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Chapter 1102: Chapter 1108 Eating from Inside Out
Yue Ming hurriedly said, "Madam, please speak."
"Had we announced our visit in advance, would you have dismantled this house?"
Qiao Duo’er asked with a smirk.
The rack was made of high-quality pear wood, beautifully carved with intricate patterns, yet conspicuously bare, one could easily guess what had happened using their toes.
It’s quite rude to have someone clear out so many things in such a short amount of time.
"My nephew is a carpenter, he made me a rack, I thought it would be nice to grow some plants."
Qiao Duo’er nodded, "So you are Brother Feng’s elder, I apologize for my oversight."
Previously, she had suggested that Wind Liyang make a mark to reduce counterfeit goods, not realizing that it would end up helping her.
Because by seeing that mark, she knew that Manager Yue was lying.
Yue Ming’s face turned thoroughly red, he had heard that the owners of the estate were just two clodhoppers, which made him a bit presumptuous.
He had been lining his pockets for two years, and the Tan Family hadn’t shown any sign of objection, which made him even more convinced that they were simpletons.
But now, he saw that this woman was formidable indeed.
Tan Zhenghong said cheerfully, "If you like the wooden rack, I’ll have Brother Feng make you a couple later, but let’s get down to the real business for today."
Manager Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief, but his anxiety quickly returned.
Because Mrs. Tan had brought out the account book!
Compared to this, a pear wood collectible rack was just a trifling matter.
Qiao Duo’er opened the account book, "I’ve looked at the account book you sent over, is there anything you wish to explain?"
"I don’t know which part the Madam does not understand, I can explain it to you," said Yue Ming with a forced laugh.
He hoped that she really couldn’t understand the account book, which would make it easier to fool her.
"Then let me be direct, on the way here I chatted with the tenant farmers, and I found that their figures are vastly different from those in the account book, can you tell me why?" Qiao Duo’er tapped on the account book as she spoke.
It was fortunate she encountered Zhao Sigeng on her way here, or she might have been deceived by Yue Ming.
Because this man could lie without even blushing.
Yue Ming glanced at the tenant farmers standing in the room, "Perhaps they remembered incorrectly, I had verified with them when I did the accounts."
"Nonsense, my contract is very clear, I only rented eight acres, yet in your account book, it’s written as twelve, that’s a huge difference!"
"My family has nine acres, but you wrote eleven!" said the tenant farmers, voicing a bitter truth, still daring to mock them at such a time!
Tan Zhenghong raised an eyebrow, "Manager Yue, you had better explain yourself clearly."
After all, Yue Ming’s servitude contract was still in his possession; he had plenty of ways to deal with Yue Ming.
"Madam, I know you want to raise the rent, but please also consider the tenant farmers, if they stop renting, the estate lands will go to waste," Yue Ming said earnestly and imploringly.
Qiao Duo’er raised an eyebrow, "Raise the rent?"
This counteraccusation was clever, and it struck at the tenant farmers’ weak spot.
"It’s clear at a glance that these are falsified accounts; in plain terms, you are just dissatisfied with the amount of silver," Yue Ming declared with righteousness.
Qiao Duo’er curled her lips, "Let’s put aside the account book for now and talk about how you collected fifty percent of the rent, yet I only received thirty percent, why is that?"
The discrepancy in the silver was indeed real.
"I... when it left my hands, there was certainly nothing wrong with it; perhaps it was skimmed by someone along the way," Yue Ming quickly exonerated himself.
Having sold himself into servitude in his early years, he would suffer no good end if the crime of embezzlement was confirmed against him.
