Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Come In High Spirits, Return After Enjoying To One’s Heart’s Content
Chapter 310: Come In High Spirits, Return After Enjoying To One’s Heart’s Content
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The people in the shop were shocked by the commotion and stood rooted to the ground in a daze.
When they saw Su Ying walk in slowly, they were so frightened that they turned around and wanted to flee.
Su Ying picked up a piece of wood fragment from the ground and sent it flying, hitting one of them in the leg.
“Ouch!”
The fleeing woman fell to the ground.
Trembling, that woman got up and still tried to flee, but Su Ying stepped on her dress.
“Your Highness, please spare me, please spare me… The silver… silver banknotes are all here. I have already prepared them for Your Highness. I have also sent people to the Prime Minister’s Residence. Please, Your Highness, let me off…”
The woman trembled as she took out a stack of banknotes.
Su Ying took them and looked at them. “What about Little Madam Jiang’s share?”
“I’ve sent people to… to ask.”
Su Ying loosened her foot and pulled over a stool to sit down. “How long will it take?”
“If… if everything goes well, in less… less than two hours, you can get the money.”
“Alright, 1’11 give you two hours.”
Although Su Ying had agreed, the shopkeeper did not relax. She did not know if Little Madam Jiang would surrender the silver!
While waiting, Su Ying looked around the shop. The jewelry pieces in the shop were all high-end goods, and at the cheapest, it still cost a few taels of silver to buy a pair of earrings.
“How is the business usually? How much profit do you make in a year?”
The one in charge of the jewelry shop was Shopkeeper Yuan, who was Shopkeeper Li’s wife. She was terrified when she found out that Shopkeeper Li had been beaten up so badly. However, she still closed the shop’s door, thinking that she might get lucky. To her surprise, Su Ying simply kicked the shop door down.
How would she dare to lie at this moment? “Er… We can make a profit of three to five thousand taels of silver in a year, and it basically hovers around this figure.”
This shop had been managed by Little Madam Jiang for more than ten years. In other words, Little Madam Jiang had to surrender at least 40,000 to 50,000 taels.
Minutes and seconds ticked by, but the person Shopkeeper Yuan sent to the Prime Minister’s Residence did not return for a long time.
Shopkeeper Yuan was drenched in a cold sweat.
“Where’s the old account book? Bring it out.”
“Yes, yes.”
Shopkeeper Yuan immediately took out the account book.
Su Ying casually flipped through it. The profit from each piece of jewelry was a quite few times the cost price. It was really a huge profit.
Before Su Ying could finish flipping, she saw someone rushing in anxiously. “Shopkeeper…” Before the man could finish his sentence, he turned around and saw Su Ying sitting at the side. He was so frightened that his words remained stuck in his throat.
Su Ying said calmly, “Have you gotten the silver notes?”
“I… I got them.”
The man trembled as he took out the silver notes from his pocket and handed them over with both hands.
Su Ying accepted the silver notes and checked them. She was satisfied.
Su Ying slowly got up and walked over to Shopkeeper Yuan. “Do you want to stay?”
Of course, Shopkeeper Yuan wanted to stay. Even without the kickbacks, the monthly salary the shop paid was still very generous. However, she was a member of Little Madam Jiang’s faction. Would Su Ying still use her?
“Your Highness, please forgive me. 1 was indeed blinded by pork lard. Please, Your Highness. Give me another chance.”
Su Ying took out a black pill.
“This is a poison pill. I have the antidote in my hand. If you dare to eat it, I will retain your services.”
Shopkeeper Yuan stared at the pill with her eyes wide open in astonishment. She dared not touch it at all.
At this moment, a woman standing behind Shopkeeper Yuan walked over, picked up the black pill, and swallowed it without hesitation.
“Your Highness, please employ me. 1 will definitely not disappoint Your Highness.”
Su Ying’s gaze fell on the woman. She looked to be in her twenties, but her eyes displayed a maturity and calmness beyond her age. “What is your name?”
“I am Ni Shuang. I arrived three years ago to work in this shop. 1 have always been selling goods in the shop and so I am very familiar with the operation of the shop. I am also familiar with all the regular customers of the shop.”
Initially, Shopkeeper Yuan didn’t intend to eat that poison pill. Now that she saw the poison pill had been snatched away by a little bitch, she became anxious.
“Your Highness, I’m willing. I’m willing to eat the pill. I’m willing to serve you, Your Highness.”
“It’s too late. There’s only one poison pill. Since you know your place, I will let you live.”
“Your Highness…”
“Get lost.” Su Ying’s almond-shaped eyes turned sharp.
Shocked, Shopkeeper Yuan immediately scrambled away.
“Ni Shuang, 1’11 trust you this time. Half a month later, if you perform well, I’ll sign a contract with you.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Help me spread the word. Those who don’t want to die should send the account books and the stolen silver to Prince Qi’s Manor honestly. Otherwise, no one can save them.”
Ni Shuang took the list from Su Ying’s hands. On it were all the shops under the late Madam Jiang’s name.
“Your Highness, don’t worry. I will definitely pass on the message.”
When she came out of the shop, the sky outside had already darkened.
“Your Highness, do you still want to go to another shop to take a look?”
Su Ying shook her head. “Not going anymore. It’s almost dark by the time 1 return to Prince Qi’s Manor. Let’s go back first.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Su Ying came in high spirits and returned after enjoying herself to her heart’s content.
However, Little Madam Jiang fell ill. She was really sick. That night, she developed a high fever. Prime Minister Su was so anxious that he even summoned the Imperial Physician from the palace.
After the Imperial Physician checked on her, he only said that it was due to anger.
Su Ying returned to Prince Qi’s Manor, but before her butt had warmed up the stool, someone came to report that the Empress had summoned Su Ying.
Princess Zhaoxi was the Empress’s child, so it did not take a genius to figure out why the Empress wanted Su Ying to enter the palace at this hour.
“I’m not going. Just say that I’m sick. Everyone from the Imperial Academy of Medicine has checked and confirmed I’m sick.”
Zhang Shuming looked at Su Ying’s extremely energetic demeanor and went out helplessly to pass on the reply.
The messenger left angrily.
After Aunt Zhao found out what happened, she couldn’t help but worry. “The Empress has always indulged Princess Zhaoxi. I’m afraid the Empress won’t let this matter rest.”
Su Ying picked up the snack on the table and took a bite. “She was asking for a beating. If I didn’t beat her up, wouldn’t 1 be letting her down? Don’t worry, Aunt Zhao. If she really does arrest me and drag me to the palace, I’ll…”
“Your Highness, you… can’t beat up the Empress!” Aunt Zhao interrupted Su Ying nervously.
Su Ying licked her lips and found that this snack still tasted better when it was fresh out of the pot. “Got it.”
This answer was really too perfunctory.
Aunt Zhao took a step back and asked for the next best thing. “If you really have to beat anyone… then… then, at least do it in a place where no one could see.”
Su Ying’s expression froze. “Aunt Zhao, you’ve changed.”
Aunt Zhao facepalmed. There were always people who liked to come over and test the hardness of Her Highness’s fists. What could Aunt Zhao do?
“I don’t know if this matter will implicate His Highness.”
These words made Su Ying frown. “Is he that useless?”
Behind her, Xiao Jin was utterly speechless.
“Whether I’m useless or not, do you want to try it tonight?”
Aunt Zhao covered her face. She was old and deaf, so she didn’t hear anything!
Su Ying glanced at Xiao Jin. “You’re back before it got dark.”
Xiao Jin walked to her side and sat down. He took the snack from her hand nonchalantly and put it into his mouth. “I heard that my Consort had a good harvest today. I couldn’t wait to come back and count the silver.”
“That was mine.”
“Mm-hmm, yours. What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours..”