CHAPTER 44: PAWNED JEWELS AND UNWANTED COMPANY

"Elder Sister, did you see that arrogant look of his?" Rong Yuelin said in a low aggrieved voice as she leaned closer to Xie Lianhua.

"It’s just a box of jewelry. It’s nothing special," Xie Lianhua said softly, pretending to be understanding. "Let him have it."

However inside, she thought differently. Once she became Rong Tieshan’s wife, the entire Beirong Kingdom would belong to her, what were a few pieces of jewelry compared to that?

Across the street, Yue Mingxuan entered a pawnshop. Without even opening the box to look at its contents, he placed it on the counter. "Pawn it all," he said simply.

The shopkeeper blinked his eyes in surprise. "Young man, this box contains fine jade jewelry from Wanbao Treasury Shop! Are you sure you want to pawn everything?"

Even though he was used to seeing wealthy clients, the shopkeeper couldn’t hide his shock and began studying Yue Mingxuan more closely.

"Yes, pawn everything," Yue Mingxuan replied.

He could feel the shopkeeper’s suspicious gaze and grew slightly impatient.

These pawnshop owners always judged people by appearance and seeing his current state, they were probably wondering who he had stolen it from.

This time, Yue Mingxuan had misunderstood the shopkeeper.

Although the jewelry from Wanbao Treasury Shop wasn’t the best in the entire Beirong Kingdom, it was still highly sought after by the noble young ladies of the capital. And the box Yue Mingxuan brought was no ordinary collection, it contained the finest pieces crafted by Wanbao Treasury Shop’s best artisans.

For any ordinary people, just owning one or two of these exquisite jade accessories would have been enough to make them overjoyed. But to see someone bring in an entire box of them to pawn? That was almost unthinkable.

"May I ask, Young Master, do you want to pawn it permanently or just temporarily?" the shopkeeper asked carefully after glancing at Yue Mingxuan.

Anyone who could bring in a full box of Wanbao Treasury Shop jewelry had to be either rich or noble, he didn’t dare offend such a person.

"Whichever gives the highest price," Yue Mingxuan replied lightly.

Of course, he knew the true value of these jade pieces.

However, since the one who had given them to him was Rong Tieshan, that man who owed him so much, no, who owed the former Yue Mingxuan so much, these jewels didn’t carry any emotional weight.

To him, they were nothing more than a small bit of "interest" he was collecting from the royal family of beirong. No matter how beautiful and delicate the jewelry was, it could never compare to real silver or a good, satisfying meal.

"Here’s your pawn ticket and the silver notes, please keep them safe," the shopkeeper said soon after handing over a thick stack of notes.

When Yue Mingxuan took them, he noticed that the weight and thickness felt almost the same as the silver notes that Mo Yi had given him earlier that morning.

He tucked the silver safely into his medicine pouch feeling satisfied and strode out of the pawnshop.

Just as he stepped through the door, a familiar voice stopped him. "Prince Yue."

It was Rong Tieshan.

Yue Mingxuan felt a faint twinge of guilt rise in his chest.

After all, he had just pawned away the very jewelry that Rong Tieshan had given him not long ago.

So, his tone softened slightly as he spoke witout he realized, "Do you need something? If not, I’m going to get something to eat."

When Rong Tieshan saw Yue Mingxuan walking out of a pawnshop and noticed that the box of jade jewelry was gone, he immediately understood what had happened.

Anger flickered across his face, but beneath that a wave of pity and guilt stirred within him.

So this was how far he had fallen.

When Yue Mingxuan had been his fiancée, Rong Tieshan had never taken the time to truly understand him.

Ironically, it was only now after they had drifted apart that he found himself unable to look away.

Was it guilt that made him pay attention?

Perhaps.

But there was something else too, something deeper and harder to name.

Rong Tieshan didn’t dare think too much about it.

Yue Mingxuan looked at the complicated emotions flickering in Rong Tieshan’s eyes and felt a headache coming on.

"If you’re done staring, I’m going to eat," he said casually. Right now, all he wanted was a big hearty meal.

After all, he had just earned himself quite a bit of silver and it’s enough to buy a whole cart of ducks.

"Since Prince Yue is being so generous," Rong Tieshan said with a faint smile, seizing the moment, "then I shall graciously accept your invitation. I’ve heard there’s a fine restaurant nearby, let’s go there."

Yue Mingxuan blinked his eyes at him, both annoyed and amused.

When had he ever said he was inviting him to eat?

Did this royal prince really lack meals so badly that he had to freeload off him now?

He touched the pouch at his waist and sighed inwardly.

Forget it.

He had just squeezed a fair amount of silver out of Rong Tieshan earlier, so giving him one meal wouldn’t make him poor.

Rong Tieshan studied Yue Mingxuan quietly.

Even though his small face was covered with so much rouge that it make him looked like he had opened a cosmetics shop on his cheeks, those bright and lively eyes revealed every thought in his mind very clearly.

Rong Tieshan felt a pang of regret.

Why hadn’t he noticed before just how vivid, sharp and lively this person really was?

"Hey! Are you coming or not?" Yue Mingxuan said impatiently when he saw Rong Tieshan just standing there in dazed. "If you wan to eat, then let’s go."

Rong Tieshan blinked his eyes feeling startled out of his thoughts.

Yue Mingxuan who is watching him couldn’t make sense of this man’s strange behavior.

What was going on in this head, anyway?

Probably something bad.