Madam He had come to inspect the shops as usual. When she reached the silk store, she chatted with the shopkeeper for a few words and heard him mention that a lady from a wealthy family wanted to buy brocade for all the servants in the household.
Even in the imperial capital, there were only a few families that were so generous.
She became curious and asked a few more questions. The shopkeeper said that the lady had an eye problem and wore a white veil over her eyes.
Madam He immediately guessed that it was Shang Yunruo. She was very alert and thought that she had discovered the problem in the ledger. She quickly went to the jewelry store with the same problem. Unexpectedly, she was really there.
She just didn't expect the chaos that was happening now. Shang Yunruo and Chu Yan were dressed like this. For a moment, she couldn't tell what had happened.
Shopkeeper Wu seemed to understand something. He trembled as he tried to go forward to report, but Miss Yang Er, who didn't understand the situation, got there first.
Miss Yang Er: "Second Auntie, you're here. I met two hooligans who bumped into me. Look at their shabby appearance. They clearly have never seen the world. Your shop can't let anyone in, otherwise, you won't be able to keep your customers."
Shang Yunruo sighed. She knew that she couldn't check the accounts today.
She took off her veil and hat and poked her head out from behind Chu Yan to tease Miss Yang Er: "You're referring to yourself as the customer, right?"
Miss Yang Er sneered coldly: "Of course. Could it be you?"
The young shop assistant who had spoken up for Shang Yunruo and Chu Yan suddenly said: "This lady is truly a customer. Are you our new mistress, Lady Shang?"
Miss Yang Er scoffed and looked at the shop assistant like he was an idiot: "Are you blind? The Marquis's wife is the daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion. How could she be such a vulgar person?"
The shop assistant glanced at her and also looked at her like she was an idiot. However, he didn't argue with her.
Shang Yunruo blinked and whispered to Chu Yan: "This shop assistant has good eyesight. What does he look like?"
Chu Yan frowned and glanced back at her. He said in a deep voice: "Sister-in-law still has the time to care about the appearance of a shop assistant?"
Shang Yunruo: "I just think that he can be useful. I want to get to know him better."
Miss Yang Er wanted to say something, but Madam He didn't have the time to listen to her nonsense. She walked over to Shang Yunruo with a smile and took her hand affectionately: "Yunruo, why are you dressed like this when you come to your own shop? Are you secretly investigating?"
Shang Yunruo also said with a big smile: "Auntie, what are you saying? I was having tea with A Yan in the teahouse next door. I accidentally got my clothes wet. The shop only had these two new clothes. We can't be unreasonable and ask them to compensate us with silk, right?"
Madam He's eyes were bent with a smile: "Yes, yes, yes. Our Yunruo is the kindest. Fortunately, I'm here. I have a carriage. Let's quickly go back to the mansion and change into appropriate clothes."
Shang Yunruo's arm was grabbed by Madam He. It was as if she was going to drag her away if she didn't want to leave.
She quickly reached out and grabbed Chu Yan's hand. His hand was stretched out in time. She firmly grabbed his wrist and finally felt a little safe.
She secretly shook off her auntie's hand and said: "Don't trouble auntie. I also want to introduce A Yan to our shops."
The shopkeeper, who had been shouting and threatening to kill them, was sweating profusely. He walked over and laughed awkwardly at Shang Yunruo: "G, Great Lady, I have eyes but failed to recognize the mountain. Please forgive me."
Shang Yunruo pointed at Chu Yan beside her: "What about your Second Young Master?"
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment and bowed to Chu Yan: "Please forgive me, Second Young Master."
Chu Yan didn't look at him. He just silently looked at Shang Yunruo, who had a satisfied smile on her face. His black eyes were as bright and hot as a spark.
She always valued him when no one else did.
Shang Yunruo showed her arrogance as the daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion: "I can't forgive this crime. Auntie, I almost got beaten up by him just now. Do you think I can swallow this?"
Shopkeeper Wu was scared and his legs went weak. He knelt down. Madam He glared at this useless thing and said to Shang Yunruo with a smile: "This servant deserves to be beaten, but he is an old servant and has been running the shop well. Forgive him this time. I will definitely punish him well."
This was exactly what Shang Yunruo wanted. She took the opportunity to attack: "Running the shop well? Auntie, do you know how low the profits of the jewelry store are? It should be the most profitable business, but he has run it like this and still has the nerve to plead for mercy?"
Shopkeeper Wu looked at Madam He and said urgently: "Madam, please say something for me!"
Before Madam He could say anything, she was scared back by Shang Yunruo's loud scolding: "Who are you spitting blood at? What do you want me to say for you? Do you mean that Auntie is in cahoots with you and that the poor management is Auntie's fault?"
Her preemptive strike made Madam He and Shopkeeper Wu simultaneously stunned. Chu Yan pursed his lips and tried hard to suppress the urge to laugh.
Madam He's face darkened. She couldn't even say anything for him.
Shopkeeper Wu saw that Madam He couldn't protect him. He tried his best to clarify himself. He knelt forward and said: "Great Lady, I have no problem with my management. If you don't believe me, you can check the accounts!"
Shang Yunruo was secretly happy, but she deliberately said with a straight face: "I've already checked the ledger. You've had low profits for several years. How can you still say that there's no problem?"
Shopkeeper Wu: "No, there's a problem with the ledger. There are two sets..."
Madam He interrupted him with a loud scolding: "Ridiculous! You don't have the ability and you blame the ledger? Quickly come and take him away. Don't let him get in the way here!"
Two servants from Jinghui Courtyard came over and grabbed Shopkeeper Wu. They dragged him away. Shopkeeper Wu's loud cries were heard: "Great Lady, there are two sets of accounts, Great Lady. I know the inside story. Madam He is trying to cover her tracks..."
Chu Yan wanted to move, but Shang Yunruo grabbed his wrist.
They were on the other party's territory. They were outnumbered. If they fought hard, they wouldn't be able to save Shopkeeper Wu. They would even suffer.
Madam He was clearly challenging her. Shang Yunruo thought about it and said with a smile: "Then let auntie handle it. After all, auntie is still managing the household. A Yan and I will go back first."
Madam He smiled in victory. Her tone was a little proud: "Yunruo should have done this earlier. Take my carriage back. Someone, escort the Great Lady back to the mansion."
Shang Yunruo walked two steps and remembered something. She asked: "Which one is the shop assistant who spoke up for me just now?"
The young shop assistant immediately stood out: "This servant, Shan Junxin, pays respects to the Great Lady."
The shop assistants around him showed jealous expressions. They knew that this kid was going to have a smooth career. They secretly regretted not speaking up for her.
Just as everyone thought that the Great Lady was going to promote this young shop assistant, Shang Yunruo said: "You have good eyesight, but you didn't notice the problem with Shopkeeper Wu. So, you should resign yourself. The shop won't pay you the compensation. Here's this worthless jade pendant. Come to me and get it!"
Everyone was looking at Shan Junxin's joke. There were sounds of ridicule.
He thought that he had flattered the Great Lady. Did she look down on him?
This Great Lady was also stupid. She didn't know how to use people well. Who would dare to stand on her side in the future?
Shang Yunruo heard all these ridicules. She quietly held up the jade pendant. She couldn't see Shan Junxin's expression at this moment. She could only feel that his hands were shaking when he took the jade pendant from her.
Before she left, she suddenly remembered something. She asked loudly: "Who did Miss Yang Er say she would put it on the account of?"