“If you still refuse to hand over my niece’s dowry, Pei Xingzhou, then don’t blame me for showing no respect to a newly crowned Third-Rank Scholar,” Su Mingzhi declared sternly.
He knew full well that today’s events would spread throughout the capital.
If Pei Xingzhou returned the dowry, people might even believe he had never coveted it in the first place.
But if he refused…
Who knew what kind of rumors would emerge?
For a scholar from a humble background with no powerful clan behind him, a damaged reputation could be devastating.
After a moment of thought, Pei Xingzhou turned to his trusted aide.
“Go fetch Miss Su’s dowry.”
Oh?
The title changed rather quickly.
A moment ago it was “Ranran,” and now she was “Miss Su.”
Still, Pei Xingzhou was surprisingly incompetent.
His treasury had been emptied for so long, and he still hadn’t noticed.
Su Qingran couldn’t help wondering what expression he would wear once he realized he couldn’t produce the dowry.
The moment Li Qiuju heard he intended to return it, she panicked.
“What?! You’re really giving that dowry back?”
“It’s already in our hands! Son, how can you—”
Before she could finish, Pei Xingzhou interrupted.
“Take Madam back to her courtyard.”
His face was cold.
“What?! Pei Xingzhou!”
“You’ve become completely lawless!”
“Is this how you honor your mother?”
“You’re still protecting that little slut Su Qingran, aren’t you?”
“Do you even have your mother in your eyes anymore?”
Li Qiuju cursed and screamed.
Even Su Qingran thought the woman was unbelievably stupid.
The original owner had simply been raised too well by the Pingyang Marquis.
She possessed all the grace and restraint of a noble young lady and had spent years silently enduring Li Qiuju’s abuse without ever fighting back.
With intelligence like Li Qiuju’s?
She wouldn’t survive a single episode in a palace intrigue drama.
Just as the servants were about to drag Li Qiuju away, the servant who had been sent to retrieve the dowry hurried back.
He rushed to Pei Xingzhou and whispered something into his ear.
Instantly, all color drained from Pei Xingzhou’s face.
After hearing the report, his gaze unconsciously shifted toward Su Qingran.
Seeing this, Su Qingran immediately put on a frightened expression and hid slightly behind Su Mingzhi.
“What is it?”
“Surely Lord Pei isn’t about to tell me that the dowry prepared by the Marquis has mysteriously vanished?”
Su Mingzhi’s voice turned icy.
Pei Xingzhou didn’t answer.
He merely stared at Su Qingran.
“Su Qingran.”
“Was it you?”
His gaze was like that of a venomous snake.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Su Qingran replied softly.
The performance was so convincing that even she thought she had been born to be an actress.
“So the dowry really is missing?”
Su Mingzhi snorted coldly.
Only then did Pei Xingzhou shift his attention away from Su Qingran.
“Someone secretly entered my room and stole the dowry.”
“And the rewards His Majesty granted me after I earned the title of Third-Rank Scholar also disappeared.”
What?
Those piles of junk were imperial rewards?
Who was he trying to fool?
To be fair, Pei Xingzhou’s belongings weren’t actually worthless.
It was simply that the treasures Su Qingran had opened first were so valuable that his possessions looked cheap by comparison.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“So many chests were moved out of your residence, and nobody noticed?”
Su Mingzhi was convinced Pei Xingzhou simply didn’t want to surrender the dowry.
“Su Qingran.”
“Did you take it?”
“You disappeared for days. Were you hiding the dowry all this time?”
“Otherwise, why couldn’t my men find you no matter how hard they searched?”
Now Pei Xingzhou was directing all suspicion toward her.
Whether she had actually taken it no longer mattered.
What mattered was pinning the blame on her.
The property was gone.
He couldn’t produce it.
The only way to avoid repaying it was to insist that Su Qingran herself had taken it.
Su Qingran stared at him in disbelief before tears began streaming down her face.
“Then why don’t you say your mother and cousin took it?”
“They’ve been coveting that dowry all along.”
“You hid it away from them.”
“In the entire Pei Residence, I didn’t even have a single person I could talk to.”
“Everyone there serves you.”
“How exactly was I supposed to move away that many chests?”
“And tell me this—”
“Wasn’t the lock still intact when you discovered the theft?”
With every sentence she spoke, Pei Xingzhou’s expression became more strained.
Because everything she said was true.
The lock had indeed been untouched.
Back then, Pei Xingzhou had specially commissioned a locksmith to create several one-of-a-kind locks.
The entire purpose was to ensure nobody could steal the dowry.
Yet somehow…
Had someone stolen the key and secretly entered his room?
The people capable of freely entering his courtyard were limited.
Either his mother.
Or his cousin.
Seeing him remain silent, Su Qingran let out a cold laugh.
“Looks like the Pei Residence has a thief within its own walls.”
“Think carefully.”
“Who has access to your courtyard and could steal the treasury key?”
One sentence.
One perfectly planted suggestion.
Li Qiuju still hadn’t been dragged away.
The moment she heard such an obvious accusation, she immediately exploded.
“You little bitch named Su!”
“Say another word and I’ll tear your mouth apart!”
Su Qingran shrank behind Su Mingzhi as though terrified.
Then she pointed toward Li Qiuju and said:
“See?”
“Isn’t this exactly what a guilty conscience looks like?”
Pei Xingzhou: “…”
Turning back to Su Mingzhi, Su Qingran pleaded:
“Second Uncle, the Pei family refuses to return my dowry.”
“You must help me.”
“Don’t worry, Ranran.”
“I’ll definitely seek justice for you.”
A calculating gleam flashed through Su Mingzhi’s eyes.
If the Pei family refused to hand over the dowry…
Then he wouldn’t need to be polite anymore.
Naturally, Pei Xingzhou understood exactly what the old fox was thinking.
The problem was that he genuinely couldn’t produce the dowry.
Seeing more and more spectators gathering outside the residence, he finally relented.
“Please give me three days.”
“Allow me to investigate where the dowry went.”
“Afterward, I will personally visit and provide an explanation.”
Pei Xingzhou was certain of one thing.
The dowry had to be somewhere within the estate.
Su Qingran’s dowry combined with his imperial rewards amounted to over twenty chests.
There was no way such a massive amount of property could have been transported away without anyone noticing.
Neither the Pei Residence nor the surrounding neighborhood had seen anything suspicious.
“Fine.”
“I’ll give you three days.”
“If three days pass and you still fail to provide an explanation, then we’ll settle this in court.”
With that, Su Mingzhi flicked his sleeve dramatically and turned to leave.
Then he noticed Su Qingran still standing there.
“Ranran.”
“Come. Return to the Marquis Manor with your second uncle.”
After all, only by bringing Su Qingran back to the Marquis Manor could he conveniently take charge of her dowry in the future.
Or so he thought.