Cui Yunli’s departure from the capital did not weigh heavily on Cui Yunchu’s mind. After all, she had gone so many years without an older brother or a father; missing one wedding celebration hardly made a difference.
With only ten days until the wedding, time was tight. Both the Shen and Cui households were frantically busy. Old Madam Cui had specifically instructed that the bride and groom must not meet before the wedding—it would bring bad luck.
So Cui Yunchu refused to let Shen Xiabai climb over the wall and sneak in again. Whether the superstition was true or not, it was better to start things off on an auspicious note.
Besides, she had no time these days to be lovey-dovey with Shen Xiabai. Her mind was entirely occupied with managing the household arrangements.
Who knew how many people in the capital were watching this marriage. The more attention it drew, the more determined Cui Yunchu was to make it a grand affair.
All the betrothal gifts sent by the Shen family had been added to her dowry for her to take back with her to the Shen residence. Yet even now, as Cui Yunchu looked over the dowry list the steward had presented, she was still dissatisfied.
“Young Miss, according to the customary allotment, yours already exceeds Second Miss’s.”
“What do you mean by that? Are you saying I’m not as good as Second Miss?”
“That is not what this old servant meant,” the steward hurriedly said, lowering his head.
But there was, after all, a difference between legitimate and concubine-born daughters. And Second Miss’s generous dowry had been left behind by her mother.
Cui Yunchu had always believed that she had accumulated quite a respectable dowry. Yet upon looking at the list now, she realized it was merely small change—not even comparable to a fraction of the other girl’s.
She knew that everyone had their own fate, that she should not compare herself to others or be jealous, but...
That was silver—gleaming, hard cash. Whoever held it got to keep it.
When it came to money, principles could be ignored. As for dignity, who needed it?
Clutching the list, she headed straight for Cui Qingyuan’s study.
“You said you would compensate me. You said you would give me an additional share of dowry.”
Cui Qingyuan lifted his head from the official documents before him and frowned at Cui Yunchu, who had barged in. “Wasn’t the steward put in charge of it?”
“The additions the steward made to the dowry list aren’t enough.”
“Prime Minister,” the steward hastily explained from the side, “this old servant has already added to First Miss’s original dowry, but... First Miss is not satisfied.”
“Adding enough to match Yunfeng’s is not the extra share you promised me.”
The steward looked helpless and explained softly, “But, First Miss, you are, after all... a concubine-born daughter. The standards for you and a legitimate daughter are different. Those are rules handed down by our ancestors.”
“Grandmother said it herself!” Cui Yunchu planted her hands on her hips and shouted. “There is no distinction between legitimate and concubine-born children in this household! Aren’t you something? Why don’t you just stop calling me First Miss and call me the Concubine-Born Miss instead?”
The steward jumped in fright and staggered backward under her scolding.
Cui Qingyuan rubbed his temples wearily and reprimanded the steward. “Who gave you permission to make decisions on your own? Add her extra share.”
“Yes,” the steward replied quietly.
Cui Yunchu turned to glare at Cui Qingyuan. “Stop pretending to be the good man here. Wasn’t this your secret order? Otherwise, how would a servant dare make such a decision?”
The steward dropped to his knees with a thud. “First Miss, please judge fairly! His Excellency knew nothing of this. This old servant acted entirely on his own initiative.”
Cui Qingyuan looked at her in silence. “Are you done making a scene? If you are, go back and prepare for your wedding.”
“I’m done,” Cui Yunchu said. “But I have one more request. I want to enter the storerooms and choose my own dowry items.”
The steward froze. “Th-that would truly be improper, First Miss. There has never been such a rule.”
“There has never been any place for a servant like you to interrupt. What, just because Prime Minister Cui refuses to take a wife and the household affairs fall under your management, you’ve started thinking of yourself as the mistress of the Cui household?” Cui Yunchu looked down at the steward. “Who gave you the right to meddle in the Cui family’s affairs?”
“Prime Minister Cui, perhaps?” Her gaze shifted to Cui Qingyuan. “You refuse to marry, and the two of you work together with such perfect… understanding.”
Cui Yunchu placed particular emphasis on the last word, lending it an insinuating undertone.
Cui Qingyuan’s face turned livid with anger. “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Give her the keys to the storeroom,” he ordered the steward.
Then he said to Cui Yunchu, “Once you have the keys, get out. Stop coming here to make a scene.”
Cui Yunchu snatched the keys from the steward’s hand. “Don’t worry. Even if you invited me, I wouldn’t come again.”
Her objective accomplished, Cui Yunchu hummed a tune as she headed straight for the storeroom with Xing'er.
The steward glanced cautiously at Cui Qingyuan’s expression. “My lord, if you truly let the eldest young lady take whatever she pleases, I fear the household will be reduced to living off your official salary by tomorrow.”
“Let her.” Cui Qingyuan lowered his head and resumed handling the official documents. The marriage alliance between the Shen and Cui families had come far too suddenly, drawing no small amount of scrutiny. Memorials protesting it had piled up beyond count. He needed to address every one of them properly to ensure that the wedding several days hence proceeded smoothly.
“My lord.” A young servant hurried into the room to report, “Word has come from the Shen residence. Someone has gone to the palace again to impeach you, intending to stop the wedding. Lord Shen requests that you go to the palace and settle the matter.”
The stack of documents at Cui Qingyuan’s side was still high, and irritation rose in him at the news. “Why doesn’t he go himself?”
Whose wedding was this, anyway?
“Lord Shen said he has been busy with the wedding preparations these past few days and has no time to deal with such trifles.”
Cui Qingyuan waved the servant away.
The steward immediately rose to help him change clothes and arrange a carriage for his trip to the palace.
Cui Qingyuan had been very, very busy these days—busy with official documents, busy dealing with the court officials, busy securing a way out for himself and the Cui family.
After what had happened last time, the Emperor likely could not bear the sight of him for even a single day. He must hate him bitterly, grinding his teeth in rage. Cui Qingyuan had to leave the Cui family a means of survival.
Cui Yunchu made a circuit of the storeroom and was deeply disappointed. She had thought that, as the Prime Minister’s residence, it ought to be quite wealthy. Yet it fell short even of the Shen family’s estate.
“Miss, the Shen family’s wealth has been accumulated over generations. Our household has some means as well, but there are three young ladies—you, Second Miss, and Miss Cousin. His Lordship feared you would be slighted, so the dowries he prepared were several times greater than those of other families. Naturally, the family’s reserves are a little thinner as a result.”
Cui Yunchu stood before a large wooden chest, looking down at it.
Xing'er’s eyes lit up. “Miss, isn’t this the chest of books your concubine mother left you? His Lordship took it away afterward—so it was kept in the storeroom.”
Cui Yunchu said, “My concubine mother certainly had quite a stroke of fortune. Even at her death, she probably never imagined that her storybooks would become an asset stored away in the Cui family’s treasury.”
Her words dripped with mockery. “Xing'er, have someone carry this chest out and add it to my dowry.”
“Miss, this… may not be appropriate. After all, it’s your wedding. What if the Shen family’s relatives and friends happen to find out? Wouldn’t that make you the laughingstock?”
Cui Yunchu turned her head and studied Xing’er. “But this is the only dowry my concubine mother left me.”
Xing’er immediately called for people to move it back to First Garden.
Cui Yunchu made a circuit of the storeroom.
“Miss, is there anything else you’ve taken a fancy to?” Xing’er asked. “I’ll have them move it right away.”
Cui Yunchu said nothing. Then she suddenly remembered the brocade box Cui Yunli had sent her yesterday.
After a long moment, she said, “Forget it. Cui Yunli is already getting on in years; he should keep something to help him find a wife. And Grandmother’s health requires money to maintain as well.”
“…”
Xing’er thought to herself: The young lady rushed off to pick a fight with the Chancellor, only to leave with nothing but a trunk of storybooks?
“Miss,” Xing’er said, staring at her, “you’re truly kind.”
“You’re the first person to praise me that way,” Cui Yunchu said with a mocking smile.
“That’s only because others don’t understand you. Take Lord Shen, for instance. Once he gets to know you, he’ll fall hopelessly in love with you.”
Cui Yunchu laughed.
The sunlight at the storeroom entrance was painfully bright. She raised a hand to shield her eyes, but the light still filtered through the gaps between her fingers and fell across her face.
“Yes. He is both my misfortune and my good fortune. Perhaps it really is fate.”
