The next day, Hong Lingxiang heard about the theft from the storeroom. The entire staff managing the storeroom was under her command. With the most valuable items of the estate stored there, this was an unacceptable situation. She immediately stopped what she was doing and rushed to the scene.
Upon seeing her, the servant on duty knelt on the ground, trembling. A storeroom theft was no minor offense; selling himself wouldn't be enough to cover the loss.
"What exactly happened?" Hong Lingxiang demanded, her anger rising. She was furious. The Zhou family's storeroom had been secure for years. Within days of her taking charge, this incident occurred. She was certain that old hag would use this as an excuse.
"Your Ladyship, I can confirm the keys were always on my person. This morning, when I arrived to inspect the storeroom, I found the door ajar. I broke out in a cold sweat then. I've questioned many people, but no one discovered anything amiss," the servant explained hastily, desperately trying to exonerate himself.
"Guards, come and take an inventory. What exactly is missing?" Hong Lingxiang's brow furrowed. She refused to believe items could vanish without a trace, unless there was an inside job.
Two people immediately came forward and spent the entire morning conducting the inventory. Finally, they reported, "Reporting to Madam, a hereditary bronze mirror and a piece of double-sided embroidery are missing."
"Guards, have them beaten severely until they confess! I don't believe these items could fly away on their own," Hong Lingxiang declared sternly, glaring at them fiercely.
"We are wrongly accused, Madam. We truly did not steal anything. Please, Your Ladyship, see through this deception."
"Wrongly accused, truly wrongly accused..."
...
Several people immediately knelt down and begged for mercy.
Soon after, the sounds of beating and screams echoed through the courtyard.
"What is going on here?" Old Madam Zhou, supported by attendants, slowly walked in. "As one gets older, one dislikes witnessing such brutal scenes. Moreover, I managed the Zhou estate for so many years without such incidents. How is it that as soon as you take over, things spiral out of control?"
Hong Lingxiang felt a surge of frustration, but the facts were undeniable, and she was powerless to refute them.
Seeing Hong Lingxiang flustered, Old Madam Zhou secretly rejoiced, feeling as if a large portion of her illness had miraculously improved.
"I told you long ago that you are incapable of managing the estate. Just hand over the account books obediently," Old Madam Zhou said smugly, looking at her.
"I admit I made a mistake this time. Give me two days, and I will retrieve the items," Hong Lingxiang stated with determined eyes, unwilling to back down.
"And what if the items are not found? If more incidents like this occur, won't you deplete the Zhou family's fortune? " Old Madam Zhou's gaze was sharp. No matter what, she was determined to reclaim the managerial authority this time.
Hong Lingxiang was momentarily speechless. She desperately wanted to say, "Then so be it," but some thoughts could only remain in her heart.
"You must give me some assurance. We can't just lose them. They are heirlooms of the Zhou family, items we were unwilling to sell even in difficult times," Old Madam Zhou pressed on.
"Aren't they just two items? If they're not found in two days, I'll either hand over the managerial rights or compensate you. Is that not enough? Does my esteemed Hong family truly not have the means to compensate for such items?" Hong Lingxiang, who was never patient, lost her temper and disregarded everything else.
"Good, that's the assurance I wanted. We'll see the outcome in two days." Old Madam Zhou was satisfied and, with the help of her attendants, left the scene of the dispute.
Watching her retreating figure, Hong Lingxiang seethed inwardly, her eyes fixed on her with a venomous glare.
Suddenly remembering she had forgotten to give a final instruction, Old Madam Zhou turned around and caught sight of Hong Lingxiang's fierce and malicious gaze. Startled, she swallowed the words that were about to escape her lips and then managed to say, "I just wanted to remind you not to cause any deaths. Otherwise, it will be difficult to resolve."
Hong Lingxiang remained silent, unsure if her words had been heard. But Old Madam Zhou dared not stay any longer. The thought of that look made her feel as if a venomous snake had fixed its gaze upon her.
Hong Lingxiang had the several individuals beaten within an inch of their lives, yet they yielded no information.
She had no choice but to write and seek help from her parents. Madam Hong, with her discerning eyes, immediately recognized that this was a trap set by Old Madam Zhou for her daughter. She reasoned that matriarchs who had managed estates for years would surely have capable personnel. Her daughter had been foolish, making a move before establishing a firm footing in the Zhou family. She couldn't blame others for their reaction.
However, at this moment, she could only do her utmost to assist her daughter.
While Hong Lingxiang was still at a loss, Madam Hong and Master Hong arrived to visit the Zhou residence. With her parents-in-law arriving, Zhou Tianpeng, no matter how busy, had to entertain them at home.
The couple first paid their respects to Old Madam Zhou, exchanging pleasantries before getting to the main topic.
"I heard two items went missing from your estate. I have managed my household for many years, just like you, and nothing escapes my eye. Lingxiang is young and inexperienced; she needs more guidance from you, her mother-in-law. If there are any shortcomings, please be forgiving, considering her youth," Madam Hong said meaningfully, looking at Old Madam Zhou.
"Madam Hong is too kind. Lingxiang is excellent. Everything she does is for the benefit of the Zhou estate, and we find no fault with her," Old Madam Zhou declared, determined to teach Hong Lingxiang a lesson. She had no intention of letting Madam Hong's words derail her plans.
"We are both advanced in years; it's time for the younger generation to take charge. When my elder daughter-in-law joined our family, I immediately handed over the managerial authority to her, and I now live a comfortable life awaiting blessings. You have managed the household for a lifetime, are you not yet tired of it? You look so frail, yet you force yourself to continue. If I were you, I would let go and focus on recuperating," Madam Hong said, trying to control her temper, secretly despising Old Madam Zhou's stubborn refusal to acknowledge her age.
"Alas, I am not as fortunate as you. My daughter-in-law manages the household impeccably. If only my daughter-in-law could give me less cause for worry," Old Madam Zhou sighed, knowing her words would offend, yet unable to suppress her resentment.
"Is Old Madam implying that our Hong family has not raised our daughter properly? If I'm not mistaken, you instructed someone to steal those two items, with the sole purpose of making things difficult for my daughter. Do not deny it. Let's be frank; you know the truth, and so do I," Madam Hong retorted, her anger ignited. Although her daughter had been somewhat foolish lately, in their eyes, she was perfect, and the Zhou family had no right to criticize her.
"Everything requires evidence. If she allowed the estate to be robbed, how can you accuse me of hiring someone to steal?" Old Madam Zhou vehemently denied it.
Seeing that the situation was escalating uncontrollably, Zhou Tianpeng quickly stepped in to mediate. "It's just two missing items, after all. They are minor matters. It's normal for Lingxiang, with her inexperience, to make mistakes. She will be more cautious in the future."
"How can they be minor matters? Do you know how much those two items are worth..."
Zhou Tianpeng looked at his persistent mother, his headache worsening. Although not particularly astute, he understood the affairs of the estate well enough to know that concealing anything from his mother was exceedingly difficult.