Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - chapter 43

Chapter 43

“Miss, Shopkeeper Xiao… perhaps he was just momentarily confused. I hope that, for the sake of his lifelong toil for Old Lady Fang and Madam, you might deal with him leniently.”

From the crowd, a shopkeeper about the same age as Shopkeeper Xiao spoke up.

Xiao Wangshu looked at him and asked with a smile, “Shopkeeper Wang, do you have some misunderstanding about the words ‘lifelong toil’?”

Before Shopkeeper Wang could answer, she continued, “My grandmother and mother paid him five taels of silver in wages every month. On top of that, he embezzled more than ten thousand taels from the shops, living a life of luxury. Shopkeeper Wang, do you call that ‘lifelong toil’?”

Shopkeeper Wang was left speechless by her question.

“Or do you truly think such a life is full of hardship?” Xiao Wangshu asked, her tone ambiguous.

If that was hardship, then just how comfortable must Shopkeeper Wang’s own life be?

“This old servant would not dare!”

Shopkeeper Wang’s heart skipped a beat, and he hurried to explain, “This old servant has worked with Shopkeeper Xiao for many years and could not bear to see him suffer. In my haste to plead for him, I spoke out of turn. Please forgive me, Miss.”

“In business, being hasty to speak is never a good habit.”

Xiao Wangshu raised her hand to rub her temples and continued, “Since Shopkeeper Wang and Shopkeeper Xiao are so close, then in your opinion, Shopkeeper Wang, how should this matter be handled leniently?”

This hot potato was tossed directly into his hands-he could neither accept nor refuse it.

“This old servant would not dare presume. We are all servants of Madam and Miss. Now that Shopkeeper Xiao has committed such a grave mistake, it should naturally be left to Madam and Miss to decide his fate,” Shopkeeper Wang replied, following the rules.

But in his words, it was always ‘Madam and Miss.’

Madam first, Miss second.

After all, they were old retainers of the Fang Mansion, having served for many years, and had come to see themselves as half-masters. They believed Xiao Wangshu had no right to deal with them; at the very least, Fang Qin’er should be the one to decide.

If they were dissatisfied with Fang Qin’er’s decision, they might even try to escalate it to Old Lady Fang.

As soon as Matron Du heard Shopkeeper Wang’s words, her smile faded a little, and she said coldly, “Since Madam has entrusted both shops to Miss, Miss has every right to handle this. For such a grave mistake, whatever Miss decides is proper-there is no need to trouble Madam or the Prime Minister.”

These master-servant-confused, insubordinate people were making her old bones run around after them.

Even if Miss were to have them beaten to death, so what?

Miss is Miss, and servants are servants!

A bunch of spoiled people-had they forgotten even this basic principle?

Matron Du’s words not only left Shopkeeper Wang both angry and resentful, but also made Shopkeeper Xiao, kneeling on the ground, increasingly anxious.

If everything was left to Xiao Wangshu’s discretion, with her temperament, wouldn’t she have him beaten to death in public?

Just as Shopkeeper Xiao was thinking this, he heard Xiao Wangshu sigh and say slowly, “Enough, Matron. Shopkeeper Xiao has indeed served my grandmother and mother for many years.”

Matron Du was taken aback and asked, “Miss, do you mean…?”

“Let Shopkeeper Xiao check the items on the account books. Within three days, hand them over to Brocade Gate for processing,” Xiao Wangshu said casually.

Matron Du pressed further, “Just hand them over?”

“Otherwise, if we report this to the authorities and the Prefectural Office uncovers even more, how many of you here could escape? How distressed would my grandmother be then?” Xiao Wangshu said, sweeping her gaze-half smiling, half not-over the shopkeepers.

The shopkeepers all lowered their heads, not daring to respond.

Xiao Wangshu smiled and continued-

“Hand them over yourselves. The account books I have reviewed are not limited to these two shops; I have a rough idea of the discrepancies in the other shops as well.

“I trust none of you wish to make this matter uglier than it already is. After all, you have all signed indenture contracts. If something like this happens, even if my mother were to have you beaten to death, the authorities would have no right to interfere.”
“In consideration of Grandmother, and the fact that you have all indeed served the Fang Family for many years, I will give you three days.

“Within three days, hand over everything that ought to be handed in at the Brocade Gate, so that the authorities need not be disturbed. After I have checked those things, they will be returned to Mother.

“Mother has always been more merciful than I. All of you shopkeepers have served her for many years. As long as you return everything in full, she may not punish you severely.

“But if anyone dares to continue muddying the waters and lining their own pockets, then do not blame my mother and me for disregarding years of service!”

Even though Xiao Wangshu laid matters bare, no one dared respond to her words.

She did not expect them to reply, and continued, “You are all still under my mother’s employ; I have no authority to command you. So, the Brocade Gate will wait for you three days. Whether you turn in the goods or not is up to you, but you will bear the consequences yourselves. Now go.”

The moment the last three words fell from her lips, the shopkeepers snapped back to themselves, saluted, and fled the Brocade Gate as if for their lives.

Had they known it would come to this, they never should have come here today!

After the shopkeepers left, Xiao Wangshu looked at Shopkeeper Xiao, who was sweating coldly onto the floor. Her voice was indifferent as she continued issuing instructions-

“You may leave as well, Shopkeeper Xiao. Remember, the current owner of these two shops is me, and my temper is not as gentle as my mother’s.

“You have only three days. If you return everything in full within that time, I can spare your life for the sake of Mother and Grandmother-simply dismiss you as punishment.

“But if you fail to return it in time, Shopkeeper Xiao, then this matter will not end so simply.”

To escape with his life by merely returning what he embezzled-Shopkeeper Xiao could not even describe the tumult in his heart at this moment. He hurriedly kowtowed, exclaiming, “Yes, yes!”

After kowtowing, he looked up to see Xiao Wangshu waving her hand at him. He immediately rose, bowed, and hastily withdrew.

Once he had left, Yichun could not hold back any longer and asked, “Miss, are you really just letting him off like that?”

Xiao Wangshu’s lips curved slowly as she sighed, “After all, he may not have done meritorious deeds, but he has worked hard. If he returns all the money, we will not have suffered any loss. Let it be; it is for Grandmother’s sake and for the sake of their long years of service.”

Matron Du shook her head and sighed deeply, a flood of emotion rising in her heart, finally distilled into a single sentence: “Miss, you are still too kind!”

Such a treacherous servant-why not remove him?

Even if the Old Madam is grieved and angry upon learning of this, she would never utter a word of blame against Miss.

Now, with Miss letting him go so easily, isn’t it letting him off too lightly?

“Matron, what matters most now is recovering the money. There are still so many shops under Mother’s name, and it is impossible to find so many experienced people to take over at once.

“If they really do return the money in full, let them stay for now. When Mother is truly ready to settle accounts in the future, it won’t be too late to replace them then.”

Xiao Wangshu appeared completely at ease, even able to turn around and console Matron Du.

“Miss, you are right,” Matron Du nodded.

Xiao Wangshu looked at Ruan Fuxin and instructed, “Go and check the shop’s accounts. Some wives and young ladies from official and merchant families, hoping to curry favor with Mother, have tried to go through Shopkeeper Xiao and may have paid money without success.

“According to the rules, prepare a gift for each of them, explain Shopkeeper Xiao’s embezzlement, and thank them for their generous support of the shop in the past.”

Ruan Fuxin lowered his eyes and, after a brief reflection, had already grasped the situation and Xiao Wangshu’s intent. He responded, “Understood.”

Seeing Ruan Fuxin bow and withdraw, Matron Du also rose and said, “Since matters here have been handled, I will return to the manor to report to Madam, so she does not worry.”

Xiao Wangshu nodded and stood up at a measured pace, raising her hand, “Shuxia, see Matron out.”

Shuxia stepped forward and bowed, “Yes.”