Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 24 Arson Attempt

Carrying the empty food box out of the side room, Meng Shu wandered around the main room. Of the three managers, only Manager Qian had someone guarding the door, which seemed to confirm her suspicions.

Meng Shu left Langya Courtyard and went straight to find Steward Cao, having thought of several possible explanations along the way.

On the one hand, if there is no evidence, one must use appropriate wording and, ideally, distance oneself from the situation. On the other hand, regardless of whether it's preventative or not, it's best to offer a solution.

Even if nothing happens, you still need to let your master know your loyalty and competence.

As for Steward Cao's background, Meng Shu, being new to the place, didn't know much about it. However, it was common knowledge that Steward Cao and Granny An were both born servants. Their lives and honor were inextricably linked to the Tang family, so Meng Shu felt comfortable informing them.

Upon arriving at Steward Cao's residence, Meng Shu hesitated outside before going in directly.

When Steward Cao noticed and called her into the room, Meng Shu naturally put on a troubled look, glancing at the window from time to time to make Steward Cao notice her unusual behavior.

"Alright, there's no one around here. What's with this strange behavior? You've been working for me for a month now, so you can tell me what's on your mind." Manager Cao was getting impatient with her attitude and pointed to the embroidered stool in the room, telling Meng Shu to sit down.

Just hint at it with your expression.

Meng Shu began by mentioning the taste of the winter melon, which she had inadvertently brought up. She then talked about how she had observed the waiter's unusual behavior through the dishes. When Manager Cao ran out of patience and was still puzzled, she slowly revealed her guess.

The wording was clear, and the reasoning was reasonable. Manager Cao immediately broke out in a cold sweat and stood up with a thud.

If anything went wrong under her management, the lives of her entire family wouldn't be enough to compensate for it. At this moment, she held Meng Shu's shoulder with gratitude, and without saying anything, she hurriedly went out.

Meng Shu hurriedly stopped her, "What are you planning to do, Madam Cao? All the managers are at the banquet in the front yard. If we expose them on the spot, what if Manager Qian says that the vegetable oil has other uses? What if Manager Qian got wind of it beforehand and secretly transported the vegetable oil out or poured it away? We'll have even less to say."

Pulling Steward Cao back to his chair, Meng Shu reminded him, "The crime of publicly slandering the head manager is not something a woman in the inner quarters like us can bear."

Manager Cao wasn't stupid; he had already realized what was happening when Meng Shu stopped her.

She looked at Meng Shunan and said, "Then what do you suggest we do? If it really is arson, Langya Academy will be lost, and we'll be beaten to death and sold off."

Looking at the little girl in front of him, Manager Cao was suddenly a little dazed. How could she be so meticulous in handling such a big matter, from the moment she entered the room to the moment she stopped him? Is she really just a ten-year-old girl?

Meng Shu picked up the teapot on the table and poured herself a cup of water. She was unaware that her behavior just now would make Steward Cao doubt her age.

"It's only natural for Cao Mama to be a little flustered upon hearing this, but it's still daylight." Handing the water glass to Steward Cao, Meng Shu began to patiently guide her.

Manager Cao, stunned, took a sip of water unconsciously, then immediately chimed in, "Right, even if Manager Qian sends someone to set fire, it will have to wait until it's completely dark. We still have time. Why don't we find an excuse..."

Meng Shu: ...Why do I feel like I can't quite get through to them?

"The most urgent thing for Madam Cao is to find a trusted steward in our household. One option is to secretly leak the news, and the other is to quietly gather some skilled individuals and hide them away beforehand..."

Upon hearing this, Manager Cao slapped his thigh, his IQ returning to its high level: "You're right. When catching a thief, it's best to catch him red-handed, and when arson is committed, it's also best to catch him on the spot to avoid any mistakes."

“I will go to the front yard to find the head steward. His daughter, Suwen, is a first-class maid who serves the old lady and is absolutely trustworthy in the mansion.”

Meng Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now she didn't have to stop him. She only whispered a reminder when Steward Cao left, telling him not to let Manager Qian notice when he went to find the head steward.

Manager Cao turned around, leaning on the door frame, and said, "Don't worry, Shuya, I remember all the good things you've done for me. If things really turn out this way today, your contributions will not be forgotten."

The way they address each other has become much more affectionate.

Seeing Steward Cao rush out of the house, only to suddenly take very steady steps at the courtyard gate, Meng Shu smiled. This Madam Cao was quite a clever person.

Seeing that she had gone to the front yard, Meng Shu returned to Langya Courtyard without making a sound.

Meng Shu didn't know how many people the head steward would send, but she knew he would be cautious once he heard the news. Anyone would be nervous if they knew there were three large boxes of account books in the main courtyard.

Several maids in the back room gathered in twos and threes to eat dinner. When Green Willow saw Meng Shu, she hurriedly brought over the food and glared at Meng Shu angrily. This girl always ran around when it was time to eat.

I vaguely heard the servant talking about the lively scene at the banquet in the front yard. It seemed that the pawnshop had acquired two rare 'unredeemed' items, and Manager Tang presented them to the head of the household on the spot, inviting all the managers to appreciate them together.

As night fell, a hot, dry wind began to blow.

Lanterns were lit throughout the Tang residence, and the banquet in the front courtyard was drawing to a close.

Meng Shu was sitting in front of the lamp, idly embroidering a handkerchief, when she suddenly heard a commotion coming from the main courtyard, which was separated by a gate.

Just like the other shoe dropping, Meng Shu thought to herself that things had indeed happened.

Hearing the noise, everyone in the back room hurriedly opened the door and vaguely heard shouts of "fire" and "rescue." They all showed panic. Xia Zhuluomei did not stay here, and Meng Shu had become the leader. When the others looked over, Meng Shu immediately took out a wooden basin from the room.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go to the main courtyard to put out the fire."

By the time Meng Shu arrived with her people, the fire had already been extinguished. Manager Cao stood in the corner, still shaken. When she saw Meng Shu, she had a look of relief on her face. She was incredibly grateful. If it weren't for the fact that this was a fire scene, she would have loved to hug and kiss Meng Shu.

This is the little benefactor who saved her whole family's lives. The old lady might even give her a great fortune after this incident.

Langya Courtyard was separated from the inner residence by a garden, so the men who were feasting in the front courtyard rushed over when they heard about the incident.

When Manager Qian heard that Langya Courtyard was on fire, his heart finally relaxed, but he quickly put on a look of lingering fear. Little did he know that this scene was witnessed by the head of the family and the head steward.

At this moment, he led his men to the front, muttering to himself as he walked. But when he entered Langya Courtyard and saw that several main rooms were intact, except for the room where his room had some charred marks on the doors and windows, his face turned extremely ugly in an instant.

The other managers exchanged glances, and Meng Shu noticed that Manager Gong and Manager Tang were both looking at Manager Qian with scrutinizing eyes.

The head steward quickly stepped in to take charge, sending people to escort the managers living in other courtyards back to their homes. He also sealed off the entire Langya Courtyard. Manager Qian's room was completely quiet, and only the head steward knew that the arsonist had been caught red-handed inside.

However, this was, after all, a shameful affair, and the head of the family had long been aware of it but had no intention of making it public. But no matter what, Manager Qian's lineage could not end well. As the investigation unfolded, Yongtai Money Shop was also about to undergo a major overhaul.

Manager Cao, along with Meng Shu and the other maids, stood trembling to the side. A moment later, the door opened, and two men dressed in black walked out first, followed by two people who were bound hand and foot and gagged with rags. Seeing this, Manager Qian lost all hope; his face turned ashen, and he trembled like a leaf under the patriarch's gaze.

Afterwards, the head of the family snorted coldly and walked out of Langya Courtyard first. The head steward followed closely behind with men in black, instructing Steward Cao to clean up the mess as soon as possible and not to disturb Manager Gong and the others' rest.

When the head butler passed by Meng Shu, he cast a glance at her, a look that seemed to both admire and pity her.

Meng Shu was tense, her heart filled with doubt and uncertainty. Had the head butler already discovered her plans? Had her actions disrupted the head butler's original scheme?