After I Ascended the Throne in This Matriarchal World, My Ex-Husband Begged to Enter the Palace as a Consort

The day Shen Yan transmigrates into the body of a female Minister of Revenue, her colleagues' congratulatory gifts are three male attendants.

She immediately pawns their contracts at a pawnshop and borrows three thousand taels to fund her investigation.

All across the capital, people gossip: Lord Shen is so broke she's even selling men.

Shen Yan can't be bothered to explain. She's busy checking the books. Eight million taels of canal transport funds went missing during the late emperor's reign. The ledgers have three layers of ink, and every one of them is enough to cost a whole group of people their heads.

Just then, the palace sends her the son of a disgraced official, supposedly to "keep her company with books and music."

Shen Yan looks him over. "Can you use an abacus? If not, get out."

Xie Huaizhou can. His father was the former Minister of Revenue, the "chief culprit" in the canal funds case. He joined the Shen household hoping to use her to reopen the case.

Instead, Shen Yan slams the ledger down in front of him. "Of the three hundred thousand taels your father embezzled, one hundred and eighty thousand don't match the transactions. Either help me balance the books, or I'll send you straight back to the Palace Service Bureau."

Xie Huaizhou's hand shakes, spilling his tea.

Shen Yan says, "At least it was only tea. It costs twelve taels a pound. I'll deduct it from your monthly allowance."

Later...

Shen Yan brings down three directors in the Ministry of Revenue, confiscates the assets of two noble families, and turns the canal transport case inside out. When someone at court accuses her of a woman usurping a man's role, she submits a petition on the spot: open the women's examinations and recruit women from humble families into the Six Ministries.

The whole court erupts. Only Xie Huaizhou stands behind her, shielding her from an inkstone hurled her way.

"My lord," he says, "next time you sell me, could you at least ask first?"