The petite figure in the apricot-yellow long dress on the bed hurriedly got off the bed, put on her shoes, and walked to the large pear blossom-patterned wardrobe at the foot of the lacquered black bed. She squatted down and pulled open the bottom drawer.
After rifling through it for a while, she found a small round key with a long handle.
Next, she took out a roughly four-foot-long hooked stick from the edge of the wardrobe, ran to the bedside, unbothered by the dirt, and began fishing under the ancient bed.
It took her two or three tries, but finally, she hooked it and dragged it out.
Everyone saw that it was a square, lacquered red box, about eight inches wide and long.
Made of top-quality wood, the box was intricately carved with lifelike plum blossoms, secured with a small lock adorned with traditional cloud patterns, exquisite and delicate.
No one else recognized it, but Father Ye did; it was crafted by the Gongsun Family, a Mechanical Family known for their expertise, and was a birthday gift he had given to Ah Zhi in past years.
Ye Zhi used the key to open the delicate little lock.
In the eyes of everyone filled with confusion, the mystery was revealed.
The box was filled with silver and silver notes.
The silver and notes varied in amounts of one wen, one liang, ten liang, a hundred liang, both new and old, amounting to more than five hundred liang altogether.
When Ye Zhi first arrived at the Ye Mansion, she consolidated her secret savings.
And locked them in the box, for convenience in managing later on.
Little did she expect it would be useful now.
With money, you can make even the devil work!
Respectfully placing the box in the hands of the Ye Family’s matriarch, she said, "Mother, this is my private savings, enough to pay for his tuition. Didn’t you promise me before that I could have an additional hundred liang as pocket money every month? I’ve been saving it, so I can pay for Shen Chen’s future tuition. I have the money, and I’ll cover all his expenses in the future. These silvers can be used to buy anything, it’s better to use it for his schooling, and I can also have the purchases delivered and billed to the mansion if needed."
She vividly depicted her plan, her impressive move shocking everyone.
In her eyes, it seemed like a perfectly normal thing to do.
When Ye Family’s matriarch snapped out of her initial shock, her expression grew resolute, "Ahem, using the mansion’s money like this is not acceptable, moreover, he has signed a servitude contract with the mansion, it’s a lifetime contract, and those who serve cannot attend the Imperial College."
Servitude contract? Lifetime contract? Servants cannot attend the Imperial College?
This part fell within her knowledge gap.
Nearby, Ah Tao nodded vigorously at Ye Zhi, her eyes round and blinking to signal: Miss, better stop now.
Shen Chen also reluctantly nodded, his eyes clouded with gloom.
It was this dull look in his eyes that moved Ye Zhi.
No matter the power and influence one might wield later, an unschooled childhood remains incomplete!
Let your sister lend you a helping hand.
After crying, Ye Zhi appeared more radiant and nodded solemnly, her tassel hair ornaments swaying along, "Mother, I know what to do now."
With that.
The Ye Family’s matriarch felt her temples throb violently, knowing that whenever this girl spoke like that, there was no good outcome.
No one knows a daughter better than her mother.
Sure enough.
With a heroic demeanor, she lifted her apricot-yellow long dress, her movements smooth and graceful, and knelt down in one swift motion.
"Mother, I’m making my point here; I want Shen Chen’s servitude contract, and I want him to go to the Imperial College with me, for him to study with me. He will succeed, no need for Father to find connections, I’ll pay for the tuition myself. If it’s a matter of money for you, we can draft a promissory note, and I’ll repay you in the future. Mother, I’m begging you, and here I am kowtowing."
As she spoke, her voice carried a sobbing tone.
The daughter is also doing this for the sake of the Ye Mansion, please forgive her present willfulness.
The sound of her kowtowing, "dong, dong, dong..." echoed on the ground, not at all softened by hesitation.