Reborn Sister Steals the Drunkard, So I'll Marry the Crippled General

Chapter 12: Chapter

”Miss,” Qinqin whispered nervously, holding a simple silver hairpin. ”A servant from the main hall just came by. Old Madame has ordered everyone to gather for the morning meal.”

Yimei stood up, adjusting the sleeves of her simple red dress. ”Good. A full table means a full audience.”

She walked out into the cold courtyard. The heavy wooden doors of the main chamber remained tightly locked, as silent and cold as ever. Bai Zhengyu had no intention of stepping outside, but Yimei did not care. She held her head high and walked with quiet, graceful steps toward the central compound.

The central dining hall was grand, filled with the rich scent of steamed buns, hot rice porridge, and roasted meats. Heavy wooden tables were set under carved wooden beams.

Old Madame Bai sat at the head table, resting her hands on her heavy dragon-head cane. To her right sat Madame Bai, looking proud and stern. Surrounding them were Second Aunt Madame Liu, Third Aunt Madame Zhang, First Concubine Lady Chen, and Second Concubine Lady Lin, along with their young daughters.

When Yimei walked into the high wooden threshold alone, a sudden hush fell over the room.

Lady Chen’s eyes glinted with delight, while Madame Liu narrowed her eyes, exchanging a quick, mocking look with Madame Zhang.

”Aiya! Look who has arrived all by herself!” Madame Liu spoke up instantly, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. ”Where is our Eldest Nephew Zhengyu? Did he refuse to even eat at the same table with his new bride?”

Yimei walked forward gracefully, bowing politely to Old Madame Bai and Madame Bai before taking her place to stand dutifully near the side.

Madame Zhang covered her mouth with her silk handkerchief, letting out a sharp, quiet giggle. ”Speaking of the new bride... I heard a most fascinating rumor from the kitchen maids this morning.”

Lady Chen fanned herself, her eyes shining with cruel delight. ”Oh? What rumor, Sister Zhang?”

”They say,” Madame Zhang leaned forward, casting a loud, condescending glance at Yimei, ”that our new Eldest Daughter-in-Law didn’t even get to touch the bed last night! They say she was locked outside in the freezing wind all night long, sleeping right on the stone porch!”

Surrounding cousins and young ladies giggled behind their sleeves.

Madame Liu laughed out loud. ”Is that true, Yimei? You brought such a big mountain of gold into our gates yesterday, yet you couldn’t even buy your way past your husband’s door? How tragic!”

Madame Bai’s face darkened at their mocking words, her hands tightening on her chopsticks. She was about to snap at her sisters-in-law, but before she could speak, Old Madame Bai set her teacup down with a heavy, sharp CLACK.

”Where is Wenliang and his new bride?” Old Madame Bai barked coldly, her sharp gaze sweeping the room. ”Why are their seats empty?!”

Lady Chen’s proud smirk faltered slightly. She cleared her throat, putting on an awkward smile. ”Ah... Old Madame, my son Wenliang had a bit too much wine last night and is still resting. As for Yulan... she... she is still in her room, adjusting to her new duties.”

In truth, Lady Chen was hiding a chaotic mess.

In her past life, when the original An Yimei was forced to marry the lazy, irresponsible Bai Wenliang, he had returned to the bridal chamber dead drunk, rough, and violently cruel. He had torn the room apart, bruised her arms, and left her sobbing on the floor in shame while he passed out.

Now, because of the switched marriage, it was An Yulan who had suffered that exact nightmarish night!

Yulan was currently locked inside her courtyard, her eyes swollen from crying, her body aching, her fine clothes torn, and her pride utterly destroyed. She was in no condition to face the family, let alone serve morning tea.

Yimei stood quietly, taking in every reaction, every shift in expression. Her mind worked silently, connecting the pieces.

So Yulan is living the exact nightmare she tried to force onto me, Yimei thought, her dark eyes completely cold. She thought stealing the second son would bring her a scholar’s life. She made her own bed.

Madame Liu, wanting to shift the focus away from Lady Chen’s absent son, turned her razor-sharp gaze back to Yimei.

”Old Madame, even if Wenliang is late, at least his bride slept inside a warm room as a proper wife should!” Madame Liu sneered, shaking her head. ”Yimei here has no sense of propriety. Sleeping outside a door like a stray dog—if word gets out to the other noble households, they will say our Bai family doesn’t know how to teach its daughters-in-law!”

The dining hall went quiet. The aunts waited eagerly for Yimei to lower her head in shame, to weep, or to beg for mercy.

Instead, Yimei took a smooth step forward. Her expression was calm, her posture straight, and her voice quiet, clear, and ringing with absolute respect.

”Second Aunt speaks of family propriety and the honor of the Bai family,” Yimei said softly, bowing slightly toward Old Madame Bai. ”Daughter-in-law agrees completely. That is precisely why I remained outside my husband’s threshold last night.”

Madame Liu frowned. ”What nonsense are you spinning?!”

”It is not nonsense, Second Aunt,” Yimei replied, her dark eyes looking straight into Madame Liu’s. ”Last night, when I arrived at the Northern Courtyard, I found my husband unwell. I also found that the side room assigned to me was dark, unheated, and completely dry of basic supplies. There was no charcoal, no warm water, and no proper blankets provided by the household stewards.”

Old Madame Bai’s sharp eyes narrowed instantly.

Yimei continued smoothly, her tone practical and devoid of any whining. ”Had I thrown a tantrum or run back to the main hall to complain in the middle of the night, I would have disturbed Grandmother and Mother’s rest. Had I slept in a freezing, abandoned room away from my husband, I would have shown disloyalty on my very first night. Therefore, I chose to stay by my husband’s door to protect his courtyard and show my devotion to the First Branch.”

Madame Bai’s eyes lit up with deep approval. She turned a glare toward Madame Liu.

Yimei took a small step closer to the head table, her face entirely serious. ”However, Grandmother... this morning, when I inquired with the servants, I discovered something far more troubling than a cold night.”

Old Madame Bai rested her chin on her hands over her cane. ”Speak.”

”According to the official household law of the Bai Manor,” Yimei said clearly, ”every branch is allocated fifty silver taels, ten piculs of smokeless coal, and six assigned servants each month from the central budget. Yet, when I checked, the Northern Courtyard has received no coal, no repairs, and only three servants—including myself and my maid.”

BANG!

Madame Liu’s teacup spilled over as she stood up in shock. ”You insolent girl! Are you accusing the household accounting of theft?!”

”I am accusing no one, Second Aunt,” Yimei replied calmly, her voice cold as ice. ”I am simply stating facts. My husband’s health is delicate. If the central budget has been releasing the First Branch’s full allowance every month, but none of it has ever reached the Northern Courtyard... then someone in this estate is secretly starving the Eldest Son and pocketing the family’s money.”

The entire dining hall fell dead silent.

Madame Liu’s face turned white as paper. Lady Chen shifted uncomfortably in her seat, while Madame Zhang quickly looked down at her plate, not daring to utter another word.

Old Madame Bai’s face was dark as a thundercloud. She cared about many things, but above all else, she cared about order, strict rules, and family authority. To have someone secretly stealing from the Eldest Branch under her very nose was a direct slap to her authority as the matriarch!

Old Madame Bai slowly turned her head, her cold, terrifying gaze locking directly onto Madame Liu—who managed the monthly household distributions.

”Liu,” Old Madame Bai said, her voice dropping into a dangerous, icy tone that made everyone in the room shudder. ”Is what she saying true?”