Minglan is reborn, this time with no regrets!

After settling Wang Ruofu down, Mother Liu went out to look for someone.

When the housekeeping power was originally in the hands of the eldest lady, several capable accountants and stewards were brought by her from her natal family. Later, Sheng Hong gave the housekeeping power to Lin Qinshuang, and these accountants and stewards were kicked out by Lin Qinshuang for various reasons. Now they have returned to the eldest lady's room to assist Hualan's marriage.

They had their original jobs taken away from them and already hated Lin Qinshuang. In addition, Hualan's betrothal ceremony had come to a temporary end, and the remaining ceremonies of asking for the date and welcoming the bride would have to wait until they returned to Beijing. They didn't have much work to do at the moment, so when they heard what Mother Liu said, they all rubbed their hands and were ready to show off their skills.

Starting from the second day, Madam Liu arranged for a few smart maids to take Lin Qinshuang's confidants to drink, saying that they were telling them about the bitterness of working for the Madam, but in fact they were talking about how strict the Madam's housekeeper was. Lin's confidants found it boring and got themselves drunk.

When the people passed out from drunkenness, they either searched their bodies or took them back to their rooms to search the house, and found many valuable things, not to mention copper coins and silver ingots, but also many hairpins, hairpins, and cloth. Although they were not fashionable, they were also real good things. The accountants came to see, and they were all stunned, wondering where Lin Qinshuang got so much money to bribe her subordinates? They registered all the things and showed them to Mama Liu.

Mother Liu looked at the dazzling list and said, "Isn't this more than the annual salary of Lin's family?"

An accountant said, "Yes, Madam Liu, please take a look at this."

Handing over half of the account book, Madam Liu's eyes became wider and wider. "Is this what was sent to Lin Qinshuang's room? Why are so many of them double? Also, why are there extra mutton, milk, and bird's nests every month? Aren't these specially arranged by the Madam for Wei to take care of her pregnancy?"

Another accountant said, "I saw that Lin just embezzled all the money that belonged to Wei. I guess it was this mother surnamed Zhang who was responsible for helping Lin to embezzle money, but she was afraid of being exposed, so she kept a record of it privately."

Someone nearby said in a hateful voice, "No wonder she didn't let us manage the accounts. It turns out she wanted to do it herself! But how could she be so greedy that she even coveted the food rations for a pregnant woman? Isn't she afraid of retribution?"

Madam Liu sneered, "If she was really afraid of retribution, she wouldn't have come to force the eldest lady to drink tea with her concubine when she was pregnant. Although this half of the account book can help us investigate, it can't be used as evidence. If Lin says that it was Madam Zhang who flattered her, we will be helpless."

The steward who spoke first said, "I guess the real account book is in Lin's house, or Madam Zhou is keeping it for her. If we can search Lin's yard, we will definitely find it."

Mother Liu shook her head. "If we search the house, will we be able to find it? What if she hides it somewhere secret and we don't find it? Or if we find it and she says there's no evidence, we have to catch her red-handed before we can put her to death. Don't be impatient, just keep an eye on her for a few more days and get a good understanding of their actions."

This was also what the eldest girl specifically instructed me to do when I was called into the room a few days ago.

As for why the eldest girl could think of it, maybe it was taught by the old lady, or maybe it was reminded by a few childish words from the sixth girl. Who knows?

……

That afternoon, apart from two more drunken stewards, nothing major happened in the Tongpan Mansion. When it was getting dark, the couple was having dinner with the Yuan couple when a bloody servant ran back to the mansion and shouted, "Master, report to the police! The second young master has been beaten!"

When the lady heard this, she smashed the bowl on the spot. Sheng Hong shouted to ask the reason, and the servant cried, "The second young master and the Bai family brother agreed to go out for a stroll, but they were suddenly beaten and killed by a group of thieves while on a boat on the canal. The young master and the Bai family brother both fell into the river..."

Yuan Dalang's expression changed immediately, and he shouted, "Hurry up and save him! Hurry up and save him! That's not some brother from the Bai family, that's Gu Tingye, the second son of the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion in Tokyo!"

The Sheng Mansion was in an uproar, and the entire Yangzhou officialdom was in an uproar.

Sheng Changbai was later rescued from the river, but Gu Tingye disappeared from then on.

It was not until the third day that a body wearing Gu Tingye's clothes and soaked to the bone was fished out of the river. Yuan Dalang recognized Gu Er from the jade pendant on the body. He was so shocked that he locked himself in his room and refused to go out. Sheng Hong and the prefect of Yangzhou both felt that it was extremely unlucky.

Minglan sighed slightly when she heard the news. Gu Tingye really didn't listen to her after all.

It was no wonder that he was so flattered when he was young that he was arrogant and competitive. The more difficult the situation was, the more he wanted to go through it himself. He was the kind of person who would not turn back until he hit the wall. Otherwise, why did he still have such a rough life after Changbai had advised him so many times over the years?

Fortunately, Minglan knew that Gu Tingye had escaped unharmed this time. She only hoped that after he was done with the matter, he would remember the bet they had made and come back to find her.

……

The entire Sheng Mansion was worried about Changbai's affairs, except for Lin.

When Lin Qinshuang found out that Changbai had returned safely, she gnashed her teeth in pain and said, "Why didn't he die in the river?"

If Changbai is gone, then Changfeng will become Sheng Hong's only son. Wouldn't she be the one who has the final say in the Sheng Mansion in the future?

Madam Zhou consoled him, "I heard that the one he played with was the second son of the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion in Tokyo, but that child is gone."

Lin Qinshuang became happy again: "Is it really gone? Then isn't it Changbai's fault?"

Madam Zhou: "Yes! If the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion blames the Second Young Master, he will be hard to escape. He may even have to face a lawsuit, and he may not be able to take the imperial examinations in the future!"

Lin Qinshuang clapped her hands and said, "That's great! If we ruin his future, the Sheng family will belong to me, Feng'er, from now on."

The master and servant became happier and happier as they talked, and they became more and more unrestrained in their actions. Not only did they deduct all of Wei's expenses, but they also deducted monthly wages and rice rations from all the servants in the Sheng Mansion who were not her followers and loyal to her, under various pretexts. The timid ones swallowed their anger in silence and cursed her secretly in their hearts, while the bold ones started to make a fuss.

Mother Liu saw all this and quickly calmed down those who were making noise. She first appeased them, then took out the subsidy given by the eldest lady and asked them to help keep an eye on Lin and find evidence of Lin's embezzlement of public funds and personal gain.

When Lin Qinshuang saw that the people under her fell silent after making a fuss once or twice, she felt that they were afraid of her power, and she became even more rampant, asking people to search for treasures for her everywhere.

The one who is helping the Sheng Mansion with purchasing now is Lin Qinshuang's confidant. On this day, the Sheng Mansion had just distributed this month's share to each room. This servant took the larger share and came back to present Lin Qinshuang with a pair of folding fans that exuded a faint fragrance, saying that it was a fine product that was highly recommended by the owner of the Treasure Pavilion and was the only one of its kind in Yangzhou Prefecture.

Lin Qinshuang had only seen round fans before, and this was her first time seeing a folding fan. She thought it was small and light, and it made her look more elegant and refined when she held it in her hand. She loved playing with it so much that she thought she would show it to Sheng Hong when he came back from the funeral of the Bai family.