As for Madam Wen, if what she said was true, even a slight erosion of her authority was no great loss; she remained the mistress of the Wen household. Should she conduct herself with propriety from now on, that authority could surely be reclaimed in time.

She, on the other hand, had not only failed to secure the man she desired but had also been caught in flagrante delicto by so many. In the end, all she earned was the status of a concubine—a lifelong humiliation that made it impossible for her to yield easily.

While deep in thought, Ningnuo’s eyes remained fixed on Madam Wen’s steps. She resolved that if the older woman showed even the slightest hesitation, she would gamble everything, insisting on confronting Master Wen herself. No matter the outcome, if she herself was to suffer, then no one else would enjoy peace.

However, Madam Wen’s steps showed no sign of wavering; she walked forward steadily, already nearing the silken curtains of the doorway. Ningnuo ultimately decided against the gamble and called out, "Godmother, please wait."

Upon hearing this, a knowing smile flickered across Madam Wen’s face, though as she turned, she feigned ignorance and asked, "Ningnuo, is something else required?"

Ningnuo instantly broke into a bright smile and approached Madam Wen, looping her arm through the older woman's with practiced affection. "Godmother, since you've said as much, why would I still go to Master Wen? Could I truly distrust your word? Besides, you cherish me so; I naturally believe you did everything you could."

Madam Wen had long since understood Ningnuo’s true nature and was not surprised now. Since Ningnuo offered an olive branch, Madam Wen saw no reason to refuse it, patting Ningnuo’s hand. "I know you are sensible, child. But tell me, what are your thoughts on this matter of becoming a secondary wife?"

Ningnuo paused as if contemplating deeply, her expression quickly shifting to one of profound grievance. "Godmother, I have come to terms with it. Since things have come to this pass, a secondary wife it must be. As long as I can be your daughter-in-law, I care for nothing else. Moreover, this arrangement means I can stay by your side always and serve you well. Even if it is a slight indignity, I accept it willingly."

"Mmm, it is best that you think this way. No matter what, you are my daughter, inherently closer than any outsider. As long as you remain obedient, I certainly will not treat you poorly. Furthermore, you know I have never been entirely satisfied with Yu Zhen, Chen'er's current wife. I have always wished to find a virtuous wife for Chen'er who can care for him properly. Once you and Chen'er are married, I will entrust that responsibility to you."

"In every way, you surpass Yu Zhen. So long as you support Chen'er inside and out, I will certainly stand up for you in the future, do you understand?" Madam Wen looked at Ningnuo with deep maternal affection.

Ningnuo understood the implication behind Madam Wen's words perfectly. This was precisely why she was unwilling to fall out with her Godmother. For Ningnuo, accepting the title of a secondary wife was never meant to be her final destination.

Ningnuo leaned close to Madam Wen, replying meekly, "Everything will be as my Godmother decrees."

Seeing Ningnuo's compliance, a weight finally lifted from Madam Wen’s heart. She smiled and said, "Then in the future, stop calling me Godmother. Call me 'Mother' as Chen'er does."

Ningnuo looked up at Madam Wen and softly breathed out, "Mother."

Madam Wen responded with evident delight. In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the two women who had been poised for a confrontation had transformed into a harmonious future mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Meanwhile, Lin He, having left Madam Wen's courtyard with Concubine Luo, had no desire to seek out work for herself, least of all by looking through account books. Heaven knew how much Lin He detested bookkeeping. Back in her maiden home, she had no choice; with no one else capable, those duties inevitably fell to her.

But ever since joining Wen Ningxuan, Lin He had taught him how to manage the accounts. Now, she refused to even touch a ledger. She wouldn't look at the books for her own shops, so why would she genuinely want to pore over the Wen family's records? Besides, she had no real intention of managing this household; she planned to have Wen Ningxuan persuade Master Wen to release her from these duties once their current cold war ended.

Thus, as soon as she exited the courtyard, Lin He deliberately pressed her temples. "Concubine Luo, my head is aching dreadfully. I think I need to return and rest for a while. I won't fetch the account books today; I'll collect them from the accounting office once I feel better."

Concubine Luo was unwilling to let Lin He off so easily. She insisted, "He'er, if you feel unwell, then let's hurry. It won't take long to retrieve the ledgers. Once we're there, I'll have someone deliver them to your courtyard. Since we are managing the household together, it would be improper for me to go to the accounting office alone to collect the books. Outsiders might think I am challenging Madam."

Lin He rolled her eyes inwardly—you are challenging Madam, that’s exactly the point—but realizing she couldn't refuse Concubine Luo's insistence, she managed a smile. "Then I will follow Concubine Luo’s lead. Let’s go quickly and return soon."

Concubine Luo finally nodded in satisfaction, and they proceeded together toward the Wen family’s accounting office. The clerks there, seeing that it was the two of them coming for the ledgers, respectfully brought out all the books and arranged them neatly upon the desk.

Lin He and the others waited a considerable time before they were finally informed that the ledgers were ready for their review. Looking at them, Lin He was genuinely startled by the sheer volume. Concubine Luo had asked for the accounts spanning the last five years, and Lin He had expected a large quantity, but not this many.

Several large tables in the accounting office were now laden with thick volumes, piled high, each stack towering far above Lin He's own height. At this rate, it looked like they wouldn't finish in less than a month, even with constant attention.

Evidently, Concubine Luo standing nearby was also taken aback by the mountain of books and asked the clerk uncertainly, "Are you sure these cover five years? I only asked for the recent five; the older ones are unnecessary."

"Concubine Luo, these are indeed the accounts from the last five years," the clerk replied respectfully.

"This... He'er, look at this..." Concubine Luo gazed at the stacks with a growing headache.

Lin He felt an equal sense of dread. After a moment of thought, Concubine Luo declared, "Since that is the case, we will split these ledgers evenly. We will take them back and review them slowly. Once we are done, we can cross-reference them to ensure everything matches." With that, she directed servants to divide the piles, then arranged for her half to be sent back.

As they departed, she instructed Lin He, "He'er, you must study these books diligently. If there are errors in the accounts later, the responsibility will fall upon us."