TRBDM -Chapter 93 The Real and Fake Account Books

Old Ding was genuinely terrified from being beaten, and at this moment, he could no longer care about Xie Sheng’s domineering presence. He shouted out: “Please, Old Madam, investigate carefully! I am not lying—it really was the Second Madam!”

“You—you—you—you…” Xie Sheng lunged forward and kicked Old Ding over. “You wretched dog of a servant! You bite at anyone you like, but you dare to bite Zhizhi? Let me see if I don’t beat you to death!”

“Hey, hey, Second Brother, calm down, calm down,” Xie Chuan stepped forward to block him.

“With Mother overseeing this case, justice will surely be served for my Second Brother and his wife. But if Old Ding truly is framing them, you don’t have to worry—I’ll smash his mouth myself first.”

Xie Sheng was furious, and he pushed Xie Chuan’s shoulder irritably.

But he couldn’t move him!

Over the past two months, Xie Chuan, once just a wine-loving, lazy man, had been taking medicinal treatments from Physician Xiao and practicing horseback riding and archery. His body had grown much stronger.

Xie Sheng, a scholar by nature, still bore the back wounds from the whipping, and he simply couldn’t budge him.

“Second Brother, don’t be impatient. Listen to your elder brother: with Mother here, we sons just obediently follow her arrangements.”

Xie Chuan put his arm around Xie Sheng’s shoulders and guided him to a seat.

Once everyone was seated, Xie Chuan gestured politely to Wei Zhaorong: “Mother, Second Brother is settled. Please continue your questioning of Old Ding.”

Dou Shuyao observed Xie Chuan’s actions, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

She couldn’t say she was entirely pleased, but she could see he had grown somewhat.

Sensing Dou Shuyao’s gaze, Xie Chuan raised an eyebrow in a cheeky manner, instantly dispelling the little goodwill she had just felt.

Xie Sheng, still fuming, followed Xie Chuan’s lead: “Mother, please ask quickly! Zhizhi is pregnant now. If someone slanders her and causes harm to the baby, I’ll take this dog servant’s life!”

He anxiously grabbed Shen Zhizhi’s hand, only to find it cold as ice.

“Zhizhi, don’t be afraid. With your husband here, no one will let you suffer injustice.”

Zhizhi lowered her head, keeping her panic hidden from Xie Sheng.

Wei Zhaorong scanned the room and, once everyone was quiet, spoke: “Old Ding, you claim that the Second Madam sent someone to save you. What reason do you have for saying so?”

“Because… because the accounts… were falsified, and the Second Madam was involved as well.”

The room fell into mixed expressions.

Dou Shuyao, who already knew the truth, remained calm. Xie Wanrou furrowed her brows in surprise as she looked at Shen Zhizhi.

Xie Chuan was utterly puzzled. Falsified accounts by his Second Brother’s wife?

Xie Sheng spun sharply to stare at Shen Zhizhi.

“Zhizhi, is what Old Ding said true?”

All eyes were on Shen Zhizhi, weighing on her like a thousand-pound weight.

After a long pause, Zhizhi lifted her gaze, her eyes wet with tears, her voice thick with sobs. She wanted to explain, but her mind was in a complete jumble, and she couldn’t make sense of it.

Wei Zhaorong observed her flustered state carefully. Seeing that questioning her would yield no clear answer, she turned directly to Old Ding: “Do you have any proof that the Second Madam was involved in falsifying the accounts?”

Old Ding trembled all over but shouted desperately: “The account book you hold is fake! The real account book is in the Second Madam’s hands!”

Those words struck like thunder.

Even Wei Zhaorong was taken aback!

The book in her hand was a fake!

No wonder the deficit discovered was only five hundred taels—if someone with intent had tampered with it, even five thousand taels could have been stolen.

“Shen, where is the real account book?” Wei Zhaorong demanded sharply.

Shen Zhizhi gasped for breath like a dying fish, struggling in her final moments.

“Zhizhi, Zhizhi, tell us now!” Xie Sheng was more anxious than anyone present.

As for the matter of real versus fake account books, Xie Sheng had no idea at all.

When Old Ding bit Shen Zhizhi, his first reaction was anger—he thought that old man had bad intentions, trying to drag others into his mistake.

But now… he suddenly wasn’t so sure.

Could it be that what Old Ding said was true?

While everyone waited for Shen Zhizhi’s answer, she rolled her eyes and fainted.

“Zhizhi! Zhizhi! Court physician! Court physician! Hurry—”

Xie Sheng caught the fainting Shen Zhizhi in his arms, desperately calling for the court physician. For a moment, the scene was chaotic.

Wei Zhaorong said:

“Send Madam Shen to the side hall immediately. Nanny Qi, take some people to search Quyang Courtyard—see if the real account book is hidden there.”

“Yes, madam.”

The atmosphere in the Mingde Marquisate suddenly grew tense.

Xie Sheng stayed by Shen Zhizhi’s side. Though unwilling, he couldn’t stop his mother from searching Quyang Courtyard.

In the main hall, after everyone left, Xie Chuan suddenly realized something major had happened in the Marquisate.

The account book—it was the very foundation of the Marquisate.

Now, there were two account books, one real and one fake… this was serious, extremely serious.

Xie Chuan went over to Dou Shuyao: “Madam, did you know about the account book all along?”

“I only knew a little,” she replied.

Dou Shuyao knew Shen Zhizhi must have benefited from it somehow, but she hadn’t expected her to be so bold—to replace the entire book with a fake.

“tsk… could it really have been Second Sister-in-law? No way. She’s always so pleasant, always smiling at people, speaking gently… could such a fragile woman really have the courage to forge the accounts?”

Dou Shuyao rolled her eyes at him irritably. If Xie Chuan ever got betrayed by someone, he’d probably still be smiling and counting the money for them.

After a moment, Xie Chuan asked again: “Madam, do you think Second Brother was involved? He looked so anxious just now… could it have been an act? Deliberately putting on a show to confuse us?”

Annoyed by his pestering, Dou Shuyao gave him an assignment: “Go to Quyang Courtyard and help Nanny Qi. The courtyard is large, and finding the account book is difficult—more hands make the work easier.”

“Ah, madam is right. Finding things is my specialty. With me on it, the account book will be in my hands in no time.”

“Good. Go quickly.”

After Xie Chuan left, the hall finally quieted.

Old Ding slumped in place, barely alive.

“Old Ding,” Dou Shuyao asked, “do you know where the real account book is?”

Old Ding shook his head. “Second Madam said the account book was safe with her, no one would find it. She never told me where she hid it.”

At this point, Old Ding had no reason to lie—he really didn’t know.

So they waited.

Wait for Shen Zhizhi to wake, or for Nanny Qi to find the account book.

Since fainting, Shen Zhizhi had been in a daze. Even when she woke, she was muddled, then slipped back into unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, finding the account book was also not easy.

Quyang Courtyard was huge, and looking for a small account book wasn’t simple.

In Xie Sheng’s study, piles of books were stacked high. Some were rare and precious—care had to be taken not to damage them while searching. Every movement had to be cautious, which made the task painstaking.

It wasn’t until nightfall that they finally found it.

Xie Chuan found it.

Those who act guilty like to hide things right under their noses—they can keep an eye on them constantly without worrying about discovery.

The real account book was hidden in Xie Sheng and Shen Zhizhi’s bedroom, placed inside a tall floor-standing vase.

The blue-and-white porcelain vase had bright glazes and excellent craftsmanship. Xie Sheng happened to glance into it casually—and sure enough, he noticed something amiss.

Thus, the real account book was found.