“According to the law, embezzlement of over a thousand taels is punishable by imprisonment. If it reaches ten thousand…”
Jiang Wanning’s voice slowed down. “That is a capital offense.”
“All I need is to submit a single petition to the authorities, and your head, Manager Wang, will be separated from your body.”
Hearing the gentle tone of the Eldest Miss, Wang Fu felt as though her words were shards of ice from the depths of winter. He couldn’t stop himself from trembling.
“Eldest Miss, have mercy! Please spare me!”
“I was only following Auntie Liu’s orders. She was the one who instructed me.”
“Will you tell me the total amount of the embezzlement yourself, or shall I audit it carefully on my own?”
“I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you!” Wang Fu kowtowed repeatedly. “The total amount and the detailed records of the embezzlement are in the bottom cabinet right behind you.”
“It is twenty thousand taels in total.”
Shaoyao turned around and efficiently pried the cabinet open with a dagger, taking out the contents and handing them to Jiang Wanning.
Seeing this, Wang Fu was struck by another wave of terror. “I dare not hide anything from the Eldest Miss anymore.”
“I was afraid that one day someone would find out, so I kept these pieces of evidence.”
“Every time I falsified the accounts, Auntie Liu would give me a sum of hush money…”
Fearing Jiang Wanning wouldn’t believe him, Wang Fu continued, “Every word I say is the absolute truth.”
Jiang Wanning tucked the account books away. “Whom did the Liu family send to meet with you each time?”
Wang Fu dared not hide even a sliver of information. “It was Auntie Liu’s Nanny Zhang.”
“Auntie Liu holds Nanny Zhang in high regard; she even listens to Nanny Zhang on many matters.”
“Besides her, was there no one else?”
Wang Fu shook his head.
Jiang Wanning had originally intended to use the audit to follow the clues and find Jiang Wanru’s biological father. If the Liu family was so cautious, why would she entrust such a critical matter to a nanny instead of her own lover? If she was being careless, she wouldn’t have sent Nanny Zhang.
This Nanny Zhang had followed the Liu family since they entered the manor and was a loyal, old lapdog.
Jiang Wanning rose and walked to Wang Fu’s side. “Manager Wang, you know that even if you were acting under orders, you are still an accomplice. If this were to come to light, you would still be punished.”
Seeing the fine beads of cold sweat breaking out on Wang Fu’s face, the corners of Jiang Wanning’s mouth curled slightly. “However, if someone protects you, surely your sentence can be lightened.”
“You know,” Jiang Wanning said, admiring her newly applied nail polish, “Lord Shen of the Dali Temple has a very good relationship with the Marquis’s Manor.”
“Manager Wang, I believe you are a smart man.”
“Your one-year-old son has only just learned how to call you ‘Father’.”
A cold shiver ran through Wang Fu’s entire body. “I am at the Eldest Miss’s command. I will serve you even unto death.”
“I only beg the Eldest Miss to spare my life and my family.”
“That will depend on how you redeem your sins with your actions, Manager Wang.”
“Please give your orders, Eldest Miss. I will do my absolute best…”
“Then first, let me see your sincerity…”
Jiang Wanning gave Manager Wang a series of instructions before leading Shaoyao out of the shop.
“Miss, why don’t we take these ledgers directly to the Master and Madam to expose Auntie Liu?”
“If we expose her directly, the twenty thousand taels of silver will already be gone. Even if Father kicks the Liu family out of the manor, there is still Jiang Wanru.”
“I want her to spit out that silver—doubled.”
“Simply kicking them out would be far too easy on them.”
Just as Jiang Wanning and Shaoyao returned to the Marquis’s Manor, Haitang came out to greet them.
“Miss, everything is ready,” Haitang whispered. “The person Madam sent to watch Bihe Courtyard says the Second Miss has made an appointment to go out tonight after dinner.”
“Good, Haitang,” Jiang Wanning smiled. “Let’s head inside first.”
The three of them entered the room.
Jiang Wanning took out a pre-prepared ointment. “Apply this thoroughly. Rub it everywhere you can reach on your body.”
“Miss, what is this for? It doesn’t smell good at all,” Shaoyao frowned.
“You’ll find out in a bit,” Jiang Wanning said.
After dinner.
The three of them walked toward the back gate of Bihe Courtyard and waited in the shadows for less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.
They saw two maids sneaking out of the back gate.
Jiang Wanning stepped out quickly. “Stop right there!”
The two dressed as maids were momentarily stunned, then they quickened their pace as if they hadn’t heard her.
“If you don’t stop, I’m calling for people!”
The two stopped in their tracks, turned around hesitantly, and kept their heads low.
Jiang Wanning stepped forward. “Are you maids from Bihe Courtyard?”
The maid in front bowed slightly. “Replying to the Eldest Miss, yes, we are.”
“Did you not hear me calling you just now?”
The maid hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
“There isn’t much rice left in the small kitchen. I thought I’d go get some now so it won’t delay Auntie and the Second Miss’s breakfast tomorrow morning.”
Jiang Wanning smiled. “Since you are getting things for Second Sister and Auntie, why didn’t you say so sooner?”
“There’s no need for you to go. I’ll have someone deliver it shortly.”
“It just so happens I have something to do and I’m short-handed. You two, come and help me.”
“Eldest Miss… this…”
“What? Unwilling?” Jiang Wanning said. “Or do you think that because you are servants of Bihe Courtyard, I cannot command you?”
“I wouldn’t dare,” the maid immediately knelt.
“Then follow me.” Jiang Wanning turned and led the way.
Jiang Wanru, who was behind the little maid, had originally intended to slip away, but Haitang and Shaoyao were watching her like hawks. She had no choice but to keep her head down and follow.
When they reached the stables, Jiang Wanning pointed at the buckets and brushes she had prepared in advance.
“I have an appointment to go horseback riding in the suburbs with Zhizhi tomorrow. Help me scrub the horses clean.”
“And while you’re at it, clean up the manure in the stables as well.”
The maid’s hands, clasped in front of her, tightened. “Eldest Miss, this… isn’t this the groom’s job?”
“You do whatever the Eldest Miss tells you to do,” Haitang snapped. “Since when is there a rule that only certain people can do certain things?”
“Or should the Eldest Miss transfer you both from Bihe Courtyard specifically to clean the stables every day?”
Jiang Wanning feigned anger. “Haitang!”
She then said to the two maids with a smile, “The groom had an emergency at home and took the day off. I was just heading out to find someone when I ran into you two.”
“It really is a bit pitiful for such fine young girls to do these things,” Jiang Wanning said sympathetically. “Do a good job.”
“If you do it well, I will reward you with silver.”
The maid secretly turned her head to look behind her.
“Unwilling?”
“We wouldn’t dare!”
If they truly angered the Eldest Miss and she actually moved them here to clean manure every day… The little maid’s heart tightened, and she briskly picked up a bucket and headed into the stables.
“My horse has a fierce temperament; you must be very careful while scrubbing,” Jiang Wanning “kindly” reminded them.
Jiang Wanru kept her head down the entire time. Fortunately, it was already dark; as long as she didn’t speak, Jiang Wanning wouldn’t recognize her. It seemed she would have to clean this beast first before she could escape.
Jiang Wanru pinched her nose, holding back the urge to gag as she scrubbed the horse’s body. The manure in these stables didn’t look like it had been left for just one day; it looked like it hadn’t been cleaned for several.
Suddenly.
A dark object was tossed over her head, landing right at Jiang Wanru’s feet.
“AHHH!!!”