As Liu was forcibly taken from the Prime Minister's residence, and the carriage slowly pulled out of the gate, the servants throughout the residence seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. In the past, due to Liu's cunning and oppressive power, everyone in the residence had been extremely cautious and treading on thin ice. Now that she was finally gone, a sense of relief seemed to permeate the air of the Prime Minister's residence. However, Su Jinli did not let this make her slack off. She knew that Liu had been in the Prime Minister's residence for many years and had planted many confidants. If not thoroughly eliminated, they would eventually become a hidden danger.
That day, sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices, spilling into the courtyard of the Prime Minister's residence. Su Jinli sat in the hall, her expression calm. She instructed Lingge to summon all of Liu's trusted associates, announcing a reassignment of duties within the mansion. Soon, a group of servants trembled as they entered the hall and knelt before Su Jinli. Nanny Zhou, trembling like a sieve, knelt at the front, her head bowed, not daring to meet Su Jinli's eyes.
Su Jinli slowly stood up and walked around the crowd with light yet steady steps. Her eyes, sharp as an eagle, swept across everyone's face. Finally, she stopped in front of a slightly plump woman in charge of the storehouse. This person was none other than Madam Liu. Su Jinli frowned slightly. Although her voice was not loud, it exuded an unquestionable majesty: "Madam Liu, let me ask you, two bolts of tribute satin were missing from the storehouse last month. How is the investigation going?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Liu's face instantly turned as pale as paper, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. She trembled as she replied, "Ms. Ma'am, we haven't found anything yet... We've been trying hard to find it, but... it's as if this tribute satin has vanished into thin air. We really have no clue where it is."
"Nothing?" Su Jinli's lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of a sneer. She slowly picked up an account book, casually flipped it open, and scanned it with her eyes. Then she said, "But it clearly states here that Liu instructed you to deliver the tribute satin to the Lin Mansion last month. What's wrong? Did I remember it wrongly?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Liu was terrified. She fell to her knees with a plop, kowtowed repeatedly, her forehead hitting the ground with a dull thud. Tears streamed down her face as she cried, "Miss, please spare me! It was Madam Liu who forced me to do this! She threatened to report my son to the authorities for stealing if I didn't obey her. I had no choice but to do this against my conscience. Please, please, spare me this time!"
Su Jinli looked at Madam Liu, who was kneeling on the ground and begging desperately, and a trace of pity welled up in her heart. She sighed softly and said, "Well, considering this is your first offense, I can forgive you. You can go to the farm and grow vegetables. It will be a place to settle down. From now on, take care of yourself." After saying this, she slowly turned around, glanced at the other servants, and raised her voice a few degrees: "What about you? Do you want to go to the farm and grow vegetables like her, or do you want to tell the truth honestly? Don't be so optimistic. I know everything you have done."
The servants looked at each other, their eyes filled with fear and hesitation. Finally, in the suffocating silence, one of the maids couldn't help but speak up. "Miss, Madam Liu has asked us to monitor your every move and report your whereabouts and words to her every week. We are forced to do this. Please spare my life, Miss."
As soon as these words came out, it was like a flood that broke through the dam. The other servants also spoke up, telling the story of everything Liu had instructed them to do. Su Jinli listened quietly, her expression becoming increasingly solemn. After an incense stick of time, the servants' confessions gradually stopped, and the hall fell silent again. Su Jinli looked at the servants trembling in front of her, with mixed feelings in her heart. She turned and said to Su Xiang, who had been sitting and observing silently, "Dad, everything has been handled."
Prime Minister Su looked at the densely packed names on the account book, feeling annoyed and rubbing his brow. He looked at Su Jinli, his eyes filled with guilt and love, and said slowly, "Thank you for your hard work, Li'er. I'm sorry you've been wronged over the years." He paused, pulled a silver note from his sleeve pocket, and handed it to Su Jinli. "This is a shop left by your grandfather, and now it's returned to its original owner. If you have any ideas or want to do anything in the future, Dad will fully support you."
Su Jinli took the banknote and saw the deep guilt and love in her father's eyes. A warm feeling surged in her heart. She tilted her head slightly, a bright smile on her lips, and said, "Dad, I want to open a bookstore and call it 'Jinyun Bookstore'. I want more people to read good books and spread knowledge and culture."
"Okay!" Su Xiang laughed heartily upon hearing this, his eyes filled with satisfaction. "Dad will find you the best shopkeeper and the most capable assistants, and will definitely help you run this bookstore prosperously."
At this moment, Jiang Yan's servant hurried into the hall, holding a letter in his hand. He handed the letter to Su Jinli respectfully and said, "Miss Su, this is a letter my master asked me to deliver."
Su Jinli frowned slightly, a hint of curiosity welling up in her heart. She took the letter, gently unfolded it, and quickly scanned the paper. It read: "Minister Lin's silk and satin shop has been closed down, and Brother Liu has been sentenced to exile. Also, the Empress Dowager has heard that you are decisive and intelligent in handling household affairs, so she has asked you to enter the palace tomorrow to learn the art of managing a household."
After reading the letter, Su Jinli pondered that the Queen Mother's move must be both a test and a recognition of her. She looked up and said to Lingge, "Lingge, prepare the horses. Tomorrow morning, I will enter the palace to see the Queen Mother." Lingge obeyed and hurried away. Su Jinli looked at the letter in her hands, feeling both anticipation and a tinge of worry. She knew that entering the palace to meet the Emperor and learn the ropes of household management meant entering a more complex world and facing more challenges. But she was undaunted. She firmly believed that with her wisdom and courage, she would be able to navigate the situation and create a more secure future for herself and her family.
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