Evening, at the Jiang family's old residence.
Jiang's mother, along with Jiang's sister-in-law, Granny Xing, and Jiang Lan, prepared dinner.
There was still a lot of meat, vegetables and other food left at the banquet.
The members of the Jiang family from all branches, along with Aunt Jiang who had not yet left, gathered around the dining table.
Apart from the children, everyone else sat around two tables placed side by side.
"You've all worked hard these past two days. Jiang Qi's matter has been successfully completed."
Tomorrow, you should all get busy with whatever you need to do.
After Jiang's father finished speaking, Jiang's aunt glanced at Jiang Lan, who seemed hesitant to speak, and then spoke up.
"Big brother, sister-in-law, Jiang Qi's matter is settled, what about Jiang Lan's?"
"Jiang Lan?"
Mr. Jiang looked at his aunt with a puzzled expression. What's wrong with Jiang Lan?
"Jiang Lan is getting married at the end of the year. Has her dowry been prepared? And Jiang Qi, is it true that your brother isn't giving her any dowry?"
After Aunt Jiang finished speaking, Jiang Lan and Sister-in-law Jiang both looked at Father Jiang, their faces tense. Jiang Qi remained calm; she had already expressed her thoughts.
Jiang Lan was afraid that her father would say something she didn't want to hear, and Jiang's sister-in-law was also afraid that her father would make some promises.
"Hasn't Jiang Lan's dowry already been prepared?"
"Big brother, how much is that?"
"What do you mean by 'not much'? It's about the same as Jiang Qi's dowry, and even has a few more items!"
Jiang's father glanced at Jiang's mother. Was this how they prepared?
"Yes, it's about the same as Jiang Qi's dowry."
Unlike Jiang's father, Jiang's mother understood the intricacies of the matter.
“Father, but now, my sister’s dowry is much more than mine.”
Jiang Lan couldn't hold back her tears. She looked at everyone present with a wronged expression, and finally looked at Jiang Qi, tears falling down her face.
"Brother, these are sisters, married not long apart. Their dowries are so different, it doesn't look very good, does it?"
Aunt Jiang still loves Jiang Lan very much. This niece looks like her and has lived in her house for a while, so their relationship is different.
“Jiang Qi’s dowry is large because her betrothal gifts are large. We prepared the same things for them. We didn’t keep Jiang Lan’s betrothal gifts either; she took them all. Are you suggesting that Jiang Qi should share her betrothal gifts with Jiang Lan? That’s not how things are done.”
"Father, I didn't. I didn't want my sister's betrothal gifts."
Jiang Lan covered her face and began to sob.
"Jiang Lan, the dowry we prepared for your marriage is the largest in the entire Jiang family village. We didn't keep any of your betrothal gifts."
Jiang's mother sighed. "Jiang Lan is so ungrateful."
"Waaah..."
Jiang Lan didn't speak, but the crying didn't stop.
Jiang Qi looked at her parents and her weeping sister, but she didn't say anything. She herself relied on her second brother and sister-in-law for a living, and the money she had was given to her by her sister-in-law. The few dozen taels of silver she had from her divorce were not enough to cover her expenses for the past two years.
“Jiang Lan, don’t feel wronged. Your parents are only so capable. We’ve done everything we could.”
Jiang's father was surprised that Jiang Lan was dissatisfied with his dowry, as she hadn't shown any signs of it before!
"Big brother, Jiang Lan understands that the family's financial situation is limited. However, it's the youngest sister's wedding. As the older siblings, shouldn't you at least show your support and do your part?"
Aunt Jiang spoke to her three nephews and Jiang Qi. Jiang Lan's eyes were red, and she looked at her brothers with anticipation.
"Oh dear, Aunt, you know that Shuheng is studying at the county school, and Shaoqin is even working as his father's page. Unlike my second brother's wife, we're not good at making money. We really are willing but unable to."
Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Jiang immediately began to plead poverty.
Previously, when her mother-in-law was sick, the family contributed more than ten taels of silver, and she felt the pinch for a long time, only paying a small fraction of the amount.
“What you’re saying, sister-in-law, is it your fault that second sister-in-law is good at making money? Her money is earned through hard work. If you could work like second sister-in-law, toiling in the watermelon field every day under the sun and wind, you could also make money.”
Li Qiuniang had long disliked Jiang Dasao, who didn't want to do any work all day and always thought that other people's money came from thin air.
"Third sister-in-law, I didn't say anything to you, why are you so agitated?"
"I'm just standing up for you because I can't stand you."
Li Qiuniang was thinking about how she was about to move out, and she felt uncomfortable holding back her anger for so long.
"How dare you talk to me like that?"
"Hmph, that's what they say."
The two women were pulled by their husbands; their parents were there, what kind of behavior was this?
"Second brother, third brother..."
Jiang Lan was persistent; she mainly wanted her second brother to contribute some money. His family owned houses, shops, and had hired so many servants…
“Jiang Lan, as your older brother, we will contribute to your dowry when you get married, but we cannot provide a proper dowry.”
"Second brother, you don't love me anymore, sob sob..."
Jiang's mother was about to say something when Jiang's father pulled her back. He wanted to see what else Jiang Lan could say.
"Shuyun, Yi'an, with your current circumstances, isn't it easy for you to prepare a dowry of several hundred taels for your sister?"
Aunt Jiang had inquired and learned that Jiang Shuyun and her family had planted several hundred acres of watermelons this year, earning at least several thousand taels of silver. Their shop also brought in income every day.
"Aunt, we can come up with several hundred taels of silver, but on what basis?"
Jiang Shuyun was about to say something when Mu Yi'an pulled him aside and took over the conversation himself.
"Jiang Lan is Shu Yun's sister, her own sister. Tell me, why should she?"
Aunt Jiang's temper flared up as well. She was used to being in charge at home and forgot for a moment that she needed to get along well with Jiang Shuyun and the others.
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