Chapter 5: The Embezzled Dowry

Madam Qin was quite satisfied with Lin Wanqing’s compliance. She smiled and said, "Then I shall send someone to the General’s Mansion tomorrow to discuss the wedding arrangements."

Originally, according to Grandfather Lin’s wishes, they were to wait for the General’s Mansion to initiate contact again, which would have ensured the Lin family’s daughter was held in higher regard. But Madam Qin could no longer afford such concerns; her own daughter’s marriage was the priority, and everyone else would simply have to step aside.

Lin Wanqing smiled slightly. "I shall defer to your arrangements, Madam."

As Madam Qin rose to leave, Lin Wanqing called out, "Madam, please stay a moment."

Madam Qin turned back. "Is there something else?"

"I wish to take inventory of my mother’s dowry," Lin Wanqing said.

When her mother, Madam Jiang, had married into the Lin family, she had brought a significant dowry. While perhaps not a legendary fortune, it had included twenty shops of varying sizes, two estates, several hundred acres of farmland, and over ten thousand taels in gold, silver, and jewelry. To the present-day Lin family, this might not seem like much, but back then, it had been the result of emptying half the Jiang family’s wealth.

In her past life, Madam Qin had given all of it to Lin Xianyun. That was her mother’s dowry and should have rightfully been hers. But the shameless Madam Qin, counting on the fact that her mother had died in childbirth and the Jiang family had disappeared without a trace, had embezzled these items, turning them into her own private property before eventually bestowing them upon Lin Xianyun to take to the General’s Mansion.

As for Lin Wanqing, she had received only the two thousand taels Madam Qin had prepared for her, along with a heap of useless, flashy trinkets—not even a tenth of her mother’s true dowry. Had her uncle’s family not reunited with her later, she might have gone to her grave never knowing the truth.

In this life, she would not meddle in how much the Lin family prepared for Xianyun, nor would she be jealous. But as for her mother’s share, they were not to touch a single coin.

Hearing the mention of Madam Jiang’s dowry, Madam Qin’s expression shifted sharply, though she quickly regained her composure. She covered her mouth and chuckled, "You child, whatever made you think of this? What, are you afraid I would embezzle your mother’s meager dowry? If you want to count it, let’s do it in two days. Your mother’s things are piled in the very back of the storeroom; I’ll need to have someone clear them out."

Her words implied that Madam Jiang had left little behind, warning Lin Wanqing not to get her hopes up.

Lin Wanqing smiled gently. "Then I shall trouble you, Madam."

As Madam Qin turned away, she let out a sneering laugh. She wanted to count Madam Jiang’s dowry? Fine, let her count. The girl had never seen her mother since she opened her eyes. After the Jiang family was exiled, she had found excuses to sell off all of Madam Jiang’s maids and nannies. Aside from the masters of the Lin house, no one knew exactly how much dowry Madam Jiang had brought.

Therefore, whatever she said the dowry was, that was what it would be. A little wretch born of a mother who couldn't raise her, wanting to scrape money from her hands? What a whimsical dream!

Lin Wanqing heard the sneer clearly, a flash of mockery crossing her eyes. This Madam Qin was truly rotten to the core.

Madam Qin had married into the Lin family half a year after her mother’s passing and had given birth to Lin Xianyun less than seven months later. This was the point that pained Lin Wanqing most regarding her father—that he had been intimate with Madam Qin while her mother’s body was barely cold. It was even possible that he had been dallying with her while her mother was still pregnant with her.

In her previous life, she hadn't thought much of it, but after experiencing death herself, she couldn't help but look deeper. Was her mother’s death really just a difficult labor? But her mother had been dead for seventeen years; it would be difficult to pursue the truth now. If she could not avenge her mother’s death, she would at least protect everything her mother had left behind.

Madam Qin dared to let her audit the dowry only because she relied on the fact that the Jiang family was missing and a dowry inventory list could never be found. But in her previous life, the Jiang family had kept that list all along. She was now very much looking forward to Madam Qin’s reaction when her uncle’s family arrived with the inventory list in hand.

Once back in her own quarters, Madam Qin summoned her confidante, Nanny Wang. "That little hussy wants to count her short-lived mother’s dowry. You know what to do, don't you?"

Nanny Wang laughed. "Rest assured, Madam, your servant has already prepared everything. If she doesn't check, she might keep a shred of dignity. If she insists on checking, let her; she should not be surprised when she feels humiliated."

Madam Qin giggled. "Put all those things into Xianyun’s dowry list later. The Su family is dirt poor; if I don't prepare a generous dowry, I fear she will suffer there."

"Did you see today? How quickly that Madam Su changed her face? In my opinion, these scholarly families are all the same—they look high-minded, but their eyes are practically glued to the treasures."

Nanny Wang chuckled along. "Who’s to say otherwise? That Madam Su looks like a hypocrite to me. As long as our young lady has money in her hands, she won't dare give her any trouble. From now on, the Su family will have to look to our young lady to get by."

Madam Qin laughed triumphantly, then sighed, "With such a large household, I fear they will all be relying on Xianyun’s dowry in the future. The thought makes me feel stifled."

Nanny Wang consoled her, "Don’t just look at the present, Madam. Our son-in-law’s academic talent is top-tier. Once he earns his place on the gold list, our young lady’s suffering will be at an end."

Indeed, hearing this, Madam Qin’s brow smoothed out. "Keep an eye on that little hussy’s inventory; don't let it reach the ears of the Master and the others."

Nanny Wang kneaded her shoulders. "Rest easy, my dear Madam. The whole mansion is filled with your people now. No matter what ideas she has, she cannot escape your palm."

Madam Qin narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.

Two days later, Lin Wanqing took Banxia, Zisu, and two rough-work maids from her courtyard to Madam Qin’s residence.

"Madam, I have come to take inventory of my mother’s dowry."

Madam Qin waved a hand. "I have already given the orders. Nanny Wang, take the eldest young lady to the storeroom. I have matters to attend to today—I must go have some jewelry made for Xianyun—so I will not accompany you."

Lin Wanqing bowed slightly. "Please attend to your affairs, Madam."

After Madam Qin left with her entourage, Nanny Wang said to Lin Wanqing, "Eldest Young Lady, please follow me."

The group arrived before the storeroom. Nanny Wang produced a key to open the first lock, and the warehouse accountant opened the second. The accountant bowed to Lin Wanqing and pointed to several trunks stacked in the corner. "Eldest Young Lady, the items you wish to audit are here. This is the dowry list sent by the Jiang family years ago. Please look it over."

Lin Wanqing took the so-called "dowry list" and nearly laughed aloud. The items recorded were nothing but worthless scraps. Presumably fearing it looked too ridiculous, they had added a few decent items at the end and noted one thousand taels of silver.

Madam Qin’s greed was truly unsightly. She said nothing, merely handing the list to Zisu. "Take the people and begin the count."

Zisu led the two young maids to open the trunks, and the process was finished in no time.

Nanny Wang smiled. "Eldest Young Lady, is everything in order?"

Lin Wanqing smiled back. "It all matches. Thank you for your hard work in safeguarding my mother’s dowry all these years, Madam. I shall keep this list for now."

Nanny Wang nodded with a smile. "When you marry, these items were intended for you to take anyway. Keeping the list is fine."

Lin Wanqing turned to the accountant. "Record this: I have taken the inventory list today. Please copy the list carefully once more so the accounts don't get muddled."

If the accounts weren't clear, how would she be able to cause a proper scene later?