As the long-time steward of the Jiang family, how could he not know how much dowry Su brought when she married into the Jiang family?
He was even more aware of how much of Su's dowry the Jiang family had brought with them when they moved from Dingzhou to Jindu City.
But why on such a great day like today do they have to cause trouble?
His forehead was covered in sweat, and he was ready to grit his teeth and have the two men thrown out.
But then Xiao Youran leaned over and gently patted his waist.
Xiao Youran kindly remarked, "Oh dear, Butler Jiang, you really do seem to have severe nephritis! Not only nephritis, but also kidney stones!"
Butler Jiang suddenly felt intense pain all over his body, and he could barely speak.
The servants nearby rushed over to help her up. "Steward Jiang, what's wrong?"
"It hurts...it hurts..." Butler Jiang could only utter these few words before collapsing to the ground and curling up.
An old woman exclaimed, "Quickly, go and fetch a doctor!"
Chaos erupted at the entrance, and Xiao Youran swaggered into the Jiang residence, pulling her mother along.
Instead of going to the main hall, they followed the women attending the banquet around the hanging flower gate to the flower hall in the backyard.
On the way, she praised the little notebook, "A clever little devil!"
The little notebook flashed a few words with a touch of arrogance, "Of course! The moment you mentioned kidney stones, I knew you were going to make him have an attack!"
Xiao Youran gave it another thumbs up, "So you leveled up, and your IQ increased along with it?"
The little notebook still flashed proudly, "Of course! My IQ is almost 250!"
Xiao You Ran: ……
Wow, you're awesome! Your IQ is almost 250!
Inside the flower hall, Lady Yong'an was holding her granddaughter and chatting and laughing with the noble ladies around her.
Her second daughter-in-law, Princess Qingping, was introducing her eldest daughter-in-law, Lady Gao, and her third daughter-in-law, Lady Tian, to the ladies and young women in the powerful and influential circles of the capital.
She was very satisfied with this.
The Yong'an Marquis's family arrived in the capital late, and many powerful and influential people were not yet familiar with them.
Last month, during her birthday celebration, she didn't know any of these ladies and young women, so she didn't feel comfortable extending an invitation. It wasn't until the princess's daughter's 100-day celebration that she took the opportunity to get to know some of them.
This third time, it would be proper to invite the person over so that his daughters-in-law could get to know him and get to know him better.
She understood that most of these people were there because of Princess Qingping and Princess Rong, but she was already very satisfied.
That's how friendships work; you get to know each other better the first time.
She could owe the gift first, and then reciprocate by inviting the gift when the other party had a happy occasion in the future. Wouldn't that establish a good relationship?
Princess Qingping also thoroughly enjoyed this feeling. From a young age, she was adept at social interaction and, due to her father's status as a princess, she was always flattered.
Right now, a woman is praising her, "Princess Qingping, the red gold and ruby phoenix-eye hairpin you're wearing is truly beautiful! It's the only one of its kind in the entire capital!"
Princess Qingping touched the hairpin in her hair with a hint of shyness, her cheeks slightly flushed. "This was a gift from the Commandant. He said that there are quite a few new-style jewelry pieces from the north in his storeroom, and he told me to take whatever I want."
"Oh my! Your Commandant Jiang is such a considerate man! So generous and discerning! The princess and the commander are such a loving couple, it's truly the envy of everyone!"
Hearing this, Madam Gao and Madam Tian lowered their eyes, concealing the disdain in them. These were clearly the dowry jewelry of Jiang Mingyi's ex-wife, Madam Su. The Su family was the richest family in Dingzhou; what kind of jewelry couldn't they have?
Jewelry from the north is not commonly seen in Kyoto, which is why it seems so novel!
Just then, a crisp voice came from outside the door, "This phoenix-eye hairpin was custom-made by my grandfather for two thousand taels of silver, and the design was drawn by my mother herself, so it's naturally beautiful!"
Princess Qingping's expression immediately changed. She glared fiercely at the old women and maids by the door and shouted sternly, "Who dares to let anyone into the manor? Throw them out of here at once!"
Two old women came up from the left and right, grabbing Su and her daughter and trying to push them out.
Su's voice was calm and even, "We can talk outside. There are many reasonable court officials in the main hall today. I suppose people from the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Prefect of the Capital are all here?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Gao hurriedly stopped the two old women, "Wait!"
Lady Yong'an handed her granddaughter to Ru's mother, then walked out with an angry expression. "Su, how dare you, a discarded woman, step into the gates of my Jiang family again?!"
Xiao Youran was so angry that she jumped up and down. Just as she was about to step forward, Su Shi pulled her into her arms.
Then Su said softly, "Madam Yong'an, please be careful with your words. How could I be an abandoned wife? Your son Jiang Mingyi wrote the divorce papers himself, and they are also on file in the Dingzhou government office. Do you need me to take them out to prove it to everyone? Besides, do you and the princess really not know why my husband and I are divorcing?"
When she spoke her last words, her eyes were fixed coldly on the princess.
Lady Yong'an was furious. "Shut up! No matter what the reason, you two are already divorced! The Jiang family no longer welcomes you. Get out of here right now!"
Madam Su continued to smile, slowly taking out the red invitation card from her sleeve. "Madam, please don't be hasty. I'm not here today to argue about why Jiang Mingyi divorced me for some outside woman. It's just that the divorce is a fact, and you've acknowledged it. According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a divorced woman can take her dowry with her. So please return all the dowry I received when I married into the Jiang family with a grand procession."
Lady Yong'an glared at her fiercely, "Your dowry is all in Dingzhou. If you want your dowry, go back to Dingzhou to get it!"
Madam Su waved the red invitation card in her hand again, "I've already told you, Madam, please don't be anxious, let me finish. I know that your family's wealth is all in Dingzhou, so last month I had my eldest brother go to the Jiang family in Dingzhou to ask Governor Huang of Dingzhou to help us move all the dowry that the Jiang family left in Dingzhou back. But only one-tenth of it was brought back. I heard that the remaining nine-tenths of the dowry were moved to the capital."
"Nonsense! Who's spouting nonsense?!" Lady Yong'an's anger intensified. Pointing towards the main gate, she said, "I'll say it again: your dowry is to be returned to Dingzhou! There's not a single piece in the capital. You two, get out of the Jiang residence right now!"
Little Youran crawled out of her mother's arms; it was time for her to make her appearance!
She stared at the princess and said, "Isn't this my stepmother? Last time I clearly saw my mother's phoenix-and-blood-crying zither, the pearl curtain from the South China Sea, and that double-sided embroidered glass screen at the princess's residence! Today I saw you wearing my mother's red gold and ruby phoenix-eye hairpin! These are all my mother's dowry! How can you say there isn't a single one in the capital?"
She then said to Lady Yong'an, "Grandmother, are you perhaps old and forgetful? It's alright, here is a copy of my mother's dowry list. Take a good look and you'll see which items are part of my mother's dowry!"
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