Volume One, Chapter Four: Not Only Did She Elope, But She Also Stole the Dowry

“Yun Jinhua, have you already forgotten how meager your dowry was when you got married? Even a modest household would have at least half a dowry, but your Yun family had only sixteen small trunks. And you’re still afraid that our Su family would covet it? That’s truly laughable!” Ling Meijuan sneered.

The Marquis of Pingyang sighed inwardly. When the two families united in marriage, he thought he was clinging to a towering tree, but who knew that tree was gradually withering?

Yun Jinhua’s icy eyes narrowed slightly: So the Su family had long despised her.

“This necklace, the gold hairpin, the jade pendant, and the thumb ring were gifts from my parents, given to me to choose a worthy husband. Since Su Shizi is not my true match, all items belonging to the Yun family must be returned in full,” Yun Jinhua pointed out each precious ornament one by one.

“Nonsense! This jade pendant was a gift from Xuan’er. She even personally chose the gold and silver threads to weave the silk tassels,” Su Ziwen clenched the jade pendant tightly.

“This gold hairpin was a gift from Xuan’er last Mid-Autumn Festival,” Ling Meijuan smoothed her temple hair.

“This necklace was Xuan’er’s gift for my birthday,” the matriarch covered the pendant with both hands.

The Marquis of Pingyang rubbed the thumb ring—it too was a tribute from Ling Xuan.

He had even flaunted it before his peers, stirring envy among many.

“Shameless! Stealing our young lady’s man and then stealing her dowry too,” Qing Dai curled her lips in disdain.

“I don’t want the man. But the dowry must be returned to its rightful owner down to the last penny,” Yun Jinhua’s stance was clear.

Su Ziwen was speechless.

Was he really so insignificant in Yun Jinhua’s heart?

“You first sullied Xuan’er’s purity, then slandered her virtue. What are your true intentions?” Su Ziwen gritted his teeth and demanded.

“Take your Xuan’er with you to court!” Yun Jinhua grabbed Su Ziwen’s collar and started to pull him out.

There was no need to spare him any dignity—he had neither conscience nor sense.

The Su family was dumbfounded. Although the heir was a delicate scholar, he was still a tall man of over a hundred pounds. Yet in Yun Jinhua’s hands, he looked like a dead dog being dragged.

Qing Dai and Bai Zhi raised their arms and cheered, “Our lady is mighty!”

“Stop!” the matriarch shouted with full force.

“The matriarch’s illness is really improving fast!” Yun Jinhua turned around with a half-smile.

A fleeting unnatural smile crossed the matriarch’s face.

“Jinhua, Xuan’er has just given birth and cannot leave the house. There’s no need for the family to be so disgraceful. We’ve already asked Xuan’er if there might be some misunderstanding,” the matriarch said shrewdly.

Since Ling Xuan married into the house, the living standards of the Marquis’s family had soared by leaps and bounds.

Yet the Ling family’s wealth was still not on par with the Marquis’s.

Where did the money she contributed come from?

“For the matriarch’s sake, I will overlook the Su family’s insult.” Yun Jinhua’s tone was firm. They were no longer family.

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“If you have wronged Xuan’er, you must kneel and apologize to her.” Su Ziwen lifted his leg and strode toward Yalan Residence.

“If she were a thief, the coffin of our Su family’s ancestor would be rolling over,” Yun Jinhua retorted.

Su Ziwen stumbled, almost falling, his heart uneasy.

A few people entered the inner room, leaving only the Marquis of Pingyang outside.

Ling Xuan, who had been informed earlier, knelt down before Yun Jinhua with the help of two maids.

“Sister, I know you resent me and hate me. If you are angry, you may hit or scold me, but please do not accuse me of thievery. I beg you, if you have grievances, take them out on me alone. Don’t ruin the century-old reputation of the Marquis of Pingyang’s household.” Ling Xuan’s forehead hit the ground, blood seeping out.

“Don’t shout nonsense. My mother would never have given birth to a lowly person like you!” Yun Jinhua’s expression was cold.

The “Xuan’er” Su Ziwen spoke of was actually his cousin Ling Xuan.

Was she not betrothed to the third son of Minister Li?

Yet she gave up her position as legitimate wife to become Su Ziwen’s concubine?

How deeply did she love Su Ziwen?

Or was there some other motive?

“Xuan’er, get up. You just gave birth and must not abuse your body like this,” Su Ziwen said tenderly, helping her up.

Yun Jinhua’s expression darkened: Who was he trying to disgust?

“How did my dowry become your gift to curry favor with the Marquis of Pingyang’s house?” Yun Jinhua asked directly.

“What nonsense is sister talking? My filial devotion to elders and love for my husband would never be given away like a borrowed flower. Those are my own trousseau; sister must be mistaken,” Ling Xuan sobbed softly.

Her moist eyes brimmed with grievance and innocence.

“Don’t call me sister. It sounds disgusting. Also, show your dowry list,” Yun Jinhua snorted coldly.

Ling Xuan’s face changed; she bit her lip and after a moment’s thought said, “These few pieces aren’t part of the dowry. They are my grandmother’s treasured items. Mother-in-law must have seen them.”

She raised her head and looked at Ling Meijuan with pleading eyes.

“Yes, I’ve seen them at Aunt’s place,” Ling Meijuan forced herself to testify.

Ling Xuan was her granduncle’s daughter, her cousin. She could not let the Ling family lose face.

“Yun Jinhua, have you no shame? Are you trying to extort a few taels of silver to make ends meet?” Su Ziwen spat in disgust.

“These are on my dowry list,” Yun Jinhua shot a cold glance at Ling Xuan.

“Jewelry and jade sold in the Golden Tower aren’t unique. Other families could have the same items. Are you accusing every similar item of being stolen from your Yun family?” Ling Xuan, emboldened, taunted with a smirk.

---

Yes, I took your things, but if you call them, do they respond?

“That’s exactly it,” Su Ziwen nodded in agreement.

He was nearly deceived by Yun Jinhua—what a shameless woman!

“The ornaments may be similar, but can the markings on them be the same?” Yun Jinhua sneered.

“What markings?” Ling Xuan panicked, digging her nails deep into a maid’s arm.

“The necklace clasp and the phoenix tail on the hairpin bear my mother’s name. The lower right corner of the jade pendant and inside the thumb ring each have a cloud pattern unique to the Yun family,” Yun Jinhua explained clearly and precisely.

Outside, the Marquis of Pingyang’s face darkened, while inside, Su Ziwen’s eyes widened. Yun Jinhua’s words were accurate.

The matriarch removed the necklace, and Ling Meijuan took off the gold hairpin. Sure enough, at the spots Yun Jinhua described, the characters “Yu Yao” were found.

Yun Jinhua’s mother was Lan Yu Yao.

The two men’s faces turned ashen.

“Xuan’er, what is going on?” Su Ziwen asked hoarsely.

“Husband, I, I…” Ling Xuan’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed backward.

Yun Jinhua sneered and kicked her shin.

“Ah! Ah! Ah!” Ling Xuan screamed in pain.

“You fainted instead of dying. What else have you stolen from me? Hand it all over!” Yun Jinhua’s clear eyes were icy.

Ling Xuan shook her head in terror, tears streaming down, as if she had been gravely wronged.

“Yun Jinhua, why are you so fierce? It’s just a few worthless trinkets. I’ll return them to you. Xuan’er just gave birth—don’t you have any sympathy?”

Seeing Ling Xuan crying with tear-streaked cheeks and Yun Jinhua’s relentless attitude, Su Ziwen’s heart naturally leaned toward Ling Xuan.

“She didn’t bear me a child, so why should I pity her? You know she’s a thief but refuse to hand her over to the authorities and instead protect her. Have you long been in cahoots with her?” Yun Jinhua challenged coldly.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Xuan’er may have only taken the wrong things,” Su Ziwen stammered, his resentment toward Yun Jinhua growing.

Was it really such a big deal to cause such chaos?

“Bring out my dowry trunks. We will verify them face to face,” Yun Jinhua ordered calmly.