Hearing Pingxi Hou's words, Chen Zhong sneered inwardly. Pingxi Hou had long been a laughing stock in the capital. Any truly prestigious family in the capital that didn't have a close relationship with Pingxi Hou, or even the gatherings that Little Chen attended, were all low-class flower parties and parties. Why? It was because after Pingxi Hou took a second wife, he mistreated the children born to his first wife. Everyone was a cunning fox; could they not see through the trickery at the old lady's birthday banquet last year?

Chen Zhong listened attentively. The Marquis of Pingxi continued, "These are all old grievances. If it weren't for these rumors, they wouldn't have been brought up again. Brother-in-law, as long as it can help our Marquis's mansion get through this crisis, you can name your terms."

Chen Zhong finally heard Pingxi Hou's words. He cleared his throat and said, "Since we're going to adopt him, let's make it as thorough as possible. Yuan'er is going to be your second uncle's adopted son. After he and Yuanyuan are adopted, we'll find them a courtyard where they can come and go on their own. The family property left over from that mansion should also be clearly inventoried and handed over. My lord, it's not that I'm fixated on these few things, it's just that the situation is beyond my control right now. If we're going to put on an act, we have to go all the way. Otherwise, this matter will eventually become a handle for others to use against you."

Marquis Pingxi kept wiping his head with a handkerchief. Chen Zhong said, "And my half-sister, go back and explain the pros and cons of this matter to her. Tell her that you must keep an eye on my sister's dowry. It belongs to whoever it is. If she takes something that she shouldn't, people will laugh at her. It will also affect the marriage prospects of the children in the manor in the future."

Marquis Pingxi and Madam Xiao originally planned to take over Madam Da Chen's dowry. Now, after hearing what Chen Zhong said, they had an idea and said, "Brother-in-law, you know that your half-sister doesn't have any dowry. Why don't you give her something so that she won't have any other ideas?"

Chen Zhong immediately understood that this person was eyeing his sister's dowry. After thinking for a moment, he said, "This matter is not something that the two of us can decide. We also need to listen to my mother and Yuan'er and Yuanyuan's opinions. After all, these things were left to my poor sister's two children. Brother-in-law, go back and ask your wife again, and then draw up a list of the second branch's assets. Let's sit down as a family and talk this over properly."

Xiao Chen's purpose was twofold. First, she wanted to drive away Zheng Boyuan, the legitimate son left behind by the first wife, thus clearing the way for her own son to inherit the Pingxi Marquis's mansion. Second, she wanted Chen's dowry. The dowry prepared for Chen by the Chen family back then had always been a source of pain for Xiao Chen. From furniture to daily necessities, everything was carefully selected by the old lady of the Chen family. The carved huanghuali canopy bed, from material selection to craftsmanship, took more than ten years. Aunt Lü once secretly told Xiao Chen that if she could sleep on that bed for just one night, her life would be worthwhile.

Madam Chen was also an ambitious person. Having followed Aunt Lü since childhood, she had grown up listening to her various complaints and gradually learned to plan for herself. In the middle of the night, when she reflected on her experiences over the past twenty years, she felt that the first half of her life had been quite inspiring. From a lowly concubine's daughter to the current Lady of the Marquis, although she was a second wife and had to perform the rites of a concubine before the memorial tablet of the first wife, she was now the one living and enjoying the glory of the Lady of the Marquis.

Madam Chen wasn't very good at managing things. Over the years since she married into the Marquis's household, the income from the shops and land was not much. However, the expenses for maintaining such a large household were still quite high. Madam Chen had always been eyeing Madam Chen's dowry. Now that there was such an opportunity, why didn't she try to seize it?

When the Marquis of Pingxi returned, he told Madam Chen what he had said to Chen Zhong. After listening, Madam Chen pondered for a long time and asked in a low voice, "My lord, why do I hear my elder brother saying that he wants to adopt Yuanyuan and Yuan'er together?"

Marquis Pingxi was taken aback for a moment, and said, "It really is so. How could this be?"

Madam Chen now understands that all those clever ideas from Aunt Lü were just whispered in Aunt Lü's ear by Chen's father's side. Since this is what the Chen family wants to do, then it's easy to understand. They want the two children to break away from the Marquis's mansion, and what is their purpose? It's so that she can't control the two children in the future. Although Madam Chen said before she passed away that she couldn't decide on the marriages of the two children, wouldn't her desire to decide affect those who can?

Madam Chen's mind raced, and she smiled as she said, "My lord, what I mean is, please wait a little while. I'll go back to my parents' home and ask my elder brother what his plans are. Once I've asked, we can discuss this further. What do you think?"

Marquis Pingxi nodded and said, "Actually, it would be best if you were to handle this matter, but we still need to hurry, lest things get complicated."

Madam Chen smiled and agreed, but inwardly she was furious. She had fallen for Chen Zhong's trick, but since things had come to this, she could only grit her teeth and continue. Could she really tell the Marquis that she had made up the whole story?

The next day, Xiao Chen returned to her parents' home and spoke frankly with Chen Zhong about her demands. In negotiations, the most important thing is to know the other party's bottom line. Now that Chen Zhong knew why Xiao Chen had come and what her ultimate goal was, he explained his demands.

The farmland and shops that belonged to Chen Shi could be given to Xiao Chen Shi as part of her dowry, but the jewelry, furniture and ornaments that came with her dowry were to be left to the two children. Chen Zhong didn't want his half-sister, Xiao Chen Shi, to suffer a loss, so he decided to give her a discount of 20,000 taels of silver. Xiao Chen Shi had some reservations about this price because she knew that there was a box of books in Chen Shi's dowry. These were given to Chen Shi by the old master of the Chen family, the former Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies. Chen Shi had been educated under the old master and was deeply loved by him. Although the Chen family had declined now, it was once a famous scholarly family, and its heritage was the books passed down through generations.

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