“Madam, it was the Second Miss who threw this old servant over and wouldn’t let me return,” Steward Luo said with bitterness in his heart.
“What authority does Shen Yiren have? Just go back and find Mother, find Grandmother,” Shen Qingrui stated plainly. “It’s not that I don’t want to keep you, but the General’s Manor needs you.”
Steward Luo had no choice but to return.
As soon as he stepped through the gates of the General’s Manor, he saw Shen Yiren casually grab a maid and ask, “I need to add things to my courtyard. Who do I go to?”
The maid had already heard about the Heavenly Fire burning the Eldest Miss’s belongings last night. Even Heaven was expressing injustice for the Second Miss. She dared not offend her and was even more afraid of bringing trouble upon herself, so she answered tremblingly, “All matters in the manor, big or small, are overseen by Steward Luo, but they must be approved by Madam.”
“So if I find Steward Luo, I can get things, right?”
“Yes, but it must be approved by Madam.”
“Which one is Steward Luo?”
Xiao Ba shook his head.
Cang Ming: “…The one I hauled over to the Duke’s Manor yesterday.”
Shen Yiren suddenly understood. The maid pointed at Steward Luo by the gate and whispered, “Over there.”
She didn’t forget to remind her again, “Second Miss, anything added to the manor must be approved by Madam.”
“There’s no ‘Second,'” Shen Yiren reminded her.
The maid immediately corrected herself: “Miss.” Only then was she released, and she fled immediately.
Shen Yiren smiled at Steward Luo: “Want to come back?”
Steward Luo felt a chill down his spine. Remembering Shen Qingrui’s words, he immediately retorted, “Whether this old servant stays in the manor is not for the Second Miss to decide, but for Madam, the master.”
“I am also a master,” Shen Yiren said. “Last night, I burned Shen Qingrui’s things, and Mother couldn’t do anything about it. If I kick you out, she still won’t be able to do anything.”
“You burned the Eldest Miss’s things!” Steward Luo was shocked and turned to look at the maid not far away. The maid nodded with a pained expression.
Steward Luo thought to himself, a woman who has been provoked is truly terrifying.
“The things added to the courtyard must not be worse than what Shen Qingrui originally had, and they must not be fewer than what Shen Qingrui originally had. Also, for dresses and such, I like cyan, emerald green, and light yellow colors. What about you, Xiao Ba?”
Xiao Ba was also a Ginseng Spirit, so of course he wanted the same colors.
Shen Yiren then asked Cang Ming. Cang Ming said he didn’t need any, so she decided for herself: “He wants black.”
Not only did the specifications have to be higher than before, but clothes also had to be added for three people. Steward Luo felt his heart ache just hearing it: “Where does the manor still have so much silver for purchases? It’s all been spent on the dowry.”
“The dowry!” Shen Yiren slapped her own head. “I forgot to bring the dowry back! If I retrieve the dowry, there will be money for purchases, right?”
If she retrieved the dowry, there would be no need for purchases—there were plenty of things inside. Originally, it was prepared for the Eldest Miss, but after the Second Miss returned, the fiancé and the dowry became the Second Miss’s.
But fortunately, after all the twists and turns, it still belonged to the Eldest Miss.
Steward Luo, worried that she would really go to retrieve the dowry, hurriedly stopped her: “There’s no reason in the world to take back a dowry.”
“Now there is. That’s my dowry,” Shen Yiren said, taking Xiao Ba and Cang Ming to the Duke’s Manor.
Cang Ming reminded her: “The dowry is extensive. This subordinate alone would find it difficult to move.”
Xiao Ba patted his chest: “There’s me too!”
“Even two people would find it difficult,” Cang Ming said. “This subordinate will go find more people.”
Shen Yiren waved her hand: “Go quickly and come back quickly.” She was afraid he wouldn’t return—after all, this was the first capable and agile subordinate she had acquired since coming down the mountain.
“Shen Yiren, what are you doing here?” The Duchess was annoyed at the sight of Shen Yiren, who had not only injured her son but also accused him of murder. “Go back to your General’s Manor.”
“I’ll leave as soon as I’ve moved my dowry. Who wants to stay in this place?”
Xiao Ba stood with his hands on his hips. “Exactly!”
“Move your dowry?” The Duchess sneered. “The dowry has already been registered in the Duke’s Manor along with Shen Qingrui. It belongs to the Duke’s Manor now.”
Although she looked down on the General’s Manor’s meager dowry, it was better than nothing.
“That is Shen Yiren’s dowry, not Shen Qingrui’s.” Shen Yiren repeated the same words.
The Duchess refused to back down. “But the General’s Manor accepted the Duke’s Manor’s betrothal gifts.”
“Didn’t we give you the bride?” Shen Yiren retorted. “She’s your son’s favorite. What more do you want?”
“Sharp-tongued.” The Duchess’s face darkened. “Bring Shen Qingrui here.”
Cen Liangxuan arrived as well. His missing tooth had been filled with silver paste, which appeared slightly darker than his original teeth. However, it wasn’t noticeable unless he opened his mouth wide.
“Shen Yiren, this Young Master and Qing Rui have already performed the wedding ceremony. Give up.” Cen Liangxuan was tall and imposing, with a deep and pleasant voice, but his words grated on Shen Yiren’s ears.
“You give up. I don’t like you.” Shen Yiren turned to Shen Qingrui. “Where did you put the dowry?”
Shen Qingrui had assumed she came for the Young Master and never expected she would demand the dowry.
But either way, it was a matter of life and death.
“Shen Yiren claims the dowry is hers, not yours, Qing Rui. What do you say?” The Duchess’s gaze bore down on her, determined to make her keep the dowry.
If managing the household was the dignity given by the husband’s family, the dowry was the confidence provided by the bride’s family. Without it, the husband’s family would look down on her even more.
“Yiren, even if you don’t understand propriety, there should be limits.” Shen Qingrui could only criticize her lack of manners, gently tugging at Cen Liangxuan’s sleeve.
Cen Liangxuan spoke up. “The dowry was prepared by her parents for Qing Rui. You’re being unreasonable and should know your place.”
“The dowry is prepared by parents for their daughter, and I am their biological daughter.” Shen Yiren was tired of explaining. “Xiao Ba, go find where the dowry is. We’ll move it as soon as the others arrive.”
Xiao Ba nodded vigorously and dashed off, moving so nimbly that no one in the Duke’s Manor could even touch the hem of his clothes.
“Sister! It’s in the courtyard at the back!” Xiao Ba’s eyes lit up as he prepared to lead Shen Yiren there.
Shen Qingrui ordered people to form a human wall and stepped forward to block the way. “Shen Yiren, how dare you!”
“Why wouldn’t I dare? You impostor. If you want a dowry, go ask your country parents for it.”
The words “impostor” and “country parents” were thorns in Shen Qingrui’s heart, especially coming from Shen Yiren, the true legitimate daughter. They stung more deeply than anyone else’s words ever could.
At that moment, Cang Ming arrived with his men.
A line of guards in black uniforms.
“Miss Shen, where are the items?”
“Xiao Ba, take Cang Ming there.”
“Cang Ming?” Cen Liangxuan felt a sense of familiarity upon seeing Cang Ming for the first time. Upon hearing the name, he confirmed that he was one of Prince Duan’s personal guards.
The Duchess had also learned from the Duke last night that Shen Yiren had some connection with Prince Duan, but she assumed it was an exaggeration.
How could a country girl have any ties to the noble Prince Duan?
She never expected Prince Duan would send his personal guard to Shen Yiren’s side.
Shen Qingrui did not recognize the person before her, yet she stepped forward to block the way: “If any of you dare take another step forward, don’t blame me for being impolite. I was taught by my father since childhood and know martial arts!”
Cang Ming drew his sword and placed it against her neck.
Shen Qingrui trembled, swallowing hard.
Shen Yiren and Xiao Ba shook their heads in unison, clicking their tongues: “Tsk, tsk.”
“I am the wife of the heir!” Shen Qingrui declared, invoking her new status.
Cen Liangxuan stepped forward, pushed aside Cang Ming’s sword, and took Shen Qingrui’s hand, signaling her to remain silent. As the heir himself, he saw no need to bow before a prince’s guard.
He questioned sternly, “Cang Ming, what is the meaning of this?”
“Lord Cen, my prince is still waiting outside for Miss Shen to finish moving her belongings so they may reminisce. I must trouble you to step aside.”