After being married off, she was favored by the powerful official

"Thirty thousand taels! Where can I get so much silver?" Shopkeeper Qian was frightened by Gu Jin's huge request.

"Old Qian, it's not very nice of you to say that." Gu Jin said slowly, "You have been running the restaurant all these years, and I have never asked any questions.

Now that I have discovered such a flaw, who else can I turn to if not you?"

Shopkeeper Qian's heart tightened as he understood the implication of Gu Jin's words.

It turned out that Gu Jin had always known that Li had embezzled her money, but if she openly confronted Li, it would only make outsiders laugh at her, and they would also accuse her of being disrespectful to her elders and ignoring the reputation of the Bo's Mansion.

But now they took the initiative to make trouble in front of her, and she just went along with it, and no one could find any fault with her.

What a meticulous plan! Is this just a coincidence or did she do it on purpose?

Gu Jin did not urge him, but walked to Xie Ran and asked softly, "My husband, I don't know much about laws and punishments. How should he be punished for deceiving his superiors and embezzling the master's money?"

Xie Ran smiled faintly and agreed with her: "First, we must confiscate the money we have embezzled and return it. For a sum as large as 30,000 taels, we must serve hard labor for more than ten years."

Xie Ran's tone was gentle, but Shopkeeper Qian's face turned pale when he heard it.

He has been used to a life of luxury for so many years. Let alone asking him to dig in the mines for ten years, I'm afraid he would have to waste even a month!

"Young Madam, please spare me!" Shopkeeper Qian finally let go of his pride, knelt down at Gu Jin's feet with a plop and cried, "It's all my fault. I was blinded by greed and betrayed the trust of Madam Bo and Young Madam.

Please give me another chance, Madam. I am willing to work like a slave, just please don't send me to jail."

Gu Jin didn't look at him, he raised his hand and touched the horse's back, "Everyone said they wanted to be slaves, but what's wrong with you being humiliated like this?"

"Yes, yes, I'm worse than pigs and dogs. Madam, please show some mercy!" Shopkeeper Qian regretted his decision. He shouldn't have thought that Gu Jin was easy to bully because he was young.

This time it was like kicking a rock!

Gu Jin curled his lips, glared at Manager Qian and said, "I once gave you a chance because you are an old man in the restaurant, but you brought people to destroy my place. It can be seen that my kindness will only make you go further.

I've said it before, as long as you return the money you embezzled, we can live in peace, otherwise... you know what will happen."

Shopkeeper Qian's fat body collapsed to the ground, his face pale.

He knew he had no choice but to pay up or rot in jail.

But he didn't covet so much money...

"Young Madam, actually..."

"Jin'er, what happened here?"

Gu Jin looked at Li and Gu Rou who came hurriedly, and the corners of his lips curled up.

They can't sit still anymore. This mother and daughter are really lacking in self-control.

"Second aunt, second sister, why are you here?" Gu Jin asked in surprise.

Gu Rou forced a smile and said, "I was drinking tea with my mother nearby, and when I came out, I saw my elder sister.

Big sister, if you have anything to say, why don't you go inside and say it? It would be embarrassing to block people outside and see you."

"Everyone has seen through it, what's wrong with that?" Li wanted to cover up her shame, but Gu Jin was unwilling to do so.

"Second aunt, you don't know that this shopkeeper Qian is really abominable for deceiving his superiors and subordinates. Over the years, he has embezzled at least 30,000 taels of silver from me.

Money is secondary. What makes me angry is that this guy is clearly trying to sow discord between me and my second aunt.

If I didn't know that Second Aunt loved me and was a very upright person who wouldn't do such a shameless thing, wouldn't it have created a rift between us?"

Li's face tightened when she was scolded, and she almost hated Gu Jin to death in her heart.

"Of course I know Jin'er believes me." Li glanced coldly at Shopkeeper Qian, with a hint of warning in her eyes.

"This shopkeeper Qian has committed such a serious mistake and must not be tolerated. However, I'm afraid he can't come up with so much money at once. Even if you put him in jail, it won't make up for your loss."

Gu Jin thought for a while and nodded, "Second Auntie, what you said makes sense. So what should we do according to your opinion?"

Li smiled and said slowly: "It's actually quite simple, why not let him make amends.

I will sell my property to pay back the money I owe you, and work for the restaurant to pay off the debt."

"I'm willing! I'm willing!" Shopkeeper Qian quickly expressed his opinion.

"But I don't want to." Gu Jin raised his eyes coldly. The sharpness in his eyes was something Li had never seen before, which suddenly made people frightened.

"I remember that when I was in the Bo's mansion, Second Aunt would immediately send away any servants who were found to have dishonest conduct, saying that such people were inherently bad, and would do the same thing again even if they were forgiven once.

Manager Qian embezzled a total of thirty thousand taels of silver from me, and Second Aunt still wants him to stay with me?

If this was my second sister's shop today, would my second aunt do the same?"

Li was furious and said in an unexpected tone: "Jin'er, what do you mean by this?

I gave you advice with good intentions, but it seems like I harmed you!

I had good intentions, but ended up getting into trouble!"

Huo Sichen muttered quietly, "It's better not to come up with such a bad idea!"

Gu Jin smiled and said, "Second Aunt, it's actually right for you not to get involved in this matter.

After all, this restaurant has always been in your hands. If I were you, I would have avoided suspicion early to avoid being misunderstood."

After saying this, Gu Jin did not wait for Li and the others to speak, and said to Xie Ran: "Husband, I see that he is not going to pay back the money, let the government take him away directly!

Then I will sell all his mansion and property and get whatever I can back."

"Madam, I have elderly parents above me, and hungry children below me. If you buy my house, they will have to live on the streets!" Shopkeeper Qian wanted to grab Gu Jin's skirt, but was kicked away by Mo Yin.

The scholar could not bear to see this, and spoke out for justice, "Although the shopkeeper Qian deserves his punishment, his family is innocent. Why do you have to kill them all?"

Gu Jin seemed to have heard something extremely funny, "They are innocent? Their food, clothing and daily expenses are all paid for by me?

When they were enjoying themselves, no one stood up to tell them that this was wrong, and now when it comes to reckoning, they are innocent?"

The scholar wanted to say something, but Gu Jin retorted, "According to what you said, if your father wants to rebel and he wins, you will enjoy all the wealth and glory with him, but if he loses and you say he is innocent, he can be spared the death penalty?

If you think what I did was wrong, then go and ask the Ministry of Justice to change the law that punishes nine generations of a family!"

The scholar was so rebuked that he couldn't say a word. Gu Jincai then turned his gaze to Shopkeeper Qian again and asked coldly, "Shopkeeper Qian, have you figured it out?"

Shopkeeper Qian knew that Gu Jin would never let him go. He dug his hands tightly into the ground, and raised his head to look at Li, "Madam, it's the second..."

Li was the first to speak, "Thirty thousand taels, I'll give it for him!"