Song Ziyu was dragged off the bed.
Even after entering Luhe Hall, he was still not quite lucid. It wasn't until he finished reading the letter handed to him by the matriarch that his head felt like it had been struck by lightning, and his whole body jolted awake.
"How...how could this happen!"
He slumped onto the stool, looking blankly at the matriarch.
"Grandmother, we bribed the examiners very discreetly, so how could someone have caught us?"
The matriarch was also puzzled and could only say with a pale face, "It is obvious that someone wants to destroy the General's Mansion! It's just that the messenger was a stranger. The servant chased him for three streets but still couldn't find him."
She said to Song Ziyu.
"You were in charge of all those receipts and letters, how could something have gone wrong?"
Song Ziyu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up and ran towards the study.
The place where the camera lens used to be stored is now empty.
He shouted angrily, "A thief broke into my study and stole my things!"
The elder lady was also shocked.
Having a mole within the family is no small matter.
However, even after torturing all the servants who entered and left the study, the two men still couldn't find any clues.
Song Ziyu looked utterly defeated: "The only thing we can do now is to pay up and avoid trouble, as the letter says."
The letter writer threatened that the Song family must raise 10,000 taels of silver within three days and transfer the land deeds of three shops under the Song family's name; otherwise, on the day of the final martial arts examination, he would take this evidence to Prime Minister Jiang and file a complaint.
Those three shops were all located in prime locations and were the largest businesses owned by the Song family. The letter writer had clearly already figured out the situation and was making exorbitant demands.
But Song Ziyu dared not take the risk.
Jiang Linyuan was always impervious to reason, and if he found out about this, the General's Mansion would truly be doomed.
The elder's wife was breathing heavily.
"Even if we don't have the money, what if he uses it to blackmail us for even worse things next time?"
Song Ziyu certainly understood this principle.
But that person held the Song family's lifeline in his hands, and with the final test fast approaching, they had no choice but to submit.
"Let's deal with this for now. Once I find out who this person is, I'll skin him alive!"
"Can…"
The elder's wife looked worried.
"Where are we going to scrape together so much silver in such a short time?"
Since last year, the General's Mansion has been gradually declining, and things have gotten worse day by day.
Now that Song Ziyu has been suspended from his post for several months and is reflecting on his actions at home, his income has decreased even further. It would be a pipe dream for him to come up with 10,000 taels of silver!
She frowned deeply and pounded her chest fiercely: "What a tragedy! What did our Song family ever do to deserve this? I really don't know which heartless bastard is trying to do this to our Song family!"
Upon hearing this, Song Ziyu's face darkened.
The matter of bribing the examiners was of great importance, and he did it very discreetly. Apart from the Song family, outsiders would not easily know about it.
Moreover, judging from the three shops mentioned in the letter, it is clear that the author has some knowledge of the Song family's businesses.
Knowing the Song family's situation well and opposing him, who else could it be but that person?
Thinking of this, Song Ziyu got up angrily and rushed into Xingzhi Courtyard.
"Jiang Wan, is this what you did?!"
His face flushed, he slammed the letter onto the table.
"You vicious woman, you want to destroy the entire Song family!"
Jiang Wan glanced at Song Ziyu, whose face was full of anger, then quickly read the letter and chuckled coldly.
"General, you're really confused. Yu'er will be participating in the final exam the day after tomorrow, and he has a very good chance of winning. If I go to the martial arts exam to cause trouble at this time, wouldn't I be ruining his future for nothing?"
Song Ziyu was stunned, his anger rising in his throat.
Indeed, Song Yu is aiming to make a name for himself through the martial arts examination.
Jiang Wan wouldn't be so foolish as to joke about something like this.
"Moreover, this matter was kept secret, and I would never have known about it if you hadn't told me."
Jiang Wan curled her lips into a smile, full of sarcasm.
Instead of wasting your anger on me, you should think about who leaked the information.
Song Ziyu let out a sigh of anger. Of course, he wanted to catch the person behind the scenes, but the best course of action now was to resolve the immediate crisis.
He glared at Jiang Wan with annoyance.
Jiang Wan said, "General, you think my silver is useless. My dowry was donated to the court long ago."
Song Ziyu gritted his teeth: "Go and fetch the account books!"
He remembered that he had some cash at home, so he quickly scraped together what he could. Although it wasn't ten thousand taels, it might be enough to tide him over in an emergency.
The moment he saw the ledger, his vision blurred; he could hardly believe his eyes: "That's all?"
“The family originally had some savings, but last month my grandmother withdrew several large sums of money. The general should know what they were used for,” Jiang Wan sneered.
Song Ziyu choked.
That was, of course, to bribe the examiners.
Unexpectedly, this has become the source of today's trouble!
The ledger had always been guarded by Steward Zhao, who was Song Ziyu's confidant, so Song Ziyu had no doubt that there was anything wrong with the ledger.
However, judging from the amount requested, it was simply impossible to raise that much silver.
He felt utterly disheartened.
Just then, Jiang Wan spoke up: "If the general is troubled, I do have a solution, but it is somewhat risky."
Song Ziyu sneered, "You? What good intentions could you possibly have?"
Jiang Wan simply said, "Bribery is a serious crime. If something happens to the General's Mansion, I will also be implicated."
Song Ziyu frowned, but he was less wary and said irritably, "Then tell me."
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