Fu Meier sneered, "Very well, Miss Ouyang has raised some fine maids, each one so sharp-tongued. Well done! Today, I'm standing right here. If you have the guts, then get rid of me. If you harm a single hair on my head, your little shop will be finished operating on Chenghua Street. You try me if you don't believe me!" Fu Meier thought to herself, she was the daughter of the most prestigious imperial merchant. Although she didn't have the same prestigious title as Ouyang Yue, the daughter of a military officer, the difference in their status was obvious. Even in terms of social standing, Ouyang Yue was no match for her. Last time, she could forgive Ouyang Yue by saying there was a conflict between her and Mu Cuiwei, but today they were showing her no respect. Then she wouldn't hold back!
Qiu Yue was taken aback; Fu Meier was quite arrogant! At that moment, a maidservant beside Fu Meier slipped out the door while Qiu Yue wasn't looking. Seeing that she had stunned Qiu Yue, Fu Meier said with a smug look on her face, "Quickly go and call Miss Ouyang out!"
"Who's barking here ungratefully!" Suddenly, a cold, deep voice came from the second-floor staircase. Fu Meier was stunned for a moment, but after understanding the meaning of the words, she immediately retorted angrily, "Ouyang Yue, what do you mean by this? How dare you insult me!"
The man sneered, "Who's yelling and shouting here? I'm talking about whoever it is. Didn't your parents tell you that you need to be informed before entering a mansion where outsiders are not allowed? No one can enter without permission. As far as I know, those who trespass without permission are either orphans or barking dogs. Which category does this young lady belong to?"
Fu Meier immediately blushed with anger: "Ouyang Yue, don't go too far! I came here today to discuss important matters with you. It's one thing for you to be ungrateful, but to insult me like this is quite another. You should know that in this Great Zhou Dynasty, no one dares to compete with my Fu family for business. As long as I give the order when I get back, your shop, which hasn't even opened yet, will be closed forever!"
"Oh? How arrogant! In this Great Zhou Dynasty, is your Fu family the only one that dominates the shops? No one can surpass you? Impressive, impressive, truly impressive! I admire you, I really admire you!" the man continued in a cold voice.
Fu Meier felt something was off about those words, but she didn't have time to think about it: "Let's not talk about that now, Ouyang Yue. I do have something to discuss with you in detail. We've only met once, and there were some misunderstandings before. Let's clear things up; why hold a grudge? You should know that I was the one who suffered that day, while you came back with a full load." Actually, this shop was originally something the Fu family was determined to acquire. The original owner wanted to sell it because the Fu family had secretly manipulated things, causing the previous owner's business to fail and become unprofitable, forcing them to sell. Just as the Fu family head was preparing to buy it at a lower price, a mysterious person suddenly appeared and offered a hundred taels of silver more than they had, thus acquiring the shop. The Fu family head was furious and was preparing to confront the owner, but the shop owner and his family left the capital the next day, making it difficult for them to find him. However, the Fu family head could no longer find the shop owner.
The head of the Fu family had whispered something about this to Fu Meier. Fu Meier had always been pampered in the Fu family, firstly because of her bright and beautiful appearance, and secondly because she was very perceptive. If she could trick Ouyang Yue into giving her the shop at a low price, it would naturally solve her father's problem, and she would certainly reap the rewards. Otherwise, why would Fu Meier have endured Ouyang Yue's cold sarcasm?
Only a pair of legs descended the stairs to the second floor, clad in black boots embroidered with strange patterns resembling both ferocious beasts and tangled branches. At that moment, the hem of the person's robe trembled, revealing a piece of gray fabric. Fu Mei'er was somewhat surprised. Ouyang Yue was, after all, a young woman; why was she dressed like this? However, considering Ouyang Yue's past reputation, it wasn't surprising that she might do something. Just as she was about to speak, the person on the stairs slowly descended, each step carrying a powerful force, clearly not the gait of an ordinary young woman.
Only then did a look of astonishment flash across Fu Meier's face. As the people on the stairs descended, Fu Meier's eyes widened in fright, and she screamed, "Ah! A ghost! Get away!"
Then a man dressed in a long gray robe descended the stairs. The man had a flat chest and was very thin. However, he wore a blue mask that covered his entire face. On the mask, a pair of wide, red, and fierce eyes were visible, and two fangs like those of a ferocious beast protruded from his mouth. Together, they resembled the kind of vicious demons sung about in ballads. As soon as this man came down, the unprepared Fu Meier was so frightened that she took a step back.
The man in gray snorted coldly: "Miss Fu doesn't want to see the owner of this shop, but I do. You see, if you have something to say, say it quickly. I'm very busy and don't have time to trample on your flower."
Fu Meier snapped out of her daze, but the gray-clad man's sarcastic remark made her blush. She was, after all, a wealthy young lady; how could an ordinary person be worthy of her? This man was implying that she had offered herself up, that anyone could easily have their way with her—wasn't that no different from a prostitute?
Fu Meier clenched her beautiful fists, the veins on the back of her hands bulging slightly: "You are the owner of this shop, isn't this Miss Ouyang's shop? This is her personal maid!"
The man in gray looked at Qiu Yue with suspicion. Qiu Yue, however, didn't know how to react. Who was this person? Why was he coming up from the second floor? Was he sent by her mistress because she couldn't come out in person? The man in black had his entire face covered by a mask, so Fu Meier couldn't see her expression at all. However, his voice was somewhat low and husky: "Oh? Didn't you say you were free and wanted to help me? So you're still a maid in someone else's household. Tell me who you are, and I'll go and redeem you!" As he spoke, he suddenly pulled Qiu Yue into his arms. Qiu Yue's body stiffened, and she instinctively gasped, trying to push him away. However, at this moment, the man in gray's voice reached her ears very gently, "Don't move, just cooperate with me." The voice was very deep, only the two of them could hear it, but Qiu Yue recognized it as her mistress's voice. Her body immediately relaxed, and she leaned gently against Ouyang Yue's chest, their posture quite ambiguous. The two of them were behaving so intimately in public; even a fool could tell what their relationship was!
Fu Meier was stunned: "Ah, you, you actually did such a shameless thing in broad daylight, you really have no shame!"
Ouyang Yue said in a deliberately altered voice, "I didn't invite you here, did I? The person you're looking for, Ouyang Yue, is the daughter of General Ouyang who just returned to the capital? Qiu Yue, why didn't you tell me you haven't gotten your indenture back yet? Don't worry about the trouble, I've got everything covered. I told you I wouldn't let you suffer."
Although Qiu Yue knew this person was Ouyang Yue, she couldn't help but blush. She knew her mistress's identity, but to others, her mistress looked like a man, openly flirting with her like this. Qiu Yue was so embarrassed that she wanted to disappear into the ground. But as embarrassed as she was, she thought that her mistress must have her reasons for not wanting people to know her identity, so she had to play along. She bit her lip and said, "Miss Ouyang has already given me the indenture, I'm free now, I... how could I lie to you..." As she spoke, she looked at Ouyang Yue with a pitiful expression. Although it was through a ghost mask, Qiu Yue was still a little pale with fright, but her eyes were moist and soft, making her look truly affectionate.
Fu Meier was very suspicious. Could this shop really not belong to Ouyang Yue? But she clearly saw Ouyang Yue enter this door. Could she have been mistaken?
Fu Meier carefully examined the gray-clad man wearing a mask with blue faces and fangs. Wearing such a mask, he must be extremely ugly and ashamed to be seen in public. Otherwise, the owner of a shop on Chenghua Street wouldn't be interested in a mere maid, and he certainly didn't seem to have any status or background. Fu Meier smiled, her eyes brightening slightly: "You're the owner of this shop? Very well, today I'll discuss the price for taking over this shop. Name your price."
Ouyang Yue and Qiu Yue both looked at Fu Meier, only to see her smiling brightly, radiating confidence and captivating beauty. While other men might be mesmerized by her looks, Ouyang Yue was no man, and seeing her like this, he found it utterly laughable. Behind the mask, Ouyang Yue smiled, but the smile carried a deep sarcasm. She nodded faintly, "Oh, you want to buy my shop."
Seeing that Ouyang Yue had finally relented, Fu Meier breathed a sigh of relief. Although she didn't know why her father was so interested in this shop, she noticed he cared deeply about it, even more so than he had with the shops he had acquired before. That's why she wanted to help. If this man was ungrateful and refused to budge, she would be in even more trouble: "Of course I want to buy it. Name your price. There's no shop the Fu family wants that we can't afford."
"Oh ho ho ho ho ho~" The answer she received was Ouyang Yue's drawn-out laughter, which for some reason made Fu Meier feel a chill in her heart. "Miss Fu is right. There is nothing in this Great Zhou that your Fu family wants but cannot afford. Then let me talk to you about the price of this shop."
“But…” Qiu Yue hesitated upon hearing this. It would be such a waste to sell such a place after all the effort her mistress had poured into it. Before she could finish speaking, a hand landed on her shoulder, gently pressing it. Ouyang Yue’s voice was deep and slow, “However, I put a lot of effort into this shop, from acquiring it to decorating it. Look at these exquisite decorations.” Qiu Yue suddenly looked towards the wall and, seeing the intricately carved mahogany, suddenly understood.
"Yes, everything in this shop, from the moment I took over, I was the one running around. Putting aside manpower, the resources alone are unparalleled," Qiu Yue immediately interjected, looking up at the strange mahogany pillars and hanging ornaments, and sighed, "Miss Fu, please look. Every single wood carving here was commissioned from a renowned artist. The patterns and styles are intricate and lifelike. And that's just in terms of craftsmanship; every piece of wood is of the highest quality, without the slightest shortcuts. Each piece is extraordinary. And look at the renovations in this shop, look at the details of these furnishings. Look at this abacus; it's made of pure gold inlaid with jade." This abacus alone is worth more than ten thousand taels, and this…this…this…to acquire this shop, young master has spent…uh…” At this point, Qiu Yue blushed and glanced at Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue, whose hand was hidden at her side, gestured. Qiu Yue's eyes widened in shock, but she still said, “It requires at least eight hundred thousand taels of silver. This was raised with much of young master's savings. If Miss Fu wants to take over this shop, then everything inside is yours. Adding the manpower and resources we provide, Miss Fu will pay one million taels of silver. We are honest and fair.”
"How much did you say?" Fu Meier's previously confident face now showed a strange expression, looking at him with a hint of doubt, as if her ears had just broken.
Qiu Yue nodded very seriously: "Miss Fu, one million taels of silver. When you bring the money, we can talk about the shop!"
"Hiss!" Fu Meier gasped, then said angrily, "One million taels? You really dare to ask for such an exorbitant amount! One million taels can buy several excellent shops on Langhuan Street. This rubbish in your shop, this piece of broken wood, what is this? You want one million taels? Why don't you just rob me!"
Ouyang Yue raised the corners of her mouth, her face behind the mask full of mockery. If Fu Meier could see her expression, she would know that from the beginning, Ouyang Yue had no intention of selling her; she was clearly just toying with her. "Miss Fu, you're wrong. This isn't robbery; it's better than robbery because you, Miss Fu, have personally come to deliver the money to our door. Your Fu family is the number one imperial merchant family in the Great Zhou Dynasty. There's nothing your Fu family can't buy with money. This is what you said yourself. Let's be frank and not beat around the bush. One price: one million taels. Miss Fu, go back and prepare the silver!"
Fu Meier took a deep breath, her face already turning icy cold: "It seems you're not prepared to have a proper talk with me. Fine, then let's settle this with our hands!"
"Miss, I'm back." At this moment, a young maid in a yellow dress rushed into the shop. It was the same maid who had run away while Qiu Yue was thinking. Not only had she returned, but she was also accompanied by more than ten guards who surged into the shop. When Fu Meier saw this, her eyes grew even colder. "It's just an ordinary little shop, yet you dare to ask for a million taels of silver. I have every reason to suspect that this shop has been involved in some illicit affair. Our Fu family is a prominent family in the Great Zhou Dynasty, a model among merchants. Naturally, we cannot stand by and watch those who have gone astray because of a momentary lapse in judgment. Today, we will help you take charge."
No matter how high-sounding the words, they couldn't excuse Fu Meier's intention to vandalize the shop. It was a convenient excuse, though. Actually, Fu Meier wasn't reckless. She noticed the strange appearance of the man in gray. Although Qiu Yue was originally Ouyang Yue's maid, every household had its share of unsavory stories. Why a maid from the General's mansion would submit to this man in gray didn't need further investigation. She only knew that a truly wealthy owner wouldn't be interested in Qiu Yue and make her the manager of a shop. This could only mean that this person had no background but a stubborn temper!
The Fu family has encountered many tough guys in the business world, but in the end, they have all been punished and turned into spineless cowards. Anyone who dares to disobey them is nothing more than an ugly man who has no face to show in public. They have no ability to deal with the Fu family, so she naturally doesn't care.
With a wave of her hand, Fu Meier sent the dozen or so guards who had followed her in rushing forward. The workers who had been working were so frightened by this that they all retreated and dared not come any closer.
Ouyang Yue's eyes flashed with coldness, but her smile deepened: "Miss Fu can't afford it, so she's planning to rob us. So the Fu family, the number one imperial merchant family of the Great Zhou, is nothing more than this. They look glittering on the outside, but they're probably rotten inside. If they can't afford it, they'll rob us. No wonder they became the number one imperial merchant family of the Great Zhou in such a short time. They're all thuggish thugs and bandits. I've seen it all today. Good, good, good! This is truly an eye-opener!"
Fu Meier sneered, "The Fu family has always been fair and honest in business, treating everyone fairly, young and old. However, your shop is strangely unusual. As a citizen of the Great Zhou, I have every reason to suspect that you are running a thieving and prostitution business here. In broad daylight, I will make sure you are brought to justice and executed! Men, go! Turn this thief's shop upside down! We'll find clues and make sure these people receive their due punishment!" This was truly a case of the thief crying "stop thief!" If Fu Meier's men really searched the shop, even if it was intact, it would be smashed to pieces. This was a clear threat and intimidation, something the Fu family had done countless times. Although Fu Meier hadn't participated before, her guards had been involved in many such operations and were very familiar with the business. They were already showing delight; they often gained considerable benefits in such situations. Most of the merchants, fearing the Fu family's reputation and power, dared not speak out or seek justice for themselves.
Fu Meier felt that this man in gray was incredibly shameless. She, the eldest daughter of the Fu family, had taken the initiative to talk to him, which was already giving him a great deal of face. Now things had escalated to this point, and the issue of lowering prices wouldn't be so simple anymore. If things went wrong, the shop might lose its owner. However, she couldn't be blamed entirely. Recently, she had been sending out many gifts in an effort to curry favor with the Second Princess in the palace. The Second Princess had grown up in luxury and had seen it all. If Fu Meier didn't spend some money to please her father, that fist-sized South China Sea pearl he had just acquired would have ended up in the hands of those lowly concubines in the mansion. This man was just unlucky to have run into her trap.
Fu Meier looked at him with a hint of pity, but compared to her own glory and future, this person was nothing!
"Go! Smash!" The guards Fu Meier had summoned had their eyes gleaming, and they were about to rush forward with their weapons in hand. But at that moment, the Meiyi Pavilion was suddenly surrounded by soldiers. A chief constable from the yamen suddenly rushed in with his constables, shouting, "Who is it? Which audacious bastard dares to openly kill and set fires? Arrest him! Give him a good beating first, and then send him to the magistrate for trial!" These were yamen constables. They suddenly rushed in and immediately surrounded Fu Meier's people. While they were arrogant and domineering towards ordinary people, they were like mice before a cat when dealing with these people.
Fu Meier was also surprised by the sudden influx of the constables. Upon closer inspection of their attire, she realized they were sent by the Prefect of the Capital. Her expression darkened, and she immediately said, "My lord, my men are not murderers or arsonists. I simply suspect this shop is involved in illegal activities, so I had them investigate."
The chief constable leading the team looked at Fu Meier with suspicion: "Where did you come from, you little wench? This is a place for men to speak. Women shouldn't be sitting at home embroidering. What are you doing out here? It's outrageous!"
"You!" Fu Meier had never been so disrespectful to her since childhood, except for the man in gray, who she initially thought was doomed. While she might not be afraid of the disguised Ouyang Yue, she couldn't be so rude to the officials of the Jingzhao Prefecture. She softened her voice and said, "Sir, I am the eldest daughter of the Fu family, the first imperial merchant family. Today, I accidentally discovered that the people entering and leaving this shop were very strange, not like good people. Out of a sense of justice, I helped to investigate. Since you've come, I naturally don't need to meddle. Why don't you arrest them all and interrogate them? If this is the work of a vicious and despicable person, it will greatly benefit your future career."
The chief constable's eyes lit up. Indeed, seeing that Fu Meier's expression immediately improved, and considering her status, he naturally smiled and said, "Miss Fu is absolutely right. Guards, arrest everyone here and take them to the yamen. I will examine them one by one and determine their crimes before proceeding with the trial!"
"Yes, sir!" The constables perked up at the sound of it and suddenly shouted as they rushed forward.
Ouyang Yue watched coldly, then kicked the first constable who rushed forward hard.
"Bang!"
"Ouch!"
The chief constable was stunned. In all the years he had been leading his men on missions, apart from the real rich and powerful young masters who dared to resist (of course, they couldn't afford to offend those people, so they didn't dare to do anything), there were no ordinary people who dared to resist. He would beat them until they dared not to anymore!
"Good! They openly resisted arrest and obstructed the officers' investigation. Take them all down! Anyone who dares to resist, beat them until they submit!"
Then Ouyang Yue suddenly flashed and kicked each of the shouting constables who rushed up. The room was filled with cries of pain. The chief constable was startled. The next moment, he felt the eerie mask suddenly smile at him strangely. Then he felt his body fly up and land on his buttocks with a "bang." He felt as if his whole body was about to shatter.
"Ah! How dare you lay a hand on a constable! How dare you! You all have a death wish! Men, kill them! These people in the capital dare to resist the constables of the Prefect of the Capital so fiercely, clearly harboring malicious intentions, they must be plotting something wicked. These people are all villains, show no mercy, take them down first, and kill those who resist!" The chief constable roared, immediately stirring up a bloodlust in his men. However, Chenghua Street, which was always bustling, had previously been overlooked by the unopened Meiyi Pavilion, but now a crowd had gathered around, and upon hearing the chief constable's words, they were even more excited.
Over the years, the Prefect of Jingzhao, in charge of the capital's security, had allowed his soldiers to become extremely arrogant and domineering, causing considerable harm to wealthy young men from lower social classes and ordinary citizens. While the chief constable appeared furious, the soldiers discussed the situation with great excitement, their tone laced with schadenfreude.
"You're asking for trouble! How dare you bring these people out to cause trouble without my permission! You damned thing!" Just then, another angry voice came from behind. The chief constable looked over and saw the Prefect of the Capital Prefecture rushing over with a furious expression. He immediately stood up despite the pain in his body and was about to speak when the Prefect of the Capital Prefecture stretched out his foot and kicked him hard in the buttocks. It was clear how angry he was that he had even forgotten that he was in the street.
Fu Meier was taken aback. Why was the Prefect of the Capital Prefecture here? She suddenly felt uneasy. These people weren't ones she had summoned, but she still steeled herself and stepped forward: "My lord, my daughter..."
"Miss Fu? What are you doing here? Is this shop yours?" The Prefect of Jingzhao was in charge of the security of the capital, and like the yamen in the counties and prefectures, he also managed the transactions of all people in the capital. This roundabout shop was one of them. Of course, the Prefect of Jingzhao was busy with official duties, and other servants managed such matters, but that didn't mean he didn't care about the major merchants in the capital. On the contrary, he was always paying attention and naturally knew that this couldn't possibly belong to the Fu family. However, Fu Meier was crowded into someone's unopened shop with more than ten guards. With his years of experience in officialdom and handling cases, he immediately figured out what was going on.
How many merchants in this world have truly clean hands? The Fu family is large and powerful, and knows countless high-ranking officials and nobles. Naturally, someone will vouch for them. If the Prefect of the Capital didn't know, he wouldn't risk offending them. But the Prefect of the Capital not only knew, but was also threatened into coming here.
Just moments ago, he was sitting in the hall, sipping fine Longjing tea, when suddenly, with a "whoosh," a dart grazed past his ear. He only felt a hair brush past his ear, and when he came to his senses, he was terrified. He screamed for a long time before a constable finally came in. He asked around, but no one had seen anyone pass by. The dart had indeed flown past his ear—a hair's breadth away—and he would have been killed on the spot. He then untied the dart and saw a note attached to it, instructing him to go to Chenghua Street and investigate a brawl that was disrupting public order. But as soon as he arrived, he saw his men lying on the ground, about to storm into someone's shop and kill them. This terrified him beyond belief.
"Your Excellency, I suspect this shop is involved in illegal activities. This man and woman were openly engaging in such intimate acts in broad daylight. There's bound to be something fishy going on. Your Excellency, please investigate thoroughly." Although she knew things were going badly, Fu Meier couldn't care less about anything else. As long as she could get the people in the shop arrested and thrown into the magistrate's jail, her Fu family would definitely have a way to shut them up. Then, she could take over the shop without firing a single shot or spending a single penny!
Ouyang Yue stepped forward, her bronze mask radiating a chilling aura in the sunlight: "Miss Fu, do you think the Prefect is a fool? Does a man need your advice, someone who brings troublemakers, to handle a case? My shop is perfectly fine; it's neither open for business nor does it welcome your presence. You come here with thugs, acting all menacing, demanding my shop. I refused to sell, and now you're framing me with baseless charges? Miss Fu, your ability to fabricate lies is truly remarkable!"
"Hey, right, right! This shop hasn't even opened yet, why is Miss Fu bringing people to block the door? Even if the deal falls through, we should still be on good terms. She's really no good!"
"Merchants are by nature the most fickle and unrighteous; what kind of benevolence and righteousness do you expect from them? Do they even understand that?"
"You're talking nonsense! It's obvious that you were engaging in lewd flirting, and I caught you. You were so angry that you became ashamed. If you have nothing to hide, then why did you resist and even injure someone when the chief constable tried to search you?" Fu Meier smiled coldly, her eyes filled with even deeper malice. No matter what, the gray-clad man dared to injure a constable, and he would be in deep trouble. Originally, she was in the wrong, but now it was greatly in her favor!
Ouyang Yue's voice grew even colder: "Oh, Miss Fu, are you the emperor, empress dowager, empress, or a member of the royal family?"
"How dare you! What nonsense are you spouting!" Fu Meier suddenly shouted in surprise.
“Since Miss Fu is nothing, then your words aren’t exactly golden. Who do you think you are! You think you can just say my shop is involved in illegal activities and send someone to search it because you suspect me? Oh, and as for this Chief Constable, I’m doing this for your own good. This is the capital, under the Emperor’s nose. There must be procedures for doing things, right? As far as I know, for the government to search the homes and shops of a first-class citizen, they need an imperial decree, and a notice must be issued after review by higher authorities. Chief Constable, do you have an imperial edict, or an order from the Secretariat? Since you have nothing, I have every reason to suspect that you have ulterior motives and are eyeing my property as a first-class citizen. Why can’t I throw you out?” As he spoke, he even questioned the Prefect of the Capital, “Prefect, do you think I did the right thing? Or did you send this person here without a search warrant? If so, I really have nothing to say.”
The Prefect of Jingzhao's heart pounded. Searching someone's private property without a warrant was tantamount to plotting to seize it, and the punishment varied depending on the amount of property involved. Most importantly, he hadn't easily attained this position; many powerful figures in the capital were eyeing him, waiting for him to make a mistake. If this succeeded, the Emperor's desk would be covered with impeachments tomorrow.
"No, no, it was my subordinate who heard there was trouble, so he brought people to check. This gentleman... don't overthink it. I will naturally punish his impulsiveness when we get back." She made no mention of apologizing. Ouyang Yue didn't care; the Prefect of the Capital still had his pride. If she made his subordinate apologize to her face, he would lose face. If she insisted, it would only make the Prefect of the Capital harbor ill will, which would not be good for her later actions.
Ouyang Yue pointed at Fu Meier: "Then how does Your Excellency think this matter should be handled?"
The Prefect of Jingzhao felt a throbbing headache coming on. It seemed that this Miss Fu was indeed bullying and monopolizing the market, daring to bring her servants to cause trouble in someone's shop. If he didn't deal with it, he couldn't help but unleash his fury on the crowd surrounding them. But if he punished Fu Meier, he wouldn't be able to explain himself to the Fu family. The Fu family was the top imperial merchant family in the Great Zhou Dynasty; even his own banknotes largely came from the Fu family's money exchange. Who wouldn't want to be associated with such a powerful and wealthy family? This was truly a dilemma for him.
After thinking for a moment, the Prefect of Jingzhao couldn't help but laugh and said, "I think this is probably a misunderstanding. Miss Fu felt there was something wrong here, which was only for the sake of the capital's security. This new shop owner must have been a little nervous. I think it's just a misunderstanding and nothing serious. Why don't you give Miss Fu some money to comfort her? You are all merchants, and it's only right to resolve this with money." As he spoke, he looked at Fu Meier with a warning in his eyes. If this matter escalated, it wouldn't be good for anyone.
Fu Meier's face turned pale. From the moment Ouyang Yue said she wasn't royalty, she knew she had failed miserably. She nodded and gave a wink to the maid, who handed Ouyang Yue a rather heavy purse. Judging by its weight, it was at least two or three hundred taels. Since Ouyang Yue's shop hadn't suffered much loss, she hadn't really lost out.
Seeing that the matter between the two had been resolved, the Prefect of Jingzhao smiled and said, "Very well, it was just a misunderstanding. Once it's been explained, everything will be fine. Let's leave here then. I'll take my men and leave now."
Just as people were about to leave, Ouyang Yue suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, where did my Golden Jade Abacus go?!" His voice was filled with alarm and he seemed extremely nervous.
The Prefect of Jingzhao, who had already raised his leg, stopped again, looking rather displeased. What's wrong with this guy again? He really can't stop causing trouble!
However, Ouyang Yue rushed over, pleading, "My lord, you must help me! My golden abacus is incredibly valuable; it's always been my talisman and auspicious charm in business. It was blessed at Wuhua Temple when I was a merchant; its value goes far beyond just monetary worth. Now it's lost! What am I to do? I'd rather lose my head than let that abacus remain untouched! There must be a thief! I just took it out to examine it; someone here must have stolen it. Your Excellency, you must help me, or you'll force me to my death!"
As soon as Ouyang Yue finished speaking, those around her immediately took a step back. However, those like Chief Constable Fu Meier, who were standing at the front, had no way to retreat. Meanwhile, the crowd murmured amongst themselves, some even whispering amongst themselves. This was because Wuhua Temple held a special place in the Great Zhou Dynasty; even if the item itself was useless, anything blessed and consecrated there carried a different symbolic meaning. It was understandable that this person would be so convinced.
Moreover, hearing Ouyang Yue's hoarse voice, which was originally cold but was now filled with anxiety, and the fact that she was threatening suicide, the Prefect of the Capital also felt a headache coming on: "Don't worry, I will find it for you naturally."
Ouyang Yue said anxiously, "No, that thing can't be lost. If it's lost, how can I do business? Who will bear the loss? Sir, are you really afraid of the Fu family and that's why you don't dare to search? When I took out the gold and jade abacus just now, Miss Fu was there. I suspect she stole it!"
"You're talking nonsense! My Fu family is as wealthy as the He family, why would we care about your mere gold and jade abacus? Don't you dare to slander me!" Fu Meier retorted urgently, how could she accept such a fabricated charge?
Ouyang Yue coldly replied, "Then dare you search me in front of everyone to see if I'm innocent?"
Fu Meier's face flushed red with humiliation, her expression filled with anger: "Let me be searched in front of everyone? Don't even think about it! My daughter's reputation is more important than anything else, and I will never allow anyone to humiliate her!"
The Prefect of Jingzhao also felt that he was being polite, but this scoundrel insisted that he had lost something, and since Fu Meier had been in his shop before, whether it was a real or fake loss, Fu Meier was a suspect.
"Hmph! You think I can't do anything just because you don't admit it?" Ouyang Yue's voice carried a hint of viciousness. "Men, unleash the dogs on her!"
No sooner had Ouyang Yue finished speaking than a dark figure suddenly rushed out of the shop. The figure was incredibly fast and charged straight at Fu Meier. Fu Meier was startled and cried out in alarm, "Ah, help!"
"Hiss!" Everyone looked and saw that the dark figure was actually a large black dog that was taller than a person. The black dog's eyes were full of ferocity. Not to mention Fu Meier, a young girl, even an adult man would tremble and feel weak in the knees when he saw it.
The dog was indeed fast. Fu Meier had barely uttered a cry when the dog swung its paw at her, but it suddenly spun in mid-air. Fu Meier then leaned back, and with a "thud," she landed on her bottom on the ground. The pain made her grimace and cry out. The black dog then bit her leg. Startled, Fu Meier instinctively pulled her leg back, but the dog snapped its jaws shut and bit her trouser leg. Terrified, Fu Meier frantically tried to pull her leg back, but the large black dog wouldn't let go. After a few tugs, with a "rip," a tear appeared in Fu Meier's trouser leg. It was summer, and she was wearing very light clothing; with this tug, Fu Meier's fair leg was vaguely visible through the torn trouser leg.
Fu Meier was filled with shame and indignation and cried out in distress. But at that moment, something on her body fell off because of her struggle and made a crisp "snap" sound.
Everyone immediately looked over, but Ouyang Yue exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, my Golden Jade Abacus, my Golden Jade Abacus! It was you! You really stole it! You shameless thief!"
"What! Isn't the Fu family incredibly wealthy? How could their eldest daughter be involved in theft? It's utterly shameful!"
"This is truly astonishing! Miss Fu is known as one of the Three Talents of the Capital, yet she turns out to be a scoundrel. I am utterly disappointed in her!"
"How shameless!"
The Prefect of Jingzhao's expression changed; this was something he had never expected.
Fu Meier's face was filled with astonishment. She immediately shook her head and protested, "No, I didn't steal it, I absolutely didn't steal it!"
"No, I need to plan my shop. The Fu family sent so many people at once; they must have stolen a lot of my things. Sir, you must do me justice and recover my losses!" Ouyang Yue cried out, a sly smile playing on her lips hidden behind her mask.
☆、073, I'll screw you over!
Ouyang Yue's tearful account immediately garnered the approval of the onlookers. After all, the golden abacus had just fallen from Fu Meier's body—an undeniable fact they had witnessed firsthand, leaving no room for doubt. Therefore, they also agreed with Ouyang Yue's plan to clean up the mess.
“That’s right, we should investigate this thoroughly, otherwise it will be difficult to get the things back once this person is taken away.” Someone in the back of the crowd said in a deep voice, clearly implying that the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture might be acting out of personal favoritism.
The Prefect of Jingzhao looked over with a dark face, only to see a group of small black heads. He had no idea who was speaking. He snorted coldly, "Fine, since I've come across this matter, I'll naturally see it through to the end. Go and settle things." Actually, the Prefect of Jingzhao had originally intended to quell the matter or help Fu Meier, but Fu Meier was being too unethical. Her family was clearly incredibly wealthy, and even imperial relatives had to show respect to the head of the Fu family. He had been to the Fu residence, and it was indeed extremely luxurious. Did Fu Meier, a dignified young lady, really lack a gold and jade abacus? Since the abacus looked to be of the highest quality in terms of craftsmanship and materials, how could the Fu family lack it? It was truly beneath them. A lowly merchant is a lowly merchant, unlike those truly well-bred noble ladies.