My wife wants a divorce; if she ruins my life, I'll leave.

In the afternoon, Lin's mother and Linglong stayed home, while Meng Ruohua took Yuye and Shanhu out.

The group went straight to a cloth shop run by the mansion – Jinxiu Cloth Shop.

Jinxiu Cloth Shop had been in business for many years and was one of the most profitable shops in the mansion before the Second Madam took over. Now, the shop is managed by Li Mama's husband, Li Liang, and everyone calls him Manager Li.

Meng Ruohua whispered a few words of advice to Yu Ye, and only entered the room after the other party had noted them down.

Shopkeeper Li smiled and introduced, "Hello, Second Young Madam. Are you looking to select fabric? We recently received a new batch of Hundred Flowers Brocade. Its bright colors and exquisite craftsmanship are very popular with ladies. Second Young Madam, this is the one."

With Manager Li's introduction, Meng Ruohua toured the entire shop. Holding a bolt of autumn-colored brocade with chrysanthemum patterns, she casually asked, "Our shop uses only the finest materials. This bolt is enough to cover a small family's expenses for a year."

"Yes, the things in our shop are not something that ordinary families can afford," Manager Li said proudly. "All our silks are imported from Hangzhou, and they are all the latest patterns this year. We have already sold more than thirty bolts."

Manager Li's grandfather sold himself into servitude to the Song family and worked there until his generation. The Li family was originally insignificant, until he learned some characters in his childhood, caught the eye of the madam, and married her personal maid, which slowly brought them to prominence.

Meng Ruohua walked into the inner room, where there were two private rooms for entertaining distinguished guests.

Holding her teacup, she asked directly without beating around the bush, "Manager Li, how much money do you pay to the household each month?"

Manager Li's heart skipped a beat. The shop's account books were handed directly to the madam, so the second young mistress shouldn't have any control over them!

He smiled broadly and said vaguely, "That depends on how much profit we make that month."

What about this month?

Such a direct question left him speechless. He remembered that he had just said the sales were good, and if he said he had no money now, wouldn't he be contradicting himself?

If the profits were revealed, the madam would certainly have a hard time explaining herself. He was helping the madam falsify accounts, so he was naturally guilty and dared not tell anyone. Even the second master and second young master in the mansion did not know, so for a moment they could not understand what the second young mistress meant.

He glanced up and saw the second young mistress smiling as she sipped her tea, as if it were just a casual question.

"Our shop usually settles accounts at the end of the month, and this month's accounts haven't been settled yet."

Meng Ruohua's smile grew even gentler. She looked at Manager Li without saying a word, but the sharp light in her eyes seemed to see right through him. "Is that so? Then Manager Li should have a general idea in mind, right?"

She put down her teacup, the crisp clinking sound amplified infinitely in the quiet room, like a stone hitting Manager Li squarely on the head.

"If Madam asks, will Manager Li give her the same answer?"

Manager Li raised his hand to wipe away non-existent sweat from his forehead. Everyone said that the second young mistress was gentle and easy to talk to. He really wanted to ask those people, was this what they meant by gentle?

If the second young mistress asked in a roundabout way, I could pretend not to understand, but she asked clearly and explicitly, even a fool could understand!

Feeling the three gazes pressing down on him, he could only say perfunctorily, "Second Young Madam, we recently received new goods and have been busy organizing them. Besides, business hasn't been good lately, and we haven't made much money."

"No way, you were just saying the goods were delivered a month ago?" Meng Ruohua smiled and turned to ask Yu Ye, "Am I remembering correctly?"

Yu Ye wore a light red jacket and a light green pleated skirt, with a peach-pink embroidered lotus belt cinching her waist, making her look both eye-catching and neat.

"If I remember correctly, I heard it too."

Manager Li's mind raced, and he was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead.

"No way? The shopkeeper doesn't know the shop's profits?" Yu Ye's voice was crisp and sharp, like a needle piercing his heart.

If you admit it, it means you're incompetent; if you don't, the second young mistress certainly won't give up easily.

Meng Ruohua scolded, "Don't talk nonsense. The shopkeeper is an old hand that the madam has employed for more than ten years. He has never made a mistake in managing the shop. How could he not know?"

Yu Ye was unconvinced and argued, "It's precisely because it's been more than ten years that things are prone to going wrong. Didn't Granny Li break the rules and get punished by you a few days ago? If you ask me, older people just have bad memories; they can forget the smallest things."

Manager Li recalled that a few days ago, his wife came home with a swollen face, saying that the second young mistress had punished her for being disrespectful and disobedient. What was most infuriating was that the mistress had tried to get an explanation for her but failed, and was even told to be more careful with her words and actions in the future.

She started managing the household in her second year of marriage and has never made any major mistakes. How could she be someone who is easily deceived!

Look, now the two of them, mistress and servant, are working together to put him in a difficult position, unable to admit it or not!

As Manager Li pondered how to respond without offending the second young mistress or giving her any leverage, he heard the other party kindly suggest, "Why don't you take a look at the account book, Manager?"

That's right! The fake account books are made every day, so the second young mistress shouldn't be able to spot the flaws. Besides, the fake account books have to be handed over to the mansion at the end of the year, so the second young mistress will see them sooner or later.

When the second young mistress suddenly asked today, I thought it was an audit of the household accounts and forgot about the fake account book.

He nodded hurriedly, "Yes, this old servant will go and get it right away."

As soon as Manager Li left, Yu Ye's back slumped, and she winked repeatedly at Meng Ruohua. Shanhu, standing to the side, gave a thumbs-up and exclaimed, "Sister, what a commanding presence!"

Meng Ruohua smiled and nodded. Her maid had been raised like a young lady since childhood, and she could impress several people when she put on airs.

When the ledger was brought over, Meng Ruohua didn't ask to see it, but only asked, "Have you seen it clearly?"

Oh! Second Young Mistress, are you trying to ask him a question in a roundabout way?

Now that things have come to this, it's no longer acceptable to say we didn't know!

Fortunately, this is a fake ledger. Even if the second young mistress finds out, it doesn't matter. The ledger is cleverly made, and even an experienced accountant wouldn't be able to spot the flaws.

"Only three hundred taels remain."

"Oh, it seems the shop isn't doing so well." Meng Ruohua sighed regretfully. "Then three hundred taels it is. Manager Li, bring it here and I'll take it with me."

take away?

Shopkeeper Li looked at the other party with suspicion, "Take him away? Three hundred taels?"

"Yes, Manager Li, didn't you receive the letter? Madam said that the Second Young Mistress should take some money from the shop to use first, and then pay it back at the beginning of the month after the shop's accounts are settled. She also said that anyone who disagrees should go and talk to Madam." Yu Ye took a breath and continued, "When she said this, Granny Li was also there. Didn't she tell you? Yes, Granny must have been too busy and forgot. If you don't believe me, Manager, just send someone to ask."

Meng Ruohua explained, "Take three hundred taels, and the rest will be enough to pay the workers' wages."

Coral smiled and agreed, "Yes, our household is most considerate of its servants. It's not easy for them to work. Their whole family might depend on this little bit of money to live. We absolutely cannot deduct the workers' wages!"

……

You've said all the right things and all the wrong things!

Even his excuse of not having enough money in the account to delay paying wages was blocked!

Just thinking about how the mother of my child praised the girls around the second young mistress as virtuous and considerate, I realize they really are considerate, so considerate!