Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan 知否知否 应是绿肥红瘦

C51 - Who Will She Marry in the Future? (2)

Old Madam Sheng also smiled, "With no one living in the house, it is only natural that it looks a bit cold. No need for a walk around, I believe you can keep the mansion well. And your grandson is just competent like you when severing Childe Changbai."

Learning that his grandson was favored by the master, the old steward looked even happier and ushered all to sit in the main hall. After which, he convened all maids and servants to kowtow to Old Madam Sheng. Minglan felt that her head was spinning after receiving loads of complimentary words and could barely remember the servants. Finally, it was all over.

Old Madam Sheng then led Minglan to the inner hall and arrived at a secluded chamber after passing several wing rooms and circumventing the storehouse. Fang Mama was already there waiting at the door.

"Did you get all things out?" asked Old Madam Sheng upon seeing Fang Mama.

"Yes, madam." Fang Mama answered as she bowed to pay respect. Then she led all maids out, leaving only the grandmother and granddaughter in the room.

Minglan was quite confused. Judging by the secrecy, it seemed her grandma had something to instruct her. Then she found her grandmother sitting in an old chair in the middle of the room, who pointed at the huge cases displaying in order and said, "These are all the dowries your grandma has." With that, she then tilted the corners of her mouth and added, with a faint touch of sarcasm coloring her tone, "All that's left."

Minglan stared blankly at the cases and went over to open the already unlocked cases upon Old Madam Sheng's gesturing. A strong gas of something rotten greeted her and made her cough. Whoosh! They must haven't been touched for thirty years. Would there be some contagious bacteria in them? Minglan managed to open her eyes, only to see piles of something dark covered in dust, some even with spider webs dangling. With a closer look, she managed to tell some porcelains, bronze antiques from them. The last two cases were the mostly heavily protected, with an iron box inside the heavy rosewood case.

Something complicated came to Old Madam Sheng's eyes. She seemed to have recalled quite a few past memories and said in a tranquil voice, "Originally, there were dozens of cases of first-class cloth, like silk, brocade, or fur. I set them all in flames. For other dowries, I exchanged them into silvers to help your father build connections for his official career. The rest I brought with me when I got married are all here...they're yours now."

Minglan was choked again before she hardly recovered from her coughs. She hurried to respond, "Grandmother's dowries should be passed over to brothers. I'm fine with some silvers."

Good heavens! If she brought all these stuff home, she, without a doubt, would be hanged by Wang shi. Worse, even brother Changbai might not like her anymore.

Old Madam Sheng ignored her words and continued, "I'll give you girls each a thousand Liang of silvers no matter how much dowry your father prepares. As for boys, it matters whether they are legitimate or not. So I'll give your big brother Changbai one thousand and five hundred and the younger two eight hundred each. I've been in Sheng family my whole life and long acquitted the scarce love your grandfather offered me. Therefore, all these cases are my own possession, not a bit related with Sheng family."

Old Madam Sheng's placid tone was like making clear her last will. Minglan felt depressed. She learned that all the dowry of Yu Yanran was just about one thousand and five hundred silvers, which already included the endowment her grandfather added upon her distant marriage. However, it also indicated that Cabinet Yu had always been honest and upright during his tenure and Lord Yu, Yanran's father, was such a niggard.

Minglan pulled on her grandmother's sleeve and persuaded, "Grandma, please leave them to brother Changbai, he is the legitimate heir of the family."