Zhou Zheng and Zheng Quan turned pale as soon as they heard.
Zhou Zheng, in particular, staggered to his feet and walked out, "I need to go check the warehouse!"
Before Wang Dahai disappeared, if someone had told him that the shipping invoices from the warehouse would go missing, he would certainly have dismissed it with a scoff. But now, his experiences had taught him not to trust anything, not to guarantee anything!
He was terrified of any discrepancies between the accounts and reality—what was recorded in the warehouse books might have long since been missing in reality.
Even if Song Jiyun managed to copy another shipping invoice from the Imperial Kiln Factory, the real disaster would strike if the Song Family Kiln Factory had no goods to supply the Imperial Kiln Factory!
Song Jiyun didn’t stop him.
The porcelain sent to the Imperial Kiln Factory was the best of the best, sometimes taking one or two years to produce.
If the warehouse records did not match the actual inventory, even if they wanted to reproduce an identical piece to make up for the shortfall, it would most likely be impossible.
She said, "I’m going with you."
Zheng Quan couldn’t help looking towards the altar, "But what about this place..."
"There’s still mother and two younger sisters," interrupted Song Jiyun, "Without clearing things up, we would be like headless flies blindly rushing around."
Zheng Quan didn’t understand.
Song Jiyun did not bother to explain further to him, but simply called Nanny Zheng over to whisper some instructions, then went with Zhou Zheng and Zheng Quan to the Song Family Warehouse near Changjiang Wharf.
No sooner had she taken a seat in the warehouse’s accounting room than Xiang Yang and Song Li hurried over upon hearing the news.
Xiang Yang even said, "Miss, you could have just ordered us to do whatever you needed, why come here in person?"
As he spoke, he looked at Zhou Zheng with dissatisfaction and asked, "Does madam know you’ve come here?"
Song Jiyun left Zhou Zheng with the subordinates brought by Xiang Yang and Song Li, kept the two men with her, and informed them of what had happened.
Both men, like Zhou Zheng, paled with fright.
Song Li even cursed out loud, "That Wang fellow, if he wants to die, he should die alone, how can he drag us all down with him! Miss, such people can’t stay in our kiln factory any longer."
As if Wang Dahai were still alive.
Song Jiyun glanced at him.
Xiang Yang, clearly more composed than Song Li, said, "Miss, now is not the time to pursue these matters. I’ll help too, let’s first make sense of what’s in the warehouse."
Song Jiyun nodded, "Send someone to inform Master Luo as well. Have him bring a few trustworthy individuals too. None of the current warehouse staff can be relied upon."
Xiang Yang immediately sent one of his apprentices to call for Luo Zixing.
Song Li, somewhat embarrassed, asked, "Miss, do you have any other orders?"
Song Jiyun said, "I already had someone seal up the warehouse. No one is allowed to leave until the inventory is finished. Tell this to your apprentices. If they feel wronged, they should bear with it for now. Once this matter is over, there will naturally be rewards according to their contributions. But if anyone disobeys, don’t blame me for turning my back on them."
Song Li felt like this was a warning directed at him and, though discontent, said nothing.
The porcelain in the warehouse was of critical importance; if anything went wrong, he wouldn’t get off lightly either.
He couldn’t help but curse Wang Dahai again in his mind.
Song Jiyun hadn’t expected Song Li to hold back.
She had been prepared to make an example out of someone.
Now, it remained to be seen who would be that example!
An hour later, Luo Zixing arrived in a hurry.
Looking at the bustling warehouse, he pushed aside the curtain of the accounting room and burst in.
Song Jiyun was checking the account books with Zhou Zheng when she saw him, she sneaked a glance at Luo Zixing amidst her busyness, yet her hands kept moving the abacus beads, saying, "The people you requested should have informed you, right? Any news from the Yamen?"
Luo Zixing was momentarily distracted.
He had the deepest personal friendship with Song Youliang. Song Youliang often spoke in his ear about how capable Song Jiyun was, but he thought it was just a father’s loving exaggeration. However, watching Song Jiyun’s clean and delicate fingers move the dark beads of the abacus so swiftly, he suddenly felt that what Song Youliang said might not have been merely a father’s affection.
"They did!" he murmured, "There is no news from the County Yamen. Madam Wong is wholeheartedly devoted to her husband and son; she knows nothing about Wong Dahai’s external affairs. Wong Dahai neither kept a concubine nor squandered money, the salary paid by the owner was brought back home to the last cent. Madam Wong is convinced that Wong Dahai must have been harmed by someone!"
Song Jiyun put down the abacus in her hand and said to Zhou Zheng, "These large items are all accounted for."
Zhou Zheng’s face looked even more troubled.
It was difficult to inventory the small items, not to mention they were easy to mistake.
It was countless times harder than counting large items.
Without giving Luo Zixing as much as a glance, he said, "Miss, then I’ll go and check the Bing Character Warehouse."
Song Jiyun uttered an "Mhm," invited Luo Zixing to sit, and said, "I have not yet had the chance to thank you for the last time, and now I must trouble you again. After my father’s death, all kinds of troubles have sprung up!"
Her last words were uttered with a stern look and eyes full of hostility, which gave Luo Zixing a start, and he instinctively responded, "Not at all, not at all! I am very pleased to be of help to the Miss."
Song Jiyun’s expression eased, and after sharing a cup of tea with him and recounting anecdotes about Song Youliang, they went to the warehouse together.
It took them eight shichen to go through everything in the warehouse.
A Blue and White Dragon Pattern Sea Waist Mug was missing.
Zhou Zheng and the others looked as if they were in deep mourning.
Anything with a dragon pattern was made for the Imperial order.
The account book recorded clearly that there was a pair of Blue and White Dragon Pattern Sea Waist Mugs.
Even if they were not the ones sent to Prince Ning’s Mansion or Prince Huai’s Mansion, then they were for the Emperor’s use in the Capital.
The pair of mugs took six kiln-firings over three months.
Luo Zixing couldn’t help but crouch down holding his head, "Who is it? So ruthless, they are after our lives!"
Song Jiyun, on the other hand, seemed to have figured it out.
Wong Dahai, the delivery note, and the Sea Waist Mug should all be safe and sound where they were supposed to be.
As long as the Song Family Kiln Factory was handed over to them, naturally there would be no issues.
But if the kiln factory was not handed over, that would be another matter!
She glanced over the people present and said indifferently, "It’s neither a grudge for murder nor a feud for a wife. Why seek our lives?"
The others couldn’t help but stare at her with wide eyes.
Only then did she calmly say, "If they wished for the Song Family Kiln Factory to die, they could have simply taken the mugs. Why cause Wong Dahai to disappear? Not only does it make us search everywhere for him, but we also discover the mug is missing, and there are errors in the account books."
Zhou Zheng’s eyes lit up, he said excitedly, "Miss is right! They are trying to startle the snake by hitting the grass! They want to startle the snake!"
Luo Zixing and the others looked at each other.
Song Li said in a low voice, "Then, what should we do?"
Song Jiyun suggested with a hint, "Do the Store Managers or the master craftsmen have anything to tell me?"
Luo Zixing and the others didn’t make a sound.
Song Jiyun smiled and said, "Then, good. If the Kiln Factory is in trouble, the beneficiaries are either the Great Master, the Third Old Master, or Ninth Master Song. Now we’ll see who can find Wong Dahai first!"
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