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“As long as it’s not something like ginseng or reishi, I can decide on the smaller items.”

“Unfortunately, it’s these very items.”

“Alright, please wait a moment.”

The shop assistant immediately went to the back and called someone. The shopkeeper smiled at her.

“Young man, can I take a look at your goods?”

Qiao Mai returned a smile and placed the items from the basket behind her on the counter, one by one.

“These are all freshly picked and reasonably priced. I also have some larger items.”

The shopkeepers in the capital were experienced and worldly-wise. He opened each package and examined the contents.

“These medicinal herbs are excellent, all top-quality. I’ll pay ten taels of silver for a cattie of Dendrobium. This ginseng is thirty years old and in good condition. I’ll offer thirty taels of silver for one root. Reishi is of a similar age, so twenty taels of silver for one piece. As for the Dioscorea opposita, I’ll pay two taels of silver for a cattie. What do you think?”

“Alright. Let’s weigh them.”

The shop assistant stood by while they weighed each item, and the shopkeeper placed the silver notes into a money pouch and handed it to her. “If you find our shop’s prices fair, what about the larger item?”

Qiao Mai took a cloth bag from her pocket. “Look at this.”

It contained the same items she had on display, except she had already sold two and had four left.

The shopkeeper opened the cloth bag and smiled. He nodded.

“A six hundred-year-old ginseng, not bad at all. While it may not be exceptionally rare, its medicinal properties are still decent.”

“Name your price.”

“Thirteen thousand taels, no more.”

Qiao Mai raised an eyebrow. She had sold two of these for twenty thousand taels, so making a profit of three thousand taels each was quite a deal in the capital.

“Okay. ”

As they were about to complete the deal, a group of officials entered the shop.

The leader recognized the shopkeeper and quickly saluted him. “I’m sorry, but we have been ordered to search for the missing property of the Fu family. Please cooperate.”

“Please go ahead!”

The leader looked at the shopkeeper and then at the items in their hands.

“What are you doing?”

The shopkeeper pointed to the pile of medicinal herbs on the counter, indicating these were freshly harvested and unrelated to the Fu family.

“What about her?”

Qiao Mai remained calm. “I live in Bichun Garden and am a friend of the Wang family’s old mistress. I am here to attend the wedding of Prince Shunqin.” “Why are you selling herbs then?”

“When I left home, I picked these from the mountains behind my house to prevent them from spoiling.”

The officials examined the freshly harvested herbs, confirming they were unrelated to the Fu family, and then went to the back.

The shopkeeper handed her the silver notes. “Hurry back. Don’t wander around outside these days. The Fu family reported double of everything they lost. If they see anything that looks like their own, your house might get searched. Be cautious.”

“Thank you for the reminder!”

Qiao Mai took the silver notes and left the clinic. To her surprise, she saw the officials entering the estate as soon as she arrived home.

She remained calm, returned to her courtyard, and found her servants, Yue Hong and Yue Xia, guarding the children while a few officials searched her house.

Qiao Mai walked over, her face cold, and stood in front of the maids.

After a while, the officials came out and glanced at them. Then, they left Bichun Garden.

Once they were gone, she turned to Yue Hong and Yue Xia. “Check our belongings to see if anything is missing. Write it down on a piece of paper.”

“Yes, Mistress!”

The children were a little nervous, but the officials didn’t mistreat them, so their fear gradually dissipated.

They looked at Qiao Mai and asked, “Mother, what’s going on?”

“A wealthy family in the capital was robbed. The officials are searching for stolen goods house by house. This is the second day.”

“We didn’t steal anything, so we don’t have to be afraid, right?”

“Yes, you don’t need to be afraid.”

The children felt relieved. Not long after, Yue Hong and Yue Xia returned.

“Mistress, the children’s purses are missing, and Miss Ling’er’s hair ornaments are gone, along with one of your hairpins. They were the shiny and new ones.” Qiao Mai nodded. “Keep an eye on the children.”

She stood at the gate and declared, “Who took my children’s hair ornaments and my hairpin? Step forward now, or I’ll report you at the court.”

The leader of the search team turned and looked at her.

“What did you lose?”

“Three hair ornaments and four purses, all shiny. They are not from our country. My friend brought them from overseas. Also, my children’s pocket money was in those purses.”

The team leader blew a whistle, and all the officials gathered.

“Who searched this lady’s courtyard, took these items, and is willing to return them now? Otherwise, when I find out who did it, you’ll face military punishment.”

The team leader turned to Qiao Mai and asked, “Are you sure these items were stolen?”

“I’m sure. I know who searched my courtyard.”

He turned back to his subordinates. “Who searched this lady’s courtyard and took the items? Please step forward now. If you don’t, you will face grave consequences.”

After an internal struggle, one of the soldiers stepped forward and handed the items to the team leader.

Indeed, there were three pieces of jewelry and four exquisite purses.

The leader of the soldiers turned and extended his hands toward Qiao Mai. “I apologize. I didn’t supervise my men properly. They will face military discipline when we return.”

Qiao Mai accepted the items and took a silver ingot from her sleeve, handing it to the soldier.

“Thank you for your cooperation. You can go have some tea with this.”

“Thank you! ”

The team leader waved to his soldiers, and the group left through the side gate.

Qiao Mai’s sharp ears overheard the soldier complaining to the team leader, “Why did you make me return those ornaments? They look valuable. We could have kept them.”

“Idiot, you took things without considering the place. The more valuable, the higher her status. Do you know whose residence this is?”

“This is the private residence of Grand Perceptor Pang’s sister. A woman like her can stop us from taking back her belongings. She’s not someone to mess with. You understand nothing.”

Qiao Mai rolled her eyes and walked back to the Haitang Courtyard, asking Yue Hong and Yue Xia to keep the jewelry.

In reality, she hadn’t lost much money since most of it was stored in her space.

These soldiers wouldn’t have been able to benefit much, but she didn’t want to let these people take advantage of her belongings.

They were soldiers, not bandits, and she didn’t tolerate such behavior.

Before noon, Old Master and Mistress Wang returned. They returned earlier because of the search.

Once they arrived, they immediately began complaining to Qiao Mai. “They searched for three days straight, and even the city gates were closed. Ah, what kind of person dares to steal from the Fu family? The robber must be capable enough to prevent being found. Why are they still searching? What nonsense.”

Qiao Mai couldn’t help but laugh. “The Wang family is adjacent to the Fu family, so they should have been searched yesterday.”

“Families like the Wangs can’t be searched without an imperial order. There are always people present during the search. Those soldiers won’t dare to act recklessly.”

“Bichun Garden was searched too.”

“I heard from the servants that they took a few good things from you?” “Yes, but I got them back.”

“I’ll ask my eldest brother to find trouble for the Fu family. Apart from Grand Tutor Fu having some knowledge, the younger generation of their family is weak. That Minister is doing his job poorly. If it weren’t for his father, he couldn’t have gotten this position.”

“Is there a feud between your family and theirs?”

“It’s that old guy. He always feels that the Grand Perceptor’s position is slightly higher than his, so he’s always dissatisfied. He kept looking for trouble with my mother’s family.”

“Your mother’s family is?”

“The only Grand Perceptor in the capital. The late Grand Perceptor was my father, and my eldest brother is the current Grand Perceptor.” “Wow, I’ve connected with someone incredible. How lucky!”

“Get lost. You’re always teasing me!”

Old Mistress Wang couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Qiao Mai smugly smiled..