As the morning sun shone on the eaves of the general's mansion, Chen Weiwan, along with Chuntao and several strong and sturdy maids, rushed towards Liu's courtyard. Liu was applying her makeup in front of the mirror when she saw the group of people rushing in. She was so scared that her rouge dropped to the ground.
"Wanwan? What are you doing?" Liu pretended to be calm, but her nails dug into her palms.
"Aunt," Shen Weiwan smiled with her eyebrows curved, shaking the account book in her hand, "a corner of the warehouse beam collapsed last night, and the housekeeper said it would cost three hundred taels to repair it."
Liu's heart trembled: "The warehouse collapsed? How come I haven't heard about it..."
"I'm here to discuss this with you," Shen Weiwan put the account book on the table, "the treasury is out of money, do you think we can use your monthly allowance to make up for it first?"
"From my monthly allowance?" Liu screamed, "Chen Weiwan, what do you mean! The treasury belongs to the general's mansion, why are they using my money?"
"Auntie, have you forgotten?" Shen Weiwan tilted her head and pretended to be innocent. "Last time you said the treasury had no money to pay the monthly salary, and it was me who led everyone to borrow money from you. Now the treasury needs to be repaired. As an elder, shouldn't you take the lead and set an example?"
Liu was choked and speechless, her face flushed red. Last time Shen Weiwan brought her servants to borrow money, she had already paid five hundred taels, and now she's asking again?
"I don't have any money!" Liu stood up suddenly. "I don't have any money, but I have my life!"
"Aunt, please don't," Shen Weiwan sighed and winked at the maid behind her, "Since Aunt has no money, then use something to pawn it. The housekeeper said that the jade Guanyin in your room is quite valuable. Pawn it to me first and redeem it when the treasury has money."
"You dare!" Liu rushed forward to protect the Jade Guanyin on the altar, but was stopped by two old women.
Chen Weiwan picked up the Jade Guanyin and looked at it against the light: "Well, it's of good quality. I estimate it can be worth two hundred taels. The remaining one hundred taels..." She glanced around the room, her eyes landing on Liu's dressing table, "I'll use your set of red gold headgear to pay for it."
"No! That's my dowry!" Liu was so anxious that she jumped up and down, but was held back by the old women.
"The dowry also belongs to the general's mansion," Shen Weiwan picked up the headgear and weighed it. "Besides, didn't my aunt say she wanted to prepare a dowry for my cousin? I think you don't mind borrowing it first, right?"
Liu watched helplessly as her beloved things were packed up, shaking with anger: "Chen Weiwan! You are robbing!"
"You can't say that," Shen Weiwan handed the things to Chuntao, "This is called mortgage. When the warehouse has money, I will redeem it." She walked to the door and turned back to add, "By the way, aunt, remember to prepare next month's monthly allowance in advance. The warehouse still needs to repair the windows."
After Shen Weiwan left, Liu collapsed on the ground, looking at the empty dressing table, wanting to cry but unable to. She had spent a huge sum of money to buy the Jade Guanyin, and the red gold headpiece was her favorite, but now it was all taken away by Shen Weiwan.
"Madam," Lu'e asked cautiously, "are we really out of money?"
"No money?" Liu stood up suddenly, "Go and get the pair of jade bracelets that I have kept at the bottom of the box!" She just didn't believe that Shen Weiwan could squeeze her dry!
However, she didn't expect that Shen Weiwan's "exploitation" had just begun.
The next day, Shen Weiwan came again with people, this time for the floor tiles in the warehouse.
"Aunt, look at these floor tiles," Shen Weiwan pointed at the account book, "they're cracked. We need to replace them with blue bricks, which will cost another two hundred taels."
Liu looked at the old woman behind Shen Weiwan and was so scared that she handed the jade bracelet over directly: "Here you go! All for you! Don't come again!"
Shen Weiwan took the bracelet and smiled even sweeter: "Aunt is so generous. But this bracelet is estimated to be one hundred and fifty taels, and there is still fifty taels short..." She looked at Liu's bed, "Your bed is nice, can you lend it to me first?"
"Chen Weiwan!" Liu almost fainted, "You want to dismantle my bed?"
"It's not demolition, it's mortgage," Shen Weiwan waved her hand, "I will definitely return it to you when the warehouse has money."
For the next two weeks, Shen Weiwan borrowed money from Liu Shi for various reasons: money for leaking warehouses, wages, and even fertilizer for flowers. Liu Shi's jewelry became scarcer, her monthly allowance was deducted to the point of being almost gone, and she lost a lot of weight.
That day, Shen Weiwan came again with people, this time for the door lock of the warehouse.
"Aunt," Shen Weiwan shook the account book, "the door lock is broken and needs to be replaced with a new one. Fifty taels."
Liu looked at Shen Weiwan and suddenly laughed, tears streaming down her face. "Shen Weiwan, don't you just want to squeeze me dry? Okay, I'll give it to you!" She suddenly tore open her clothes, revealing a gold and jade belt inside. "This is my last valuable thing, I'll give it to you!"
Shen Weiwan took the belt and frowned: "Aunt, why are you doing this? The treasury will naturally return it to you when there is money."
"Also?" Liu laughed even harder. "I think you want to bankrupt me!"
"Auntie, you're joking," Shen Weiwan put away her belt, "I'm just following the rules. By the way, remember to prepare the warehouse repair fee for next month."
After Shen Weiwan left, Liu looked at the empty room and finally couldn't help crying. She had worked hard for so many years, and before she could even warm up the money she had embezzled, she was cheated out of so much by Shen Weiwan. Now she didn't even have a decent piece of jewelry.
"Madam," Lu'e came in with a bowl of porridge, "please eat something."
"What are you eating!" Liu overturned the porridge bowl, "I'm not done with that little bitch Chen Weiwan!"
At this moment, a voice came from outside the door: "His Royal Highness the Seventh Prince is here!"
Liu was stunned. Why would the Seventh Prince come? She quickly tidied her clothes and went out to greet him.
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