The palace maid reached out to receive it, while sarcastically remarking, "Guard Long is really funny. The Empress’s hairpin is worth more than 100,000 taels of silver notes, and yet you managed to forget it."
The implication being that Long Yi intended to pocket the Empress’s hairpin and deliberately not return it.
Long Yi reacted swiftly, imdiately taking back the hairpin.
"Guard Long, what do you an by this?"
The palace maid, upon seeing this, thought Long Yi was trying to play tricks, and her expression imdiately fell.
Long Yi, with a half-smile, said, "Your words remind of sothing."
"What thing?" The palace maid glared at Long Yi with fiery eyes. This guard was unappreciative, clearly knowing she was the Empress’s person and yet wouldn’t give her any face.
Long Yi leisurely said, "Since you say the Empress’s hairpin is invaluable, if I hand it over to you without evidence or proof, and you decide to pocket it, causing the Empress to co after , who would I cry to!"
"You... you...!" Upon hearing this, the palace maid was livid. "Guard Long, are you saying you don’t want to return the Empress’s hairpin?"
Long Yi: "I never said that."
Palace Maid: "Then what do you want?"
Long Yi: "You can take it back, but you’ll need to write a proof for ."
"A proof?"
"Yes, having taken sothing, you should at least provide a receipt." At this, Long Yi paused, then pointedly added, "The Empress’s hairpin is of imnse value, and I’m afraid soone might be tempted to secretly hide it, leaving to take the bla. I wouldn’t be able to clear my na, even if I jumped into the Yellow River."
His words almost made the palace maid cough blood in anger.
Of course, the palace maid could understand Long Yi’s implied aning. He was worried she would pocket the Empress’s hairpin. As a palace maid, would she dare to swallow the Empress’s item? It truly infuriated her.
The palace maid gritted her teeth and said, "A receipt, right?"
Long Yi, ignoring the palace maid’s anger, calmly replied, "Yes."
Seething with anger, the palace maid turned around and instructed the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, bring the Four Treasures of the Study."
"Yes." The shopkeeper answered and rushed out, quickly returning with the Four Treasures of the Study.
"Aunt, the Four Treasures of the Study are here!" As he said this, the shopkeeper placed the items on the table and thoughtfully laid out the brush and ink before the palace maid.
The palace maid picked up the brush and swiftly wrote a receipt on the paper, stamping it with her fingerprint, then handed it to Long Yi, saying, "Is this sufficient now?"
Long Yi took it, gently blowing the still-wet ink, nodding with satisfaction, "Hmm, this will do."
Then, he carefully folded it and placed it in his pocket.
The palace maid, filled with anger, asked, "What about the hairpin?"
"Don’t worry, with the receipt taken, it’ll be returned to you sooner or later." Saying this, he handed the hairpin to the palace maid.
"Hmph!"
The palace maid snatched it, fuming, thinking to herself how despicable this guard was to suspect her of stealing the Empress’s belongings.
Long Yi, with a playful smile, remarked, "You’re truly bold, young lady, knowing full well the Empress’s hairpin is invaluable, yet daring to snatch it so roughly. If it breaks, it’s not my responsibility."
Palace Maid: "You...."
Long Yi said nothing further, holding his box, and turned to stride out.
"Despicable man." The palace maid cursed at his retreating figure, then seemingly rembered sothing, quickly putting the hairpin carefully in her bosom. The Empress was very fond of this hairpin; it couldn’t be damaged.
User Comments
0 comments from readers