How Could All This Dowry Go to Her?

Lord Lin's expression turned completely sour. Madam Lin was simply too good at disguising herself; she usually acted as virtuous and gentle.

Zhou Wanwan said in a low voice, "This Madam Lin is quite interesting, isn't she? Ruyi plan."

Lord Lin sighed and said, "There's nothing we can do about it. After all, they're not our biological children, so we can't treat them all the same."

Zhou Wanwan looked at Lord Lin and said, "Lin Yue is indeed not her biological daughter, and she can treat her like this. What about you? Is your heart biased?"

Lord Lin's heart was naturally biased; he remained silent for a long while before finally speaking:

"Alright then! I agree to let Girl Yue marry Chen Ankang, but let's forget about the dowry!"

Anyway, marrying into the Chen Family would only mean suffering.

Zhou Wanwan looked at him and said:

"Yes, but Lin Yue has no dowry, and neither does Lin Xi."

Lin Xi's dowry is the same as Lin Yue's dowry. Can you match that? If you can, then you can.

Lord Lin frowned and said, "That's different. I can't control how much Girl Xi's mother gives her."

Zhou Wanwan chuckled, "Taking other people's dowry to supplement your own daughter's income, your Lin Family really knows how to do things. Lord Lin thinks he did nothing wrong, right?"

Lord Lin sighed and looked at her, saying, "Young lady, you don't understand the affairs of adults like us. I've already backed down; don't push your luck."

Zhou Wanwan said speechlessly, "Fine! So this counts as breach of contract?"

Lord Lin said helplessly, "Every family has its own problems, Miss Zhou, please be understanding."

Zhou Wanwan was too lazy to continue talking to Lord Lin: "Well, you can talk to the Imperial Censor tomorrow!"

Lord Lin's expression immediately changed. "Alright, I'll prepare Girl Yue's dowry right away, is that alright?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at Lord Lin and said:

"This is your family matter, and I don't want to interfere, but what can I do? Chen Ankang is my subordinate."

As you said, he's all alone now, I can't just abandon him."

Lord Lin gritted his teeth and said, "I understand."

Lord Lin walked out, Madam Lin was taken aback for a moment before asking, "Husband, why did you suddenly come back?"

Lord Lin sneered, "If I hadn't come back, were you going to eat Lin Yue alive?"

Madam Lin said softly, "Husband, how can you say that? My love for Yue'er is sincere, heaven and earth can bear witness..."

Lord Lin ushered Lin Yue into the room and looked at her, saying, "Yue'er, let me ask you, what do you usually eat? What do you wear?"

Lin Yue sneered:

"I used to live in the woodshed, but now I've finally moved into the servants' quarters."

I eat leftovers every day and wear coarse linen clothes.

Madam Lin's eyes reddened. "Yue'er, how can you lie through your teeth? Look at your clothes, where are they coarse linen?"

Lin Yue looked at her clothes and snorted coldly, "This is my work uniform, don't you recognize it?"

Madam Lin stared intently, then shouted, "You actually went and became a food delivery driver without my knowledge! This is outrageous! What kind of behavior is this for a woman to be out in public?"

Lin Yue looked at her and said, "If I didn't show my face in public, I'm afraid I would have starved or frozen to death long ago."

Lord Lin looked at her and said, "Why didn't you tell me all these years?"

Lin Yue laughed heartily:

"Father, haven't I told you this before?"

How many times have I told you I'm not getting enough to eat, and you always say that Mother is responsible for these things and that I should go to her.

Madam Lin's face turned deathly pale.

Lord Lin looked at Madam Lin, "Take all of Lin Yue's mother's dowry. Lin Yue Lin Yue will take it with her when she gets married in a few days."

Madam Lin's face turned deathly pale:

"How can all of this dowry be given to her?"

Besides, the family she married into was just a fallen noble family; what use would they have for such fine things?

"Just take it out when I tell you to."

Zhou Wanwan suddenly walked in from outside. "I'm afraid Madam Lin can't come up with it, right? Over the years, Madam Lin has already squandered seventy or eighty percent of these dowries, and there's very little left."

Lord Lin looked at Madam Lin, "Seventy or eighty percent? Are you kidding me? Give me the key."

"I... I don't have my keys on me."

"Give it to me right now!"

Zhou Wanwan said, "The key is definitely not on her; it's under her pillow. Lord Lin should go and check it carefully!"

Lord Lin rushed to the pillow and, sure enough, found the bunch of keys. He grabbed the keys and ran straight to the storeroom.

The three warehouses, which were once Manman, were now empty, with only a few boxes remaining.

Lord Lin's face turned ashen as he said, "Lady Jin, explain to me what's going on here!"

Lady Jin looked at him, tears streaming down her face. "Master, what can I do? The family is already struggling to make ends meet; I can only use this dowry to supplement the household income."

Lord Lin frowned at her and said, "Then why didn't you say so earlier?"

What can I say? What good would it do me to say it?

Anyway, these dowries all belong to our family, so we can only use them for now.

Over the years, managing the household has been incredibly demanding and exhausting; it hasn't been easy for me."

Zhou Wanwan coughed and said, "It really wasn't easy. Most of your dowry went to your family. How could it be easy for you?"

Zhou Wanwan took out the ledger and said with a smile:

"In February of the year before last, Lady Jin secretly embezzled 100,000 taels of silver and sent it all back to her parents' home."

In June of the same year, she gave away two wealthy estates outside the city to her brother from her maternal family.

"Two years ago, in the twelfth lunar month, two whole trunks of priceless jewels were delivered to my wife's family in a truckload; they were worth a fortune."

Last January, another 200,000 taels were withdrawn to help my maternal family purchase a large estate.

Last March, upon hearing that her younger brother was burdened with gambling debts, she took out 500,000 taels of silver without hesitation and covered up his huge gambling losses in one go.

Last autumn, she once again took out 150,000 taels of silver, allowing her family members to spend it as they pleased.

Lord Lin's face stiffened. "This... how is this possible?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at him and said:

"Lord Lin, please investigate this thoroughly. However, this is your family matter, so I won't interfere. But Lin Yue's dowry must be fully replenished."

Our wedding date has been set; Lin Yue will be marrying into the family in three days.

"If I hadn't seen these dowry items when she married into the family, I wouldn't mind taking you both to court."

Zhou Wanwan looked at Lin Yue and said:

"Stay home and be careful. Chen Ankang will come to pick you up in three days."

These maids and servants know some martial arts. I'm keeping them here so they can protect you if anyone tries to force you.

Lin Yue saw Zhou Wanwan to the door and said gratefully, "Miss, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'll do whatever you ask of me in the future."

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "Live a good life. After all, Chen Ankang went to great lengths to marry you."

Lin Yue was stunned.

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said:

"Really? Don't you know why Chen Ankang went to Dongshan Prefecture these past few years?"

It's because he doesn't like Lin Xi, he likes you!