Comment by Introvert on I’Ll Be The Matriarch In This Life - Chapter 228

Tia checks on Clerivan's investigation into the Angenas family's finances. Clerivan says the work is going well, but the family's debts are much larger than expected. He shows Tia many new debt papers that were discovered. Some of them are unfair agreements where Angenas borrowed money from their own vassal families without setting a repayment date or interest. The contracts even say Angenas would not be responsible if they failed to repay the money. It is obvious they took advantage of their own people. Clerivan asks if he can speak to Tia privately another day because he has something important to tell her. Tia notices that he seems unusually nervous. Since he is not ready to explain, she agrees to wait. Soon after, however, Clerivan returns and says another new problem has appeared. At the Imperial Palace, officials report to Perez that even if they sell all of the Angenas family's land, buildings, money, and other property, it still will not be enough to pay all their debts. Perez asks whether they should also seize the property of the Angenas vassal families, but the officials hesitate because doing so would anger many noble families. One official asks whether they should give priority to the Pellet Company, since it is one of the creditors and is connected to Lombardi. Perez calmly replies that they should simply follow whatever Tia, the deputy head of Lombardi, decides. At that moment, Tia suddenly enters Perez's office looking serious because she has something important to discuss. Back at the Lombardi mansion, grandfather is still worried about Tia. Shannanet comforts him by saying that Tia and Perez will continue meeting while dealing with the Angenas case. However, she also points out that if Perez becomes Emperor, another woman will eventually become Crown Princess and stand beside him, while Tia will only be able to watch from a distance. The thought breaks grandfather's heart. Even so, Shannanet believes Tia and Perez will find their own solution.

Grandfather smiles, trusting his granddaughter completely. He decides that instead of only worrying, the family should help Tia however they can. He asks Shannanet to send Vieze and Roulier to his office. Meanwhile Tia went to Perez's office with Clerivan because she wanted to discuss the money that the Imperial Family owed after the fall of the Empress and the Angenas family. Everyone in the office became nervous because Tia was now one of the most powerful people in the empire. Even though Perez would soon become Crown Prince, Tia's position as Deputy Head of the Lombardi family gave her great influence. After reading the financial records, Tia firmly said that the Imperial Family should use its reserve funds to repay the debt. She argued that the Imperial Family was responsible because they had allowed the Empress and the Angenas family to misuse their power. The administrators were shocked that she spoke so directly to Perez, but he calmly accepted her decision and agreed to release the reserve money. A young administrator named Spio objected. He felt it was unfair because the Pellet Company, which belonged to Tia, would gain a lot from the repayment. Instead of getting angry, Tia asked him to explain his opinion properly. Although he was nervous, Spio honestly said what he thought. Tia then revealed her full plan. The Pellet Company would accept only half of the money it was owed. Instead of taking the rest in cash, it would receive shares and business rights from the Durac Merchant Guild, including the Coroy Textiles business. This would allow the company to continue production, while the Imperial Family could use more money to repay other noble families. Everyone realized that Tia had found a solution that benefited both the empire and the nobles.

Before leaving, Tia praised Spio. She warned him not to act rashly but also complimented him for having the courage to speak honestly. After she left, the administrators admired how wisely she had handled the situation. They also noticed that Perez, who was usually cold and intimidating, smiled warmly only when he was with Tia. Many of them quietly hoped that she would become Empress one day. Later, Vieze met his grandfather, hoping for sympathy. Instead, grandfather told him to leave the Lombardi mansion forever. He explained that he had already told Roulier to leave as well and that Vieze now had to find his own place to live. Vieze was shocked because he had lost his wife, his family, and his position. Vieze tried to defend himself and angrily blamed Tia. He complained that grandfather cared only about her and even insulted her by saying she had no right to lead the Lombardi family. He insisted that giving the family to Tia would ruin Lombardi's reputation. He remained calm. He asked Vieze where his wife Serral and his son Bellesac were. Vieze could not answer because he had been so busy drinking that he did not even know what had happened to them. Disappointed, grandfather called him pathetic for failing to care for his own family.

The happy mood returned. The twins brought out more bottles of expensive wine to celebrate. Tia even chose the better bottle for them to open because she knew which one tasted best. She also told Crenny that they would soon be able to see Laranne again. Crenny smiled brightly, not knowing that it would become Tia's last memory of him from that night. At the same time, Prince Perez walked down into the prison dungeon. After the guards led him to a cell, he stood before the imprisoned Empress and calmly asked in a mocking tone, "Are you having a peaceful night, Empress?" Empress Ravini was locked in the deepest cell of a dark prison. She looked completely different from before. Her hair was messy, her clothes were dirty, and she had not been sleeping because rats kept crawling around the dungeon. Perez came to see her and mocked her fear. Ravini asked if he had come to kill her, but Perez said not yet. She proudly claimed she had done nothing wrong and that she had already paid too high a price. Perez reminded her that she had caused his mother's suffering and that her punishment was far from over. Perez then ordered the guards to bring in Astana. Astana had also been imprisoned, and he looked dirty, bruised, and terrified. When he saw his mother, he cried and ran to her. Ravini was furious that the guards had treated the First Prince so badly, but Perez calmly replied that he had full authority to investigate everyone involved in the rebellion. Perez gave Astana a choice. He told him that if he confessed that Ravini had ordered him to attack the Emperor, he would be released from prison and even be given good food. Ravini believed Astana would never accept such an offer because it did not even promise to save his life. To Ravini's shock, Astana immediately betrayed her. He stepped away from his mother and said everything was her fault. He blamed Ravini and the Angenas family for their greed and insisted he had nothing to do with their plans. He even called Perez his brother and begged to cooperate with him. Perez ignored him, knowing Astana was foolish enough to believe he would truly be safe after giving his confession. Astana happily left the dungeon, already thinking about the food he would receive.