Chapter 13 Confrontation
"Then let me ask you, how much did I deduct from the allowance? How did you deduct from the food? How can you prove that what I bought were fake?" Xu Qingyan sat calmly and asked them three questions in a light-hearted manner.
At this time, Steward Zhou, who was kneeling beside him, felt something was amiss. Before the second wife could speak, he hurriedly said, "Madam, they all know it now. Don't try to argue. This month is obviously different from last month. Everyone can notice it."
"Really? Butler Zhou, do you dare to bring all those account books out for everyone to see?" Upon hearing this, Xu Qingyan raised her eyebrows at Zhou Yi.
When Butler Zhou saw this, he couldn't help but feel nervous and said with a wry smile, "Not everyone can read this account book, especially since the Madam has already seen it."
He couldn't help but think, "How can I let the people from the second house look at this account book?"
"In that case, I will check the account book with you to see what is going on. What do you think?" Xu Qingyan looked at everyone seriously.
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment when they heard this, but they felt that there was nothing wrong with Xu Qingyan's words. However, Xu Qingyue couldn't help but have a bad premonition, and when she wanted to stop it, she couldn't find a suitable reason.
Seeing that no one objected, Xu Qingyan asked, "You say the bird's nest is fake, but do you have any evidence?"
When Xu Qingyan asked this, the people in the second house immediately became angry. The second house's daughter-in-law Qin said, "The bird's nests we had before were all top-quality bird's nests from He'antang. The ones sent this month taste terrible, and we don't know where they came from. We couldn't even swallow them. The bird's nests are still in the house. If you don't believe me, you can take them and have a look."
"No need, I believe what you say." Xu Qingyan spoke out to stop them.
Xu Qingyan's words surprised Qin. Xu Qingyan smiled calmly, walked up to the Duke's wife, and said to her respectfully, "Mother, may I take a look at the account book again?"
The Duchess's wife naturally agreed and asked someone to hand her the account book.
Xu Qingyan flipped through the pages and asked, "How many times a month can you get bird's nests? And how much is the monthly salary?"
After hearing this, Qin answered truthfully, "Four times a month, and one more time during festivals. For someone like me, the monthly salary is about ten taels."
"Your monthly salary has increased this month, did you know that? And you can get bird's nest eight times a month, but you don't know all this?" Xu Qingyan said in surprise.
"Ah...what did you say?" Qin was stunned when she heard Xu Qingyan's words.
At this time, the housekeeper Zhou who was kneeling beside him was frightened by Xu Qingyan's words and broke into a cold sweat. It was not until this moment that he understood what the wife of the prince wanted to do. It turned out that she was pretending that day. Not only could she read and count, but she also understood the market situation and was very smart. It's over... I'm afraid he's really going to be finished this time!
"This account book clearly records that you receive bird's nests six times a month, and it has been like this for the past six months. As for the monthly silver, it used to be fifteen taels per month, but now it is eighteen taels." Xu Qingyan said nonchalantly.
After she finished speaking, everyone was shocked and could not accept it, especially Qin, who immediately retorted: "How is this possible? My monthly salary has always been ten taels, let alone eighteen taels. I have never even seen fifteen taels. The bird's nest has only been given four times a month in the past year, but it was only twice before!"
Xu Qingyan couldn't help but curl her lips slightly when she heard that, and continued: "I have only drunk bird's nest four times this month. I have never eaten bird's nest before, so I can't tell whether it is good or bad. But Housekeeper Zhou said that we are the Duke's Mansion, and the food, clothing and daily necessities are all the best. But I am not used to eating that bird's nest. I still haven't touched the one from yesterday! Come on, go to my room and bring the bird's nest to Sister Qin to see. Is it the same as An Tang's bird's nest?"
After a while, the maid brought the bird's nest from Xu Qingyan's room to Qin.
Qin took a look and said disdainfully: "How could this bird's nest be from He'antang? It's so inferior!"
"No, you..." Qin said, and suddenly felt something was wrong, then looked at Xu Qingyan in surprise.
Xu Qingyan chuckled and said, "If I, the head of the family, was corrupt, then why would I eat this kind of bird's nest? Moreover, I have only been the head of the family for a little over a month, but your bird's nest and monthly salary are not right, but there has been a problem for at least half a year. Could it be that you have been corrupted in the past?"
As soon as Xu Qingyan said this, those who were questioning were instantly silenced.
Who dares to say that? Half a year ago, the power of the household was in the hands of the Duke's wife. No matter what, the Duke's wife would never embezzle. If she wanted to reduce their share, she could just give the order and no one would dare to stop her.
At this time, the Duke's wife naturally understood the reason, and even thought of a deeper problem. Since she became the housekeeper, few people came to her to complain about the food or the monthly salary. She looked at the account books and found that they were all normal expenses. She didn't think there was anything wrong, so she didn't check it carefully.
When she thought that the normal expenses were that the second and third rooms could receive bird's nest eight times a month, as well as about 15 taels of silver per month, and extra benefits on weekdays, they did not enjoy them. Moreover, those people in the second room even felt that they were satisfied with having bird's nest four times a month, and never thought that they could have more? If Qingyan hadn't pointed it out, I'm afraid they would have been kept in the dark. This housekeeper Zhou has been an old man in the Duke's Mansion for more than ten years, and the account books have all been in his hands for more than ten years.
Thinking of this, the wife of the Duke's face suddenly darkened. She ordered people to hold down the housekeeper Zhou and angrily shouted, "You are so good, Zhou Yi. I didn't expect you to have falsified accounts all these years. Come, arrest him. Tell me the truth, how much money have you embezzled? If you return all the money you have embezzled over the years, I will still spare your life. Otherwise... I'm afraid you won't even have enough head to chop off!"
"Please spare my life, madam. I was just confused for a moment. Please spare my life!" Butler Zhou knelt on the ground and begged for mercy in fear.
"Don't ask, he won't admit it, and there is no money to be returned. After all, the embezzled money has long been in Liu Rumeng's hands, and he is also tightly controlled by Liu Rumeng. Even if you want to kill him, he will never say a word." Xu Qingyan looked at Butler Zhou who was kneeling on the ground begging for mercy, and complained in her heart.
The reason why she was able to successfully prove her innocence was that, firstly, she was able to understand the account book and found something strange in it; secondly, she went to the kitchen and found something wrong after asking, so she made full preparations.
The most important thing is that she has read books and knows that Butler Zhou is Liu Rumeng's bootlicker. He is very loyal. In the past ten years, he has made a lot of money for Liu Rumeng in the Duke's Mansion. He regards Liu Rumeng as more important than his own life.
Liu Rumeng? When the Duke's wife heard Xu Qingyan's inner complaints, she was shocked. It turned out that the seemingly peaceful Concubine Liu was actually related to all this. She really didn't see it!
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