Even after Madam Wen roughly explained the sequence of events, he remained silent initially, finally stating he had his own plans, uttering no extra words, not even letting a whisper slip, before proceeding directly to Aunt Luo’s quarters.

When she arrived at the main residence last night, Madam Wen could tell that Aunt Luo’s expression was somewhat triumphant; it seemed she had already known what was going to happen that evening.

Although Aunt Luo had enjoyed the Master’s favor for years, the Master had always maintained a clear distinction: a wife was a wife, and a concubine was a concubine. No matter how favored Aunt Luo was, she remained a concubine. The Master merely indulged her in minor matters; all important household affairs were managed by Madam Wen. Though sometimes the Master was displeased with Madam Wen over domestic issues, he had never voiced a complaint.

But this decision by the Master this time was entirely beyond Madam Wen’s expectations. Furthermore, the Master had not entered her rooms since last night, leaving her no opportunity to say anything at all.

However, the struggle against that wretch Aunt Luo was not a matter of a day or two. Madam Wen decided not to dwell on it for the moment; first, she needed to handle Ning Nuo’s situation. Madam Wen planned to coax her gently when she arrived; perhaps she could be persuaded. After all, the Master had finally permitted Ning Nuo to enter the household now, and matters could progress slowly from here.

As for Chen’er, since he had already been punished for the incident, there was nothing more to say. Although the Master had mentioned the position of household manager, he had not definitively decided who would inherit it, so it was temporarily set aside. As long as Chen’er remained well and the Old Madam doted on him, the chance of securing that position remained quite high.

Conversely, the most pressing concern right now was the issue of the account books. Since the Old Madam passed the management role to Madam Wen years ago, Madam Wen had been in complete charge of the household’s affairs. Although the Master occasionally glanced at the ledgers, he only skimmed through them and never pressed her on details.

But Madam Wen knew well that if those ledgers were truly investigated, there were many shadows hidden within them. In the first few years Madam Wen took over, she managed the accounts with scrupulous honesty; every incoming and outgoing entry had a clear ledger entry because Madam Wen’s maternal family was at its zenith then, and Madam Wen disdained resorting to tricks.

However, in recent years, the situation of Madam Wen’s maternal family had deteriorated significantly. Although the family finances were not prosperous, they still possessed some property, enough for an ordinary life. But Madam Wen’s younger brother was restless; not only did his business ventures repeatedly fail, but he also picked up the ruinous habit of gambling. Over time, no amount of family fortune could withstand such dissipation.

With the family fortune gone, Madam Wen’s brother turned his gaze toward her, constantly demanding money. Madam Wen would offer some at first, but when she genuinely couldn't spare much, she began to refuse. Yet, her brother threatened that if Madam Wen wouldn't give him the silver, he would go directly to Master Wen, claiming that when the Wen family first rose, their family had provided considerable assistance, and consequently, half of the Wen family's current wealth was theirs.

Madam Wen was a woman extremely concerned with appearances. Over these years, she knew that the main reason she could maintain her position as the principal wife of the Wen household was largely due to the past financial aid from her maternal family; thus, the Master had to grant her some face, no matter what.

Moreover, Madam Wen was aware that the Master held no deep affection for her; he never had. If he had, he wouldn't have married in Wen Ningxuan’s ill-fated mother so soon after marrying her. Not long after Wen Ningxuan’s mother died, he quickly brought in Aunt Luo. In the Master’s heart, in terms of profound feeling, she could not compare to Wen Ningxuan’s mother; in terms of favor, she could not compare to Aunt Luo. All she possessed was the title of the principal wife of the Wen household.

And in the Wen family, the respect everyone afforded her was tied to this status. If it were known now how her maternal family stood, or if her brother came creating a scene, not only would she lose face, but she believed her position as the principal wife would also be precarious.

So, Madam Wen was forced to use her private funds to subsidize her brother. Initially, it was manageable, small sums here and there, but over time, these small amounts accumulated into a considerable sum. Unable to bear it, Madam Wen began using her dowry. Soon, the dowry was nearly exhausted, but her brother’s demands grew larger each time. Having no choice, Madam Wen started using the Wen family’s money for the subsidies.

Master Wen had always been generous to the female members of the household; with many women in the family, the monthly allowance was substantial. Aside from a few troublemaking women, Madam Wen had been skimming significant amounts from everyone else. Madam Wen originally intended that in a few years, when she was older, the person taking over the role of principal wife would be Chen’er’s spouse—her own daughter-in-law, one of her own people—and she could simply explain the situation to her then.

Besides, by that time, Chen’er should be able to take over the family business, and helping the maternal family a little then would be no issue. At worst, once she was no longer the principal wife, she wouldn't fear her brother's threats; if he wanted to cause trouble, let him.

Unexpectedly, all these matters had arisen now. Regarding the audit of the books, Madam Wen was not afraid of that loud and boisterous Aunt Luo. After all, the accounts had been managed by someone else, and it wouldn't be easy to uncover anything if they were checked. Madam Wen knew exactly how capable Aunt Luo was, and Aunt Luo demanding the ledgers was merely an attempt to show off in front of her; surely, she couldn't discern anything significant.

What truly frightened Madam Wen was Lin He. This girl possessed considerable skill. She had once heard her Master mention that the shops collaborating with their family were all managed by her, based on the accounts she reviewed herself. Moreover, she now had Wen Ningxuan by her side. If Lin He examined the ledgers closely, the deceit could not be hidden. If the Master discovered it, Madam Wen couldn't imagine what he would do to her.

Thinking this, Madam Wen sighed heavily. The old servant Xu Pozi, who had followed Madam Wen for a long time, naturally understood the source of her worry and tried to console her: “Madam, you must relax a little. What is fated to happen will happen; what is meant to be avoided will be unavoidable. That girl does not appear shrewd; perhaps she won't notice anything. Besides, judging by her demeanor today, it’s uncertain if she’ll even bother looking.”

“Mama Xu, don't be fooled by that girl’s appearance. If she were simple, how could she have done business with the Master for so many years and earned his deep affection? It is precisely such capable people who are the hardest to deal with. Dealing with Wen Ningxuan alone is already difficult; adding that girl now, I fear the Wen Manor will soon become unbearable for me,” Madam Wen stated gravely.

“Madam, if you are truly worried about the account books, then let us simply prevent that girl from seeing them. Perhaps we could do this…” Mama Xu glanced around and whispered a suggestion into Madam Wen’s ear.