When they saw that it was Lu Huaizhou who had come, and there were more than a dozen servants behind him, both the Second Lady and the Third Lady felt their vision go dark.
Wasn't it said that only the Jiang family woman would come? Lu Huaizhou was here!
Without paying attention to their various expressions, Lu Huaizhou walked straight to Jiang Fuying's side and said gently, "Madam, there's no need for idle talk. Let's just report this to the official directly."
This seemingly light remark weighed heavily on the ears of the Second Lady and the Third Lady.
Especially the Third Lady, who couldn't keep things to herself, immediately refused, "We can't report this to the official!"
If the official traced the matter back to their two branches, it would be a disaster!
The couple standing side by side turned around simultaneously and stared fixedly at them.
Jiang Fuying blinked her eyes in confusion. "Didn't you two aunts say to let me rest assured? Why are you even trying to stop us from reporting this to the official?"
The Second Lady's expression stiffened. She could only barely make an excuse. "It's not a big deal in the first place. If we make a big fuss about it, it won't be good for the reputation of the mansion. Fuying, listen to your Second Aunt. Let's just let it go."
A trace of mockery flashed across Jiang Fuying's eyes.
Couldn't they hide it anymore?
That was just right!
It was time for her to settle the score!
"Second Aunt, you're joking. How does this matter affect the reputation of our Zhennan Duke's Mansion?"
She fixed her gaze on Foreman Zhang. "At most, it's just the renovation workers embezzling the master's silver and passing off shoddy goods as high - quality ones. That's the ugly thing that happened."
The workers led by Foreman Zhang trembled all over and widened their eyes.
They didn't expect that the Young Mistress of the heir apparent would know everything!
So, did the Young Mistress mean to...
"My wife's request is very simple." Lu Huaizhou looked coldly at Foreman Zhang and added in time, "Either you show her the materials you purchased for inspection, or you refund all the silver you took for the material purchases!"
"Otherwise, I'll report this to the official!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Foreman Zhang and the other workers panicked. They instinctively looked at the Second Lady and the Third Lady.
Most of the silver they had embezzled from the material purchases had gone into the pockets of these two ladies. Where could they get the extra silver to refund now?
Being stared at like this, the Second Lady and the Third Lady were in a complete mess.
They weren't afraid of anything else, but they were afraid that Lu Huaizhou and the Jiang family woman would see through their scheme and really report this to the official.
If the official found out about them, they would be fined at the least, and at the worst, they would be thrown into prison!
Thinking of the small amount of embezzled silver, the Second Lady immediately made up her mind. "Huaizhou, it's not a problem to ask the renovation team to refund the money. Since they were recommended by your Third Aunt and me, we'll supervise them to send the money to you later."
"If Second Aunt wants to be their guarantor, please sign a guarantee document first." Lu Huaizhou slightly raised his hand, and a young servant beside him immediately presented the pen and paper that had been prepared.
The Second Lady and the Third Lady glanced at each other and reluctantly agreed.
"We're willing to sign this guarantee document."
Although they said so, their faces were full of reluctance, and their hearts were bleeding.
Being the guarantor for the renovation team was just for show. In fact, they would have to pay the refunded silver.
Lu Huaizhou didn't care about their reactions. While writing the guarantee document, he asked, "Madam, how much silver do they need to refund?"
Jiang Fuying thought for a moment and reported an amount, "Thirty thousand taels."
The Second Lady and the Third Lady gasped.
The Jiang family woman was asking for an exorbitant amount!
Foreman Zhang had only taken a total of fifteen thousand taels from the Jiang family woman!
After deducting the money for those shoddy materials, they had only received seven or eight thousand taels each!
Seeing their shock, Jiang Fuying looked innocent. "I won't hide it from you two aunts. We really spent that much silver in the decoration shop."
"Each silver note taken for material purchases was withdrawn from the Prosperous Bank. They all have specific serial numbers. It's easy to find out who took these notes and where they were used. If you two aunts don't believe me, you might as well report this to the official for investigation."
The Second Lady and the Third Lady turned ashen.
They knew that the Jiang family woman was deliberately extorting them, but they were helpless.
If they reported this to the official for investigation and something was really found out, they would be the ones to suffer!
The Second Lady and the Third Lady gritted their teeth and exchanged a look. They thought, "The Jiang family woman is just lucky today! We'll swallow this bitter pill!"
"We'll sign for this amount!"
After signing and stamping the guarantee document for the renovation team, Jiang Fuying waved her hand, indicating the servants surrounding them to let the renovation team go.
As soon as the renovation team left, only the Second Lady and the Third Lady were left facing them in front of the shop.
"Please stay, two aunts." Fuying stopped them who were about to leave. "Now that the matter of the shop has been settled, I still have a family matter to discuss with you two aunts."
The night was thick, and there were few pedestrians on Bailu Alley.
The Second Lady and the Third Lady had come out in a hurry. Apart from their respective maids, they didn't bring any young servants.
Looking at the servants standing around them at this moment, they felt scared. "Fuying, since it's a family matter, why don't we discuss it back at the mansion..."
Discuss it back at the mansion?
She only knew how to pursue victory, but she had never heard of leaving a chance for the enemy to catch their breath after winning!
"You two aunts have seen that the shop needs to be renovated again, and it will take some time."
Jiang Fuying paused. Under their vigilant gazes, she continued, "So I'd like to learn to look through the mansion's account books during this period to prepare for managing the mansion in the future."
Just as the Second Lady and the Third Lady were about to refuse, they heard Lu Huaizhou suddenly speak.
"Madam, I think what Foreman Zhang said just now was right. Such a thing happened to the shop tonight. Maybe someone did it deliberately! If they can target the shop today, they might harm our lives tomorrow!"
With every word Lu Huaizhou said, the faces of the Second Lady and the Third Lady turned paler.
Seeing this, Jiang Fuying tugged at his sleeve and reminded him, "Husband, you're scaring the two aunts."
Lu Huaizhou glanced sideways and didn't care. "Those who don't do wrong have nothing to fear. This matter has nothing to do with the aunts. Why should they be scared?"
The couple sang in chorus, which made the fear in the hearts of the Second Lady and the Third Lady reach the extreme.
They were the ones who had done something wrong, so they were extremely scared!
Lu Huaizhou continued talking on his own. "I'll send someone to report this to the official right away! When the official finds out the malicious mastermind behind this, I'll send them straight to prison! Let them stay there for ten or eight years..."
Jiang Fuying sighed as if helplessly. "You two aunts have seen that my husband is worried about our safety. If we don't find something to distract him, he'll probably keep insisting on reporting this to the official..."
"I just thought that looking through the mansion's account books would be a good way to keep my husband company in the mansion." Jiang Fuying sighed as if casually.
Hearing this, the Second Lady and the Third Lady were completely shaken.
The Jiang family woman simply couldn't understand the account books. It wouldn't matter if the mansion's account books were handed over to her!
Moreover, without the corresponding tokens and keys, the Jiang family woman would be just an empty - shell commander. The power to manage the mansion would still be in the hands of their Second and Third Branches!
For them, giving a few account books to the Jiang family woman and Lu Huaizhou to stop them from reporting this to the official was a very cost - effective deal!
"We'll send someone to deliver the account books to the Bibo Courtyard after we get back to the mansion."
Jiang Fuying nodded and thanked them. "Thank you, two aunts, for your understanding."
After they walked away, Lu Huaizhou stopped shouting and just sincerely praised.
"Miss Jiang is really resourceful. You've used the tactic of 'the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind' brilliantly!"
First, you let the Second and Third Branches take advantage, and then you made them pay double the price!
Jiang Fuying smiled modestly. "Your Highness, you're overpraising me."