Chapter 7 — The Poor Bridegroom Is the Supreme One

In the luxurious main courtyard of Ngan Palace, where Khinh Tuyết and Âu Thế Khang had moved to live after their rumored wedding, the atmosphere was completely different from the simple peace in the small western courtyard. Late at night, when all the servants had left, Khinh Tuyết sat in front of the dressing table, the flickering candlelight illuminating her beautiful but tightly furrowed face filled with confidence.

"Are you still thinking about that?" Âu Thế Khang walked into the room, his voice somewhat tired after a long day of receiving guests, offering empty congratulations from the mandarins who wanted to please the son-in-law of the Minister of Ho Chi Minh City.

"I can't help but think," Khinh Tuyết replied, turning back to look at her husband, her eyes clearly showing insecurity. "Two weeks have passed since the wedding, I still can't understand why Khinh Vy proactively gave him to me. If it was before, she would absolutely never lose anything valuable to me, even if it was just a hairpin."

Thế Khang sat down next to him, slightly frowning in thought. "Maybe she really has feelings for that poor guy? I heard that his name is Tạ Dịch Thần, he comes from Vọng Điền village, there's nothing special other than his handsome appearance."

"No, I don't believe so," Khinh Tuyết shook her head, her voice determined. "She had never met that guy before the Great Wedding Ceremony. It's impossible that in just one ceremony, she developed such deep feelings that she was willing to give up her status and her marriage to choose a poor and anonymous person. There must be something hidden that we haven't seen yet."

She stood up, walked to the window, looked out at the small courtyard to the west in the distance, where the lights were still flickering even though it was late. "Since childhood, I have always had to live in her shadow. Even though I am equally beautiful and equally talented, just because I am the daughter of the concubine, all the glory and respect are reserved for her. I have endured that for twenty years, and I will not let anyone, including her, ruin what I deserve."

Khinh Tuyết's voice gradually became cold, revealing a part of her true nature hidden behind the gentle shell she still presented in front of others. Thế Khang looked at his wife and felt a certain sympathy in his heart - because he himself had his own plans in mind.

"So what are you planning to do next?" he asked.

Khinh Tuyết turned around, her eyes flashing with a cold light. "My mother had a plan in advance, intending to gradually take over the management of the Treasury's assets through controlling the Household Ministry's records. Initially, this plan aimed to falsely accuse Khinh Vy of crimes related to treasury fraud, so that she would lose all honor and be kicked out of the family, leaving the entire position of concubine to me. But now, when she has voluntarily retired to a small monastery with a poor person, perhaps We don't need to rush out anymore."

"What do you mean?" Thế Khang asked, not understanding his wife's intentions.

"What I mean," Khinh Tuyết replied, the corners of her lips curling up in a cold smile, "we can let things happen naturally for a while, observing whether her decision is really just a spur of the moment or has some other hidden meaning. Meanwhile, my mother will continue to gradually take control of the finances of the Ngan Government through her housekeeper Kỳ Bá Thành. Once the time is ripe, we will take decisive action, making her unable to do so. Is there any way to reverse the situation?"

Thế Khang nodded, although there was still some vague insecurity in his heart. "But what if Sir Ngan finds out that the books have been changed? After all, he is the Minister of the Household Ministry, he cannot be fooled easily."

"Don't worry," Khinh Tuyết replied, her voice full of confidence, "although my father holds a high position, he is too confident in the loyalty of butler Kỳ Bá Thành, who has served the family for more than twenty years. He will never doubt the numbers presented by the butler himself. Furthermore, my mother has grasped the butler's weakness, he will not dare to betray us."

Unbeknownst to both of them, right at the moment they were confidently discussing their plan, Kỳ Bá Thành, who they believed was completely subdued, was silently shaking hands with the very person they were aiming to harm.

"As for that guy Tạ Dịch Thần," Thế Khang continued, his voice somewhat wary," I've heard some strange rumors. Someone said, they once saw him alone dealing with a group of robbers on the way from Vọng Điền village to the capital, without any injuries, while the other group of robbers fled in disarray. Do you think he has any martial arts skills?"

Khinh Tuyết frowned slightly, a bit of doubt flashed in her eyes. "It's just a baseless rumor. Don't worry too much about a poor, anonymous person like that. Even if he has some personal bravery, he can't threaten our plans. The most important thing now is to strictly control the cash flow and books of the Ministry, so that when the time comes, we can easily accuse Khinh Vy without anyone finding a loophole."

"So we just stay calm for now?" Thế Khang asked again to make sure.

"That's right," Khinh Tuyết nodded, "but that doesn't mean doing absolutely nothing. I will have people closely monitor all the movements of the small western institute, especially the relationship between Khinh Vy and that poor husband. If we detect anything unusual, we will immediately adjust the plan."

Outside the window, the late moonlight still quietly illuminated the entire Ngan Palace, not revealing to the two plotters in the room that their careful monitoring, combined with the clues that Khinh Vy was gradually gathering from the opposing side, would soon lead to an inevitable confrontation.

A few days later, Triệu Nhã Trân personally went to Kỳ Bá Thành in the bookkeeping room, bringing a new set of papers. "Butler," she said, her voice still gentle as usual, but containing an undeniable hidden threat, "this year's southern treasury tax, I need you to prepare a set of adjustment books, reduce the actual tax collected, the difference will be transferred to a separate account. I believe you understand the consequences if this is not done smoothly."

Kỳ Bá Thành bowed his head, his hands trembled to receive the paperwork, silently recalling Khinh Vy's instructions. "Yes, I will try to complete it as soon as possible."

After Triệu Nhã Trân left, Kỳ Bá Thành sat quietly alone in the room, with trembling hands, he opened the file of papers and examined them carefully. He knew that this was the most important evidence that Khinh Vy needed - not just a small fraudulent expense as before, but a systematic plot to acquire royal assets through manipulation of regional treasury books.

That night, he quietly copied the entire contents of the paperwork, hid the original in a small wooden box, hidden carefully under the old warehouse floor behind the book room - a place he believed no one would expect. Only he and Khinh Vy know about this hidden place, a fragile but extremely important trust that can determine the entire fate of both of them in the near future.

That same night, in one of the most luxurious restaurants in the capital, Âu Vĩnh Phát, the richest businessman in Đại Lương and also Âu Thế Khang's father, was sitting and receiving a special guest in a closed room on the upper floor. He poured wine for the guests, his voice soft but full of calculation. "My son has become friends with Second Miss Ngan Phu, the in-law relationship is considered solid. But to truly take control of the assets of the Ngan Palace, we need a little more time and a large investment to take care of a few things at court."

"Don't worry, sir," the guest replied, his voice cold, "my work has been taken care of. As long as you prepare enough silver when needed, everything will go smoothly as discussed." Âu Vĩnh Phát nodded with satisfaction and poured more wine for the guests. He clearly understood that in order for his son to truly become the sole heir of the entire Ngan family's huge fortune, just relying on marriage with Khinh Tuyết was not enough - it was necessary to completely eliminate the influence of Khinh Vy, whose daughter still had the right to legitimate inheritance, and he was willing to spend any price to achieve that goal, even if he had to get involved in the darkest plots of the officialdom.