Chapter 27: Refusing to Admit

Everyone turned toward the direction of the voice.

A man in a navy blue brocade robe approached. Though advanced in years, his features remained dignified and handsome, with an air of mature composure. His brow was beaded with sweat and his breath unsteady, clearly having hurried to the scene.

“Father, you’re here,” Shen Qingyun greeted him with a respectful bow.

“My lord!” The guards also saluted him.

The ladies and young misses nearby whispered among themselves, craning their necks to see how the situation would unfold.

The woman’s beautiful eyes were already brimming with tears as she gazed at Shen Zhifeng, yet she struggled not to let them fall. She looked as though she had suffered many grievances but refused to voice them.

“Qingyun, what are you doing here making a scene?” Shen Zhifeng suppressed his inner panic and anger, stepping between Shen Qingyun and the woman, blocking his daughter’s line of sight.

Shen Qingyun’s expression remained calm as she spoke clearly and deliberately: “Father, you’ve come at just the right moment. When I was managing the accounts, I noticed irregularities with this shop. It’s been losing money almost every month, with countless taels of silver needed to cover the losses. I suspect someone’s been falsifying the books and lining their own pockets, so I brought people here to inspect the shop.”

“I made inquiries upon arrival and found no signs of any losses. Instead, there was an older woman who claimed to be the wife of the shop owner and even tried to have me arrested with the help of the manager. Father, had you arrived a moment later, who knows what else they would have dared to do!”

Through the veil, Shen Qingyun’s eyes were slightly furrowed, her gaze bright with both anger and a touch of vulnerability, stirring the sympathy of those around her.

Upon hearing Shen Qingyun’s words, the woman bit her lip hard—how dare she call her an older woman! She was clearly still young and beautiful.

For a moment, Shen Zhifeng’s face revealed his embarrassment, but he collected himself quickly and sighed. “Daughter, you’re still young and act too rashly—how could you charge in without clarifying things?”

“What do you mean, Father?”

“In truth, this shop was opened by me together with a late friend. Yue Niang here is the wife of that friend, which is why she claims to be the lady of the establishment.” As he spoke, he glanced apologetically at Yue Niang, giving her a subtle look out of Shen Qingyun’s sight.

Fortunately, he’d heard that there had been trouble with the accounting, and knowing Shen Qingyun was heading to Pipa Street, he anticipated something might happen and hurried over, formulating an explanation on the way.

Yue Niang responded quickly, shaking her head with a gracious smile. “Yes, Second Miss Shen, you must have misunderstood. If you’d identified yourself at the start, none of this commotion would have happened.”

“So you have nothing to do with my father?”

“Naturally, your father and I are above reproach. At most, we are mere acquaintances. Does Second Miss Shen suspect her own father?”

Shen Qingyun sneered inwardly. Since she was so eager to declare their innocence, she would help her make it convincing.

She didn’t reply, but turned to question Shen Zhifeng instead, “Father, what about the accounts? This shop requires hundreds of taels in subsidies every so often. That must be thoroughly investigated.”

“I heard it was the bookkeeper who was falsifying the accounts and taking kickbacks. Perhaps it was he who embezzled the funds,” Shen Zhifeng replied.

The manager, wiping his brow, hastened to agree, “My lord, I have always managed the shop with utmost diligence and integrity. All business is recorded clearly in the ledgers and can be checked at any time. I have never committed any embezzlement!”

“That’s not quite right,” Shen Qingyun said with a smile, unaffected by her father’s darkening expression. “The bookkeeper has always been cautious, and with so many shops under the Duke’s household, why would he only embezzle from this one? The annual accounts of each shop are cross-checked. Would anyone dare to embezzle over a thousand taels from just one shop without inside help?”

An uproar broke out among the crowd.

A thousand taels of silver—for ordinary folk, that was more than a lifetime’s earnings!

People began to discuss the matter, with many siding with Shen Qingyun and suspecting the manager of profiteering.

After all, those living nearby or regular patrons knew this shop’s business had always flourished, especially during holidays and festivals—it was impossible for it to be losing money.

Just then, a group of constables pushed through the crowd.

“Make way! Who called the authorities?” barked a man who appeared to be an officer.

“Sir, over here! We made the report,” Pearl called out, waving them over.

Shen Zhifeng’s face darkened, and he spat out his words through clenched teeth, “Shen Qingyun, you’ve grown bolder by the day—how dare you call the authorities? Where does that leave the Duke’s family reputation? Apologize at once and say you made a mistake! Just wait until we return home, and see if I don’t punish you by family law.”

Shen Qingyun paid him no heed. Having lived twice, she was no longer intimidated by such threats.

The two constables from the Capital Magistrate’s Office approached Pearl, asking about the reason for the report.

Pearl recounted everything in detail. Though Shen Zhifeng and Yue Niang were anxious, since Pearl didn’t exaggerate, they couldn’t cut in.

Once the officers understood the situation, Shen Qingyun spoke unhurriedly, “Gentlemen, as my father has explained the matter with Yue Niang, I won’t pursue that further. However, I wish to file charges against this manager, who colluded with the household’s bookkeeper to embezzle the Duke’s funds. I hope the Capital Magistrate’s Office will investigate thoroughly and recover the stolen silver.”

“Rest assured, Miss. If what you say is true, we will certainly get to the bottom of it,” the constables replied. Seeing the elegant and gentle-mannered young lady, their tone softened in response.

With that, the officers prepared to escort the manager back for questioning.

The manager was stunned. He had never imagined that the constables called would end up arresting him. He wailed in grief and protest.

Breaking free from the officers, he ran to Shen Zhifeng and Yue Niang, crying, “My lord, madam, you know I am loyal and would never do such a thing. Please, speak for me! I am innocent—please don’t let them take me!”

His repeated cries of “my lord” and “madam” set the onlookers whispering again, their gazes toward Shen Zhifeng and Yue Niang growing suspicious.

Shen Zhifeng gave the manager a hard kick. “If you’re innocent, you have nothing to fear. Why beg me for help? The evidence is there in black and white. You have betrayed my trust. Even if you don’t care for yourself, you should think of your wife and children!”

He ended with a look of deep regret and disappointment. “How foolish you are. Now there’s nothing I can do to save you.”