That day, when Sun Miaoqing left, she was fuming with rage, shouting that she would surely teach the other person a lesson in the future.
Li Wanming retorted, "You don't need to bother. I'm already beautiful."
The two parted on bad terms and never saw each other again.
However, today, someone suddenly came from Ting County to summon her... Sun's father had already been transferred out of Ting County. What on earth had Sun Miaoqing gotten herself into this time?
Muttering to herself, Li Wanming walked to the front hall and saw two men dressed as yamen runners standing by the door.
The men spoke politely.
"Madam Cheng, our master is the newly appointed county magistrate of Ting County. His surname is Huang. This time, we've been sent to invite you. It's not a summons but rather that our master has something to ask you. Please come with us to give an answer."
Li Wanming was even more puzzled.
What could the newly appointed County Magistrate Huang of Ting County possibly want to ask her?
She asked the two yamen runners, but they refused to answer further, only saying, "Please, Madam Cheng, hurry up and come with us."
Fine...
When the county magistrate summons someone for a conversation, no matter the reason, one can't refuse to go.
Li Wanming made proper arrangements for the wine shop, asked Chuntao to hire a small sedan chair covered with green silk, and was about to leave.
Lu Ping frowned and said, "Cousin-in-law, do you want us to accompany you? Or should I call cousin back..."
Zhao Yanke's three thousand jars of wine had been brewed, and the wine shop had returned to normal operation. There was no longer a need for so many hands.
Xiao Jingnan had returned to the street to continue his fortune - telling business.
Li Wanming looked at the sky and said, "No need. If we wait for him to come back, it will be past noon by the time we leave. Besides, Ting County is not some desolate place. I'm going to the county yamen. I'll be fine."
After thinking for a while, she added, "However, if I haven't returned before the city gates are locked, you can go to the Li family to find Sun Miaoqing... Well, she should still be staying at our place."
She still instinctively felt that this matter was related to Sun Miaoqing.
However, she probably never expected that Sun Miaoqing was not at the Li family but in the back hall of the Ting County Yamen. She was crying and waiting for Li Wanming's arrival.
——————————
"Oh, Miss Sun, stop crying..."
County Magistrate Huang was sweating profusely.
"Where on earth did this bracelet come from? Please tell me the truth! I used to be your father's clerk. Our two families are quite familiar. Would I harm you?"
Sun Miaoqing was covering her eyes with a handkerchief and crying loudly.
Hearing County Magistrate Huang's question, she shrieked, "I've said it. It belongs to my cousin Li Wanming! She stole something made for the royal family. Go and ask her! Ask her!"
On County Magistrate Huang's desk lay a jasper bracelet.
The bracelet was not very transparent, and its color was a bit dull, looking rather dusty.
However, when the manager of Hengyi Pavilion gave this bracelet to him today, he said that this jade bracelet was made of Xuanshan jade. The jade was thick and the color was deep. There was also an intricate pattern of butterflies flying through peonies carved on the surface...
In a word, it was extremely precious and invaluable.
Hengyi Pavilion was an established pawnshop in Ting County. It had been in business for over fifty years, and its reputation was no less than that of those big shops in the capital.
Since it was the manager of their shop who said so, there could be no mistake.
County Magistrate Huang stared at the bracelet, wanting to pick it up and take a closer look but not daring to.
Before leaving, the manager of Hengyi Pavilion also said, "This jade bracelet is of the highest quality even among Xuanshan jade artifacts. Especially the pattern of butterflies flying through peonies, which was carved using the thin - relief technique, is extremely delicate... This is probably something from the palace. Your Excellency should handle this carefully."
Hearing this, County Magistrate Huang felt a splitting headache.
Using items reserved for the royal family was a grave crime!
Exceeding the prescribed regulations.
Arrogant overstepping.
The crime of gross disrespect was equivalent to treason!
The matter was of great importance. Coupled with the fact that the person involved was the daughter of his former superior, he didn't dare to make a big deal out of it. So he took Sun Miaoqing to the back hall.
After finding out the origin, he sent someone to invite Li Wanming and repeatedly instructed them that it was just a conversation and not to alarm others.
Thinking of this, County Magistrate Huang couldn't help but let out a long sigh and said earnestly,
"Miss Sun, if this bracelet is really from the palace, only the wives of court officials are qualified to wear it."
"For you to wear such a bracelet is a crime of gross disrespect. You could lose your head. Do you understand?"
While crying, Sun Miaoqing cursed viciously, "It's Li Wanming who has exceeded the regulations! I picked up this bracelet outside her room. If anyone should lose their head, it's her. Go and arrest her quickly!"
Hearing how serious County Magistrate Huang made it sound, she actually felt a hint of pleasure in her heart.
Good for you, Li Wanming. How dare you overstep and use royal items? You're in big trouble this time!
The bracelet belonged to Li Wanming.
It was on the day of Mrs. Li's birthday banquet. When she was fighting with Li Wanming, she accidentally took it off Li Wanming's hand.
Later, she didn't return it.
Anyway, it was just a lousy bracelet. What was so great about it?
Li Wanming had bitten her and, together with her husband, had made her suffer a beating and lose so much face. For her to take just one bracelet from Li Wanming was already being lenient!
It wasn't until three days ago that the Guo family came to propose marriage.
Mrs. Guo's attitude was far from friendly. She was always cold and aloof, and her words implied that:
The Sun family was a small family. They probably didn't have much in the way of dowry. If the Guo family prepared too much betrothal gift, it would seem as if the Guo family was using their power to bully others.
So, the betrothal gift could be as simple as possible, just in line with the dowry.
Hearing this, Mrs. He almost jumped up. Reducing the betrothal gift? That was out of the question!
Her granddaughter had finally managed to marry into such a prestigious family. If the betrothal gift was stingy, even less than that of the second - dog's family at the village entrance... wouldn't that be a waste of a good marriage?
Mrs. Guo looked down at her fingernails freshly dyed with Impatiens juice and said coldly, "If we're talking about grandeur, which official family in the capital doesn't marry their daughters with silk and satin and a magnificent dowry procession?"
"If your family doesn't have a dowry, but we give dozens of palanquins of gifts, it will seem as if the Guo family is buying someone else's daughter... It might even affect my husband's official reputation."
"I might as well put it straight. No matter how much dowry the Sun family gives, the Guo family will add twice as much. How about that?"
With the matter put like this, the Sun family didn't dare to refute.
After Mrs. Guo left, Mrs. He sat there in a daze for a long time. Finally, she slapped her thigh and said determinedly, "Isn't it just a dowry? Grandmother will prepare it for you!"
As long as they could come up with a dowry, the Guo family would return three times as much!
In the end, this marriage was still beneficial to the Sun family.
You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child.
If they wanted a generous betrothal gift, they had to prepare the dowry first!
So, Mrs. He summoned the whole family and started to inventory the family's jewelry and silver... She took out all the things she had embezzled from Mrs. Li over the years.
Seeing her grandmother and parents working so hard, Sun Miaoqing was deeply touched. She quickly rummaged through her own collection of clothes, hairpins, and rings, pawning and selling them.
She took the bracelet she had gotten from Li Wanming to Hengyi Pavilion to pawn.
She originally thought it wasn't worth much, but as soon as the manager of Hengyi Pavilion saw it, he invited her to the back hall.
Sun Miaoqing was both surprised and delighted. "What? Can it really be pawned for dozens of taels of silver?"
The manager of Hengyi Pavilion sneered coldly, waved his hand, and had several clerks tie her up. Without saying a word, they escorted her to the Ting County Yamen!