Lady Fu was left speechless.
Jiang Yuwei stood up, walked to the window, and turned her back to them. "Since the household finds it difficult, I won’t insist. Tomorrow, I’ll have Hou Fu send someone to inventory the dowry—what should be moved will be moved, and what should be converted will be converted. As for the position of the Fu family’s young madam, whoever wants it can have it."
Her words were spoken lightly, but to Lady Fu’s ears, they struck like a thunderclap.
She stood up abruptly. "Nansheng! What do you mean by this? Are you really going to make a scene about divorce?"
"It was Mother who stopped treating me as family first." Jiang Yuwei turned around, her eyes appropriately reddened. "I’ve worked tirelessly for the Fu family, even subsidizing household expenses, and now I can’t even get my own dowry back. In that case, why should I go back? To become a laughingstock?"
Lady Fu looked at her daughter-in-law before her and suddenly felt she was a stranger.
The former Shu Nansheng had a timid nature, never standing her ground like this, and certainly never spoke so openly about money.
But now, she had no choice.
Fu Jiuyun anxiously tugged at her mother’s sleeve, lowering her voice. "Mother, agree to her! Agree first, and we’ll bring her back home to discuss it later!"
"But fifty thousand taels?" Lady Fu’s lips trembled. "Where are we supposed to get fifty thousand taels?"
"Isn’t Eldest Brother’s reward silver about to come down?" Fu Jiuyun said quickly. "We can borrow it for now. Since Yao Huiyi truly loves Eldest Brother, she won’t care how much the betrothal gift is. Once we get past this hurdle, we can slowly coax Sister-in-Law later, and the money might even be returned. But if we really make a scene about divorce, Eldest Brother’s future will be ruined!"
These words woke Lady Fu up.
Yes, her son’s future was the most important.
As long as Shu Nansheng was willing to return, they could attend the flower-viewing banquet, the Ministry of Personnel’s documents would be processed, and in the future, would they still worry about money?
She gritted her teeth, walked up to Jiang Yuwei, and firmly grasped her hand. "Nansheng, Mother agrees! Fifty thousand taels it is! Once Que’er’s reward silver comes down, I’ll make it up to you, not a single tael less!"
Jiang Yuwei looked up at her, tears still glistening in her eyes. "Does Mother truly mean it?"
"Truly! Truly!" Lady Fu nodded repeatedly. "Mother will go back and prepare right away, first writing you an IOU and pressing a fingerprint! Once the money arrives, I’ll give it to you immediately!"
Jiang Yuwei fell silent for a moment, then gently withdrew her hand. "Since Mother says so, I’ll trust you this once. But my mother’s health hasn’t fully recovered yet, and I’d like to stay with her for one more night. I’ll return to the household tomorrow morning."
"Still waiting until tomorrow?" Fu Jiuyun grew anxious. "Sister-in-Law, the flower-viewing banquet is the day after tomorrow. We still need to prepare clothes and jewelry, and time is running out! How about returning today?"
Jiang Yuwei shook her head. "My mother is ill. As her daughter, I can’t just leave like this. If Sister is really in such a hurry, then I won’t go back. I can’t be an unfilial daughter."
"No, no, no!" Lady Fu hurriedly said. "One night it is! Tomorrow morning, Mother will send someone to fetch you!"
Afraid that Shu Nansheng might change her mind, she pulled her daughter and prepared to leave.
At the doorway, she turned back and said, "Nansheng, take good care of your mother-in-law. Tomorrow, our family will be reunited properly."
After seeing off the Fu mother and daughter, Jiang Yuwei returned to the room.
Nanny Wu closed the door and whispered, "Is Madam really going back?"
"Yes." Jiang Yuwei sat down by the bed, looking at the unconscious "herself." "Nansheng’s revenge hasn’t been avenged, and the Fu family’s debts haven’t been settled. How can I not go back?"
"But what about the fifty thousand taels?"
"The Fu family can't produce it," Jiang Yuwei said calmly. "Fu Jiuque's meager reward silver isn't even enough to fill the hole. I want them to write an IOU—with it in black and white in my hands, I'll have the leverage to speak up in the future."
Nanny Wu suddenly understood: "Madam is brilliant."
"Nanny, make preparations. Tomorrow we return to Fu Fu."
"Will Madam not stay one more day?"
"No need." Jiang Yuwei looked out the window as the sky gradually darkened.
Early the next morning, the Fu family's carriage indeed arrived at the entrance of Xianguosi.
Fu Jiuyun came personally to fetch her, her face beaming with smiles: "Eldest sister-in-law, let's go back. Mother has prepared your favorite pastries and is waiting for you."
Jiang Yuwei nodded and boarded the carriage with two maids.
Before the carriage curtain fell, she glanced back at the temple.
Nansheng, wait for Mother to return.
…
That afternoon.
Nanny Wu led two burly Hou Fu servants into the front courtyard of Fu Fu, her eyes sweeping over the yard like knives.
The Fu family servants, who had been whispering among themselves, immediately fell silent, lowered their heads, and busied themselves with their tasks.
The old steward of Fu Fu hurried forward, a smile plastered on his face: "Nanny Wu has come. Does Madam have any instructions?"
Nanny Wu didn't even look at him, walking straight toward the main hall: "Madam is concerned about Eldest Young Lady and has specially ordered this old servant to fetch some things."
"Fetch what things?" Steward Fu's heart sank.
In the main hall, Lady Fu had already received word and was sitting with a cup of tea, feigning composure.
Beside her sat He Shi, the wife of the Fu family's second branch.
Nanny Wu bowed slightly in greeting, her tone stiff: "Greetings, Lady Fu. By my Madam's order, I have come to retrieve the ten thousand taels of silver and twenty bolts of Yunjin bestowed upon General Fu by the palace the other day."
With a clatter, the lid of Lady Fu's teacup slipped onto the table, rolling halfway.
He Shi exclaimed, "Oh dear!" and hurriedly used a handkerchief to wipe the spilled water, but her eyes darted toward Lady Fu.
Lady Fu's face flushed and paled alternately as she said, "What is Nanny Wu saying? Those rewards were given by the palace to Jiuque, so naturally they should remain in our Fu family."
Nanny Wu's expression remained unchanged as she said sternly, "Madam has heard that your Fu family still owes our Eldest Young Lady at least fifty thousand taels. The IOU signed by your own hand is still in our Eldest Young Lady's possession. Including interest, ten thousand taels of silver and twenty bolts of Yunjin should just about cover the debt."
Lady Fu had already calculated this ten thousand taels of silver and the imperial-bestowed Yunjin several times in her mind.
The silver could cover this year's losses from the estate, and the Yunjin could make several new outfits.
Now, Zhaopinghoufu wanted to take it all in one go?
"This… isn't your Hou Fu being a bit too overbearing?" Lady Fu clutched her handkerchief, her brows furrowed so tightly they could crush a fly. "Jiuque is a son of the Fu family. As soon as his rewards arrive, you want to take them away? Moreover, Nansheng has already married into the Fu family—she is a member of the Fu family. Giving them to her is the same as giving them to Jiuque, isn't it?"
"Lady Fu," Nanny Wu interrupted her coldly, "our Eldest Young Lady is now a member of the Fu family, but if she were to divorce, that would be a different matter. Our Madam only says she is keeping them on behalf of Eldest Young Lady, not demanding them outright. If the Fu family feels our Hou Fu is being overbearing, this old servant can wait here and invite the Capital Prefect to come personally and decide."
Mentioning taking the matter to the authorities immediately weakened Lady Fu's resolve by three parts.
They had privately misused their daughter-in-law's dowry, which was already unjustifiable. If this matter were brought before the authorities, they would likely face severe consequences!
He Shi tugged at Lady Fu's sleeve from the side, whispering in persuasion, "Sister-in-law, Zhaopinghoufu holds great influence. Why must we confront them head-on? It's merely temporary custody. When the time comes, we can find a way for Nansheng to reclaim it."
A knot of frustration lodged in Lady Fu's chest, neither rising nor falling.
She glanced at the two expressionless servants behind Nanny Wu, then recalled the rumors outside about the Lady of Zhaoping Marquis being unyielding in her decisions. In the end, she waved her hand.
"Enough. Uncle Fu, take Nanny Wu to the storeroom."
Only then did Nanny Wu reveal a faint smile, curtsying slightly. "Thank you for your understanding, Lady Fu."