Demoting my wife to a concubine? After being reborn, I turned around and married into the imperial f

Hu Wei's expression changed, and his heart skipped a beat, but the next moment he sneered.

Lord Ping'an is putting on an act for him.

How could such a large mansion not have money?

Chu Zhanpeng's gaze sharpened, his eyes widened, and he roared, "What's going on?"

The steward wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, then knelt down with a thud, saying, "It was the eldest young lady. The eldest young lady took the public funds."

The onlookers were startled and suddenly looked to the side, where Chu Xunzhen stood with his back straight and his expression indifferent.

"Impossible! I heard that Miss Chu manages the household very well."

"Perhaps it was an inside job."

"Girls who come back from the countryside are so easily fooled; they actually stole from their own workplace."

......

Chu Zhanpeng's gaze froze.

impossible.

Her eldest daughter has money.

There was absolutely no need to steal the public funds.

But people are inherently greedy. Perhaps Chu Xun is truly greedy and has embezzled public funds?

Chu Zhanpeng suddenly felt a huge headache coming on.

Remembering that he had just promised the Ninth Prince to take good care of Chu Xunzhen, he immediately put on a smile that was typical of a loving father.

"Zhenzhen, what's going on? Why did you take the silver? Did you forget to return it when you were managing the household?" Chu Zhanpeng asked with a smile, his words clearly intended to exonerate her.

Chu Xun was puzzled and looked at the butler.

"You're saying this county magistrate took the public funds? Is there any official seal or record?"

Upon hearing this, the steward immediately steeled himself, pulled out an account book from his robes, and said to Chu Xunzhen, "Young Miss, you've been in charge of things these past few days. In October, you used your personal seal to withdraw 100,000 taels of silver from the treasury in five separate transactions. This is the record."

After saying that, the butler held up the account book.

Everyone could see it clearly.

Chu Xunzhen glanced at the account book, her expression calm, her voice even: "Father, ever since the Lady of the Marquis and I signed the letter severing ties, I have privately returned the management of the household to her. After all, we are no longer related, and there are many things I cannot do myself. Besides, as a county princess, I am usually very busy and simply cannot manage everything."

Upon hearing this, Chu Zhanpeng was stunned.

Chu Mingli suddenly shouted, "Chu Xunzhen, even if it wasn't you who went to the steward's place to collect the silver, the steward said it was you who went to the public treasury to collect the money, not someone else. Immediately replenish the silver in the public treasury, or Brother Tiger won't let you off the hook."

"presumptuous!"

Chunxi glared at him, her voice cold and sharp.

"The current county princess is here. Chu Mingli, how dare you disrespect her?"

After saying that, Chunxi glared at the troublemakers from the gambling den and said, "Do you also intend to offend the county princess?"

Hu Wei's expression changed, and he knelt on the ground, forcing a smile: "Please calm down, Your Highness. We only want Young Master Chu to return the money today; we don't care about anything else."

Chu Xunzhen looked at the seal on the account book and said, "This seal is fake. Someone forged a private seal and stole public funds in my name."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Zhanpeng's expression changed.

Chu Mingli burst into laughter: "Chu Xunzhen, stop showing off. You say the seal on the account book is fake, but I think it's obvious you've embezzled public funds."

Chu Xunzhen remained remarkably calm, pointing to the seal and saying, "On this private seal, the character 'Zhen' in my name is missing a stroke, so someone used a fake seal to deliberately steal the Marquis's property."

After Chu Xunzhen finished speaking, he looked at the six eunuchs behind him.

"You two go to the government office and find Lord Zhou Qing to investigate the theft case in the Marquis's mansion."

Upon hearing this, Chu Mingli's face turned pale, and he immediately roared, "No!"

Chu Xunzhen looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Why?"

Chu Zhanpeng looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Everyone present was puzzled.

Chu Mingli could only explain, "This is a private matter of my Marquis's residence. Why should we need to involve the authorities? Such a trivial matter can be resolved within our own home. Why trouble Lord Zhou?"

Chu Zhanpeng angrily flung his sleeve and said, "This is 100,000 taels of silver, you unfilial son."

Huwei laughed as well: "Second Young Master, your Marquis's private affairs are none of my business. But if you can't come up with the money to pay your debts today, don't blame us brothers for coming to your door to collect your money."

"Insolence!" Chu Xunzhen shouted. "This is the residence of the Marquis of Ping'an. You came here to collect a debt but failed, and now you want to settle it with goods. Do you have any official documents? If not, you are disturbing an official of the imperial court. Which gambling den do you belong to? I, the county princess, will definitely report this to the Emperor and see if your gambling den owner has the audacity to disregard the laws of my Great Ning and arbitrarily enter a subject's residence to rob him!"

Huwei's expression changed drastically; he was frightened.

He chuckled, bowed to Chu Xunzhen, and said, "Your Excellency is right; we were being presumptuous. Everyone, please disperse. I, Huwei, have never been to school and did not know that I could seek the help of an official. Thank you for your guidance, Your Excellency."

After saying that, he led the people from the gambling den away in a hurry, seemingly to find a government official to help them.

The crowd dispersed, and the group returned to the main hall.

Chu Mingli looked preoccupied.

"Zhenzhen, we owe you a lot this time," Chu Zhanpeng said with emotion.

As expected of her daughter.

He publicly rebuked the bully in the street and upheld the law of Da Ning. When word got out, officials in the capital would surely praise him for his excellent teaching.

Chu Zhanpeng looked at Chu Xunzhen with a rather gentle gaze.

He was starting to regret it.

If I had known Chu Xunzhen was so cunning, I would have brought her back sooner and wouldn't have delayed her for so many years.

"Someone, bring that bitch Li Yi here."

At Chu Zhanpeng's command, Li Yi followed the servant to the front hall.

"My lord, what business do you have with me?"

"What is it?" Chu Zhanpeng stared intently at Li Yi, picked up the account book, and slammed it on Li Yi's head, angrily demanding, "How have you managed the household? Why did you sever ties with Zhenzhen? Why are you demanding back control of the household?"

Li Yi looked aggrieved and said, "The county princess and I are no longer destined to be together. I am unworthy to be her mother. The household affairs should naturally be managed by me. Besides, Rou'er is about to get married, and the county princess has just returned from the countryside; how would she know how to make the arrangements?"

"Fine. Even if what you say makes sense, the power to manage the household was handed back to you by the county princess. Why didn't you report this to me, the Marquis? It's understandable that the county princess was busy with affairs and preparing for the wedding, and forgot. But Li Yi, you are the Marquis's wife. How could you not inform me of such an important matter? Now, the public funds are in deficit of 100,000 taels of silver. Will you hand it over now, or tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yi looked puzzled.

The housekeeper kindly told her about what he had just discovered.

A thought suddenly flashed through her mind, and she seemed to realize something, staggering backward.

Chu Xunzhen looked at her shocked expression and seemed to be deep in thought.

It seems Li Yi knew who took the silver.

Is it Chu Wanrou or Chu Mingli?

Chu Xunzhen's gaze was playful, and she sneered, "What's wrong, Madam Hou? You look flustered. Could it be that you're the one who embezzled public funds? Or do you know who forged my personal seal and stole public money?"