Chapter 35: Demanding the Betrothal Gift from the Princess Consort

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Yu Yuanzheng hurried into the main hall and found it filled with women seated in a circle.

“Your daughter-in-law pays her respects to Mother Consort, Second Dowager Lady, Second Aunt, Secondary Consort, First Cousin-Aunt, and Second Cousin-Aunt.”

She greeted them one by one. She had not expected the two aunts from the collateral branches to be there as well.

But she did not take the initiative to greet Yu Chaoyang. Although Yu Chaoyang was now the heir’s consort, Yuanzheng was still her elder sister-in-law. The order of seniority could not be changed. At most, she could give her a nod.

Yu Chaoyang did not greet her either.

The two women seemed determined to test each other.

“Mother Consort, why is it so lively today?” Yu Yuanzheng asked as she walked over and stood behind the Princess Consort.

“Your Second Aunt came to discuss Zifeng’s betrothal gifts,” the Princess Consort explained.

“Princess Consort, Zifeng is marrying the legitimate third daughter of the Marquis of Ning’an. Though the Marquis of Ning’an cannot compare with our princely household, he is still a marquis, and she is a legitimate daughter. The betrothal gifts cannot be too meager.”

Second Madam Miao Luoying continued what she had been saying before.

“Zifeng is a son of the second branch, and you are his birth mother. The amount of the betrothal gifts is naturally for you to decide. As for the portion that should come from the common household funds, I will not reduce it,” the Princess Consort said calmly, as though handling an official matter.

“Princess Consort, our second branch is truly short of money. Could you please speak with the Prince and ask whether the common household funds might provide a little more?” Miao Luoying pleaded pitifully.

She wanted to give her son a respectable wedding.

She could not let him suffer when it came to taking a wife.

After all, the more betrothal gifts the groom’s family offered, the more dowry the bride’s family would provide.

But the second branch was truly struggling. Although they managed several shops, those assets were barely enough to support Second Lord’s concubines and mistresses.

Every month, she had to find ways to obtain a little extra money from the common household funds just to keep the large family’s expenses covered.

“Second Younger Sister, if I give Zifeng more, will you expect me to give more to all the other sons of your branch as well?

“And in that case, should the children of the third branch also be treated the same way? What about the children of Hongxiang’s and Hongyun’s families?”

The Princess Consort cast a glance at the several women present.

Why else had the other two come today, if not to watch how she decided the matter?

If she agreed today, they would later use this occasion as a precedent and demand more betrothal gifts for the children of their own branches.

“Princess Consort, Zifeng is the eldest legitimate son of the second branch. Moreover, Hongchen is the Prince’s younger brother. I am not only the Prince’s secondary mother, but also his maternal aunt. How can our relationship be treated the same as that of the other three branches?” Second Dowager Lady said coldly.

Her son and grandson were the closest to the main branch. How could they possibly be mentioned in the same breath as the other branches?

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“Second Dowager Lady, if you were in charge of this household, would you simply favor your own family without restraint?” the Princess Consort retorted.

“If you, a woman, cannot make this decision, then ask the Prince. I refuse to believe that the Prince would be as stingy as you. Our grand Rong princely household is marrying off a son. How can we be so miserly? If the betrothal gifts are too little, it is the reputation of the entire Rong princely household that will suffer, not merely that of the second branch.”

The Second Dowager Lady invoked the Prince’s authority to pressure her.

The Princess Consort was so furious that she nearly washed her hands of the matter altogether.

“Second Younger Sister, do not take this the wrong way, but you should keep a closer eye on your husband and persuade him to keep fewer concubines. Then the second branch’s expenses would naturally decrease.

“Yet you insist on pretending to be virtuous and magnanimous. You even foolishly took out your own dowry to help him support his concubines.

“It is precisely because of your supposed virtue that you spoiled Second Lord beyond all limits, making him even more reckless.”

The Princess Consort reprimanded her without the slightest restraint.

“Princess Consort, I had no choice. Sob...” Miao Luoying began to cry bitterly at the mention of it.

Her maternal family was neither powerful nor prominent, and she held no standing in her husband’s household. She could not control her husband.

The man she had married loved beautiful women. Over the years, he had taken more than ten concubines. If she had not dealt with some of them, there would have been even more.

None of them could live without money, and none could eat without it.

Several had even borne children, which made them still more expensive to maintain.

The second branch owned only a few shops and had no other industries. What else could she do?

Her husband knew only how to spend money, never how to earn it.

“Why are you crying? You have turned a splendid joyous occasion into an ill-fated one.” The Second Dowager Lady struck the floor sharply with her cane.

She knew perfectly well what sort of man her own son was; as his mother, how could she not?

But now that he was grown, she could no longer control him. Otherwise, she would never have allowed him to marry such an unimpressive daughter-in-law.

She had thought that marrying a wife would settle him down. Instead, he had become even more undisciplined.

That was why she dared not separate from the princely household. She could cling to it for one more day, and that was one more day gained.

After being scolded by her mother-in-law, Second Madam did not dare continue crying. She sniffled a few times, then forced herself to stop.

“Mother Consort, Second Uncle’s family is indeed in difficult circumstances. For the sake of the princely household’s reputation, I think we should give them a little more. Otherwise, people will say that our household is miserly. Who would be willing to marry their daughters into it in the future?”

At that moment, Yu Chaoyang also spoke up in persuasion.

The Princess Consort glanced at her twice.

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The heir’s consort would one day become Princess Consort herself, and this household would eventually be hers to manage.

Now that she was speaking on behalf of the second branch, her words carried even more weight than the Second Dowager Lady’s.

The eyes of the two collateral-branch aunts lit up.

If the matter succeeded today, they would naturally be delighted. In the future, their own sons could make the same request.

“Princess Consort, Zifeng’s marriage truly cannot be handled carelessly. If he does not set a good example, it will be difficult for the two of our branches to arrange marriages later,” Shao Zhiruo added. She was the wife of Shangguan Hongxiang from a collateral branch.

“That is right, Princess Consort. Our princely household’s reputation is very important. We are, after all, a hereditary princely house,” Shen Miaoyi chimed in. She was the wife of Shangguan Hongyun from another collateral branch.

Her son was about the same age as Zifeng. Once Zifeng’s marriage was settled, it would be her son’s turn.

Although their family belonged to a collateral branch, they were still the birth brothers of the old Prince, and legitimate brothers at that. Their relationship with the princely household was therefore quite close.

“Do all of you want me to give more?” the Princess Consort asked coldly. “Have you considered how many children there are in Zifeng’s generation?

“Our main branch has the fewest children—only two. The second branch has four sons and three daughters. Younger Sister Zhiruo’s family has four children, and Younger Sister Miaoyi’s family currently has three.

“If the common household funds must provide for all of them, will there be anything left in the common household at all? We might as well divide everything among the branches now. From then on, each family can manage its own affairs, and none of you should take another coin from the common funds.”

Everyone fell silent once more.

They certainly wanted a division, but that was impossible.

The princely household was the legitimate main line and had long managed the common household funds. It was also the backbone of the entire Shangguan clan.

The clan consisted of more than just the five branches of the legitimate line. There were many other clansmen as well, and the common funds had to provide them with certain benefits every year.

If the household were divided, those clansmen would never agree.

The clan elders would tear them apart.

“What kind of thing are you saying?” the Second Dowager Lady muttered, though her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. “It is only a matter of giving a little more in betrothal gifts. Why make it sound so serious?”

Just then, a maid entered and announced, “Princess Consort, the Prince has returned.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the Prince strode into the hall.

Everyone rose to pay their respects.

“Why are you all gathered here? Have you come to pay your respects to the Princess Consort?” The Prince swept his cold gaze over them.

“Your Highness, the Second Dowager Lady and the younger sisters-in-law came to discuss Zifeng’s marriage. The second branch cannot provide a respectable betrothal gift and wants the common household funds to make up the difference. What is your opinion?”

The Princess Consort briefly explained the situation.

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