Chapter 322: A Vast Fortune

Xiao Yu acted as if he hadn’t heard, remaining silent. Nanny Xu dared not speak further and retreated quietly behind the Princess Consort.

The atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze. Aside from the Princess Consort occasionally shifting in her seat, no one else dared to breathe too loudly.

They were terrified of angering the Young Master Heir and suffering the same fate as Ruyu.

More than an hour passed, and the sky had grown completely dark. A few maids timidly lit the lamps. At last, Stone returned to make his report.

He stood at the entrance with his back bowed. "Reporting to the Princess Consort and the Young Master Heir, we found nothing of note at Housekeeper Wu’s residence."

Hearing this, Housekeeper Wu, who was prostrate on the floor, felt a wave of relief. ’I might just escape this calamity today.’

But then Stone glanced at him and continued slowly, "So, I questioned the servants who usually attend Housekeeper Wu and learned he has another residence. I went there to conduct a search."

This "questioning," of course, was done with rods. After a sound beating, the servants confessed everything.

"At that residence, we uncovered one thousand taels of Gold; silver notes and silver totaling eighty-six thousand taels; and land deeds, shops, antiques, jade, and paintings worth more than one hundred thousand taels of silver."

"In total, Housekeeper Wu’s entire fortune is equivalent to over two hundred thousand taels of silver."

The Princess Consort shot up from her chaise lounge and cried out, "That much?"

Xiao Yu sneered. "You run a fine household, Mother."

"I’m afraid this entire Prince Mansion could be carried away, and you still wouldn’t have a clue!"

The Princess Consort’s face flushed purple with rage, her voice cracking. "You wretched cur! To think you would deceive your masters and line your own pockets! For a mere servant, you actually, you actually—"

The Princess Consort couldn’t go on. ’For a mere servant,’ she wanted to scream, ’you actually have more personal savings than I do! Is there any justice in this world?’

’I’ve been scrimping and saving for more than twenty years and have only managed to put away a little over a hundred thousand taels of Silver!’

Housekeeper Wu kowtowed desperately on the ground. "Princess Consort, Young Master Heir, please allow me to explain! This Silver Coin was not embezzled from the Prince Mansion’s funds! It—it was from officials and rich merchants who sought my help with various matters. I accepted their silver. Please, Your Highness, for the sake of this old servant’s years of service, spare my life."

Xiao Yu snorted. "All the more reason you cannot be spared. Who knows how many acts of corruption and perversions of justice you’ve committed outside, all while using the name of the Prince Qi Mansion?"

"In the end, the world will only blame the Prince Qi Mansion!"

"Men! Drag him out and beat him until he no longer draws breath!"

All hope drained from Housekeeper Wu. He was so devastated he couldn’t even form the words to beg for mercy. A single, hazy thought drifted through his mind. ’Why did I have to provoke that Miss Gu? If I had just found out about her relationship with the Young Master Heir from the start, I never would have acted against her.’

’I shouldn’t have underestimated that girl, or goaded Ruyu into stirring up trouble before the Princess Consort. Who could have known it would end up costing me my own life?’

He was dragged out by two servants, his eyes closed. A bitter smile touched his lips. ’This is for the best. I can finally go see Furong. She... she must still be waiting for me on the Bridge of Helplessness.’

The muffled thuds of a rod striking flesh echoed into the room from outside. With his gaze lowered, Xiao Yu instructed Stone, "Go. Pick out the finest of those newly seized antiques, paintings, jades, land deeds, and shops, and have them sent to Miss Gu. Add one thousand taels of gold to the delivery. Say it is an apology from the Prince Mansion for the previous incident."

"Put the remainder in my private treasury."

Stone acknowledged the order and hurried out.

The Princess Consort watched Xiao Yu cautiously. "Yu’er, now that this matter is settled, why don’t you join your mother for dinner?"