The store manager representative remained silent, having anticipated the possibility of being extorted for money the moment Zhang Liunian suggested they might have stolen it.
Now, hearing that a mere three thousand yuan would settle the matter, while he felt indignant, it was an acceptable price for those about to receive ten years' worth of salary.
"I've given you the opportunity. Whether you take it depends on you. You have five minutes to consider, or I'll call the police." If it weren't for his desire to use them to flush out Tang Guo, he wouldn't have offered them this chance.
The store managers exchanged glances, then whispered amongst themselves and finally reached a consensus to pay the money.
Seeing their agreement, Zhang Liunian sent someone to notify the families of these store managers and then waited there to collect the money.
Before long, he had an additional one hundred and seventeen thousand yuan. Combined with the one hundred and twenty thousand received earlier, he had acquired a total of two hundred and thirty-seven thousand yuan in just a short time.
As for the female store manager, Zhang Liunian did not trouble her, as she had voluntarily surrendered the money and had not participated in the earlier scuffle.
Having received the money, Zhang Liunian naturally saw no reason to cause them further trouble. He simply stated, "From this moment on, you are no longer the store managers of this department store," and let them leave.
The thirty-nine store managers heard his words with mixed emotions of shame and indignation, but considering Zhang Liunian's strength, they ultimately left with their heads bowed and their tails between their legs, fearing Zhang Liunian might change his mind.
As they departed, Zhang Liunian whispered a few words to the team leader, who immediately exited the crowd and disappeared from everyone's sight.
However, it wasn't long before the team leader reappeared by Zhang Liunian's side, as if he had merely stepped away for a moment.
"The original six security guards did not show up, and they will no longer be needed here. As for the people you recruited, they performed well. Distribute the money to them and select twenty of them to be security guards, prioritizing those who are strong and obedient."
After expelling the disloyal thirty-nine store managers, Zhang Liunian took out a stack of money and gestured towards the loafers guarding the entrance.
The team leader immediately complied after receiving the money, while the whereabouts of the original six security guards were unknown.
While the team leader was handling this, Zhang Liunian glanced at the remaining female store manager and then began making arrangements with his men, going from one store to the next.
To each store, he announced that whoever could find the manufacturer and obtain the lowest wholesale price would be promoted to new store manager.
This news immediately caused an uproar.
Everyone in the department store knew that store managers earned double the salary of sales associates, and they primarily dealt with suppliers and managed subordinates, which was a much easier job.
Becoming a store manager would not only improve their benefits but also lighten their workload considerably. Everyone wanted such an opportunity.
Therefore, when Zhang Liunian released this announcement, the sales associates of the department store were all abuzz.
The prospect of finding out which factory could offer them the lowest wholesale price for a chance to become a store manager was something no one could resist trying. After all, they were all locals working here, and who didn't have relatives working in factories?
Finding people to inquire about wholesale prices was not difficult for them. The challenge lay in knowing whether the price in Zhang Liunian's hands was indeed the lowest.
So, after Zhang Liunian left, these employees began to devise ways to investigate the wholesale price situation.
Zhang Liunian had anticipated this. Returning to the top floor, he wondered why Xiao Qian hadn't returned yet.
Zhang Qian, whom he was thinking of, was still searching everywhere for Tang Guo. However, Tang Guo had visited many places that day. She had first gone to a government unit and then to a factory. Each time he rushed over, she had already left, so he was constantly chasing after her.
Zhang Liunian was unaware of this. At this moment, he was interrogating the only female store manager. "What is your name?"
"Nangong Cai." The female store manager was an unmarried woman, but she was no longer young, having reached twenty-one. She was actively dating and looking to get married, but none of her potential suitors met her expectations, either due to poor looks or inadequate abilities.
Now, looking at the capable and good-looking new boss, Zhang Liunian, even though she didn't want to show it, her small face inexplicably turned slightly red.
Zhang Liunian assumed she was nervous and didn't pay it much mind. "Do you still have your account books?" Zhang Liunian wanted to understand the specific situation from her store first.
Nangong Cai suddenly looked up, her expression showing a fleeting unnaturalness. After a moment, as if sensing her own impropriety, she immediately lowered her eyes and took her year's account book from her embrace, placing it before Zhang Liunian. "Here it is."
Zhang Liunian took it and flipped it open to examine it. Soon, a look of understanding appeared on his face. He had wondered why the wholesale prices for this month were so high.
It turned out they had more than doubled from the previous prices, almost reaching the selling price. This was Tang Guo's cleverness. She had inflated the wholesale prices but kept them below the selling prices. Even if verified, as long as those factory owners remained silent, the prices couldn't be faulted. At most, it was a case of "one willing to be hit, one willing to be hit."
"It seems these prices have basically doubled and been inflated. Then Tang Guo must have absconded with at least five million last month, no, plus the cost of the goods promised to the superiors during the clearance. At least tens of millions." Through this account book, Zhang Liunian estimated the approximate amount of money Tang Guo had taken from the department store. And this was merely his conservative estimate; strictly speaking, it was definitely more. After all, when the Tang family had their troubles, she could have found a way to prevent her previously earned money from being confiscated, meaning Tang Guo likely possessed tens of millions. Very well, such a large sum constituted significant embezzlement, enough to sentence Tang Guo to life in prison.
"Considering your good conduct and that you did not collude with them, you will continue in your position as the manager of the women's clothing store. You may leave for the day!" Zhang Liunian put down the account book and dismissed Nangong Cai.
Upon hearing this, Nangong Cai knew she had passed this hurdle and breathed a sigh of relief. She looked up to steal a glance at Zhang Liunian before turning and leaving.
The female accountant standing nearby noticed her cousin's unusual behavior and thought to herself, "I hope my cousin doesn't get mesmerized by the boss's face." The new boss is very devoted to his wife; he even brings her along on business trips. How could he possibly be interested in anyone else? "Cousin, please don't be misguided and fall for someone impossible."
"Team leader and accountant, please stay. The rest of you can clock out!" Zhang Liunian checked his wristwatch; it was almost seven o'clock. He dismissed the other office staff.
Upon hearing this, the office staff immediately departed. The day had kept them on edge, fearing they might lose their jobs. Fortunately, the new boss didn't seem inclined to dismiss them, so they could go home and have a good night's sleep.
After dismissing everyone, the spacious office felt much emptier. Just then, Zhang Qian returned, but the news he brought was not satisfactory.
"I only found a place that is suspected to be Tang Guo's residence, but no one was inside." Zhang Qian ultimately only found a residence, but it was empty, and he wasn't sure if anyone had been there. Tang Guo had disappeared from that location, which was why Zhang Qian had returned to report.
"Are you saying someone saw her enter that room, but when you went to look, she wasn't there?" Zhang Liunian asked, frowning.
Zhang Qian nodded. "That's right, which is why we couldn't find her."
Zhang Liunian fell silent. He had already known that Tang Guo wouldn't be easy to find, so Zhang Qian's failure was understandable.
"Let's not talk about that for now. You must be hungry after a day out. I'll have the chefs prepare a good meal, and we can eat well." Although he said this, Zhang Liunian's real thought was about how the people his team leader had sent out were doing.
As he was contemplating this, one of the individuals who had left with the store managers suddenly appeared and whispered something to the team leader.