Yan Shi waited in the main courtyard for the steward to return the account books and keys. To her surprise, instead of receiving them, she heard news that the General had appointed the Third Concubine to manage the household affairs.
Yan Shi immediately pricked her finger, and fresh blood dripped onto the shoe she had just finished. It bloomed into a plum blossom of crimson.
"Madam, are you alright?" Nanny Luo quickly used a handkerchief to wipe the blood from Yan Shi's finger, pressed down on the wound, and in a moment, the bleeding stopped.
"I had forgotten about her," a cold glint flickered in Yan Shi's eyes.
The Third Concubine usually acted according to her wishes within the mansion. Moreover, without her maternal family to rely on, she lived a life of extreme caution, only able to depend on Yan Shi. Now that Yan Shi was under house arrest, she assumed Yan Shi had lost favor and had gone to seek refuge with the Eldest Miss.
"Madam, should we give the Third Concubine a warning..." Nanny Luo inquired. The Third Concubine was weak-willed and fearful of death. Furthermore, she had secretly done many things detrimental to the Eldest Miss. If these actions were discovered by the Eldest Miss or the General, the General would likely make them and their mother disappear without a trace, even before the Eldest Miss had to act.
"A warning would probably be useless; a lesson needs to be taught," Yan Shi said slowly. "I heard the Bai family is searching everywhere for Bai Shun. Nanny, have someone leak some information to the Bai family."
Nanny Luo's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly. "Your servant will have someone attend to this immediately. We will surely make the Third Concubine understand that in this mansion, if Madam wants her to live, she will live, and if Madam wants her to die, she will absolutely not survive!"
Meanwhile, on the other side, after taking over the household affairs, the Third Concubine did not panic despite this unexpected windfall. Instead, she diligently worked with the steward, comparing every item in the mansion against the account books to prevent any potential discrepancies.
The steward was surprised by this.
He recalled that when the account books were sent to the Fourth Concubine's courtyard, the Fourth Concubine hadn't even entered the storeroom. She had returned them, untouched, within a few days.
Now, this usually inconspicuous Third Concubine, after receiving the account books, insisted on having him present as she meticulously inventoried everything before agreeing to take charge.
"Please understand, Steward Lu. The items in the storeroom are all of considerable value, and we cannot be careless. I come from a humble background and have no fortune of my own. If even a single piece of the mansion's property is lost, I would not be able to compensate for it," the Third Concubine said with a smile. "Besides, the General has entrusted me with managing the household affairs. If any mistakes occur, it won't just be me who is in an awkward position, but you as well."
"It is as it should be." To expedite the inventory, the steward called for three more accountants to assist.
With over twenty people, it took a full three days to complete the inventory. The Third Concubine meticulously recorded all the missing items from the account books.
"Concubine, how can so many items be missing from the storeroom?" Xiao Xiang carefully reviewed the ledger the Third Concubine had prepared and discovered that quite a number of valuable items were missing from the storeroom!
She knew that Madam had been in charge previously. With so many items gone, Madam would surely have a difficult time explaining.
"That is likely a question for Madam," the Third Concubine said with a cold smile. "During the decade she managed the household, she was the one stealing. If the General finds out, her position as Madam might not be secure."
Hearing this, Xiao Xiang's brow furrowed. She didn't believe Madam would be so foolish as to expose such a major flaw. It was possible that even if they presented this evidence to Father, Madam would have a way to explain it away.
"Who knows about this matter?" Xiao Xiang asked.
"Steward Lu knows some, but not the specifics."
Xiao Xiang hesitated for a moment. "I think I should discuss this with Eldest Sister. I feel this matter is not as simple as it seems."
"Discuss what? This is a sharp weapon to use against Yan Shi! Eldest Sister doesn't understand household matters, so discussing it with her would be pointless!"
Xiao Xiang sat down beside the Third Concubine and held her hand. "Concubine, I don't know what you are thinking, but until Eldest Sister completely trusts us and gives us the antidote, do not do anything that would displease Eldest Sister. Otherwise, you and I will be in mortal danger."
The Third Concubine then remembered that their lives were in the hands of Xiao Man. If they defied Xiao Man, they would die from the poison, and a sense of dread washed over her. "Alright, you can go and discuss it with Eldest Sister."
Xiao Xiang informed Xiao Man about the missing items from the storeroom. Upon hearing this, Xiao Man sighed. "Yan Shi is truly clever. Taking advantage of me being beaten this time, she has also found someone to take the blame for her embezzlement over the years."
"Eldest Sister, what do you mean by that?" Xiao Xiang asked, confused.
"Before the Third Concubine took over the household affairs, who was in charge of the account books and keys?"
"Madam," Xiao Xiang hesitated for a moment, then corrected herself, "No, it was Fourth Concubine."
"When the Fourth Concubine took over the household affairs, she did not perform a verification. However, by taking charge, she became responsible. The Third Concubine took over from the Fourth Concubine. The discrepancies found now have nothing to do with Madam; the one responsible for this would be the Fourth Concubine."
Xiao Xiang was shocked. The beating Xiao Man received this time had brought forth many issues. Madam's schemes ran deep. Could it be that she had foreseen Xiao Man being beaten and the possibility of being implicated, and thus used this opportunity to shift the blame?
"Fourth Concubine will not admit to it."
"Whether she admits to it or not is irrelevant. Madam only needs to adamantly state that when she handed over the items, they were correct. As for why they are now mismatched, that is the Fourth Concubine's problem. Even Father cannot do anything to her. You go back now and have the Third Concubine give Father the list of missing items. Do not concern yourself with anything else."
"Such a good opportunity, and we're just letting it go?" Xiao Xiang asked, puzzled.
"Who said we're letting it go?" Xiao Man placed the teacup into Xiao Xiang's hand. "Second Sister, you need to learn more from Madam. Be calm and composed when facing matters. At any time, one cannot look at things from only one perspective. Father sees all clearly. Even if Madam escapes punishment, she will completely lose her father's trust, which is something no amount of wealth can buy back for her."
Xiao Xiang nodded in understanding. "I understand. Thank you, Eldest Sister, for your guidance. I will go back and tell Concubine now."
Xiao Man watched Xiao Xiang leave. Ying Xue looked curious. "Eldest Miss, why does Second Miss always come to you for advice on such minor matters?"
Xiao Man took a sip of tea and said slowly, "She is telling me that she is an obedient dog."
Ying Xue's expression shifted slightly. "What about Madam's side..."
"Yan Shi has been scheming in the mansion for over a decade. She must have planted many people. Moreover, she would not easily let the Third Concubine seize the power of managing the household. Let's wait and see; she won't be able to sit still for long," Xiao Man said in a soft, leisurely tone.
As long as Yan Shi dared to make a move, she would inevitably leave behind traces, and then she wouldn't be blamed for being ruthless.
The Third Concubine handed the compiled list of missing items to Xiao Zhen, simply stating that during her takeover, she had discovered numerous missing items when comparing them against the list. She then gracefully departed, leaving the problem for Xiao Zhen to handle.