Ye Jingchuan didn’t expect Ye Chutang to suddenly bring up the matter of the imperial marriage arrangement, making him feel as though his schemes had been exposed before they could even take shape.
He cleared his throat and countered, “Where did you hear such idle gossip?”
“Father, just tell me—is it true or not?”
“The Emperor heard that Prince Chen asked you for a calligraphy piece and assumed he had taken a liking to you, so he intended to arrange a marriage between you. But Prince Chen didn’t even spare a glance for Princess Anping—how could he possibly fancy you? His heart belongs solely to the Miaojiang Witch Doctor who once saved his life.”
Listening to Ye Jingchuan’s deliberate belittlement, Ye Chutang smiled and asked, “Aside from status, Father, in what way do you think I fall short of Princess Anping?”
Having said that, she made a decision.
Though she couldn’t elevate her birthright, she could certainly raise her standing!
Ye Jingchuan had come to beg Ye Chutang to treat his ailing mother, so he naturally refrained from disparaging her entirely.
“You are, of course, more outstanding than Princess Anping. But she holds a noble status—a single word from her could determine your life or death. Don’t provoke her in the future.”
Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow. “Even the Emperor needs a pretext to execute someone. Since when does Princess Anping wield greater power than His Majesty?”
Unable to out-argue her, Ye Jingchuan changed the subject. “Chu’er, what do you think of Prince Chen?”
“Prince Chen is handsome, virtuous, defends the borders, protects the people, and remains devoted to the one he loves. He’s a rare and exceptional man.”
If Prince Chen didn’t already have a beloved and wasn’t a thorn in the Emperor’s side, she would certainly pursue him.
Unfortunately, both were true.
Seeing Ye Chutang speak so highly of Prince Chen, Ye Jingchuan sensed an opportunity for the marriage alliance.
“Since you admire Prince Chen so much, would you like to marry him?”
Ye Chutang detected the scent of conspiracy.
She dropped her spoon into the pumpkin porridge and played along. “Didn’t you say Prince Chen rejected the Emperor’s proposal because he didn’t fancy me?”
“He did reject it, but you still have a chance. The Emperor has given Prince Chen half a month to choose a noblewoman from the capital to wed.”
“But isn’t Prince Chen in love with the Miaojiang Witch Doctor? Shouldn’t he marry her?”
“Prince Chen said the Miaojiang people usually marry within their own clans and that she wouldn’t leave her homeland for the capital.”
Hearing this, Ye Chutang knew Prince Chen was deliberately shielding the Witch Doctor.
If the Emperor learned she was his weakness, he would surely target her.
Yet she didn’t believe Prince Chen was the kind of scoundrel who would marry another woman just to protect his beloved.
His marriage plans would surely face upheaval.
Of course, whether Prince Chen married the Witch Doctor or a noblewoman, it had nothing to do with her.
“Father, I won’t marry a man whose heart belongs to another.”
Ye Jingchuan was exasperated.
“What man doesn’t waver between affections or take multiple wives and concubines? With that mindset, you’ll end up an unwanted spinster!”
Ye Chutang wasn’t some feudal-minded ancient. If she couldn’t find the right man, she’d rather stay single.
“Better a spinster than wed to a scoundrel.”
As she said this, her smile didn’t reach her eyes as she stared pointedly at Ye Jingchuan, clearly mocking him.
Unable to continue the conversation, Ye Jingchuan stood. “I’ll wait for you in the courtyard.”
Ye Chutang picked up her spoon and resumed eating her pumpkin porridge.
After leisurely finishing breakfast, she stepped out of the dining hall and said to Dan’er, “I’ll be leaving the mansion later. Don’t prepare lunch for me.”
Then she turned to Ye Jingchuan. “First, let’s divide the dowry.”
There was no way she would treat Old Madam Ye—it would tarnish her karma!
Ye Jingchuan knew that Ye Chutang was a stubborn person. If he didn't listen to her, she would make everyone restless.
"Alright. Since Ling'er is going to marry Eunuch De, the dowry can't be too shabby. I have to pick out some good things for her."
"Father is really good at being generous with others' things. Let's go."
Seeing that she didn't object, Ye Jingchuan breathed a sigh of relief.
Let her scold. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last!
When leaving Ningchu Courtyard, he said to the guards waiting outside the courtyard, "Call Madam and Ling'er, Concubine Jiang and Yin'er to the Buddha Hall, and also send twenty guards there."
The dowry trunks were big and heavy. It would take a lot of people to move them.
Ye Chutang was speechless again.
Even the Buddha would be exhausted by this scoundrel!
The courtyard where the Buddha Hall was located was called Fanyin Courtyard, which was in the northwest corner of the Minister's Mansion and quite large.
In addition to the Buddha Hall, there was also a garden and a Star - Picking Tower for viewing the scenery in the courtyard.
When Ye Chutang and Ye Jingchuan arrived at Fanyin Courtyard, Kong Ru, Ye Anling, Concubine Jiang, and Ye Siyin were already waiting at the door.
The guards were standing in an orderly manner. The scene was quite grand.
There were obvious palm prints on Kong Ru's face, and her buttocks were still injured. Her standing posture was awkward.
Concubine Jiang could hardly hide her excitement, and the smile on her lips couldn't be suppressed.
Ye Jingchuan stepped into the courtyard first and went to the Buddha Hall.
He said to the guards, "Pry up the floor and carry out the dowry trunks inside."
Under the floor of the Buddha Hall, there were several layers of waterproof cloth.
After removing the waterproof cloth, one could see the neatly arranged dowry trunks.
There were two layers, a total of thirty - two trunks.
There was a veranda in the garden connecting a pavilion.
Double - decked dowry trunks were placed below, a full sixty sets.
The remaining dowry trunks were under the floor of the Star - Picking Tower.
Ye Chutang was amazed at Ye Jingchuan's ability to hide the dowry.
If it were up to her to find them, she really couldn't.
Because the dowry trunks weren't directly buried in the soil.
Except for the top layer which was the floor, the other sides were sealed with stones.
Even if she used her earth - based supernatural power to detect, she would only think it was the foundation.
The sixty - four dowry trunks on the top layer were all carried out and placed in the garden.
Ye Jingchuan casually opened one trunk and said, "Divide the dowry into four parts. Each of the three daughters will get one part, and the remaining part will be left for Zhi'er and Jun'er to use when they get married."
"The dowry belongs to Wanning. Although she said before her death that she wanted to divide the dowry equally among all the children, Chu'er is her only daughter, so I'll give her more. Yin'er is a concubine - born daughter, so I'll give her less. Do you have any objections?"
Of course, Kong Ru and Concubine Jiang had no objections.
Any single item in Tang Wanning's dowry was a precious treasure. Whether they got more or less, they would still make a profit.
"Master, you can decide."
Seeing that Ye Chutang was silent, Ye Jingchuan quickly coaxed her, "Chu'er, don't worry. The dowry I leave for you will definitely be both abundant and excellent."
Ye Chutang nodded. "Alright, divide it."
Anyway, it was all a useless effort. No one would be able to take away a single item!
And she just happened to take this opportunity to check how much the dowry in the trunks differed from the details on the dowry list.
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