On the surface, this eunuch had come out to purchase silk for the palace consorts. In truth, he was inspecting the businesses his godfather had established throughout the city.
Though those shops belonged to his godfather, he and quite a few eunuchs he knew well had bought shares in them. They received money every month, so naturally they cared deeply about them.
The document he had just taken out was the contract for a newly opened shop he had acquired on his godfather's behalf. Once he returned and his godfather approved it, they could officially buy it.
It was a pawnshop. Not only could it turn a profit through business, but ordinary, unmarked palace items that did not draw attention could be reported as damaged or lost, then sold off through the pawnshop's channels.
"Less than a hundred taels to get the shop in hand—however I look at it, this is a merit." Finding no omissions or mistakes, he nodded in satisfaction and was about to tuck the document into his robes.
"Creak—" A sudden sound from the door startled the eunuch.
"Who's there?" The startled eunuch casually set the document aside, then cautiously pushed open the door and stepped out. A corridor lay before the room. He looked left and right but saw no one; only at the far end did a small white shadow seem to flash past.
"So, it was a cat." The eunuch came to his senses and sneered, about to return for the document he had hastily thrown down.
But when he lowered his head and saw a flash of silver, his footsteps abruptly halted.
"Who dropped silver?" He bent down and picked up the silver from the floor, weighing it in his hand. It was not light. How had no one noticed such a