The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

After Yun Heting finished speaking, Yun Xiu stood still and looked at Chu Wanqing, wanting to hear what she had to say.

Chu Wanqing merely glanced at her indifferently and instructed, "Go back to your own courtyard first."

Yunxiu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but when she met Chu Wanqing's calm eyes, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

She wanted to know the answer, but dared not refute it. She could only curtsy and turn to walk towards Xuezhai.

After she left, Chu Wanqing withdrew her gaze, looked at Yunhe Pavilion, and said calmly, "Let's go, let's talk in my courtyard."

Yun Heting quickly responded and followed behind her, the two of them walking towards Qingshui Garden one after the other.

Once inside, Chu Wanqing sat down in a chair, poured herself a cup of tea, and slowly took a sip, waiting for him to speak.

Yun Heting coughed lightly and tentatively said, "Madam, the Ministry of Rites should send someone tomorrow to collect Xiu'er's birth chart and submit it to the Imperial Observatory to determine the wedding date. After the wedding date is set, the betrothal ceremony will take place. The Fifth Prince is, after all, a prince, so the betrothal gifts should be at least 108 loads. Xiu'er's dowry should also be 108 loads; it wouldn't look good if it were less."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Chu Wanqing cautiously.

Chu Wanqing sneered, "Master makes it sound so easy. How am I supposed to gather 108 loads for her? We can't even manage 88 right now."

Yun Heting was taken aback, then frowned and asked, "The lady's dowry was supposed to stretch for ten miles in red, yet you couldn't even gather enough for 108 palanquins?"

Chu Wanqing stared at him, sneering inwardly. He still remembered that she was part of a grand wedding procession, but how had he treated her all these years?

She suppressed her emotions and said with a wry smile, "Master, don't you know how much of my dowry Zijuan gave me before? Besides, over the years, everything in the manor—food, drink, and daily necessities—wasn't it all subsidized by my dowry? Don't you have any idea?"

As she spoke, she reached into the cabinet behind her and took out an account book, slamming it down in front of Yun Heting. "Master, you can take a look at the household accounts yourself, and then look at my dowry. Can you still gather enough for one hundred and eight loads?"

Yun Heting looked at the account book on the table, took it, and opened it, turning the pages one by one. The household's account book showed that income was insufficient to cover expenses, and Chu Wanqing's account book also showed much less than he had imagined.

Seeing his ever-changing expression, Chu Wanqing didn't give him a chance to catch his breath, but continued, "How much dowry does Master plan to prepare for Xiu'er this time? Your daughter is marrying into the royal family, securing your future, and bringing glory to your Yun family. Shouldn't all the members of your Yun family also contribute?"

She paused, then said coldly, "Master, don't forget, we have more than just Yunxiu; we also have Langge'er. Won't he need to prepare a bride price when he gets married? Master, do I, a woman, have to arrange all of this?"

After a long pause, Yun Heting stammered, "Madam, is the household not making a profit?"

Chu Wanqing looked at him and said sarcastically, "Master, have you ever received your salary over the years? The manor only has those fields, two shops, and all the servants and expenses. Everything in the manor is covered by my dowry. But my dowry is finite; it doesn't generate more money!"

Yun Heting said awkwardly, "Doesn't Madam's shop still make a profit every year? Take out a portion, add it to the inventory in the storeroom, and we can make up the difference..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Chu Wanqing's gaze pierce him like a knife.

Chu Wanqing stared at him for a long time before speaking calmly, "Does Master mean that all the household expenses rely on my dowry, your connections in officialdom rely on my dowry, and even your daughter's dowry relies on my dowry? What use is Master as the head of the household then?"

Yun Heting opened his mouth, but found that what Chu Wanqing said was true, and he was speechless.

Chu Wanqing looked at him like this, and sneered inwardly, but her face showed a hint of exhaustion.

She leaned against the kang (a heated brick bed), rubbed her temples, and sighed, "Master, Xiu'er is also my daughter. If she marries into the royal family, I will also be proud. But we must act within our means. One hundred and eight loads is really too many. I can only muster sixty-four loads at most. Any more than that, and you will have to find a way yourself."

Yun Heting exclaimed urgently, "Sixty-four loads? That's far too few! Xiu'er is marrying a prince; if her dowry is meager, it will be a disgrace to the Yun family!"

Chu Wanqing raised her head and looked at him coldly: "Then we'll have to rely on the master, after all, the master is the head of the family."

Yun Heting's eyes suddenly lit up, and he tentatively asked, "Then how about we go find your parents-in-law? Or, isn't Lan Qi rich?"

Chu Wanqing looked at him, her eyes filled with disbelief: "Master, what are you saying? I am a married woman. To prepare a dowry for my daughter, do I have to ask my maternal family for money? Ask my cousin on my maternal family? I have no face for that. If you are willing to put aside your shame, you might as well go and ask them yourself."

She paused, then continued, "Master, why don't we ask your Yun family relatives for help? After all, if Xiu'er marries into the royal family in the future, they will also benefit from it."

Before Yun Heting could continue speaking, she waved her hand, "Master, please go back. I'm tired."

Yunheting had no choice but to get up and take his leave.

Back in his courtyard, he stared at the imperial edict on the table, feeling a headache coming on. Yunxiu being betrothed was a good thing, but what about the dowry? Did he really have to ask the various relatives of the Yun family for help?

……

Hot Spring Resort.

Yun Jin and Shen Qingyun were playing chess by the window.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on the chessboard where black and white pieces intertwined, creating dappled light and shadow.

Shen Qingyun placed a piece on the chessboard, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and her gaze fell on Yun Jin's face. Suddenly, she smiled and said, "Sister, you've been staying with me for quite some time now. Yunxiu's marriage to the Fifth Prince is settled, shouldn't you be preparing to return to your residence?"

Yun Jin picked up a chess piece, twirled it between her fingers, thought for a moment, and gently placed it on the chessboard, a slight smile playing on her lips: "It is indeed time to go back. But we're still missing a suitable opportunity. If we go back without a reason, it will only arouse suspicion."

Shen Qingyun nodded, about to say something, when a maid's voice suddenly came from outside: "Your Highness, His Highness has arrived and is at the middle gate."

The two exchanged a glance, and a glint of light flashed in Yun Jin's eyes.

Shen Qingyun put down her teacup and smiled slightly: "The opportunity has come."

Yun Jin quickly got up and hurried into the inner room.

Shen Qingyun straightened her clothes, picked up her teacup, and pretended to be nonchalant.

The door opened, and the eldest prince strode in. He was stunned when he saw Shen Qingyun sitting by the window.

Shen Qingyun wore a light purple dress today, her hair was loosely tied up, and a white jade hairpin was inserted diagonally.

The sunlight fell on her face, making her complexion rosy, her eyebrows relaxed, and a faint smile on her lips.

She seemed to be illuminated by something, radiating an indescribable vitality and brilliance.

The eldest prince stood at the door, momentarily forgetting to take a step.