My Senior Sister Says She Will Marry No One But Me - Chapter 26

When Du Yunge and Xue Shuyan entered the council hall together, the four guardians Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter were already seated and waiting. As Du Yunge did not want too many people to know about the matter, she had only notified these four to assist in auditing the accounts. As for the possibility that “Miaoyin Sect might truly have a mole, as Guardian Autumn had casually mentioned,” she had only informed Xue Shuyan.

By doing so, if the mole were someone of high status within the sect, limiting the scope of the audit to the four guardians and Xue Shuyan would effectively avoid alerting the suspect. If, unfortunately, the mole were among them, Xue Shuyan, being the only one aware of the situation, could take immediate action. Once dealt with, any risk of information leakage would be eliminated, a rather secure approach.

Initially, the four guardians had assumed this was just another whim of Du Yunge’s childish impulsiveness. However, upon seeing their colleagues also gathered in the council hall, they belatedly realized that this assembly seemed not so simple after all.

Qiu Yueman glanced at the three silent figures around her and was the first to speak with a smile, “It seems our sect leader has become more astute since the martial arts contest to choose a spouse. She’s no longer as naive and foolish as before this is truly something worth celebrating. What do you all think? In my opinion, holding that contest was absolutely worthwhile. Aside from having to slightly tarnish Shuyan’s reputation, all things considered, it was definitely a gain.”

Guardian Autumn had a face that lived up to her name round and full like the moon and her smile radiated warmth and harmony. If she weren’t constantly handling her abacus, which she almost never set aside, the shrewdness and calculation typical of someone managing so many affairs would be entirely concealed beneath her amiable exterior. No wonder, while she might not be the most respected figure in the entire Miaoyin Sect, there was no one more beloved and approachable than Qiu Yueman.

Feng Chengchun had almost blurted out, “She wouldn’t feel wronged at all, Sister Qiu, you’re really underestimating her,” but she swallowed the words at the last moment. The reason was simple: Xue Shuyan had already entered the council hall alongside Du Yunge. With Xue Shuyan’s current abilities, she could clearly hear their conversation even from such a distance.

As soon as Du Yunge stepped inside, the four guardians rose in unison to greet her. In the past, Du Yunge would merely accept their salutations and return a symbolic gesture. But today, she bowed deeply first, offering a solemn and respectful salute to Feng Chengchun, Xia Yeshuang, Qiu Yueman, and Yun Anxue. The four guardians were so startled that they immediately rushed to support her, exclaiming in unison:

“Oh my, Sect Leader, you’re too courteous!”

“What are you doing, Sect Leader? You’re making me terribly nervous!”

“Please, Sect Leader, there’s no need for such a grand gesture. If there’s anything you need, just say the word. We would gladly sacrifice our lives and spill our blood for you!”

Yun Anxue, who was not skilled with words, was so stunned by Du Yunge’s sudden bow that she became even more speechless, only nodding vigorously. Du Yunge briefly scanned the expressions of the four guardians and, finding no one who seemed suspicious, felt slightly reassured. She then said:

“In the past, I was naive and merely held the title of sect leader in name, leaving many of the sect’s affairs to the diligent efforts of the guardians. For this, I am truly ashamed. Today, I have gathered all the guardians together for two reasons: first, to express my gratitude. Without your years of dedication and hard work, the Miaoyin Sect would not be what it is today. Second, to carefully discuss the timing for promoting my senior sister, Xue Shuyan, to the position of deputy sect leader. By setting the date early, we can prepare in advance to ensure her promotion is handled with the utmost care. Third, I wish to thoroughly review the account books from all departments. It has been a long time since I last involved myself in the affairs of the Miaoyin Sect, and since we all have some free time today, I will personally examine them to ease the burdens on the guardians.”

Feng Chengchun and Qiu Yueman, who were responsible for these matters, were overjoyed upon hearing this. As long as Du Yunge showed an interest in managing affairs, it wouldn’t be long before she gradually took charge and became a proper leader of the Miaoyin Sect. This would also allow them to lighten their own loads. “That’s wonderful!” they exclaimed. “Someone, bring the account books! We’ll accompany the sect leader and carefully review them together.”

The maids were swift and efficient, and in no time, all the account books were brought over. Qiu Yueman even picked up her abacus and began teaching Du Yunge how to read the accounts, speaking with earnest sincerity:

“Sect Leader, you must calculate and remember these well. They will be part of your dowry in the future. Whether you marry out or take in a husband, managing your own finances is always the right thing to do.”

Du Yunge nodded in agreement. “That goes without saying. Thank you for your guidance, Guardian Qiu.”

Meanwhile, Feng Chengchun had selected an auspicious date and brought the almanac over for Du Yunge to review:

“Sect Leader, please take a look. After the five-month mountain closure period ends, the following year’s Start of Spring is an auspicious day. Everything will go smoothly, and it is especially suitable for making agreements and alliances. Moreover, the weather in spring is neither too hot nor too cold, so we won’t have to worry about many constraints. If you and Shuyan both agree on this timing, we can finalize it. Once spring arrives, we can reopen the mountain and go down to purchase everything needed for the ceremony. What do you think?”

Du Yunge saw no issue with this and asked, “Senior Sister Xue, what do you think of the Start of Spring?”

Regardless of the reasons why Xue Shuyan had previously been reluctant to take on the role of deputy sect leader of the Miaoyin Sect, now that she and Du Yunge had communicated and become aware of the potential traitor within the sect, it was essential for her to hold a title that could suppress any opposition. This would allow her to legitimately impose punishments when the time came. The title of “Deputy Sect Leader of the Miaoyin Sect” placed her second only to the sect leader, and even the combined authority of the four guardians Chun, Xia, Qiu, and Dong could only barely match her status.

Du Yunge had gone to great lengths to ensure her senior sister could formally assume the role of deputy sect leader. After all, in her previous life, when Xue Shuyan had taken on the position, it had been done with little ceremony. At that time, Du Yunge had been determined to follow He Zhenzhen down the mountain, and the four guardians, unable to dissuade her, had hastily appointed Xue Shuyan as deputy sect leader to manage the sect’s affairs in the sect leader’s absence.

The past may be gone with the wind, beyond reach, but the present can still be firmly grasped. Driven by an inexplicable sense of guilt and a desire to make amends, Du Yunge was determined to give Xue Shuyan all the good things within her power. Not to mention a mere deputy sect leader position as she had said herself, even if Xue Shuyan wanted to be the leader of the Miaoyin Sect, she would immediately step aside and offer the position to her.

Xue Shuyan naturally understood the significance of this title. She gently took hold of Du Yunge’s fingertip, which had inadvertently covered the almanac, and moved her hand aside to get a clear view of the day’s details whether it was truly an auspicious date.

Du Yunge’s hands were clearly not accustomed to wielding weapons. Pampered and delicate, they bore no calluses, and her fingertips were as tender and lovely as peach blossoms in early spring, evoking an instinct to cherish them. The faint, even pink hue at the tips was just right, a shade deeper would seem overly feminine, while a shade lighter would appear too pale. Just by looking at her hands, one could tell their owner was a beauty beyond compare. And when those hands were held by Xue Shuyan, whose martial prowess far surpassed Du Yunge’s, there was a certain aesthetic of one person completely overpowering the other, a sense of total dominance.

Ever since her near-death experience at the hands of He Zhenzhen, Du Yunge had developed a psychological aversion to direct physical contact. Even when she felt close to Xue Shuyan, she would only hold onto her sleeve. Such intimate contact inevitably stirred a bit of fear in her, especially when it came from someone like Xue Shuyan, who seemed to keep others at a distance.

Yet Xue Shuyan held a unique place in Du Yunge’s heart. This was someone who, despite risking qi deviation and near-certain death, had come to bring her soul home without expecting anything in return. There was no way she would ever harm her. So, when Xue Shuyan enclosed her fingertip, Du Yunge only struggled slightly. Finding it futile, she gave up and allowed Xue Shuyan to hold her fingertip, a particularly sensitive spot for martial artists.

As her cool fingertips were enveloped in Xue Shuyan’s warm palm, Du Yunge shivered lightly. Though the calluses on Xue Shuyan’s hands weren’t rough, the friction against her delicate skin still felt slightly ticklish. Beyond the tingling sensation, there was a subtle, electrifying feeling, like a small flame igniting where their hands met, spreading into her heart and blazing into a wildfire that clouded her mind, leaving her unable to act or think.

Whether intentional or not, even after checking the almanac, Xue Shuyan didn’t let go. She continued to hold Du Yunge’s fingertip loosely. After all, Feng Chengchun was there to guide her through the account books with pen and paper, so there was no need for her to use her hands.

Until Qiu Yueman’s heartfelt cry abruptly shattered the overly intimate atmosphere: “Heavens! Those ungrateful scoundrels from Qinhuai! What wretched fools!”

Qiu Yueman’s shout was so earth-shattering and formidable that it startled Du Yunge into leaping up from her chair, simultaneously pulling her fingertips away from Xue Shuyan’s grasp. “What’s wrong, Protector Qiu?”

At that moment, everyone in the meeting hall turned their attention to Qiu Yueman. Her hands trembled as if her tendons had been severed, shakily lifting the cover of an account book. Her round, usually cheerful face now bore an expression that could only be described as “murderous”:

“Sect Leader, though it’s shameful to admit, this matter must be reported.”

“The accounts from Qinhuai in Jinling they’re seriously problematic!”

It took Du Yunge a moment to realize why Qiu Yueman was so distraught. The Miaoyin Sect’s business spanned the entire realm some had jokingly remarked, “There’s no trade they won’t dip their fingers into.” From daily necessities like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea, to luxury goods like silk, satin, gold, silver, jewelry, fine wine, and delicacies, covering every aspect of life from clothing, food, housing, and transportation to farming and leasing, the Miaoyin Sect had a presence in every industry. These various trades were overseen by twelve branch leaders, all capable disciples under the four protectors. And the person responsible for the accounts in Qinhuai, Jinling, happened to be one of Protector Qiu’s most trusted disciples.

This was extremely awkward.

Du Yunge decided not to pursue Qiu Yueman’s negligence for the time being. Judging by Qiu Yueman’s pained expression, she seemed even more distressed than Du Yunge, whose personal assets had been directly compromised. It was as if the embezzled funds were her own private savings rather than Du Yunge’s. By now, her trembling was no longer confined to her hands her entire body was shaking, whether from fear or fury:

“This amounts to at least thirty thousand taels of pure, gleaming silver lost every year!”

Even though Du Yunge wasn’t particularly concerned about money, the sheer magnitude of the sum made her head spin with disbelief:

She never expected such a massive deficit to be uncovered through a routine audit! Moreover, how had the people in Qinhuai, Jinling, managed to falsify accounts for so many years under Qiu Yueman, who was known for scrutinizing every single coin as if it were her last?!

As if reading Du Yunge’s confusion, Xue Shuyan leaned in and whispered softly by her ear:

“Those are Qinhuai’s accounts. A detailed investigation would be awkward.”

Du Yunge had no idea just how awkward the entries in Qinhuai’s account books could be. She took the ledger from Qiu Yueman and understood everything at a glance. Just reading the entries labeled “redemption fees,” “entertainment expenses,” and other such items made her feel as if she were holding not an account book, but a scalding hot stove. She hastily dropped the ledger and stammered:

“S-since that’s the case, Protector Qiu’s oversight in failing to detect this c-can hardly be considered negligence.”

Qiu Yueman, having finally calmed down a little, explained to Du Yunge:

“All the girls in our Qinhuai Pavilion are pure entertainers they sell their talents, not their bodies. The ways they earn money are quite limited, mostly from drinks and dishes. Looking at their account books in this regard is no simpler than checking the menu and the kitchen’s monthly expenses. But I slipped up and let them find a loophole. Sect Leader, I truly apologize. I’ll make a proper trip down the mountain another day to thoroughly audit the accounts over there.”

Du Yunge was about to agree, but Feng Chengchun shook her head slightly and said to Qiu Yueman:

“Sister Qiu, the problem over there involves your people. Shouldn’t you know to avoid any suspicion?”

Qiu Yueman replied with an apologetic smile, “I was just so upset that I forgot for a moment. In that case, why not have the Sect Leader go with you?”

Even if Du Yunge were to check the accounts herself, she wouldn’t be able to spot anything amiss. Whoever managed to cook the books so that only Qiu Yueman could detect the discrepancies would likely have no trouble fooling Du Yunge. So, having Feng Chengchun accompany Du Yunge down the mountain seemed like a reasonable choice. Yet, Feng Chengchun still felt uneasy:

“If I go down the mountain, leaving Shuyan alone here won’t be enough to keep things under control. If Sisters Qiu and Yun go with you, they aren’t usually responsible for taking care of the Sect Leader, so it might be inconvenient. And Sister Xia is too shy by nature she probably wouldn’t be much help with the auditing either.”

After pondering for a long while, Feng Chengchun finally made a decision:

“Alright then, Sect Leader. Once the mountain pass opens next spring, choose a day to go down to Jinling’s Qinhuai district with Shuyan and conduct a thorough audit of the accounts there.”

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