Meng Qingluan didn't set up a stall today; she took the money and went straight to the pawnshop.
There's only one pawnshop in town, so it's easy to find.
Inside the pawnshop.
The shopkeeper, standing in front of the tall wooden table at the front desk, was calculating accounts with an abacus, his other hand rapidly flipping through the ledger.
He glanced up briefly and asked, "What do you think it is?"
Meng Qingluan: "Redeem the jade pendant."
The shopkeeper stopped fiddling with the abacus and frowned at her.
"What jade pendant?"
Meng Qingluan: "A few days ago, a man came here to pawn his jade pendant for thirty taels of silver. I've come to redeem it today."
The shopkeeper's face clearly showed reluctance, and his fingers, hidden under the wooden table, kept rubbing together.
That jade pendant is made of the finest jade, with a warm and delicate feel, and without a single impurity.
If the man hadn't looked ordinary that day, as if he were someone in urgent need of money, he wouldn't have bought it for thirty taels.
The shopkeeper asked, "Name?"
"Sinking inkstone?"
The shopkeeper took out the wooden box containing the jade pendant, held it in his hand, and squinted at Meng Qingluan.
"Do you have enough money? I don't support installment payments."
Meng Qingluan took out a small bundle, untied it to reveal the gleaming silver coins inside.
"Thirty taels. If you don't believe me, weigh it yourself."
After saying that, Meng Qingluan pushed the silver to him and reached for the jade pendant with one hand.
"Wait!"
The shopkeeper picked up the wooden box and pulled it back, a calculating glint hidden in the fine lines at the corners of his eyes.
"Who told you it was thirty taels? If you want to redeem it, you'll need at least eighty taels."
Eighty taels?
Meng Qingluan almost jumped up, "It was only thirty taels when I took it, how come it's eighty taels in less than a month?"
The shopkeeper glanced at Meng Qingluan arrogantly and put the wooden box in his sleeve.
"This is a pawnshop, not a charity. How would I make money if I bought at the original price and sold at the original price?"
Meng Qingluan frowned and said, "Doesn't your shop have a rule that if you redeem your item within a month, it's at the original price?"
The shopkeeper answered shamelessly.
"Rules are set by people. Our pawnshop just changed them yesterday; prices will increase if the item is more than seven days old."
"The pawnshop?"
The shopkeeper said slowly, "Yes, this is a branch. The main pawnshop is located in the capital."
The shopkeeper suddenly lowered his voice.
"Young lady, the owner of Ruibaozhai is a member of the royal family, and he has connections."
"Are you threatening me?"
Meng Qingluan squinted and pointed at him, realizing that this unscrupulous merchant had no intention of returning the jade pendant to him at all.
Even if she actually pays eighty taels today, this person will just raise the price again later.
Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, a clear voice suddenly came from behind them.
"Oh? How come I didn't know that Ruibaozhai changed its rules?"
Meng Qingluan and the shopkeeper both looked at the newcomer.
The man wore a dark blue brocade robe with gold thread patterns on the cuffs and a jade pendant hanging from his waist. He was both elegant and flamboyant.
He had exceptionally beautiful features; his eyebrows were as black as raven wings and as long as his sideburns; his eyes were slightly upturned and were phoenix eyes.
Meng Qingluan looked at him curiously, thinking that the man's features were exactly like those of Young Master Yu.
Looking closely at the person beside her, Meng Qingluan felt that the face was familiar, and only after looking closer did she realize who it was.
This is the silly boy who spent six taels of silver to buy more than a dozen sausages from him that day.
The man, holding a folding fan, casually tapped his palm as he stepped into the pawnshop, his clothes carrying a cool, refreshing scent of pine.
The shopkeeper was initially intimidated by the man's noble air, but after recovering, he retorted rudely.
"This is internal information. What's it to you, an outsider, to know about it?"
"Get out of here! If you don't want to cause trouble, don't come here to disrupt people's business. Do you know that you'll be punished by heaven for ruining their business?"
The man chuckled twice, his cold voice carrying a chilling undertone.
Meng Qingluan had a bad feeling and silently took two steps back to the side.
Based on her intuition from years of reading novels, this man was definitely not a simple character.
Based on his generosity in spending seven taels of silver to buy more than a dozen grilled sausages, Meng Qingluan was certain.
Silently, I lit a candle for the pawnshop owner, hoping he would be quick when he made his cut.
Amen, farewell.
The man approached the counter and glanced at the locked small door.
Standing to the side, Eleven immediately understood, drew his knife, and chopped the wooden door into a pile of wood chips in a few strokes.
"..."
Meng Qingluan and the shopkeeper were both stunned.
It's a type of termite?
The shopkeeper retreated in fear, making a last stand with a trembling voice.
"What are you trying to do? Murder and robbery are illegal. Aren't you afraid of being beheaded?"
"oh."
The man nodded casually and looked at Eleven.
"Eleven, are you afraid of being beheaded?"
Eleven answered earnestly and honestly.
"I am not afraid, and I am even less afraid of divine retribution."
The man played with the folding fan with satisfaction, approached the shopkeeper step by step, and casually pulled off the jade pendant clipped to his waist.
The shopkeeper subconsciously glanced at the jade pendant in his hand.
After reading it, my heart tightened. I casually pulled up my sleeve to wipe the fine sweat from my forehead, and quietly lifted my eyelids to tentatively call out.
"The head manager?"
The man put the jade pendant back and smiled.
"Looks like your eyes haven't been blinded by these two ounces of fat yet."
The shopkeeper was so frightened that his legs went weak and he dared not speak. As he glanced around haphazardly, he saw a large "Lan" character engraved on the back of the man's jade pendant.
His breath hitched, and a chill ran down his spine as a thought flashed through his mind.
Could this person be...?
The shopkeeper was filled with deep regret. How dare he say such treasonous things to this man, things that would lead to beheading and divine retribution.
This...
The man glanced at Meng Qingluan, who was already preparing to raise her hands to cover her eyes, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
His smile deepened, his eyes curving into a perfect arc, innocent and harmless.
"You want to redeem your jade pendant?"
Meng Qingluan nodded, picked up the jade pendant from the counter, and handed it to him.
"I have all thirty taels here, can you give them back to me?"
The man looked at the shopkeeper, who was slumped in the chair, and asked him with a smile.
"Shopkeeper, could you please return this jade pendant to this young lady?"
The shopkeeper dared not utter a single word of dissent, and skillfully chuckled and smiled apologetically.
"Of course I'll return it. I was just joking with this young lady."
"..."
The man's gaze swept over the jade pendant imperceptibly, a ripple of emotion stirring in his eyes.
Meng Qingluan didn't even want to look at him now. She took the jade pendant and politely thanked the man.
"Thank you for your help today, young master. I will definitely repay you with a generous gift another day."
How are you going to thank me?
"ha?"
Meng Qingluan hadn't expected that her mere politeness would lead the man to climb up the railing so gracefully.
The man smiled slightly and said casually.
"Didn't you say you wanted to thank me?"
Meng Qingluan forced a friendly smile and asked with a forced, insincere grin.
"How would you like me to thank you, young master?"
The man's gaze lingered on her before settling on Meng Qingluan's waist.
Meng Qingluan's eyes widened, and she warily raised her hand to cover her body, taking two steps back.
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