readytorunbook Chapter 299 Twins
Chapter 299 Twins
He just didn't expect Lin Wan to agree to give up the courtyard.
But thinking about it, it makes sense. He has made great contributions in battle, and his status is different from before. He is about to inherit the title. As a woman, she naturally has to please him so that he will remember her kindness and come to her courtyard.
But he had promised Xian'er that at most they would treat each other with respect, nothing more.
"Stop! What are you doing?"
Lin Xian'er's words brought Ning Zhao back to her senses, and she realized that the two of them had already arrived at the gate of Wei Rui Xuan.
Inside the courtyard, servants and young men bustled about, moving all the furniture away and even digging up the trees.
The servant came over and reported, "It was the mistress who told us to move. She said that Miss Ning wants to move in and asked us to clear out the courtyard."
"Even if we're moving out, there's no need to dig up all the trees, is there?" Lin Xian'er said, looking unhappy.
The servant looked embarrassed: "Reporting to the young lady, the things we're moving are all part of the mistress's dowry..."
Ning Zhao's face darkened.
He knew Lin Wan wouldn't be so kind.
Knowing full well that Xian'er was born out of wedlock and didn't have much dowry, he deliberately emptied the courtyard to show off his generous dowry and embarrass Xian'er.
"I'm going to settle the score with her."
Chapter Two: Dowry
Ning Zhao arrived at Lanting Pavilion in a menacing manner.
"Lin Wan, she is your own sister. Why embarrass her like this? You've gone too far."
He lifted the curtain and came in, not caring whether there were maids or servants present, and immediately began to berate them.
Lin Wan was looking at the dowry list when she saw him coming over, so she put the list down.
"Green Bamboo, you all go out first."
"Miss."
Green Bamboo's eyes reddened. She was Miss's dowry maid. For the past five years, Miss had managed the Marquis's mansion with all her heart and soul. Not only did the young master not appreciate Miss's good deeds, but he also brought the second young lady back with him.
Now, they've embarrassed the young lady in public again.
When has this young lady ever suffered such injustice?
"Green Bamboo," Lin Wan called out again.
Green Bamboo snapped out of her daze, exchanged glances with the maids and nannies, and bowed as she withdrew.
After everyone left, Lin Wan looked at him.
"Husband, do you really think that way about me?"
As soon as she said it, Lin Wan's eyes reddened.
She was naturally beautiful, with dark hair, red lips, and fair skin; she possessed the beauty of a queen and was dignified and elegant.
This noble lady, raised in a prestigious family and virtuous in every movement, was now disheveled and lost all composure.
Ning Zhao's questioning words suddenly caught in her throat.
He looked uncomfortable: "Don't pretend, what do you really mean?"
"On the day of our wedding, His Majesty summoned us urgently. After we were married, we were separated for five years. During those five years, there were very few letters from home. I thought it was because of the busy war, but I didn't expect that my husband already had a new lover by his side."
Ning Zhao looked impatient: "Why are you saying this?"
“As a wife, the worst thing is to have a flawed character. I really don’t need to embarrass my second sister over such a trivial matter. Not only would I lose the dignity of the eldest daughter-in-law, but I would also be branded as jealous and ruin the family’s reputation.”
Lin Wan burst into tears.
“Besides, I’m just bringing out my dowry, why is my husband so critical of me?”
Seeing her trying to suppress her grievances, Ning Zhao felt slightly uneasy. Upon reflection, he realized that what she said made sense, and that he had indeed been overthinking things.
He felt guilty, but still decided to take the opportunity to make things clear.
“Xian’er and I have suffered a lot in the northern frontier over the years, and she has given birth to a son and a daughter for me. I have promised that she will be my only woman in this life. However, as long as you keep to your duty, I will not divorce you.”
This can be considered as giving her a promise and putting her at ease.
Lin Wan stared at him blankly, but still managed to force a smile while holding back her tears.
“My husband has made up his mind, and I cannot change his mind. From now on, I will only be filial to my elders and fulfill my duties as a daughter-in-law.”
"That's pretty much it."
Seeing that he had said his piece, Ning Zhao had no intention of lingering any longer.
But the image of Lin Wan forcing a smile while holding back tears lingered in his mind.
However, when he thought of the bond he shared with Xian'er, which had been through thick and thin with him, he forced himself to suppress it.
……
Lanting.
Green Bamboo lifted the curtain and came in, seeing her young mistress with red, indignant eyes.
“Miss, the young master is really going too far. How could he say such a thing? If the master knew, he would definitely not agree to such an absurd thing.”
Born out of wedlock, she was married into a noble family, and even being a concubine was the best she could hope for.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had strict distinctions between the noble and the lowly, which made the young lady a laughing stock in the entire capital.
Lin Wan wiped away her tears and glanced at the dowry list.
"Have everything in the storeroom been packed away?"
"I've put it away," Green Bamboo said. "Miss, should we tell the master?"
“If Father knew, he would naturally help me, but Ning Zhao is not a good man. It would be better to keep my dowry safe.”
she asked again.
"Have you completed everything on the dowry list?"
"The money has been replenished. The remainder is still stored in the manor's storeroom. There are about five thousand taels of silver in the manor."
Lin Wan nodded.
"Please keep this dowry safe for me. In the future, the expenses of the Marquis's mansion should not be covered by this. Also, I remember that there is a set of fine black lacquered furniture in the Marquis's mansion, which is the work of the Zhang school in the early years."
“Yes, there is a set,” Green Bamboo said. “I heard it’s part of the old lady’s dowry, meant to be a lasting treasure for Miss Yanran.”
With its black lacquer surface adorned with gold accents and Zhang-style carving, there are twelve of them in total, exuding grandeur and magnificence.
Madam Cui was reluctant to use it, intending to keep it as a treasure for her daughter, so that she would have great prestige when she married into her husband's family.
“Wei Rui Xuan is in short supply of these. Have someone take your husband to the storeroom and see if they are suitable.”
"Won't Miss Yanran cause a scene?"
"Whether it is more important for the husband to consider the reputation of his younger sister's husband's family or for his beloved woman to suffer injustice, that depends on how the husband weighs the options."
Ning Zhao certainly didn't want Lin Xian'er to suffer any injustice.
The servant mentioned it, and he personally took the storeroom key to retrieve it.
That's quite remarkable.
Ning Yanran is currently on a hunger strike to protest for her beloved husband.
When she heard that Ning Zhao had used her dowry to curry favor with others, how could she tolerate it?
She'd never tolerate that!
Ning Yanran is sixteen years old this year. She was born to the Cui family late in life. Due to insufficient fetal energy, she was born weak and frail. The Cui family watched her grow up from childhood and treated her like the apple of their eye, spoiling her rotten and making her very arrogant.
Her outburst turned Wei Rui Xuan upside down.
When Cui and Lin Wan arrived, the contents inside were smashed to pieces, startling the servants.
"Mom, this little bitch hit me and scratched my face."
Ning Yanran's hair ornaments were gone, her hair was a mess, she had no manners at all, and her clothes were disheveled.
"Quickly, let your mother see where you're hurt."
She was both anxious and angry. Seeing Lin Xian'er being held safely in Ning Zhao's arms only fueled her anger.
"Zhao'er, Yanran has been beaten up like this, and not only do you not help her, you're protecting this little bitch!"
"She started it, so am I not allowed to hit back?"
"you!"
"Alright, Mother, say no more."
Ning Zhao had a headache from the noise.
"I had the servants move this set of furniture over. Yanran attacked Xian'er without even asking what happened. Does she think she did nothing wrong?"