“Madam, I am wronged!”
Seeing that Wang Shi remained silent, the housekeeper loudly proclaimed his innocence.
“Wronged?”
Wang Shi raised her hand slightly, and the maid Qiuyue placed the ledger in Wang Shi’s hand. Wang Shi casually tossed the ledger at the housekeeper’s feet, her voice lazy yet sharp, “See for yourself!”
The ledger, tossed to the ground, flipped open. Without picking it up, he merely glanced at the accounts marked in red on the two open pages; there were six such entries on these two pages alone.
He began to tremble all over. He remembered every single one of these entries clearly, and it was precisely because he remembered them that he was so terrified.
Seeing him shake like a sieve, Wang Shi smiled and asked, “What, no more excuses?”
“Madam, Madam, spare my life, I… I…”
“Guards!”
Wang Shi’s brows furrowed, her smile vanished, and her voice boomed with thunderous power, radiating an imposing aura. The authority of the principal wife was displayed to its fullest extent at this moment.
The entire courtyard fell silent as if under a frost. With Liu Shi weakened and Wang Shi regaining power, the dignity and presence of the legitimate wife that Wang Shi displayed were something Liu Shi, whose status was elevated by her son and whose own standing was low, could never emulate, nor could she ever hope to.
Guards responded to the call and stood before Wang Shi, awaiting orders.
Wang Shi pointed at the housekeeper and decreed, “Send him to the Jingzhao Yin’s office.”
“No, Madam, I was merely blinded by greed. I dare not do it again, never again.”
Wang Shi frowned and commanded, “What are you waiting for? Drag him away!”
“Yes!”
The guards dared not delay. They grabbed the housekeeper’s arm and dragged him out. The housekeeper struggled with all his might, his pleas turning into threats: “Wang Shi, I am a confidant of the Second Madam. When you hit a dog, you must consider its owner. You cannot send me to the authorities.”
Seeing Wang Shi unmoved, he completely lost his reason: “Wang Shi, you know how many dirty secrets there are in the South Manor. Aren’t you afraid I’ll expose them all? Then the outside world will see what a rotten core lies beneath the gilded exterior of the South Manor!!”
“Wait~”
Wang Shi called out to the guards.
The guards stopped and threw the housekeeper back onto the ground.
The housekeeper got up, a look of smugness on his face. However, before the smile could reach his lips, a sharp blade grazed his neck.
He clutched his bleeding neck, making guttural sounds. With all his strength, he turned his head to look back, and a face so gloomy it seemed to drip water met his eyes.
“Mas… ter…”
Before he could utter the word “ter,” the housekeeper collapsed onto the ground with a thud. Blood flowed across the ground, and his wide eyes remained unclosed even in death.
Nan Chao Yin waved his hand, ordering his men to carry away the housekeeper’s body.
A mere servant, foolishly attempting to expose the affairs of his master’s manor, not only sealed his own doom but also wished to drag his entire family to the netherworld.
Nan Chao Yin tossed away the sword in his hand and said to Wang Shi, “In the future, if you encounter such a servant, simply kill them.”
Wang Shi, her previous severity gone, nodded demurely. She took a few steps forward, personally removed Nan Chao Yin’s outer robe, and had Qiuyue bring a cup of hot tea, “Master, warm yourself up quickly!”
Nan Chao Yin had been visiting Wang Shi often recently due to the Emperor’s bestowed marriage. Wang Shi’s complexion had become considerably more radiant, showing no signs of illness. Perhaps due to her consistently frail and sallow appearance over the years, her current state gave him a sense of fresh novelty, like encountering an old acquaintance in a new guise.
Furthermore, Wang Shi’s disposition had changed significantly. Previously, apart from her initial gentleness and affection during their wedding, she had never displayed such submissiveness.
Nan Chao Yin accepted the tea and looked at Wang Shi, finding her attire rather thin for the day. “Why are you dressed so lightly today? The weather is still bitterly cold. You have just recovered; you must not catch a chill. The wedding of Yu Jin and Princess Hui’an is imminent, and many matters need to be attended to promptly. Moreover, with the New Year approaching, the tasks are even more pressing. If you catch a cold and overexert yourself, leading to a relapse of your old ailment, what then?”
“It’s all because of that adopted son of Nan Fu, who…”
“Qiuyue!”
Wang Shi turned and cast a subtle glance at Qiuyue. Qiuyue immediately stopped speaking and did not continue. Wang Shi turned back, smiling, “Master speaks wisely. I thought the sunshine today was abundant, so I wore less. Only upon coming out did I feel the chill. It seems I must wear more in the future. If I catch a cold and feel unwell, causing Master and Jin’er to worry, that would be my fault!”
Comparing Liu Shi and Wang Shi.
Liu Shi was beautiful and bore a striking resemblance to her. She was usually fond of acting coy, always evoking pity and love. But even if one favored sweet dishes, eventually, they would grow tired of them. What’s more, this was like a dish that had been reheated countless times and had long since turned rancid and lost its flavor.
As for Wang Shi, she was a lady of a reputable family. Her appearance, demeanor, and grace were incomparable to Liu Shi’s. Now, whether it was due to seeing through things or a change in personality after her serious illness, she had also learned to lower her stance. Compared to Liu Shi, Wang Shi was more mindful of propriety and understanding.
In comparison, Nan Chao Yin found Wang Shi to be more agreeable.
However, whether it was Wang Shi or Liu Shi, they were merely playthings. Did Wang Shi truly believe he was unaware of what she and her servant were plotting?
Nan Chao Yin took a sip of tea, looked up at Qiuyue, and beckoned her, “Continue with what you were saying earlier!”
Qiuyue glanced at Wang Shi with difficulty. Wang Shi gave her a look.
“Reporting to Master, today…”
The housekeeper from the Nan manor reported the housekeeper for embezzlement. After reviewing the ledger, Wang Shi discovered numerous false entries. The amount of money the housekeeper had pocketed reached hundreds of taels. Angered by this, she felt hot and restless, hence her lighter attire.
Nan Chao Yin nodded, understanding dawning in his mind.
Normally, this matter would be handled ordinarily. Now, insisting on such a course of action was merely to further poison Liu Shi’s reputation. Liu Shi was currently confined to Li Wan Ge, and Wang Shi felt this was not enough!
“He is just a dog slave; kill him. Since you are now managing the household affairs, you must display the demeanor of the principal wife. Kill those who deserve to be killed, sell those who deserve to be sold. For matters like today, you should have directly given that dog slave fifty lashes. If he was strong enough not to die immediately, then throw him into a mass grave, to be fed to wild dogs and lonely eagles.”
“Your concubine understands.”
Although Master had directly bypassed Liu Shi, with his words, she could now eliminate Liu Shi’s confidants without any reservations.
She intended to gain complete control of the entire inner courtyard of the Nan manor before her death. She wanted to send Liu Shi to hell before her death!