Chapter 325 — Vomiting Blood

Zeng Wu came running back, his expression shifting uncertainly between moods. "Lord Zhenguo, Yizhi Hall really is going through the accounts—they've been at it the whole time. Word is it's all the madam's dowry additions."

Song Cen's head rang with a single deafening buzz, and it was a long while before he came back to himself.

"How is that possible?" He leapt a full three feet in the air, and before he had even finished the sentence, he froze. "How much dowry would that take..."

"Lord Zhenguo," Tao Jun hurried in. He was plainly worried and did not notice anything unusual in the room; frowning, he said, "I've heard the Dou family has sent the madam yet more dowry. By rights, the list of dowry additions should have been delivered to you—so why has the Dou family handed the whole matter over to the heir, and even sent their Third Master Dou to settle it with him? This... this is beyond all reason!"

Song Cen's eyes lit up as he listened.

Why hadn't he thought of this himself just now?

He was Song Yan's father and Dou Shi's father-in-law. If the Dou family meant to add to Dou Shi's dowry, how could they go around him? Otherwise it would be improper in name and unjustified in word. If the two families did not settle the matter clearly, then even if the Song family simply seized Dou Shi's dowry outright, Dou Shi could only swallow her broken teeth in silence—whose fault was it that her dowry additions had been openly registered?

"Go and fetch the heir at once." For the past two years Yizhi Hall had been run by Song Yan as tightly as an iron hoop. Whether openly or in secret, it was hard for him to learn any news of Yizhi Hall, and sometimes Yizhi Hall even fed him false information. He had a mind to put effort into this, but he was hampered by having no one capable of taking charge of the larger picture—and it would cost far too much silver. He feared he would have to hand over half his yearly income, which made his heart and flesh ache alike, and so he had never been able to make up his mind. "I will question the heir myself. Would he dare conceal anything from me? Is he not afraid that I will refuse to acknowledge these dowry additions when the time comes?"

Tao Jun nodded inwardly.

This matter was far too important.

Even if the Dou family had not known of the rift between Lord Zhenguo and the heir before the madam married in, they surely knew of it now—and yet they still brought out vast sums of silver to add to the madam's dowry. What did it mean?

Were they helping the heir suppress Lord Zhenguo? Or hinting to Lord Zhenguo that the madam had the Northern Tower Dou family at her back?

The heir already had the Emperor's support. If through Old Master Dou he also gained the support of those court officials, Lord Zhenguo's future prospects would be grim indeed.

But on closer thought, this made no sense either.

If the Dou family truly intended it, they could simply have Old Master Dou appear and speak with Lord Zhenguo. Why bother to bring out real gold and silver to build up the madam's standing?

It was truly a matter no one could make sense of, no matter which way they turned it.

Better to ask the heir to his face—perhaps something would become clear. The Dou family was not foolish; they would never act like idiots, sending silver to the heir while seeking neither name nor profit.

Zeng Wu stood there stupidly, dazed, thinking: how much silver does the madam have?

How had the heir come to marry a woman built out of piles of gold and silver?

No wonder the madam was never the least bit hesitant when it came to rewarding people.

How much advantage must those who served at her side be taking?

Each of the three men had his own thoughts.

For a time, the main hall of Guixiang Court was utterly silent.

Before long, Song Yan arrived.

But Song Yan came alone.

It was Song Yan who came alone. With him, however, came another: the son of Princess Ninghuai—Lu Shi, Second Master of the Lu family.

Song Cen was greatly startled.

Lu Shi smiled and said, "My nephew and his bride's wedding was arranged in haste, and certain properties the Dou family had long since prepared for my niece-by-marriage could not be entered on the dowry list in time. This time they specially sent Third Master Dou to deliver the properties held under my niece-by-marriage's name, and my nephew asked me to come to the residence to serve as witness."

Song Cen's breath caught in his chest.

When had Lu Shi arrived?

What did he know?

So the little bastard had planned everything out—set a trap and waited for him to jump right in!

No wonder the Dou family dared to cart silver into Yizhi Hall!

He shot Tao Jun a sinister glance.

Tao Jun was utterly bewildered.

How had Lu Shi turned up out of nowhere?

There had not been the slightest whisper of it.

Since when had the heir become so formidable—inviting the son of Princess Ninghuai to be a guest in the residence without a word, and from the look of it, this was no sudden whim of a day or two...

A sudden desolate sorrow came over Tao Jun—the grief of a hero grown old.

Zeng Wu, meanwhile, could not help shrinking his shoulders, cautiously edging backward step by step. He only prayed that when Lord Zhenguo lost his temper, he would not be the first vessel for his wrath.

Song Cen turned to look at his son, who stood nearby with a smile, elegant as a jade tree in the wind. The corner of his eye twitched, and it was a long moment before he ground out between his teeth: "Just what has the Dou family added to Dou Shi's dowry? Yantang even went to the trouble of inviting you here as witness—does he take me for a man who would covet his own daughter-in-law's dowry?" As he spoke, his gaze swept coldly over Song Yan, betraying his displeasure at the whole affair.

Lu Shi chuckled. "Cousin, you needn't say it—even I was tempted when I saw the dowry the Dou family added for my niece-by-marriage. Small wonder the Dou family wanted elders like us to appear and attest to it."

Song Cen was taken aback. He looked toward Song Yan.

Song Yan stood to one side with a faint smile, his brilliance held within, pure and graceful as the moon.

Song Cen's heart gave another violent shudder.

But Lu Shi's voice, tinged with amusement, reached his ear: "Our eldest nephew had the head steward of his house in the Thirteen Factories of Guangdong bring over six or seven experienced ledger-keepers from Yizhi Hall. They worked for four or five days and only got through half the accounts. Cousin, you can imagine just how many properties are registered under our niece-in-law's name. If this were all written into a dowry list, it would take several volumes. I'd say her dowry may well be the finest in the whole dynasty." Then he sighed. "That one chest of silver notes was enough to draw those desperate men to break into the Yingzhenguo Estate at night. If it were me, I'd do the same as the Dou family—quietly send people to add to the niece-in-law's dowry..."

"What did you say?" Song Cen felt his temples throbbing violently; the sounds around him seemed to come from far away. "Six or seven men, four or five days of work, and still only half done..."

"Exactly!" Lu Shi's voice rose and fell in his ear, now near, now far. "These properties were registered under our niece-in-law's name over a decade ago. All the income from these years belongs to her as well, and every bit of it has to be reconciled. That's what took so long..."

How much silver was that?

That ungrateful son Song Yan was a man who could turn one ounce of silver into two. How could he not know how many properties stood under the Dou family name?

No wonder he had said nothing when he himself brought up the match.

He must have known the Dou girl long ago—must have planned to marry her all along!

Song Cen saw stars bursting before his eyes.

He had been tricked!

He had been tricked!

He could have easily taken Song Zhi's marriage in hand, yet he had been fooled.