0p0 Chapter 355: Domineeringly asking for Li's dowry back then
Chapter 355: Domineeringly asking for Li's dowry back then
After Li's death, her dowry was managed by herself. It was originally agreed that it would be used for Su Zhiru, and it was also said that it would be given to him when he grew up. However, Su Zhiru had been serving as an official outside the capital and seldom returned to Beijing, so the matter was naturally dropped. Besides, Li's dowry was very valuable, so how could she bear to let it go? Therefore, after Jiang returned to the Marquis' Mansion, she never mentioned this matter.
Besides, Su Zhiru never mentioned this matter after returning to Beijing. Why did the old prince think of it today?
There is no need to think too much, it must be that Su Zhiru said something he shouldn't have said in front of the old prince.
"Your Highness, it's been decades since the incident. My sister...my sister's dowry list has disappeared."
Old Kang's mind was in a mess and he came up with a reason that sounded quite ridiculous.
After so many years, most of Li's dowry has been spent. If they were asked to take it out now, how could they afford it?
"Hmph! Old bitch, you can only talk bullshit! You promised to keep my sister's dowry safe, but how long has it been since you lost the dowry list? I'm afraid a lot of her dowry has also been lost for no apparent reason, right?"
"But it doesn't matter. The Marquis's Mansion doesn't have the dowry list, but our Prince's Mansion does."
The old princess was well prepared. She took the backup dowry list from the maid who served her and continued:
"Now that we have the dowry list, today, your mansion must return everything on the list."
When the people in the Marquis' Mansion saw the old princess take out the dowry list, they immediately understood everything.
The people from the Wang Mansion came to the Marquis' Mansion today, not on a spur of the moment, but with long-prepared plans. They came just to get back Li's dowry.
Su Zhiru nodded but didn't say anything.
Logically speaking, after Jiang returned to the Marquis' Mansion, old Kang should have handed over his mother's dowry to Jiang, but old Kang never mentioned it, and even his father pretended not to know about it.
As an official, I cannot force them. Now it is the best way for my uncle and aunt to ask for it.
Su Zhiyi and Su Zhiwen both looked displeased. The Li family had been dead for many years, and it was ridiculous that people from the palace still came to ask for dowry!
Xiao Kang was so nervous that her hands and palms were covered with cold sweat. After she married into the Marquis's Mansion, she once looked through Li's dowry list without telling Old Kang.
Not to mention the gold and silver items on it, the various rare treasures alone were enough to open her eyes, so she knew very well how rich old Kang was. She thought that those things would fall into the hands of their second branch soon, but who could have thought that people from the palace would actually come to ask for the dowry.
Once those things entered the Marquis' Mansion, they naturally belonged to the Mansion. How could they be taken back?
Liu was also worried and watched the scene with a tense expression.
She hoped that old Kang would be tougher and would flatly reject the palace's request and keep Li's dowry. The worst that could happen would be a beating from the old princess.
If the old princess had gone all out and beaten old Kang to death, that would have been even better. In that case, the Marquis's Mansion and the Wang's Mansion would have been completely at enmity. By that time, the old Marquis hated the Wang's Mansion, so how could he allow Jiang from the third house to continue to be the housekeeper?
The power of stewardship will definitely return to his hands, and the things in the Marquis' Mansion and Li's dowry will all become his possession.
Even if the old princess didn't beat old Kang to death, she would definitely injure him seriously. With just a little trick, she could kill the old man, and then those things would still be hers.
Su Yunrou frowned. She certainly didn't want the palace to take back Li's dowry.
Mrs. Kang had said before that she would give herself some of the treasures in Li's dowry as dowry. If the dowry was taken back by the palace, her dowry would naturally be gone.
Su Lihan also had the same idea. Her mother had said that the things in her grandmother's hands all belonged to their second branch, and that her dowry would inevitably include things from the Li family.
Su Qingwan looked at the expressions on everyone's faces in the Marquis' Mansion. They were all very interesting, but as expected, they all had a look of greed.
"How can that be done?"
Old Mrs. Kang raised her voice, she felt as if the people in Prince Yi's mansion were cutting her flesh with a knife!
"Kang, do you not want to hand over my sister's dowry?"
The old prince looked over angrily, his eyes filled with murderous anger, as if he wanted to torture the person to death.
Old Mrs. Kang was so frightened that she couldn't stop trembling. Her throat was tight and she couldn't squeeze out a word.
She was just yelling in her heart: Why should she take it out? She has been in charge of Li's dowry for many years. Even if she has no merit, she has worked hard. Those things have become her face. Now the prince wants to take them back with just one word. Why?"
"Old Madam..." Madam Xu gently pushed her, indicating that it was time for Mrs. Kang to reply.
"This... that, that. After my sister passed away, our two families had already discussed and agreed that her dowry would be kept by our mansion. It has always been like this before, and so many years have passed. Even if it is to be handed over, it should be handed over to my sister's daughter-in-law Jiang."
Old Kang hesitated for a while before saying this.
It's not a bad idea to give the dowry to Jiang. She's from the Marquis's Mansion, so she can just go through the motions in front of the old prince. After the people from the prince's mansion leave, the dowry can naturally be taken back.
"Lord Su, Kang doesn't want to hand over her dowry, and I'm not a man who hits women, so... just let you bear it!"
The old prince took a step forward and knocked the old marquis, who had just stood up, down with a slap.
And this time, they didn't stop once they started beating. Their palms, as big as palm-leaf fans, kept falling on the old marquis, making loud slapping sounds.
"Ah! Ouch! Ouch..." The old marquis cried out in pain, like a pig about to be slaughtered, his cry was very shrill.
Everyone in the Marquis' Mansion, including Old Kang, was so frightened that they couldn't stop trembling, and all begged for mercy:
"Your Majesty, stop beating me. I'll kill him."
"Please calm down, Your Majesty..."
"Stop hitting me, stop hitting me. Just take my sister's dowry and stop hitting my master."
Old Kang was so frightened that he screamed.
She couldn't let anything happen to the old marquis. If he died, her good life would be over.
"Snapped!"
The old prince slapped the old marquis again and slapped the old Kang directly, causing the two to fall into a ball.
"You old bitch, you are such a cheapskate. Why didn't you just agree directly? Why did you have to make Lord Su get beaten for you before you agreed?" The old princess pursed her lips and said sarcastically.
Hearing this, Old Kang wanted to vomit blood. How could she know that the old prince would attack again? And the fierce look just now clearly showed that he wanted to beat the marquis to death.
According to what Su Qingwan said just now, the emperor is now giving in to the old prince. If his own marquis was beaten to death, it would be like dying in vain, and he wouldn't even have a place to seek redress!