Wanjin Lady

Chapter 41 Niwai
Seeing Wen Wan's puzzled look, the woman spoke first to explain her purpose. "Madam Wen, there's a rumor going around Ping County that your accountant has run away. I know you're in urgent need of an accountant. I went to school for a few years when I was young, and I learned how to manage a household from my mother. Keeping track of the accounts isn't a difficult task. If you don't mind, I can help you out."

The woman paused, her cheek muscles stiffened. Perhaps it was the first time she volunteered, and she was obviously nervous.

"I'm just a woman raising a child, trying to make a living, and I'm constantly facing setbacks. If you're willing to give me a chance, I'll definitely clean up the Wen Family Winery's accounts. Give me... give me ten days, or maybe you can even give me a test."

Oh. Hiring yourself as an accountant?

Isn't this just what you say?
"Come with me first..." Wen Wan was about to open her mouth to invite the person in, but Lu Ping suddenly tugged at her sleeve. She changed her words and said, "Come with me first, how can a woman like you know how to read an account book?"

The woman nervously fiddled with the white, frayed hem of her clothes. "My family has fallen on hard times, it's not worth mentioning."

His tone couldn't hide his loneliness.

Wen Wan coughed softly, "I'm so sorry, I'm busy right now, please let me think it over."

A look of disappointment flashed across the woman's face.

She had heard too many such polite rejections these days, and she couldn't help feeling desperate.

Winter is only two or three months away. If she and Chongrong can't find work, they won't even have a thick quilt, so how can they survive the winter?

Wen Wan couldn't bear to watch any longer, so she asked Hong Mei to bring her fifty copper coins. However, the woman refused to take them. "Madam Wen, no merit is too great. Although I was poor at the time, I could still feed myself. I am sorry for your kindness."

After saying that, the woman didn't stay for long. She turned around with her child and disappeared into the alley.

Lu Ping finally spoke, "Miss, that's the wife of Mr. An from Anyang County next door. Her family used to be high-ranking officials. They say something happened last year and her parents were beheaded. Mr. An drove both mother and son out. They probably couldn't make it in Anyang County anymore, so they brought their son to Ping County to make a living."

Wen Wan's face darkened. "Can a scholar... divorce his wife at will?"

But then he thought again, in ancient times, when collective punishment was practiced, how many men would dare to accommodate the family of their wives who had committed a crime? Moreover, the crime against Miss Mei's family was punishable by beheading, and Mr. An would probably have no chance of escaping.

"I also feel sorry for Madam Mei." Lu Ping couldn't bear it either. "But our Wen family is in a difficult situation right now. We can't get involved in other families' troubles."

Yes. Especially in the Chen Dynasty, Juren was a rare thing, which meant they had half a foot in the officialdom.

When officials want the people to die, it is as easy as crushing an ant.

A gentle heart, heavy.

Wen Wan retracted her gaze and said, "Let's go. Let's go back to see father first."

But unexpectedly, Old Man Wen came back even later than her. As soon as he entered the house, he went to the study to look for Wen Wan, but saw Wen Wan looking at the account book under the windowsill and muttering to himself.

Wen Wan admitted defeat.

She really couldn't understand this account book.

Therefore, the person in charge should be someone who is educated and can read, so that at least the records in the account books are clear, instead of relying on her half-guessing.

The father and daughter stared at each other through the window. Wen Wan looked up and asked Old Man Wen, "Dad, can you understand this account book?"

Father Wen shook his head, "It's just a guess."

have to.

Excellent genes indeed show extremely high similarity.

Father Wen was also worried, "Hasn't the accountant been found yet?"

“And there’s still some to wait. A female accountant volunteered earlier, but she’s got legal trouble, so I haven’t decided to use her.” Wen Wan closed the ledger with a sigh, rubbing her sore eyes, when she heard Old Man Wen report on the day’s results, “This afternoon I went to see Old Zhu. His business is good, but he insisted he didn’t have any extra grain to sell me. I tried to get information out of him for a long time, but he was very wary.”

No more food?
His Wen family is a major customer of his Zhu family grain store every year!

"Dad, do you think we can get a list of the big buyers of this year's autumn harvest grain?"

Old Man Wen didn't understand what he meant.

Wen Wan explained, "Our winery has always been a major customer of Zhu's. This year, if nothing unexpected happens, he will definitely prepare the corn for our winery in advance. So who stole the grain that was supposed to be sold to us?"

Father Wen hesitated. "The Wen family's business hasn't been doing well this year, and the fact that there's no cash on the books couldn't be hidden from him. Perhaps he's prepared and has already found another way out."

"That's not right." Wen Wan said firmly, "Even you and I only recently learned about Shi Jinquan's loan from Xinlong Bank. But Shopkeeper Zhu had already found a good buyer for the grain, proving that he knew about the Wen family's business situation before us. In other words, Shopkeeper Zhu was certain long ago that our family couldn't afford the money to buy the grain."

Wen Wan sorted out her thoughts, her eyes became brighter, and she stood up suddenly.

Father Wen immediately chimed in, "You're saying... maybe this whole thing was Old Zhu's idea from the beginning?"

"Or you could say..." A smile gradually appeared on Wen Wan's face, "Shi Jinquan and he are in cahoots!"

This conclusion made Old Man Wen shudder all over, but Wen Wan had already put on her coat and walked out of the study. "Dad, where is that dead pig...oh no...Manager Zhu now?"

"They said they had a social event tonight, but I don't know if it's true or not."

Wen Wan glanced at the sky. It was dusk and it was time for dinner.

She walked forward, and Father Wen hurriedly followed. "You want to confront him? Dead pig... Oh no... Shopkeeper Zhu is very tight-lipped. He will never confess before there is evidence. Wan Niang, don't be impulsive. This matter needs to be considered carefully."

Wen Wan smiled and said, "Who said we were going to confront him? Shopkeeper Zhu took several hundred taels of silver from my Wen family yesterday. Is it too much to ask him to treat us to a meal today?"

Father Wen immediately stepped forward, nimbly walking out first. Wen Wan frowned, "Dad, are you going too?"

Father Wen was very dissatisfied. "Of course! If Zhu Wangzhen and Shi Jinquan collude to seize my Wen family's wealth, I will definitely bring people to dig up his Zhu family's ancestral graves!"

"Okay. Then... no drinking!"

Just then, Zhao Heng came over to invite them to dinner, but saw the father and daughter hurried out. Wen Jing stopped them, "Where are you going? My brother-in-law is making my sister's favorite four-happiness meatballs according to the "Zhong Kui Lu"."

Ouch. I forgot I have a beautiful husband at home.

On the wedding day, the creditor came to the door.

On the first day of her marriage, she was out and about all day.

Wen Wan squeezed Zhao Heng's hand with an apologetic look on her face. "Husband, my father and I have to go out for something. You and your sister can eat. You don't have to wait for me."

After saying that, she didn't forget to appeal to Zhao Heng's emotional value, "Oh, my husband made the Four Joy Meatballs specially for me, but I didn't get to eat them. They sound delicious just by the way they sound. Remember to save two for me as a midnight snack."

Zhao Heng could tell from the young lady's perfunctory tone.

But no matter how busy or anxious you are, you still know to say a few perfunctory words to the other person. This is a good habit, right?
Zhao Heng pinched her face and said with a smile, "Hurry up and do your business. I'll take Wen Jing out for dinner. Don't drink. If you really can't avoid it, send someone to find me and take you home."

"Husband, you are so kind."

Old Man Wen couldn't stand the two of them being so close to each other anymore, so he walked out first and got on the carriage first.

(End of this chapter)