Rebirth of the Treacherous Official’s Madam

Fortunately, according to etiquette, when discussing the betrothal gift, Yu Lingxin wasn’t present. Otherwise, seeing her father this stunned to the point where it was already a bit cute, she probably will be too embarrassed to look directly at Xun Nanheng and Ming Huayue for a good period of time.

However, the Wen’an Marquis couple didn’t feel anything of it. Although for marquis families, when discussing the value of the betrothal gifts for the wife of a heir, reaching thirty to forty thousand wasn’t uncommon, but the Yu family was of a clean and honest background after all. After the old head minister passed away, their prospects in officialdom have just been mediocre, so feeling that this amount was a bit big was also normal. Furthermore, they knew that even though Yu Bocheng’s abilities weren’t considered outstanding, in terms of moral character, he was still pretty good, neither seeking connections, nor greedy. Just these two traits were already very hard to come by. As for being overly honest, as an in-law family, it was also quite good.

Of course, Yu Bocheng was still aware that he’d lost his manners. Just, in this moment, what was more important was still discussing the betrothal gifts. He couldn’t help but look at the similarly stunned Yu old madam and Su-shi. The latter’s presence was just for the sake of formality, but her eyes were also completely glaring wide open, not knowing how to react.

“Marquis and madam’s profound meaning, this, our family is still grateful.” Yu Bocheng deliberated over his wording with great difficulty, “But, this…….this standard is indeed a bit too generous. Eh, this, Ling’er still has younger siblings below her. Even though there are some differences between siblings, it still isn’t good for the disparity to be too big. As such, this amount………”

“Sir Yu is worrying too much.” Ming Huayue candidly said with a laugh, “In our manor, it has always been twenty thousand when sending the betrothal gifts for the heir, and we also don’t insist on the bride’s family to match with an equal amount. When seeking to take in a daughter-in-law, what we care about is still the young lady’s moral character, not seeking how ever much dowry. That is merely just the maiden family’s affections.”

These words, for Ming Huayue, although were very honest, but in the Yu family’s ears, it inevitably will be considered as just words of courtesy. Since the beginning of time, when haggling over the price of the betrothal gifts, what was discussed was precisely the two sides’ dignity, but what was being calculated inside was still each side’s power and the tangible benefits. Just, the words on the surface naturally needed to sound pleasant.

Especially for Yu Bocheng, he already felt that letting Yu Lingxin marry high into the Wen’an Marquis Manor was very risky. If her dowry were to then also be lower than the betrothal gifts, then in the future, when she gets picked on by others, as her father, he can’t just go around announcing the courteous words said when discussing the betrothal gifts at this time.

“Since madam has mentioned the former cases,” Yu Bocheng clenched his teeth, already hardening his heart, “then how about just according to your noble manor’s usual custom, exactly twenty thousand, how about it? In this way, our family, should still, still, be okay.”

Once these words came out, the first half although still had vigor, but by the latter half, he still very much paused a few times, also not daring to go look at the old madam and Su-shi’s face.

Back then, when he divorced, that ten thousand some taels worth of dowry set aside for Yu Lingxin really was a very large sum of money already. In these years, the Yu family’s financial situation was even worse than back then. The situation at home although can’t be said to be declining, it still can’t be considered that flourishing either, merely just hanging on, neither good nor bad. The money in the household funds, aside from separately leaving some money for the old madam’s funeral arrangements, what was prepared for the children’s marriages really was just Yu Zhengshan and Yu Zhenghua each eight thousand, and Yu Yunxin’s dowry around six thousand.

Of course, there was also the money for the various banquets and celebrations. If wanting to draw out enough to increase Yu Lingxin’s dowry from nine thousand to ten thousand, or even twelve thousand, it wasn’t anything too difficult, but to want to increase to twenty thousand, this big amount, that was practically needing to draw out from Yu Zhengshan and Yu Zhenghua’s share, or even the money for other things.

Yu old madam was still a bit better, at least not changing face on the surface, but on Su-shi’s side, she was practically about to choke to death.

As the Yu family’s main wife in charge of the household, she was the most aware of how much money there was in the family. If it was some enormous disaster, needing to sell all the pots and pans, using money to save their lives, then drawing out ten thousand taels was still doable.

But, just for the sake of marrying off the eldest miss, taking out this much money? If not touching the money for the younger siblings below, then it’s just using the shops that the family is currently living off of. If it’s like that, then how will they spend their days in the future?

Even though the old madam still has some personal savings, but the old madam has a total of four sons. The two branches outside of the capital were also her own sons. The old madam also can’t just disregard all of them and give everything to the eldest miss.

“Virtuous brother Yu really don’t need to be this troubled.” Ming Yunji, as the matchmaker, at this time, just directly urged, “If you really have the heart, then there’s also precedence for just matching half the amount.”

“The betrothal gift and dowry being equal is still necessary.” Just as Su-shi slightly had a bit of hope, Yu Bocheng immediately just shot it down, “Older brother’s good intentions, this younger brother is very grateful. My daughter has obtained such support from marquis and madam, so I, cough, cough, I naturally should give more dowry.”

TN: All translations outside of are stolen and reposted without permission!

Seeing how this honest and sincere in-law’s face was already red, the Wen’an Marquis couple couldn’t help but share a glance. Shortly after, it was still Xun Nanheng that opened his mouth, “Sir Yu, the so called betrothal gift and dowry being equal, it also depends on where it comes from. The betrothal gift this time being half more than our humble manor’s past cases, what it’s matching isn’t your noble manor’s wealth, but rather, your beloved daughter’s character. If based on your beloved daughter’s talent and moral character, then this thirty thousand amount, we all feel it’s still not enough.”

Ming Huayue also followed-up, “Sir Yu, please don’t turn down, this is already the amount we specifically pressed down to, fearing that your manor will be troubled. If any lower, then it will be too wronging the child. Even if you, this father, feel it’s fine, we are still unable to bear watching.”

Saying it to this degree, Su-shi was practically about to pass out. What Yu Bocheng can’t bear to hear the most was precisely ‘wronging’ the eldest miss.

Heaven’s sake, how is ten thousand taels of dowry wronging anyone? Of all the fourth rank officials in the entire capital, how many can marry off their daughter with ten thousand taels worth of dowry?

The Wen’an Marquis Manor, a large household with great wealth, liking to put up a front, casually just said a few words, yet Yu Bocheng just took the bait. Even if according to the Jin Duke heir’s method, matching half the amount, that is still fifteen thousand taels. What will be used to fill the six thousand discrepancy in between?

Furthermore, Yu Bocheng, who refuse to lose face, will he be willing to ‘wrong’ the eldest miss, by just giving half as the dowry!?

Just as Su-shi was like ants on the burning stovetop, feeling unbearable inside like oil in the frying pan, completely confused and anxious, Yu Bocheng already nodded his head with great determination, “Since that’s the case, then we will just listen to marquis and madam!”

What the two sides said afterwards, Su-shi was unable to take in anymore. The Wen’an Marquis couple’s smiling expression, in her eyes, was practically just thunder after thunder, clapping to the point where her eyes were in a daze, her tongue numb.

The eldest miss’s marriage being this grand, getting favored by her future father-in-law and mother-in-law this much, if previously, Su-shi was still a bit jealous, then at this time, it has already completely turned into a bitter and burning mental breakdown.

This eldest miss’s marriage afraid will drain the family savings!

Although after discussing the betrothal gifts, Yu Bocheng, for the time being, didn’t really ask her about the money, also not mentioning using Yu Zhenghua and Yu Yunxin’s money, but Su-shi was still anxious inside. She kept feeling that it was only a matter of time. Once Yu Bocheng finish checking Yu Lingxin’s current assets, he will sooner or later come ask her.

Whenever Su-shi thought of this, she would just feel both vexed and afraid, yet she was unable to reveal the slightest dissatisfaction towards the eldest miss’s marriage arrangement at home. As such, she could only endure for a few days, and then use the excuse of returning to her maiden home to visit her parents to go complain to her own sister-in-law, Madam Su.

But, who knew that as soon as she entered, she just sensed that the Su family was also filled with a gloomy atmosphere. And before Su-shi could open her mouth, Madam Su just started crying first, saying that Sir Su will lose his official post!

Su-shi was immediately just scared dumbstruck. She did know that her own older brother worked for the Zhu family, also knowing that the Zhu family was in the middle of a lawsuit, but she kept feeling that Changchun Palace’s Noble Consort Zhu had deep imperial favor, as well as based on the Cheng’en Duke Manor’s illustrious prestige, what can happen to them?

However, listening to her own sister-in-law carefully explain, Su-shi’s entire heart also sunk three thousand meters, unable to say anything anymore.

The reason was very simple. From the first of the twelfth month all the way to the middle of the third month, this court case that has lasted for almost a hundred days finally will come to an end. The Cheng’en Duke Manor can be considered to have suffered a crushing defeat. In this matter, the only thing they could do was just, after making peace with the Xun family in every way possible, on some matters that still have leeway, handle vaguely, while the Xun family was willing to no longer pursue.

For instance, Xun Yan’s true cause of death, in the end, got concluded as suicide by ingesting poison. That’s why, after Zhu second young master admitted to kidnapping and imprisoning Xun Yan, he was just spared from the crime of murdering Xun Yan.

However, the entire two months Xun Yan was with the Zhu family from beginning to end all got considered as Zhu second young master’s kidnapping of Xun Yan. All the servants that participated and assisted, and all the people that were involved by name from the Cheng’en Duke Manor all the way to the Ji province and Liu province, all got sentenced based on the law, beating by the rod and exiling several dozen people.

As for the matter of ‘Xun Che plotting against Xun Yan causing her to fall into the waters’ that was previously made known throughout the capital, the Cheng’en Duke Manor naturally didn’t admit that it was intending to destabilize the Xun family’s nobility. They could only similarly push it onto Zhu second young master, saying that it was just an absurd move for the sake of covering up Xun Yan’s disappearance, but it indeed damaged the Wen’an Marquis heir’s reputation, so willing to plead guilty.

With these numerous matters all adding together, Zhu second young master, in the end, after enduring a hundred beatings with the plank, was exiled to the north, unable to return to the capital for life. The Cheng’en Duke couple were not strict in discipling one’s child, indulging him in committing evil. As consequence, Cheng’en Duchess got stripped of all her granted titles.

The Ministry of Rites and Zongjing Bureau also took the advantage to suggest that the Cheng’en Duke’s nobility was obtained through Cihui Empress Dowager, thus the honor was specially extended, but the Zhu family was deprived of morality to this degree, so should reduce in rank or even be stripped of their nobility.

Xuan Emperor ultimately still considered for his deceased mother, also having Changchun Palace, as well as Wu Wang and Wei Wang, pleading for several days in a row, so in the end, just had the Zhu family demoted by two ranks, from Cheng’en Duke down to Anshun Count.

All of this was just from the conflict between the Xun and Zhu family arising from Xun Yan’s death.

But, what also got dug out in passing when investigating Xun Yan’s matter were the connections and wealth the Zhu family has gathered inside and outside of the capital over the years. As the saying goes, the wall collapsing is the result of many people pushing. If prior to the new year, then everyone would still wait and see, but by the middle of the second month, there were already others starting to submit memorandums and even indictments.

At this point, the Zhu family just ask to swiftly settle the case. At the same time the Zhu second young master admitted to the crimes, they naturally also pushed out ten other scapegoats, shouldering all the crimes that got dug out along the way. Sir Su that was previously wholeheartedly working for the Zhu family naturally was one of them.

Su-shi returned back to the Yu manor carrying this news, her entire person all wooden, her mind completely muddy with just one thought left———-exactly when did the skies change?

However, this great change was even greater than what she could understand.

Because in less than three days after the case between the Xun and Zhu family settled, on the twentieth of the third month, a news once again shook the entire capital: Changchun Palace’s Noble Consort Zhu got attacked by assassins, the six palaces will be put under strict security.