Chapter 23: Adding to the Dowry?

One afternoon, Chi Guiwan and He Lingyi returned from their studies at the ladies' academy, only to find Madam Guo waiting for them in Shijin Courtyard.

Fudong, the maid, had been keeping a close watch on them and their companions. She made a mental note of every place they had visited and every spot they had stood, intending to scrub those areas thoroughly the moment they left, terrified that some misfortune might be left behind.

When the two young ladies walked in, chatting and laughing, they saw Madam Guo. Her eyes immediately turned red, and with a voice dripping with spite, she lamented, "How fortunate for the eldest daughter to be so full of spirit, laughing so heartily."

This single remark successfully wiped the smile from Chi Guiwan’s face. She feigned confusion and retorted, "Mother’s words are strange. The world is at peace and the weather is crisp and clear; if I am not happy, should I instead be wearing a face of mourning?"

Madam Guo’s lips twitched. She immediately assumed a look of grievance and began to weep, "That is true. After all, it is not the eldest daughter who must marry into the Lu family to suffer and endure hardship. It is only fitting that you are happy, but it is pitiful that our second daughter must suffer this ordeal for the sake of the family. I feel heartsick just thinking about it."

Chi Guiwan looked at the mother she had once deeply respected and realized she was a masterful actress, performing with such feigned sincerity. Had she not known Madam Guo’s true intentions, she might have been manipulated by those tears.

After washing her hands and sitting down, she picked up a piece of pastry, handed it to He Lingyi, and began to eat it alongside her tea.

Madam Guo looked at her in disbelief. "Eldest daughter, how can you still eat?"

"Forgive my rudeness, Mother. I suppose I developed a hearty appetite during my illness, so I am always hungry since I recovered. Today, Mother Zong extended the lesson, so I am quite famished. Please, do continue with what you were saying; I am listening."

Her expression of feigned innocence made He Lingyi stifle a laugh, masking the sound with a cough while chewing on her pastry, so no one noticed.

Madam Guo’s fury surged, but the persona of a benevolent mother she had cultivated for years prevented her from lashing out. Finally, she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and stated the purpose of her visit.

"Since you asked me to speak, I shall not stand on ceremony. The second daughter’s marriage is being undertaken on behalf of the family and for your sake, eldest daughter. Since we, as her kin, cannot bear her suffering, we should be more considerate. Your father has said that the family will provide a dowry of ten thousand taels of silver and the estate in the suburbs. While that is generous, I fear it will not bridge the void left by the Lu family. I came to ask, eldest daughter, how much do you intend to contribute to her dowry?"

"A contribution?"

After all that acting, the motive had finally surfaced. Chi Guiwan wanted to laugh; so, after all those tears, it was just a request for money.

As the saying goes, losing wealth can avert disaster. In the past, Chi Guiwan would have willingly offered thousands of gold pieces, but to ask for her money now was a pipe dream. She pondered for a moment and then turned to her maid, Qianchun.

"Go and bring me that IOU."

"Yes, Miss."

"An IOU? What do you mean?" Madam Guo was unaware of the commotion at Rongxin Pavilion and knew nothing of the IOU Shen Miaoling had signed.

Soon, Qianchun returned with the document. Chi Guiwan handed it over and explained, "Shen Miaoling, daughter of the official in the Ministry of War, broke my mother’s heirloom sea-jade cup. That item was priceless, but considering we are schoolmates, I did not press the matter too harshly and had her sign an IOU for three thousand taels. It remains unpaid. Mother, you may take this note and collect the debt from the Shen family; I trust she would not dare refuse. I also have some fine fabrics; I shall spare ten bolts to add to the second sister’s dowry. I believe that should be sufficient."

Three thousand taels of silver plus ten bolts of luxury fabric was not a stingy offer. However, if the debt could not be collected, it meant only the fabric was provided. Madam Guo was unsatisfied; she wanted to empty half of Chi Guiwan’s treasury. She set the IOU down with a look of indifference and remarked, "Eldest daughter, are you trying to send away a beggar? Why give me an IOU? This is a matter between you and the Shen family; how could I, an elder, go and demand payment?"

"Mother, you misunderstand. Just give the IOU to the second sister. She and Shen Miaoling are as close as sisters. If she goes to collect it privately, Shen Miaoling will surely pay. That way, her reputation remains intact, the money is secured, and everyone is satisfied. If I were to make a spectacle of collecting it on her behalf, I fear it would damage their long-standing friendship."

He Lingyi sat by, watching the show, finding that her friend was much sharper now that she had regained her senses. Not only did she refuse to be manipulated by Madam Guo, but she also turned the tables to create a headache for her. Wanted money? Fine, take the IOU.

Whether the money could be collected would depend on the capabilities of Madam Guo and Chi Guiying. Regardless, the three thousand taels had been "contributed" on paper, and no one could criticize Chi Guiwan’s actions.

Madam Guo stopped pretending. She sneered, her eyes gleaming with the belief that Chi Guiwan’s treasury existed solely to fill the gaps in the Vice Minister’s household. "I never realized the eldest daughter was this kind of person. You sit on a mountain of gold and silver but refuse to help your own family. The second daughter is suffering on your behalf, and this is all you offer? In the end, aren’t those belongings part of the dowry your mother brought with her when she was alive? Not only should you open your treasury for her to choose from, but it is only right that you show her your dowry list so she may select what she needs, isn't it?"

Once the mask of greed slipped, the woman’s true face was revealed. She spoke with a sense of self-righteousness that grated on the ears of Chi Guiwan and He Lingyi.

He Lingyi, refusing to let her get away with it, offered a mocking smile. "I have seen little of life in Nanzhou, but since ancient times, have not the parents and elders arranged all matters regarding marriage? Why is it that in the Vice Minister’s mansion, one must rely on the eldest daughter’s treasury list to provide a dowry? Or is this the custom in Bianzhou, so different from our ways in Nanzhou?"

Encouraged by He Lingyi’s support, Chi Guiwan spoke with newfound confidence.

"Mother, you cannot have my treasury list. After my mother passed away, my maternal grandfather personally visited my father to settle the accounts before he left. Therefore, not only do I have the list, but the Haibo Marquis Mansion possesses a copy as well. My aunt mentioned just the other day that I should carefully audit it to see if any ungrateful servants have stolen anything over the years, so that I may settle the accounts before my marriage. If you truly want it, Mother, please have Father speak to my uncle and aunt. If they agree, I shall not say another word."