After returning home, Madam Ye felt suffocated, and her two daughters followed behind her, not daring to say a word.

When Ye Cang returned home, he also felt that the atmosphere at home was not quite right.

"What did the Imperial Noble Consort summon you to the palace for today?"

Madam Ye said irritably, "I've never seen anyone so good at using their position to bully others! I am, after all, the wife of a Minister, and I am a proper legal wife. When the Empress was alive, she spoke to us in a very polite manner, unlike her who is so arrogant!"

Madam Ye wanted to scold her, but she was just one of the emperor's concubines. However, the emperor's concubines were different; their rank was what it was. She could only force a smile and keep her company.

"She actually used our daughter's marriage to pressure me! How can she be such a person! What kind of state was she in before she gained power? Now that she has power, she starts to act like a complete scoundrel! No wonder her sister was imprisoned by the Jingzhao Prefecture! There's not a single good person in her family!"

As Madam Ye was hurling her accusations, her eldest daughter said weakly, "Didn't you and Madam Cui get along quite well?"

Madam Ye glared at her, and the eldest daughter shut her mouth.

"Let's not even talk about Lu Yingqing. After the divorce, the Lu family didn't even acknowledge her anymore. What kind of Lu family member is she!" Madam Ye said indignantly, hands on her hips. "Lu Yinghong asked you to promote some members of the Lu family, saying that she would give you some benefits later."

"I've never seen such a shameless person! They make you work before even offering any benefits! What kind of person is that!"

Ye Cang watched his wife, who was spitting as she spoke, and dared not say a word, silently picking at the rice in his bowl.

"Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! To put it bluntly, it's because you're useless! If you were useful, would I have to put up with this nonsense!" Madam Ye slapped Ye Cang's bowl away, and Ye Cang's body trembled.

It's okay, it's okay, you can still eat the food that's spilled on the table!

Ye Cang picked up the chopsticks from the ground with utter humiliation, wiped them with his sleeve, straightened the bowl on the table, picked the rice out of the table and put it back into the bowl, and continued eating.

"How could I have married such a guy? All these years, I've been greedy but dared not be greedy, my life has been neither good nor bad, and I've suffered so much humiliation!"

What kind of minister's wife is like her!

The wife of a high-ranking official of the third rank always has such a grand procession when she goes out!

Why is she so pathetic?

Ye Cang shook his chopsticks and said seriously, "Corruption and embezzlement are unacceptable."

The news about the Minister of Personnel's family quickly reached Xie Liwei's ears through the secret guards.

"Sister, don't you think Ye Cang seems remarkably simple and honest among these officials?"

While eating cheese, Song Yaozhu said, "If it were someone below me, I might think such an official is a rare gem. But him, ha!"

Putting aside the fact that he managed to rise to the position of Minister, which shows his considerable skill, besides, anyone who can be appreciated by Yuwen Wuji is no good!

Xie Liwei chuckled and replied, "That's right. Ye Cang may seem honest, but he's actually done his fair share of selling official positions. It's just that Lu Yinghong didn't offer him the bargaining chips he wanted, so he remained unmoved. Besides, he's very meticulous. My people have investigated his transactions with others several times, but they haven't been able to find any evidence."

Song Yaozhu had an expression that said, "I knew it."

She bit her spoon and said with a smile, "Since he doesn't admit to being corrupt and is putting on such an honest act, then we'll just accept it."

The two looked at each other and understood each other's meaning from their eyes.

Ye Cang's pretentious act is simply a way to make people think he's an honest and upright official. If he wants to maintain his good reputation, then they can easily accept the ill-gotten gains he's embezzled.

Anyway, Ye Cang didn't dare to report it to the authorities.

“That’s right, that’s what I meant too.” Xie Liwei’s eyes revealed a sly smile.

Hearing this, Song Yaozhu's eyes lit up. "Do you know where he hid the money?"

“He will carry the bank’s seal with him. In a few days, I will have someone steal the seal from him and then go to the bank to withdraw the silver.”

Song Yaozhu frowned. "That won't work. He must have a lot of money in the bank. Withdrawing a large sum of money requires confirmation from him personally, which will definitely alert the bank and make them go to him to verify."

"Sister may not know, but there is a secret technique called 'disguise.' I have an advisor who is nicknamed 'Thousand-Faced Jade Gentleman.' He is skilled in this technique and even better at impersonating people. If I send him, he will surely succeed."

This was the first time Song Yaozhu had ever heard of such a capable person under his command, so she couldn't help but be surprised.

How do you know such a person from the underworld?

"He offended a swordsman who had face blindness. The swordsman chased him for months, and no matter which face he changed, the swordsman would recognize him. He probably couldn't stand being chased anymore, so he wanted to find someone to protect him. I generously accepted him."

Song Yaozhu narrowed her eyes, looking at Xie Liwei's mischievous grin, "That swordsman wasn't sent by you, was he?"

"Shh! Shh!" Xie Liwei laughed, "Sometimes subduing someone is like training a hawk. Once you've worn down all their willpower and temper, they'll be afraid and submit."

Song Yaozhu snorted, "I'm the one who taught you this."

A few days later, Ye Cang was invited out for a banquet, where his clothes were soiled. The host specially sent a servant to bring him a new set of clothes and a beautiful maid to serve him.

Ye Cang was known for his aloofness from both money and women, so he naturally refused the beautiful maid. But the maid was shameless and started to rip off his clothes, even taking off his shirt.

"You audacious maid!" Ye Cang shouted angrily, attracting the master's attention to come and see what was going on.

Unexpectedly, the beautiful maid cried and made a scene in front of everyone, shouting that she had been molested by Ye Cang.

The host was also stunned. He invited Ye Cang to dinner hoping to build a relationship with him, but this maid's behavior was making him an enemy of Ye Cang!

"You shameless maidservant, you not only failed to seduce the Minister, but you also turned around and accused him! Guards, drag her out and beat her to death with sticks!"

No sooner had the master of the house finished uttering those harsh words than the steward rushed forward, shouting, "Master, you can't hit him! This man was invited into the manor to help out, and he has a contract with us! If you kill him, our family will face legal trouble!"

The host immediately slapped the butler.

"You dare to let a contracted maidservant come close to serve you!"

The housekeeper had no choice but to suffer in silence; it was all because she was beautiful!

In a corner where no one paid attention, someone changed the seal on Ye Cang's dirty clothes.

The beautiful maid was locked in the woodshed, and the master repeatedly apologized to Ye Cang. Ye Cang, having come out for a meal, was filled with bad luck and naturally gave him a cold shoulder.

But the host was a shrewd man, and immediately offered several hundred-tael silver notes.

Ye Cang declined, saying, "It's just a small matter, you don't need to do this."

The master's family immediately took out a stub for a thousand taels of silver.

Ye Cang's eyes immediately lit up.

"This isn't money, Lord Ye, you wouldn't refuse, would you?"

Ye Cang chuckled and tucked the money into his sleeve. He planned to collect it later and exchange it for silver to deposit in the bank!