The ancient account books were different from the modern era, where the system could generate the answers. They had to look at each and every transaction line by line and calculate themselves.
Furthermore, it was in ancient writings, by the time Shi Sheng was done reading, she felt dizzy and nauseous.
Shi Sheng picked a few dubious books and told Qiu Shui, “replace the storekeeper of these stores.”
“Hmm?” Qiu Shui did not get it. She flipped through the books, “Miss, these storekeepers were the elders. What’s wrong with it?”
When Ruan Xiao Yang was unwilling to learn accounts, Qiu Shui was forced to learn by Father Ruan. She watched those books and did not notice any issues.Shi Sheng pointed out a few falsifications in the books.
At first, Qiu Shui did not understand. After reading it a few more times, she only got it. Her expression turned sour, “how can they do this? We’ve been giving them the best benefits, and they have been working for the Ruan Family for a long time…”
“Because they’re the elders, that’s why they dare to do so.”
Ruan Xiao Yang was young and a girl. That was why they dared to make falsifications.
“Miss, I’ll replace them right away.” Qiu Shui headed out with the books.
They must think that Miss is naive to falsify the transactions.
The incidents of these storekeepers were spread, and those who planned to take advantage of this vanquished their ideas after this.The Miss left behind in the Ruan Family was not easy to fool with.
After taking care of the Ruan Family, Shi Sheng only had time to pay attention to the female lead.
“The rent from Bai He Village hasn’t been collected, right?” Shi Sheng asked Qiu Shui.
Qiu Shui nodded, “we haven’t collected from that village… before that, they were making a huge scene, so we collected from their neighboring village. But we heard that everything in Bai He Village was robbed by the bandits. Even if we collect now, we can’t collect much. Why did you suddenly ask this, Miss?”
Shi Sheng waved her hand, “let’s go. We’re going to show them some color.”
“Ah?” Qiu Shui did not get it, she looked at Shi Sheng puzzled, What’s Miss talking about?
“We’re going to collect rent.” Shi Sheng rephrased.
“This kind of errands should be done by the servants. Miss, you shouldn’t go.” Qiu Shui disagreed. Villages were dirty and messy. There was no place for Miss to go.
Most importantly, Miss was an unmarried maiden. How could she show her face?
“I got bored staying at home, so I want to take a stroll. Let’s go.” Shi Sheng’s tone was calm, but it was irrefutable.
Qiu Shui looked at Shi Sheng. She was confused, Why did Miss become so strange?
She opened her mouth, wanting to convince Shi Sheng. The moment she looked into her eyes, that pair of eyes was as clear as before but less turbulent.
Qiu Shui had never seen anyone as calm as her. Without an ounce of emotions, the cold was spreading from the bottom of her eyes. It was so chilling.
Qiu Shui stunned there, <>i> What’s up with Miss?
……
Bai He Village was rather far away from Bai He County. It took the whole morning for them to travel there.
Shi Sheng hopped off the carriage. The fields were next to the road. Some tenants were harvesting the small amount of pay left there.
Some people noticed the carriage when Shi Sheng’s carriage showed up.
A ‘Ruan Family’ sign was hung on the carriage, so they knew that it belonged to the Ruan Family, which was highly possible to be a servant coming to collect rent. However, when they saw Shi Sheng dressed in silk, hopping off the carriage, their expression changed right away.
“Isn’t she…”
“Why is she coming down from the Ruan Family carriage?”
Ruan Xiao Yang had never been to Bai He Village. The tenants only knew her name. They never saw her before.
The last time she came here, she did not announce her name.
Some tenants saw Ruan Xiao Yang kidnapped by the bandits that day, so they were not surprised when they saw her coming down from the Ruan Family carriage.
The Ruan Family was their landlord.
The mayor of Bei He VIllage heard about this news and rushed there. He saw the Qiu Shui who was here to collect the rent previously standing next to Shi Sheng. After giving it a thought, he probably guessed who this person was.
“Landlord?” the mayor asked hesitantly.
“You’re the mayor, right?” Qiu Shui answered for Shi Sheng. “Gather your villagers here. Our Miss is here to collect rent.”
He was not in the village on that day, the bandits robbing the village. He did not know what happened on the inside. When he heard what Qiu Shui said, he was in a difficult position, “this…”
He looked at the villagers behind him, rubbed his hands, “landlord, it’s not that we don’t want to pay up. Other than crops that aren’t fully grown, we don’t have any food. Could you please be so kind as to let us survive through the winter first…”
Qiu Shui looked at the mayor, “the Ruan Family Isn’t that merciless. But you still need to pay partially.”
There are so many villages in this area. If the others heard that Bai He Village did not pay rent, they would definitely make a scene.
When Old Master Ruan was alive, he was lenient with these tenants. If they could not pay in this next year, they could settle in the next year. However, they must at least pay something.
Every line of business had its rules. Once the rules were broken, that line of business would collapse.
The mayor said sorrowfully, “we’re really unable to do so this year. We’re all left with this much food. We don’t even know if we could survive through the winter. Landlord, please be kind-hearted. We will definitely make it up in the next year.”
Qiu Shui was unsure how to deal with this, so she turned to Shi Sheng,” what do you think, Miss?”
“Did you say that you want to lower the rent?” Shi Sheng looked at the mayor.
The mayor’s heart thumped, his face turned bitter, “landlord, our harvest is lesser each year. We don’t have much left with us after paying the rent.”
Shi Sheng smiled, “but according to what I know, the other families are charging more than the Ruan Family.”
The Ruan Family only charged them 40% while the others charged 50%, which was 10% less than them.
The mayor wiped the sweat on his forehead. He did not know how to answer that. He could not help but blame the female lead in his heart for stirring up this chaos. What if the landlord stopped renting the lands to them?
“Ruan Xiao Yang!”
Someone called out from the ridge of the fields. The female lead walked up in sackcloths. There was mud on her calves, appearing rather pathetic.
Qiu Shui knew Su Hua naturally. She had been trying to pick a fight with Miss. Miss was kind enough to let it go, but she would climb all over Miss as if she was the most righteous.
“Su Hua, what do you want?” Qiu Shi blocked in front of Shi Sheng, “how can you call Miss by her name?”
“Isn’t that what names are for?” Su Hua justified, “Ruan Xiao Yang, what are you doing here again?”
Su Hua knew that the original host was kidnapped by the bandits, but she did not report to the officials.
Su Hua thought that people who exploited the villagers like Ruan Xiao Yang should learn a lesson.
But she did not expect her to come back safe and sound.
“I’m here to collect rent.” Shi Sheng smiled with her eyes and brows curved, “isn’t that obvious?”
