Chapter 228: Scraping the Bone to Remove the Ulcer

"Rotten to the core! A pile of muck!"

Seeing the furious Ruan Fengshan, Xu Shouxian could not help but tremble.

He was truly afraid!

Ruan Fengshan threw down the account book in his hand, turned his head to look at Xu Shouxian standing at the doorway, and shot a cold, beast-like light from his eyes.

The moment Xu Shouxian made eye contact with Ruan Fengshan, the icy, tangible killing intent in Ruan Fengshan's eyes seemed to pierce right through him in an instant...

Xu Shouxian shuddered, almost taking a step back...

Wang Dean and Zhu Shicheng, standing behind Xu Shouxian, also felt their knees go weak, trembling in fear...

Only Xu Fuxian, standing at the very back, several steps away from the three, stood calmly. Watching his own younger brother, Xu Shouxian, whose back trembled like frost-covered leaves, a complex emotion welled up in his eyes...

"Luan Bao!" Ruan Fengshan suddenly shouted, his voice shaking the roof tiles.

Luan Bao immediately rushed to the entrance of the Document Repository, cupped his hands, and said, "Manager!"

"Take your men, surround the Backyard Accounting Office, and do not let anyone enter or leave as they please!"

"This subordinate obeys!" Luan Bao turned and strode away.

Ruan Fengshan turned his head to look at Xu Shouxian again. At this moment, looking at Xu Shouxian's terrified appearance, he was suddenly dazed for a moment, almost failing to recognize this person.

Once that air of arrogance vanished from Xu Shouxian's face and was replaced by a terrified, twisted expression, Xu Shouxian seemed to have aged significantly all at once...

But Xu Shouxian's current state only made him feel even more disgusted!

"Old bastard's maggot!" Ruan Fengshan cursed.

But after all, Ruan Fengshan had spent half his life in the Jianghu and had seen many storms; he quickly retreated from his rage, let out a long, heavy sigh, looked at Duan Rong, and said, "Duan Rong, you have done well!"

Duan Rong cupped his hands and said, "This subordinate is merely acting on orders."

"How do you think this matter should be handled next?" Ruan Fengshan suddenly asked, clearly seeking Duan Rong's opinion.

"This subordinate believes we should thoroughly audit the accounts. We must completely clear out the accounts that have piled up over these years! Scrape the bone to remove the ulcer!"

Ruan Fengshan nodded slightly and looked at Duan Rong with a deep gaze.

Duan Rong continued, "This subordinate dares to recommend someone to the Manager."

Ruan Fengshan's heart stirred; what Duan Rong had just said was the same as what he was thinking. However, he had intended to let Duan Rong lead the audit, but felt it was somewhat inappropriate.

The twelfth lunar month is the off-season for the Escort Agency, so there are not many accounts, and Duan Rong and his team could handle them.

But now, they needed to audit several years' worth of accounts; this audit would be a complex, massive project that could not be accomplished by fighting alone.

Just as Ruan Fengshan was considering this, Duan Rong suddenly said he wanted to recommend someone, which could be said to have struck a chord in Ruan Fengshan's heart.

"Who do you recommend?" Ruan Fengshan looked at Duan Rong with great interest.

Duan Rong said, "The Principal of the East Ding Room, Xu Fuxian."

Upon hearing this name, Ruan Fengshan was actually slightly stunned.

Because he had forgotten how long it had been since he last heard this name.

Although Xu Fuxian had been an Accounting Manager all these years, whether in the Backyard Accounting Office or within the Escort Agency, he seemed to have no presence at all.

Even now, he was standing in this Document Repository, yet he just stood silently in the corner, like a supporting actor in a silent play...

"Xu Fuxian..." Ruan Fengshan muttered the name repeatedly, turning his head to look at Xu Fuxian standing in the corner.

The moment he saw Xu Fuxian, some of Ruan Fengshan's memories seemed to be awakened.

He still remembered that twenty years ago, when he first arrived at this Backyard Accounting Office, Xu Fuxian and Xu Shouxian were both Accounting Managers. At that time, both were in their prime and had a very good relationship, often laughing and talking, sometimes arguing until their faces turned red over different understandings of the accounts.

But he did not know when it started; it seemed to be within two or three years after he took over as Manager that he heard some rumors that the two of them were at great odds.

A few years later, it seemed everyone had become accustomed to it, and even those rumors had vanished...

Since then, he seemed to have never heard the name Xu Fuxian again, nor had he seen him.

Duan Rong spread out the summary accounts for the twelfth lunar month in front of Ruan Fengshan and said, "Manager, please look. These accounts for the twelfth month, as long as they were handled by Xu Fuxian, are all clear and accurate to the last cent, with the bookkeeping being rigorous to the point of being nearly pedantic."

"Manager, after auditing the accounts these past few days, every time I checked his accounts, I felt moved. Behind these rigorous accounts, I saw a kind of stubbornness and integrity!"

Ruan Fengshan flipped through the accounts before him. Each entry was marked with the amount of discrepancy, ranging from a few dozen taels to several hundred, but whenever he encountered one handled by Xu Fuxian, the space next to it was blank.

Ruan Fengshan flipped through several pages in a row and nodded repeatedly. "To be able to hold onto one's original heart in a pile of muck—that is not easy!"

Just then, Luan Bao hurried from outside the Corridor to the doorway, cupped his hands, and said loudly, "Manager, the Guards have already surrounded the Accounting Office."

Ruan Fengshan glanced at Luan Bao, swept his gaze over Xu Shouxian, Wang Dean, and Zhu Shicheng, and said, "Take the Chief Accountant Xu, Principal Wang, and Principal Zhu back to their own rooms! Have people guard them, and no one is allowed to have any contact with them!"

"Yes." Luan Bao cupped his hands, then turned his head to look at the people at the door: "Chief Accountant Xu, Principal Wang, Principal Zhu, please!"

Xu Shouxian's lips trembled; he suddenly fell to his knees with a thud and cried out in fear, "Manager..."

A flash of disgust crossed Ruan Fengshan's eyes, and he shouted angrily, "Drag him away!"

Luan Bao immediately stepped in, picked up Xu Shouxian as if he were a chick, and strode out of the Document Repository. Wang Dean and Zhu Shicheng also followed, trembling.

After they left, the noisy Document Repository immediately quieted down. Ruan Fengshan looked at Xu Fuxian, who was standing far away, and asked, "Xu Fuxian, I intend to have you lead the audit of the accounts. Are you willing?"

Xu Fuxian only stepped forward half a step, still keeping his distance, cupped his hands, and bowed: "This subordinate is willing to obey!"

Ruan Fengshan glanced at Xu Fuxian, but no expression could be seen on Xu Fuxian's thin face.

Ruan Fengshan said, "Then prepare yourself, and start tomorrow."

"You take charge of the affairs of the Backyard Accounting Office first. You arrange for yourself which people are responsible for daily operations and which people will assist you in auditing the accounts."

"I only want results!"

"This subordinate understands." Xu Fuxian, who had been bowing all along, bowed even lower and said in a deep voice.

Ruan Fengshan nodded, then walked out of the Document Repository with deep thoughts.

Duan Rong followed closely behind and also exited the Document Repository.

As Duan Rong walked out of the Document Repository, he met the eyes of Xiao Yu, who was standing at the door. Xiao Yu lowered her head slightly and smiled, like a shy lotus flower.

Xiao Yu had brought the Manager's meal late; she was terrified of ruining Duan Rong's affairs, but fortunately, she was in time.

Xiao Yu knew that the Document Repository was covered in accounts with nowhere to step, and several Principals were crowded at the door, so she did not go in.

Furthermore, she did not understand matters of the accounts, and she did not quite grasp what Duan Rong was saying about them.

Just as Ruan Fengshan walked out of the entrance to the western Corridor, Luan Bao stepped forward and said, "Manager, Li Jun, the Assistant to Chief Accountant Xu, seemed to have been excessively frightened just now and fainted. At this moment... it seems... he has stopped breathing..."

(End of this chapter)