Chapter 328: Red Dowries (I)

“Who did you say?” Master Yuan Jing would rather admit that his ears were useless and that they produced auditory hallucinations rather than hear his daughter mention that name again.

Wuniang did not understand and repeated with a smile, “Liu Xi. Isn’t he a student of yours? Someone that is part of Langye Academy definitely has no major issues of principle… As for his personality, I think I have to observe further…”

“Not him!” Master Yuan Jing disagreed with his daughter. Wuniang was puzzled about her father’s firm attitude.

When she had told her father that she liked Wei Ci, he was not against it. Instead, he was delighted.

It was a pity that Wei Ci already liked someone else. Wuniang did not bother competing with other people, so sadly, she chose to give up.

Why was her father so abruptly against Liu Xi?

“Is Liu Xi married?” Wuniang thought about Jiang Pengji’s age and appearance. She felt that there was a huge possibility that he had already gotten married.

The current ethos was that men got married at an early age. It was rare for someone to still be single at the age of 21, like Wei Ci was.

If that was the case, Wuniang could not force it.

“No… It’s just that… your personalities don’t match…” Master Yuan Jing was usually eloquent, but he was currently rendered speechless. He did not know how to explain it to his daughter. “Liu Xi isn’t someone of your league. He has a wild temper. I feel that you’ll only suffer.”

Wuniang was a filial daughter. She only had a good impression about Jiang Pengji. Since her father was against it, she would just forget about it.

Master Yuan Jing sighed heavily while stroking his daughter’s hair.

On the one hand, he felt that his daughter was similar to him, and had a very good taste in choosing partners. Whether it was Liu Xi or Wei Ci, they were indeed outstanding. It was a pity that the former had given his heart to someone else and had a strange birth chart. As for the latter… her gender was not suitable. He still hoped to have grandchildren!

On the other hand, he felt that it was a pity.

Master Yuan Jing smiled kindly and promised, “I’ll find you the best husband in the world.”

Wuniang was so shy that her cheeks blushed. She was still an unmarried girl. She definitely felt shy when her marriage was discussed.

“If you can’t find the best, I won’t get married in the future. You’ll have to support me for the rest of my life.” Wuniang hugged Master Yuan Jing’s arm and acted cute. She looked lovely and innocent. “If I grow old at home, you can’t give me the cold shoulder.”

Master Yuan Jing secretly heaved a sigh of relief. It was best that the matter could be resolved so simply.

Although he could foresee the fate of others, he could not foresee the fate of those close to him. He did not know who his daughter would marry in the future.

The only thing that he could do was keep close tabs on any potential candidates and find her a real handsome husband.

******

Jiang Pengji bade goodbye to her close friends a few days in advance. She also notified Master Yuan Jing.

Jiang Pengji walked home at sunset, her sleeves rich with the scent of pear blossoms. In front of the door, there were many carriages that were filled with the rare wood that Jiang Pengji found, furniture, clothes, jewelries, makeup, and many title deeds for land…

Not to mention the dowries prepared in Hejian County, the dowries that Jiang Pengji prepared were already worth more than the value of a daughter born of the mistress of an aristocratic family.

Many items had been prepared by Taxue. She knew the value of the dowries best. She felt somewhat bitter on the inside.

“What are you thinking about? You’re pouting so much that your mouth could hang a pot of vinegar.”

Jiang Pengji changed into her pajamas after washing up. She untied her hair and let it down on her back.

After returning to her bedroom, Taxue knelt while tidying up the blanket on the bed. She looked somewhat resentful, and she had a wide range of movement.

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She was acting different from her usual self. Her reaction was a bit intense, so Jiang Pengji casually asked her about it.

Taxue tidied up the blanket efficiently. Looking at where the booklet was placed, she grew angrier and angrier on the inside.

“I’ve sorted out the dowry booklet and I’ve brought it here for you to have a look.”

Jiang Pengji bowed to Taxue with her hands in front. She smiled apologetically and said, “What have I done today that made you so mad?”

Seeing that Jiang Pengji was fooling around, she threw the blanket on the bed and replied unpleasantly, “You’re so open-minded, but I’m narrow-minded. Normal, legitimate daughters of the aristocrats do not even have such generous dowries, not to mention… Not to mention a daughter born of a mistress, who’s not close to you. If this was another family, they would have to empty their storeroom… What are you going to do next time?”

In the current era, the children of the legal wife and those born out of wedlock were two entirely different things.

The Liu residence gave such generous dowries to the daughter born of a mistress, as if the storeroom was going to be emptied. What would that make the legitimate children who inherit the family business? Of course, on the other hand, that could also reflect the generosity and kindness of the Liu residence. They even treated the child born of a mistress well.

However, not everyone believed in it.

If it were to happen to an ordinary person. As Taxue said, even if one did not think much initially, he or she would inevitably feel a little uncomfortable.

Jiang Pengji smiled indifferently. “The dowries and her maiden home are something that she can rely upon when she’s married… Not to mention that she’ll be married into the royal family. She can’t be looked down upon. Anyhow, I’m her brother. Why should I fuss over these things?”

Taxue sighed. “You’re generous, but she may not appreciate it.”

Although they had the same father, the child born out of wedlock and the child born of the legal wife were in opposite positions. They rarely lived in harmony.

Jiang Pengji smiled and said nothing. Taxue did not continue to talk about the topic.

When she lifted her quilt and was just about to lay in bed, she said, “We’ll have to depart tomorrow. Have a good sleep and rest up. You don’t have to keep watch tonight.”

Taxue agreed with a smile, but she still laid her bed outside.

Hearing the movements outside her door, Jiang Pengji heaved a long sigh.

That night, the moon was bright and there were very few stars.

Master Yuan Jing had not still fallen asleep at midnight. He tossed and turned, awakening his wife.

“What’s wrong with you tonight?”

“Did my movements wake you up?” Master Yuan Jing looked at his wife, who had a cloak over her shoulders and apologized. “Go back to bed. I’ll stay in the study for tonight… My mind is not at peace tonight. I can’t fall asleep no matter how…”

His wife went back to sleep and muttered vaguely, “You have too many thoughts…”

Master Yuan Jing carefully lifted the quilt. He put on his cloak and left the bedroom quietly.

The moon was shining brightly. He looked at it and lowered his head again. He frowned.

He did not get any sleep until dawn. Instead, he sat in the study for the whole night.

Apart from Master Yuan Jing, someone else suffered from insomnia, too.

At daybreak, the city gates were wide open and a fleet of carriages quietly moved out of the city gate.

Jiang Pengji rode on White at the front of the fleet. Behind her, there were more than 20 carriages that were carrying various dowry items. There were more than 100 guards on both sides of the fleet. They were holding big knives at their waists to guard against both sides of the road, for fear of encountering bandits or mobs who would block the road and rob them.

Wei Ci wore a cloak over his shoulders and stood at the Shili pavilion. He sighed, looking at Jiang Pengji’s back from afar.

He knew very well that she might not come back after leaving.