Secret

How did her maternal family's affairs become so involved with Prince Huan?

Lin Yunwan didn't want to talk too much with the steward at the Lu family, so she asked him to wait a while and went back to the Drooping Silk Hall to write a letter to her younger brother.

"Recently, things at home have been interfering with his studies. As for the matter, you can tell Yun Yi to reply to me; there's no need for him to come over specifically."

The steward agreed, took the letter back to the Lin Family, and first gave it to Madam Lin, asking Madam Lin to leave it for Lin Yunyi.

He then went to one of the largest pawnshops in the Capital and pawned the Jade Pendant.

The pawnshop owner glanced at it, nodded, and said, "It's a good item. Please come with me."

I took Steward Lin to write the pawn ticket.

The pawn ticket was quite particular; laymen couldn't read the characters on it. The shopkeeper wrote slowly, chatting with Steward Lin as he asked, "Have I seen you before?"

Steward Lin said, "... Really?" He looked puzzled. "I don't recognize you."

He quickly stopped wanting to look the shopkeeper in the eye.

During the years when the Lin Family suffered from disaster, they were frequent customers of pawnshops. Later, they redeemed some of their belongings, but not others.

This time, he was only unwilling to admit that he was the steward of the Lin Family because he wanted to keep an insignificant Jade Pendant.

If rumors spread, people would think something had happened to the Lin Family again.

The shopkeeper didn't ask any more questions, wrote out the pawn ticket, and said, "Please put your fingerprint on it."

The manager pressed his fingerprint on the document, and the shopkeeper said, "The transaction is complete. Please take it."

Steward Lin nodded, took the money, and left. Back home, he muttered to himself, "This is the Capital after all; they get more money here."

The price was several dozen taels more than when he inquired in Zhongzhou, so he readily agreed.

The pawnshop owner accepted the Jade Pendant and told his clerk, "You watch the shop; I'm going to see the owner."

He took another Jade Pendant and brought it with him to Prince Huan's Residence.

A Fu heard that the pawnshop manager had something important to discuss, and since Qi Lingheng happened to be at the mansion, he learned about it.

In general, he has plenty of people to handle his business affairs, so he doesn't get involved or deal with merchants himself.

He only went there in person after hearing that it was related to the Lin Family.

"What extraordinary item did you receive? And why do you need to see the Prince?"

A Fu followed Qi Lingheng in and spoke on behalf of his master.

Qi Lingheng sat and drank tea.

The shopkeeper smiled and handed over the two items, saying, "They are quite remarkable; please take a look."

A Fu, who frequented the palace, had seen many fine things since childhood. He immediately recognized that one of the Jade Pendants was truly extraordinary. He exclaimed, "Wow!" and asked, "Where did you get such a treasure?"

It was handed to Qi Lingheng to see.

Qi Lingheng glanced at it, raised an eyebrow, and said, "This doesn't belong to the Lin Family."

The shopkeeper quickly brought out another item, the one that Steward Lin had pawned.

"This is the jade Jade Pendant that the Lin Family pawned. Your Prince, you instructed me before to look after the Grand Tutor Lin family. The Grand Tutor Lin family hasn't pawned anything for several years, but I didn't forget your instructions, and this time I Grand Tutor Lin sure they didn't suffer any losses."

Qi Lingheng looked at the jade Jade Pendant that Steward Lin and asked, "Is the Lin Family pawning something again?"

A Fu was also stunned.

What happened to the Grand Tutor's family this time?

The shopkeeper quickly replied, "It shouldn't be. It doesn't seem like someone urgently needs money, and the shopkeeper doesn't seem reluctant to part with or cherish this Jade Pendant."

Since nothing was wrong, Qi Lingheng decided to leave it at that.

He then asked about the other Jade Pendant: "Who Jade Pendant this one?"

The question was about the jade Jade Pendant that Ge Bao'er had pawned through the Matron.

The shopkeeper paused for a moment before saying, "... They are from the Wuding Marquis Residence."

"The Wuding Marquis Residence?"

Qi Lingheng frowned slightly and asked, "How did you know?"

The pawn ticket only specifies the weight, value, and appearance of the item; it does not specify the identity of the pawner.

The shopkeeper recounted the events of that day in detail. "This Jade Pendant is made of top-grade Mutton-Fat Jade, with first-class carving. Look at the back; there's a leopard's tail..." It symbolized someone's identity, and anyone in his line of work could recognize it at a glance.

Qi Lingheng remained silent.

He recognized the leopard's tail.

"Go on."

The shopkeeper said, "I was shocked when I saw her. The pawner is a lowly old Matron. How could I dare to accept her!"

He immediately suspected that a servant might have picked up or stolen the master's treasure and secretly pawned it.

If an investigation were to be launched, and the Prince found out that the Jade Pendant had fallen into his hands, he would likely hold him accountable.

"I pretended to accept it and had my servant chase after it. They actually saw the carriage of the Wuding Marquis Residence. The carriage had the Marquis's Residence's seal on it; I recognized it. That Matron was from the Marquis of Wuding Marquis Residence."

Qi Lingheng frowned even more deeply.

How did this Jade Pendant end up in the hands of the Matron the Wuding Marquis Residence?

The head steward said, "I know this is a very important matter. I figured that if the manor lost this Jade Pendant, they would search the Capital for it. But the Jade Pendant came from the Wuding Marquis Residence, and I couldn't make up my mind. I waited a few days without hearing any news, so I sent it over along with the items from the Grand Tutor Lin family..."

He originally thought it was better to avoid trouble. If the owner of the Jade Pendant really came looking for him, he would return it to the Wuding Marquis Residence and avoid getting involved in that troublesome matter.

But things didn't go as he expected at all; instead, the Lin Family joined the fray.

The matter between these two families has become a huge uproar, so he has no choice but to leave it to his employer to decide.

Qi Lingheng seemed to be deep in thought, and finally accepted the two Jade Pendants, saying, "You may go back now."

A Fu added, "Keep your mouth shut!"

The head manager said, "I understand."

He bowed and took his leave.

After the shopkeeper left, A Fu followed Qi Lingheng back to the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion. Puzzled, he asked, "How did this Jade Pendant end up being pawned?"

"It was someone from the Wuding Marquis Residence who got the position."

Qi Lingheng remained silent for a while, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

He instructed A Fu, "Go and investigate this privately."

A Fu went, and news came very quickly, which was quite surprising.

"Your Prince, do you remember? The Duke Xingguo's Residence lost a Di Daughter on the Lantern Festival twenty years ago! This Jade Pendant has probably been missing for twenty years as well."

Qi Lingheng was indeed somewhat surprised, but he had seen many noble ladies and didn't care much for Di Daughters.

A Fu continued, "This Jade Pendant was said to have been pawned by the Matron the Wuding Marquis Residence when she saw off the deceased... Master Lu family's Concubine."

Fearing Qi Lingheng might not know, he specifically said, "It's the Concubine from the Lu family's story of favoring one concubine over the wife."

Qi Lingheng made a guess for a moment: Could it be that the Concubine of the Wuding Marquis Residence was the lost Di Daughter the Duke Xingguo's Residence?

"Don't make a fuss yet."

He said to A Fu.

How could A Fu dare to speak recklessly?

Qi Lingheng walked silently to the study.

The disappearance of the Di Daughter the Duke Xingguo's Residence has nothing to do with him, but if she is indeed the same person as Lu Zhengliu Concubine, then it will be very troublesome.

Should he tell the Lin Family?

This is not a good thing for Lin Yunwan.