Qin Yuan raised an eyebrow, "Has Mr. Songshan discovered something?"
Mr. Songshan said, "Sixth Master and Shi Ba and I pondered repeatedly and found it quite peculiar that the birthday banquet of the Old Madam of Duke Zhen's Mansion was scheduled before the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. Also, in previous years, her birthday banquet was not on a fixed date."
"But they are all in August?"
Mr. Songshan shook his head, "Upon questioning the merchants who deliver to Duke Zhen's Mansion, they said there were also times in July and September — it seems the birthday banquet is just a cover."
Since they wanted to hold a birthday banquet, the scale naturally couldn't be small, and the mansion would inevitably increase its purchases.
Those who can do business with Duke Zhen's Mansion are not small businesses; their annual accounts are meticulously recorded, perhaps even clearer than those in Duke Zhen's Mansion. How else could they firmly hold onto their business?
