Soon, Cuiping, the personal maid of Xue Wanrou, was summoned.
"First Madam, I don't know why you called for me?" Cuiping, unaware that Meng Yihuan’s attitude toward their branch of the family had changed, remained relaxed in both expression and tone.
Meng Yihuan cast a cold, fleeting glance at her and asked, "Are you the one who has been going to the accounts office to withdraw money for your branch over the past two months?"
"Yes, it was me. I don't know why First Madam is suddenly asking?" Sensing something strange and tense, Cuiping instinctively retorted.
Before she could blink, Qiuxin snapped, "Insolent! How dare you, a mere servant, question your mistress?"
Cuiping trembled slightly, still feeling a trace of doubt. Usually, the First Madam was quite kind to their branch; what could possibly be going on today?
Meng Yihuan continued her cold interrogation: "What kind of medicine is your mistress taking that costs five thousand taels of silver every month? Bring me the prescription receipts."
Receipts? How could she possibly produce them!
Cuiping was terrified. Over the past two months, she had helped Xue Wanrou swindle a significant amount of money from the accounts office under the guise of buying medicine. She knew the actual cost of the medicine didn't even exceed two hundred taels. If she produced those receipts for the First Madam, everything would be exposed.
Cuiping’s eyes darted around, and after a moment, she lowered her head and whispered, "I... I lost the receipts. But the Second Madam is truly very ill. She has to take medicine every day, and she is taking very expensive things like century-old ginseng."
"Ha! Taking century-old ginseng every single day?" Meng Yihuan laughed aloud, her gaze cutting into Cuiping like a blade.
"It... it's true, everything I said is true!" Cuiping nodded in fear, still not understanding what she had said wrong.
Meng Yihuan sneered sharply, "Never mind that the Second Madam can walk around now; even someone bedridden couldn't handle the heat of daily ginseng! Either you hand over the receipts and tell the truth, or I will hand you over to the authorities for embezzling and defrauding me of my dowry silver!"
"First Madam, have mercy! I really didn't lie! The silver really was spent on the Second Madam!" Cuiping kowtowed frantically.
"Still not telling the truth? Was the money spent, or was it embezzled? Qiuxin, send someone to report this to the authorities!"
"No, no! I’ll talk! I’ll talk! First Madam, the money was taken by the Second Madam. It was her! She made me do it!"
Cuiping was a maid who had never faced such threats, and Xue Wanrou had never expected her to betray her, so she hadn't threatened her with her family. Without the need for torture, Cuiping confessed immediately.
With Cuiping's confession in hand, Meng Yihuan had her sign a statement on the spot, then took her and Steward Wang directly toward Xue Wanrou’s quarters.
Xue Wanrou had just finished a bowl of medicine to protect her pregnancy and was preparing to lie down when the commotion of Meng Yihuan’s party entering the courtyard reached her.
"Hexiang, go tell Cuiping to see who is—"
Before Xue Wanrou could finish her order, the door was kicked open with a loud thud, and her maid, Cuiping, was thrown inside, tightly bound.
"Ah! What... what is the meaning of this?" Xue Wanrou shrieked, failing to notice Meng Yihuan standing just behind them.
"Xue Wanrou, your maid has confessed that you deceived me and defrauded me of my dowry money under the pretense of buying medicine. What do you have to say for yourself? If you don't return the money, I have no choice but to report this to the authorities."
Meng Yihuan stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, looking down at Xue Wanrou on the bed with a sneer.
"Sister-in-law? What are you saying?" Xue Wanrou looked at her in shock.
All along, the expenses of her branch had exceeded their budget and dipped into her dowry, and she had never complained—why was she being so particular now? Was it because she had taken too much these last two times?
"Are you deaf? I said you defrauded my dowry. Return it immediately, or I will have someone report you to the officials!" Meng Yihuan repeated, her expression unwavering.
Xue Wanrou finally realized that the Meng Yihuan before her was not joking. She forced a stiff smile. "Sister-in-law, I haven't been well, and I spent a lot of money on doctors these past two months. Mother already agreed to this. Why are you suddenly accusing me of fraud and threatening to go to the officials?"
"Ha. Using your own money or the mansion's money for your health is one thing, but you specifically withdrew ten thousand taels from my dowry over these two months. I certainly never agreed to that." Meng Yihuan laughed coldly and without mercy.
"Sister-in-law, but you... you never objected, did you? The Earl's Mansion is struggling, and you are in charge of the household accounts. Isn't it normal to take what’s needed from your funds?" Xue Wanrou retorted, thick-skinned. "Although I took a bit too much this time, it was because I was truly very ill. Can't you be a little understanding?"
"Ha! What kind of illness or medicine costs ten thousand taels in two months? Your maid has already confessed, Xue Wanrou. Are you sure you want to keep acting?" Meng Yihuan stepped into the room.
Xue Wanrou shrank back guiltily, her eyes dropping to the side. "I... I am not acting. I am truly sick. Sister-in-law, don't listen to that lowly maid; she doesn't know how sick I really am."
Meng Yihuan curled her lips into a cold smile. "Someone, go report this to the authorities!"
Xue Wanrou looked up in horror. "No! You cannot report this to the authorities! Sister-in-law, you really have misunderstood me."
"Since you won't admit it, I have no choice but to have the officers investigate the matter clearly." Meng Yihuan stared at her, her expression unyielding.
Only then did Xue Wanrou realize the other woman was serious. Terrified, she scrambled off the bed and knelt before Meng Yihuan, weeping.
"Sister-in-law, I'll tell you—it was just a moment of confusion. My younger brother was in trouble and needed money, and my parents came to me. I had no choice but to pretend I was sick to take some extra funds from you."
Still lying? Meng Yihuan marveled at Xue Wanrou’s stubbornness. Did she really think this excuse would make her let her off?
"What your brother did is none of my concern. Xue Wanrou, I want you to return every cent of the money you took from me. Otherwise, I am still going to report you."
"Sister-in-law! How can you be so unreasonable? All that money was given to my brother! I don't have it anymore!"
Xue Wanrou had hoped that by admitting her fault, she could soften the other woman's heart. She never expected Meng Yihuan to be so firm. She had never been like this before! In the past, whenever she played the victim, Meng Yihuan would help her and even give her precious things. What had gone wrong?
"That is your problem. I will give you half an hour to scrape the money together. If it is not all there, I am heading straight to the authorities," Meng Yihuan said, raising her chin and looking down at her.
"Sister-in-law!"
"Hmm?"
Xue Wanrou wanted to say more, but as soon as she met Meng Yihuan’s determined, cold gaze, the words died in her throat.
She had no choice but to order her maid, "Hexiang, go to my cabinets and get the silver. If it's not enough, take my jewelry to cover the rest!"
She would let Meng Yihuan be smug for a moment. Once she was gone, she would go straight to her mother-in-law and have her settle this. That money was meant for her and Si Yunhui to elope with; her mother-in-law would surely teach Meng Yihuan a lesson!