Ki began to write down in her notebook. 'Rising issues with maintaining the quality of products within larger and upper class businesses. Risk of employees stealing materials higher and cutting the materials served during each customer will greatly affect the businesses overall reputation.'
She looked up towards the staff members and the manager panicking and wrote again. 'Professional quality inspectors are needed for every type of business to inspect the stores upkeep of quality the customer purchases so it is always up to the proper standards. This will also help to catch any who wish to make small profits from stealing from the business as there will be someone who can detect changes in ingredients used or lacking ingredients used.'
After inspecting the account books Ki spoke again. "There are some minor problems with the accounts and the profits recently have dropped as has the quality of the tea served which is directly linked to each other."
Miranda frowned and asked. "Young miss, do you suspect someone of cutting the tea leaves for their own use or selling them?"
Ki nodded and looked towards them while reading their faces after Miranda spoke. "There is less than half of the tea leaves within a tea pot that was stated within the recipe and guidelines when the pavilion was opened. This has reduced the flavour of the tea and its medicinal effects, worst of all it isn't just one type of tea but many different kinds which have been reduced by more than half."
Ki noticed the sweat form on the heads of some of the staff and the guilty look in their eyes. "This kind of thing cannot be done just by one or two people. It requires a group to be able to work together to be able to get away with it for so long. Looking at the accounts the profits began to drop a couple of months back and kept getting worse as time went by. Someone must have noticed something but the family were not informed of this."
Miranda looked towards the manager coldly and sighed. "It seems I have misjudged you."
The manager looked a little guilty and looked away from her cold gaze. "I swear I didn't know a thing!"
Ki ignored him and continued looking at the staffs body language and facial expressions. "We will see."
Soon the Bifta family members arrived and an investigation began.
Ki pointed out several guilty staff members along with the manager and said to the guards and Bifta family. "Interrogate them and get their confessions. I need information on what made them betray the families trust."
The Bifta family and the guards began the investigation while the tea pavilion was closed down for the day.
Soon after several of the guilty people Ki pointed out began to confess under the pressure of the guards and Bifta families intense questioning and Ki helping to catch them out on their lies.
Ki looked down at the tied up people on the ground and looked disgusted. 'I need to plant more of my own people within the workers so I can spot these issues more quickly and effectively. Luckily the people I have trained in the art of tea from the purchased slaves in the past have begun to show good results so I can begin to find places for them to begin their work.'
Most places of business had already had some of Ki's own people so it was not difficult to see any problems on the inside but the tea pavilion needed people who had been properly trained so Ki had to delay placing her people in important positions to be able to witness any problems.
Miranda looked at them again with a look of disappointment. "There were some rumours that the family was encountering a crisis during this time which led most of the workers and the manager to become more greedy and they began to cut the materials in half and sell them. However the problem existed in a smaller number before this, it just got worse and more employees began to take part after the rumours spread. The account books are fine during the past year but the last couple of weeks there has been a sharp decline in profits and the accounts begin to display many irregularities."
'It seems like some rumours have begun to spread about the fall of the Bombyx family but there wouldn't be any mention on who is behind it so nothing can really come back to haunt us later. After today many will become aware that the rumours may in fact be false or the family survived the attack.' Ki's eyes turned even colder upon hearing about the rumours. "Close the tea pavilion down for now and begin to replace the workers who have betrayed the family. Those who did not speak up or inform the family may keep their jobs but as punishment their wages will be reduced. This will remind them not to sit idly by as wrongs are being committed within the work place."
Miranda nodded upon listening to Ki's wishes. "Do you wish to deal with these people and hand them over to the family or leave them to the city lord to deal with?"
"It's best we avoid stepping on his toes in his own territory so we can get back to our business without any interference. This city is under his control so it's best that I don't make this a big thing and handle it with the families power." Ki shrugged and turned to Evie who was still eating her snacks. 'Well for now he is still city lord.. as for the future who knows if he can keep that position.'
Ki walked over to Evie when nobody was looking in their direction and whispered in her ear. "Can you feel them? Are they all active?"
Evie closed her eyes as if feeling around with her other senses and opened her eyes again answering in a small voice. "All seem to have found a host."
Ki smiled mysteriously and spoke in a soft voice. "This is your first test. Within that group are a lot of bad people who almost caused our deaths. They are behind what happened within the village so here is your chance to punish them. Of course how you deal with them is up to you."
After the Bifta family and the guards escorted the criminals to the city lord to handle and investigate further Ki, Miranda and Evie went back to the Bifta family home.
Ki had previously left a note in a secret location behind the restaurant after the inspection so she expected to hear some results soon.
Ki sat in front of Evie and asked. "So.. are you prepared?"
Evie had the day to think things through so she turned to look into Ki's eyes and replied in a soft and soothing voice. "I am ready master."
Ki smiled and patted her head. "Good, this will be your first test as my student. Show no mercy to your enemies, those who wish to harm your family deserve no forgiveness. As my disciple you cannot be weak hearted or others will take advantage of you in the future."