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As it was inappropriate to stay longer, Yun Shi took Wei Ruo and Wei Qingwan to take their leave from Madam Yuan.
After leaving the flower hall, Wei Ruo noticed the servants in the residence hurrying about, all heading toward the rear courtyard.
It clearly wasn’t just a simple case of a fire in the front yard.
After Wei Ruo and the others left, Lord Yuan rushed back to the residence.
He had gone out early in the morning to conduct inspections, and by the time he received the news and returned, it was already late.
“Wife, are you all right?” Yuan Zhengqin asked first about his wife’s condition as soon as he entered.
“I’m fine, and no one in the household was hurt either,” Madam Yuan replied.
“That’s good, very good. I’ll send people immediately to track down those thieves.”
Yuan Zhengqin was just about to call someone in when Madam Yuan stopped him, “Husband, let today’s matter end here. Don’t make it public. Give the order—tell people it was just a fire in the front courtyard. Do not let word of the break-in at the rear courtyard spread.”
Her words left Yuan Zhengqin puzzled. “Wife, what’s going on?”
“Today there was a fire and a break-in, and it all happened precisely when you were not home. It’s hard not to believe it was done on purpose,” Madam Yuan said gravely.
“In that case, all the more reason to track those thieves down and bring them to justice,” Yuan Zhengqin said.
“After those thieves broke into the residence, they didn’t harm anyone. Only two items were stolen from the storeroom.”
“What items were taken?”
“One was the Plum Blossoms Proud in the Snow painting; the other was a dagger named Dragon Design,” Madam Yuan replied, her brows tightly furrowed as she spoke of the two items.
“What is special about these two things?”
Yuan Zhengqin didn’t have any particular impression of them and was certain they weren’t among the more valuable items in their storeroom.
Why would the thieves go to such great lengths to infiltrate the storeroom only to steal two items that weren’t particularly valuable?
Or was there something more to it?
“These two items indeed are not especially valuable, but they come from the same origin. Back when the Duke of Xu’s mansion was confiscated, everything seized was sent to the national treasury. In the period after, these items were gradually rewarded to various people by His Majesty the Emperor’s uncle.
My father, the prince, received some of them as well. This Plum Blossoms Proud in the Snow painting and the dagger were among the things rewarded to my father. When I married and came to Taizhou Prefecture, they came with me as part of my dowry. Since they were not anything special, I never paid them much attention.
It was only just now, when comparing with the dowry inventory to confirm what was stolen, that I discovered both items originated from there.”
After hearing his wife’s explanation, Yuan Zhengqin still couldn’t understand, “Why would someone go to so much trouble to steal these two things?”
Madam Yuan shook her head. “I can’t figure it out either. The Duke of Xu and his heir have been dead for over ten years. All those connected to the incident back then were either executed, demoted, or went into hiding. Why would someone now go to such lengths for two old objects from that time?”
“You don’t want me to make this public because you suspect these people are somehow connected to the former Duke of Xu’s household?” Yuan Zhengqin asked.
“I don’t know whether they’re connected to the Duke of Xu’s household or not. But these people were highly skilled—even the elite guards from my father’s palace, who’ve followed me for years, couldn’t subdue them.
And yet, they didn’t harm anyone in our household. That’s why I believe they hold no malice toward us—they only wanted these two items. And since they are of no use to me, giving them away is no loss,” Madam Yuan replied.
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