Chapter 172: Two Old Items Have Been

Stolen_l

Translator: 549690339 |

Wei Qingwan asked Mrs. Yun, “Mother, should we go out and take a look now?” Wei Ruo gave Wei Qingwan a stern look: “It sounds like thieves have broken in and are fighting with the people in the house. What do you plan to do by going out now? Don’t add to the chaos.”

Knowing something was not right, Wei Ruo was even less inclined to go outside and check what was happening.

If someone was indeed fighting and killing, it would be inappropriate for her to

go there.

Wei Ruo’s stopping of Wei Qingwan from going out was not due to concerns for Wei Qingwan’s safety, but her worry that Wei Qingwan would cause trouble for her.

“Thieves have broken in?” Wei Qingwan’s expression immediately changed, and there was a hint of fear in her eyes.

Although their father was a colonel and they lived very close to the scene of war, Wei Qingwan had never actually been close to bloodshed.

If something really happened outside, Wei Qingwan wouldn’t know how to

react.

Wei Qingwan further queried, “Would we be in danger here?”

From the sound of it, it seemed very close to them.

Wei Ruo picked up her teacup and took a sip with a calm look on her face, then counter-questioned, “Would you be safe if you went out? Or do you plan to hide in a cabinet?”

The maids in the Yuan Residence were standing still in the room while she, a noble lady from the Duke Residence, couldn’t stay mentally stable. What kind of image would that project?

Wei Qingwan said her feelings were hurt, “My sister shouldn’t be angry, I am just concerned about the safety of you and mother.”

“Don’t put on that pitiful face, we’re not at the Wei Residence now. You’re all weepy and clingy at home, which is just about enough, don’t bring shame upon us outside.” Wei Ruo rebuked coldly.

Her words were harsh; she did not fetch Wei Qingwan any face at all.

Wei Qingwan bit her lip, feeling wronged, and then turned her eyes red looking

at Mrs. Yun.

She expected to see Mrs. Yun’s sympathy for her and anger at Wei Qingruo, but all she saw was a stern face, not sympathetic at all, even cold.

“Mother, I didn’t mean to run away and discredit the Military Prefecture. I just wanted to ask if there was any danger.” Wei Qingwan said to Mrs. Yun, looking wronged.

Mrs. Yun advised Wei Qingwan seriously, “Wanwan, watch your manners, do not panic over minor incidents. Keep in mind that you are a young lady of the Loyal and Righteous Duke Residence, our ancestors were renowned founding generals.”

Wei Qingwan felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured on her from head to toe, her eyelids were spinning with tears, but she didn’t let them fall out.

However, right now, Mrs. Yun had no mood to pay attention to Wei Qingwan s feelings as the continuous sounds coming from outside had her worried.

They could even hear the guards of the Yuan Residence shouting things like -Don’t let them escape” and “Don’t let them hurt the commandery princess”. Thieves indeed had broken in, and they were particularly troublesome ones! But who could be so audacious to cause trouble in the magistrate’s residence in broad daylight?

They didn’t know how long it had been when the noise outside subsided.

After a while, Lady Yuan came back.

“Lady Wei, Miss Wei, please accept my apology for causing such a scare.” Madam Yuan apologized.

“We’re fine, Madam Yuan, is everything alright in the front yard?” Mrs. Yun asked with concern.

“No one was injured, nothing serious happened, but the residence is in a bit of a mess today. For fear that our hospitality might be lacking, we won’t be detaining Lady Wei and the two Misses Wei any longer.” Madam Yuan said.

“That’s alright, take care of the affairs in your residence, be sure to take care of your own health.”

Mrs. Yun, seeing that it wasn’t appropriate to stay any longer, left with Wei

Ruo and Wei Qingwan after saying goodbye to Madam Yuan.

Upon leaving the drawing room, Wei Ruo saw the servants in the residence hurrying about, all rushing toward the rear yard.

It seemed it was not as simple as water leakage in the front yard.

After Wei Ruo and others left, Master Yuan hurried back to the residence. He had gone out for an inspection early in the morning and it was already late when he received the news and rushed back.

“Madam, how are you?” The first thing Yuan Zhengqin did upon entering was

to ask about his wife’s condition.

“I’m fine, and no one in the residence was injured.” Madam Yuan said.

“That’s good, that’s good, I’m going to send people to track down these thieves now.”

Just as Yuan Zhengqin was about to call someone in, Madam Yuan stopped him, “My lord, let’s leave today’s matter at that’s. Do not publicize it. Instruct people to state’that there was a leak in our front yard’. Do not let the news about the thieves in the backyard spread out!”

Madam Yuan’s words left Yuan Zhengqin in surprise, “Madam, what’s going on?”

“There was a leak at the residence today, and thieves broke in, and they just happened to choose a time when you were not at home. I can’t help but feel that this was all planned.” Madam Yuan looked serious.

“Even more reason to track down these thieves and bring them to justice.” Yuan

Zhengqin said.

“After the thieves broke in, they didn’t hurt anyone, only two things were stolen from the storeroom.”

“What was stolen?”

“One is a picture called ‘Proud Snow Plum Blossom’; the other is a dagger named ’Dragon Map’.” Madam Yuan mentioned these two items with a frown.

“What’s so special about these two items?”

Yuan Zhengqin didn’t have any special impression of these two items. The only thing he was sure of was that these weren’t the two most valuable items in their storeroom.

Why would the thieves go through so much trouble to break into their storeroom, but only steal two things that weren’t worth much money? Was there something strange about this?

“Neither of the two items is particularly valuable, but they have the same origin. When Duke Xu’s residence was searched, the items confiscated were all put into the national treasury, and in the following period, these items were gradually bestowed upon people by the emperor. My father also received some, and this ‘Proud Snow Plum Blossom’ picture and this dagger were amongst those which my father received from the items of Duke Xu’s residence when I got married. Because there wasn’t anything special about them, I didn’t pay much attention to them until now when I was working to inventory the lost items.”

After listening to his wife’s explanation, Yuan Zhengqin was still confused, -Why would someone go to such lengths to steal these two items?” Madam Yuan shook her head, “I have no idea either. It’s been over ten years since Duke Xu and his son passed away. People related to the matter at that time were implicated, demoted, or went into retreat. Why would someone still be interested in the old items from that time?

“Given that they have connections to the old Duke Xu’s residence, you don’t want me to spread the news?” Yuan Zhengqin asked.

“I’m not sure if they have any connections with the old Duke Xu’s residence. However, their skills were extraordinary, they even got past my guards who have been with me for many years from the Wang Residence. Yet, they did not harm anyone in my residence. Therefore, I think they don’t mean to harm us, they just want these two items. These two items are useless to me, so it’s harmless to give them away.” Madam Yuan replied..