Fierce Consort

Chapter 51

Yan Yan had an extremely deep impression towards this dangling hairpin ornament.

When she was six years old, Shen Yi Yao had lost an ornament. It was this twin Luan ornament made of ruby and jade inlaid with golden threads. This piece was part of the Zhenguo madam's dowry back in the day. She had given it to her daughter when Shen Yi Yao got married. Although it wasn't extremely precious, Shen Yi Yao had been rather fond of it. Yan Yan was still young at the time, and liked these colorful and exquisite things. She would always flip through Shen Yi Yao's jewelry box and play with the things inside.

One day, this ornament went missing. The senior maid Fang Cao said the third miss had taken it out to play. In reality, Yan Yan remembered she hadn't played with the ornament that day, and she would never take her mom's jewelry outside. She would at most play with it in front of the makeup counter or on top of the large kiln. But this ornament had inexplicably vanished.

If it were anything else, naturally no one would notice it. Shen Yi Yao had many ornaments, and didn't care about a single hairpin. But this ornament was special to her, so her heart ached dearly. She had ordered everyone to search all over without success, and had even scolded Yan Yan a few times. She forbade her from playing with her jewelry in the future.

This was a small matter to begin with, but Yan Yan kept it in mind for several years. After she grew up, she figured that this ornament going missing definitely had something to do with Fang Cao, but unfortunately had no proof.

Who would have thought the ornament would turn up in Concubine Pei's jewelry box.

It was karma after all!

The others merely assumed Yan Yan grabbed the ornament because she liked it. Xue-shi said flatteringly: "If the third miss likes it, we can ask the old madam to bestow it to you."

Yan Yan ignored her and walked directly in front of Concubine Pei, "Do you remember this thing?"

Concubine Pei was distracted. Her gaze was blank when she first saw it, and then her face turned pale.
Yan Yan didn't stand on ceremony with her. She stooped down and gave her a slap. She didn't hold back any strength, making Concubine Pei's face directly swell up. The maids on the side didn't have a chance to stop her.

Concubine Pei panted urgently. She held her face as she started crying.

"Ah Yan, why are you hitting people!?" The old madam shouted hurriedly.

"I'm hitting her no matter what! Come, Concubine Pei, tell me. How did my mom's missing hairpin end up with your things?!!

These words made the hall immediately fall silent. Everyone's eyes flickered and contained some disbelief.

"This is my own hairpin. How can it be the madam's hairpin...." Concubine Pei sobbed, not daring to raise her head.

Shen Yi Yao's face was filled with astonishment. She stepped up and examined it, her expression complicated.

"Yours? Your Pei household has this kind of hairpin? Even ignoring the fact that this jade was crafted during my great-grandmother's time, this hairpin was given to my mom by my grandmother. Don't assume that no one remembers it. Is it yours just because you say so?"

Shen Yi Yao's face was rigid. She said quietly to the old madam: "This truly is part of my dowry."

The old madam smiled rigidly, "Could there be some mistake?"

Let's put aside the matter of embezzlement for now. Embezzlement could either be a large matter or a small matter. As long as someone protects her, Concubine Pei would at most get her "personal savings" confiscated and her authority divided up. A small punishment would be enough, and she would get off almost unharmed. But stealing someone's dowry was a large crime. If that person's mother was slightly more powerful, she could absolutely use this excuse to have Concubine Pei sent home to her maternal family.