Chapter 80 Hiding
After returning home, Old Lady Liu told her family the news that the Pei family had opened a restaurant on South Street. The family's expressions were filled with shock, jealousy and disgust.
"Mom, you're right. This family all rents a house, so the money for running the restaurant must have come from illegal sources! We will report to the police tomorrow!" Liu Laoer was filled with indignation after hearing this. He had been holding this anger in his heart for a long time and had never found an outlet to vent it.
Fortunately, the Pei family finally had evidence in their hands.
"This family even wants to steal our hens, how can they have money to open a restaurant!" Boss Liu also expressed his attitude.
"Mom, when you report to the police and go to Pei's house for a search tomorrow, remember to look around their house to see if you can find anything valuable. Also bring back the old hen." Boss Liu instructed.
Old Lady Liu patted her chest, full of confidence, "Just leave this to me, don't worry. I will definitely turn their house upside down! They dare to go against us without even considering their own strength!"
Old man Liu held his pipe in silence, obviously agreeing with the proposal. The last incident caused them a lot of losses, and now that they had a chance to get back at him, he naturally would not stop it.
The monthly rent for that location on South Street is at least five or six hundred coins, which is two or three times higher than the house they live in. Running a restaurant also requires buying vegetables and meat. How could the Pei family have so much money? If the old woman were to search through it, she might be able to embezzle some money, and the amount might be quite large.
Liu, who was not at the table, listened to the people at the table talking loudly. She frowned and thought that this method was not reliable.
She felt that the Pei family did not look like the thieves and cheaters that her mother-in-law described. Their money might have come from legitimate sources, and it was too radical for them to report the case to the police.
"Mother, my sister's birthday is in a few days. Can I see her?" Liu Erya held the bowl and chopsticks and looked at Liu innocently.
She hadn't seen her elder sister for a long time. In her memory, her elder sister's embrace was warm. She would hold her in her arms when she slept. She said she would protect her and her mother...
Liu wiped the corner of Erya's mouth. Since she had not given birth to a son, she was not even qualified to sit at the table. As a result, Erya could only eat at the stove with a bowl in her hands.
When she heard her mention Daya, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. It was obvious that she was looking forward to that day. She had already prepared a birthday gift for Daya.
My mother-in-law had told me before that if I behaved well, she would tell me which noble man's house Erya was sold to. Unfortunately, her pregnancy wasn't going well at all, and there was no movement...
Apart from this, Liu felt that she managed the household well inside and out and there was nothing wrong with her.
"Yes, I will bring Erya with me to see my sister then." Erya has grown a lot taller, and Daya must have grown a lot taller too!
"Yeah." Thinking that she would see her sister soon, Erya couldn't help but smile.
After everyone at the table finished their meal, some washed up and some rested. Mrs. Liu didn't even bother to clean up the table. She ran to Old Lady Liu and said, "Mom, aren't we being too radical? What if the money they made was earned through honest means?"
When Old Lady Liu heard this, her face turned dark. Her good suggestion was recognized by everyone in the family.
She was so happy now! She was already planning how to turn the Pei family upside down. Liu's words were like a bucket of cold water, and all her excitement disappeared.
Her aged voice was filled with dissatisfaction. "From a legitimate source? The Pei family only has one young man. Even if he's very capable, how much money can he make? Tell me, did they earn the money to open the restaurant through legitimate means?"
Seeing Old Lady Liu's sullen face, Mrs. Liu no longer dared to persuade her. She could only swallow back what she wanted to say and said, "No, mother... I'm just worried about you. What if you get tricked by the Pei family?"
"Don't worry about it. I will make the Pei family look bad tomorrow!" Old Mrs. Liu couldn't hear anything he said. She had already imagined the scene of winning.
Seeing her mother-in-law in a good mood, Liu hesitated for a while before finally asking the question that had been lingering in her heart. "Mother, Daya's birthday is in a few days. It's almost a year away, and I want to go see her. Can you tell me which nobleman's house Daya went to?"
A flash of awkwardness and guilt flashed across the smug old lady Liu's eyes. She said impatiently, "Ask, ask, ask, all you do is ask! Daya is well fed and clothed now, there's no need for you to worry about her. If you have this intention, you might as well work harder and give birth to a grandson for our Liu family first!"
"Oh, our Liu family is so miserable. Why did the eldest brother marry a hen like you who can't lay eggs?"
After being scolded, Liu lowered her head more and more, and hated herself for not being able to give birth to a boy.
Old Mrs. Liu successfully evaded the topic. Seeing her daughter-in-law's cowering and aggrieved look, she was very satisfied. The girl had been sold. She was not a member of their Liu family. What was the point of asking such a question?
Later she would have to talk to the eldest brother and ask him to discipline his daughter-in-law who was so tactless and couldn't lay eggs, so that she wouldn't have to keep repeating Daya's name in her ears every day, which would make her annoyed.
And she didn't lie. If Daya works harder, she will never have to worry about food and clothing!
——————
Because of Ji Zhisui's words, Zhou Yayi changed the direction of his investigation and began to investigate the people inside Jinyutang.
The owner of Jinyutang is in Huizhou city, and most of the business in Qizhou county is managed by Manager Yao. Jinyutang's store is not small, with more than a dozen waiters and helpers.
The yamen runner Zhou didn't notice anything unusual about the dozen or so people. Instead, he noticed Shopkeeper Yao. His son was a gambler and was said to have owed the gambling house a lot of money. What's more, Shopkeeper Yao's father used to be a shadow puppeteer...
All these facts and coincidences seem to point to one thing: the missing jewelry from Jin Yu Tang may be related to Manager Yao or his son!
Zhou, the yamen runner, took several other yamen runners to the house of Manager Yao.
Here, Shopkeeper Yao packed up his son's valuables, including Jin Yu Tang's jewelry. He urged him repeatedly, "The county government has uncovered a number of clues. Take these things with you and go back to hide. I'll cover up for you here!"
"You better stay hidden for the time being, and don't come out. When you come out, don't go to the gambling house!"
Under the strong questioning of Manager Yao, he realized that it was his own son who knocked him out that night, and that the black figure was also an illusion created by his son in order to confuse the yamen runners.
His son was addicted to gambling and owed a lot of money. Every time, Manager Yao would use his own savings to make up for the debt.
But the speed at which he made money could not keep up with the speed at which his son lost money. This time he actually lost one hundred taels of silver!
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