Chapter 6: Changing the Dowry, The Princess's Majesty

Page (1/3)

After hearing that sentence and seeing Yu Yuanzheng’s expression, Yu Chaoyang finally calmed down. From the moment she offered tea that morning, she had sensed something was off about her second younger sister. Normally, a casual word from her would reduce Yu Yuanzheng to a crying softie, so how was it that now she was so tough? She even dared to confront the second madam directly. Yu Chaoyang had been reminiscing about the wedding night last evening, and with the sweet moments shared between husband and wife, she hadn’t yet focused on Yu Yuanzheng’s change. Now, looking at Yu Yuanzheng, there was no trace of the pitiful demeanor she’d had at her maternal home—she seemed like a completely different person.

“Who are you?” Yu Chaoyang suddenly thought of a possibility—could it be that her second younger sister had also been reborn, just like her? Otherwise, how could there be such a drastic change? In her previous life, she had married badly, so how could the second younger sister—who was prettier and had always bullied her—have married well? That was why she had urged their grandmother to marry her off to a sickly man, only for her to live a lifelong widowhood, just like her.

“Elder sister, what do you mean by that? Who else could I be but your second younger sister?” Yu Yuanzheng replied.

“Are you dead?” Yu Chaoyang probed cautiously.

“Elder sister, have you lost your mind? I’m alive and well. How could I be dead?” Yu Yuanzheng looked at her amusingly. At the same time, she understood Yu Chaoyang’s implication—that she suspected Yu Yuanzheng had been reborn too and was trying to get her to admit it.

“Why are you so different from when you were at your maternal home?” Yu Chaoyang couldn’t figure it out.

“I’m married now and no longer under the control of the Bo residence. Of course, I don’t have to live under the first wife’s thumb anymore. Besides, I’m the Crown Princess now, your elder brother’s wife. Do you think I still need to be meek and lowly?” Yu Yuanzheng’s excuse for showing her true nature was well thought out. She didn’t want to pretend to be the soft, timid girl she used to be—that was too constraining.

“So you were pretending before?” Yu Chaoyang finally understood.

“Exactly,” Yu Yuanzheng admitted openly.

“Well then, don’t forget, your parents are still in the Bo residence,” Yu Chaoyang said harshly before turning to leave. She was right; the original parents of the body she inhabited were still in the Bo residence. Since she had taken over the original’s body, those parents were now her own. This issue required a solution.

The old Bo master was dead, but the old Bo madam remained—the so-called legitimate grandmother who had long oppressed the second household. The eldest madam, eager to please the grandmother, also bullied the second household, and her daughter followed suit. It was all because the old Bo master had insisted on taking the old aunt as a concubine, producing her father.

Page (2/3)

But he failed to protect her, and the old aunt was eventually murdered. Although the old Bo master had three concubines, her father was the only illegitimate son in the entire Bo residence; the other two bore daughters. Her father’s talent could not be displayed, and his abilities could not be exercised. After passing the scholar examination, he was forbidden from further studies and only managed some trivial affairs of the Bo residence, living dependent on the eldest household.

Just as she was pondering how to handle her parents’ situation, a commotion arose outside the door.

“This is outrageous—a mere illegitimate son dares to seize the dowry of the eldest daughter of the main household,” the voice of the second madam rang out.

Yu Yuanzheng immediately stepped out and saw the second madam entering the Qiya Courtyard with a group of people. Consort Luo, very filial, was supporting the second madam inside. Yu Chaoyang and her husband followed, along with many maids and servants. They had come to bring reinforcements.

“Ziqi’s wife, the dowry in this courtyard belongs to Zishu’s wife. Return it to her,” the second madam ordered rudely.

“Don’t worry, Zishu’s wife will return your dowry as well,” Consort Luo added with a smile. They were collectively demanding her dowry.

“Stop talking nonsense—move!” the second madam commanded the servants following her.

Before Yu Yuanzheng could react, they began moving the items.

Two young servants wanted to intervene to stop the bullying of the Crown Princess, but Yu Yuanzheng shook her head. She was alone and powerless now and couldn’t stop it. She hadn’t truly intended to take Yu Chaoyang’s dowry—she only wanted to make things difficult for her, to show she was no longer easy to bully. At the same time, she realized that Yu Chaoyang knew very well who the real power was in the residence—not the princess or the prince, but the second madam.

This was something to reflect on.

The second young master was, after all, the prince’s son, yet the concubine of the old prince controlled matters, and the prince was not even her biological son. She would have to find out more about the second madam’s identity.

As they busily moved the dowry, the princess arrived upon hearing the news.

“Wait, you can move the dowry, but leave the portion of the betrothal gifts that I gave to the Yu residence when betrothing Ziqi,” Qin Yuyan said while contemplating in her courtyard. She had learned a lot this morning and needed time to digest it.

“Princess, how can that be? The heir is in this state—could he still wake up? From now on, Zishu is the heir. As his legitimate mother, shouldn’t you be thinking more for him?” the second madam retorted confidently.

She had objected strongly when the second young lady was arranged to marry into the Bo residence, but the prince had already made his decision, so she had to accept it, thinking that once married, she could be dismissed quietly if she didn’t make the cut.

Page (3/3)

This angered Qin Yuyan nearly to the point of confrontation with the second madam, but her upbringing restrained her.

“Much of the betrothal gifts were my own dowry. Zishu has no right to enjoy what my family gave me, especially since my son is not dead yet,” Qin Yuyan said coldly.

Normally mild-tempered, today she could no longer hold back.

“You…” The second madam couldn’t argue.

An illegitimate son could not enjoy the dowry of the legitimate mother unless formally adopted under her name.

Qin Yuyan immediately called for an inventory of the dowry.

Both betrothals had been arranged by her, so she knew exactly what was included.

With twenty servants working together, they finished the inventory by afternoon.

“Zheng’er, from now on, all of mother’s dowry will be yours and Ziqi’s,” the princess comforted her.

She only had one son; in the future, all her belongings would belong to her son and daughter-in-law.

“Mother, your daughter-in-law is fine,” Yu Yuanzheng said without a hint of sadness.

Their dowries differed by nearly half—Yu Chaoyang had ninety-six chests, Yu Yuanzheng had sixty-four. The contents were unknown.

If not for considering that Yu Yuanzheng had also married into the royal residence, it might have been even fewer.

“You’re a good girl. Take good care of the heir,” Qin Yuyan said, fully accepting Yu Yuanzheng as her daughter-in-law.

Better to marry someone humble than one with lofty ambitions.

She had come to understand this over the morning.

Since Yu Chaoyang was unsuitable for her son, she might as well be with the second young master.

“Mother, your daughter-in-law will do her best. Maybe the heir will wake up one day, so please don’t worry and don’t believe those unfounded rumors,” Yu Yuanzheng comforted the princess.

Any mother would be heartbroken over a son in a coma, but the princess’s ability to remain gentle was remarkable.

She was a strong mother.

“I just feel sorry for you. Come visit the Honghao Courtyard often to chat with me,” Qin Yuyan patted her hand.

“Okay. Mother, what is the second madam’s status?” Yu Yuanzheng, seeing that the princess had fully accepted her, intended to get some reliable information from her—surely more truthful than gossip from servants.