Chapter 54: Linglong Pavilion

That night, Jun Jun Zijin went to bed early. She dreamed of her daughter from her past life; her daughter's life had not changed from before. She dreamed that the original owner had become the daughter's mother, and the daughter was living very well. When Jun Jun Zijin woke up in shock, her pillow was soaked with tears.

Thinking of her own daughter, she simply could not fall back asleep, so she prepared to get up and sit in the courtyard. Yet she had barely risen when she heard a rustling sound coming from the window.

Jun Jun Zijin's heart jumped. Could there be a thief? Jun Jun Zijin grabbed the dagger she used for self-defense, flashed aside, and hid behind the bed. The rustling sound continued, as if someone was prying open the window.

After a while, a soft noise sounded; the window was pushed open from the outside, and a figure leaped inside.

The sound of landing was somewhat loud, and his feet nearly stumbled.

It turned out to be a good-for-nothing. Jun Jun Zijin disdainfully rolled her eyes.

That person steadied his stance, adjusted the face mask on his face, shook the hair that had fallen onto his forehead, and then felt his way into the room again.

It was him! Jun Jun Zijin's night vision was quite good. Almost the instant that person landed, seeing his figure and the pair of peach-blossom eyes revealed beneath the mask, Jun Jun Zijin immediately recognized who this person was. She remained expressionless, wanting to see what this person actually intended to do.

She saw that person go straight to a box on the cabinet. So he was an old hand; he must have stolen from his mother and sister countless times. Jun Jun Zijin pursed her lips, let out a cold snort in her heart, flashed her figure, and appeared behind that person. She originally intended to grab that person by the back of the neck with one hand, but due to the height difference, she changed to grabbing the back of that person's neck with one hand. As that person turned around, Jun Jun Zijin punched straight down at that person's nose.

"Ouch!" That person let out a wail of pain, stumbled backward two steps, and plopped down heavily on the ground with a thud. His heart cried out in despair, followed by shock. This girl had stayed at the manor for six years; now that she had returned, she actually knew martial arts?

"Jun Chengcai, speak. What exactly do you want by sneaking into my room like a ghost?" Jun Jun Zijin held back her laughter, pretended to strike him, and threatened.

That person pulled the face mask down, covered his crooked nose, and mumbled loudly:

"Don't hit, don't hit, ouch... my nose! Young Lady, since you knew it was me, you still hit my nose. My nose had just healed, and you've broken it again. Did you do it on purpose?"

Miaozhu, who was on night watch, heard the commotion, entered the room holding a lamp, saw Jun Chengcai sitting on the ground covering his nose, and was so startled that the lamp in his hand nearly fell. He asked:

"Young Lady, what is going on?"

Jun Jun Zijin pointed at Jun Chengcai, who was still sitting on the ground, and showed a rare bit of playfulness:

"Nothing. A mouse got into the room."

"Jun Jun Zijin, how can you speak like that? Am I not your elder brother?" Jun Chengcai complained dissatisfied.

Jun Jun Zijin let out a snort of laughter:

"Elder brother? Is there an elder brother who pries open his sister's window at midnight and sneakily rummages through boxes and cabinets?"

Jun Chengcai was momentarily speechless, his eyes darting away. He had only wanted to borrow some silver. Who would have thought he hadn't stolen any silver and instead got beaten? Wasn't he wronged? Jun Chengcai pouted, feeling like crying.

Jun Jun Zijin stopped smiling, walked to Jun Chengcai, and squatted down: "Jun Chengcai, you broke into my private room at midnight to steal. Tell me, should I tie you up and hand you over to the authorities, or should I hand you over to Father for punishment?" Jun Jun Zijin threatened me.

"Oh, oh, oh, no, no, no! I was wrong, isn't that enough? I beg you, my lord, have mercy and spare me! Didn't you just receive so many rewards? I was just momentarily bewitched by greed, thinking only of borrowing some silver from you to spend..." Jun Chengcai pleaded with a face full of flattery.

"Borrow? Do you want a beating?" Jun Jun Zijin let out a cold snort and pretended to strike again.

"No, no, no, it's stealing, it's stealing! But, but I didn't succeed, and besides, your move just now was too ruthless. My nose had just healed, and you broke it again! Let's call it even, okay..." Jun Chengcai muttered a defense for himself while covering his injured nose.

"Miaozhu, tie him up and send him to the authorities!" Jun Jun Zijin was too lazy to argue with him and directly turned to give orders to Miaozhu beside her.

Jun Chengcai panicked:

"Don't, don't! My Young Lady, I'll reveal a piece of news to you, just spare me this time. I won't dare do it again, is that okay?"

"Speak quickly!" Jun Jun Zijin said coldly.

"Your mother's dowry shops seem to be in the hands of that damn uncle of mine."

Hearing these words, Jun Jun Zijin narrowed her eyes slightly:

"Are you speaking the truth?"

Jun Chengcai nodded hurriedly:

"Absolutely true. I heard my mother and uncle discussing it with my own ears. I, Jun Chengcai, am a bastard, but I also look down on the kind of thing where a mother and uncle occupy a stepdaughter's property."

Jun Jun Zijin stood up and glanced at Jun Chengcai with an ambiguous meaning. Indeed, this battle was not over yet.

On this side, Jun Chengcai got excited and said with a smile:

"I heard that Second Young Lady's medical skills are quite excellent. Why not treat my nose for me..."

"Get lost!"

Yesterday, as soon as the Old Lady returned to Jingzhu Courtyard, she ordered the household to stop all financial dealings with the Wu family. This morning, she ordered a maid to invite Jun Jun Zijin over to check the account books together and calculate exactly how much Wu Shi had embezzled. When the maid arrived, she learned that Jun Jun Zijin had already left the manor early in the morning. The Old Lady had no choice but to examine them carefully herself. Not looking would have been fine, but once she looked, she was truly increasingly alarmed the more she read.

Early in the morning, Jun Jun Zijin found a copy of Fang Fang Mengru's dowry list, took Xiao He and Han Xiao out, and first went to the Jingzhao Prefecture to obtain the receipts for the shops that were part of Fang Fang Mengru's dowry back then, and copied one. Jun Jun Zijin held the list and ordered Han Xiao to lead the way. Han Xiao grew up in Jingcheng and was familiar with the roads of Jingcheng, leading Jun Jun Zijin directly to Fang Fang Mengru's jewelry shop in the eastern part of the city.

Fang Fang Mengru's jewelry shop was named Linglong Pavilion. The three of them stopped opposite Linglong Pavilion and all looked at the Linglong Pavilion across the way.

Linglong Pavilion is a uniquely shaped, elegant, and grand pavilion building, with a total height of three stories. It is said that each floor of this pavilion has unique functions and atmosphere.

The first-floor hall contains a dazzling array of various goods, all daily items that women from ordinary families can afford. From exquisite hairpins to small earrings, from simple handkerchiefs to practical purses, everything is available.

The second floor, compared to the first, is decorated more exquisitely and elegantly, with items appearing more luxurious and precious. This floor has various famous and precious jewelry, magnificent silk brocades, and exquisite embroidery crafts. This floor is specifically for receiving young ladies from noble families and noble ladies.

The top third floor is open only to the families of high officials and members of the imperial family. The entire floor is permeated with a noble and mysterious aura, and nothing displayed here is not a rare treasure in the world. Priceless jade and jade artifacts, rare antiques, and calligraphy and paintings are all carefully displayed here.

Xiao He, standing beside Jun Jun Zijin, watched for a while and suddenly muttered to herself:

"The customers of Linglong Pavilion are truly endless. In just the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, sixteen people entered the first floor, of whom twelve completed transactions; five young ladies and three Ladies went up to the second floor, and all left with smiles on their faces, looking as if none returned empty-handed. Two Ladies went up to the third floor and haven't come down yet; I suppose they won't be disappointed either. In a day, the first floor's income of thirty to fifty taels of silver is no problem. The second and third floors are for high officials and nobles; the daily income should be around fifteen hundred taels. If someone spends generously, three to five thousand taels is not impossible. After deducting fifty percent in costs, the daily surplus should be at least around eight hundred taels."