544 Progress
“So you’re all following the Wang family?”
The ten men kneeling in front of Shen Yijia were all sallow and thin. They were in their forties or fifties.
“Miss, I’ve always worked in the Wang family’s shop. After the young master passed away, the Shen family chased me away in order to occupy the shop,” a middle-aged man who looked more energetic said with red eyes.
The person beside him also said angrily, “It’s fine if the Shen family only chased us away. I can always find work with my good legs and experience, but the Shen family colluded with Judge Liu Tong, so no one in Qingyang City dared to hire us.”
Shen Yijia blinked.
She looked at Lin Shao.
Lin Shao pursed his lips and told them what had happened in Qingyang City.
After the five of them rushed to Qingyang City, they initially went to Magistrate Du with the letter from Madam Qiu. Unexpectedly, they were unlucky and Magistrate Du personally led the troops to suppress some bandits outside the city.
In order not to cause trouble, and thinking that they had the contract, the five of them went straight to those shops.
Unexpectedly, those people seemed to be prepared. As soon as they saw the contract, they said that they were lying. Not only that, but they also brought officials with them.
It was obvious that something was wrong. Only a fool would stay and let themselves get caught.
The five of them ran away, but the other party was already prepared. It was difficult for them to escape.
In the end, it was only when Bruiser stayed behind to cover the retreat that they shook off the pursuers. This caused a commotion in Qingyang City.
It was probably because five lunatics wanted to occupy someone else’s shop with a fake contract. They were crazy about money!
The four of them hid for a day and didn’t see Bruiser. They went out to ask around and found out that he had been captured.
Afraid that something would happen to Bruiser, the few of them prepared to beat the drums and voice their grievances. Unexpectedly, they were stopped before they reached the government office.
The person who stopped them was one of the people who had been in charge of the Wang family’s shop and was chased out by Madam Chen.
It was only from that person that they knew that Judge Liu Tong was in cahoots with the Shen family. If they went out, they would be walking into a trap.
“Bruiser is injured?” Shen Yijia asked with a dark expression. Just now, Lin Shao had only said that Bruiser was staying in Qingyang City to help.
Lin Shao shook his head. Noticing Shen Yijia’s ugly expression, he nodded again. “Those people went after him, but he’s fine now.”
Magistrate Du returned to Qingyang City the day after Bruiser was captured. Afraid that something would happen again, they stopped his horse on the streets.
After seeing Magistrate Du with Dean Lu’s letter, everything went much smoother. Liu Tong was convicted of accepting a bribe and privately changing the contract to occupy someone else’s property. The evidence was conclusive and he was sent to prison. The shop was successfully taken back.
However, what they had to do was not only take back the shop. Coincidentally, they encountered the old man who was helping the Wang family. Under his lead, they found many more people.
It turned out that those people were either accountants or shopkeepers. Those who came out with the Wang family were all experts in managing the shop. They were targeted because they were unwilling to collude with Madam Chen.
Lin Shao and Bruiser confirmed their identities. After discussion, they decided to hire these people again, and the shop could operate normally.
Shen Yijia was the current owner of the shop. She had to meet these people, so Lin Shao brought them back.
“Is Bruiser really fine?” Shen Yijia was more concerned about this for the time being.
Lin Shao said, “It’s true. Sister-in-law, if you don’t believe me, you can ask Pinellia and the other two. They won’t dare to lie to you!”
Shen Yijia looked at Pinellia.
Pinellia said respectfully, “Young Master Li is really fine.”
Young Master Li?
Shen Yijia raised her eyebrows. She had been calling him Bruiser every day. She had almost forgotten that that brat had the name Li Wu.
Apart from meeting the owner, they also brought back the profits from all the shops in Qingyang City in July and the account books they found in those shops.
Shen Yijia ignored the boxes of ledgers and looked at the box of banknotes in front of her. It was at least three to four thousand taels of silver!
This was like a person who had been poor for a long time suddenly inheriting a large sum of assets.
Shen Yijia thought to herself, “How great!”
Since Bruiser and Lin Shao had already confirmed the identities of these people, Shen Yijia handed the shop to them.
However, she still had to get the accounts right. She dragged the entire family along and spent a few days doing the accounts together.
In the end, the money she received from Madam Chen last time was far from enough. There was a difference of at least 100,000 taels.
Shen Yijia was unhappy. She secretly wondered when she would go to the Shen family’s house to get some money.
As for Bruiser, he wasn’t young anymore. Since he had his own thoughts, Shen Yijia naturally wouldn’t object.
It was good that he stayed in Qingyang City. He could keep an eye on those people.
Lin Shao actually wanted to stay there too. Unfortunately, Lin Miaomiao was still in the capital, so he decided to help manage the two shops in the capital.
Shen Yijia was happy to be a hands-off shopkeeper, so there was no reason for her to refuse.
At the same time, Madam Chen also received news that the person she had sent had not returned. She had received the news from the Chen family.
She had indirectly harmed Judge Liu once, and it was in the name of Minister Chen. Even Minister Chen, who had doted on her since she was young, had something to say about her this time.
Madam Chen was furious. After cursing Shen Yijia, she wanted to go to the Song family to settle scores with her, but she was stopped by Shen Wenbo.
Shen Yijia did not know that she could almost loosen up again. After she finished dealing with the trivial matters in the shop, she was finally free. You Yi, who was monitoring Feng Manman, also delivered some news.
Every three days, a woman would go to the noodle shop to eat noodles.
You Yi said, “And that woman always goes when the noodle shop is about to close.”
Shen Yijia’s eyes lit up. “Could that woman be Feng Manman’s contact?”
If they could catch Feng Manman before the wedding of the Xiao and Yuan families and throw it at Xiao Qirui’s face, would he not have to let Feng Manman enter the Xiao family to disgust Yuan Yuwan?
“That’s very likely.” Song Jingchen tapped his fingers on the table and narrowed his eyes. “When did that woman go to the noodle shop last time?”
You Yi said, “Today.”
Shen Yijia was speechless.
In other words, the next time she appeared would be three days later!
After reporting, You Yi continued to keep an eye on them.
Shen Yijia lay on the bed and was no longer sleepy. “Hubby, who do you think is the most likely culprit?”
If Feng Manman was really just a girl who had been brainwashed, not only could they catch her red-handed this time, but the case could also take another step forward.
They had been in the capital for almost a month. The emperor was already vaguely dissatisfied and felt that Song Jingchen was patronizing him.
Song Jingchen picked up a strand of Shen Yijia’s hair and played with it. He paused and said, “Anyone is a possible suspect.”
Without evidence, he wouldn’t make wild guesses, lest he guessed wrongly and overlooked the true mastermind.
To be honest, the ambitious Lord Jing, Shangguan Pu, the seemingly unreliable Lord Rui, Shangguan Heng, and Lord Shun, Shangguan Yao, who had always followed Shangguan Pu’s lead, and even Lord Jing, Shangguan Yu.
They were all suspects!
Shen Yijia thought to herself, “Isn’t that equivalent to not saying anything?”
