“There, there, it’s all this old woman’s fault for making everyone sad. Please get up, you shouldn’t be kneeling.” Madam Li helped Li Jingming to his feet, while Madam Ge and Hua’er assisted Madam Fang up.

Even Zhenniang felt a tightness in her nose at this moment.

Ma Sao brought fresh hot tea with Xiaoya and the Taoist woman, and everyone sat down again.

“Seventh Aunt, I have something I wish to discuss with you privately,” Li Jingming suddenly said with a serious expression.

The elderly madam gave Li Jingming a deep look. Li Jingming merely returned her gaze.

The others present were quite perceptive. Han Yigui stood up and left with his wife and children, while Madam Huang rose to see them off, with Zhenniang following.

“Zhenniang, you stay,” Li Jingming called out.

Zhenniang looked at her Seventh Grandmother, who nodded at her. So Zhenniang helped the elderly madam, and the three of them went to the inner chamber of the back hall.

Ma Sao served tea and withdrew.

In the room, there were only the elderly madam, Li Jingming, and Zhenniang. For a moment, silence prevailed.

“Seventh Aunt, please look at this.” Li Jingming took out a booklet from his chest and placed it on the table, pushing it toward the elderly madam.

The elderly madam glanced at Li Jingming, then picked up the booklet and began turning the pages, her expression remaining neutral.

Zhenniang sat quietly, keeping her thoughts to herself. Since they had asked her to stay, there must be a reason for her to know about this matter. She knew Uncle Jingming would explain everything in due time, so she remained patient.

Sure enough, after a while, the elderly madam put down the booklet and pushed it toward Zhenniang, then said to Li Jingming, “Explain. This seems rather confusing. Tell us everything from start to finish.”

“Yes.” Li Jingming agreed but didn’t speak immediately, clearly organizing his thoughts.

As Zhenniang flipped through the booklet, she realized it was an account ledger. At first, it seemed confusing, but after a few pages, she began to understand. Several entries overlapped with the Li family accounts that Uncle Jingming had shown her earlier. Seeing the names of various merchant houses and grain shops, Zhenniang understood – this was Patrol Leader Ge’s private tax collection ledger.

While Zhenniang continued examining the ledger, she listened to Li Jingming’s explanation.

“When Seventh Aunt left us in Nanjing to watch over these family assets, I’ve always been extremely cautious. I didn’t dare make any mistakes. However, with the Li family in seclusion for over ten years, my wife and I became like trees without roots in Nanjing, like water without a source. In others’ eyes, the Li family’s properties in Nanjing became a piece of fat meat waiting to be seized. I’ve always been careful, but some things are simply impossible to guard against. Patrol Leader Ge was originally just the head of a group of idlers in our area, and he used to extort us frequently. Fortunately, back then, Brother-in-law Yigui intervened and had Chairman Hu speak with him. I gave some benefits, and things remained peaceful. But who would have thought that after more than ten years, he would transform himself into a Patrol Leader, and with the Hu family’s troubles leaving Chairman Hu unable to protect himself, Ge no longer had any reservations…”

Li Jingming paused here, his voice growing somewhat hoarse.

Zhenniang listened intently.

After taking a sip of water, Li Jingming continued, “Although I’ve always been wary of Patrol Leader Ge, I never expected him to target Zhengping. That day, he set up a trap that Zhengping fell into – either marrying Ge’s daughter or being beaten to death. So we chose to let Zhengping marry the Ge woman. But I was still worried. Fortunately, for some reason, Patrol Leader Ge took a liking to Zhengping and had him help manage the accounts. So I had Zhengping find an opportunity to make a copy of Patrol Leader Ge’s private ledger, thinking that if Ge ever truly set his sights on the Li family’s properties, I wouldn’t let him get away with it… No matter what, I had to protect this inheritance.”

At this point, Li Jingming’s tone changed, and he smiled slightly, “However, when Zhenniang arrived, she quietly put Patrol Leader Ge in his place, and he couldn’t continue his schemes for the time being. But Patrol Leader Ge is still harboring ill intentions, so I’m presenting this ledger to Zhenniang. It can serve as a means to control him.”

“Uncle Jingming has been thoughtful. Zhenniang won’t let that scoundrel succeed,” Zhenniang stood up and promised.

“It hasn’t been easy for you,” the elderly madam sighed.

“It was all because of my selfish desires. If not for my private ambitions, Patrol Leader Ge wouldn’t have been able to force us into this situation. I have failed Seventh Aunt’s trust,” Li Jingming said shamefully.

Originally, he had always been guarding against Patrol Leader Ge, who couldn’t do anything to him. But after that illness, his wife’s thoughts had strayed, and with Patrol Leader Ge’s influence, they ended up giving him leverage, resulting in the current awkward situation.

“Mm, this is something I need to address. If I’ve done anything wrong, you could have told me directly, even argued with me by pounding the table. But you shouldn’t have secretly embezzled money, let alone colluded with outsiders. This is a sign of family ruin…” Seventh Grandmother said. A mistake was a mistake, and it needed to be addressed.

“Yes, Jingming knows his mistake. I will make up for these years of accounts. Also, when Madam returns to Huizhou, Jingming’s family will follow. I am willing to accept punishment according to clan rules for my mistakes,” Li Jingming said. Though speaking of punishment, his expression was relaxed, a rare sight.

Seeing Uncle Jingming’s relaxed demeanor, Zhenniang understood somewhat. She had always found Uncle Jingming difficult to read, though she felt he was rather gloomy and rarely saw him so at ease.

Now, seeing this ledger and hearing Uncle Jingming’s explanation, she finally understood that his gloominess came from inner turmoil.

The key factor was how the main family line would treat him. Clearly, the elderly madam had first shown him fairness before addressing his mistakes, which seemed to satisfy Li Jingming.

Now, with his inner burden lifted and no longer troubled, that gloomy air had dissipated.

“That’s good then. I’ve already had your family’s house renovated. At the ink workshop, Manager Shao is getting old and losing his energy, and with Jingdong’s leg condition and withdrawn personality, he can’t manage the workshop either. So, after you return and serve your punishment, once things settle down, you’ll take charge of the ink workshop’s affairs,” Madam Li said.

“Very well.” Li Jingming didn’t say much else, just nodded firmly. If their family returned and could manage the ink workshop, it would be the greatest honor for their branch of the family.

This kind of honor, he naturally wouldn’t decline.

“Alright, Zhenniang, keep the ledger safe. You know how to use it?” the elderly madam then said to Zhenniang.

“If the enemy doesn’t move, we won’t move. This thing is more useful in hand than thrown out, isn’t that right, Seventh Grandmother?” Zhenniang said with a grin.

“Good that you understand. Keep it safe,” the elderly madam said with mock scolding, then let Zhenniang help her out.

The three of them left the room together.

In the outer room, Madam Fang had been waiting most anxiously. Seeing the elderly madam and Li Jingming emerge, she hurried forward, her eyes fixed on Li Jingming, clearly wanting to know what had been discussed inside.

“Hua’er’s mother, when you have time these next few days, pack up our household things. In a while, when the elderly madam returns to Huizhou, we’ll be going back with her,” Li Jingming announced straightforwardly.

Regarding returning to Huizhou, Madam Fang was mentally prepared. Seeing Li Jingming’s rather relaxed expression and thinking of Seventh Aunt’s earlier graciousness, she understood. The elderly madam probably wouldn’t pursue past matters too harshly, and she felt relieved.

Speaking of returning to Huizhou, she did miss home.

“Return to that mountain backwater? Do I have to go too?” Madam Ge asked from the side, raising her eyebrows with an unhappy expression.

“Of course. Where Zhengping goes, you must go as his wife. Moreover, Huizhou is Zhengping’s ancestral home, and our Li family doesn’t recognize any daughter-in-law who hasn’t been registered in the ancestral hall and performed the wine ceremony,” the Seventh Grandmother interjected coldly.

She then waved her hand, dismissing everyone. Zhenniang helped the elderly madam back to the second floor of the small building.

Madam Fang pulled Li Jingming back to their room to question him in detail.

Only Madam Ge remained, looking first at Li Zhengping, then at Hua’er, finally snorting and running out the door, presumably to find her father.

…

At the Ge household.

Today, Patrol Leader Ge had rare leisure time, so he and Madam Cao, though “old husband and wife,” had enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Afterward, Madam Cao had fried some small dishes, and the two were leisurely drinking together.

Ge Qiujie burst through the front door like a whirlwind.

“What’s wrong now? Being someone’s wife, you should learn to be more composed,” Patrol Leader Ge glared at Ge Qiujie.

“Wife my foot!” Ge Qiujie was already upset, so she responded irritably.

Then she went forward and pulled at Patrol Leader Ge’s sleeve: “Father, you must stand up for me! That old madam from the Li family came with such an imposing presence, and with just a few words, my parents-in-law acted all grateful. She’s truly formidable. Now, my father-in-law has decided that when the old madam returns to Huizhou, the whole family will go with her. Isn’t it obvious? They’ll strip away power first, then settle accounts back home. With that old madam’s methods, my father-in-law’s family won’t have a good outcome, probably being sent to some mountain corner to dig the earth. I don’t want to go!”

“Such a thing? Is Li Jingming a fool? After working hard for the Li family for over ten years, to return home empty-handed in the end, is he willing?” Patrol Leader Ge’s eyes widened.

“Anyway, my father-in-law announced it himself, it’s no lie,” Ge Qiujie said angrily.

She continued petulantly: “Father, I didn’t want to marry that dummy Li Zhengping in the first place. You said you could secure me a share of a good family’s wealth. But now, not only have we not gotten the wealth, but you want me to follow him and suffer such hardship. Your daughter won’t do it. Besides, after how we’ve schemed against them, my father-in-law is very shrewd and must know everything. Even if I endure the hardship and go, nothing good will come of it. When we’re so far away, even if I want my father’s support, I won’t be able to find you.”

“Enough, I understand this matter,” Patrol Leader Ge said, frowning.