue quickly withdrew her hand, forcing herself not to show any disgust.

“You come without warning.”

She smiled and stood, pressing the ledger to the bottom of a stack of books and gently nudged Qi Jinshan out.

“The room is cold; better to get some sun in the courtyard.”

Noticing her deliberate distance, Qi Jinshan narrowed his eyes slightly and withdrew his hand.

“Health comes first. If you’re unwell, the ledgers can wait.”

“Yes.”

Xie Mingyue forced a stiff smile as a sharp ache welled in her chest.

Though it was common for men to have multiple wives and concubines, why did her heart feel so heavy?

It was strange—surely it was because Qi Jinshan spent so much on that mistress.

Two thousand taels a year; Qi Jinshan truly doted on her.

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing Xie Mingyue stagger, Qi Jinshan reached out.

She instinctively stepped back, avoiding his touch, then composed herself to hide her lapse.

“I’m not feeling well.”

They walked to the table and sat in silence.

Sensing her change, Qi Jinshan withdrew his gentle smile and stood aside.

“If that’s so, no need to fuss. Rest well; I’ll eat back at the estate.”

The servants exchanged uneasy glances, and Wutong wiped sweat from her brow anxiously.

The madam had shared a room with Master last night and was happier than anyone. She had hoped the two might finally reconcile, but suddenly, the madam was back to her old self.

Xie Mingyue watched Qi Jinshan’s departing back and felt a wave of helplessness.

Could fate have brought her here just to retrace the same ten years? To suffer the slow withering once again?

She was not a difficult person, so why did she always feel resentment around him?

Closing her eyes, she suddenly stood up.

“Wait, I have something to ask you.”

Qi Jinshan halted at the courtyard gate, his expression clearing somewhat.

She looked up directly at him. “Do you have a mistress?”