The next morning—
Bai-Xue stood quietly outside the Ning Family Treasury.
The heavy doors remained closed, yet from within, bursts of laughter echoed out—bright, lively, and filled with excitement.
It was unmistakable.
Ya-Ting, Hai-Rang, and their mother, Jing-Yi, were already inside, selecting their garments for the banquet. Along with them, Shu-Fen and Mei-Lin were also present, their cheerful voices rising and falling as they admired silks and jewels.
The sound of their delight rang clearly—
as if the treasury belonged solely to them.
Bai-Xue's expression did not change.
Without hesitation, she pushed the doors open and stepped inside.
The moment she entered—
a world of dazzling luxury unfolded before her.
The vast treasury hall shimmered under golden light. Exquisite robes of every color were displayed on carved stands—silks that flowed like water, embroidered with golden threads and rare patterns.
Tables and shelves overflowed with priceless jewelry—jade ornaments, pearl hairpins, golden bracelets, and gemstones that gleamed with breathtaking brilliance.
On the other side—
massive chests lay stacked upon one another.
Some were filled to the brim with gold coins, their surfaces glinting under the light.
Others, made of polished silver, were arranged neatly beside them.
The wealth was overwhelming.
Almost excessive.
And yet—
Bai-Xue did not spare them a second glance.
Instead, her steps carried her toward a quiet corner of the room.
A place no one seemed to care about.
There, tucked away from the brilliance—
stood a large wooden cabinet.
Unlike the rest of the treasury, this area felt... forgotten.
Dust had gathered thickly over its surface.
Cobwebs clung to its edges, as if time itself had abandoned this corner years ago.
Inside the cabinet—
were stacks of old papers.
Unsorted.
Untouched.
As though no one had bothered to look at them in a very long time.
Bai-Xue's gaze deepened.
Then—
something caught her attention.
To the side of the cabinet stood a wooden board, partially covered with a faded red cloth.
She stepped closer.
Without a word—
she reached out and pulled the cloth away.
The moment the words beneath were revealed—
her eyes stilled.
"Huang-Lin Treasury."
For a brief second—
silence fell within her mind.
Understanding came instantly.
Her gaze slowly shifted back to the dusty cabinet.
Those papers—
were not meaningless records.
They were ledgers.
Detailed accounts... of Huang-Lin's dowry.
And not just that—
Bai-Xue's eyes moved across the entire treasury hall once more.
The luxurious robes.
The priceless jewelry.
The chests of gold and silver.
Everything.
All of it—
belonged to Huang-Lin.
Her dowry.
Her legacy.
And yet—
now—
it was being used freely by the entire Ning family.
As if it had always been theirs.
At the far corner of the treasury—
Shu-Fen was the first to notice her.
Her eyes widened in shock as she spotted Bai-Xue standing silently near the cabinet. Instinctively, she reached out and tugged at her mother's sleeve, pointing discreetly in Bai-Xue's direction.
Following her gaze—
Hai-Rang turned as well.
The moment she saw Bai-Xue—
her expression twisted with irritation.
"You—" she snapped, her voice sharp with anger. "What are you doing here, Bai-Xue?"
Her voice was loud enough to draw everyone's attention.
One by one—
the others turned.
Soon, all eyes in the treasury were fixed on Bai-Xue.
Hai-Rang took a step forward, her tone growing even harsher.
"Truly, your courage has grown, hasn't it?" she mocked. "You dare to barge into this place without permission?"
Her lips curled in disdain.
"Do you even have the status to step foot in this room?"
Jing-Yi's brows furrowed slightly at her daughter's bluntness. She subtly gestured for Hai-Rang to stop—
but before the tension could settle—
Ya-Ting spoke.
Her voice was colder, sharper.
"Honestly, Bai-Xue... you've gone too far," she said, her gaze filled with disdain. "After causing such a scene yesterday, you still have no shame?"
She let out a faint scoff.
"You couldn't even stay quietly in your room for a single day?"
The treasury fell silent.
All eyes remained on Bai-Xue—
waiting.
But Bai-Xue did not react immediately.
Her expression remained calm. Unmoved.
Then—
she spoke.
"Gone too far?" Bai-Xue's voice was soft... yet carried an undeniable edge. "You seem quite fond of crossing limits yourselves."
Her gaze swept across them, cold and steady.
"I explained everything yesterday," she continued, her tone calm but cutting. "And yet today... nothing has changed."
Her eyes settled on Ya-Ting.
A faint, almost mocking curve touched her lips.
"Tell me, Ya-Ting... is there something wrong with your memory?"
Her words landed like a slap.
"Why is it that you keep forgetting things so easily?"
A brief pause.
Then—
her voice turned colder.
"My status... and my standing," she said slowly, each word deliberate, "are above everyone present in this room."
The air seemed to freeze.
"And yet, what is the point of reminding you again and again?" she added, her tone laced with quiet disdain. "When one's mind is lacking... how can they remember anything at all?"
A sharp silence followed.
The insult was unmistakable.
Even the servants lowered their heads, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Jing-Yi's expression darkened slightly, but she quickly composed herself.
Stepping forward, she spoke in a controlled tone,
"There is no need to dwell on such matters," she said, attempting to smooth over the situation.
Jing-Yi stepped forward, her expression gentle, her voice softened deliberately—as if trying to calm a storm.
"Bai-Xue... we are all family," she said warmly. "In a family, forgiveness is necessary to live in harmony."
Her gaze shifted toward Ya-Ting.
"Ya-Ting, as the elder sister, you should also let go of what happened yesterday," she continued, her tone persuasive. "Forget it... and forgive Bai-Xue. After all, she is your younger sister."
For a brief moment—
silence filled the treasury.
Then—
a soft laugh broke through it.
Bai-Xue laughed.
But there was no warmth in it.
Only mockery.
"Forgive?" she repeated, her voice laced with amusement. "And Ya-Ting will be the one to forgive me?"
Her eyes turned cold.
"When the fault lies entirely with her?"
She let out a faint scoff.
"Truly... I must say," she continued, her tone turning sharper, "there seems to be no limit to your shamelessness."
"Enough!"
Jing-Yi's voice cut through the air, though her face remained composed.
Even so—
the tension in her eyes betrayed the anger she was suppressing with great effort.
Taking a slow breath, she forced her tone back into calmness.
"You should not be here, child," she said, her voice controlled. "This place is not open to just anyone. Entry requires permission."
A faint pause.
"Permission from the head of the family... your father."
There was a hidden meaning in her words.
She knew very well—
Chang-Pu would never grant Bai-Xue such permission.
For a moment—
Bai-Xue simply looked at her.
Then—
she laughed again.
This time, softer.
Colder.
"Permission?" she repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "First Concubine... do you truly believe I need permission to enter a place that belongs to my own mother?"
Her gaze swept across the room.
"This... is my mother's dowry."
Her words fell like stones into still water.
"And yet you speak as though I am an outsider?"
Before Jing-Yi could respond—
Ya-Ting stepped forward, her expression turning sharp.
"You seem to be mistaken," she said coldly. "My mother is the Lady of the Ning Family. She manages all the records, all the assets—everything in this household."
Her chin lifted slightly.
"So naturally... all of this belongs to her."
Her eyes locked onto Bai-Xue.
"Do you understand now?"
Bai-Xue looked at Ya-Ting—
her gaze calm, yet sharp enough to cut.
A faint smile curved her lips.
"Yes... if there were ever a perfect example of striking one's own foot with an axe," she said lightly, her tone laced with quiet mockery, "it would look exactly like you."
The moment those words fell—
Jing-Yi's expression stiffened.
A subtle unease crept into her heart.
Something... is about to happen.
Before anyone could react—
Bai-Xue moved.
With unhurried steps, she walked forward and sat down upon one of the most exquisite chairs in the treasury. Crossing her legs elegantly, she leaned back slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Then, tilting her head just a little, she spoke—
"Concubine Jing-Yi," her voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority, "go and bring all the account records here. Place them before me."
A brief pause.
"As the only daughter of Huang-Lin... I have every right to know how my mother's wealth has been used."
The room fell silent.
Ya-Ting's expression darkened instantly.
"Bai-Xue, you are going too far!" she snapped angrily. "You have no right to question my mother!"
Before the tension could escalate further—
Jan-Mei stepped forward.
"Forgive me, Lady Ya-Ting," she said respectfully, bowing her head, "but if we speak of rightful ownership... then Princess Bai-Xue is indeed the sole owner of this wealth."
Her voice remained steady.
"Concubine Jing-Yi has merely been managing it until Lady Bai-Xue came of age. If the Princess now wishes to reclaim what is already hers... she has every right to do so."
Those words struck like thunder.
Jing-Yi's expression flickered for a brief moment—
but she quickly concealed it.
"Your maid speaks correctly," Jing-Yi said, forcing a faint smile. "However, Bai-Xue... you are still too young to handle such matters."
Her tone turned almost gentle.
"These accounts are complex. You would not understand them."
But Bai-Xue did not even look at her.
Instead, she turned her gaze slightly and said coldly—
"You."
A maid standing behind Jing-Yi flinched.
She pointed toward her.
"Go. Bring all the ledgers from Concubine Jing-Yi's chambers."
The command was simple.
Yet absolute.
The maid hesitated for only a second before bowing hurriedly.
No one dared to refuse.
Not anymore.
Fear of Bai-Xue had already begun to take root.
A short while later—
the maid returned, breathless, carrying a thick bundle of account books.
With trembling hands, she placed them before Bai-Xue.
"L-Lady..."
Bai-Xue took them without a word.
Behind her—
Ya-Ting leaned closer to Jing-Yi, whispering anxiously,
"Mother... what do we do now?"
Jing-Yi covered her lips lightly with her sleeve and replied in a low voice,
"Let her look."
A faint, mocking smile appeared beneath her veil.
"What does it matter? She has never studied such things. Even if she sees them, she won't understand a single word."
A quiet chuckle escaped her.
Slowly—
the three women began to smile.
Amused.
Confident.
Then—
Mei-Lin stepped forward with a polite bow.
"Princess Bai-Xue," she said gently, "if you wish, I can assist you in understanding the records."
But Bai-Xue did not even glance at her.
Her eyes were already scanning the pages.
Silence fell.
Only the faint sound of paper turning echoed in the room.
Then—
she spoke.
"You call this... a ledger?"
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
"This is how you maintain accounts?"
Her finger traced a line across the page.
"There are no proper dates. Numerous entries are missing."
She flipped another page.
"The records are inconsistent. Incomplete."
Each word fell like a hammer.
"And this," she continued, her tone sharpening, "is how you have been managing the finances?"
The smile on Jing-Yi's face froze.
Shock flickered in her eyes.
"You... can read this?" she asked in a low voice, disbelief evident.
But Bai-Xue did not stop.
She turned another page.
"And what is this 'family expenditure'?" she asked coldly. "You are already provided with everything within this household."
Her gaze lifted slowly.
"Then what exactly are you spending such vast amounts on?"
A faint pause.
Her eyes turned icy.
"The money has been squandered without limit."
The room fell into complete silence.
The earlier laughter—
was gone.
Bai-Xue closed the ledger with a soft—but decisive—sound.
The echo of it seemed to strike directly against everyone's chest.
Her gaze lifted slowly and settled on Jing-Yi.
"Concubine Jing-Yi," she said, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable weight, "if you continue managing things like this for even a few more days..."
A faint pause.
"...the day is not far when the Ning Family will be reduced to begging on the streets."
A chill ran through the room.
No one dared to speak.
"From today onward," Bai-Xue continued, her tone turning firm, "all records, accounts, and financial matters of this estate will be handled by me personally."
Her eyes swept across everyone present.
"Make no mistake about it."
Then—
her lips curved slightly.
"As for you, Jing-Yi... it seems you have neither the time nor the ability for this responsibility."
Her words struck without mercy.
"So from this moment, I relieve you of this duty."
Jing-Yi's face turned pale.
"And one more thing—"
Bai-Xue's gaze turned colder.
"All the items belonging to my mother that you have been using without permission..."
A brief pause.
"...will be returned."
Her tone left no room for argument.
"Every single one of them."
The air grew suffocating.
"And as for the corruption you have spread within these accounts—" her voice lowered slightly, but its sharpness only increased, "you will answer for it."
Shock flashed across every face.
Bai-Xue did not stop.
"Starting today, all of your allowances will be reduced."
Her words fell like thunder.
"You will receive only half of your current stipends. The remaining half will be withheld."
Gasps echoed faintly in the room.
Servants lowered their heads, not daring to even breathe loudly.
"And the missing funds—" she added coldly, "I will personally investigate them."
A single sentence—
yet it shook the entire treasury.
"I will be reporting this matter to the Imperial Court," Bai-Xue continued, her voice steady, "and request an official inquiry."
Her eyes hardened.
"The case will be handed over to the Imperial Censorate's Chief Inspector, Lord Guo Zheng—the Royal Auditor appointed to investigate corruption within noble families."
The moment those words were spoken—
it felt as if the ground beneath their feet had collapsed.
The Imperial Censorate—
was feared even by high-ranking officials.
Once they intervened—
there was no escape.
Panic surged through Jing-Yi's heart.
"Bai-Xue!" she said hurriedly, her voice trembling despite her efforts to remain composed. "You cannot do this!"
Her usual calm was gone.
"Have you thought about the Ning Family's reputation?" she continued anxiously. "If an investigation begins, our family name will be dragged through the mud!"
Her fingers clenched tightly.
"This will ruin us all!"
Before Bai-Xue could respond—
a loud voice suddenly cut through the tension.
"What is going on here?!"
The doors of the treasury were pushed open forcefully.
Chang-Pu strode in, his expression dark and filled with irritation.