Chapter 8: The Selfish Mother and Daughter

"Miss, the Su family has sent the betrothal gifts, and the Second Miss is so furious that she has locked herself in her room, crying. Madam is so incensed she cannot even bother with her recovery; she scrambled out of bed just to smash a whole set of tea service."

Banxia ran in, brimming with excitement, to share the gossip with Lin Wanqing.

"The Su family’s betrothal gifts are pitifully meager. Not only are there only twenty chests, but they are practically empty. I heard that items that could have fit into half a chest were deliberately spread out into two just to make up the count. Many of the onlookers are laughing at them."

The Lin family had arranged marriages for two of their daughters back-to-back. With the General’s Mansion setting a high standard for their betrothal gifts, the Su family’s offerings had become a subject of great curiosity. Seeing those hollow twenty chests, the onlookers were nearly laughing their teeth out.

Lin Wanqing had anticipated this all along; she knew the Su family too well.

Mother Su had no other talents, but her ability to be insufferable was top-tier. Lin Xianyun, that fool, was going to have quite a show once she married into that household.

Lin Wanqing found herself eagerly anticipating the spectacle of Lin Xianyun and Mother Su locking horns.

With this in mind, Lin Wanqing said to Zisu, "Find a way to place someone in the Su household. I want to keep track of the first-hand gossip from the Su family from now on."

Zisu immediately took some silver and went off to see to the task.

Over in Madam Qin’s courtyard, Lin Xianyun was weeping until her eyes were swollen. She truly had not expected the Su family to slap her in the face so brazenly! Such a paltry amount of betrothal gifts—it was as if they were dismissing a beggar!

In her previous life, Lin Wanqing’s betrothal gifts hadn't been extensive, but they certainly hadn't been this shabby.

Why, when it came to her turn, did the Su family have to humiliate her like this?

Madam Qin’s head was splitting from the sound of her sobbing.

Having not appeared for several days, she had grown significantly thinner. Having spent eighteen years painstakingly hoarding wealth, only to hand it all over at once, had already cost her half her life. Now, with the Su family pulling this stunt, she felt the urge to take a knife to everyone who refused to let her have a moment's peace.

"That’s enough! Stop crying! You begged for this marriage yourself; what good does crying do now? If it’s truly unbearable, I will help you call off the engagement."

The bankrupt Madam Qin sounded as if she had reached the point of utter resignation.

Lin Xianyun stopped crying immediately. "No! I must marry Young Master Su!"

Madam Qin was exhausted, both physically and mentally. "Have you really thought this through? If the Su family dares to act like this even with the betrothal gifts, how will you survive once you are married into their home?"

Lin Xianyun was full of confidence in herself. "Mother, I have my own ways to handle that old hag. She is not to be feared."

Madam Qin could not muster the energy to argue. "As you wish. It is the path you chose; just don't blame me in the future."

Lin Xianyun wiped her swollen eyes. "Mother, what is the arrangement for my dowry?"

Ever since Lin Wanqing had reclaimed her mother’s dowry, she had been worried about this.

In her past life, she had received the vast majority of those assets. Now that everything had been taken by Lin Wanqing, what was she to do?

Madam Qin was so angry she nearly choked. She had been ill for days, and Lin Xianyun had barely shown any concern for her, yet she now had the audacity to ask for a dowry.

She closed her eyes, irritable and restless. "You will take whatever the family provides."

"That’s such a pittance!"

Lin Xianyun immediately protested. The Lin family had many daughters and was not generous; the total dowry given to a daughter amounted to only a few thousand taels.

In her previous life, Madam Qin had not only usurped all of Lady Jiang’s dowry but had also withheld more than half of Lin Wanqing’s, funneling it all to her.

In that past life, although her days were not always smooth, she had never once worried about money.

"Mother, you must still have other assets, right? You’ve been in charge of the household for so many years, and you held onto that short-lived Lin Wanqing’s dowry for so long—I don't believe you haven't set aside other things. Mother, just share some with me. Once Young Master Su passes his exams and achieves success, I will make sure he treats you with the utmost respect."

Madam Qin felt a chill in her heart. This was the fine daughter she had raised!

Never mind that she had already been scraped clean; even if she still had wealth, she wouldn't dare give it away! What use were children? They were far less reliable than silver.

The mere thought of money made Madam Qin’s heart bleed.

She had saved for eighteen years, unwilling to spend a cent on herself, never imagining that it would all end up benefiting that little wretch, Lin Wanqing!

Looking back, it was her own shortsightedness. She had assumed the Jiang family would never return, so she had clung to those assets, never thinking to invest in shops or estates for herself, always obsessed with subsidizing her own maiden family.

Now that she needed money to cover her debts, her maiden family had washed their hands of her entirely, not contributing a single cent.

She had already poured in all the money she had siphoned from the family treasury over the years, and she had even pawned much of her jewelry.

She truly had no money left.

Seeing her mother remain silent, Lin Xianyun grew impatient. "Mother, what is the meaning of this? You don't think that a married daughter is like spilled water, and you intend to save the silver for your son, do you?"

"If that is your thinking, then don't come begging to me once Young Master Su makes a name for himself."

Madam Qin felt a stabbing pain in her chest. "You ungrateful wretch, get out!"

After shouting this, Madam Qin collapsed, and the room descended into chaos. Seeing the situation, Lin Xianyun quickly rose and slipped away.

When the news reached Lin Wanqing, it amused her.

The personalities of this mother and daughter were truly a perfect match.

No, it would be more accurate to say that Lin Xianyun had surpassed her mentor.

While Madam Qin was selfish and vicious, she at least cared for her maiden family and had genuine, if warped, plans for her children. Lin Xianyun was purely and utterly selfish; she saw and cared for nothing but herself.

After enjoying the farce, Lin Wanqing settled down to embroider her wedding gown.

Her wedding day had been set for the same date that Lin Xianyun had married in her previous life.

This was a date Lin Xianyun and Madam Qin had deliberately conspired to choose. Lin Xianyun had been determined to force her into a life of widowhood at the General’s Mansion, thinking it a fitting revenge. Little did she know how satisfied Lin Wanqing was with the arrangement.

From the moment she learned the date, she had begun to look forward to the marriage.

Once she was married, her life would finally be her own.

Thinking of the bright future beckoning to her, she found her embroidery work flowing with ease.

Time passed in a blur, and the wedding day arrived.

Before dawn, Lin Wanqing was dragged out of bed by her maids. Bathed, groomed, and dressed, she felt like a puppet, left to be handled by others.

Zisu and Banxia were not idle; one stayed by Lin Wanqing’s side while the other guarded the dowry, terrified that someone with ill intentions might try to touch it.

When Lin Xianyun arrived with her maids and saw the courtyard filled with the dowry, her eyes turned red with jealousy.

These things were originally meant for her! Now, they all benefited that wretch, Lin Wanqing!

The more Lin Xianyun thought about it, the angrier she became. With a livid face, she marched toward the most prominent chest in the center.

That was the most significant chest, adorned with auspicious ornaments representing the lands and shops.

Did Lin Wanqing deserve to possess all of this?!

Lin Xianyun reached out, intending to snatch the ornament and smash it. Breaking it wouldn't change the dowry, but it would at least be a thorn in Lin Wanqing’s side.

Zisu suddenly appeared, blocking her path. "Second Miss, what are you doing?"

Lin Xianyun failed to achieve her goal, so she shot a venomous glare at her and led her maids into Lin Wanqing’s room.

However, upon entering the room, Lin Xianyun grew even more infuriated.