"Is the public order in Dongdu City really that bad?" Zhao Zhangru frowned upon hearing this, and asked, "In broad daylight, could there actually be ruffians robbing property on the streets?" Clearly, though her mind wasn't the sharpest, she had keenly grasped the crucial point.
"This explanation is just what the Liu family themselves said, how credible is it?" Dou Zhao, however, seemed to have seen through the essence of the matter. With a calm and composed demeanor, she turned to He Weifang and Wei Tingyu, asking, "Didn't Sister He also go to see her dowry shops this morning? The Marquis also went. Did you two run into Liu Shen?"
"Ah! So it was the Marquis and Sister He…" Upon seeing Dou Zhao's expression, Zhao Zhangru and Miao Ansu suddenly realized. Good heavens! Why didn't I think of that before? So Liu Shen's misfortune was caused by the Marquis and Sister He! How wonderfully done! Indeed, worthy of being the female protagonist; among the women in this courtyard, only Dou Zhao and He Weifang are truly sharp-witted now! Wei Tingyu inwardly sighed in admiration, and couldn't help but reach out and gently hook Dou Zhao's chin upwards.
"Marquis! We're dining!" Dou Zhao feared this move from Wei Tingyu the most. Every time he hooked her chin with his finger, she couldn't help but blush and feel shy when their eyes met. Now, doing it in front of their three sisters, made Dou Zhao's face turn even redder.
"Sister He, quickly tell us exactly what happened?" Miao Ansu and Zhao Zhangru had no time to concern themselves with Wei Tingyu and Dou Zhao's intimacy at this moment. Instead, they eagerly pressed He Weifang for details. After all, gossip is a common trait among all humans! Especially among women! And when the subject of the gossip was the widely disliked Liu Shen, it became even more engaging!
"No rush!" He Weifang smiled and nodded, then recounted everything that had happened that morning. As He Weifang narrated, the expressions of Miao Ansu and Zhao Zhangru changed repeatedly. Even Dou Zhao, at this moment, couldn't be bothered with her intimacy with Wei Tingyu; her large, innocent eyes were fixed on He Weifang's face.
When they heard that Liu Shen had shamelessly tried to intercept He Weifang on the bridge, the three women all revealed expressions of disdain. After all, such blatant robbery of a daughter-in-law's dowry was something no one with any sense of shame or conscience would do.
And upon hearing that Liu Shen had actually physically assaulted He Weifang, forcing her to fall from the bridge and almost into the river, the three women again showed expressions of fright and lingering fear. It was then that they realized how dangerous the situation had been; it was almost their own beloved sister who fell, not that detestable Liu Shen.
Upon hearing how Wei Tingyu, like a divine soldier descending from heaven, had rescued He Weifang from mid-air above the water, the three women couldn't help but let out gasps of envy. At the same time, three pairs of affectionate eyes turned towards Wei Tingyu. After all, they certainly envied such a heroic act in their hearts! Of course, more than that, they were relieved. Indeed, the Marquis did not disappoint his sisters; he was reliable at crucial moments!
Finally, upon learning that Liu Shen's fall into the river was also Wei Tingyu's doing, the three women couldn't help but burst into laughter, especially Zhao Zhangru!
"Marquis! Please teach me this skill of striking acupoints from a distance too! In the future, I can use it to punish these villains!" Zhao Zhangru was even more envious of Wei Tingyu's martial arts and methods, pulling Wei Tingyu and asking him to teach her the unique skill of striking acupoints from a distance. Wei Tingyu, unable to resist her persistence, could only nod in agreement. However, Zhao Zhangru's martial arts were still relatively weak at present, so she couldn't master such advanced martial arts! Zhao Zhangru also knew this, so after receiving Wei Tingyu's verbal agreement, she was content.
"Then, Sister He, did you get your shops back?" Miao Ansu was more concerned about whether He Weifang's purpose for the trip had been achieved.
"I got them back!" At this, He Weifang's small face also lit up with excitement. The process of getting her shops back afterward was incredibly smooth. When she and Yulu arrived, the steward and the accountant had just finalized the deal with the buyer and were about to sign, but she directly interrupted them. The steward and the accountant were initially very arrogant, saying that it was the master's order and they could only execute it. He Weifang, however, didn't bother to deal with these two people. She simply explained to the buyer that these were her dowry shops, and her husband's family had no right to sell them! If he wanted to face a lawsuit, he could sign it here. Afterward, they would argue it out in court, and he might not only lose the shops but also his money! Of course, the most important thing was that it would cause a lot of trouble, which was the last thing any businessman wanted. Although the steward and the accountant were surprised by He Weifang's sudden decisiveness and assertiveness, from a status perspective, they didn't dare to do anything to the young mistress of the Liu residence. So they could only watch helplessly as the previously agreed-upon buyer quickly ran off with his money box. And the deeds for those two shops were naturally reclaimed by He Weifang herself.
"That's good! That's good!" Hearing that He Weifang had finally gotten her dowry shops back, Miao Ansu and Zhao Zhangru were both genuinely happy for her.
"It's not just these two shops!" At this moment, Dou Zhao looked at He Weifang and nodded, saying, "Sister should prepare early and get all your dowry back!"
"Of course!" He Weifang nodded heavily upon hearing this. "Not a single wen of my belongings will be left for this disgusting Liu residence!"
"Good! Let's wish Sister He an early escape from suffering!"
"Then I wish Sister He an early and honorable marriage into our Marquis's residence!"
Miao Ansu and Zhao Zhangru simultaneously raised their cups to congratulate He Weifang. "Thank you, my two younger sisters!" He Weifang was truly touched. At this moment, Wei Tingyu and Dou Zhao also raised their wine cups. With a light clinking of five wine glasses, the five of them simultaneously drained their cups. This feeling of exhilaration was almost indescribable! It was the first time He Weifang realized that life could be so joyful!
The next morning, Liu Shen was still bedridden with a severe cold from falling into the water. Meanwhile, Liu's mother and Liu Chang had received surprising news. The mother and son, accompanied by the steward and servants, rushed to the Liu residence's treasury, even forgetting their usual pretense of refined elegance. Judging by their hurried demeanor, they probably wished they had wings on their shoulders to reach the treasury faster!
Inside the treasury, He Weifang sat calmly before a low table, her right hand rapidly clattering the jade abacus in her hands. Yulu stood upright behind her, watching her mistress so thoroughly and swiftly calculating the accounts.
With a crash, the main door of the treasury was opened from the outside, and then the steward pushed the door open and stood to the side with an angry face. Immediately after, Liu Chang and his mother entered, both with furious expressions! Liu's mother first surveyed the surroundings, noticing that many of He Weifang's dowry boxes had been opened. Looking at her daughter-in-law meticulously clattering the abacus, her heart suddenly panicked.
"Mudanya! What are you doing?" However, with years of acting experience, Liu's mother immediately adjusted her mindset and looked at He Weifang, saying, "We are all one family, why are you acting as if we're separating?"
"In just one short year, I've been cheated and deceived, and more than half of my dowry is gone!" However, He Weifang didn't even lift her head, still clattering the abacus as she replied, "Is this what you call 'one family'?"
Liu Chang was startled, then a look of embarrassment appeared on his face. He naturally knew some of the inside story about his parents secretly taking He Weifang's dowry, but he had always pretended to be aloof and indifferent. Now, being directly exposed by He Weifang in front of him, his face immediately became unhinged.
"Mudanya, are you misunderstanding something?" However, before Liu Chang could speak, Liu's mother laughed again, and her tone when speaking to He Weifang became much gentler. "With the Princess and the Marquis gracing us with their presence, many of the gold and jade ornaments, antiques, and calligraphy from your dowry were just temporarily placed in their rooms; they will eventually be returned to the treasury!"
"Everything should prioritize the Liu residence! Why bother with such trivial matters?" Liu's mother, just like before, blurted out a set of brainwashing rhetoric to He Weifang without even thinking.
"That's right! Young Mistress!" The steward also quickly spoke up, "You can't possibly snatch things from those noble guests, can you?"
Laughable! He Weifang scoffed inwardly upon hearing their seemingly prearranged replies. Leaving aside everything else, she had stayed in Marquis Wei Tingyu's residence for two nights, and there were no dowry items she had brought among the furnishings there. The same applied to Princess Jian's side; she inherently disliked such gold and jade items! The gold and jade ruyi that Liu's mother had arbitrarily placed in the Princess's room before had even been disliked by her! Now, these empty and diminished dowry boxes were simply secretly embezzled by the Liu family! Yet they were using two noble guests as an excuse! Thinking this, He Weifang angrily slammed her palm down on the low table.
"Why can't I bother?!" The enraged He Weifang had completely broken ties with the Liu family at this point, directly shouting at Liu's mother, "These are my things! I ask you, why can't I bother?!" The reason He Weifang was so furious was that Liu's mother and Liu Chang actually still believed that the name "Liu Residence" could easily manipulate her. They had to remember that during yesterday's argument on the bridge, if Wei Tingyu hadn't appeared in time to save her, she would likely be a cold corpse right now! And at a time like this, Liu's mother and Liu Chang still expected her to consider the Liu residence? Were these two people too thick-skinned, or too brainless?!
After He Weifang's roar, this aura indeed immediately intimidated the shameless mother and son, Liu Chang! Both stared at the woman before them, dumbfounded, as if they didn't recognize her at all. Of course, this was precisely the result He Weifang desired most at this moment! If I can't intimidate you, then wouldn't I have slammed this table for nothing? Wouldn't I have gotten angry for nothing?
Thinking this, He Weifang calmed herself down again, continued clattering the abacus, and slowly began to speak, "The two noble guests are only temporarily staying in the Liu residence. No matter how high their status, they should not take what belongs to others!"
"If you want to curry favor with others, that's your business!"
"But I will not be at the mercy of others!" As she said this, He Weifang's voice suddenly faltered, and then she silently added a thought to herself: Except for Wei Tingyu! After all, for the past two nights, she had truly been at his mercy! But she couldn't directly state the reason at this moment.
"Liu Chang!" He Weifang finished her internal monologue, then looked up at her nominal husband and asked, "You pride yourself on being a scholar; normally, you're the most aloof!"
"Are you also willing to use a woman's dowry to pave your path to success?"
Upon her words, Liu Chang's face indeed changed repeatedly. Being directly exposed for his true self was not a pleasant feeling.
"Mudanya! You…" Liu Chang's mother, seeing this, quickly opened her mouth to scold He Weifang. After all, no one could curse her son in front of her! Especially not a daughter-in-law whom the entire Liu family looked down upon! However, she was interrupted by Liu Chang's dismissive wave before she could finish speaking.
"I didn't know those were your dowry items before!" Although his true self had been exposed, Liu Chang instinctively continued his act. He put on a righteous expression and said, "If I had known, I would never have moved them without permission!"
However, this excuse naturally failed to move the current He Weifang. She looked at Liu Chang expressionlessly, coldly silent. Her gaze clearly told him, Stop acting in front of me! Isn't it tiring to pretend like this? However, Liu Chang seemed possessed by an acting bug, determined to see this play through to the end!
He was silent for a moment, then turned to the steward and said, "Go and retrieve all those gold and jade items that were used for other purposes and put them back in her dowry boxes!"
"Zishu! This might displease the Princess!" Liu's mother immediately grew anxious upon hearing her son's words and quickly found an excuse to object. He Weifang, however, watched this amusing play unfold between the mother and son, both harboring their own schemes, with a cold smile from the side. None of the gold and jade ornaments from her dowry were placed in the Princess's room; they were basically displayed in various side rooms throughout the Liu residence! Especially in Liu Shen and his wife's rooms! If they were all to be retrieved now, the furnishings in the residence would probably be half empty! And now, Liu's mother was still using the Princess as an excuse, which was truly disgusting!
"Why are you still standing there?!" Liu Chang frowned instantly upon seeing the steward still愣 in place, and ordered him directly again. Liu's mother, seeing that her son's mind was made up, could only sigh helplessly, then gave the steward a look. The steward responded and ran out of the room, but this wasn't the end of it!
"I have already reclaimed the deeds for the two shops that were almost sold yesterday!" At this moment, He Weifang finally put away her small abacus and said, "As for all the property, large and small, that I have used to supplement the Liu residence over the past year, I also ask Mother to return it all!"
"From now on, without my permission, please do not touch my belongings in the Liu residence again!"
He Weifang, supported by Wei Tingyu at this moment, spoke with much more assertiveness than before! She looked directly at Liu Chang and his mother, her gaze unwavering as she handed them the list of repayments she had prepared.
"Mudanya, how did you become like this today?" Liu's mother took the list and felt a dizzy spell, but she asked He Weifang exasperatedly, "You're so nitpicky! You reek of money! You're nothing like an official's dependent anymore!"
Nothing like an official's dependent? He Weifang was startled, then immediately burst out laughing. It's right that I'm not like one! In the future, I'll be the equal wife of the Marquis of Jining! To put it bluntly, that's a noble lady from the capital! What standing does your Liu family have? How dare you use the title of "official's dependent" to try and cling to me? Thinking this, He Weifang slowly stood up, and then heavily slapped the low table in front of her with both hands again, staring at Liu's mother and Liu Chang, saying, "I have always been this kind of person; it's just that you only realize it today!" After speaking, she didn't wait for the two to react and walked straight out of the room. Yulu also followed behind her with a smug expression; today, she finally had her moment of pride in the Liu residence!
Unlike Liu's mother, who was furious, He Weifang's husband, Liu Chang, showed a hint of hesitation and shock in his expression as he stared at her departing back! This fellow, at this moment, unexpectedly realized that the wife his parents had arranged for him a year ago actually possessed such charm and courage?!
"Did Marquis Wei not accompany me to the lake for the sake of my reputation, or simply to accompany that He woman?" In Princess Jian's room, she looked at her head full of jewels and pearls in the bronze mirror, but her expression remained unhappy. Princess Jian was somewhat puzzled; no matter how she looked at her face, it was clearly a face of good fortune! She was definitely a beauty! Plus, with her father's immense power, there were countless men who wanted to get close to her and curry favor! Why was it that only Wei Tingyu was indifferent towards her?