The Wei family's courtyard was now as bright as daylight due to the torches. Groups of people gathered around the warehouse. The noisy voices, sharp quarrels and heavy footsteps intertwined together, like a chaotic melody.
The officers and soldiers, holding weapons and with serious expressions, walked back and forth around the warehouse. The shining swords and guns flashed coldly under the firelight, making the scene even more tense and depressing.
The sounds of Su Huaiyue and Wei Che confronting the officers and soldiers came from the warehouse, attracting the surrounding maids and guests who had not left to look in, wanting to find out what was going on.
The crowd surged like a tide, with occasional exclamations or whispers coming from time to time, and everyone's face was filled with curiosity and nervousness.
Yan Shu stood calmly in a corner not far from the warehouse.
The surrounding noise seemed to be isolated by an invisible barrier, with only the occasional cold breeze blowing, gently ruffling the hem of his clothes.
Yan Shu was wearing a moon-white brocade robe. The fabric was of high-quality and shone with a soft luster in the dim light, but it did not add any worldly air to him.
He stands tall and straight, as independent as a pine tree.
His sword-like eyebrows slanted into his temples, his eyes were deep and dark, and he was gazing calmly at the warehouse in the distance. His cold expression seemed as if all the chaos before him had nothing to do with him.
He stood with his hands behind his back. The hand holding the folding fan had distinct joints and was as white as jade, but there was no warmth in it.
The servant next to Yan Shu was short and stood timidly, with a look of fear in his eyes.
He stole a glance at Yan Shu's face and said cautiously, "Sir, the coachman is waiting outside. Should we go?" Yan Shu did not respond immediately. He still looked quietly in the direction of the warehouse, as if he was lost in some kind of thought.
After a moment, he narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze still fixed on the chaotic warehouse, and asked nonchalantly, "Where is the girl who escaped from Liu Yun Pavilion last time?"
His voice was low and cold, and it was particularly clear in this noisy night.
The servant was stunned for a moment, somewhat bewildered by Yan Shu's sudden question, but he still quickly replied, "My lord, he's locked up in the woodshed."
Yan Shu raised his eyebrows slightly, this extremely slight movement seemed to contain endless profound meaning, and the corners of his mouth curved up in a subtle arc that was hard to grasp: "Now go quickly and come back, and bring that girl here."
His tone was calm, yet filled with unquestionable authority.
The servant didn't dare to ask more questions. He just answered and left in a hurry. His steps were so hurried that he almost tripped over a stone on the ground.
Yan Shu still stood there with a cold expression, as if the whole world was beyond his control and he was just a passerby watching coldly.
Inside the warehouse, candlelight flickered, and shadows shuffled eerily across the walls, heightening the tense atmosphere. Su Huaiyue and Wei Che stood side by side, facing the soldiers with solemn expressions.
The officers and soldiers sat at the table, their brows twisted into the shape of a "川" character, their eyes fixed on the account book in their hands, as if they wanted to find a hole in it.
The magnifying glass in his hand moved slowly across the account book, not missing any strokes, and he made a "tsk tsk" sound from time to time.
As the comparison deepened, his expression grew darker, and the veins on his forehead bulged slightly, like a volcano about to erupt.
Su Huaiyue was the first to break the silence. She looked at the officers and soldiers with a firm gaze, pointing to the account book on the table that was regarded as "evidence" and said, "Sir, this account book is obviously not the original one of our Meiyan Pavilion. If you look closely, the handwriting on it is all new, the ink is thick and black, and it still has a glossy feeling. It is obviously written recently.
Meiyan Pavilion has been operating for a long time, and their account books are frequently reviewed. Even if the account records were newly recorded, they would never be so pristine. Therefore, this account book must have been secretly replaced by someone."
Her tone was firm and her eyes revealed unquestionable confidence.
Upon hearing this, the officer sneered disdainfully, his eyes filled with contempt. "Hmph, you say that so lightly. Isn't it obvious that you, Meiyan Pavilion, are guilty of your crimes? You cooked the accounts yourself, and fearing being discovered, you've come up with this story to confuse the public."
As he spoke, he crossed his arms over his chest, leaned back slightly, and put on a superior attitude.
Wei Che frowned and took a step forward. His tone was calm but with a hint of anger. "Sir, what you said is really unfair. Our Wei family has always been law-abiding, and the business of Meiyan Pavilion is also in line with the rules. You concluded that we were cooking the books based solely on this account book that appeared out of nowhere. This is really unfair."
He stared at the officers and soldiers, trying to convey his sincerity and helplessness with his eyes.
The officer remained unmoved. He reached out and grabbed the account book, shaking it vigorously. "Humph, the evidence is right in front of you, and you still dare to quibble! Then let me see whose handwriting is on this account book."
As he spoke, he picked up a pen from the table, wrote a few words casually on a piece of paper, and compared it with the handwriting in the account book.
After a long time, the officer finally couldn't suppress the "anger" in his heart. He snorted coldly and slammed the account book on the table. With a loud "bang", the candlelight on the table shook a few times.
"Humph, what else do you have to say? The handwriting on this altered account is exactly the same as the previous one. It's clearly your own fake account made by the Wei family!"
His eyes were wide open with unquestionable certainty, and he poked the account book hard with his fingers, as if he wanted to poke a hole in it.
Su Huaiyue's heart skipped a beat, as if a huge rock had suddenly fallen down, but she quickly calmed herself down.
She raised her chin slightly, straightened her back, and looked the officer in the eye with a firm gaze. Her voice was crisp but steady: "Sir, please don't worry. When I went to the county government office a few days ago, I found someone imitating my handwriting. So this time, we must have been framed. I hope you can cooperate with us to investigate thoroughly before making a decision."
As she spoke, she spread her hands slightly, trying to show her honesty through such body language.
Her eyes revealed sincerity and eagerness, hoping to impress the somewhat stubborn officer in front of her.
Wei Che narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze deep and steady.
After a brief silence, he took a step forward, his posture upright yet with just the right amount of humility.
"That's right, sir." His voice was low and steady, each word clear and powerful. "Since its founding, Meiyan Pavilion has always upheld the principle of operating with integrity, providing high-quality beauty products to the people of Youzhou. We are well aware of the importance of reputation, so how could we destroy our own reputation by engaging in such foolish acts as falsifying accounts?"
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