Chapter 21 – Making trouble for Wu’an Marquis Household The Evil Prince and his Precious Wife The Sly Lady (1/2)

Du and Murong Rou, both mother and daughter, were wealthy yet they were still unscrupulous in stealing both her and her brother’s assets. How greedy and ambitious. Any little relationship between them had been destroyed by both mother and daughter. The goods in her mother’s dowry shop could be given to anyone except for Wu’an Marquis’ Household.

“Er…” The managers looked at each other, their faces turned bitter, “Reporting to Young Mistress. We send our staff to the Wu’an Mansion every month to ask for money but they still stall us and never give any money…”

“That’s right, Young Mistress. Wu’an Marquis’ Household’s people are very cunning. No matter what our staff say, they only say one sentence – we will pay next month…”

“When our staff ask for money next month, they will continue saying that they will pay the next month. This way, they have delayed payment from ten years ago till now…”

As the managers noisily discussed. Murong Xue’s mouth curled into a sneer – Du and Murong Ruo are planning to quietly move all the goods away from Chen’s dowry shop? How ambitious. They are really skilled in the art of silently stealing.

Now that she has taken over the management of the shops, the mother and daughter’s schemes should end here, “I have thought of a way. If you follow my instructions, I promise that Wu’an Marquis’ Household will obediently pay up the money owed.”

“Really?” The managers’ eyes brightened and looked towards Murong Xue in unison, “What way?”

The streets of the Capital were busy and crowded. Early spring breeze mixed with the fragrance of hundreds of flowers making people happy. The bright sunlight shone onto people making them warm.

A grand horse carriage slowly travelled and steadily stopped in front of Wu’an Marquis’ Household. The curtain opened and a young girl in pink stepped out. Her face was bright like blossoms, her hair like dark clouds, her brows like spring’s mountains and her eyes like autumn’s water – it was Wu’an’s wife-born oldest daughter Song Qingyan.

Stepping onto the steps and off the carriage, Song Qingyan held onto her maid’s arm and walked into the Mansion. Her eyes glanced towards the oak wood box, her mouth curved into an elegant smile – the jewelry shop’s new jewelry suited her very much so she had taken them without any hesitation.

Oldest aunt’s (Chen’s) dowry shop was good like that – whatever she saw she could take, and only need to record in the accounts without paying.

“Young Mistress!” The guard respectfully bowed towards her.

Song Qingyan acknowledged with a hum and gracefully walked into the main door. She was just about to enter the main hall when a male voice came from behind her, “I am the staff from Zhuyu Court, under the order of the manager to clear the accounts of Wu’an Marquis’ Household. Please help me inform.”

Song Qingyan’s beautiful brows frowned slightly. She turned towards the staff only to see him wear a gray rough robe. He was of average height, with common looks and was the type that could stand in the crowd and definitely not be noticed.

“Isn’t Zhuyu Court and the client’s accounts settled once a month? It is not the start nor the end of the month, what are you settling?” She has just taken new jewelry from Zhuyu Court, and now the staff from Zhuyu Court has come to Wu’an Court to settle the accounts. Are they chasing for money? How annoying.

The staff looked towards the sound and saw Song Qingyan. Recognizing that she is the frequent customer Wu’an Marquis Household’s Young Mistress, he smiled and said, “Young Mistress, I have come to settle not last month’s account but the previous accounts – those that should have been settled last month…”

“Alright, alright!” Song Qingyan interrupted him impatiently, “It has been busy in the Mansion recently and we don’t have time to settle the accounts. Come again when it’s the end of the month. Get all the accounts in order and we will settle them together.”

The staff’s mouth curved slightly and a flash of disdain appeared beneath his eyes. These perfunctory statements again. He has heard the same things until he could almost grow ear wax. Luckily Zhuyu Court is now under Murong Young Mistress and he doesn’t need to bother about not offending this demanding lady anymore.

“Song Young Mistress, I also know that it is the wrong time to come. But the manager has said that if I cannot settle the accounts this time, he is going to fire me. I have elderly and young dependent on me and cannot lose this job. Please Song Young Mistress, pity me and settle the accounts!”