Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 144

Ye Jiao's impression of the suburban inn incident wasn't deep. At most she remembered that the inn didn't have Braised Triple Bamboo Shoots, and she didn't remember much else.

Naturally, she wouldn't know about this Miss Shen's situation.

But Dong Wu, the young servant who had been following them, knew it clearly. He had been the one to deliver the message before, and now Dong Wu was accompanying Ye Jiao out. He recognized one of them at a glance as the little maid who had been poking around at the inn.

With a little connection, he could guess the general situation. It seemed this Miss Shen had moved into the city and was dishonestly causing trouble on the streets again.

Dong Wu really didn't understand what this young lady was trying to achieve by causing trouble in broad daylight on the streets. But since they had encountered this, Dong Wu naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity. Being a clever one, he immediately volunteered, "Second Young Mistress, let me go inquire about it."

If he could take advantage of this opportunity to handle the matter well and gain the Second Young Mistress's favor, that would be equivalent to gaining the Second Young Master's approval, which couldn't be better.

Ye Jiao nodded and let him go, while she herself didn't move forward to join the crowd.

Dong Wu wasn't tall and was thin as a monkey, but he had a glib tongue. He quickly learned the general situation from the onlooking passersby and ran back to Ye Jiao to explain in detail.

The old man was a servant from a household whose master's family had suffered misfortune, leaving only orphans and widows. They wanted to return to their hometown to seek refuge but had no travel money, so they brought out their personal belongings to sell.

This wasn't anything particularly unusual, especially in the Capital where there were many merchants and officials. Whether officials were demoted or merchants went bankrupt, they would inevitably encounter difficulties.

If household items were taken to pawn shops, being able to sell them for 20% of their value would be considered good, so many people brought them to the streets to sell.

Even if they couldn't get full price, getting 50% would be good.

Ye Jiao was somewhat puzzled, "Then what are they arguing about?"

Little Su urged, "Give us the short version, don't always talk like a storyteller."

Dong Wu quickly said, "Originally it was a pearl hairpin and a jade pendant. That Miss Shen took a fancy to them and asked if they could be sold separately. The old man was probably confused and nodded. But Miss Shen only wanted the pearls from the hairpin, not the pin itself, and only offered half the price. The old man wouldn't let her leave, so they started arguing."

Upon hearing this, even Little Su frowned.

They were all women, and even those who didn't own such things had seen them. The most precious part of a pearl hairpin was the pearls. When he said they could be sold separately, he probably meant the hairpin and jade pendant separately, but no one had ever heard of taking apart a hairpin to sell.

If the pearls were removed, how could the remaining pin be sold?

She had never seen someone so petty yet calculating.

But what Ye Jiao cared about most wasn't these details, but rather asking, "Is that person really related to our family?"

Someone else might not know for sure, but Dong Wu understood Qi Yun's attitude most clearly and shook his head firmly, "No relationship, definitely none."

Ye Jiao nodded and said, "Then you go over and explain clearly to her. I don't care what she buys or sells, that's none of my business, but don't say she's related to our family. I don't know her."

Little Ginseng didn't have as many considerations as Qi Yun. She also didn't know whether this Miss Shen was for the beauty selection or something else. She simply didn't want them to continue making trouble.

This place was close to their own residence, and Ye Jiao now understood that a family's reputation was very important.

If she kept making trouble like this, doing such unethical things, it would be troublesome if it got connected to their family.

But Ye Jiao was also afraid things would escalate, so she said to Dong Wu, "You go to the residence first and call some capable women servants out. If trouble starts later, they can handle things better."

"Yes, Second Young Mistress, I'll go right away."

This was the first time Little Su had seen Ye Jiao think things through so thoroughly, and she couldn't help but smile, "Second Young Mistress is thinking more and more comprehensively."

Little Ginseng replied with a smile, "I've seen you catch Little Black. You always have to surround it first before you can catch it, otherwise it runs away."

Little Su: ......

She always felt there was something wrong with this comparison, but couldn't put her finger on it.

Ye Jiao now looked toward the crowd. The old man was tightly gripping the pearl hairpin in the wooden box, his voice hoarse, "Miss, you can't do this... My master's family is truly desperate with nowhere to turn. Without money, we probably can't even leave the Capital. Yet you want to cheat us out of even this life-saving money. This... please accumulate some virtue for yourself."

The people around generally felt the same way. Anyone could see that this pearl was good quality, and even buying the whole hairpin together wouldn't be expensive. Yet she insisted on buying just the pearl for half price. Wasn't this bullying with power?

But Miss Shen didn't think there was anything wrong with this. She snorted lightly, and her maid beside her said, "Since you said it could be sold separately, then sell it separately. Now you regret it, so tell me, who's cheating whom?"

The old man was anxious in his heart and couldn't explain clearly, so he sat directly on the ground, and the hairpin also fell to the ground.

The maid was quick-eyed and quick-handed, picking it up and saying, "Since it's sold, here's 30 strings of cash for you. After my young lady removes the pearls, I'll give you back the pin. We definitely won't take advantage of you."

The old man's mouth moved, but he couldn't speak.

The bystanders also didn't speak up. They really couldn't figure out Miss Shen's background, and seeing her well-dressed, they assumed she was from a noble family and didn't dare provoke her. They could only curse her shamelessness behind her back.

But Ye Jiao quickly walked over and grabbed a few flower petals from her brocade pouch, stuffing them into the old man's mouth.

She could see that this old man was having a heart attack from anger, affecting his heart meridians. If left unattended, his life might be in danger. Little Ginseng didn't like meddling in others' affairs, but since it involved her own family, she couldn't just watch and do nothing.

Otherwise, if something really happened, it would inevitably implicate them. Ye Jiao might not understand other things, but she knew she couldn't add unnecessary trouble to the Qi Family.

After all, husband and wife were one body. The Qi Family was also her family, and Little Ginseng was even less willing to let Qi Yun worry about this.

These medicinal flowers were originally in her pouch as fragrance. They weren't anything rare, true they helped with qi and blood, but among the medicinal herbs Ye Jiao grew, there were plenty of these. Using them to feed the old man now could be considered saving his life.

Indeed, the old man's face was flushed and his breathing rapid, looking like he was about to collapse. But once the medicine took effect, his complexion eased considerably, and he came back to his senses.

Knowing his own body, as soon as the old man opened his eyes, he knew Ye Jiao had saved him. He wanted to thank her, but he still couldn't get over the matter of losing money for his master and couldn't speak, covering his face and crying.

After all, Ye Jiao was a spirit, and while her heart was pure, she didn't have as much sympathy as ordinary people. Normal events didn't affect her much.

Even so, Little Ginseng now felt this old man was pitiful.

She looked down and saw the wooden box and jade pendant spread on the ground.

The wooden box was ordinary, blackish, with some irregular patterns that didn't look like good wood. But the jade pendant showed purple hues, making Ye Jiao blink.

This was purple jade.

While Ye Jiao didn't understand the quality of other jade pendants, this wasn't her first time seeing purple jade, so she naturally knew its value.

The finest quality, with this kind of luster, was never cheap.

So Ye Jiao didn't ask how much the pearl hairpin cost, but simply said, "Old sir, I wonder if you're still selling this jade pendant?"

Hearing this, the old man, probably having been cheated and frightened, instinctively clutched the jade pendant to his chest before saying, "Selling... selling it."

Ye Jiao directly took a gold ingot from her sleeve and handed it over, "Is this enough? Will you sell it or not?"

Silver ingots were different from copper coins. Current copper coins were the most stable in value, while silver had to be carefully weighed and its purity tested before use, not as universally accepted as copper coins.

But what Ye Jiao brought out was a gold ingot, this large, which would be worth at least 80 strings of cash when exchanged for copper coins!

This was even more than what the old man had wanted for selling both items together!

He immediately nodded, "Sell, sell, I beg my benefactor to save my life!" He was about to kowtow to Ye Jiao.

But Little Ginseng felt she wasn't a Buddha in a temple who needed people to kowtow, so she had Little Su help him up. Ye Jiao then said to him, "There's nothing to beg for. You sell, I buy, it's only natural." As she spoke, she put the jade pendant in the box and stored it away, then handed the gold ingot to him.

The old man had already forgotten the anger Miss Shen had given him earlier. Now with a smile on his face, he thanked Ye Jiao profusely.

But Ye Jiao didn't feel she was giving charity, so she didn't accept his courtesy.

However, Miss Shen on the side was getting angry watching this.

When Ye Jiao had come over earlier, she had been staring at her. Ye Jiao was indeed striking to look at, with delicate features and graceful bearing. Especially those eyes, so clear and bright, extremely beautiful.

She completely outshone Miss Shen, who prided herself on her beauty.

What's more, Ye Jiao was someone who didn't lack money, casually producing a gold ingot, which made Miss Shen even more irritated. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and said with some disdain in her voice, "The ancients had the story of buying a jewelry box and returning the pearl, and now we have someone learning from example, seeing a real case. How truly rare, I wonder if it's because she has too much money and it's burning her hands."

Ye Jiao could hear she was mocking her, but Little Ginseng didn't understand what she was mocking.

This purple jade was indeed worth it, so what was funny about that?

At this time, Dong Wu had already brought the women servants over.

He had prepared his words on the way and hadn't seen that Ye Jiao was nearby, so he squeezed into the crowd first.

But when Dong Wu squeezed in, ready to have a good talk with Miss Shen, Miss Shen's maid recognized him and said to Miss Shen, "It's him, that Dong fellow, he was the one at the inn before."

This time Miss Shen was indeed trying to take advantage. At home, whether parents or siblings, they were all extremely calculating people. If not for this, that stingy Elder Brother Fang wouldn't have married a Shen Family daughter.

What pot goes with what lid, they were a perfect match.

However, if Fang Shi could be described as not picking up money on the street counting as a loss, then the Shen Family's upbringing was that even wild geese flying overhead should have a feather plucked from them, not only avoiding losses but taking fierce advantage.

In other matters, Miss Shen might not have much talent, but in the area of taking advantage without limit, she was truly outstanding.

But now seeing Dong Family people coming to interfere again, Miss Shen's anger flared up.

In her view, this Dong Wu was sent by the Dong Family because they were indignant, wanting to come and ruin her affairs. Before it was the inn, now it was buying pearls, and would they interfere with her entering the palace in the future?

Miss Shen wasn't willing to sit and wait for defeat. Instead, she first handed the pearl hairpin to her maid, then looked at Dong Wu coldly and said, "Your surname is Dong?"

Dong Wu had originally prepared a belly full of words, ready to properly vent for his master and gain some face with the Second Young Mistress. Who knew Miss Shen would open with such a question, which somewhat choked Dong Wu, making him reply, "Yes."

Miss Shen thought to herself, just as expected.

This Dong Family, if they broke off the engagement, then it was broken. No one benefited from anyone, wouldn't it be better if they both went their separate ways? They were already thousands of miles away in the Capital, yet still wouldn't let it go!

She felt resentful in her heart. Just because the prefect didn't favor her and she had no acquaintances in the capital, she had arrived much earlier but could only stay at the inn. This time she came out to relax but encountered this family again.

Then Dong Wu found himself completely bewildered, discovering that he hadn't done anything yet, but this Miss Shen was already angry and was having the two women servants following her come grab him!

Dong Wu was indeed a man, but he was young and thin as a monkey. How could he compete with two burly women servants?

His first reaction was to turn and run, but he didn't dare go find his Second Young Mistress for fear of hurting her, so he could only run in another direction.

He happened to run into Manager Qin, who was preparing to go to the Qi residence to speak with Qi Yun.

Dong Wu immediately shouted, "Manager Qin, Manager Qin, help me!"

Hearing this, Manager Qin stopped in his tracks. He didn't recognize Dong Wu, but he recognized that Dong Wu was wearing the clothing that only Qi Family servants would wear.

Before he could ask what had happened, Manager Qin saw Ye Jiao and her servants standing not far away.

So Manager Qin immediately protected Dong Wu and said to those two women servants, "Who are you people? This is the Capital, at the Son of Heaven's feet. What do you intend by attacking people in the street?"

If it were someone else saying this, Miss Shen would definitely shrink back and admit defeat. After all, she was unfamiliar with the place, and while she could put on airs with ordinary people, who knew if the other party was someone she couldn't afford to offend?

But now she was convinced these were Dong Family people coming to cause trouble, and the Dong Family wasn't some great household. Back home, they just worked under the Qi Family, so what did they amount to after coming to the Capital?

So Miss Shen wasn't the least bit intimidated. She lifted her chin slightly, her voice haughty, "It should be your subordinate who did wrong. The road is so wide, yet he insisted on squeezing toward me. Do you know who I am?"

Miss Shen wanted to say, I'm a woman selected for the palace, you Dong Family people should get lost and go back early.

Who knew Dong Wu had a quick tongue and started shouting first, "She's a Shen woman who insists on claiming kinship with our master, and now she's trying to use our master's name to deceive people. She's just a female con artist!"

Being called a female con artist left Miss Shen somewhat bewildered, but she quickly reacted.

Master, Dong Family, listening roughly they were indistinguishable. Miss Shen hadn't heard clearly, became even more annoyed, and wanted to have people go after them.

Who knew that just as the two women servants stepped forward, Manager Qin grabbed them and pushed them away!

Manager Qin looked gentle and refined, smiling particularly warmly, but when he made his move, he was even more efficient than a martial artist. With just one hand, in less than three moves, he had dislocated the two women servants' arms and pushed them aside.

This stunned Dong Wu, and Ye Jiao watching from the side was also startled.

Yet Manager Qin still smiled gently, and when he withdrew his hand and stood up, there wasn't a trace of the previous fierceness, but rather his usual mildness.

Even his voice was soft and humble, "Miss, I see you're also from a respectable family. Why do such deceitful acts? Moreover, forced buying and selling first, then attacking people in the street second, this is truly improper."

...Who attacked people? Wasn't it you who attacked people?

Before Miss Shen could react, she heard Manager Qin say, "Go, please escort this young lady to the Prefecture Magistrate's office. Tell them it's sent by someone Qin from the Qi Family Wine Shop, asking the Prefecture Magistrate to make a judgment and eliminate harm for the people."