Chapter 680: Chapter 682: The Second Daughter of the Yin Family

The Chief Maid standing to the side poured a fresh pot of hot tea for Empress Zhou. "Your Majesty, now that the Holy Decree has been issued, we must handle this matter beautifully, no matter what."

As a long-serving member who had come from the Zhou Mansion, Nanny Xu naturally wished the Zhou Family well.

The marriage was already set. Complaining was pointless. It was better to focus on how to handle this beautifully, leaving outsiders with nothing to say.

"Of course I know that," Empress Zhou said. "But I have agonized over these betrothal gifts time and again. If they’re too extravagant, it won’t do, but if they’re too meager, it will look bad. It’s truly put me in a difficult position."

Empress Zhou was now starting to regret listening to her brother. Why did he have to find someone from such a minor family? There were plenty of ladies from prestigious families who didn’t hold any real power.

"Nanny Xu, my brother chose this person himself. Why didn’t he first look into her family’s circumstances?

Tell me, after being a Magistrate for so many years, does he really have no family fortune to speak of?

Isn’t there a saying? ’Three years as an honest magistrate, one hundred thousand in silver.’"

The more Empress Zhou thought about it, the more agitated she became, and she blurted out the words without considering if they were appropriate.

"Oh, my dear Empress, you mustn’t say such things." Nanny Xu felt a surge of relief that the Empress disliked having too many attendants; right now, it was just the two of them in the inner chamber.

"In any case, the Holy Decree for this marriage has been issued. That makes Prefect Yin the Marquis’s family-in-law, and we can only hope for the best from them.

Besides, when the Marquis chose this man, it was because he is upright. Though talented, his temperament prevents him from rising in the ranks. He won’t have a brilliant future, but he also won’t cause any major trouble later on.

Although I did not go out myself, I was the one who handled the background investigation. This Prefect Yin is truly a rare, honest official.

He may be a bit poor, but for the Marquis, a man like this won’t be a burden in the future. He can’t be easily bought off by anyone, so he won’t be used against the Marquis.

That alone is good enough. So what if they’re a bit poor? At worst, we can secretly give them some financial support."

"Sigh, it’s not that I don’t understand this reasoning. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have sent rewards several times already. But her family background... and she’s the second daughter. I’m afraid she’s completely unfit for the position of Lady of the Zhou family."

I’ve already sent two housekeepers over to teach her, but with the wedding date so close, there’s a limit to what she can learn. I just hope she doesn’t make a fool of herself and become a laughingstock.

"Your Majesty, the Marquis is also doing this for the sake of our Prince," Nanny Xu said, knowing exactly what would change the Empress’s attitude. "And since the Marquis made this decision, he will surely have everything arranged properly.

Look, this betrothal gift list is more or less complete. Why don’t we send it back to the Marquis Mansion and let the Marquis make the final decision himself?"

Empress Zhou rubbed her forehead. "I know what you’re trying to say, Nanny Xu. My brother has already sacrificed so much for me. I really shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of his mansion.

It’s just that I still find it hard to accept. But fine. In a moment, have someone send this list out. Also, pick a few more items from my private treasury. When the wedding date is formally requested, send them all to the Yin Mansion as a gift."

...

The upcoming wedding at the Chengen Marquis Mansion didn’t cause much of a stir in the court. People were just surprised that with all its wealth and prestige, the Chengen Marquis Mansion was only marrying the second daughter of a fourth-rank Prefect.

In the Marquis Wu’an Mansion, however, this matter was sparking arguments.

Kuang Yunqiao had been sulking in the mansion for days. She hadn’t even gone to see the Marquis Wu’an, Bai Yugang, for several days.

"Madam, the Princely Heir has returned to the mansion." The report from her trusted servant reminded her that there was still a great enemy waiting within the mansion.

"Where is he now?"

"He has already reached the Marquis’s courtyard," the old servant replied in a low voice.

"You useless things, why are you only reporting this now?"

Kuang Yunqiao cursed, already rising to her feet and heading out. "His return is perfectly timed. Since the Old Marquis won’t manage the household, then he, the Princely Heir, should be the one in charge."

The family’s finances were all controlled by the Old Madam. She gave them a monthly allowance for household expenses and not a single copper coin more.

She had to use her own private funds to keep her subordinates loyal. Being the mistress of the house in this way was utterly humiliating.

The moment Bai Jinglie entered the old man’s courtyard, he saw that Bai Yugang looked even more aged than the last time he’d seen him.

Aside from a single trusted aide, there was shockingly no one else there to attend to him.

"Father, your son has returned," Bai Jinglie announced, then directly chose a seat and sat down.

This casual display of his made Bai Yugang clench his fists.

Even if Bai Jinglie saw it, he paid it no mind. He was no longer the boy who had to fight for survival in this mansion. On the contrary, the Marquis Wu’an Mansion now depended on him.

"It seems the servants are being neglectful. Father, you’ve aged a great deal.

It looks like they all deserve to be punished. If they can’t serve you properly, we’ll just replace them. Our mansion can still afford that much silver."

"You rebellious son! You return only to act like the master and boss everyone around. What have you ever done for this family over the years? It’s good enough that you haven’t dragged me down with you," Bai Yugang said through clenched teeth.

"If that’s how you feel, then why did you keep urging me to come back, Father?

I had only just left the mansion when you sent people chasing after me.

Now I’m back. If you have something to say, say it quickly. I still have to go to the palace to report."

Bai Yugang glanced at the sky outside and snapped, "Do you really think my old eyes are so dim I can’t tell what hour it is? The palace gates have long been locked. Do you think you can just get in on your own authority?

I had you come back for a reason, an important one! Now your wings have grown strong, and I can’t control you anymore.

But don’t you forget, as long as you are the Heir of Marquis Wu’an, you have to shoulder the burden of this entire mansion.

If you hadn’t been so stubborn and insisted on marrying the Southwest General’s daughter, the last bit of military power our family held wouldn’t have been taken away!

You single-handedly caused the mansion to fall into its current state! Do you want to take over the Marquis Mansion only to be left with an empty title?"

Bai Jinglie laughed mockingly. "Don’t push all the blame onto me. Why did the Holy Emperor take back the military authority? Don’t you know the reason yourself?

Even if I hadn’t married the woman from the Deng Family, do you really think you could have held onto that power?"

At this, his eyes swept over his father’s paralyzed limbs. "And so what if they did give you military authority? In your state, could you even go into battle?"

"You..."

"As for me, I wouldn’t dare hold onto something like that. Besides, I imagine that even if you still had military power, you probably wouldn’t hand it over to me. So why should I have bothered trying to protect it?"

"You..."

Bai Jinglie chuckled softly. "Just say it. Why did you really call me back here?

Seeing as you can’t seem to get the words out, perhaps I should wait until you’re feeling better to visit you again."

With that, he stood up, dusted off his clothes, and turned to leave.

"You stop right there," Bai Yugang’s words came out smoothly this time. "If you dare walk out that door, I will submit a memorial to the throne to have you stripped of your title as Princely Heir."

Bai Jinglie smiled and glanced back at him. "Father, you still don’t understand, do you? Do you really think your memorial would be approved?"

"So what? As long as I, this Marquis, make my stance clear, don’t even think about things going well for you."

Bai Jinglie tilted his head in thought for a moment, then slowly nodded. "You know, that might actually be a real threat to me."

Bai Yugang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. ’It seems this was the right approach after all.’

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