Since it doesn't matter who I marry, why break off the engagement and displease the Emperor?
Moreover, there's the possibility that he might fall in love with Princess Huai'an.
Xie Jingyan was about to speak when Shen Du heard Shen Wan's footsteps and raised his hand to interrupt him, so as not to be discovered by Shen Wan.
Shen Wan walked in and called out, "Big Brother."
Chen Du laughed and said, "As expected of your sister's own choice of brother-in-law, he has suffered all the hardships for you. He is truly remarkable."
Shen Wan blushed and glared at her elder brother, saying, "Brother, don't just keep praising him. You should learn more from the Prince in the future and make sure your future sister-in-law doesn't suffer."
Shen Du, “…”
Chen Feng felt a little sorry for Shen Du.
Fearing that the princess would blame herself, he did not tell her that he loved someone else, not Princess Huai'an.
Now he's going to marry Princess Huai'an, but his sweetheart is going to marry someone else. Who knows if he'll fall for her instead...
The princess is rubbing salt into her brother's wounds.
Chen Du felt a little depressed, but still nodded and said, "Okay, brother will learn from brother-in-law."
As he spoke, he took out a five-thousand-tael silver note from his pocket and handed it to Shen Wan, saying, "This is from your father. He hasn't had time to come see you these past few days. He'll come again after he's been busy for a while."
Shen Wan said, "I have money, I don't need my father to give me any."
Chen Du chuckled, "I've never seen anyone complain about having too much money. It's from your father, so just take it."
As he spoke, he grabbed Shen Wan's hand and slapped the silver note into her hand.
This scene made one of the men's faces turn black.
Shen Du came to visit Shen Wan as her older brother, and left after confirming that he had nothing else to do.
Shen Wan returned to her room and asked Haitang to take the silver notes away and put them away safely.
Yinshuang walked in with a big smile, and Shen Wan asked, "What good news do you have to report?"
Yinshuang covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "The old lady moved back to Qinghui Courtyard today, but the Marquis said that the old lady's complexion was not good and she still needed to rest, so he made the old lady move back to the Buddhist hall."
Shen Wan, "..."
A smile bloomed on Shen Wan's face.
She could imagine how unpleasant the old lady's face must have looked when she heard her father say those words.
For my father to say such a thing, it must be that the old lady has angered him again.
Shen Wan was very curious about what kind of trouble the old lady had caused this time.
Shen Wan said, "Let me explain from the beginning."
Yinshuang then began her story from the beginning, starting with the Second Master and Second Madam's return from the Prince of Jin's residence.
The second wife, not inferior to the Duke of Zhongguo's family, declared at the Prince of Jin's residence that she would also make up for Shen Ying's dowry. However, even the Marquis of Pingyang's family might not be as wealthy as the Duke of Zhongguo's family, let alone the second branch. The second wife was not one to back down in words. She asked the second master for money, but he only gave her five thousand taels, and he didn't give her any more.
The second master's attitude infuriated the second wife. In her eyes, her son was gone, and she only had one daughter, Shen Ying. In the future, the entire second branch of the family would belong to her daughter. But then a pair of illegitimate children appeared. All her years of scheming had ended up benefiting an illegitimate child. She would never agree to that.
However, the second master and his wife have become estranged, to the point of open hostility.
The second master kept a mistress, and the second mistress angrily returned to her parents' home. The old lady couldn't bear to let her son come to apologize, so she asked Shen Wan to persuade the second mistress. This matter reached Shen Jing's ears, and the old lady was punished by being sent to the Buddhist hall to "rest quietly," while the second master was forced to go and apologize with thorns on his back.
Although the second wife returned to the mansion with the second master that same day, the second master also paid a considerable price, compensating the second wife with a four-courtyard house, two shops, and even giving her the indenture of the mistress. If the mistress disobeyed or disrespected her grandmother, the second wife could sell her off or even beat her to death.
After the second wife returned to the Marquis's mansion, she set rules for that mistress every morning and evening. The second master already had objections, which is why he gave the second wife so many things. If he gave them to Shen Ying as well, did he, the second master of the Pingyang Marquis's mansion, live off a little salary?
The second wife had no choice but to go to the old lady and ask her to use public funds to make up for Shen Ying's dowry.
The old lady was furious when Shen Jing punished her by sending her to the Buddhist hall to reflect on her actions. Shen Jing had sent her there under the pretense of recuperation, saying she could move back once she recovered. The old lady couldn't stand being in the Buddhist hall, so she took this opportunity to move back to Qinghui Courtyard and then summoned Shen Jing to discuss the matter.
When asked about the old lady's request for the public funds to provide Shen Ying with a supplementary dowry, Shen Jing directly refused, saying there was no precedent for it. The second wife then said, "The Duke of Zhongguo's mansion provided a supplement, but our Marquis of Pingyang's mansion doesn't. If word gets out, people will laugh at us."
Afraid of being laughed at?
He had just been promoted, yet he was demoted two ranks by the emperor for keeping a mistress. Hadn't he been ridiculed enough?!
The Second Master's shameful act has implicated the young master's marriage prospects and affected the reputation of the other masters in the Marquis's mansion. He's finally showing some concern for his reputation when it comes to buying things for his daughter.
Fourth Madam said, "If Duke Zhongguo is reluctant to give his daughter a share, then the second branch can give her a share too. But it's too unfair to make the Duke pay for this. This is a disaster for the Prince of Jin's mansion. Once the assassin is caught and the mastermind behind it is found, the arsonist should compensate for these losses."
The second wife was annoyed by the fourth wife's loose tongue, saying, "Anyone who dares to burn down the Prince of Jin's mansion is no ordinary person. When will we catch them? What if we can't catch them at all?!"
If they can't catch them, they can only accept their fate. What else can they do? Fourth Madam said, "Can Prince Jin starve his two princesses? Besides, the burned house deeds, land deeds, and servants' indentures can all be replaced."
The second wife and the fourth wife started arguing.
The Fourth Madam used to be very tolerant, but ever since she slapped the Lady of Wuding Marquis, she has become much more assertive in her words and actions. She is determined not to let anyone take advantage of what is rightfully hers.
The money from the public treasury is divided among the four families. When the public treasury pays this money, it is equivalent to the four families also compensating Shen Ying for her share.
Shen Jing was busy with military affairs and didn't want to listen anymore. He was about to leave when the old lady slammed her hand on the table and said, "If you make any more noise, you're all going to the Buddhist hall to reflect on your actions!"
The second wife said aggrievedly, "They say my husband and I are useless. If the second branch of the family had money, why would we need to supplement the family income? Ying'er is the Princess Consort of Jin. If she loses face and is laughed at, our Marquis's mansion will also lose face. I'm only thinking of the Marquis's mansion..."
The old lady looked at Chen Jing and asked, "Is the Marquis really so heartless as to watch Ying'er be outshone by the daughter of the Duke of Zhongguo?"
His refusal to accept money from the public sector shows his heartlessness.
Each time Shen Jing saw the old lady, she felt more and more unfamiliar with her.
The second master kept his mistress and illegitimate child, providing them with a life of luxury. Now that it's his own daughter's turn, he can't afford to spend any money. Instead of scolding the second master, the old lady blames him, the head of the family.
No money, huh?
He can pay for the second wife's expenses!
Shen Jing directly instructed Steward Li, "Take ten thousand taels from the public funds and give it to the Second Madam. When the family is divided later, this money will be deducted from the Second Madam's share."
Did the second wife get the money?
I asked for it, but I didn't get it.
No one said anything.
After taking two steps, Shen Jing said coldly, "Get another doctor to examine the old lady. If she is not well, move her back to the Buddhist hall to recuperate for a while longer."
Steward Li is quite shrewd; the Marquis's order must mean he hasn't taken good care of the child.
The doctor took the old lady's pulse and said she needed to rest.
Then the old lady moved back to the Buddhist hall.
People of advanced age often have some health problems, which means that since Shen Jing disagrees, the old lady will have to spend the rest of her life in the Buddhist hall.
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