Hearing what this maid said, Zhao Feng couldn't help but laugh in his heart.
Fortunately, the housekeeper has no skills at all in managing people. She is just using coercion and inducement to make the maids and servants in the mansion listen to her. Otherwise, it might be really difficult to solve the problem.
Zhao Feng thought this in his heart, showed a more serious expression on the surface, and said with a sneer.
"The accounts in the service are completely different from what you said. If she only gives you 50 yuan a month, what about the rest of the money?"
The maid had a frightened expression on her face and said hesitantly.
"Sir, my lord, I only know that she has colluded with a gangster in the city and has been embezzling the princess's money."
"Those who were disobedient were all kicked out by her, so we dare not disobey her!"
Zhao Feng nodded, asked the maid who was so frightened to kneel down to stand up, patted her shoulder gently and said.
"Don't worry, I'm here now just to deal with such villains."
"What's the name of the gangster you're talking about?"
The maid glanced at Zhao Feng a little cautiously, and then said timidly.
"Sir, that gangster's name is Meng Da, and everyone in the city calls him Master Meng!"
Zhao Feng kept this name in his mind and asked the maid to go back and continue to collect evidence. Then he could directly send the housekeeper to the government.
The maid looked very grateful and walked out of the room happily while saying that she was saved.
Zhao Feng couldn't help but laugh in his heart. He didn't expect things here to be so simple. It seems that if he wants to help the princess, he must first resolve the situation in her mansion.
In the evening, the two servants Zhao Feng sent to investigate inside Fucheng also returned.
Liu Jia walked to Zhao Feng's side and spoke to Zhao Feng in a low voice.
"Sir, I followed your instructions and checked with the prefect here. Their local borrowing interest rate does not have the government's requirements, but if the interest rate is such a high, there must be no government protection."
Zhao Feng nodded and looked at Li Ding again.
Li Ding said with some helplessness: "Sir, Your Highness the Princess's property has indeed been defrauded by others, but most of the methods used are deception. As long as we are careful, we will be able to collect evidence, and maybe we can return it." We can bring back all these industries!”
Zhao Feng chuckled, looked at the two of them with admiration, and said with a smile.
"I knew there must be something fishy here."
Zhao Feng said this, sitting on the bed and thinking for a while.
No matter how stupid Zhou Tong is, he can't let others defraud him of all his property, so there must be people inside the government and people outside colluding secretly.
From this point of view, the housekeeper in the mansion must have colluded with Meng Da in the city and gradually embezzled the princess's property, causing the princess's mansion to become an empty shell.
Although they can't embezzle the princess's land, they can defraud all other industries and so on.
According to the butler, if Zhou Tong still fails to pay the money this time, Meng Da might take action on the princess's land.
If you want to break this matter, you still have to start with the government. Only by building a good relationship with the prefect here can the government deal with Meng Da together. After all, even the most powerful ruffians are afraid of the government.
So Zhao Feng directly took out some silver, handed it to Liu Jia and said.
"You use the money to buy some gifts and send them to the prefect's house tomorrow. The prefect here should also be from the four major families, right?"
Liu Jia hesitated for a moment, took the silver and said.
"Sir, I can't be sure, because the prefect here is named Sun, and he doesn't seem to have any connection with the four major families."
Zhao Feng immediately raised his eyebrows. It would be easier if the prefect here was not from the four major families.
If he is from one of the four major families, he might still be against the princess and himself, but if he is not from one of the four major families, then he can win over him a little bit.
After all, he is also a member of the Zhongshu Province in the capital. For these local officials, that is an existence that is elusive.
If you promise some benefits such as promotion, you might really be able to win over this prefect. Not only will it be easier for you to solve the problems Zhou Tong is encountering now, but it will also be beneficial to your own development in the future.
While making arrangements like this, there was a knock on the door, followed by a maid's voice.
"Sir, Your Highness the Princess asked me to come over and treat you to dinner!"
Zhao Feng agreed, and then made arrangements for Li Ding.
"Tomorrow morning you go and count how much of the Princess's property has been defrauded, and then find a few people to investigate these things together. You must find evidence."
Li Ding nodded vigorously. Since Zhao Feng only brought two of them here this time, the manpower was definitely not enough, so Zhao Feng could only ask Li Ding to find some useful people here.
After arranging things for the two of them, Zhao Feng got up. After going out, he discovered that Zhou Tong was standing not far away, waiting for him.
Seeing Zhao Feng coming out, Zhou Tong looked very happy and walked over directly and said with a smile.
"Mr. Zhao, you don't have to be so anxious. It just so happens that you can stay with me for a few more days this time."
Zhao Feng couldn't help but smile slightly, and then he cupped his hands towards Zhou Tong and said.
"Your Highness, you don't have to wait for me."
Two blushes appeared on Zhou Tong's face, he gently fiddled with the corners of his clothes and said.
"Mr. Zhao, I just feel a little bored by myself. My house has always been deserted before. It's only since Mr. Zhao came that I became a little more popular."
Zhao Feng was stunned for a moment, and then he remembered that Zhou Tong was only a teenager now. Although he already had a fief, he was not married. No wonder he felt a little deserted.
So Zhao Feng didn't say anything more, but went to have dinner with Zhou Tong.
Today's dinner was cooked by the chef in the mansion. Zhao Feng tasted it and found that it was not as hard to swallow as Zhou Tong said. It was considered a very good craftsmanship in this era.
It was still early after dinner, and it was not like the capital city with such prosperous places to go and play, so Zhou Tong took Zhao Feng around the house.
"Mr. Zhao is laughing. I originally had a garden here, but now it's all planted with vegetables!"
Zhou Tong looked at the fruits and vegetables in the garden with some shyness. He remembered that the garden in his fourth brother's mansion was full of flowers, but when he came here, it was all fruits and vegetables. It was really ridiculous.
