Chapter 20: Linked Strategy

  "Zhong Zhanggui, what are you doing?" Zhou Mama walked out from inside with a stern face.

  "Mother Zhou, please beg the mistress to show mercy and spare my family's rabbit son. He will never dare make this mistake again. From now on, our whole family will be grateful for the mistress's great kindness..." Tian Shi knocked her head against the ground, crying and kowtowing repeatedly.

  "Madam Buddha's heart, you still have the face to make trouble here? Come on, get these two good-for-nothings out of here! Don't disturb Madam's peace!"

  Several women rushed out immediately and dragged them out of the courtyard, then heavily closed the door.

  In the Yiqing Garden, Hongshi had just finished serving the flowers and was about to fall asleep when a loud noise came from outside. The voice grew louder and she softly asked outside: "What's going on? Why so much noise?"

  "Madam is here, it's the couple from Wan Yuan Rice Shop, Mr. and Mrs. Zhong, they're arguing to see the master."

  "May I ask what's going on?"

  "It seems like he said his son is about to die and wants to beg for your mercy..."

  "This is a matter of life and death, I'll go take a look." Hong Shi got out of bed and put on her clothes. Hua Buqu, who had already closed his eyes, grabbed her arm and sighed, "You're too soft-hearted. Zhong Zhanggui's son is dying and he didn't go ask his master for help, why did he come here to ask you? Clearly she's plotting something again. Go back to sleep, don't bother with him."

  Hong said in a soft voice, "Master, the last time's affair has already caused many people to gossip about me behind my back. No matter whether this time is true or false, going to take a look can also shut up the mouths of the public."

  Such gentle and soft words, the tough and unyielding Wan was softened, but his face was not pleasant to look at. He went out and scolded the kneeling Zhong Zhanggui at the door, "What are you making a disturbance about here in the middle of the night?"

  "Please, Master, spare my son's life. He was foolish and shouldn't have chosen this time to have an affair with the lychee... he shouldn't have provoked Madame's wrath..." Manager Zhong kowtowed and begged, his family had only one descendant for three generations, if he didn't sacrifice himself, his only son would die, and he wouldn't want to live either.

  Seeing them so desperate, Mr. Hung asked: "What's going on?"

  Tian's family knelt on the ground and told everything, Hua Buqu heard the words and his eyebrows stood upright. That woman was indeed unwilling to give up, not only was she jealous, but also used the lives of her subordinates to coerce him, simply wanting him to leave Yiqing Garden!

  "Quickly call the lady over!"

  Someone immediately went to invite, but before Mr. Gu arrived, a raging fire had already broken out in the hay shed, and the flames were so fierce that they instantly left Clock Shopkeeper and his wife completely paralyzed on the ground, after all, they were too late.

  Changgui didn't say a word and immediately sent people to put out the fire.

  "What else can the old master want me for at this late hour?" At this time, Madame Guo was supported by Zhou Mama, and she didn't even ask about the big fire on that side. She just walked out with an icy face.

  "How dare you!" Hua's face was filled with disgust, he pointed at Zhong Guan and shouted: "I always thought you were narrow-minded, but also knew what was right. Who would have thought that for the sake of your goal, you wouldn't hesitate to use any means? For such a small matter, you've already lost your temper and want to kill people and set fires? You're no longer worthy of being the wife of the Duke!"

  The Gu family was inexplicably scolded, and they thought it was because the Hong family next door had blown some rumors again. She was both angry and sad in her heart, pointing at the Hong family with a trembling voice: "Let Master rest here, are you stirring up trouble like this?"

  Hong shook her head and wiped away tears, "Madam has misunderstood, I have never incited Master against anything... if you don't believe me, you can ask Master..."

  She gazed at Hua Buqu with tears in her eyes, and Hua Buqu found her pitifully lovely, so he couldn't help but gently wipe away her tears.

  "Is that all you have to say? Madam has always been kind and generous to her sister-in-law, is this how she repays her kindness?" Old Mother Zhou couldn't help but scold, seeing Madame Gu's anger causing her to clutch at her chest.

  "That's enough! Do you think I don't know that this is all your trickery?" Hua glared at Gu Zhou's mother, then pointed at Zhong Palm, "The one who came to cause trouble is your person, and you still have the face to falsely accuse others first?"

  In just a short while, many people who had heard the news and rushed to the scene gathered at the entrance of Yiqing Garden. He Shi and Qin Shi asked what was going on while trying to persuade both sides to calm down.

  "Madam, since you are not benevolent, don't blame me for being unrighteous." Zhong Zhanggui, with a straightforward and fearless tone, suddenly gained courage from somewhere, wiped away his old tears, and loudly said to Hua'er Yu who was standing quietly about ten steps away: "Seventh Miss, did you hear clearly? The three shops of the Wan Yuan Rice Shop have not suffered losses over the past two years. Not only have they not suffered losses, but they have also made a lot of silver. This year, Madam invested the earned silver in buying rice, planning to sell at high prices during this year's poor harvest..."

  "Zong Zhanggui, what nonsense are you talking about? Shut up!" As soon as he suddenly mentioned this, Gu's face changed greatly.

  "I'm telling you, the son of a slave is dead, what's the use of this worthless life?" Zhong Zhanggui's eyes were red, and he spoke loudly like a madman: "Before Seventh Miss took over, Madam had already transferred 200,000 dan of rice from the Taisong warehouse to the Gu family warehouse, and also made us fake accounts to deceive Miss into thinking we lost 100,000 taels..."

  "Zhong Zhanggui, you have no evidence, don't slander people!" Zhou Mama rushed up fiercely and was about to cover Zhong Zhanggui's mouth, but Tian Shi hugged her leg and shouted: "Who says there is no evidence? We have kept another account book, if the master doesn't believe it, he can go to our house and search under the bed, all the evidence of the mistress embezzling money..."

  "Mother, how could you deceive me like this? You said that the money from the public middle school was secretly used to fill in the Wan Yuan rice shop, and now it's time to hand over, but I have to take out 100,000 taels of silver at once to settle the account for the public middle school. And you say that absolutely can't let Second Aunt and Third Aunt know? Are you trying to drive me to death?"

  She came out to stir up trouble, originally the second and third wives who were persuading people stopped, if you don't know, it turns out this big sister is so black-hearted, not only did she make money from Wan Yuan's rice shop, but in the end she also wants to extort this niece who is about to get married far away, and also wants to let these two take the blame together? And she even transferred so much rice to her natal family, does she only care about her natal family?

  The two of them changed color, and Gu Shi knew that things were not going well. Hua Buqu was also hearing this shocking news for the first time, he had never thought that Gu Shi would be so ruthless, occupying Hua Xiangyue's shop was one thing, but now she wanted her to pay another 100,000 taels without reason? And all her actions had already destroyed the harmony and interests of the entire family. How could he continue to cover for her?

  He flew into a rage and shouted, "Bring men to search for account books in Zhong's house!"

  His attendants left at the sound, and then Hua Buqu turned his head to stare at Gu Shi, saying word by word in a deep voice: "Gu Shi's virtues have failed, her heart is narrow, she is evil by nature. From now on, she will be confined to Da Cheng Garden for reflection. The affairs of the mansion will be temporarily managed by my second brother's wife, assisted by my third brother's wife."

  It's said that she's in charge of the household, He's expression suddenly eased up, and he bowed to Gu: "Actually, I don't understand many things, so I'll have to trouble you, sister-in-law, to teach me more later."

  Gu's breath hadn't caught up yet, and she hadn't even had a chance to say a word before she fainted. Fortunately, the woman beside her was quick-handed; otherwise, she would have fallen to the ground.

  Hua Zhe Yu walked to Hua Bu Que's presence, tears streaming down her face. "Father, daughter finally doesn't have to pay back the 100,000 taels of silver before marrying Bei Ming..."

  She seemed to be unable to bear it anymore and burst into loud sobs. As soon as the engagement was mentioned, Hua Buqi thought of Hua Yueyue again and was moved by a little bit of father-daughter affection. He patted her shoulder and said: "If everything is true, Father will return Wan Yuan's rice shop to you without missing a single grain."

  "What about the 200,000 dan of rice that was transported to the Gu's household? Are they not planning on returning it to her?" In fact, she wasn't trying to help Hua Zheyu out, but rather didn't want the Gu family to get off cheap.

  The flower's eyes flashed with anger, "Naturally, we must return to our original number."

  Upon hearing this, Hua Zhe Yu's heart bloomed with anger, and after being busy for so long, it wasn't all in vain. She covered her sleeve to pretend to wipe away tears, but with a glance, she saw that Hua Ruo Yun had appeared at some unknown time, staring intently at her from not far away. In those eyes that should have been as beautiful as Autumn's, were instead filled with gloom and venom.

  Flowers in the rain, cold smile...

  It seems that she is still clever and has probably figured out that it was her own trap. But if even the Gu family has become like this, what can be said about her?

  The next day, the news of the mistress being confined had spread throughout the Guo Gong Fu, and the servants were also whispering about how cruelly Madam Guo treated her stepdaughter. They also brought up the matter of Zhong Zhanggui's affair. Fortunately, Zhong Zhanggui's son, Zhong Sheng, was not burned to death, thanks to Chang Gui arriving quickly and rescuing him and Liu Lian in time.

  But Zhong Zhanggui exposed the old bottom of the Gu family, how could they still stay in the Guo Gongfu? In just a few days, the three members of the Zhong family and Liu Lian disappeared together. Some people said that the Gu family let their maternal uncle take action to kill them, while others said that they had escaped. Others also said that it was because the Guo Gongye hated them for exposing their family's shame and secretly executed them.

  Anyway, Gu's family was put under house arrest, but many people benefited from it.

  While waiting for the rain to stop, he went to Gu's place to get that 200,000 dan of rice in exchange for money.

  Since Zhong Zhanggui left, she wouldn't use those people in the rice shop either. In private, she planned that as long as the rice arrived, she would replace those people at the same time.

  I just don't know if Hua Buqi has the ability to get back the grain that was taken.