The Wealthy Eldest Sister Rules Supreme

Chapter 638: Chapter 625: Greed

“Both of these men aim at the workshop, even willing to resort to such extreme actions for it. I am aware that if I had not signed and imprinted my fingerprint on that document, Kugua and I would be safe. But if we had agreed to do so, and had signed and stamped the document, our lives would possibly be at great risk.”

“I gritted my teeth and refused to agree to this matter, even when Feng Yongfu and Su Zhengshi troubled and beat us every day, or even denied us food and water, we still persevered until today when Manager Zhuang rescued Kugua and me.”

Listening to Shang Chengen tell his story, Zhuang Qingning nodded slightly, “I see.”

Previously when she visited Feng’s village, she noticed that Feng Yongfu was a cunning and excessively selfish man. At that time, she decided not to set up a noodle workshop in Feng’s village. Later on, Zhuang Qingning heard more about Feng Yongfu from Shi Bao.

She heard that Feng Yongfu was not satisfied and had even caused a big fuss at the County Government Office, only to be severely reprimanded.

Zhuang Qingning had a bad impression of Feng Yongfu and did not care to pay attention to him. After that, she did not hear much about him from Shi Bao and the others. Zhuang Qingning thought this matter had probably passed.

Unexpectedly, Feng Yongfu was still focused on this issue and even intensified it.

And Su Zhengshi was willing to sink as low as such a man, committing such morally reprehensible acts.”

Zhuang Qingning cast a cold glance at Su Zhengshi. Seeing his current predicament, Su Zhengshi knelt on the ground, sweating profusely, and kept kowtowing, “Manager Zhuang, Manager Shang, I…I…I was blinded by greed, I was persuaded by Feng Yongfu…”

“Feng Yongfu said that all businessmen are cunning. The workshop is set up in Shijiazhuang, using manpower and well water from Shijiazhuang, and even the flour used is milled from wheat grown in Shijiazhuang fields.”

“By rights, the noodle workshop, without Shijiazhuang, couldn’t operate. However, the workshop, which entirely relies on Shijiazhuang, does an enormous business and earns money like flowing water, but the wages it pays to the workers from Shijiazhuang are not enough.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“A monthly wage of three to four hundred copper coins. It takes three to four years of saving just to build a new house. There’s hardly any practical use. It even talks about letting the villagers subscribe to silver stocks, which is utter nonsense. The workshop is so profitable that it must be worth a fortune. We, who earn four or five taels of silver a year, can’t afford to buy any stocks, let alone share in the profits.”

“If you really want to make practical money and want the villagers to live a good life, the workshop must be thoroughly returned. Only then it will work…”

“Feng Yongfu repeated these words to me every day. I didn’t know what was happening, but I felt that Feng Yongfu’s words made some sense. I felt that Manager Shang was blinded by money, so I had the idea of taking back the workshop from Manager Shang.”

“So…so…”

As Su Zhengshi spoke, his face was full of shame. With tears and mucus flowing, he repeatedly apologized to Shang Chengen and Zhuang Qingning, “Manager Shang, I am truly possessed by a ghost, I really didn’t want it to be like this, it was all Feng Yongfu’s fault…”

“If there was no greed in your heart, even if someone else urged you, you would not harbor any idea of taking other people’s things as your own.”

Zhuang Qingning gave Shang Chengen a cold look, “After all these explanations, the fact remains that you, Village Chief Su, had wicked thoughts that shouldn’t exist. So when someone tempted you, these wicked thoughts of yours were magnified significantly.”

“Moreover, at this point, you’re still blaming everything on Feng Yongfu and not acknowledging your own wrongdoing. Village Chief Su obviously hasn’t realized his mistake.”

“Now that it has come to this point, there’s no need to talk too much nonsense with Village Chief Su. It’s better to let Master Ding teach him what is right and wrong, and the moral standards of society.”

As soon as Zhuang Qingning finished speaking, Su Mu, who had received her signal and had been waiting outside, entered the courtyard, picked up Su Zhengshi, and took him to the County Government Office.

Zhuang Qingning had a bullock cart brought over to send Shang Chengen and Kugua back to Qingshi Town.

The two of them thanked her profusely.

Meanwhile, Su Mu and Su Ye took Su Zhengshi to the County Government Office to see Ding Gaochang, briefly explaining the situation.

Upon hearing the matter, Ding Gaochang was furious. After questioning Su Zhengshi and recording his confession, he sent Shi Bao and Shen Quan to bring in Feng Yongfu.

Shi Bao and Shen Quan, having previously visited Feng’s village with Zhuang Qingning, had a strong dislike for Feng Yongfu. Upon hearing about this matter, they were extremely infuriated and rushed to Feng’s village.

At that time, Feng Yongfu was leisurely enjoying a small drink at home. On the table were two dishes: one was a plate of peanuts fried to perfection and sprinkled with salt, and the other was a dish of large, oily-looking slices of pork head meat.

Feng Yongfu took a sip of his wine, picked up a large slice of pork head meat, shoved it into his mouth, chewed it cursorily, and swallowed it down.

The taste was simply delightful.

And life was delightfully good.

He used to eat chaff and vegetables, and count the number of times eating white steamed buns throughout the year on one hand. He rarely had the chance to enjoy days of eating pork head meat and peanuts while pleasantly drinking wine, but now he could enjoy such days casually.

He had as much wine to drink as he wanted, as much pork head meat to eat as he liked, it was incredibly comfortable.

No wonder everyone wants to earn silver. Silver is indeed a wonderful thing.

But silver is also not good. The downside of it is that it always likes to stick to the rich and doesn’t even want to glance at the poor like them.

It’s really hateful!

But, it’s different now. He has money and lives a life that he wouldn’t dare to think about, and that he used to envy, admire, and hate.

Speaking of which, he was able to live this life, thanks to Su Zhengshi that fool.

In a few words, he talked him into confusion. Not only did he agree to use his village’s people for the future noodle workshop, but also the money earned in the workshop could be shared with him, a whole thirty percent.

He doesn’t have to do anything, but he can share thirty percent of the pure profits. It’s just like picking it off the ground.

But this thirty percent is still a little bit less. Without Shang Chengen, Su Zhengshi gets the remaining seventy percent. He must take some more from his pocket no matter what happens.

He heard that Su Zhengshi bought a house in the county town and even planned to buy another one in the city. He must have enough to…

Feng Yongfu smacked his lips, downing glass after glass of wine.