Soon, everyone in the clan school gathered here. Tang Shirong was sweating from anxiety, but he suppressed his anger and told the story again.
The steward frowned and asked him, "How much silver is in the silk bag?"
Tang Junchen answered, "Ten taels."
The steward glanced at him and asked, "How do you know?"
Tang Junchen had no choice but to repeat what Tang Shiyue had asked him to tell him. The steward snorted, "Are you serious? Have you opened the silk package and taken a look?"
Tang Junchen finally heard something wrong. It was clear from the steward's words that he didn't believe this matter. He thought that Tang Shirong was putting on an act to shirk responsibility for the tuition!
Tang Junchen was furious and clenched his fists, saying, "Although I didn't open the silk bag to look, I could still find out what it was. And now that the cabinet has been pried open, even the silk bag is gone, and the money that A Rong had saved is also gone. So, shouldn't we go find the thief now?"
The steward frowned. He asked, "Why don't you keep the valuables with you?"
Tang Shirong blushed and lowered his head without answering. The manager was even more suspicious: "I don't believe that you didn't keep the ten taels of silver on you. Can you explain it to me?"
Tang Shirong was forced into a corner and whispered, "My sleeve pocket is torn, so I never carry valuables with me." He gritted his teeth and turned over his sleeve pocket to show him, his handsome face flushed with embarrassment.
...
...
The steward took a quick look and finally believed it. He tutted in disdain and then turned around and asked, "Did anyone come out when the teacher was teaching?"
Of course, some people would go to the toilet during the morning, but the dormitory was a little far from the lecture hall, and it would take at least an incense stick of time to go back and forth. After a lot of discussion, everyone still felt that no one had the time.
The steward pinched his chin and thought for a while, then suddenly thought of something: "Wait! Did anyone know that you put the silver in the cabinet?"
Tang Shirong and Tang Junchen were both stunned. Everyone was also stunned.
The steward didn't expect that his words could have such a good effect. He immediately became proud and raised his voice, "Everyone knows that your family is poor. Even if there are thieves who sneak in, they won't steal from you. Everyone else should go back to the dormitory and check if anything is missing."
Upon hearing this, everyone went back to their cells to look, then came back one after another and said that there was nothing there.
The steward sneered: "This kind of thing has never happened in the Tang clan school. Why did it happen to you today? Before the holiday, you said you had no money to pay the tuition and asked me to give you a few days. But after you went home, your sister gave you money, but you refused it. She asked Tang Junchen to give it to you. Then, by coincidence, the money was lost again. When you came back, no one else saw it. From beginning to end, only the two of you knew about it!" He glared and roared: "How come you are the only one who has been caught up with all the clever people in the world! Tell me!"
After he said this, everyone found it very strange and started talking about it.
Tang Shirong's face flushed red, and he said in a steady voice, "Steward, my family is in a difficult situation. I have saved more than 900 coins. I will have enough tomorrow after I finish copying this book. That's why I didn't accept the money from my sister. Only Achen and I knew about this. I don't know why it was stolen by others. But I read the books of sages, and I will never lie to others, let alone cheat. I hope Steward Tang will understand."
Tang Junchen also said: "Manager Tang, I did hand the silver to A Rong myself. I guarantee it with my life."
The steward half believed and half doubted, looked the two up and down, snorted and said: "But no one has returned to the cell halfway, is it possible that a thief who is high and mighty could jump over the wall and steal your ten taels of silver?"
Tang Junchen asked, "Can we report this to the police?"
Behind the crowd, Tang Shijin rolled his eyes and felt a little flustered.
"Absolutely not!" The steward refused without hesitation: "If we report this matter to the authorities, how will the reputation of our Tang Clan Ancestral School be saved!"
Tang Shirong said, "Ten taels of silver is not a small matter. Could you please check the bag of my classmate? I think that person should not have had time to send it out."
"Yes!" Tang Junchen's eyes lit up: "Maybe even the silk bag is still there! The silk bag is apricot yellow, only outlined, not embroidered, it can be recognized at a glance!"
This is possible. Although body searches are humiliating, it is obvious that we are in a difficult situation, so it is not a bad idea to search them. The steward glanced at everyone and hesitated.
At this moment, Tang Shijin stepped forward and frowned, saying, "Arong, don't make too much trouble! If you do this, you will treat your classmates as thieves!"
Tang Shirong glanced at him and said, "Brother, I naturally don't believe that there would be thieves among my classmates, but my money was stolen, so I have to believe it."
"That's right," Tang Junchen said, "There is a thief hiding among our classmates. We can all feel more at ease if we find him out sooner! Otherwise, who knows if he will strike again!"
Everyone couldn't help but fall silent.
That's true. In fact, more than half of the students attending the clan school are from poor families. The truly rich young masters would never come to such a second-rate private school. Ten taels of silver is indeed not a small sum of money for them.
Tang Shijin scolded, "You are still making trouble! Others may not understand your family's situation, but don't I know it? Where are you going to find ten taels of silver?" He paused, softened his voice, and said quickly, "Forget it, Manager Tang, I will pay A Rong's tuition for this month."
Of course, for the manager, less trouble is better than more trouble. When the manager heard this, he immediately smiled and said, "Ah Jin is really straightforward and generous! That's it, let's go, I'll take you to hand it in! We still have classes in the afternoon, let's go!"
Tang Shirong was stunned at first, then he became anxious: "Wait! Manager, this matter shouldn't be handled like this! It involves everyone's reputation, how can you just let it go like this?"
"Arong already has money!" Tang Junchen also said: "Ten taels of silver, if we get them back, it can cover several months of tuition! What's the point of letting it go like this!"
Tang Shijin frowned and said, "I don't have much money on hand, so I can only reluctantly pay you this month's tuition. Do you want me to give you another ten taels of silver?"
Someone nearby also said, "Ah Jin is willing to help you, he is doing this out of justice, why are you still relying on him!"
"Still calculating the ten taels of silver!"
"You are so greedy!"
"It's clear that these two are in cahoots with each other..."
Tang Shirong chased for a few steps, but seeing that the situation was irreversible, he had to grit his teeth and stop, feeling extremely aggrieved.
Tang Junchen actually has good relationships with people, but he just can't stand Tang Shijin's group and doesn't have a good relationship with them. Those who have a good relationship with them don't dare to offend them and can only wait until they leave and say a few words of comfort.
Tang Shirong gritted her teeth and clenched her fists tightly, thinking about what Tang Shiyue said when she returned home, and thinking about how she was just a little child who rushed into the fire to save people for only twenty taels of silver. This was the money she earned by working hard... and it was gone in such an unclear way.
Tang Junchen sent those people away, then turned around and paced back and forth. After hesitating for a long time, he whispered, "A Rong, I have a... despicable guess."
Tang Shirong understood what he meant almost instantly.
He suddenly remembered that Tang Shijin came into the lecture hall very late in the morning, at least half an incense stick later than them. He had just sat down when the teacher came in.
But he had no evidence.
Moreover, Tang Shijin helped him, so if he guessed wrong, it would be really despicable.
Tang Junchen whispered: "A Rong, what should we do now?"
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