Chapter 67 Retrieving the Jewelry

Chapter 67: Retrieving the Jewelry

"Our family runs a breakfast stall in the west of the city, Brother Zhu should try it sometime."

Zhu Zening simply stopped eating, put down his chopsticks, and said, "I know, of course. It was my servant who mentioned it. I hear it's quite famous in the west, and I've even had someone buy some for me to taste. But the oil fritters were too greasy for my taste. I prefer silken tofu pudding—pure white like jade, tender and smooth. My mother loves it too and often sends someone to buy it."

Song Tingzhou, seeing that he didn't pick up on his meaning, had to say it outright: "My household isn't like yours, Brother Zhu, with so many servants. My husband works hard running the shop; I can't bear to let him work even harder."

Zhu Zening had always thought that Song Tingzhou mentioning his husband so often showed deep affection between them, but he never expected him to be so doting. He rose quickly and gave a bow in apology. "I overstepped. Please don't take offense, Brother Song."

Song Tingzhou disliked empty formalities and said directly, "It's nothing. Consider that I owe you a meal. I'll make it up another time."

The two exchanged words, neither held it against the other, and continued eating, occasionally discussing their studies.

Wu Zhaoyuan, raised with strict family rules and used to not speaking during meals, watched them interact with admiration, admiring their candor—something he felt he couldn't match.

After the meal, they still had a quarter of an hour of free time. The three of them got up and decided to return to the classroom to read.

"Brother Song, please wait," someone called out behind Song Tingzhou.

He stopped and turned around, his face turning cold at the sight of Feng Jinzhang. "Brother Feng."

Feng Jinzhang's face was full of conflict. "Could I have a word in private?"

Song Tingzhou's tone was indifferent. "If you have something to say, Brother Feng, speak plainly. If not, I'll be on my way with my friends."

Feng Jinzhang stood there, speechless. Song Tingzhou waited a moment, then when he still made no move, turned to leave with his friends.

In a panic, Feng Jinzhang called out, "Brother Song, wait. I heard you mention earlier that Chunfang is working in your household." He seemed deeply ashamed to say this. He glanced around nervously, his face turning red.

"Yes."

Song Tingzhou waited for him to continue.

"Well... it's been nearly a month since I last saw her. Tomorrow after class, at the hour of You (5–7 PM), I'd like to walk with you and go see her."

Song Tingzhou glanced at him briefly. "Fine."

—

The Li family had lived in Liudi Lane for years, and Qin Niang had suffered an undeserved wrong. Neighborly bonds remained strong, and from early morning, neighbors came bearing eggs or fruit to visit her.

By the time the Song family shop closed, it was already late, and visiting the sick after noon was considered improper. Lu Chunfang stayed behind to tidy up, while Chang Jinhua took Meng Wan to the Li family's home.

By then, the neighbors who had come to visit had already left, leaving only Eldest Aunt of the Li family visiting her niece, along with the eldest son's family, who had come back in a hurry overnight.

As soon as the Song family entered the courtyard, they were warmly received. The eldest sister-in-law and the second sister-in-law of the Li family praised Meng Wan enthusiastically to Chang Jinhua, discreetly referencing yesterday's incident without stating it outright—every word laced with gratitude.

Eldest Aunt, confused, couldn't figure out why her two daughters-in-law kept praising a stranger so much.

Just then, Qin Niang came out of her room, looking for Meng Wan. Her neck was wrapped in a linen bandage from the applied wound medicine, her voice still hoarse and halting. "Brother... Wan... you... came."

Meng Wan sensed she had something to say to him and followed her into the inner room. The eldest and second sisters-in-law followed as well.

Qin Niang took Meng Wan's hand, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "What... to do... the bracelet... the hairpin... the token."

Meng Wan understood instantly. "Are those things still in that Tang fellow's hands?"

Qin Niang nodded, tears streaming.

Meng Wan's heart dropped. How could they have forgotten about this?

"Both items were given to Qin Niang by my in-laws when she came of age. At the time, we also gifted her a pair of earrings, which she only wore on holidays. They were all swindled away by that Tang fellow."

The eldest sister-in-law, having married into the family early and lived with her husband's younger sister (Qin Niang) for years, knew the details best.

The elderly couple were too old to endure further shocks, so no one dared tell them. Now, it was the two sisters-in-law who had to decide for Qin Niang.

The second sister-in-law chimed in, "Yesterday, we warned that woman and made her pay back the money she had on her, but we didn't know about the token. If we had, we wouldn't have let her go so easily. Those are things Qin Niang always wore. If they end up in Tang's hands and he spreads rumors, ruining her reputation, then Li family's daughter will never marry!"

It was even worse than yesterday's verbal abuse—a solid piece of evidence.

Qin Niang's tears fell in streams. Her knees buckled, and she suddenly knelt before Meng Wan.

Meng Wan quickly helped her up. "If there's a way, I'll help you figure it out. Don't worry first. Your sisters-in-law are just as concerned. Let's think of something together."

The second sister-in-law hadn't slept well all night, and a blister on her lip stung with every word, making her even more irritable. "That Tang fellow is studying in the prefectural school. How about we have your second brother wait outside the city, threaten him, and demand he return the jewelry? If not, we'll file a complaint with the school!"

Meng Wan thought it over and found it unwise. "This Scholar Tang went through a matchmaker, tricked you into not asking for a bride price, and it doesn't seem like his first time doing something like this. Even if you're bold enough to take it straight to the education official and confront him, he could produce those jewelry and claim you gave them willingly. What would you say then? Whether the official believes you or not, if your personal items end up in another man's hands and rumors spread that you've lost your virtue, what then?"

Qin Niang said hoarsely, "I'm... not... afraid. I'll... sue... him!"

Each word came out haltingly, her hatred nearly drawing blood.

The eldest sister-in-law was beside herself with worry. She had watched Qin Niang grow up and, besides being angry herself, had to calm her down, afraid she'd become obsessive. "Song Fulang already said, even if we sue, the education official might not believe us."

The second sister-in-law was more direct. "Song Fulang, we already owe you for yesterday's help—for calling the people and the doctor. I shouldn't trouble you further, but to be honest, with all the men and women in this household combined, we can't come up with a proper plan. If you hadn't come today, we would have shamelessly come to ask you anyway."

Since it had come to this, of course, Meng Wan would help.

He first helped Qin Niang sit on the kang. "Since you trust me, I'll say a few words, but just listen and don't take it to heart."

The second sister-in-law quickly said, "Song Fulang, don't worry. Just speak your mind. Whether we act on it is our own affair; it has nothing to do with you."

Meng Wan chuckled. To be honest, even if the Li family returned kindness with enmity and slandered him, he wasn't afraid. If it came to baseless accusations, could the Li family outdo him in baseless slander?

"First, of course, we should sue. But we must retrieve the jewelry first. Then, even if he tries to slander Qin Niang, he'll have no evidence."

The second sister-in-law sighed. "Such important items—who knows where that damned bastard has hidden those things? How can we find them?"

Meng Wan said with a meaningful look, "We don't know. But someone else might."

Old Master Li had made his mark in his youth, building the family fortune and settling in the city. He still had connections. The second son worked as a minor boss at the docks and could find people in the west of the city.

In a messy little alley in the north of the city, cramped courtyards like beehives were packed together. One of them had its gate tightly shut. Suddenly, a paperboy came and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" a voice asked cautiously from inside, not opening the door immediately.

The paperboy shouted, "Is this the home of Scholar Tang from the prefectural school? Someone sent him a pass for Changping Washa. They said it's an extra one, and he should take his family to see the show."

"See the show?" The door creaked open, revealing the same woman who had caused an uproar at the Li house yesterday. Despite her sharp temper, she was not old. Having been trapped in the countryside for so long, the mention of a theatrical performance made her unlock the door, forgetting the instructions Scholar Tang had given before leaving.

The paperboy handed the pass to the woman. "Yes, Scholar Tang has already gone. Your pass, madam, has been delivered. You can go to the Pingqiao Theater at the Changping Washa to watch the show."

The woman took the token, glanced at it, then called the paperboy back. "Hey, what does this say? And how do I get to that Pingqiao Goulan you mentioned?"

The paperboy directed her, "Madam, go to the main street in the north of the city and walk westward until you see the Washe sign. Once inside, someone will tell you where Pingqiao Goulan is. Show the token to the doorman and you can enter."

The woman examined the token with interest, went back inside, saw her child was fast asleep, locked the door, and left with the token.

Lurking in a corner were the Li family members. When Second Brother Li saw the woman open the door, he ground his teeth and said, "I wish I could go in and snatch her kid, then see if they'd give our stuff back!"

Sister Li patted him on the shoulder. "Don't do that. If that Tang guy tries to go down fighting, you'll end up in jail! Better to play it safe. Let's go wait at Old Qian's doorstep."

The couple slipped back home silently.

As for Tang's wife, Lady Tang, she happily went alone to Changping Goulan, asked for directions to Pingqiao Goulan, and entered. Her seat was at the very top. She pouted at the poor location at first, but was soon captivated by the singing on stage.

It was the same play "Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan" but performed by a different troupe. The orphaned girl came to seek her husband but Zhang Xie refused her and beat her severely. Lady Tang watched, her heart aching. Just as she was about to blow her top, she suddenly heard a familiar voice from the private box above.

"Rou Niang, pour another cup of tea."

"Honey~ If you pass the imperial examinations and become top scholar, you won't abandon me like Zhang Xie, will you?"

"Oh sweetie, what are you talking about? If I become top scholar, I will definitely dump that old hag at home and welcome my Rou Niang into the house. Then we'll cuddle every day, drink, and party. Won't that be wonderful?"

"I've noted what you said, honey. I'll be waiting for you to marry me~"

From the box above, dirty talk kept going on and on, making Lady Tang furious.

That Tang had been lying to her at home! He said he was going to study, but instead he went to a goulan to mess around with prostitutes! And he said he wanted to divorce her!

Lady Tang was fuming and about to charge upstairs and go after that shameless pair. Just then, the play on stage was at the part where Zhang Xie, on his way to take office, meets the orphaned girl again and actually draws his sword to stab her!

"Oh my god, truly a heartless man! Not only does he deny the betrothal, but he also wants to kill her?" a young man nearby suddenly spoke up, condemning Zhang Xie.

An older woman beside him explained, "Zhang Xie, once he gained power, naturally felt the orphaned girl was not good enough for him. He thought he should marry a lady from a wealthy family. But you are young and don't know—once a couple is married, they are registered with the authorities. Can he just deny it? It's easier to kill her to silence her."

The young man muttered indignantly, "This scholar is a real jerk."

The woman added, "It depends on the person. Some scholars are upright and kind and would never do such a heartless thing. But some are born evil, who love to toy with women's feelings. Once they make it big, they always discard their first wife first!"

Lady Tang felt a jolt in her heart and a chill run down her spine. She couldn't watch the play anymore, nor did she dare go upstairs to cause trouble. She stumbled and bolted out of Pingqiao Goulan.

As soon as she left, Elder Sister Li, who had been sitting next to her, said, "That worked? Will she really go to Qian's pawnshop? Should we have Er Lang take some people to follow her?"

Meng Wan cracked melon seeds in his hand. "From Gou'er Lane where she lives to Changping Washe, there are three pawnshops along the way. She's new to the prefectural city and won't know her way around, so she'll only choose one of these three. Among them, only Qian's shop is the smallest and located between the other two, farther from Gou'er Lane and also farther from Changping Washe. Most likely it's this one, but there's a chance that if she's rattled, she might choose the one closest to Gou'er Lane."

After hearing this, Elder Sister Li calmed down a bit. "Even if it's the one closest to Gou'er Lane, we've already sent someone to watch it, so it's fine."

Meng Wan saw that although she said this, she still looked nervous. So he said, "If you're worried, sister-in-law, why don't we go take a look too?"

"Forget it, forget it. If I go, I might get in the way and she might catch on. I'd better go home and wait for news."

Second Brother Li and his wife, who were waiting near Qian's pawnshop, indeed saw Lady Tang go home, fetch a small bundle, hesitate at the pawnshop door, then finally grit her teeth, stamp her foot, and go in with the bundle.

The couple were overjoyed.

It worked!

Second Brother Li signaled to a beggar in the corner, who then stepped forward and waited at the door.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lady Tang came out holding the cloth bag, which was now empty, but her bosom was bulging with something.

She hurried towards Gou'er Lane, with the beggar quietly following her.

After they left, Second Brother Li and his wife quickly entered the pawnshop. "Uncle Qian, it was that woman in the brown clothes just now."

The pawnshop owner took a wooden box from under the counter and opened it for them to see. "Take a look yourselves. Are these the items?"

It turned out that inside the box were not only Qin Niang's silver hairpin, silver bracelet, and silver earrings, but also eight or nine other pieces of jewelry. It was clear that this Scholar Tang had caused a lot of harm.

Sister Li asked calmly, "Uncle Qian, it was this thief who stole our family's belongings. How much silver did it cost to redeem these?"

Uncle Qian pushed the box toward them. "These are all silver ornaments, easy to calculate. Your father and I have been through life-and-death together. Don't talk about redeeming. I just gave that woman thirteen taels of silver. Just give me the same amount."

Sister Li took out a ten-tael silver ingot and five small silver coins and gave them to Uncle Qian. "I know how your business works, Uncle. I can't let you work for nothing. Please accept this."

Uncle Qian pretended to refuse at first but then accepted the silver. After a bit more polite exchange, Second Brother Li and his wife left.

"Thank God, it's finally done."

The couple felt relieved. After waiting a while, the beggar who had followed Lady Tang ran over. The three of them huddled in the alley to divide the spoils.

"Second Brother, as you instructed, I didn't take it all. I left her half of the ten taels."

Sister Li exclaimed, "Ten taels?"

The beggar was puzzled. "Yes, sister-in-law, ten taels, all small silver coins. If it had been one ingot, I would have taken it all."

Second Brother Li smiled wryly, took the five small silver coins from the beggar, and tossed two to him. "Take these and buy yourself some wine."

"Thanks, Second Brother. I'll be off now." The beggar took the coins and walked away.

Sister Li glumly complained to her husband, "That old Qian is getting slicker. A few years ago when he came to our house for a drink, he was still bawling and hugging Dad. Now look at him."

Second Brother Li said, "He has five sons who are always clamoring to split the family property, and he's in this kind of business. It's to be expected."

Regardless, the Li family's losses had been made up for through various means. They brought back the items and the silver, and the whole family breathed a sigh of relief.