After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Liu Laosan narrowed his eyes seriously, "Girl, who told you these things?"

Su Tai shook her head. "No one told me. I read it myself. I had never been to school before and didn't have any particular thoughts. Later, I was enlightened by Mr. Tang and heard about the stories of scholars who had ambitions but no way to realize them. That's all I felt."

If you ask me, the Emperor should bypass the aristocratic families and, like Mr. Tang tested the children, allow all scholars who aspire to officialdom to take an exam. Whoever performs best will rise to power. At least that would be fairer than now, and the Emperor wouldn't be subject to the control of the aristocratic families.”

Liu Laosan found Su Tai's idea laughable and shook his head, saying, "You, you don't understand! If only things were that simple!"

Su Tai shrugged. "I really don't understand. Anyway, all I know is that Mr. Tang's method of testing the children is quite good. The children who do well get a reward, and the children who don't do well don't get a reward but won't complain. After all, they are not as capable as him."

Liu Laosan didn't continue the topic, unaware that Shen Tian had already taken Su Tai's words to heart and had her own ideas.

To avoid attracting attention, she suppressed her racing heart, lowered her head, and looked as if she were drowsy.

After a casual conversation, starting the next day, whenever Shen Tian had free time, she would go to Su Tai for tea and a chat, telling her about things she couldn't understand or was confused about, and asking for Su Tai's opinion.

Some of her questions concerned domestic life, others involved relationships with her mother-in-law, and still others concerned ways to make money. Only occasionally were there questions that touched on politics.

Su Tai had no doubts and offered her opinions one by one.

Shen Tian felt more and more that Su Tai was different, and she truly admired her.

Before we knew it, it was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

After a long and arduous journey, Su Chuan and his companions finally returned to Shenjiazhuang.

Shen Mu eagerly awaited his son bringing his daughter back, but to his dismay, his daughter not only didn't return, but he also lost his wife. His expression instantly changed.

Shen Dagou hurriedly explained, telling the whole family about Shen Tian being betrothed by the Emperor.

The entire Shen family was shaken.

Shen Mu licked his dry lips and forced a weak smile. "What nonsense are you talking about, kid! You can't joke like that!"

“Yes, my husband, we are just ordinary people, and from such a remote place as Lizhou, how could the Emperor suddenly bestow a marriage upon my second sister-in-law?” Wei Erya also felt that Shen Dagou was teasing them.

Shen Dagou was on the verge of tears. He briefly explained the situation and sighed repeatedly, "Sister Su Tai and Mother are both in the capital helping to prepare for the wedding. Although Her Majesty the Empress has prepared a dowry for my sister, our family can't give nothing. Father, wife, what should your family do?"

Shen Tian is not marrying an ordinary person, so it can't be judged in the same way as a typical marriage, which is why he is having trouble making a decision.

Shen Mu had no idea about any of this and immediately panicked, hurriedly seeking help from his mother, "Mother, you've eaten more salt than I've eaten grain, what do you think?"

Granny Chen stammered, "How...how would I know! The highest official I've ever known is the county magistrate, and this is the Emperor, Empress, and princes...I...I'm so scared!"

Granny Chen's first display of fear made Shen Mu even more flustered.

Fortunately, Wei Erya reacted first, "Father-in-law, why don't we go ask Shen Yi? He's knowledgeable and might be able to give us some advice."

"Yes! Find Shen Yi! Find Shen Yi!"

Shen Mu hurriedly ran out of his house. When he arrived at Shen Yi's house, he found that Su Chuan and the others had not left yet, so he quickly asked them his question.

Shen Yi scratched his head and said, "Uncle, I think we should just do what we can. We can't compare ourselves to those noble ladies."

"What did those noble ladies' dowries look like?" Shen Mu asked eagerly.

Su Chuan had no choice but to reveal what he knew.

When Shen Mu heard that it was furniture, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, as well as several thousand taels of silver in his trunk and jewelry, he was completely baffled.

He really didn't have that ability. Shen Yi comforted him, "Since Godfather has recognized Tian Tian as his goddaughter, Tian Tian is also my god-sister. I will help with part of her dowry, so Uncle doesn't need to worry."

"I...I can't accept this!" Shen Mu's face flushed red with embarrassment.

Shen Yi offered him a few more words of advice before he staggered back.

The family discussed it carefully for two days. When Shen Dagou was about to leave, Shen Mu gritted his teeth and took out one thousand taels.

"Son, don't blame your father for being biased. It's just that your sister married so well. Our family can't give her too little, or people will look down on us!"

Shen Dagou breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the thousand taels of silver. "Father, don't worry, I'll add a little more, and our family will definitely be able to give my sister a grand wedding."

After making so many trips to the caravan, he had earned more than ten thousand taels of silver. This time, he and his wife discussed giving Shen Tian five thousand taels as a dowry. Shen Mu gave one thousand taels, so they would contribute four thousand taels, which was already quite a lot.

The caravan set off, carrying a hundred wagons of goods, and arrived in the capital.

Several of the carriages had boxes filled with miscellaneous items that Su Tai had specifically requested.

The items were delivered to the Yong'an Marquis's residence.

Su Tai immediately had the items moved to the backyard and replaced with two boxes of exquisite silver ornaments and some precious jade. When a three-ton piece of mutton-fat jade was taken out, Liu Laosan was completely stunned.

Su Tai said, "This piece of jade, once carved and polished, will definitely make a grand entrance into the dowry. There are also other pieces of jade that can be made into jade pendants, jade seals, hairpins, bracelets, and so on. I would appreciate it if Godfather could find a reliable craftsman for me."

Liu Laosan immediately instructed his steward to take care of it.

Besides these, there were also items such as cotton cloth, and several thousand taels of silver.

By piecing things together, they could manage to put together a messy but respectable dowry.

Mixed in with the dowry given by the Empress, Shen Tian's dowry became even more substantial.

The palace received the final dowry list.

The Queen was very pleased.

"Mother, it seems that the Shen family is not as difficult as we thought."

The jewelry and jade alone are worth tens of thousands of taels of silver, not to mention the silver hidden away in the chest. Even without the dowry she gave, these things would be enough.

The Empress Dowager wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "I've heard that Shen Tian's elder brother is a merchant, so his family's wealth is certainly not meager, though it can't compare to that of a prominent family."

At first, she thought Shen Tian was of low status, but now the more she looks at her, the more she feels that this girl comes from a good family.

On the eighth day of the third month, Shen Tian was married off in grand style from the Yong'an Marquis's residence.

The Shen family of three wept uncontrollably.

Ever since Shen Tian got married, the family of three had been distracted. It wasn't until the third day after her wedding, when they saw the Sixth Prince Murong Chen accompanying Shen Tian to the Yong'an Marquis's residence, that they felt somewhat at ease.

With the matter in the capital resolved, the family of three and Su Tai should now set off to return home.

Before leaving, Su Tai earnestly instructed Liu Laosan, "Godfather, I've left you ten thousand taels of silver. Use it for now. Don't live so frugally. Things will be fine once the shop starts making a profit."

Liu Laosan refused to accept the money no matter what, but Su Tai insisted on leaving it behind and went off with the caravan. (End of Chapter)