Why don’t you just go and rob someone?

The moment she heard the price was eight hundred taels of silver, Yunrong immediately sprang to her feet.

"What? Eight hundred taels of silver? Why don't you just go out and rob someone?" She jabbed a finger at me as she shouted, her voice so piercing it could shake the heavens and make ghosts weep. The customers upstairs were all staring at us, and those downstairs craned their necks for a better look.

"Miss, this truly is a fine piece—what you’re saying is..." I tried my best to appear mortified, lowering my head in feigned embarrassment to hide the laughter bubbling inside me. I delighted in seeing her flustered.

The attention in the room grew ever more intense. Qiao Ruoqing blushed with embarrassment and hurriedly took Yunrong’s hand, signaling her to calm down. That was when Yunrong finally noticed the many curious eyes trained on her and grew sheepish herself.

"It's nothing, nothing—please, everyone, go on, carry on," she said quickly, trying to smooth things over, but many continued to watch.

Now there was truly no way out. If they left with their tails between their legs, how would the two of them show their faces again? Plenty of noble ladies and madams frequented my jewelry house. In Moonlight Kingdom’s upper circles, women had nothing but time for gossip and rivalry. Yunrong, being so proud, would never swallow such humiliation. Besides, it was only a bit of embarrassment, nothing truly wicked—I felt perfectly justified.

Yunrong and Qiao Ruoqing were no fools; they soon realized my game. I wanted to force their hand, make them buy even if they didn’t want to, to swallow their pride and pay up.

"Oh my, to think she looks every bit the noble lady, yet she can’t even produce a little silver," some sharp-eyed woman in the crowd sneered, thoroughly enraging Yunrong.

"You—!" Yunrong made to rush at her, but Qiao Ruoqing quickly held her back, shaking her head in warning. A scandal like this would ruin her prospects—no well-bred girl should court such infamy.

Yunrong understood this well—as did every maiden.

"Who says I can’t afford it? Steward, wrap up both sets of the headpieces for me."

"At once, miss!"

This was exactly the effect I wanted. Yunrong lifted her chin in pride. I wondered how she would explain herself when she got home. Having worked as a maid in General Yun Heng’s household, I knew any expense over five hundred taels had to be meticulously recorded. Yunrong, just wait for your scolding.

"If I may, miss—the silver?" I ventured meekly, making sure to keep up the act.

"Send someone to fetch it from the General’s residence. Do you really think the General’s household would owe a tiny shop like yours?"

"Of course, I understand."

Thus, Yunrong and Qiao Ruoqing swept out, proud as peacocks under the gaze of the crowd. But to my eyes, they were nothing more than two bedraggled birds, less impressive than a pair of chicks.

Poor Qingyi—I had assigned him the arduous task of collecting the payment.