You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 19 The Tong Family's Dowry

Tong Zhao'er was a little unhappy: "Shouldn't it be the man's family who found a matchmaker and came to our door, instead of making my parents run to Fucheng again and again?"

"I'm only doing this to protect your reputations and keep things simple, without any extravagance."

When you return to Beijing, just say you two got married in Fucheng a long time ago. That way you won't be too conspicuous, and people won't gossip about it behind your backs.

Tong Zhao'er immediately objected: "A woman only gets married once in her life, how can it be done perfunctorily? Otherwise, how is it any different from taking a concubine? I am the daughter of a military family. I can only be better than Liang Jiang when she entered the family, not even a little bit worse."

Grandma Fang said meaningfully, "When Liang Jiang got married, everything was kept simple because Cheng Xu was going to the capital. Moreover, they didn't ask for any betrothal gifts, but instead gave so much dowry and money."

Tong Zhao'er wasn't stupid; how could she not understand the implication behind her words?
She spoke with a hidden barb: "It was because Liang Jiang's family lost money to marry off their daughter that she was looked down upon by her husband's family after marriage. Things that are easily obtained are never cherished. This is a lesson I must learn from."

She wouldn't budge an inch, leaving Old Mrs. Fang speechless and rolling her eyes.

If the daughter is so difficult to deal with, then Madam Tong is even more so.

You're just a concubine, you've already had a child, and you still act like a virgin. Once you're married into the family, I'll properly establish rules for you.

Two days later, Madam Fang and Fang Chengxu, looking refreshed and carrying various tea gifts, went to the General's Mansion.

They set off before dawn and didn't return until the stars filled the sky.

Fang Chengxu was dejected, looking like a wilted eggplant. Old Madam Fang, on the other hand, remained silent with a gloomy face. Upon returning home, she went to her own courtyard and lay down, sighing deeply, and didn't even eat dinner.

Aunt Yu took a handful of dried fruit out and returned a moment later, her face beaming with excitement. As soon as she closed the door, she asked Liang Jiang mysteriously, "Do you know how much the Tong family asked for in betrothal gifts?"

Liang Jiang had finished washing up and was leaning against the couch flipping through the account books.

Hearing what Aunt Yu said, he didn't even look up and casually replied, "How would I know if you don't tell me?"

Aunt Yu removed the hairpin from her hair, helped her adjust the candle wick, poured her a cup of tea, and handed it to her before raising one finger and saying readily:
"The Tong family directly gave Madam Fang a list of betrothal gifts: eight thousand taels of silver, two hundred bolts of silk, four boxes of gold and silver ornaments, two jade ruyi scepters, not including other miscellaneous cakes, sacrificial offerings, tea boxes, etc."

Yu Ma's words were exaggerated, and Liang Jiang, with her eyes slightly narrowed, simply said, "Is it a lot?"

“Not much. Even in the capital, no wealthy family would marry fewer wives than this, let alone the General’s Mansion.” Aunt Yu swallowed hard. “It’s enough to make the Fang family suffer.”

Liang Jiang smiled and said, "The Fang family is happy to do so. Besides, the dowry from the General's Mansion will certainly be quite substantial."

"That's what they say, but the old lady herself knows that she can't get something for nothing, and she's sighing with worry about it."

Liang Jiang closed the ledger: "Then she should be coming to find me soon."

Just as Liang Jiang had predicted, the next morning, right after breakfast, Old Mrs. Fang came to the door.

She tossed and turned all night and didn't sleep well, so she felt a little listless.

Liang Jiang was quite polite to her and invited her into the house: "Madam Fang doesn't look too well, is something wrong?"

Grandma Fang didn't mention Tong Zhao'er's betrothal gifts at all, not wanting to be laughed at by her. She just covered her chest and said, "I went to the capital yesterday. The journey was bumpy, and I was so tired that my chest hurt when I got back."

"Have you taken the medicine my mother prescribed for you?"

"I took it, but why isn't it working as well this time? Did you ask about the medicine I told you about last time?"

Liang Jiang nodded: "I went out and ran around all day yesterday, and finally made some progress. However, I heard that there are only ten seeds available, and the price is shockingly high, so I refused immediately."

Upon hearing this, Madam Fang immediately perked up: "Even if it's expensive, there has to be a price, right?"

Liang Jiang waved her hand at her and said, "You'll be shocked when I tell you, it's five hundred taels of silver per grain! Why doesn't he just rob people? When I bought it from him, it was only eighty taels of silver per grain."

Grandma Fang was indeed startled: "So expensive? Is it made of gold?" "The man said that this medicine was made by a famous master and is a lost secret recipe. Now it is priceless and there is probably only a few pills left in the world."

Even at this price, he's reluctant to sell it all; he wants to keep half to rip people off at a crucial moment.

I did the math; five pills would cost two thousand five hundred taels of silver. Given the Fang family's current financial situation, they simply couldn't afford it, so I flatly refused.

Old Madam Fang calculated in her mind that each pill cost five hundred taels, and the renowned doctor in the capital would buy them back for a thousand taels, meaning she could make a net profit of half of that amount with a single resale. If she bought all ten pills, she would net five thousand taels, which would essentially secure Tong Zhao'er's betrothal gifts.

She feigned a troubled expression, hesitated for a moment, and then said to Liang Jiang, "I'm counting on this medicine to save my life! I can only let them do as they please. Could you ask them again if I can get a discount if I want two pills?"

Liang Jiang was taken aback: "A thousand taels? They want cash."

"If all else fails, I'll sell a few more acres of land." Old Mrs. Fang gritted her teeth and stamped her feet, completely resigned to her fate.

Liang Jiang nodded: "Considering that you were kind to me before, I'll make another trip. You can wait for my news at home."

Grandma Fang smiled kindly: "It makes me feel especially sad to hear you call me 'Grandma' all the time. I still prefer you to call me 'Mother'."

Liang Jiang lowered her head and sneered, "I am no longer Fang Chengxu's wife, so it's inappropriate to call me that anymore."

Suddenly, as if remembering something, a new idea popped into her head and began to take shape in her mind.

She patted Liang Jiang's hand with a smile: "I always feel that our bond as mother and daughter isn't over yet. I won't say anymore, you go ahead and do your work, I'll wait for your news."

Liang Jiang agreed and instructed Yu Ma, "Prepare the car, I need to go out for a while."

The master and servant quickly tidied up and left the Fang residence.

However, they did not notice that a sneaky figure was following behind the carriage, like a shadow.

Renhetang.

Manager Qian politely saw Liang Jiang off, stroked his beard with satisfaction, and turned to go back when someone called him back.

"Please wait, shopkeeper."

Manager Qian turned his head and saw an old lady with fair skin getting off a carriage with the help of a servant and walking straight toward Renhetang.

The shopkeeper, noticing the old lady's unfamiliar face, paused for a moment: "Does this old lady need medicine?"

The old lady nodded: "I'd like to ask the shopkeeper for a certain medicine. I wonder if Renhetang has it?"

The shopkeeper said proudly, "Madam, you've come to the right place. In the entire Fucheng, from south to north, Renhetang has the most complete selection of medicinal herbs."

The old lady chuckled and said, "The pill I'm talking about, let alone in Fucheng, I'm afraid it's hard to find even in the capital. It's called 'Heart-Saving Pill'."

The shopkeeper was taken aback and looked the old woman up and down: "Who are you? How did you know I had nitroglycerin pills here?"

The old lady said proudly, "The Fang family of Fucheng."

The shopkeeper suddenly realized: "So it's Madam Fang. What a coincidence! Your daughter-in-law just left, and she ordered two for you, asking me to make sure to save them for you."

Grandma Fang nodded: "I heard this medicine is not cheap. This child is really willing to spend money on me."

"That's right!" the shopkeeper chimed in. "Four hundred taels of silver per grain."

Grandma Fang snorted lightly, knowing that this woman was sweet-talking but vicious, and wouldn't let go of this opportunity to skin her alive. She would even make a profit of a hundred taels from each pill. Luckily, she had been careful.

(End of this chapter)