Chapter 26: Chang'an Tong Que Ming (Melody of Golden Age)

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Chang'an Tong Que Ming (Melody of Golden Age)

 Chapter 26: 

The Bi Jiang Gold Store (1)

"Stop!" Zhu Yan leaned forward and clung to the horse's neck, shouting, "Do you know why the Grand Chief Guard is angry?"

Jing Lin, seeing that they had already lost sight of Shen Du’s figure down the street and was increasingly anxious, asked, "Why?"

"Because the shopkeeper, Li, offended him. To put it bluntly, this is a case of 'lower ranks offending the higher ranks.' And since I am, at least in name, Shen Du's wife, I should be considered your superior as well," Zhu Yan explained.

Jing Lin slowed the horse, reflecting on the audacity of the shopkeeper to provoke the Grand Chief Guard. It was indeed unusual that Shen Du hadn't thrown him into prison.

He asked, "So?"

"So now you’re also committing an offense against your superior. From now on, whether in public or private, please be more courteous to me."

Jing Lin, seeing Zhu Yan’s cheerful expression, felt a strong urge to throw her off the horse but endured, grumbling inwardly, Let’s see how long you can stay so smug!

The goldsmiths at the Bi Jiang Gold Store had previously worked in the Palace’s Treasure Room, making jewelry for the nobility. As a result, the gold store gained a great reputation. In just ten years of operation, it had surpassed many century-old establishments and had risen to the top among all gold stores in Chang’an.

From a distance, one could see a grand three-story wooden building with intricate carvings and ornate eaves, standing prominently in the marketplace. The structure resembled wings poised to soar, exuding an air of majesty. The golden-trimmed banners fluttered in the wind, displaying the large characters: Bi Jiang Gold Store.

As Zhu Yan and Jing Lin entered, they saw a row of servants neatly lined up inside the gold store. Shen Du sat on a carved zitan wood chair, beside him a bowl of freshly brewed purple bamboo tea, from which steam gently rose.

"Please, Grand Chief Guard Shen, have some tea while we wait for our manager to arrive," a servant offered.

Shen Du's eyelids flicked up slightly as he glanced at Zhu Yan, "If we wait any longer, the sun will set."

The sun was still shining brightly outside; his comment seemed exaggerated.

Zhu Yan, understanding his irritation, chose not to argue in front of others. She found a chair and sat down, "Husband, even if I had wings and flew here, we still can't start the investigation without the manager. Please be patient."

The servant quickly served her a bowl of tea as well. The tea, fragrant and pure, was sweet and smooth. Zhu Yan took a couple of sips and focused her gaze on the tea leaves settled at the bottom of the bowl.

The leaves were delicate and full, with purple tips and a glossy, green sheen. She remarked, “This purple bamboo tea is a current tribute to the Emperor, with Yangxian purple bamboo being the finest of the finest. My father was once honored with a few pounds and seldom drank it. I didn’t expect your store to be so generous.”

The middle-aged man in charge was momentarily stunned but quickly responded with a smile, “This is a special collection of our owner. Seeing that Grand Chief Guard Shen and Madam have arrived, we decided to offer it to our esteemed guests.”

Zhu Yan smiled but said nothing. Shortly after, a woman dressed in purple entered through the door.

The woman appeared to be around thirty years old, with a slender neck and a refined face. She wore a coiled hairdo with two gold hairpins. Her outfit included a deep purple round-collared short jacket with linked beads pattern, paired with a light gray skirt adorned with butterflies, and draped in a silver gauze shawl.

As she walked, her steps were light and graceful, and her waistline was elegantly curved, exuding an air of cultivated sophistication from years of experience.

Upon seeing her, Zhu Yan felt a sense of familiarity but couldn't immediately place her. She turned to Shen Du for clarification.

"Our manager has arrived," one of the servants announced.

"Manager?" Shen Du's gaze was also fixed on her, his brows slightly raised with a hint of amusement. "If I’m not mistaken, isn't this Manager Yang, who serves the Princess Yong'an?"

With Shen Du's reminder, Zhu Yan remembered that she had indeed seen this woman as a trusted maid beside Princess Yong'an.

No wonder she carried herself with such distinction; having spent years in the imperial palace, she had undoubtedly perfected her demeanor and etiquette.

It was clear now that such a grand establishment as the Bi Jiang Gold Workshop could not be run by a mere palace maid. The true owner behind Bi Jiang Gold Workshop must be Princess Yong'an.

Manager Yang smiled slightly and curtsied to Shen Du. "Lord Shen, you flatter me with your keen observation, recognizing a humble servant like myself. May I ask what brings you to our humble establishment today?"

Shen Du pulled out a thin piece of paper from his sleeve and got straight to the point. "Five years ago, a customer named Liu Fu ordered a batch of gold ornaments from your esteemed workshop. Do you recall anything about this matter?"

She took the paper from Shen Du, noticing that the edges had yellowed with age. The design depicted on it was a pattern of gold butterflies, and she frowned slightly. "Indeed, there was such an order. Although the goldsmiths here have dealt with many customers over the past five years, this particular design was quite unique, so I still remember it."

Though Manager Yang was a trusted confidante of Princess Yong'an and managed the prestigious Bi Jiang Gold Workshop, she still referred to herself as a humble servant in front of Shen Du. Her deference caused the surrounding attendants to lower their heads even further, fearful of offending the distinguished guest.

Manager Yang spoke with a tone of humility, but her demeanor exuded an effortless grace. She explained, “However, the gold workshop did not proceed with the creation of this batch of jewelry. Firstly, the design was too intricate and complex, making it difficult to produce. It required direct confirmation with the customer and the craftsmen.”

“Regarding the second reason, this Liu Fu only had an elderly mother who he supported by selling counterfeit calligraphy and paintings. He was not a wealthy person.”

“He had never visited the gold shop before, and when he came, he wanted to order such expensive gold ornaments. Since it was a custom order with a special design and meaning, if anything went wrong and he backed out, the ornaments couldn’t be sold to other customers. Even with a deposit, it wouldn't cover the loss. Therefore, I carefully considered it and had my staff postpone the order, and indeed, Liu Fu never appeared again.”

“Elderly mother?”

Thinking she might find some clues at the gold shop, Zhu Yan was disappointed to learn that the Bi Jiang Gold Shop never made the gold ornaments for Liu Fu. However, she unexpectedly gained new information from Yang's comments.

As the daylight outside gradually dimmed, Zhu Yan said to Shen Du: “My Lord, since it's getting late, why don’t we go to Fengle Alley and look for Liu Fu’s mother?”

Yang’s gaze shifted past Zhu Yan, and she sighed lightly: “After Liu Fu left the deposit and then vanished, I had sent someone to Fengle Alley to search for him. We later learned that he had been missing for a long time. His mother, grieving the loss of her son, soon passed away from depression.”

“What?” Zhu Yan was taken aback, her brows furrowing tightly.

She had thought she was about to discover another clue, only to have it cut off so soon.

Shen Du lifted his eyes to scrutinize Manager Yang's demeanor, a faint smile playing on his lips.

His gaze was too sharp, like a hook, as if it could mercilessly pierce into the depths of one's heart. Under such a menacing scrutiny, his smile carried an eerie sense of mockery, making Manager Yang feel a chill run down her spine and her back go cold.

“Manager Yang, you truly perform your duties diligently. No wonder Princess Yong'an values you so highly,” Shen Du said, picking up the tea cup next to him and gently swirling it, causing the purple bamboo shoots tea leaves to float and curl, releasing a rich aroma.

Manager Yang's fingers curled up inside her sleeve: “Grand Chief Guard, what do you mean by this?”

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