Phoenix Cries Return to Court

The old woman's heart sank, and she respectfully agreed, trembling with fear.

He led Lin Xi through the winding corridors and around the garden filled with red plum blossoms.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, we arrived at an elegant courtyard.

Lin Xihe looked up and saw a plaque hanging above the door with three elegant characters written in gold: Zhaohua Pavilion.

This must be where the Wen family used to live.

……

Meanwhile, the wedding banquet in the main courtyard continued.

The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air as guests clinked glasses and drank. He Guangzheng was drinking with several colleagues.

Suddenly a servant boy strode forward and whispered a few words in his ear.

He Guangzheng's face immediately darkened.

"Useless!" he hissed. But just as he was about to order someone to throw Wen out, he remembered her aggressive and "abnormal" behavior and stopped abruptly.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger and unease. He glanced at the laughing guests around him, finally sighed, waved to the servant, and said in a deep voice.

"Forget it, let's ignore her. As long as she stays in Zhaohua Pavilion and doesn't cause trouble, let her be for now. We'll settle this score later."

……

The next day, early in the morning.

Lin Xihe sat upright in front of the rosewood screen dressing table, but her gaze, through the diamond-shaped mirror, subtly observed the maidservant behind her who was doing her makeup.

The young maid had a small face, almond-shaped eyes, and wore her hair in two buns. She looked quite young and was very thin, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.

Seeing Lin Xihe staring at her, the maid paused, a faint blush rising to her cheeks, and stammered, "Why has Madam been staring at me all day?"

"Look, what kind of hairpin would look good with my dress today?" Lin Xihe asked the maid thoughtfully.

Upon hearing this, the young maidservant skillfully opened the drawers on both sides of the dressing table, took out an enamel flower hairpin and a pearl-delicate eight-treasure hairpin, and said in a crisp voice, "Madam, this servant thinks these two hairpins are very nice."

"Oh?" Lin Xihe's gaze fell on the pearl hairpin, a deep meaning flashing in her eyes, and she spoke with a half-smile.

"I think this eight-treasure hairpin suits you quite well. How about I give it to you as a gift?"

"Madam, you mustn't!" Upon hearing this, the maid's face changed drastically, and she knelt down with a thud. "Has Chun Ge done anything wrong to displease Madam?"

"You may punish or scold me as you wish, Madam, but you must never give me this eight-treasure hairpin! It was given to you by Madam Wen before her death; it is your most precious possession, and I dare not accept it."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xihe's heart stirred slightly. No wonder... this maid was so familiar with this dressing table. She must have been someone who was close to Madam Wen before. Even so, in the den of wolves and tigers in the Minister's mansion, no one can be trusted easily.

Thinking of this, she tentatively asked, "How have you been these days?"

Lin Xihe stared intently at the maid in front of her, trying to find a flaw in her expression.

Upon hearing this, Chun Ge cried even harder, "Ever since you were forcibly taken away by Granny Li and the others three days ago, the Minister has assigned people to guard Zhaohua Pavilion closely. The steward came twice during that time, subtly asking for the key to your private treasury, and even tried to force his way in to search it. I fought desperately to stop them!"

As she spoke, as if remembering something, she hurriedly raised her hand, untied one side of her hair bun, and after groping through the strands of hair for a moment, she carefully took out a one-inch-long copper key.

Chun Ge presented the gift to Lin Xihe with both hands as if it were a priceless treasure.

"Madam, I have kept this key close to my body all this time. Now that you have returned, it can finally be returned to its rightful owner."

After saying that, she gave a simple and honest smile, but then said with concern, "Madam, now that this has happened, you should think about yourself. You must not be as soft-hearted as before and do whatever the Minister says."

"If this continues, he will eventually drain your dowry, and then you will truly be left destitute in this Minister's mansion!"

Seeing that Lin Xihe had no reaction, Chun Ge became even more anxious. She knelt down and took two steps, then reached out and grabbed Lin Xihe's sleeve, pleading, "Madam, please, think of yourself."

Seeing this, Lin Xihe understood.

Last night, as she tossed and turned, she thought of the generous compensation that Emperor Sheng had bestowed upon the Wen family, which she assumed had all gone into the Wen family's dowry.

I was originally planning to play it by ear, but I never expected this girl...

A warmth filled her heart. She looked at the person in front of her and saw the little girl still kneeling on the ground, crying pitifully. She couldn't help but sigh, bent down to help her up, and asked softly, "Chunge, get up. I don't blame you. Take me to see the private treasury."

The private vault was located in a side courtyard of Zhaohua Pavilion. The wooden door was tightly locked, with a huge iron padlock hanging on it.

With a "click," the door lock opened.

Lin Xihe pushed open the heavy wooden door, and a damp, musty smell wafted out.

Looking up, Lin Xihe was stunned and stood there in place.

Chun Ge's words had already prepared her mentally; it seemed that He Guangzheng had already embezzled a considerable amount of wealth from the Wen family's private treasury.

But the scene before her eyes still exceeded her expectations, and it made her witness once again Ho Kwong-ching's shamelessness and greed.

In the vast private vault, more than a dozen mahogany boxes were scattered about, most of which had their lids open and were empty. A few worthless items were also scattered in the corners. The entire vault looked as if it had been robbed.

Lin Xihe frowned and said in a deep voice, "Chunge, bring me my dowry list."

Upon hearing this, Chun Ge seemed to have been prepared, and took out a small, yellowed note from her sleeve.

Lin Xihe flipped through the pages quickly, feeling an even greater chill in her heart.

The ledger clearly records every item of the Wen family's dowry, from gold and silver jewelry and silk fabrics to land deeds.

But of all those things recorded in the ledgers, not even a tenth of them could be found in the private treasury.

Chun Ge stood to the side, looking at the lady's gloomy face. She took a deep breath, carefully took out a small blue note from her bosom, and whispered, "Madam, please... take a look at this."

"What is this?" Lin Xihe took the small note and slowly unfolded it.

"I secretly memorized this." Chun Ge timidly raised her eyes to look at her mistress, and then said respectfully.

"Ever since you married into the family, the Minister has complained to you year after year about the household's deficits and the need to cover social obligations. In which year didn't you take money from your own private treasury to make up for these expenses?"

"I have advised you many times, but you always say that 'we are husband and wife and should support each other.' I really can't let it go, so I secretly wrote down all the gold, silver and items you sent away, thinking that if one day you realize it, this can be considered as proof."

Seeing Lin Xihe remain silent, Chun Ge panicked and said in a tearful voice, "Madam, please don't be angry with me! I know this is against the rules..."

"Chunge." Lin Xihe looked at the flustered maid in front of her, took her hand, and said solemnly, "I'm not angry. On the contrary, I should thank you properly." As she spoke, she patted Chunge's hand and comforted her, "You did very well. It was my fault before."

Chun Ge suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with disbelief, but then she choked up and said, "Madam, what should we do now?"

Lin Xihe's gaze returned to the empty boxes and the mess on the ground. The extravagance of yesterday's wedding banquet flashed through her mind, and a mocking smile appeared on her lips as she spoke leisurely.

"I see there are many valuable items in this mansion, but he has his eye on my storeroom."

Her eyes grew colder and sharper, her mind made up. "Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. I, who have returned from the brink of death, should drag that little devil who owes me a debt to the underworld with me."