Chapter 11 — The Queen Reorganized the Marquis Palace

Mrs. Tham slowly put the tea cup on the table.

“Miss So, words must have proper evidence.”

I pulled out a list from my sleeve.

“For the past half year, Bui Gia rice shop collected backpacks of cheap rice, but did not put it in the store's warehouse, but secretly transferred it all to Thanh Thuy Trang.

The truck carrying the salary ran through the private road of the Marquis estate, thanks to the travel document approved by So Nhu himself. So Nhu jumped up like a spring.

“Why do you have this?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, all the ladies in the apricot garden fell silent. Bui Hanh closed his eyes. I looked at So Nhu and smiled mockingly.

“You reacted too quickly.”

The smile on Mrs. Tham's lips disappeared.

“It seems like this is really the case.”

So Nhu frantically shook her head and waved her hands.

“I don't know.

. . I didn't know they were carrying rice from the Marquis Palace. Bui The Tu said those were goods from his shop, he just asked for a ride.” Bui Hanh shouted loudly: "Nhu Nhi!" She was frightened and quickly closed her mouth. I passed the list to Mrs. Tham.

“If you don't mind, please be my witness.

Tomorrow I will bring this list to the government." Bui Hanh took a step forward.

“So Lenh Nghi, as a human being, you must leave a way out.”

I retorted: "When you guys colluded to steal rice, did you leave any retreat for the Marquis?" The purple-shirted lady cowered in fear, not daring to say a word. So Nhu looked around and discovered that no one stood up to defend her. In the end, a trace of resentment appeared in her eyes.

“Sister, do you think that by trampling me into the mud, you will live happily?

A woman who was divorced like you, and even caused chaos in the Marquis Palace to the point where chickens flew and dogs barked, who else in this world would dare to take you as his wife? Thanh Hoa screamed and cursed: "If no one takes it, no one takes it. Are you freeloading your family?" Mrs. Tham laughed out loud. I calmly looked at So Nhu.

"Until now, I still think that women and girls live in this world just for the purpose of waiting for people to come and take them away?"

She gritted her teeth.

“Stop acting so noble.”

I replied: "I will investigate Thanh Thuy Trang's books thoroughly. If you are truly innocent, then just go home and cover yourself with a blanket and wait for someone to summon you for questioning." Bui Hanh pulled So Nhu's hand away.

“Go home.”

So Nhu hesitated and refused to move. She fixed her vicious eyes on my face.

“Did you have everything planned out from the beginning?”

I leisurely picked up the cup of tea.

“From the day you grabbed that set of keys, I already knew the outcome.”

Her face was pale and white.

"And yet you stood by and watched me jump into the hole?"

I raised my eyes.

"It was because I robbed you and wanted to jump down."

Thanh Thuy Trang's books are even dirtier and smellier than the Marquis's. The Bui family manager bit him to death and refused to admit his crime, until So Nghien led a group of servants to dig underground tunnels and pull up dozens of bags of food belonging to the Marquis' palace. The corner of the bag is still clearly printed with the tiny seal of the So family. When So Nghien threw those bags of rice down in front of the Bui family's big gate, half the whole street gathered in black and red to watch the excitement. Bui Hanh stood on the steps, his face as pale as a banana leaf.

“So Nghien, brother crazy.”

So Nghien raised his head.

“Before, I was blind, not crazy.”

The crowd surrounding them whispered loudly. The Bui family manager knelt in a corner, his mouth still clamoring for injustice. I stepped down from the carriage. As soon as he saw me, Bui Hanh's eyes were as cold as a razor.

“Are you determined to cause trouble all the way to my door?”

I replied: "The rice is hidden in your basement, not in front of my house." Thanh Hoa followed closely behind, clutching her notebook. The official asked: "Miss So, you said you can identify these bags of rice?" I nodded.

“The rice bag of the Marquis changed the knot of the string every year.

This year, double-braided hemp ropes are used, the ends of the ropes are dyed indigo blue. The stitching of the mouth of the bag is done by Mrs. Liu in the loincloth room. She has an old injury on her left hand, so the stitching needle will be misaligned." Mrs. Liu was led up, just one glance at the rice bag brought tears to her eyes.

“It was indeed sewn by a slave.

The eldest lady previously advised that rice bags must also have their own symbols, to avoid being swapped by outsiders. At that time, the servants still criticized him for being troublesome and creating stories." So Nghien looked back at me, her eyes filled with guilt and shame. Bui Hanh smirked.

“Who can't imitate a few small rice bags?”

I retorted: "You can imitate the bag, but you can't imitate the amount of rice inside." The official asked: "Does rice also have symbols?"

“The rice harvested from the southern estate of the Marquis had a faint scent of fragrant grass, and the rice grains were short and round.

Northern estate rice is long-grained, clear white. This pile of rice hidden in Thanh Thuy Trang's basement is mixed from rice from both estates, the mixing ratio is exactly the same as the Marquis's winter food reserve ratio." The surrounding crowd let out sounds of amazement and admiration. Bui Hanh stared at me.

“When did you learn these things?”

I don't bother to answer. The original owner knows a little bit, but I know much more. Managing people, managing things, managing money, in the end everything must be reduced to the things that the hands can touch and grasp. Mrs. Bui Lao was helped out by servants. She didn't bother to glance at the pile of rice on the ground, just stared at me.

“Miss So, what a terrible trick.

Just because I wanted to break up the engagement, I was mentally trampling the relationship between the two families under my feet." I asked: "Do you know that rice is hidden in the basement?" Her face darkened.

“Insolent.”

I turned to report to the officials.

“She didn't dare answer.”

Some people in the crowd couldn't help but laugh out loud. Mrs. Bui Lao was so angry that she clung tightly to the mother next to her. Bui Hanh stepped forward to shield herself in front of her.

“If anything comes at me.”

I replied: “Okay. In whose hands is the key to the Thanh Thuy Trang underground bunker?" Bui Hanh remained silent. The officials turned to investigate the manager of the Bui family. Sweat poured out like a bath on his forehead.

“Dang.

. . is at the Crown Prince's place." Bui Hanh turned around.

“You lie.”

The manager of the Bui family sobbed: "My lord, I can't stand it anymore. The purchase of rice is under your instructions. You also said that the Marquis's side already has the Second Miss approving the travel certificate, so if anything happens, the Bui family cannot be prosecuted." There were whispers in the street increasingly noisier. Mrs. Bui Lao angrily raised her walking stick and slammed it down on the manager's back.

"You bastard slave, you dare to bite your master."

Quan quickly rushed in to intervene. So Nghien coldly said: "Bui Hanh, do you have anything else to deny?" Bui Hanh looked at me and suddenly burst out laughing.

“So Lenh Nghi, you won.

But don't forget, So Nhu has also signed the travel document. If you drag the Bui family into the mud, she won't be able to escape." I said: "She could never have escaped." The smile on Bui Hanh's lips disappeared. He thought I would protect So Nhu for the sake of the Marquis's reputation. But we have never covered up corrupt debt books. When So Nhu was brought over, her whole body was shaking like a leaf. As soon as she saw the pile of rice bags, she stared at Bui Hanh.

“My lord, you promised that nothing would happen.”

Bui Hanh gritted his teeth.

“I told you not to open your mouth and talk nonsense.”

As soon as these words came out, even Mrs. Bui Lao's expression changed. The official immediately asked: "Second Miss So, was the travel document approved by you?" So Nhu cried and shook her head vigorously.

“I didn't know they were carrying rice from the Marquis Palace.