Chapter 292: Qilin Pendant
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Jiao’er scratched her head. “I just want you to see if I did well.”
Shopkeeper Qian looked like a retired old man as he drank the milk tea with relish. He looked at his daughter with pride.
Xiaoxiao was not stingy with her praise. She gave Qian Jiao’er a thumbs up and even taught her how to make a new drink. This made Jiao’er extremely excited. After comforting her fan, Xiaoxiao revealed her purpose for coming today. “Actually, I’m here to look for Shopkeeper Qian today.”
Shopkeeper Qian was confused. “Me?”
Xiaoxiao took out the pawn ticket. “To be honest, I want to ask Shopkeeper Qian if you still remember this.”
A trace of nostalgia flashed across Shopkeeper Qian’s face when he saw the name of the shop on the pawn ticket. However, he was a little stunned when he saw what was on the pawn ticket.
After looking at it carefully a few times, he finally recognized the copy of the jade pendant on the pawn ticket that was yellow with age and could not see its original appearance.
“This is…”
To be honest, Xiaoxiao did not have much hope of finding this thing, so she was already mentally prepared to return empty-handed. Unexpectedly, Shopkeeper Qian said, “Isn’t this the Qilin Pendant?”
Xiaoxiao could not see any traces of Qilin from this incomplete copy, so she was very surprised. “Shopkeeper Qian, you have a good memory.”
Shopkeeper Qian scratched his head. “It’s not that good. I remember this mainly because…”
Jiao’er, who was hurriedly sending food and drinks to Xiaoxiao, came over to take a look. “Eh? Isn’t this the dowry you prepared for me, Father?”
Shopkeeper Qian glared at his daughter, who made him proud and helpless. “Why are you saying everything!”
Xiaoxiao was speechless.
Shopkeeper Qian told her, “Miss Ning is my family’s benefactor, so I won’t hide it from you. Actually, there are so many things in my shop. It’s been many years, so it’s impossible for me to remember everything clearly. However, after I obtained this jade pendant, I got someone to evaluate its price. This jade is rare and is conservatively worth 700 to 800 taels.”
Xiaoxiao asked, “Then why didn’t you sell it?”
Shopkeeper Qian was a little embarrassed. “To be honest, I wasn’t around at that time. The shop assistant didn’t think too much about it and accepted it. Later on, I asked and heard that the person who came to it was just an ordinary person. He didn’t seem to be from a family that could have such good things. I thought that he might have an illegitimate background and was afraid of causing trouble. How could I dare to sell it out?”
“Although it was still calm after a long time, I didn’t hear of any big family losing anything after asking around. The original owner never came to redeem it. I thought that my family happened to lack an heirloom, so… I kept it myself.”
Later on, seeing that Jiao’er was slowly growing up, he thought of giving his daughter something to keep. This thing was best for her to keep. It shouldn’t be eye-catching, but it had to be valuable. After thinking about it, was there anything more suitable than the Qilin Pendant? Hence, it naturally became Jiao’er’s dowry.
As it concerned her background, Xiaoxiao said directly, “Uncle Qian, I’ll be honest with you. The person who came to sell the jade pendant back then was my grandfather, but he snatched it from my house. Moreover, it’s very important to me.”
Before she could finish speaking, Qian Jiao’er, who had just left, ran back in a hurry with a wooden box in her hand. “Sister Xiaoxiao, is this what you’re talking about?”
Shopkeeper Qian also pushed the box to Xiaoxiao. The two of them did not look like they were forcing themselves. Xiaoxiao could not help but laugh. She bowed respectfully to Shopkeeper Qian and his daughter. “Thank you.”
Of course, she had to take it, but she could not take them for free. Xiaoxiao followed the market price and forced Shopkeeper Qian to give her 800 taels of silver notes before she was willing to take back the jade pendant. Shopkeeper Qian could not refuse and could only take it. He only reminded Xiaoxiao, “Back then, I heard from the master that it is very likely to come from the Imperial Capital.”
Xiaoxiao remembered it in her heart. After returning home, she held the jade pendant and studied it for a long time.
Was this the thing that could reveal her identity?
If there was a chance, should she make a trip to the Imperial Capital?
She suspected that she was blessed. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be given whatever she thought so much. She had only thought about going to the Imperial Capital when County Magistrate Shen came to her.
“His Majesty wants to see the person who planted the rice. Who should your family send?”
Ning Fengnian and Madam Song couldn’t do it. First of all, their mental fortitude wasn’t good. Just thinking about it made their hearts beat faster and their breathing quicken. They almost fainted. Ning Anhui couldn’t do it either. He was too jumpy. In front of a noble, even someone who had been in the officialdom for a long time had to be careful with his words. He could easily get into trouble like this.
From the looks of it, only Xiaoxiao and Ning Ansheng could go to the Imperial Court. However, there was another awkward matter. Ning Ansheng was going to participate in the academy examination in August and take the Xiucai examination.
The academy examination was held twice in three years. It had only been held once last year, so if he missed this time, he would have to wait another two years.
Xiaoxiao did not hesitate at all. “I’ll go.”
Her family was worried, and Ning Ansheng also said that he was still inexperienced and needed to settle down for another two years. Xiaoxiao sighed. “Brother, aren’t you afraid that Dean Lu will whip you with a ruler when you say this?”
With Ning Ansheng’s tireless efforts and the help of Xiaoxiao’s cheat, his knowledge could be said to have advanced by leaps and bounds. The talent he displayed made Dean Lu gasp in amazement. He deeply felt that no one in the academy could be his teacher after Chen Yong left. Hence, he rolled up his sleeves and personally taught him.
Therefore, Ning Ansheng became County Magistrate Shen and Lord Chen’s junior brother, which made the other students envious.
County Magistrate Shen didn’t approve of his junior brother wasting two years either. It wasn’t easy for him when he was dragged down by the old residence in the early days. It wasn’t easy for him to make up for the lost years. It would be heartbreaking if he was delayed any longer.
However, this was the Ning Family’s matter after all. He could not interrupt.
Xiaoxiao looked at everyone’s expressions and had no choice but to take out the jade pendant.
“With Lord Shen, Big Brother Yun San, and a few other guards protecting me, Father, Mother, and Brother don’t have to worry about my safety. I’m so smart and have a good mentality. Even if I see His Majesty, I’ll definitely be careful with my words and actions. Moreover, the jade pendant I wore back then came from the Imperial Capital. I want to take a look.”
As soon as she said this, no one tried to persuade her anymore. However, when Xiaoxiao passed by her parents’ door at night, she saw that their candles were still lit. She did not have the habit of eavesdropping on others, but her hearing was too good after the space upgrade.
“Qiuniang, do you think we can still see Xiaoxiao after she goes?”
“Even if she really doesn’t come back, are you going to cut off her ties with her family because we can’t bear to part with her?”
Ning Fengnian sighed. “Of course not. Xiaoxiao is so lovable. Her biological parents must miss her too much. As long as her parents aren’t bandits, I naturally hope that she can reunite with her family.”
“We watched Xiaoxiao grow up. Even if she finds her biological parents in the future, we’ll still treat her as the daughter of the Ning Family.”
Xiaoxiao tiptoed and left slowly.
If her biological parents had long forgotten about her, she would just treat herself as a passerby. There was no need to forcefully acknowledge them. If she found her biological parents and they had been missing her and looking for her, she would only have more relatives. The Ning Family would always be her home, and the Ning Family would always be her family.
She knew that her parents would still be worried even if she said it many times that they wouldn’t lose her. Hence, after packing up, she hugged her parents and told them, “Wait for me to bring you the specialties of the Imperial Capital..”
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