Because of Zhang Shun, the innkeeper drove out every suspicious worker at the inn.
Anyone who worked too hard, refused payment, or had shifty eyes was sent packing!
She had hired Zhang Shun before because she wanted to save a few coins, never expecting that she had invited a huge disaster into her own establishment. As expected, you got what you paid for. Cheap things were never any good!
The innkeeper glanced at Li Fu beside her and cleared her throat. “Li Fu, what did the doctor say? How long until you can start working again?”
The corner of Li Fu’s mouth twitched. The innkeeper was a complete skinflint. He had only been resting for a few days, and already she was urging him back to work.
Still, he put on a fawning smile. “Innkeeper, I’ll start working again this afternoon.”
The innkeeper nodded in satisfaction and continued adding up the accounts in her hands.
There were many food stalls set up near Yongchang Trading House.
The four of them sat together eating breakfast, a trace of weariness still lingering on their faces.
“Miss Qin, here’s your porridge.” Xu Ancheng said softly as he placed the bowl in front of Qin Qiwu.
He looked at Fu Xianyan across from him and smiled. “Young Master Fu looks much better than before.”
Before, he had looked so sickly that a gust of wind might have blown him away.
After spending this time eating plenty of food alongside Ji Zhaoxi, he looked considerably healthier.
Qin Qiwu gave a quiet laugh. “Indeed. Young Master Fu has even put on a little weight from staying with Miss Ji.”
Hearing that, Ji Zhaoxi curiously leaned over and carefully examined Fu Xianyan.
Fu Xianyan raised a hand and rested his long finger against her forehead. With barely any force, he gently pushed her back into place.
Ji Zhaoxi rubbed her forehead and was just about to get angry when Fu Xianyan handed her a meat bun.
“Can’t I even take a look?” she muttered.
Qin Qiwu couldn’t hold back her laughter. These two really were a bickering couple.
After finishing breakfast, they headed to Yongchang Trading House.
The trading house did not look particularly luxurious, but everything was arranged with great care. The shopkeeper sat behind the counter, doing the accounts. Various goods were displayed on the wooden shelves behind him, including silver ornaments and bolts of cloth.
“Good morning, honored guests. What can I get for you?” the shopkeeper asked amiably.
He sized them up discreetly, a faint smile on his face.
Xu Ancheng smiled back. “Boss, we’d like to buy some silverware.”
He looked at the silver ingots in the cabinet, admiration showing on his face. “Your silver ingots are quite beautiful. Even the markings look new.”
Qin Qiwu studied the ingots. Their purity and weight appeared remarkably consistent, and they all seemed to have been cast around the same time.
The shopkeeper answered casually, “This batch was cast recently.”
Qin Qiwu and Xu Ancheng exchanged a glance before looking away again.
Ji Zhaoxi was examining the tea leaves on a wooden shelf nearby. She rubbed her chin and studied them with great seriousness, looking like an expert.
Fu Xianyan leaned against the shelf and watched her. He raised an eyebrow. “What are you thinking about?”
Ji Zhaoxi answered without thinking, “I’m wondering whether there’ll still be any sesame flatbreads left when we get back.”
Fu Xianyan let out a muffled laugh. Ji Zhaoxi quickly realized what she had said and stared at him without a word.
Under her gaze, Fu Xianyan began to feel a little guilty. He coughed and said, “There’ll be some left. The flatbread seller came late today.”
Ji Zhaoxi finally relaxed.
She continued walking farther inside, with Fu Xianyan following closely at her side.
His gaze lingered on the red mark on her face. She had probably rubbed against something again without realizing it.
At the very end of the front hall, Ji Zhaoxi saw a half-closed door. Inside were rows of wooden shelves piled with sacks and crates, with many baskets stacked beside them.
It was obvious that a large shipment had recently arrived.
Ji Zhaoxi lowered her head and examined the marks on the floor. There was still some mud clinging to several large wooden crates nearby, and it had not been wiped off completely.
The shopkeeper had been watching their every move. He narrowed his eyes and suddenly spoke.
“Honored guests, our shop received a shipment a few days ago, so things are a little messy.”
Fu Xianyan smiled. “That’s understandable.”
Xu Ancheng said politely, “Shopkeeper, would it be possible for us to take a look at the goods in the back courtyard?”
The shopkeeper hesitated. Xu Ancheng continued, “We need quite a large amount of silverware. If the quality is good, I’ll buy everything from you.”
The shopkeeper still refused, smiling as he said, “Whatever goods you’re interested in, you can inspect them here. The back courtyard is this trading house’s private storage area.”
Qin Qiwu grew anxious. The clue was right in front of them. They had to get inside today.
Suppressing her unease, she took Ji Zhaoxi by the arm. “Zhaoxi, let’s look at the fabrics. We should see whether there’s anything suitable for making a wedding dress.”
Ji Zhaoxi nodded seriously. “We’ll have to choose carefully.”
Looking at Ji Zhaoxi’s earnest expression, Qin Qiwu suddenly felt her anxiety ease a little.
It was all right. They had already waited this long. A little more time wouldn’t matter.
“This bolt of fabric is quite nice.” Qin Qiwu ran her fingers over the cloth.
Ji Zhaoxi lifted her chin. “This fabric is far too inferior. My wedding dress must be made from the finest material.”
Qin Qiwu covered her mouth to hide her laughter. Miss Ji had gotten into character awfully quickly.
The shopkeeper, who was not far away, heard this. His face twisted for an instant.
Everything in his shop was of the highest quality, yet these people had been here for ages without buying a thing. They were merely pretending to be rich.
The shopkeeper silently rolled his eyes and continued doing the accounts.
“How about this one?” Qin Qiwu asked softly.
Ji Zhaoxi complained loudly, “This color is so terribly tacky! Do you even know how to choose?”
Qin Qiwu struggled not to laugh and hurriedly soothed her. “All right, all right. Let’s look at some others.”
The veins on the shopkeeper’s hand bulged as he calculated the accounts. The worker beside him glanced at him.
“Shopkeeper, should we throw these people out?”
Could they have come here just to cause trouble?
The shopkeeper gave a cold snort. “Let them be.”
They were probably nouveau riche from somewhere, with absolutely no taste.
By then, Xu Ancheng had already slipped quietly into the back courtyard.
There was a very inconspicuous little room there, containing a silver-melting furnace, crucibles, and various other tools. The fire in the furnace had already gone out, but some silver residue remained scattered across the floor.
Xu Ancheng frowned and crouched down, gently pushing aside the furnace ash. A small piece of silver that had not completely melted remained inside. Half of a mark was faintly visible on its surface.
Xu Ancheng’s heart sank.
Just as he had suspected—it was here. How dare those people do such a thing?
The front hall was still noisy. Seeing the shopkeeper’s unpleasant expression, the worker hurried over.
“Are you two young ladies here to buy fabric for wedding dresses? Have you found anything you like?”
Ji Zhaoxi said critically, “No. Even my grandmother wouldn’t wear any of the fabrics in your shop.”
The worker forced a smile. “Your grandmother must be a very particular woman.”
Ji Zhaoxi casually glanced toward the back. Why hadn’t Xu Ancheng come out yet?
She continued to stall for time. “My grandmother is very particular indeed. She’s famous throughout the village for it.”
That was not entirely untrue. Her grandmother was no longer alive, but even as a ghost, she was still just as particular.
Ji Zhaoxi suddenly felt a little guilty. She hoped that when the Qingming Festival came around, her grandmother wouldn’t visit her dreams and yank her ears.
