Chapter 212: Investigation Complete
Study room. Su Yaoguang was checking the account book, the abacus clacking loudly.
Zhou Wangshu placed a booklet in front of her and said, “The matter you assigned is done.”
Su Yaoguang was overjoyed inside, stopped what she was doing, picked up the booklet and looked at it, saying, “You found the address of Ming Ye Hall?”
When she saw the contents on the booklet, her eyes were full of surprise, and she looked up toward Zhou Wangshu.
Zhou Wangshu moved the abacus from beside her, then shifted the account book a bit, and continued checking from where it had been left off, clacking away even faster than her.
“I thought you found the address of Ming Ye Hall, but it turns out you investigated the background of Chun E’s ungrateful husband. This is too fast, isn’t it?”
“It’s not that I’m fast; it’s that Ming Ye Hall moves quickly.”
“How much silver did this news cost?”
“Fifty taels.” Zhou Wangshu said, “That man named Zhu Kesheng is a guard. To find out about his things, we had to check out of town, so the expenses in that area were a bit higher.”
“This news is worth the price.” When Su Yaoguang finished reading all the contents, her eyes were full of delight. “Ask your classmate and see if he can give you Ming Ye Hall’s contact information. If we need to buy important news or clues next time, we can talk directly to Ming Ye Hall people.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve met Ming Ye Hall people and know how to contact them. Next time we can talk directly.”
“This Ming Ye Hall really has connections everywhere. In just two days, they found out so much. I’ll send someone to find older sister Chun E right away and let her know what that scumbag man has done these years and how much industry he’s secretly hidden.”
Su Yaoguang had just stood up when she heard the shop assistant announcing from outside the door: “Owner, shop owner Chun E has arrived.”
Su Yaoguang was surprised and looked at Zhou Wangshu.
Zhou Wangshu finished checking all the accounts, got the last number on the account book, and said, “I sent someone to invite her over. I figured after you saw the news, you’d discuss countermeasures with her, so I had the shop assistant invite her.”
Su Yaoguang touched Zhou Wangshu’s ear: “Wangshu, are you a worm in my belly?”
Zhou Wangshu shivered.
His ear was his sensitive spot; her sudden touch made him feel like he’d been struck by lightning, even his breathing grew heavier.
“I know you’re affectionate, but no need to flaunt your love in front of a failure like me, right?” Chun E pushed the door open, looked at the golden couple in front of her, and said sourly.
“Older sister Chun E, where is that dog of a man now?” Su Yaoguang asked.
Chun E said bitterly, “He’s not pretending anymore; he’s cooing and cooing with that wench in the home I set up. My mother-in-law finally got a grandson and is so happy, calling ‘grandson this, grandson that’ all day; I’ve become the superfluous one.”
Zhou Wangshu knew they had things to discuss and told Su Yaoguang he was heading back to the academy.
After Zhou Wangshu left, Chun E came over, patted Su Yaoguang’s shoulder, and said, “Wangshu is really great; you’re a young lady with good fortune.”
“The world is big; there are plenty of bad men, but also plenty of good men. As long as you stay away from that dog of a man, you can find a better one too.”
“A half-old hag like me doesn’t hope for a good man anymore. Right now, I just want to keep my silver and stay away from that wench.”
“Older sister Chun E, look at this information.” Su Yaoguang handed the booklet in her hand to Chun E.
Chun E took the booklet and started reading from the first page. As she saw more and more contents, her face grew uglier and uglier; by the end, she was trembling with anger.
The entire booklet had fifty pages, summarizing all the important events that man had done over the years.
This was also why Su Yaoguang said this information was worth fifty taels of silver. After all, even the man himself might not remember everything he’d done over so many years, yet Ming Ye Hall could investigate a person so thoroughly, leaving no place to hide.
“I want to divorce him right away.”
“Older sister Chun E, if you just divorce him like this, you won’t get anything.” Su Yaoguang said, “All the industry he’s set up over these years is in that woman’s name. Even if we prove it’s his, the names on the deeds and land deeds aren’t his; what can you do to him?”
“But he’s done illegal things. If we don’t divorce quickly and they find out what he’s done over these years, I’ll be implicated too.”
“What are you afraid of? Are you more afraid than he is?” Su Yaoguang said, “With all this evidence right here, he should be the one most afraid.”
“You’re right. Do you have any ideas?” Chun E asked.
Su Yaoguang leaned close to Chun E and whispered a few words in her ear.
After hearing those words, Chun E’s eyes were full of shock.
“Little sister, no wonder you can make big money; your courage is extraordinary.” Chun E said, “But he’s tall and burly, and he has a few brothers who’ve gone through life and death with him. I’m worried if we anger him, he’ll bring his brothers to get ruthless with me; I’m just a weak woman and no match for him.”
“My good older sister, you’ve earned so much silver; if not now, when will you spend it?” Su Yaoguang patted the back of her hand. “You don’t have his strong physique or those brothers who help the tyrant, but you have money to hire people!”
“Alright, I’ll go back to my maternal family now, tell them about this, and then formally negotiate with that Zhu fellow.”
After Chun E left, Zhou Wangshu came over from the next room.
“Didn’t you say you were going back to the academy?” Su Yaoguang saw him.
“Rest and recuperate today.” Zhou Wangshu sat down and asked, “What rotten idea did you give her?”
“I only gave her one bold and feasible idea; no rotten ideas.” Su Yaoguang shoved the account book into his hands. “Since you’re resting, you have nothing to do, so the remaining account books are yours; it’ll give you a chance to consolidate your mental math.”
“Trying to slack off yourself, and saying it so righteously.” Zhou Wangshu grumbled with his mouth, but his hands were very honest.
His abacus work was faster and more accurate than Su Yaoguang’s; at his speed, account books that would take her a day he could finish in two hours.
Now that he was back and free, such a useful subordinate shouldn’t go to waste.
Su Yaoguang left the study room. When she returned, she was carrying a basket with plump, freshly washed grapes inside.
She sat next to Zhou Wangshu, watched him check the accounts quickly and accurately, pinched a grape, and fed it into his mouth.
Zhou Wangshu ate the ice-chilled grapes, and his hand movements slowed down instead.
“Do you think older sister Chun E can pull it off?” Su Yaoguang ate grapes and asked mumbledly.
Zhou Wangshu opened his mouth, signaling for another one.
Su Yaoguang continued feeding him.
Zhou Wangshu ate the grapes and said, “She’s not stupid; you’ve even thought of the method for her. If she still can’t pull it off, then you shouldn’t bother with her trivial matters.”
