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"I, I... Madam!"

Knowing Madam Zhao was softhearted, Manager Wang tried to crawl over on his knees and cling to her legs, but she turned her face away.

"...Manager, Manager, you know me. I've always been utterly loyal to the master."

Manager Qian coughed and was about to speak when Shen Lantang cut in.

"Do you know how I found out there was something wrong with these dyes?"

Yes, how did she find out? Manager Qian wondered.

"Because someone overheard the owner of Radiant Dye boasting while drunk that he'd bribed a manager at a certain cloth shop to buy their inferior dyes at inflated prices. That way, he made a profit, and the manager got a cut, too. The only one losing out was the cloth shop they'd taken for a fool!"

Shen Lantang watched both men's expressions as she spoke. "Manager Wang, are you still going to claim it was an honest mistake? That you were deceived?"

"I, I..."

Manager Wang had no defense. He instinctively looked at Manager Qian, who averted his eyes. The next moment, Manager Qian kicked him hard, knocking him to the ground.

"Why, you scoundrel! The master showed you immense kindness, yet you conspired with outsiders to cheat the Cloth Shop! What were you thinking?"

"I... Manager, I..."

Manager Wang wanted to say something, but Manager Qian shot him a meaningful look, and he ultimately dared not speak.

Shen Lantang took in their exchange, then turned to Madam Zhao.

"Sister, just as you said, we've rooted out the traitor!"

Madam Zhao nodded repeatedly.

Yes, yes, that was all my idea.

"Manager Wang colluded with outsiders to defraud the Cloth Shop. Effective immediately, he is stripped of his position."

After a brief pause, she walked over to the young cloth worker and asked kindly,