Upon hearing this, Siqin took the gifts and went downstairs. Xu Yixing returned to his room and waited for Yingwu. He didn't expect him to be so quick and sneak into the house in just one night. How did he do it?
Sure enough, the voices outside the yard gradually died down. It was the perfect time for a nap and spring sleepiness, and everyone was happy to be lazy.
Shadow Five appeared just like Shadow Nine, falling from the sky. In the eyes of these people, it seemed as if there was no door at all. Fortunately, Xu Yixing didn't even put up the bolt.
"See you, Second Miss. This is the list. The brothers investigated all night and found it all here."
The efficiency is quite fast!
Xu Yixing took the paper and examined it carefully. He looked at gold cakes, silver cakes, vases, calligraphy and paintings, but after a long while, he didn't see any of the truly valuable items.
"Shadow Five, is this list complete?"
"Yes, everything Huixiang sold from around the New Year until now is here. We've arranged for people to redeem them one by one, but some of the items have been reported lost and taken back by the General's Mansion, and some of the gold and silver have been melted down into other shapes. I'm afraid..."
"It's okay. I mean, this thing isn't right. It doesn't match what was lost in the warehouse, and there's a lot missing."
Ying Wu narrowed his eyes. He didn't think that the shadow guard would make such a low-level mistake, but since the lady said so, he could only ask.
"What's missing? I can send them a message. It would be easier to track down if I have a specific item."
"For example, there's a bicycle clock, about the same height as you, that rings. There's also a golden leopard and a large silver plate with a wide mouth. Didn't you find these things?"
Yingwu narrowed his eyes again, which seemed to be his personal habit.
"I haven't heard of it. But Miss, are you sure Huixiang stole it? We brothers were only ordered to track down the things Huixiang sold. If it was sold from someone else, it might have been missed."
"Nonsense! If she didn't sell it, then it could be me. What you said is really...meaningful..." Xu Yixing suddenly slowed down while ridiculing Ying Wu.
Yes, there is another possibility!
"Yingwu, how often does Huixiang sell things? Where do you sell them? Please tell me in detail."
"Yes. According to Yingjiu's initial surveillance and our brothers' intelligence, she was very cautious in the first month, only going there twice in total, and she didn't take anything valuable, just small items like rings and silver cakes. Both times, she sold them to the Hengsheng Pawnshop in the west of the city. It's a small shop, and the price she paid was not high."
"Starting in the first month of the lunar year after the Lunar New Year, she gradually stabilized, going every ten days. This past March, she'd gone a total of nine times. Each time, she stole more and more items, and they became increasingly valuable. She sold these items to the Dianxiang Pawnshop in the south of the city, jewelry stores and antique calligraphy and painting shops in the west, and also on the black market, bringing in tens of thousands of taels."
Ten thousand taels. Fine, fine, fine, stealing my mother's things is so easy, right? I'll strangle you to death!
"So according to your intelligence, she didn't take anything big out?"
"Yes, we also found an opportunity to touch the empty boxes that were shipped out of the mansion you mentioned. They were not stolen goods, but loan notes, land deeds and the like. They had nothing to do with the theft."
This is all the fault of the Gu family. If these evidences were sent to the court, it would be enough to confiscate the family's property because they found out that this family of officials was actually doing such a thing of usury.
But this is also normal. As long as the emperor is not really determined to investigate someone's family, he will not bring out such an open secret and embarrass everyone.
"That's fine, I understand. Is there any other way to get those things I mentioned out?"
"Excuse me, how tall and heavy is Huixiang? Does she have any accomplices?"
Xu Yixing rolled his eyes and said, "Isn't this something you should be checking? Why are you asking me about it?"
"Hmm... a little shorter than me, and a little fatter than me. As for his accomplice, I'm not sure. If Yingjiu didn't mention it, then he doesn't exist."
"So, based on what you've said, do you think she could lift a large silver plate and a golden leopard? Of course, we can't rule out her natural strength, but how could she possibly carry that clock, that huge object, without making a noise?"
"Tsk!" That's true. Stolen items aren't just about transporting them; hiding them is even more important. Huixiang only goes there once every ten days, and the stolen items aren't sent away overnight; they have to be kept for at least one night.
Then she could only take those that were easy to hide, otherwise she would be discovered as soon as she went out.
"Or does the young lady think that she could possibly bribe the concierge to conceal the truth for her?"
"That's unlikely. There are three gates leading out of the inner courtyard. I don't think she can bribe three people."
"Then Miss has the answer. I just wonder if there are other thieves besides her?"
Ying Wu spoke with a monotone, emotionless voice that made people sleepy. However, Xu Yixing's mind was racing. She thought of someone who might be able to steal the items without alerting anyone.
"Yingwu, you, go and ask them to check those three things for me. They might have melted, so you should mainly check the clock and see where it is."
"Yes, please describe that thing, miss."
"No need, I'll draw it for you." Xu Yixing picked up the pen from the desk and drew the shape of the clock in a few strokes, adding details bit by bit.
"This is it. Show them all."
"Yes. Miss, do you have any other instructions?"
"Well, Yingwu, is this a disguised face?" Xu Yixing looked at the face. It was very ordinary, not even memorable at all. It was probably fake.
“This is a real face.”
"Ah? You look like this, um... pretty good, pretty good..."
Ying Wu could hear the embarrassment in her tone, but he didn't mind. "Who does the young lady need me to disguise myself as? This time, the order I received was to stay by her side openly, so I didn't disguise myself."
"So that's how it is. No need to change it. It's good for you this way. It will be convenient for us to contact each other in the future."
"yes."
Xu Yixing sent Yingwu away and burned the list completely. She lay in bed, her head buried in the quilt, her heart in turmoil.
In fact, everything has a traceable path. Wasn’t it his father that Yingjiu saw that time?
He had the key, and he could enter and exit the warehouse openly and move anything he wanted.
I just don’t know if Dad moved these things away on purpose to make things worse and aggravate Gu’s guilt, or if there was some other reason?
It is unlikely that the charges are aggravated. This is not a court, and Dad has no intention of doing anything to the Gu family. He just wants to seize power. Why would he use so many valuable things?
If there is another reason, could it be that Dad also likes these things and wants to sell them?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
