Chapter 36: "Family Thief"

After Liu's mother walked away, Lin Yannan entered that pawnshop.

"What do you want to pawn?" the clerk lazily asked from behind the tall counter.

Lin Yannan took off the bracelet from her wrist and handed it over.

As soon as the guy saw the high-quality mutton fat jade bracelet, his eyes lit up, and he pretended to evaluate it. Then he looked at the attire of the person who came to pawn it, dressed very plainly! So, he disdainfully said, "The quality of this bracelet is not that great. Do you want to pawn it alive or dead?"

"How much for being alive? How much for being dead?"

"For being alive, I can only offer you eight taels of silver. For being dead... thirty taels."

Tan Yunqi got angry: "You might as well go and rob, this is a top-quality sheep-fat jade bracelet, you can't even buy it for two hundred taels of silver." Translated text: "

伙计犹豫了一下：“如果是死当，我可以考虑多给五两银子，不能再多了。”

Lin Yannan asked, "Was the person who just entered dead or alive?"

The shopkeeper immediately became alert and said, "What business is it of yours whether it's suitable or not? Mind your own business!"

"Please don't be angry, sir. This is my first time pawning something, and I don't understand the market value. I'm also unsure whether to pawn it temporarily or permanently since it's a family heirloom. I just want to know how others make their choices."

The waiter said, "If you want to redeem it, just act as if it's alive. The downside is that you can't make much money. If you don't redeem it, the price will naturally be high. The person just now chose to pawn something that is worthless."

What the waiter didn't say is that the items typically chosen to be pawned and abandoned in a pawnshop are usually shady. Otherwise, if taken to a jewelry or antique shop, the price would at least double.

林晏晏叹了口气：“我还是再考虑考虑。”

伙计郁闷：“你是逗我玩呢？”

“实在不好意思，传家宝不得不慎重，如果要典当，我肯定上你这。”

Hey buddy, I finally returned the jade bracelet to Lin Nannan and even gave her a disdainful look.

After leaving the pawnshop, Lin Nannan bumped into Xiao Qian.

"What were you doing in the pawnshop?" Xiao Qian asked curiously. Did Lin Nannan become so desperate that she had to pawn things to get by? Translation: "

Lin Yannan quickly pulled Xiao Qian to the side: "Are you working in the yamen?"

"Yes, my father asked several princes to gain experience in various departments, and I chose Shuntian Prefecture." Xiao Qian didn't have anything to hide, so he was quite straightforward.

Lin Yannan's eyes lit up: "Can you do me a favor?"

He still had some savings in his hands if it was about borrowing money.

"Earlier, I saw one of the servants from my mansion enter a pawnshop. I want to know what she pawned? Is it related to the recent theft in the mansion?"

Xiao Qian thought for a moment, "Wait for me at Xiangyi Building ahead, you have to treat me to lunch at noon."

"No problem, I'll also treat your subordinates to drinks," Lin Yannan said generously.

Lin Yannan went to Xiangyi Building and got a private room to wait. Soon, Xiao Qian arrived and handed her a list, "These are the items just collected by the pawnshop. I've transcribed them all, take a look."

Lin Yannan took the list and couldn't help but become furious. Items such as the Qibao Transforming Heart Vase, the Lulibaiyu Zhan, and the Wansong Diyan, turned out to be decorations from the Moyuan Pavilion. She had never paid attention to them before and didn't realize that Yao Shi had taken them away at some point. Now they have been pawned off to a pawnshop, and moreover, have been valued as worthless.

I'm infuriated, infuriated.

This is equivalent to selling them at a low price to the pawnshop, even though the five treasures are worth several thousand taels of silver at market value, they were only sold for 1,600 taels.

Xiao Qian noticed that her complexion wasn't good and asked, "These items wouldn't really be things lost from your household, right?"

"It's all of them, and it was stolen from the Moyuan Pavilion."

Xiao Qian: "...You only realized now that there are thieves in the Moyuan Pavilion?"

Lin Yanyan turned to ask Tan Yun: "What about you? If things were stolen from your house and you didn't even know, how can you serve as an official?"

Tan Yun feels wronged: "Miss, there are so many things in the Ink Abyss Pavilion, and in the past, the servants working at the Ink Abyss Pavilion were all appointed by the Second Madam. The servants and Jin Xin are only responsible for Miss's daily life and meals. I really can't handle everything." Reply: I understand, Tan Yun. It seems like the workload at the Ink Abyss Pavilion is overwhelming. I will see if we can find additional help to alleviate the burden.

Xiao Qian pondered for a moment and said, "First, go back and take inventory to see what is missing. Then, I will prepare a case for you at the yamen. Maybe this thief also pawned some items at other pawnshops. We can seize everything if that's the case." Translation: "

Only when the government files a case, does he have the right to retrieve things from the pawnshop.

Lin Yanyan got up and said, "I'll go back and investigate right away."

They left immediately.

Xiao Qian: Uh...what about treating me?

Shopkeeper brought in wine and dried fruits and said with a smile, "Sir, that young lady has already paid fifty taels of silver. You can order whatever you like for food and drinks."

Xiao Qian shook his head and smiled bitterly, realizing that this was the type of hospitality he had missed. He had even sent his subordinates to the nearby tavern to drink.

In Mingxiangyuan, Mrs. Liu handed over the silver ticket to Mrs. Yao and said with regret, "Madam, a few inconspicuous items were sold to the antique shop at a good price, but a few real treasures could only be pawned for 1,600 taels."

姚氏数了数银票：“才五千三百两，差太多了。”

“明儿个奴婢再跑一趟。”

姚氏叹气：“靠典当不足以填补亏空，看来只能去借了。”

"Borrow?" Liu Ma was surprised. Can the madam really bring herself to borrow money? And what if it's known by the old lady...

"Of course, we can't ask others for money. You should immediately go to the Yao family and find Third Master. Tell him I have an urgent need and ask him to lend us fifty thousand taels temporarily."

"Yes." Liu's mother seemed to agree, but she felt that this trip was in vain. Old Master San is so stingy that he may not even be willing to lend five hundred taels, let alone five thousand taels.

While they were talking, Miss Penglai, with a displeased expression, walked in: "Mother, Second Sister always says she will take me with her on the next invitation, but today she broke her promise again."

"Where did your second sister go?" Yao Shi has been preoccupied these days and hasn't paid much attention to Zhen Zhen.

"Princess Qingrou invited her to the Princess's Mansion."

Yao Shi comforted her youngest daughter: "The Princess's Mansion is not a place where you can just bring anyone. When your second sister gets married, you can visit the Jin State Mansion. Besides, you will come of age next year, and there will be more social events for you. No need to envy your second sister.

"There's still a long time until next year, and no one in the mansion wants to play with me. I'm so bored."

"You can find Yoyo."

"She won't play with me, she only knows embroidery."

"Mother, how about I go to Yao's house with Mrs. Liu? I heard you asking Mrs. Liu to return to Yao's house."

"Liu Ma is going out to handle some matters. In a few days, I will ask your second sister to invite friends to our home for a gathering. At that time, you can help your second sister in hosting and also get to know more friends."

"Is that true?"

"Nature is real, when has Mother ever lied to you?"

Lin Pengpeng happily walked away, but as soon as she stepped out of the door, her innocent smile disappeared from her face. Mother asked Liu Ma to go to Yao's house and borrow money from her third uncle, saying that it was urgently needed for some immediate expenses, and the only place where money was needed now was for preparing the dowry for her second sister. Mother actually prepared such a generous dowry for her second sister, fifty thousand taels... maybe even more.

Lin Pengpeng is resentful and indignant. Her mother has always favored her second sister. Now her second sister is going to marry into the Duke's mansion, and her mother is even more biased towards her.

As soon as Yao Shi left, she immediately put on a stern expression and scolded Yin Hong, saying, "What were you looking at while guarding the gate? You didn't even inform me when the Fourth Miss arrived."

Peng Peng doesn't know how much she heard.

Yin Hong panicked: "I tried to stop her but couldn't."

"Couldn't stop her? You can't handle such a trivial matter, what use are you?"

"Madam, please spare me. I know I made a mistake."

Yao said angrily, "There will be no mercy for any future occurrences."