https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-148-Behave-and-Don-t-Cause-Trouble/12582625/
Chapter 147: Additional Dowry
Chapter 147: Additional Dowry
Hand in hand, the couple left the courtyard.
When Meng Qianqian turned back, she saw that the matriarch was watching them. Turning back again, she found the matriarch still staring at them sharply.
She glanced at Lu Yuan by her side, his face cold and expressionless.
After spending so much time with Lu Yuan, although she couldn't say she completely understood him, she knew he wasn't the type to hold grudges. But the matriarch was still a member of the Lu family, and it would be normal for anyone to be somewhat concerned about her behavior.
Speaking softly, Meng Qianqian said, "Grand Duke, the matriarch has shown me much care over the years. She's elderly now and her mind is unclear. If I have offended her in any way, I hope you can forgive me."
Lu Yuan let out a cold hum.
Meng Qianqian continued, "I'll go back later and try to persuade her. But the matriarch can't take any shocks, or she might easily fall ill. Just in case... I mean, just in case, could the matriarch stay at the Duke's mansion for a few days?"
Lu Yuan's voice turned colder, "What? Do you want me to be a son-in-law who lives in my wife's family's home?"
Knowing she was in the wrong, Meng Qianqian didn't dare refute, only gently pinching his palm, "The matriarch has forgotten things in the past, but after three to five days, at most seven or eight days, she would forget about it. Grand Duke, you have a generous heart and a stomach that can hold a boat. Please endure it for a few more days, alright?"
Her fingertips were soft and her voice gentle, like a willow catkin blown by the spring breeze, gently falling into one's heart.
Lu Yuan's eyes flickered, the sunlight reflecting off his dark eyes, refracting a thousand hues of light.
He coldly said, "Just a few days, don't take advantage."
Meng Qianqian nodded seriously, "Mhm!"
Regarding this fake marriage, Meng Qianqian had a strict and well-thought-out plan—after the wedding, she and Bao Shu would live in the main courtyard, while Lu Yuan would move to Bao Shu's Tinglan Garden.
When she was with Lu Lingxiao, they also had their separate courtyards, so this arrangement wouldn't arouse suspicion.
But now that the matriarch had moved into Tinglan Garden, Lu Yuan would definitely not be able to move in. Moreover, the matriarch had ordered Lu Yuan's clothes to be packed and sent to her courtyard.
The reason given was that a great-grandson-in-law should live with his great-granddaughter-in-law.
Thus, when Lu Yuan finished handling official matters and returned to Tinglan Garden, he was shocked to find the room emptied.
He went to the bridal chamber and looked at the large and small trunks on the ground, then at Meng Qianqian's innocent face, narrowing his eyes dangerously.
Meng Qianqian was speechless and said with little confidence, "I said it was the matriarch who ordered the move, do you believe me?"
...
On the other hand, Li Mama went to the accounting room to meet with Cen Guanshi.
She thought along the way, wondering what the Grand Duke had asked her to do when he told her to meet with Cen Guanshi. Was it about the dowry list?
Miss had brought in 160 loads of dowry when she entered the mansion. When she first married into the Lu family, it was 120 loads, and a handover was also made with the Lu family. The Lu family's manager checked the list and counted the items before making two copies of the list, one placed in the accounting room and the other given to the old lady.
But that was also done three days after the wedding. Who would rush to check the dowry as soon as the bride entered the door?
When Li Mama entered the accounting room, she realized it wasn't about handing over the dowry list, but rather, Cen Guanshi was handing over the authority of the mansion's head steward to her.
"The tokens for each room in the mansion, the keys to the accounting room and all the warehouses, are all here. Li Mama, please check."
Cen Guanshi pointed to the table filled with keys and tokens, smiling at Li Mama.
Li Mama was shocked. It took her a while to recover, repeatedly declining, "Cen Guanshi, this won't do! This won't do! I've just arrived, so it's fine to let me manage the matters in the courtyard, but the mansion still needs to rely on you!"
Cen Guanshi smiled, "Li Mama is too humble. Cen believes in your ability to manage affairs. From now on, the Grand Duke's mansion's major and minor matters will be under your care."
"Cen Guanshi! Absolutely not!"
Li Mama saw that Cen Guanshi wasn't testing her, but was sincerely intending to hand over the authority of the head steward to her, and she panicked!
Cen Guanshi said with a pleasant expression, "Li Mama, as servants, we should help our masters worry less. The more we do, the less our masters will have to worry about."
Li Mama said, "It is my duty to alleviate the worries of the master, and I would do so without Cen Guanshi's reminder. I will do my best."
Cen Guanshi smiled and said, "In that case, Li Mama, please take the tokens and keys."
"I..."
Li Mama was stunned by this unexpected offer.
In the Lu family, aside from Liu Guanshi, who served Madam Lu, the other managers were extremely guarded against her. It was unthinkable for them to hand over power, let alone share any authority.
Li Mama felt ashamed for having suspected their intentions on her way here. Embarrassed, she explained, "To be honest, in the Lu family, I only managed Miss Lu's courtyard and not the entire household. I'm afraid that if I don't do a good job, I will disgrace Miss Lu and cause trouble for Young Master Lu."
Cen Guanshi called out, "Come in!"
Ten well-dressed servants entered the accounting room.
They were the mansion's accountants and managers, and Cen Guanshi introduced them to Li Mama one by one: "Li Mama, if there's anything you don't understand, just give them your instructions, and they will take care of it."
The Duke's mansion was vast and complex, and each manager had their own duties, utilizing their strengths to ensure that everything was handled efficiently and in an orderly manner.
Li Mama was deeply impressed by Cen Guanshi's management skills.
Cen Guanshi smiled and said, "It all boils down to this: we must manage the mansion well so that our masters can focus on the more important matters outside without distractions."
He referred to 'masters' instead of a singular 'master,' implicitly including Meng Qianqian among them.
Li Mama couldn't help but recall what Lu Yuan had said yesterday when he took Meng Qianqian out for a meal, "The Duke's mansion doesn't have those unnecessary rules."
In fact, he had also added, "The women of Lu Yuan need not be confined to the inner quarters."
At the time, Li Mama hadn't thought much of it, assuming it was just a casual remark.
However, this new son-in-law was indeed quite different from Lu Lingxiao.
...
In the evening, the managers of the Wang, Zhou, Xing, and Lin families arrived at their doorstep to deliver additional dowries for Meng Qianqian. Each family brought twenty loads of carefully selected gifts from their respective ladies.
Zhou Nanyin and Lin Xiaoru also sent wedding gifts—a box of jewelry from Zhou Nanyin and a case of books from Lin Xiaoru.
Whether it was a coincidence or deliberate, the four families all passed by the Lu family's door, taking turns to beat their drums and gongs. First, the Wang family, then the Zhou family, followed by the Xing family, and finally the Lin family, each taking their turn to make a racket that left a certain someone in the Lu family fuming.
Just as Meng Qianqian finished receiving the additional dowries, news arrived from the city gate—the Seventh Prince of Beiliang had entered the capital.
This meant that General Zhang Feihu and his soldiers would indeed be returning to the border.
"How many days until they leave?"
Meng Qianqian asked.
Lu Yuan replied, "Tonight."
Meng Qianqian murmured, "So soon?"
Lu Yuan explained, "The Seventh Prince of Beiliang is the most beloved son of the King of Beiliang. As a condition for his visit to the capital as a hostage, the King of Beiliang demanded that he be escorted by a 20,000-strong army. Currently, this army is camped fifty miles outside the city, and General Zhang Feihu and the border soldiers will have to break camp tonight to meet up with the Beiliang army."
In reality, there would be no more battles, but such an arrangement was reasonable and prudent.
Meng Qianqian's heart was filled with reluctance. Although she hadn't known them for long, they had shared the battlefield together as comrades-in-arms, forging a deep bond through life and death experiences.
Meng Qianqian stood up abruptly.
Lu Yuan was already one step ahead of her, walking out.
Meng Qianqian watched his retreating back, her eyes fixed on him for a moment before she spoke in a serious tone, "Grand Duke..."
Lu Yuan replied indifferently, "Follow me."
Meng Qianqian was taken aback, "Huh?"
Lu Yuan, with an air of detachment, said, "We leave now, and we might be able to catch up with them at the North Gate. Any later, and we'll truly miss them."
(End of Chapter)
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