After Liang Jue married into the family, Shen Meng’s properties were managed by him efficiently. Even without Shen Meng’s assistance from the previous life, he handled things excellently. With Liang Jue behind him, the shopkeepers were all on their best behavior, none daring to cause trouble. They were respectful and polite, sparing him the contempt and cold treatment he had faced initially in his previous life.

Although people’s attitudes changed, the outcome remained largely the same. After about a month of handing over the responsibilities to Liang Jue, Shen Meng received a long list, even longer than in the previous life, detailing who did what and highlighting any financial discrepancies.

Handing over the list and ledgers, Liang Jue tentatively asked for Shen Meng’s opinion on these individuals: “They are all experienced, even if they haven’t contributed much, they still have their merits. But since I haven’t been at the Shen household for long, I’m not sure how to best manage these people.”

Shen Meng carefully scanned the documents, jotting down a few notes and replied, “There’s no major issue. Handle it as you see fit.”

Recalling Liang Jue’s handling of the matters and comparing it with the findings, Shen Meng was surprised to find the most critical issue overlooked: “Have you checked the cloth shop in the east of the city? What do you think of the shopkeeper there?”

Liang Jue responded, “The shopkeeper, Wang, is quite amiable, and the accounts are well maintained. Is there a problem?”

Shen Meng circled a few areas in red ink and pushed the ledger toward Liang Jue, saying, “Take a closer look yourself.”

Liang Jue focused, carefully examining the areas circled by Shen Meng. His face tensed, lips pursed in seriousness. Initially, he didn’t notice any issues. On the second pass, still nothing. Just as he was about to ask his wife if she was testing him, he suddenly realized.

Slamming the table, he exclaimed, “The accounts for this cloth are incorrect! I remember it’s a tribute to the royal family and should have been sold long ago. How come there’s still a record of it?”

Shen Meng asked, “Apart from checking the accounts, have you visited the store’s warehouse to investigate?”

Liang Jue shook his head, looking somewhat frustrated. “I’ve been quite busy lately, and I haven’t had the chance to visit the warehouse. I only focused on identifying issues from the accounts and neglected this aspect.”

Shen Meng reassured him, “You’ve only recently entered the Shen family, and many things are still unclear to you. It’s understandable to be misled. Even if you haven’t found anything yet, don’t worry. There’s no rush.”

In the previous life, Liang Jue had never encountered such a situation because the shopkeepers would take advantage of his inexperience and lack of resources, trying to deceive him. However, the more they did so, the more Liang Jue devoted himself to handling the situation properly, eventually dealing with it decisively.

This incident involving Wang, the shopkeeper, was something Liang Jue had told Shen Meng about from the previous life. It left a deep impression on Shen Meng, especially as it led to several other matters. Even though Liang Jue hadn’t discovered it this time, telling Shen Meng was enough—it yielded the same outcome.

The husband and wife discussed the matter of the accounts, deepening their bond. Inside their home, the silver-threaded charcoal burned, and the air was warm with the scent of incense, creating a cozy atmosphere that warmed both body and soul.

Meanwhile, in the magnificent palace in the imperial city, although some places were warm as spring, the hearts of the people were as cold as iron.

The current Empress had three daughters and two sons, with the Emperor Dowager having passed away early. The Consort Pang, wielding power over the harem. Everyone in outside the world felt that Consort Pang had taken the position of Emperor, however, only those within the palace knew that the Empress would not establish a name for another Emperor again because the person who could take that position in her heart was already dead.

In the Star-Picking Hall of Consort Pang, every corner of the palace was heated with incense, and although the air was warm, the palace attendants, kneeling on the snow-white woolen blanket to trim his nails, were still covered in cold sweat.

Once the nail trimming was done, the attendant visibly breathed a sigh of relief, quickly stowing away the nail clippers and promptly retreating.

As he backed away, another palace attendant, who seemed to be in a hurry, approached Consort Pang. Pausing for a moment, he whispered softly, “Your Highness, Third Prince, he… he’s coming back.”