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

Chapter 532 Stealing Shen Yuezhang's Marriage

Su Tai didn't think much of it and asked Yu Mei to bring over the dowry list and give it to Shen Yi. "Take a look at it with your godfather and see what he says. Let's rest for a couple of days first. Now that we're here, we must pay our respects to Princess Huai'an first."

Shen Yi nodded.

Early the next morning.

Before Su Tai and her son could make a move, Princess Qingkang had already led Zhao Moli from the second branch of the Zhao family into the palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager.

Zhao Moli is just as her name suggests; she is pretty and clean-cut, with a sweet and pure smile.

The Empress Dowager was seeing this for the first time, and her eyes lit up instantly. "Qingkang? Whose daughter is this? Why have I never seen you bring her into the palace before?"

Princess Qingkang and Empress Dowager knelt down, their eyes filled with sorrow. "Your Majesty, this child is named Zhao Moli. She is the daughter of the second wife. I only have two daughters. Now one has died and the other has entered the Buddhist order. I really can't go on living like this, so I took Moli to live with me to comfort my grief over losing my daughter."

The Empress Dowager nodded slowly and praised, "He is a filial and good child."

Princess Qingkang kowtowed to the Empress Dowager with tears in her eyes, "Empress Dowager, Jasmine and Hibiscus are about the same age. Whenever I see Jasmine, I always think of Hibiscus. If Hibiscus hadn't had that accident, she would be getting married to Ajue soon."

"I heard that A-Jue has returned, and I wish to ask the Empress Dowager for a favor."

The Empress Dowager's smile gradually faded, and she gave Granny Gui a look.

Granny Gui immediately sent all the palace servants out of the hall.

"Qingkang, you know very well how Furong died. To say something you don't like to hear, if she had been true to herself, that kind of thing would never have happened. It was your fault for not raising her properly, which led to her ending up like this. It's no one else's fault."

A-Jue is Huai'an's only son, so his wife couldn't possibly be Furong. If the favor you're asking for is related to A-Jue, then there's no need to discuss it further.

The Empress Dowager's words turned Princess Qingkang's face completely pale. She clenched her hands under her sleeves, tears welling up in her eyes, and cried even more bitterly.

"Your Majesty, I know that Furong deserves her punishment and I dare not exonerate her. But Jasmine is different from Furong. She has been taught very well since childhood. She is low-key and unassuming, and excels in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy and painting. I just hope that Furong can marry a good man."

Looking across the entire capital, A-Jue is the most outstanding. I hope the Empress Dowager will give Jasmine a chance. If A-Jue could just meet Jasmine, he would surely like her.

"Nonsense!" The Empress Dowager angrily slammed down her cup, her tone suddenly sharp. "Qingkang, I thought you were a sensible person who knew when to advance and retreat, but I didn't expect you to be so carefree and cunning!"

Princess Qingkang begged for mercy in terror, "Your Majesty, I didn't! I only wanted to secure a future for Jasmine!"

The Empress Dowager sneered, "Strive for a better future? What future? Don't you even know your place when you say such things! Who do you think you are? Do you even deserve it?"

Princess Qingkang was greatly shocked. She had grown up almost entirely under the Empress Dowager's care. In her memory, the Empress Dowager was dignified but kind and easy to talk to.

After Furong's incident, the Empress Dowager did not pursue the matter, but instead gave her some nice things to comfort her.

She had always thought she was different from her sisters, but she never expected to hear the Empress Dowager say that she was "unworthy".

Zhao Moli was already trembling with fear, like a little white rabbit at the mercy of others, a pitiful sight indeed.

"Princess Huai'an, Young Master Jue has arrived!" came the voice of a palace servant from outside the door.

Princess Huai'an and Murong Jue entered the palace one after the other and gracefully bowed to the Empress Dowager.

Princess Huai'an glanced at the disheveled Princess Qingkang, then looked at the Empress Dowager with an air of nonchalance, "Mother, what happened to Qingkang?"

Princess Qingkang quickly wiped away her tears and, as if nothing had happened, pulled Zhao Moli to bow to Princess Huai'an, saying, "Your Highness, this is Moli. I have been raising her by my side. She is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and has been taught proper etiquette since childhood."

Princess Huai'an examined Zhao Moli for a moment and smiled, "She's just a little petty."

Zhao Moli felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and almost fainted.

Princess Qingkang's expression changed, and she forced a smile. "It's normal for this child to be nervous since it's her first time in the palace. I'll bring her here more often to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager."

Zhao Moli's father was only a minor official of the sixth rank, with limited abilities, so even if Zhao Taifu wanted to help his second son, he couldn't be too obvious about it.

Because her father held a low-ranking official position, Zhao Moli was not valued at all in the Zhao family. If it weren't for Zhao Furong's accident, she would never have been brought before Princess Qingkang. How could she possibly be magnanimous?

But so what? If even Company Commander Murong Jue, who only became a daughter of an official family halfway through his life in the countryside, could be impressed by Shen Yuezhang, Zhao Moli must be a hundred or a thousand times better than Shen Yuezhang.

Princess Huai'an remained noncommittal, turning her head to the Empress Dowager and saying, "Mother, A-Jue has personally brought his fiancée to the capital this time. Originally, I planned to bring Yue Zhang to pay my respects to you today, but then I thought that they only arrived in the capital yesterday, so they need to rest for a couple of days. Instead, I thought I'd bring this brat to see you."

Murong Jue stepped forward respectfully, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, "Grandmother."

The Empress Dowager looked at the handsome and distinguished Murong Jue with great satisfaction. A smile gradually returned to her face as she called him to her side and inquired about his well-being, saying, "You've suffered so much these past years in that poor and remote place, Zhaohua County!"

Murong Jue lowered his eyes and smiled shrewdly, "Being able to share the burden for my uncle the Emperor, I don't feel bitter. Moreover, Zhaohua County is not poor at all. The roads in the county town are wide and long enough for three carriages to travel side by side. Shops are lined up one after another, the people are well-fed and clothed, live in peace and contentment, and the atmosphere is rich in culture. It is a good place."

Seeing his effusive praise of Zhaohua County, the Empress Dowager's eyes held a hint of mockery. "You like the Shen family girl that much?"

Princess Qingkang and Zhao Moli changed their expressions again.

She had already made her intentions clear, and had been praising Zhao Moli in front of Princess Huai'an. Her intentions were obvious, but she never expected that the Empress Dowager would not give her any face at all and would say such a slap in the face.

Zhao Moli was already crying, but she dared not cry out loud and was just holding it in.

Murong Jue nodded vigorously, his eyes full of determination, "Grandson has been waiting for her to grow up for several years. Grandmother will definitely like her when she sees her."

Princess Huai'an glanced at Princess Qingkang and said, "Yesterday, as soon as the Shen family entered the capital, the dowry list was delivered to me. Please take a look, Your Majesty."

Following Princess Huai'an's gaze, the Empress Dowager glanced at the items and grew increasingly alarmed. "Was all of this prepared by the Shen family? Marquis Yong'an didn't get involved?"

Princess Huai'an shook her head slightly with a hint of pride, "The Marquis of Yong'an did make preparations, but after seeing the dowry prepared by Madam Shen, he gave up and only sent over this list."

After carefully reviewing the dowry list, the Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow and asked, "Didn't you say that the Shen family was just a peasant family with no background? How did they accumulate so many fine things?"

Murong Jue explained, “Grandmother, you may not know this, but Madam Shen is a business genius. The Shen family’s business relies on Madam Shen. In fact, the entire Shen Family Village’s wealth is inseparable from Madam Shen. The Shen family’s business is extremely large. It is no exaggeration to say that it is the largest in Lizhou. It’s just that people only know about the Shen Family Village, the richest in Zhaohua County, Lizhou. No one knows about the Shen family.”