Although it was common knowledge that Prince Ding was a good-for-nothing, he was still the only hereditary prince of the highest rank in the Great Chu Dynasty. Thus, Lord Ye and Old Madam Ye, who had always been indifferent toward Ye Li, surprisingly summoned her for a talk.
"Granddaughter greets Grandmother and Father." When Ye Li arrived at the Hall of Glory and Joy, Lord Ye, Wang Shi, and Fourth Miss Ye Ying were already present.
Old Madam Ye nodded with a kindly smile. "Li'er, rise. Now that you are betrothed to Prince Ding, and Ying'er is to marry Prince Li next month, our family can be said to have double blessings."
Ye Li stood up, her eyes lowered respectfully to the ground. "It is this granddaughter’s fault for troubling Grandmother to return from outside the capital. I am unfilial to have caused you such labor." Though Old Madam Ye did not particularly favor Ye Li, these words pleased her greatly, and her expression warmed slightly. "This is a joyous occasion for our family. How could I not return? Have the dowries for the two girls been prepared?"
Wang Shi quickly rose, looking somewhat troubled as she addressed the old madam. "Reporting to Old Madam, originally, with only Fourth Miss’s wedding next month, we could manage the dowry in time. But now, with Third Miss also engaged, I fear..."
Old Madam Ye, being shrewd, naturally saw through Wang Shi’s little scheme. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Li’er’s wedding date hasn’t been set yet. Prioritize Ying’er first."
With the old madam’s approval, Wang Shi happily complied.
Old Madam Ye then looked at her two granddaughters and ordered a maid to bring out two boxes, placing them on the table. "Both of you girls are blessed—one marrying Prince Li, the other Prince Ding. As your grandmother, I will not favor one over the other. These items are for each of you, and the same will apply to Fifth Miss and Sixth Miss in the future. You will each receive one of the manors from my dowry. As for how much more the family contributes, that will be up to your mother and father."
Wang Shi smiled ingratiatingly. "Old Madam truly dotes on her granddaughters. This wife and the lord have discussed it—since Ying’er is marrying Prince Li, a meager dowry might displease the imperial family. The family will allocate twenty-two thousand taels for the dowry, along with six manors and six shops. Additionally, I will give her two manors from my own dowry."
Old Madam Ye frowned. "Isn’t that a bit excessive? While it’s true that Ying’er marrying a prince warrants a generous dowry, if the dowries for the other girls are too far behind, it will reflect poorly on the reputation of the Minister’s household. What are your plans for Li’er’s dowry?"
The old madam was far more perceptive than Wang Shi. Even if Prince Ding was a good-for-nothing, he was still a well-established one from a prestigious family. Were it not for his personal shortcomings, he might even be more esteemed than Prince Li. If Ye Li’s dowry was treated too shabbily, those loyal to the Ding Royal Palace for generations might have something to say.
Wang Shi clearly hadn’t expected the old madam to be so direct. After hesitating, she replied, "Prince Ding, after all, is not the emperor’s full brother, and our household’s resources are somewhat limited... This wife thought we might wait until Prince Ding’s Estate sends the betrothal gifts before deciding. We can then add two manors to the dowry."
In other words, she intended to return Prince Ding’s betrothal gifts as part of the dowry—how much would actually be returned would be entirely up to her discretion.Hearing this, Ye Laofuren's face darkened as she scolded, "Nonsense! How could you even think of sending the betrothal gifts back as dowry? Do you still care about the Ye family's reputation? Or your own as the stepmother? It's true the Xu family has declined in recent years, but they're still far above your Wang family!"
Blushing crimson from the old madam's harsh rebuke, Wang Shi repeatedly protested her innocence, "Old Madam, this daughter-in-law is wronged! Have I ever mistreated Third Miss all these years? It's just... just... our household is facing difficulties. There are still several unmarried girls, and Rong Ge'er will need funds for his future wedding..."
The old madam rubbed her chest in frustration at her short-sighted daughter-in-law. Rong Ge'er was only seven—his wedding was years away. She shot a glance at Lord Ye sitting quietly nearby and said, "You decide what to do with your own daughter. Thank goodness I asked about this. If Wang Shi had really married off Li girl like this, we'd have offended both Prince Ding's Estate and the Xu family. Though the Xu family has fewer officials these days, that centuries-old clan isn't to be trifled with!"
Lord Ye looked awkwardly between his mother and wife before saying, "Third Daughter is also a legitimate child—treat her the same as Ying'er." As someone who'd risen to Minister status, he wasn't foolish and understood his mother's concerns.
"The same as Ying'er?!" Wang Shi shrieked. "Where would we get that much money? My lord, it's not that this stepmother wants to mistreat Third Miss, but our household is truly struggling. Ying'er is the blood sister of a palace Zhaoyi and is marrying His Majesty's full brother. If her dowry is lacking, it would reflect poorly on both the prince and the Zhaoyi. At most... at most I could add two estates from my own dowry meant for Rong Ge'er to Third Miss's portion." Wang Shi tearfully pleaded her case while secretly seething at Ye Li's silent presence. How could that woman's daughter be treated the same as her precious Ying'er? Never!
"This..." Lord Ye hesitated, looking troubled at Ye Li. With Ye Zhaoyi currently enjoying imperial favor and pregnant—possibly with a prince...
Seeing her father waver, Ye Ying bit her lip and said softly, "Father needn't worry. Ying'er can share some of her dowry with Third Sister. We just mustn't shortchange Eldest Sister in the palace, and should leave some for Fifth and Sixth Sisters too." Touched by his favorite daughter's thoughtfulness, Lord Ye's expression softened as he looked expectantly at Ye Li.
Ye Li smiled faintly to herself before raising her head to address the four present: "Father, Mother, and Fourth Sister needn't trouble yourselves." Wang Shi's heart leapt—over the years, Ye Li's passive nature had made her seem easily manipulated, and she thought Ye Li was about to concede. But then Ye Li continued, "Before Mother passed, she mentioned that when she married into the Ye family, Grandfather and Grandmother gave her eight estates, twelve shops, and three woodlands as dowry—all meant for me. As for the rest, Father and Mother can follow Second Sister's precedent. It's better to prioritize Fourth Sister." The second Ye daughter had married the third son of a censor two years prior with only ten thousand taels from Wang Shi.
"What?! That's impossible!" Wang Shi couldn't help shrieking. Those were assets she'd reserved for her own daughter's dowry and Rong Ge'er's inheritance!Ye Li looked at her strangely and asked, "What is it?" She slightly lowered her gaze, appearing somewhat shy as she turned to Old Madam Ye and said, "Mother once mentioned that her dowry was to be left to her granddaughters. My aunt is also aware of this. Isn't that right, Grandmother?"
Old Madam Ye's expression also darkened. Back when Xu Shi married into the Ye family, her dowry was so lavish it was the talk of the town for miles. If it were all given to Ye Li, Ye Ying's dowry would pale in comparison. Over the years, the Ye family had been living extravagantly, and their expenses had already begun to outweigh their income. Trying to match the dowry Xu Shi had brought would leave the family struggling to survive after Ye Ying's marriage. Yet, Ye Li wasn't wrong—Xu Shi's sister-in-law from the Xu family had been present when Xu Shi passed away and had personally heard her final wishes. Seeing Old Madam Ye remain silent, Ye Li didn't rush to speak further. Instead, she sneered inwardly. She didn't particularly care about the size of the dowry, but she couldn't allow her mother's possessions to be used as a dowry for Wang Shi's daughter. Although she had regained memories of her past life after Xu Shi's death, it didn't change the fact that Xu Shi was her mother. She hadn't forgotten the tender care, the patient teachings, or the hardships Xu Shi had endured. From the moment Xu Shi married into the Ye family, she had never known a day of happiness—one could say she died of sorrow. If her dowry were now used to benefit the daughter of her husband's concubine, even Ye Li, who didn't believe in ghosts, feared her mother might rise from the grave in outrage.
After a long silence, Old Madam Ye finally spoke, "Let's set this matter aside for now. I'll discuss it later with your mother and father."
Ye Li faintly raised an eyebrow and softly acknowledged the response.
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