Chapter 6: First Encounter

The day for the General’s Mansion to deliver the betrothal gifts arrived in the blink of an eye.

“Miss, Young General Lu has come in person to deliver the betrothal gifts!” Banxia, accompanied by a few young maids, reported to Lin Wanqing in great excitement. “There are so many gifts that the front courtyard can barely hold them all. I hear that Madam and the Second Miss have faces as green as grass.”

Lin Wanqing was deeply surprised. The Young General himself had come to deliver the gifts? What was this all about? This had not happened in her previous life. The marriage itself was a case of the Lin family climbing above their station; in her past life, the Lu family had merely sent an uncle accompanied by a steward to settle the betrothal, and the Young General had never once shown his face. As for the gifts, they had been of standard quantity and quite unremarkable. Why was there such a vast difference in this life?

However, Lin Wanqing did not dwell on it, as she cared very little for this marriage. After all, she was destined to live as a widow in all but name once she married into that house; to care too much would be laughable. She was currently pinning all her hopes on one thing. She wondered where her uncle had reached; he had mentioned arriving within these two days, so why had she not seen him yet?

Just as she was worrying, Zisu hurried in and said, “Miss, Uncle Master has arrived. He is currently in the front courtyard catching up with the Old Master and your father.”

Lin Wanqing stood up abruptly. Her uncle had arrived today of all days! The timing was exquisite. Since the head of the Lin family cared deeply about appearances, and with the Young General present, it would be much easier to demand the return of her mother’s dowry.

She immediately called for Banxia and Zisu. “Let’s go to the front courtyard.”

The three of them were hurrying toward the front when they saw Nanny Wang approaching with several maids and matrons. Lin Wanqing quickly whispered to Zisu, “They are surely coming for us. You go and lure them away.”

She knew that Madam Qin felt guilty for having embezzled her mother’s dowry. Even if her uncle had not come specifically for the dowry, given Qin’s temperament, she would certainly try to prevent Lin Wanqing from leaving her quarters. Zisu understood immediately, turned in the opposite direction, and deliberately shouted, “Miss, wait for me!” She then ran off in the opposite direction from Lin Wanqing.

As expected, Nanny Wang heard the commotion, looked over, and immediately ordered the servants behind her, “Quick! The eldest Miss is over there, chase her!”

The group of maids and matrons scurried off after Zisu. Banxia patted her chest and whispered, “Miss, your guess was spot on. It’s a good thing we avoided them.”

Lin Wanqing thought to herself that it was not so much a guess as it was her deep understanding of Madam Qin. To avoid encountering more of Qin’s people, she took a winding path and continued toward the front courtyard with Banxia.

Upon reaching the front, Lin Wanqing finally realized the sheer scale of the betrothal gifts. A sea of red stretched out; she could not even count how many chests there were. Such an extravagant display was likely the first of its kind in Yuzhou City. She wondered what had possessed the Young General to make such a grand gesture. She had originally intended to marry into the General’s Mansion quietly, but it seemed that was no longer an option.

As her eyes swept the scene, she spotted Lin Xianyun, whose face was black with rage. Lin Wanqing smiled. With Lin Xianyun’s competitive nature, she would likely be miserable for a long time. But she shouldn't be too impatient; the real frustration was yet to come. Based on her knowledge of the Su family matriarch, Lin Xianyun’s betrothal gifts would certainly be far stingier than her own had been in the previous life. The Su matriarch came from humble beginnings and had lived in poverty for years, making her incredibly tight-fisted with money. Moreover, since she did not favor Lin Xianyun, she would surely cut corners on the gifts. Compared to the General’s Mansion’s bounty, the Su family’s offerings would only look more pathetic.

At this thought, Lin Wanqing felt a strange flicker of goodwill toward Lu Jinxiao.

“Grandfather, Father, I heard that my uncle has arrived. May I enter to greet him?” Lin Wanqing stood outside the hall and called out loudly. She would not be foolish enough to wait for the servants to announce her; most of the house staff were people of Madam Qin, and if she asked them to announce her, they would almost certainly block her.

Madam Qin, hearing Lin Wanqing’s voice from within the hall, saw her expression darken. Hadn't she sent people to intercept that little wench? How had they failed? Just as she was about to order someone to turn Lin Wanqing away, Jiang Huaiqian stood up excitedly and ran out. “Wanqing! My dear niece!”

Lin Wanqing hurried into the hall and knelt to pay her respects. “Wanqing greets Uncle.”

Jiang Huaiqian immediately pulled her up, his eyes reddening. “No need for such formalities. Let me have a good look at you. You look just like her—so much like your mother.”

After a brief exchange of concerned inquiries, he turned to the Old Master of the Lin family. “Old Master, the Lin family has raised Wanqing very well. You have truly put in your efforts.”

The Old Master smiled and said, “Wanqing is my own granddaughter; it is only right that I raise her well. You need not be so polite, dear nephew. Wanqing, you have come at the right time. This is General Lu, your future husband. Come, pay your respects.”

Lin Wanqing looked up at Lu Jinxiao and was shocked by his appearance. In her previous life, her memory of him was of a man with a terrifying visage; he had been slashed by an enemy from his left temple to his right jaw on the battlefield. Because the wound was not treated properly, it became infected, leaving his entire face ruined. Lin Xianyun had been so repulsed by his appearance that she had refused to consummate the marriage. She had not expected that, before his disfigurement, Lu Jinxiao would be so strikingly handsome. If no one had mentioned he was a warrior, one might mistake him for a refined young nobleman. Thinking of how that face would one day be destroyed, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

“Greetings, General Lu.”

Lu Jinxiao was a man of keen observation. Seeing the pity in Lin Wanqing’s eyes, he raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Rise.” Having said that, he lowered his gaze and focused on his tea, ignoring her further.

Lin Wanqing thought to herself that he was indeed as cold as his reputation suggested, but she did not care. She needed to work with her uncle to reclaim her dowry.

Jiang Huaiqian was a straightforward man. Once Lin Wanqing had arrived, he got straight to the point. “Old Master, now that Wanqing is soon to be married, I have a matter I must dare to ask. Has the dowry of my late sister, Huaishu, been properly accounted for? My sister was ill-fated, leaving behind only Wanqing for the Lin family. According to the laws of the Great Liang, this dowry should belong entirely to Wanqing.”

The Old Master smiled. “I heard a few days ago that Madam Qin had already settled this matter?”

Madam Qin immediately stepped forward. “Yes, Uncle-in-law, please rest assured. I have already handed over my sister’s dowry to Wanqing.”

Jiang Huaiqian looked at Lin Wanqing. “Oh? It has already been given to you? Then I need not worry. This is the original inventory list of your mother’s dowry. I brought it specifically for you to keep as a memento.” As he spoke, he drew the aged, yellowing document from his robes.

Madam Qin’s face turned pale. She could not believe that after all these years, the Jiang family had kept this record. She had to find a way to stop Lin Wanqing from taking the list, or everything she had done would be exposed!

She shot a glance at her head maid, who immediately picked up a cup of tea and rushed toward Lin Wanqing. “Eldest Miss, it is a hot day, please have some tea to quench your thirst... Oh!” The maid stumbled, and the tea poured directly toward Lin Wanqing.