Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 1014: Disposal (3)

Chapter 1014: Chapter 1014: Disposal (3)

Having traveled all morning, Mo Yan and the others were famished. They declined the Zhao family people’s offer to serve them a meal and, in only a few moments, they had completely wiped the dishes off the table clean. After the bowls and chopsticks were cleared away, the second daughter-in-law of the Zhao Family brought up a fruit plate with pears that had already been washed and cut.

These pears couldn’t compare with the Mo Family’s delicious and diverse fruits, but having fruit after a meal was not something every household could afford. Having pears to dispel the greasiness was quite good.

After finishing the pears, the kids couldn’t wait to urge their father to join them in touring the garden. Mo Qingze was very interested in the layout and decorations, so he took the kids out.

Mo Yan was still waiting to look at the accounts and also felt the midday sun was too intense, so she didn’t go. Once Zhao Dafu had finished his lunch, he brought the account books to her.

The account books formed a thick stack, not only including the slim volume that had been recorded since the estate was bestowed upon Mo Yan, but also several dozen volumes detailing the estate’s production and financial transactions from past years.

Mo Yan wanted to see these old account books for two reasons: firstly, to get an idea of the estate’s financial situation in past years and have a clear understanding, and secondly, to find out if Zhao Dafu had been fiddling the books and whether he was worth her trust. Although it was hard to tell from the account books, they might contain some hints.

Mo Yan didn’t plan to settle every detail of these old accounts or make Zhao Dafu regurgitate all he had embezzled and then send him off to the Government. She just wanted to see if he had indeed been corrupt, and if so, to what extent and whether he was worth employing.

In the northwest corner was a row of rooms where the servants lived, and Zhao Family’s twenty members resided there. At this moment, except for the few children too young to make any decisions, the adults and older children were all gathered in the same room.

The atmosphere in the room was heavy, with the Zhao family people looking at each other, none speaking a word, their eyes filled with deep worry.

After a long time, the timid Old Lady Meng spoke up, breaking the silence in the room, "Old man, you’ve given all those account books to the County Lord. Could she find out anything from them?"

The rest of the Zhao family abruptly turned their attention to Zhao Dafu. They were well aware of what their father (father-in-law) had done over the years; if not for that, how could they have had such a comfortable life up to this day?

However, they only knew that after the harvest each year, the tenants would happily bring chickens, ducks, fish, and meat to their door, having no idea how many false accounts he had made over the years, nor how much he had gained from it.

Seeing the tense faces of his wife and children, Zhao Dafu sighed, his wrinkled old face filled with worry, "The County Lord has been suspicious since Chunhua opened the door. Whether or not she can find anything in the account books, our family won’t end well."

Zhao Dafu, shrewd from years of experience, could see that the new mistress was someone who tolerated no deceit. Even if she couldn’t find evidence, the mere presence of suspicion in her heart was a reason, and even without a reason, she could dispose of their family, who were after all only servants with their bonds held in their master’s hands.

"Dad, what should we do?" asked Zhao Chunhua in panic, the first to slip up in front of Mo Yan, afraid of being sold and also worried that her family would blame her for the predicament.

No sooner had she spoken than Zhao Laoda, Zhao Dafu’s eldest son, pointed accusingly at his sister, "What to do, what to do, do you still have the face to ask what to do? I told you before not to be so ostentatious. Now that you’ve caught the County Lord’s attention, our entire family is doomed because of you."

Zhao Chunhua’s face turned pale, a mix of self-reproach and hurt, "How was I to know the County Lord would suddenly visit? If I had known she was coming, there’s no way I would have dressed like that! In the end, it’s the County Lord’s distrust in our family. Otherwise, why wouldn’t she have sent someone to inform us beforehand?"