Obtained

"The pawnshop owner?"

Lin Yunwan looked surprised, wondering why the pawnshop manager had come to her door.

Ping Ye said, "They said that something very valuable from our household was pawned at their shop, and they dared not accept it, so they returned the item along with the pawn ticket."

"They even said they didn't want our money anymore, they just wanted the manor to take back this Jade Pendant."

This is truly strange. How could the heirloom Jade Pendant of that new shopkeeper in Zhongzhou be so important?

Lin Yunwan had no choice but to say, "Go and tell the people in the Front Courtyard to take the Jade Pendant back."

"Yes."

Ping Ye went out for a while and returned quickly, but the Jade Pendant she brought back was not the one that Lin Yunwan had asked the Lin Family Steward to pawn!

What exactly happened?

Lin Yunwan frowned. "The pawnshop manager didn't send the wrong item?"

Ping Ye had no idea and shook her head, asking, "Young Madam, why don't you ask her yourself?"

Has the person left?

Lin Yunwan held the Jade Pendant, intending to ask it herself.

Without a word, Ping Ye said, "Even if they leave, I will have someone bring them back."

He turned and ran out.

She was quick on her feet; the pawnshop owner, who had actually left, was chased back by the guards in the Front Courtyard.

Lin Yunwan met the man in a Through Hall near the Second Gate. Because he was an outsider, she was separated from him by a screen.

"You're saying this was something Wuding Marquis Residence of Wuding's household?"

The shopkeeper nodded. "Young Madam, I personally saw your servant board the carriage of the Wuding Marquis Residence. She was quite robust; she must be one of your household's lowly servants."

That's even stranger.

How could a lowly servant who does manual labor possibly pawn such an expensive Jade Pendant?

Before finding out who it was, Lin Yunwan asked the most important question, "You said this Jade Pendant is extraordinary, what is its origin?"

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment before saying, "... Young Madam, I'm just a laborer, so please pretend you didn't hear it! There's a leopard's tail on this Jade Pendant, do you think it is?"

Lin Yunwan glanced at it and said, "I saw it."

The shopkeeper said, "These are Jade Pendants that only the masters of the Duke Xingguo's Residence possess."

How could the Matron from the Wuding Marquis Residence possess the Jade Pendant of the Duke of Duke Xingguo's Residence?

Lin Yunwan was indeed taken aback.

However, she had also heard that some large families had their own unique carvings, and that their children would wear carved ornaments from the moment they were born, while they were still in swaddling clothes.

It seems that the symbol of the master's status in the Duke Xingguo's Residence is the Jade Pendant with a leopard tail.

She frowned and asked, "Such Jade Pendants are never shared with outsiders; only people in their household know about them. How did you find out?"

He even came specifically to tell her.

The shopkeeper lowered his head and said, "I'm not afraid to tell Young Madam, but the Duke Xingguo's Residence has also had its share of trouble. One young master got drunk and gambled away his personal Jade Pendant, which he then pawned at my shop. The next day, the Duke's Residence sent people to redeem it."

That young man almost had his leg broken.

He said somewhat helplessly, "Young Madam, please don't tell anyone about this, or I won't be able to keep my shop open."

"This Jade Pendant did indeed come from your esteemed household. I've heard you're a kind-hearted person, so please let me go! Thank you, Eldest Young Madam!"

If they really came from the Marquis of Wuding Marquis Residence, she would have no reason to keep them.

Lin Yunwan instructed, "See the guest out."

She took the Jade Pendant back to the Hall of Longevity, intending to check all the Matron who had recently gone out. When she arrived at the entrance of the Rain Apricot Pavilion, she suddenly remembered something.

"Zhu Qing."

Lin Yunwan went inside to check on Zhu Qing, with a jade Jade Pendant still tucked into her sleeve.

Zhu Qing had just woken up and was still feeling lazy, but the sight of Lin Yunwan instantly perked her up. She smiled and instructed Tong Liu, "Make the cushions softer."

Xiliu had already brought over a thick blanket and said, "Eldest Young Madam, please sit here."

Lin Yunwan glanced at her; she looked quite well.

"You seemed quite happy serving Concubine Zhu Qing?"

Xiliu nodded and said, "Concubine Zhu Qing is very easy to talk to."

Zhu Qing also praised her two maids, "They have served me very well since they came to my side."

Lin Yunwan smiled.

If it were a few years ago, Zhu Qing wouldn't have had such a good temper; the two of them are lucky to have caught a good time.

Zhu Qing sat down next to Lin Yunwan and asked, "Young Madam, did you come to see me, or is there something you need me to do?"

Lin Yunwan felt there were too many people in the room, so she said to Ping Ye, "Everyone, get out."

Ping Ye went out with several maids.

Zhu Qing didn't know what was going on, why was she so serious, and didn't dare to laugh.

Lin Yunwan placed the Jade Pendant in front of Zhu Qing and asked her, "Have you seen this before?"

Zhu Qing shook her head and asked, "Who lost it?"

She touched the Jade Pendant and said, "Such fine Mutton-Fat Jade, it must belong to either the Old Madam or the Marquis, right?"

"None of those."

Lin Yunwan said, "Someone in the manor pawned this Jade Pendant, but the pawnshop refused to accept it and returned it to me. They even said it was a servant who pawned it."

Zhu Qing frowned, bit her lip, and pulled up her handkerchief.

She said, her face pale, "Oh no!"

Recalling the day she saw Ge Bao'er off, she said in a flustered voice, "It was Concubine Ge's! The Matron who gave it to her said she was helping her pawn a Jade Pendant! I... I thought it was a small matter, so I didn't tell you."

Zhu Qing was extremely nervous. "Young Madam, have I... have I done something wrong?"

"It really is hers..."

It was just a random guess at first, but now that it's confirmed, Lin Yunwan can't quite describe how she feels.

Zhu Qing grew increasingly panicked.

"Young Madam, what's the story behind this Jade Pendant?"

Lin Yunwan pondered for a moment, then said, "Don't ask yet, just focus on your pregnancy." She also instructed her, "Don't mention this to anyone, understand?"

When has Zhu Qing ever disobeyed?

She nodded very solemnly and said, "I will not utter a single word about it!"

Fearing a misunderstanding, Lin Yunwan found the Matron who had given the jade pendant away that day and asked her directly, "Look, is this the Jade Pendant you pawned for Concubine Ge that day?"

The Matron was so frightened her legs went weak.

Lin Yunwan: "As long as you've answered, I won't hold you accountable. Look carefully. If you've misjudged, then I will hold you responsible."

Fearing punishment, the Matron nodded, "Yes! That's it! I made it myself, there's no mistake."

Lin Yunwan didn't say anything and silently returned to the Drooping Silk Hall.

Ping Ye and Tao Ye closed the door tightly.

Ping Ye curiously, "Young Madam, what is the origin of this Jade Pendant?"

Lin Yunwan told the two maids the truth, "It's the Jade Pendant of the Duke of Duke Xingguo's Residence."

"The Duke Xingguo's Residence?"

Ping Ye felt as if she had been hit hard on the head. There were only three dukes in the entire dynasty, and the Duke Xingguo was one of them.

Although both were noble families, the Wuding Marquis Residence and the Duke Xingguo's Residence were worlds apart.

Ping Ye asked uneasily, "Then... then Concubine Ge Jade Pendant... I mean, what is her relationship with the Duke Xingguo's Residence? How did the Duke's Residence's Jade Pendant end up with her?"

Lin Yunwan said she didn't know either.

But she remembered hearing about the Duke Xingguo's Residence's Mansion when she was a child.

"When I was three years old, the Duke Xingguo's Residence lost a Di Daughter. After that, every year on the Lantern Festival, my parents wouldn't allow me to go out."

When girls are young, the separation between men and women is not strictly observed. Unfortunately, because even daughters of Duke's Residence can be lost, the Capital is filled with fear and suspicion, and many official families no longer allow their daughters to go out.

Ping Ye was dumbfounded. "Young Madam, you... you think... could Concubine Ge... be the missing legitimate Di Daughter of the Duke Xingguo's Residence?"

Lin Yunwan slowly shook her head.

She genuinely didn't know that.

"Whether she is or not, she has to be!"

Lin Yunwan went to Hall of Longevity.