The next morning, Old Master Zhou prepared one hundred and eight pieces of dowry. The procession, accompanied by loud music and fanfare, proceeded towards the Ouyang family's residence, carrying the dowry. The common folk, having heard many rumors about the Zhou family, were highly interested and followed the entourage, eager to witness the spectacle.
Upon reaching the grand entrance of the Ouyang family mansion, Old Master Zhou, as if to ensure everyone knew, set off a barrage of firecrackers.
As Wu Caiwei opened the door, she saw Old Master Zhou bowing to the crowd, declaring with feigned earnestness, "My sister has only this one daughter. When she married General Ouyang at the border, we knew nothing of it. However, the dowry was prepared long ago, and we've been waiting for a suitable opportunity to present it to her. Recently, hearing all these whispers, I realized people have misunderstood. We are no longer concerned about auspicious days. We've arranged everything overnight and are rushing to deliver it."
The crowd had mostly forgotten the old rumors of elopement. However, his words immediately brought them back to mind, further solidifying the belief that it was indeed true. After all, why would a young lady travel thousands of miles from the city to the border alone? The dangers she would have encountered on such a journey were considerable, and it was unlikely she would have dared to take such a risk. Moreover, not even informing her only maternal uncle for clarification was highly suspect. The onlookers immediately cast scornful glances at her.
Wu Caiwei was not one to suffer in silence. At this point, instead of apologizing, he was smearing her reputation. She crossed her arms and calmly replied, "The old ginger is indeed the spiciest. Lord Zhou, with a few words, you've managed to turn the situation around. Those who don't know might think I truly eloped. In reality, they have no idea that if I hadn't left, my bones would have been scattered."
A murmur of discussion instantly rippled through the crowd.
"What does she mean? Is the Zhou family trying to harm her?"
"If I recall correctly, the Emperor had just bestowed marriage upon the Eldest Princess and the驸马. They were on the verge of becoming royalty. Why would they resort to such extreme measures?"
"No one throws away money, especially not two million taels!"
…
Lord Zhou saw the excitement growing among them, and crucially, that they were getting closer to the truth. A flicker of fear crossed his face. He quickly forced a smile. "I am your maternal uncle. How could I harm you? Is there some misunderstanding?"
"If Lord Zhou continues to defend himself, I won't hesitate to bring up the matter of the painting," Wu Caiwei said, unwilling to listen to his stubborn denial. She directly threatened him.
Lord Zhou was momentarily speechless. He knew she was a woman of her word and dared not provoke her. He quickly changed the subject. "I am not here today to discuss those matters. These one hundred and eight pieces of dowry were meticulously prepared for you by your aunt. Please accept them."
"Since everyone has followed you all this way and with such a grand display, it would be a shame not to show them," Wu Caiwei said, immediately gesturing for the people behind her to open the chests one by one.
Lord Zhou's heart leaped in alarm. He rushed forward to stop her. "These are the betrothal gifts we prepared for you. It's not appropriate to display them in front of so many people. If you wish to see them, we can take them into the courtyard and you can examine them to your heart's content."
"What? Is there something hidden within? I don't believe you would be so kind as to prepare so much dowry for me. Furthermore, even if these chests are filled with gold and jewels, are they worth two million taels? You don't think that by giving me this dowry, our grievances will be settled, do you?" Wu Caiwei refused to give them face. Today, she was determined to inspect the goods on the spot. Otherwise, once the chests were taken inside, they could say whatever they wanted. She was not about to suffer this silent loss.
Wu Caiwei's people, hearing their mistress's words, quickly stepped forward to open the chests one by one. The Zhou family, at their master's signal, moved towards those individuals, attempting to stop them.
Caiwei's guards, both men and women, were all orphaned children she had brought back from the border. Each of them possessed remarkable skills and formidable martial arts prowess, far surpassing any of the Zhou family's retainers. Without even touching them, the Zhou family members were easily kept at bay while the chests were opened.
Lord Zhou closed his eyes. He had not anticipated things escalating to this point. He prayed that they would not discover any discrepancies and that they could get away with it.
Unfortunately, what he could foresee, Wu Caiwei had also considered. She quickly instructed them to inspect the chests and examine their contents.
Tian'er examined one of the chests. The top layer was lined with soft silk, but beneath it was plain cotton cloth. She thought she had misread and confirmed it multiple times.
Others shared the same experience. Although Lord Zhou had provided a considerable amount of dowry, it was merely for show. The surface appeared impressive, but the interior could not withstand scrutiny.
This discovery ignited a firestorm. Not only did the crowd's murmurs grow louder, but Wu Caiwei herself could not help but let out a cold laugh. "The esteemed驸马, acting in such a manner. How dare he flaunt such meager dowry?"
With that, she turned and walked into the mansion with her entourage, no longer bothering with him. Lord Zhou attempted to stop her but was blocked by the guards. He watched helplessly as the gate closed before him. Unwilling to give up, he stepped forward and knocked again and again, but to no avail.
"Father, what should we do now?" Zhou Jiayang, who had been trailing behind his father the entire time, was unsure how to handle the situation with so many people watching. He remained silent.
"How should I know?" Lord Zhou replied helplessly. If he could, he would have wept. His actions that day would undoubtedly become the talk of the town. His reputation, painstakingly built over the years, would be ruined, and he was powerless to prevent it.
As he had predicted, the Zhou family's actions quickly became the subject of gossip and idle chatter. The Eldest Princess, upon hearing the news, was so amused that she laughed heartily and ate an extra bowl of rice.
For years, everyone had blamed her and Zhou Jiayang. Finally, they had witnessed his true colors and understood how wronged she had been all these years. Tears welled up in the Eldest Princess's eyes. This time, she was determined to crush the Zhou family into the dust.
After a moment's thought, she, along with her retinue, stormed towards the Zhou residence. After all, she had made her intentions clear yesterday; how could she not go and confront them today?
The Zhou father and son felt a pang of dread upon hearing of the Eldest Princess's arrival. The external issues had already left them in a state of turmoil, and now the Eldest Princess was adding to their woes, truly a case of the wind biting the house when it is leaking.
The Eldest Princess did not engage in any pleasantries. She went directly to Zhou Jiayang's courtyard, eyeing the valuables within. Whatever she fancied, she ordered her maids to carry away. When they left, Zhou Jiayang's courtyard was as if a swarm of locusts had passed through. Apart from the large items that could not be moved, almost nothing remained untouched.
Even the more valuable flowers and plants in the garden were dug up and transplanted to the Princess's mansion. Zhou Jiayang had secretly slipped away before the Eldest Princess's arrival. Upon his return, he stared at the chaotic scene in his courtyard, his mouth agape, unable to comprehend it for a long time. Su Dan Novel Network.
The Eldest Princess, returning laden with spoils, was in excellent spirits. No wonder so many people enjoyed being bandits; the thrill of plundering was truly exhilarating.