Chapter 4: Face-to-Face Confrontation

"What is going on?"

Zhao Sheng began to weep, "Young Miss, this lowly one is useless. Not only did the Cloth Shop fail to make a profit this year, but it has also suffered heavy losses."

Tang Zhao asked with curiosity, "How much are the losses?"

"According to my preliminary calculations, it is around eight hundred taels."

Tang Zhao laughed in anger. No wonder the previous stewards and managers had been so eager to hand over the money; so this was what they had waiting for her!

"Why don't you explain clearly how the Cloth Shop, located in one of the busiest commercial districts on Zhengyang Street, managed to lose money instead of making a profit under your management?"

"Furthermore, the account books you submitted clearly state that the Cloth Shop received a large order worth over a hundred taels in the first half of the year."

Zhao Sheng’s sobbing paused. Didn't Nanny An guarantee that the Young Miss only knew how to eat, drink, and play, and was completely ignorant of everything else?

He had carefully altered the books before submitting them, hiding that transaction well. How did the Young Miss figure it out?!

Having been a head manager for over twenty years, Zhao Sheng recovered from his panic in an instant. "The Young Miss is wise. The Cloth Shop did indeed receive a large order of over a hundred taels, and it is precisely because of this order that the losses are so severe."

"In May of this year, the Liaozhou Cloth Mill ordered twenty bolts of silk and hundreds of bolts of silk-linen from our shop, with an agreement to deliver before winter. After receiving the order, I immediately had people prepare and arranged for a caravan to deliver the goods in batches. Everything was going smoothly, but who would have thought..."

Zhao Sheng paused here and quietly looked up, only to meet the Young Miss's cold, clear eyes. His hair stood on end instantly.

"Who would have thought what?" Seeing that no one was picking up the conversation, Nanny An hurriedly spoke up to prompt him.

Zhao Sheng’s eyes darted around rapidly, his speech becoming increasingly cautious. "Who would have thought that half a month ago, the caravan sent word that a night-watchman had accidentally knocked over an oil lamp, burning the final batch of goods."

"Because the Cloth Shop failed to deliver on time, we were contractually obligated to pay one thousand taels in damages, including principal and interest. However, there were only two hundred taels of cash in the shop. After deducting the funds reserved for shop operations, we are still short eight hundred taels."

The room fell into a deathly silence.

"Are you saying that you want me to pay this money?"

The tone was calm and unruffled, yet Zhao Sheng heard three parts anger and seven parts malice in it. Beads of sweat the size of peas covered his forehead.

"I wouldn't dare! I only beg for the Young Miss's grace to help the Cloth Shop overcome this crisis. I swear, I will manage it with all my heart next year and repay the Young Miss's money!"

"We'll talk about next year's matters next year." Tang Zhao did not like to feed her employees empty promises, nor did she like it when employees fed them to her—especially such dry, foul-smelling ones. "Manager Zhao, answer me one question."

"I will tell you everything I know."

"Since the Cloth Shop's livelihood is so difficult," Tang Zhao said slowly, "then where did you get the money to throw a grand banquet and take a concubine ten days ago?"

It was like a thunderclap exploding in his ears. Zhao Sheng looked up in terror, only to see the seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl sitting upright in the high seat, tilting her head to look at him. There was only curiosity on her face; not a trace of anger could be found.

He forced a smile. "This lowly one has already taken a wife through the Madam's great kindness; where would I get a concubine?"

"Then are you saying that Xiao Tao Niang from the end of Peach Blossom Village in Xinxin County has nothing to do with you?"

The world went black before Zhao Sheng's eyes. He had to bite his tongue hard to stay conscious.

He didn't know why this matter, which he had handled so discreetly, was known to the Young Miss, but he absolutely could not admit it!

"Young Miss, please see clearly. This lowly one truly does not know what you are talking about. Someone must be framing me!"

Yes, someone must be framing him! Who was it? The second manager? Or one of the shop assistants?

Nanny An was also startled. Seeing Zhao Sheng so panicked, she knew this was likely true. She was furious, but could only help him out. "Young Miss, Zhao Sheng's family members are first-class maids by the Madam's side and are highly valued by her. How would he have the guts to take a concubine behind the family's back?"

"So that's how it is. No wonder..."

No wonder what? Nanny An felt there was a deep meaning behind those words, but she couldn't figure it out for the moment.

"It doesn't matter if you don't admit it; there are people who will help you admit it," Tang Zhao ordered. "Bring them in."

Chunfeng soon led the people in.

It was Xiao Tao Niang and her family of five.

Zhao Sheng looked at the newcomers, trembling, feeling dizzy and faint.

This was the Xiao Tao Niang family's first time entering the Prince's Mansion. They were already pale with fright and knelt on the ground the moment they entered, not daring to look up.

Chunfeng said gently, "Don't be afraid. We only brought you here to identify someone and answer a few questions. As long as you tell the truth, we will certainly not make things difficult for you."

"Take a look at the person kneeling to the side. Do you recognize him?"

Hearing this, the family felt a bit more at ease. They gathered their courage and looked to the side, then cried out in shock, "Zhao Sheng? Are you Zhao Sheng?"

Zhao Sheng kept his head down, trying to dodge their gaze.

How could Xiao Tao Niang not recognize her own new husband? Although she grew up in the village, she understood the way of the world. Her family had lived in Peach Blossom Village their whole lives; they hadn't even been to the county seat a few times, let alone Luoyang. How could they have provoked the Prince's Mansion!

That was the Prince's Mansion!

"Zhao Sheng, what have you done? I'm asking you, what have you done! Didn't you say you went out for business? How could you..." How could you provoke the Prince's Mansion?

Xiao Tao Niang was shocked, afraid, and hateful all at once, and she began to claw at him desperately.

Zhao Sheng dared not fight back. While dodging, he said, "You mad woman, how dare you make false accusations! I don't know you at all!"

"You don't know me?" Xiao Tao Niang cried in anger. "If you don't know me, why did you marry me? If you don't know me, why did you consummate the marriage with me!"

Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Chunfeng quickly interrupted and asked Xiao Tao Niang, "Are you certain he is the husband you married ten days ago?"

"I am certain," Xiao Tao Niang said, not daring to cause a scene in front of the people from the Prince's Mansion. "I wouldn't mistake the man I married."

"Do you have proof?"

"I do. He has a red mole on the inside of his thigh," Xiao Tao Niang sobbed.

"Someone, drag him away and check," Chunfeng commanded toward the outside.

"Yes," two guards in black responded.

Watching as Zhao Sheng was gagged and dragged away like a dead pig by the guards, Nanny An finally felt true fear.

The Young Miss had been prepared all along!

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the guards returned. "Reporting to the Young Mistress, this man indeed has a red mole on the inside of his right thigh."

Tang Zhao nodded. "Thank you for your hard work."

"We wouldn't dare," the guards replied, retreating back to their posts at the door.

"Zhao Sheng, now that things have come to this, do you still intend to quibble?!" Qiuyu, who had been unable to watch any longer, demanded sternly.

"Young Miss, spare me! Young Miss, spare me!" Zhao Sheng had been stunned for a long time, but suddenly he jolted awake. He crawled forward using all four limbs. "Young Miss, this lowly one was wrong! I know I was wrong! Please spare my life, Young Miss! I will be loyal and devoted to repaying your kindness!"

Seeing the man who had been so overbearing toward her family now fawning like a dog and calling out to the Young Miss, Xiao Tao Niang realized that the young girl sitting in the main seat was the one truly in charge. She immediately began kowtowing incessantly. "I beg the noble lady to decide our fate!"