“How can that be? The words have already been spoken, how can we easily go back on our word?” The old lady immediately objected.
Tao pursed her lips and muttered under her breath, "This won't work, that won't work, just let the second branch of the family pay for it."
If she had heard these words in the past, the Grand Madam would have scolded Tao Shi severely, but now that she needed her help, she could only pretend not to hear.
"Second Aunt, aren't you deliberately making things difficult for Grandmother? Grandmother is only thinking about the whole family. We are all from the Duke of Jingguo's mansion. We share the same fate. If eldest brother can't find a wife, fourth brother might not be able to find a wife either," Song Yao said.
She thought she was helping the old lady and trying to gain some favor.
However, this only fueled Tao's resentment. As if she had found an outlet for her anger, she sneered, "Your mother prides herself on treating Chuan-ge'er as her own son. Why don't you use all your savings to make up for it? If it's still not enough, there's a way. After you lose your chastity, you can go to the Han family and bring up the betrothal gifts. With your status as the eldest daughter of the Duke's mansion, you should have at least thirty loads of gifts. You're still young. The Duke's mansion can make up for it when you get married, right?"
Anyone can be heart-wrenching.
With just a few words, Tao exposed Song Yao's true colors.
Song Yao's eyes widened, both angry and ashamed, as she clutched the handkerchief in her hand tightly: "Second Aunt..."
"Stop pretending. The fault lies with the eldest son's family. They haven't even fully investigated the eldest son's family yet, and they want the second son's family to take the fall? Let me tell you, that's impossible!" Tao's attitude was firm.
The old lady glared at Tao: "If you have something to say, say it. Why bother with all this?"
Tao said aggrievedly, "Mother, so many girls and boys in the second branch haven't been engaged yet, and they'll be of marriageable age in the blink of an eye. I'm so worried, but I didn't dare tell you. The second branch is already weak, how can it compare to the first branch? If we keep pushing them, will the second branch even survive?"
Tao Shi had figured it out: the Grand Madam was biased and didn't care about the life or death of the second branch of the family. Since that was the case, why should she care?
No one should touch the interests of the second wife.
"Brother Chuan, we can't expect the whole household to starve just because of you, can we?" Madam Tao looked at Song Hengchuan and said sarcastically, "Are you really willing to watch your younger siblings refuse to get married?"
Song Hengchuan's face turned pale and then red after being rebuked, and he could never bring himself to say the words "I won't marry you."
He and Shen Ruyun were in love and had been childhood sweethearts. Marrying her was his greatest wish.
Tao added, "If it really doesn't work, we can wait another two years..."
"Enough!" The old lady grew increasingly angry as she listened, and interrupted in time. Remembering the Duke of Jingguo's instructions, she said in a deep voice, "The second branch of the family shall provide thirty loads, and the first branch of the family shall find a way to handle the rest."
“Mother…” Tao Shi bristled and stood up abruptly: “My own dowry is only this much. Are you trying to force the second wife’s family to their deaths?”
Upon hearing this, the old lady's lips trembled with anger: "What kind of talk is that?"
Tao said, "You clearly have a solution, but you insist on disregarding the life and death of the second wife. I really can't understand it. People are all made of flesh and blood. The eldest wife's child is a treasure, but the second wife's child is just weeds?"
This question put the matriarch in an awkward position, as if if she gave in, it would completely dishearten the second branch of the family, and their children would also become angry with her.
The old lady choked up, her face turning somewhat pale.
"Mother, let's not talk about how much the second branch of the family will contribute. As long as the first branch has emptied its coffers, we'll figure out what to do with the rest." Seeing that the Grand Madam's expression was not right, Madam Tao quickly changed her words.
With things having come to this point, the old lady was caught in a dilemma and had no choice but to nod.
Yuan Fuling was furious. If she emptied the main house, wouldn't that mean she would lose everything she had?
Her gaze shifted to Song Hengchuan's eager eyes, and Yuan Fuling's words of refusal stuck in her throat; she simply couldn't bring herself to say them.
"Sister-in-law, you won't be reluctant to part with it, will you?" Tao asked with a half-smile.
Yuan Fuling chuckled dryly, "How could that be? It's just that Yao'er has grown up."
“There are priorities. Yao’er is only fourteen years old. It’s not a problem to delay for another two years. At worst, the public funds will give Yao’er an extra share. I guarantee that the second branch of the family will not hold it against Yao’er.” Tao’s smile shut Yuan Fuling up.
"Don't worry, Mother, I won't stand by and watch Yao Yao suffer," Song Hengchuan said.
Yuan Fuling hated Song Yue to death. It was all her fault for causing so much trouble. She didn't respond for a long time, but Song Yao cried first: "It was clearly Song Yue who made the mistake, so why is it being blamed on us? Mother, I have no dowry. How am I going to live in the future?"
Upon hearing this, Song Hengchuan's expression changed slightly.
Song Yao looked at Song Hengchuan expectantly: "Why don't you go and talk to Song Yue? If she's willing to explain to the Emperor, wouldn't everything be resolved?"
Tao laughed out loud. She used to think Song Yao was clever, but today she saw that she was a complete fool!
Sure enough, the Dowager Lady looked at Song Yao and said, "What nonsense are you talking about! The Emperor has already issued a decree, how can it be revoked?"
After being scolded, Song Yao shrank back, still looking aggrieved and unconvinced: "That's Song Yue's fault too, Song Yue should be the one to calm things down."
“What’s wrong with Yue’er donating her share that belongs to her?” Tao asked in return.
To put it bluntly, Princess Jiahua's dowry was originally intended for Song Yue. These people were just holding it for her. Some things have been occupied for a long time, and people actually start to think they are their own.
Shameless!
Tao wanted to see her third niece, whom she had never met before. She was quite capable, managing to subdue the household without any chance of retaliation.
This young lady is quite something.
"Yaoyao, are you really unwilling to contribute a portion first?" Song Hengchuan asked Song Yao.
Song Yao kept her face down and didn't say anything; her expression said it all.
Disappointment flashed across Song Hengchuan's eyes. Over the years, he had been completely devoted to Song Yao, but when it came to the crucial moment, his beloved younger sister backed down.
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