"Young Master, this is the grain trading account book of Lizhou City. The manager there said that a batch of new seeds were introduced from overseas. It may not be possible to recover the cost in the past two years, but in three years the profits will definitely be several times higher than now.
…”
"Young Master, this is the general ledger of the shops in Suiyang City. Please see if there are any flaws..."
"Young Master..."
…
Jin Yuanbao raised his head from the stacks of account books that were as tall as one person, and glanced at the big shopkeepers present. The look in his eyes was so light that it was hard to see any joy.
However, the big shopkeepers who were caught by that look felt their hearts tremble and immediately lowered their heads.
Jin Yuanbao threw the account book in his hand on the table, leaned back in his chair, and said slowly: "You have always decided on these matters yourself, why did you send them all to me today?"
One of the shopkeepers took a step forward, cupped his hands and said: "If you want to reply to the young master, because the young master has not been back for a year, I am afraid that the young master does not understand the current situation."
Jin Yuanbao's eyebrows slightly twitched, and then he waved to everyone: "You guys go back first, I'll see for myself, and I'll come back to you if there are any problems."
The shopkeepers all had expressions on their faces that were hesitant to speak, but when they saw Jin Yuanbao's unsmiling face, they immediately lowered their heads and said "yes", and then gradually retreated.
Jin Yuanbao turned his head and said to Ying: "Tell Ying Er, Ying San and the others to come over."
Ying Yi's figure flashed, and within a short while, several more people appeared in the room.
The shadows all saluted Jin Yuanbao: "Young Master!"
Jin Yuanbao waved at them and asked, "Did they go to the City Lord's Mansion on the first day of the new year?"
Ying Er nodded: "They went out not long after the young master came over. The people who followed were afraid of being discovered by Miss Xia and the others, so they saw them going to the direction of the city lord's mansion, so they immediately came back to report."
After hearing this, Jin Yuanbao smiled helplessly: "This little girl won't let it go until she understands the whole story. Let her be."
There were some things that he just wanted to hide, but he was powerless. Especially when the old man went out of his way to find someone to make a fuss, it was good that she didn't pester him for answers.
Jin Yuanbao was leaning on the back of his chair helplessly, with his eyes closed, looking a little tired.
But his head refused to rest for a moment, still thinking about what he should say and how to continue to get along with her after Xia Chuyi came back.
His mind was a little messy and chaotic. Jin Yuanbao, who always liked to arrange everything so that everything was safe and sound, now realized that once something got involved with that little woman, all developments would become unknown.
He couldn't guess or figure it out, so he could only be as careful as ever and try his best to maintain this seemingly unbreakable relationship.
However, just as he seemed to be feeling sleepy in his head, he saw a shadow running in quickly, kneeling on the ground and shouting: "Young Master!"
Jin Yuanbao opened his eyes and saw Ying Wu kneeling in front of him. He was a little surprised: "What happened?"
Ying Wu is his father's personal bodyguard. He is always responsible for his father's personal safety and never cares about other things. Today, he actually came here in person?
"Reporting to the young master, the city master asked his subordinates to come down and tell you that he and Xia Yushi hit it off and have become friends forever. Therefore, he decided to keep him for a few days so that you don't have to disturb him. In a few days, he will definitely send him away.
return."
"A long-lasting friendship?!"
Jin Yuanbao didn't understand what his father was doing, so he jumped up from his chair with a complicated expression on his face.
His first thought was that the old man had detained the man, but considering the skills of Xia Chuyi, Chang Huan, and Feng Luo, this possibility was almost impossible.
Or was it being used? But with Xia Chuyi's current sensory abilities and the medical skills he learned from Grand Instructor Ye Junqing, that possibility is slim.
Could it be that... Chu Yi and his father really hit it off right away?
After thinking about it, he stood up and was about to walk out, but was blocked by Ying Wu.
He was still kneeling on the ground, but his attitude was extremely tough: "Young Master, if the city lord doesn't let you go, don't embarrass your subordinates. The city lord's palace has now issued a ban, and you can't get in."
Jin Yuanbao looked at Ying Wu like that and waved him out. He slowly walked around the house and finally asked Ying Yi next to him: "What are the chances that we will forcefully enter the city lord's mansion?"
Yingyi looked at Jin Yuanbao with some embarrassment, shrugged and said: "Young Master, the City Lord said he would send the people back in a few days, what are you worrying about? Most of the defenses in the City Lord's Mansion were arranged by you.
It's impregnable, easy to defend but hard to attack, don't you know that? If the city lord wants to stop you, we won't be able to get in at all."
Jin Yuanbao stopped and punched the table hard.
Ying Yi frowned and looked at it, feeling pain.
…
"Is this a list of everyone in the city lord's palace?"
Xia Chuyi flipped through the booklet in his hand without looking at it carefully, just glanced at it casually.
The chief steward stood next to him and said respectfully: "Everyone's belongings are here."
Xia Chuyi raised her head and looked at him, and said in a neutral tone: "Where are the young ladies in the attic?"
"Young ladies..." The butler was stunned for a moment, "Young ladies, do you also want to investigate?"
"Everyone is suspected." Xia Chuyi did not answer directly. He lowered his head and looked at the list that had been sorted into categories. He casually pulled out a book and said, "Gather all the people in this book."
The butler immediately took over the roster and left.
Regarding the matter of catching the mole, Xia Chuyi did not let Mr. Jin interfere and just let him act as usual and do whatever he wants.
She asked people to prepare a lot of small notes and pens, and walked to the yard in the backyard with her things.
All the people registered in this register are the family members of the servants in the mansion, and they also make a living in the city lord's mansion. Most of them are rough men and women who do rough work, and they rarely see their master all year round.
So now they were all gathered together, and they said that a censor was coming to see them. They all looked frightened in their hearts, and they all speculated that they had made some big mistake.
When Xia Chu walked over, she saw the butler and a large group of people were about to kneel down to salute her. She didn't have time to speak to stop her, and they all knelt in front of them.
"See the Censor!"
A chorus of cheers echoed throughout the backyard.
Xia Chuyi and Chang Huan and Feng Luo behind them stood in front of them, as if they were standing out from the flock, looking down at everything in front of them.
After hesitating for a while, he finally said expressionlessly: "Everyone, get up."
The big housekeeper immediately signaled the rough ladies to stand up, and those people stood up obediently and stood motionless, for fear that they would do something wrong and offend the high official in front of them.
Although in their eyes, the censor is just a teenage girl.
On the first day of Xia Chuyi, the chief steward ordered people to distribute pens, inks, paper and inkstones, and each person had one copy.
Many of those old women were illiterate, and when they got the pen and ink, they were stunned and didn't know what to do.
Xia Chuyi stood in front of them. It was rare that he did not have a playful smile, but he said extremely seriously: "Something was lost in the city lord's mansion, and the thief is among you."
Everyone was in an uproar, but she ignored it and continued: "The lost things are extremely valuable, so I must find this person. If he cannot be found, all the people in the city lord's mansion will be arrested and tortured until he is found."
Until that person is found!"
Xia Chuyi really looked like a villain this time, with murderous intent in his expression, which made many people present start to tremble in their legs and feet.
However, because they were afraid of her coercion, no one dared to make a sound in the dark crowd.
Seeing that everyone was frightened by her, she softened her expression a little: "My lord, I will now give you a chance to write down the person you think is most likely to steal things, fold them and put them in the box. No need.
Sign your name, so no one knows who you are writing about. If you can’t write, just draw a picture so that you can recognize who is speaking. Do you understand?”
Seeing everyone staring at her blankly, she frowned slightly, and the butler next to her immediately repeated: "I'm asking you, do you understand?"
"Listen...I understand..."
Xia Chuyi couldn't help but want to laugh when he heard the trembling reply.
"Then start writing."
She had someone prepare a box similar to a ballot box in advance, specifically to collect the notes written by those people, and soon it was a large box full.
Then she used the same method to ask the servants, cooks, maids, and gardeners to vote, and almost everyone participated.
At the last stop, Xia Chuyi didn't want to go, but he sighed and headed forward with others.
The last list that the butler made up recorded the fifty-eight young ladies who were candidates for Jin Yuanbao in the small attic.
When Xia Chu arrived, all the staff had gathered. As soon as she stepped into the yard, she was immediately dazzled by the colorful colors.
Taking a closer look, oh, oh, these future young wives of Jin Yuanbao are all very grand. It is obviously not a sunny day, but they still let the maids hold umbrellas, and they are sitting on chairs, chatting and laughing.
sky.
They look exactly as Mr. Jin said. Shen Yuluoyan is as beautiful as a flower. Each has its own style and charm. Just looking at it is very eye-catching.
The beaded hairpins on the temples, the gauze skirt, and the fragrant powder and rouge can almost occupy this whole world.
When they heard someone coming, they raised their eyelids and took a look, oh, it was a little girl, so they pretended not to see it and continued their conversation.
Xia Chuyi glanced at her and couldn't help but swallow her saliva. She thought to herself that no wonder Jin Yuanbao would move out. Sometimes a beauty trap has to be tolerated.
"Ahem." She cleared her throat and coughed twice.
Completely ignored.
As soon as Xia Chu looked at the big housekeeper next to him, he saw him saying to Xia Chu helplessly: "Master Yushi, my master usually makes people serve them as young ladies-to-be. Who dares to offend them?"
Young Madam-to-be?
Xia Chuyi sneered.
They don't even know where their husbands are, but they are still joking here. They are enjoying their current wealthy life very much.
"Butler, get me a fan."
"Hey." The chief steward responded, and then whispered a few words to the people following him, and saw a boy running away quickly.