The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 116 The defeated general
Ma Ming gritted his teeth. If it weren't for Widow Tong's two sons coming to his door, he wouldn't have known that his Su Shi Yuan (a type of pastry shop) had been stolen by Manager Feng and Feng Chuan.

It seems that he trusted Manager Feng too much and spoiled him so much that he ignored his employer.

Then Ma Ming began to look through the ledgers, and the more he looked, the more he frowned.

"What about the recent five hundred taels of silver?" Ma Ming asked directly.

Manager Feng dared not hide the truth and said, "That unfilial son Feng Chuan stole it. Master, I really did not collude with Feng Chuan to steal the land deed or the silver. Think about it, you trust me so much, the operation of the Su Shi Yuan is entirely in my hands, and you treat me well financially. What benefit would I gain from selling the Su Shi Yuan?"

Ma Ming remained unmoved and said, "You treat your adopted son like your life depends on him. You would do anything for Feng Chuan. Don't forget, you stole the Meng family's silver for Feng Chuan before."

Manager Feng blushed when his wounds were reopened.

In Ma Ming's mind, Manager Feng's credibility was already negative. No matter how much Manager Feng pleaded, Ma Ming believed that he was just making excuses.

Even if Manager Feng was unaware that the shop had been mortgaged to Tong Huaqiong, he could not stay.

After all, Feng Chuan was his adopted son. If he hadn't spoiled him, would Feng Chuan have dared to do this?
Since Su Shi Yuan has always been under the control of Manager Feng, Ma Ming has never looked at the accounts over the years. As long as he can make money, he turns a blind eye to Manager Feng's embezzlement.

But when there was trust, everything was fine. Now that the trust is gone, Ma Ming is no longer polite to Manager Feng.

He slammed the ledger down and said, "Manager Feng, I trusted you so much, but I can find problems with this ledger just by flipping through it. You know perfectly well how much profit you've embezzled."

Manager Feng was startled.

“I’ll get the shop back myself since it’s been mortgaged. I won’t pursue the five hundred taels of silver or the embezzlement over the years. You should resign,” Ma Ming said.

Shopkeeper Feng's eyes widened suddenly, and he pleaded, "Boss, please give me another chance. I promise I can get the shop back. Not only that, I also want to drive Peach Blossom Desserts out of Yanguan Town."

The mere mention of Peach Blossom Desserts ignited Ma Ming's anger. He retorted, "You guarantee it? What guarantees do you have? You couldn't even manage a small stall like Peach Blossom Desserts. If you could manage it, why would Widow Tong be so happy to open her business and set up the scheme you described to give her my shop as collateral?"

Manager Feng was deflated.

He had indeed underestimated her, thinking that a simple-minded country widow from Qinghewan could be easily intimidated.

He hadn't expected the widow to be so ruthless, cutting off his escape route with her very first move.

Manager Feng still wanted to try his luck, so he said, "Master, you can't fire me."

Ma Ming scoffed dismissively: "Why not? I'm the owner, you're just a manager."

Ma Ming's contemptuous attitude provoked Manager Feng, who lost his composure and said, "Without me, could Su Shi Yuan have been so dominant in Yan Guan Town all these years? Over the years, I've poured so much effort into Su Shi Yuan and earned so much money for it. Which manager can manage to have only one pastry shop in a town? Not only in Yan Guan Town, but the managers and accountants I've trained have also established Su Shi Yuan branches in other places."

Ma Ming waved his hand sarcastically and said, "Then you're still just a manager. Without my opportunity, could you have become the manager of Su Shi Yuan? Don't forget, when you were kicked out of the Meng family like a stray dog, who took you in? If I hadn't taken you in, you would have gone back to the countryside to farm. You think you're so capable? Try stepping out of the gates of my Su Shi Yuan, who would hire you? Don't mistake the platform for your own ability."

After Ma Ming finished speaking, he summoned the shop assistants and chased Manager Feng out.

He threw his abacus out with him.

Manager Feng was pushed all the way to the street before he finally came to his senses.

He was fired just like that?
All his hard work was ruined.

The large characters "Su Shi Yuan" (酥食园) made his eyes dazzled.

Where does the future lie?
Who would want him at other shops?

He believed that in order to cut off his escape route, Ma Ming would soon spread the news that he had embezzled money by mortgaging the Su Shi Yuan shop, and which shop would dare to hire him?

His reputation had already collapsed in Pingchuan County, and now it was about to collapse in Yanguan Town as well. He had no choice but to leave for a place where no one knew him.

Ten days ago, Manager Feng was full of vigor, but now he realized that without Su Shi Yuan, he was nothing. He hated Feng Chuan, and he hated Tong Huaqiong even more.

All the variables were Peach Blossom Desserts. If Tong Huaqiong hadn't opened a pastry stall, he wouldn't have fallen into such a desperate situation.

Shopkeeper Feng wandered aimlessly through the streets, unknowingly arriving at Rouge Lane.

The peach blossom dessert sign shone even brighter in the sunlight.

Shopkeeper Feng was so angry he wanted to smash the Peach Blossom Dessert sign.

Just then, Tong Huaqiong came out and saw Manager Feng looking completely lost and confused, and knew what had happened.

He was fired by Su Shi Yuan.

"It was you! You orchestrated everything! It was you and your son who pulled these dirty tricks!" Manager Feng pointed at Tong Huaqiong, his face contorted with rage.

Tong Huaqiong said with a bright smile, "How can you blame me for this? Blame your nephew, that gambling addict, and yourself. If you hadn't refused to give me any way out, would I have resorted to such a desperate measure?"

This is an admission that she orchestrated everything.

Tong Huaqiong had no intention of hiding it from Manager Feng. She wanted Manager Feng to see that she would also resort to underhanded tactics, and even more so than Manager Feng.

Otherwise, Manager Feng would have to take her seriously, be wary of her, and fear her, so that he wouldn't dare to act rashly.

“Manager Feng, we’re all in business. Yan Guan Town is so big, it can accommodate Su Shi Yuan, and it can also accommodate Tao Hua Dessert. It’s not wrong to want to dominate Yan Guan Town, but your mistake is that you don’t dare to compete with me openly and honestly, and you only know how to use underhanded methods. I, Tong Huaqiong, believe in revenge. If you want to drive me out of Yan Guan Town, then I won’t be polite. I must drive you out.”

"But you're not entirely wronged. You've really failed as a manager. You don't dare to compete with me fair and square, and you can't outdo me in underhanded tactics either. So the only option is for you to leave Yanguan Town."

Tong Huaqiong still had a smile on her face, her snow-white teeth shining brightly in the sunlight.

In Manager Feng's eyes, it was like a blood-sucking beast, which terrified him.

I am really unwilling to be defeated by a widow from the countryside.

Peach Blossom Dessert Shop is opening tomorrow, so it's still uncertain who will emerge victorious.

"stop!"

Tong Huaqiong seemed to see through Manager Feng's thoughts and called out to him as he turned around.

Manager Feng did not turn around.

"Peach Blossom Dessert Shop opens tomorrow. If anything goes wrong, Feng Chuan won't just lose his hand, he'll lose his manhood too." Tong Huaqiong snapped her fingers.

Manager Feng stopped and turned around, a hint of panic in his eyes. He couldn't help but ask, "Is Feng Chuan in your hands?"

Tong Huaqiong made the right bet!

Despite Feng Chuan stealing the land deed of the Su Shi Yuan restaurant, and despite Feng Chuan being an ingrate, Manager Feng still cared about him a lot.

"If everything goes smoothly at Peach Blossom Dessert tomorrow, Feng Chuan will naturally reunite with you."

"Manager Feng, you're getting old, it's time for you to leave Yanguan Town."

After Tong Huaqiong finished speaking, she turned around and went into the Peach Blossom Dessert Shop without looking at Manager Feng again.

Her defeated opponent, and not even a worthy opponent to be respected, is not worth uttering another word about.

(End of this chapter)