Fang's eyes lit up; "You mean to use Lu Yucheng's marriage as an excuse to suppress that dead woman's dowry?"

Madam Wei nodded, then shook her head: "It's probably not going to work if we try to suppress it all. I reckon you'll still have to take out a portion."

Fang immediately exclaimed, "That won't do!"

Mother Wei fell silent.

After thinking about it, Fang felt that what she said was indeed a bit too much: "Then let's give her two estates in Xilin."

Those two estates are barely surviving and we're looking for someone to sell them off. They won't fetch much money anyway, so it's better to give them to that wretched girl. It's a way for her stepmother to show her some affection.

Seeing that Wei Mama still didn't speak, Fang's face darkened: "What, you think that's not enough? That wretched girl dares to be so greedy?"

Madam Wei gave an awkward smile: "I'm afraid the Duke and the young master won't agree."

"What should we do then? We can't just give her a few more shops, can we? The dozen or so shops we have left are all very profitable. How can we give them to her?"

Madam Wei patiently said, "Madam, we should give you a few shops, but you can talk to the Duke about the young master's marriage and keep a portion for yourself."

Madam Fang frowned: "That's true, but I'm still short of these things. What about Mi'er and Pei'er's dowries?"

Madam Wei chuckled softly, "The dowries of the Second and Third Misses aren't enough, but there's still the Heir Apparent's wife's."

"The Crown Prince's wife?"

"That's right. The young master is coming back this time, and he will definitely arrange a marriage. If the Duke asks the Emperor for help, he might stay in Shengjing for a while longer, and perhaps the wedding will take place. After all, the young master is already twenty-two years old."

Madam Fang nodded, agreeing that it was indeed a possibility. If her son were to reach adulthood and still be unmarried, she would be so worried that she wouldn't be able to sleep.

"When the young master's wife enters the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, won't dozens or even hundreds of loads of dowry be carried in like a flowing river?"

“Once the Duke and the young master return to the Southern Frontier, won’t your daughter-in-law’s dowry be in your hands? No matter how much the Duke interferes, he can’t possibly meddle in his daughter-in-law’s dowry, can he? If you give more of the late Madam’s dowry to the eldest daughter now, the Duke will see that you are generous and will naturally stop interfering in the affairs of the manor.”

Upon hearing Wei Mama's words, Fang's face grew increasingly joyful. Indeed, Lu Yucheng couldn't possibly return to Shengjing without getting married.

Even if they don't get married, they have to get engaged first.

To become the wife of the heir of the prestigious Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, one's in-laws must come from a distinguished family, and thus, one's dowry must be substantial.

“You’re right, you’re right. Let’s go have a meal first, and then we’ll go back to Haitang Garden and discuss which noble ladies from prominent families in Shengjing will marry into the family and how much dowry they will bring.”

In the backyard, Fang's two daughters and one son all received gifts sent by Lu Yucheng.

The maid was tidying up: "Second Miss, do you think this is Yanluo gauze? I heard that this kind of fabric is extremely hard to buy, but I didn't expect the eldest young master to give you a whole bolt. Look, it's even embroidered with peach blossoms. Second Miss, you can use it to make a dress; it will definitely look extremely beautiful on you."

"The weather has been getting warmer these past few days. If you wear this when you go for a spring outing, it will surely attract butterflies. Second Miss, the palace banquet is the day after tomorrow. Why don't I take it to the embroiderers in the manor right away and have them make one for you overnight? On that day, you will surely outshine all the beauties when you wear this dress."

The second young lady, Lu Jinmi, glanced coldly at the little maid: "Heh, short-sighted little maid! The best gauze is the light purple one, and the hardest to buy is this tacky peach pink. It looks cheap. Look at these big peach blossoms on it. If you didn't know better, you'd think it was worn by someone from a brothel."

The maid's face turned bright red. Such beautiful embroidery and such precious fabric had been described so negatively by the second young lady.

Lu Jinmi said angrily, "Go and find out what gift the eldest young master brought to Lu Xiaoyun."

In the past, after my father and brothers passed away, my mother would have those things carried directly into her courtyard.

Everything is a good thing.

But now, things are really messed up. I can't even see him anymore, and he might even be carried to Prince An's mansion by Lu Yucheng tomorrow.

She wouldn't go to the Prince An's mansion to ask for something, would she?

Lu Jinmi twisted the handkerchief in her hand tightly.

"Second, Second Miss... those things are in the eldest young master's courtyard, this servant dares not go there."

We can't exactly let her sneak into the eldest young master's courtyard and then rummage through it.

Lu Jinmi snorted coldly: "Useless! I've already given you a chance. Your elder brother is already of age, and you still don't seize the opportunity. Be careful he doesn't leave again in a few days. When he comes back in three years, he'll definitely be bringing a young mistress into the manor. If he marries a powerful young mistress, let's see how you'll rise to the top!"

The maid's face turned so red it was almost dripping blood: "Second, Second Miss, this servant, this servant has never had such improper thoughts. This servant only wants to serve you by your side for the rest of my life."

Lu Jinmi looked at the little maid's pure yet still childish face. Her face was round, her forehead was full, and her big almond eyes were slightly red. She could not be described as beautiful, but she was fresh and cute.

Her obedient and adorable appearance is extremely endearing to men.

I don't know what my mother was thinking when she chose such a maid to be by her side.

As she's grown taller and more shapely over the years, with defined breasts, a defined waist, and a defined bottom, she's become the envy of many.

Lu Jinmi said coldly, "What, are you saving your good looks to climb into your future son-in-law's bed?"

The maid's face, which had been flushed, turned deathly pale. She knelt down with a thud and choked out, "Second Miss, this servant... this servant would never have had such a thought."

Even the fine silk gauze in her hand slipped from her grasp and rolled to the ground, tumbling and swirling around a few times before the entire piece of fine silk gauze scattered.

Sunlight streamed in through the cracks in the windowpanes, casting golden rays that made the dust motes dance in the air.

When the third young lady, Lu Jinpei, entered with her maid, she saw her second sister looking coldly at the kneeling maid, with the gifts her eldest brother had brought for them scattered all over the floor.

Lu Jinpei glanced sideways, sat down at the table, slowly poured herself a cup of tea, and said, "Second Sister, why are you taking your anger out on me again?"

Lu Jinmi glanced at her and said, "Did you see the things Lu Yucheng gave you?"

Lu Jinpei took a sip of tea and said, "Hmm, a few jade hairpins and a piece of fine smoky gauze, light green. I've already had the embroiderers in the manor take it to make clothes."

Lu Jinmi snorted coldly: "Light green? Ha, it's not much prettier than this tacky peach pink. The one I'll definitely give to that brat Lu Xiaoyun is light purple!"

Lu Jinpei said indifferently, "Of course, they are siblings, born from the same womb, unlike us, who are always separated by a distance."

"Why?! My elder brother used the Duke of Zhenguo's money to buy it, so why is Lu Xiaoyun's stuff considered better, and we have to be inferior to hers!"

Lu Jinpei glanced indifferently at Lu Jinmi, whose face was filled with anger, and fiddled with the jade bracelet on her wrist: "Second sister, it's just a piece of cloth, what's the big deal?"