Only after being reborn did I realize that I was the white moonlight of a powerful minister.

It was a very ordinary tone, but for some reason, Zhou Yu felt a chill run down her spine.

"They've already sent them off. They were sent off yesterday," Zhou Yu replied cautiously.

"Did you really see him off?" Xie Bohuai asked lightly, his eyes like a deep pool. He saw Zhou Yu tremble imperceptibly, then composed himself and turned to Ye Mingyue to say that he was leaving first.

Ye Mingyue glared at Zhou Yu, then called over a few of his younger sisters and left together.

Zhou Yu's back was covered in a thin layer of sweat. He quickly recalled the process of settling Xu Zhuling yesterday and only breathed a slight sigh of relief after confirming that he had been extremely careful.

Xie Bohuai didn't have a deep relationship with the Ye family. In the years Zhou Yu had been with the Ye family, he had never heard the Ye family mention him. He figured Xie Bohuai must have something else to ask the Ye family, and he silently reassured himself.

Once he calmed down, Zhou Yu took his servant to the Ye family's storeroom.

From the moment Zhou Yu arrived at the Ye family, the Ye family provided him with the same monthly allowance as the other sons in the family. Later, his expenses for examinations and apprenticeships were all covered by the Ye family's public funds.

Despite becoming the top scholar and receiving his own salary, Zhou Yu was still subsidized by the Ye family monthly. Today happened to be the day the Ye family paid the money, and Zhou Yu sent Feng Ran to collect it. However, after waiting for only a quarter of an hour, Feng Ran returned in a huff.

"Sir, the steward said that you and Miss Ye are about to get married, and if you continue to receive monthly allowances, it won't look good to outsiders. For the sake of your reputation, there will be no more monthly allowances from now on."

Indeed, if word gets out, Zhou Yu will be branded as a gigolo.

Zhou Yu's cheeks were burning. She felt that the Ye family's actions made sense, but she was also not very happy about it.

After he entered the Hanlin Academy, he had to spend money on bribes and social interactions with colleagues. The gifts he gave for the Right Chancellor's birthday alone exceeded one hundred taels of silver. How could his meager salary possibly cover such expenses?

Zhou Yu had great ambitions, but unfortunately, the Zhou family was poor and couldn't afford to support him.

Alright, he and Ye Wanning will get married next month. Then they will be husband and wife as one. Even without the Ye family's monthly allowance, Ye Wanning will use her dowry to make up for it. The Ye family values ​​Ye Wanning as their eldest daughter, and even if they are struggling financially these past few years, the Ye family will still prepare a generous dowry for her.

Thinking about it this way, Zhou Yu felt much better.

After he left, a maid went to Ye Wanning and told her about Feng Ran going to collect her monthly allowance.

Ye Wanning was drinking tea with her two younger sisters when her second sister, Ye Wanyu, made no attempt to hide her disapproval.

Ye Wanhua asked curiously, "Didn't big brother say that Brother Zhou is family with us, and that no matter where Brother Zhou is, his monthly allowance will never be cut off?"

The eldest brother of the Ye family was aware of the Zhou family's situation. When Zhou Yu arrived at the Ye family, he began giving him a monthly allowance, mainly to save face for Ye Wanning and prevent Zhou Yu from being short of money, thus making Ye Wanning a laughingstock in the capital.

"It was my idea." Ye Wanning held her teacup and took a small sip. "Now that Zhou Lang has entered the court as an official, it wouldn't be good for people to spread rumors that he's a kept man."

No one outside had said this before, since it was a matter between the Ye family and Zhou Yu; if they didn't speak up, no one else would know. Now that Ye Wanning brought it up herself, the maids all glanced at her.

Ye Wanhua was simple-minded and didn't think much of it. Ye Wanyu held back and said in a low voice, "It should have stopped long ago. He's already receiving a salary, so why would he be short of money?"

The Ye family has had little income in recent years, and everyone is struggling to make ends meet. With an extra person to support them, the household has to tighten its belt even more. This includes the Ye sisters, who rarely get to make a new dress once a year, let alone cosmetics.

When their parents were alive, Ye Wanyu and her siblings lived a life of luxury. In recent years, however, the girls have been comparing them to each other when they went out to visit, which has made Ye Wanyu reluctant to go out anymore.

Hearing her second sister's resentment, Ye Wanning felt distressed. Her sisters were all of marriageable age, and everyone in the capital was shrewd. If they didn't put on a good show, they would be considered inferior when it came to finding a spouse.

"I've already found a real estate agent to sell the house we took back yesterday. Once we get the money, we'll each buy ourselves a new set of clothes," Ye Wanning said.

"How can that be?" Ye Wanyu blushed immediately. She simply disliked Zhou Yu and wanted to complain, not that she wanted everyone to make up for it. "This is the dowry that Mother left for you, eldest sister. It's your own property. How can it be used for public purposes? I just spoke my mind. I didn't mean anything by it. I don't need clothes."

Before she passed away, Madam He had already distributed all her assets. Although Wanyu and Wanhua were born out of wedlock, she was a kind-hearted woman and allocated each of them a house as part of their future dowry.

“My dear sister, even though we’re both beautiful, we still need to dress up.” Ye Wanning knew her sister’s personality and smiled as she took her hand. “This is my way of showing my love as her older sister, so you can’t refuse. Once we’ve made some new clothes, I’ll take you out, and maybe a good match will come your way.”

The three Ye sisters were all beautiful. Wanyu had sharp features, and Wanhua was cute and charming. If the Ye family were not not as glorious as it used to be, suitors would have long since worn down the threshold of the Ye family.

Even Ye Wanyu was embarrassed by what she was said, and withdrew her hand, saying, "I don't want to get married. I want to stay at home for the rest of my life."

"Alright, alright, then I'll have Wanhua's fortune told." As soon as Ye Wanning finished speaking, she saw that her third sister's face was so red it could drip blood, and she whispered to her to stop talking.

Looking at her lively and energetic younger sisters, Ye Wanning's eyes welled up with tears.

very nice.

Everyone is doing well.

In her past life, when Zhou Yu caused her to contract genital disease and ruin her reputation, it was her two younger sisters who rushed to the Zhou family. Even though Wan Hua, who usually didn't dare to speak loudly, was terrified, she followed Wan Yu to ask Zhou Yu for her release.

Zhou Yu, feigning kindness, refused to release Ye Wanning, saying that no matter what, he and Ye Wanning had been husband and wife, and he was still willing to take care of Ye Wanning in her old age.

In order to see her older sister, Ye Wanyu disregarded the etiquette of aristocratic families, rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and forced Zhou Yu to lead the way.

Ye Wanning looked haggard at the time. When she heard the door open, she thought it was the old woman bringing food. It wasn't until her younger sister rushed over that she thought to dodge.

"No! Don't come any closer!" Ye Wanning shrank at the foot of the bed. "It's...it's contagious."

Wanyu, however, did not listen to her and still wanted to come and take her away.

But Wanyu's husband arrived and carried her away, and Wanhua was also forcibly dragged away.

Ye Wanning had no idea what happened to them afterward.

She was locked in the courtyard, unable to get any news in, but she could imagine that Wanyu and Wanhua were not having an easy time. With an older sister like her who had "cheated on her husband's wife," their reputations would be affected, not to mention that they had come to the Zhou family to cause a scene.

Ye Wanning's house sold quickly, and the next day the real estate agent brought the buyer to leave their fingerprints. After receiving the money, Ye Wanning called the owner of the silk shop, picked out fabrics for everyone in the family, and used the rest to buy a piece of wasteland on the outskirts of Beijing.

When no one was around at night, Yunzhi expressed her incomprehension, "Why did you buy those wastelands, young lady? They're cheap, but you can't grow anything on them. You already have little money, won't you have even less to spend in the future?"

"Look at your furrowed brow. Don't frown so much at such a young age. Just you wait, I won't let this money go to waste." According to Ye Wanning's memories from her previous life, Princess Longyu, who was to be married off to a foreign land, was about to arrive in the capital. The Emperor felt guilty towards her and allowed her to choose a piece of land herself to build a princess's residence. This Princess Longyu disliked crowds and deliberately chose a piece of land in the suburbs of the capital, which was the land Ye Wanning had just bought.

At that time, the wasteland worth eighty taels of silver could bring Ye Wanning a return of eight hundred taels.

Since God has given her a second chance, she should make the most of it and improve her family's life.

While Ye Wanning was planning her next move to make money, Xie Bohuai stood in the newly purchased house. Qingshan looked around in confusion, pulled Shuyan back a few steps, and whispered, "Why do you think our master is buying a house? He's not even married yet, and he already wants to separate the family?"

Shuyan rolled her eyes at Qingshan, not wanting to say anything more, but Qingshan didn't understand.

“Even if you’re buying a house, with your abilities, you should buy a more luxurious one. This place is hardly worthy of you.” As soon as Qingshan finished asking, he saw his master turn around and looked at him, so he quickly pursed his lips.

The dim moonlight accentuated Xie Bohuai's features, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. His thin lips moved slightly, "With so many questions, it seems you're still too idle."

"No!" Qingshan shook his head frantically, covering his mouth with both hands. "I...I won't say another word!"

Xie Bohuai glanced at Qingshan and strode out of the courtyard. Princess Longyu, who was to be married off to the Xiongnu, was about to return to the capital, and there were many spies and agents in the city recently, making this his busiest time.

Following the spy into a courtyard, Xie Bohuai saw a beautiful figure reflected in the flickering candlelight. Only then did he realize that he had arrived at the Ye family's residence.

"Who?"

Just as Ye Wanning was about to blow out the lamp and rest, she noticed a draft entering the room. Her thin undergarment swayed gently in the wind, and she gripped her dagger tightly in alarm.