Chapter 5
Edward Quan ·
“Once you've married into the Du family, you belong to it. It's only a little money to help the household. Why be so petty? Back in my village, every daughter-in-law gave her all to the family!” my mother-in-law complained.
“And you, Second Master?”
I looked straight at Du Cheng.
His face was grim.
“I'll return it tomorrow.”
His mother was aghast.
“Cheng! You—”
“Then I shall expect it tomorrow.”
I rose and left Songhe Hall.
Even outside, I could still hear her reproaches.
“Cheng, have you lost your senses? That's ten thousand taels! She's hardly short of money. What can she do if we don't repay it?”
“Mother, if people learn I've been living on my wife's dowry ever since we married, how am I supposed to hold my head up at court?”
People had already looked down on him when he sought Su Qingyue's hand. They said he had been willing to marry an ugly woman for the Grand Tutor's connections.
He could not let them think he had coveted her dowry as well.
I laughed coldly to myself.
So Du Cheng still cared about appearances.
I had thought he had abandoned shame entirely.
The next morning, as I was preparing to go out, Du Cheng sent me ten thousand taels in banknotes.
I took a few of them and set out in a rather good mood.
Unfortunately, my luck did not last.
On the way, I ran into Du Cheng strolling with Liu Wanning.
“It's almost mealtime. Where are you going?”
His displeasure was plain.
Though I wore a veiled hat, Cailian and Caiwei were beside me. Of course he knew who I was.
Besides, who else in the Du residence had to hide her face?
Because of my birthmark, he would gladly have kept me inside forever to avoid embarrassing him.
“To inspect my shops. I'll have lunch while I'm out.”
I added, “The household funds are running low. Paying for my own meal outside will save the family a little.”
A gust of wind lifted the gauze of my hat, revealing the mask beneath.
Du Cheng saw it.
He froze.
Today I had deliberately chosen an exquisitely crafted half-mask. It concealed the mark entirely, leaving only the flawless half of my face exposed.
The delicate mask set off my beauty and lent it an elusive air of mystery.
Beside him, Liu Wanning noticed his stare. Smiling without warmth, she spoke slowly.
“How much could one meal cost? If you don't wish to stay at home, just say so. There's no need to…”
She left the rest unsaid and gave me a provocative look.
I turned toward Du Cheng.
Only then did he recover himself. He pressed his lips together and said nothing.
He knew the household's situation perfectly well. What I had said was true.
One less meal for me really would save them some money.
Yesterday, after all, the accounts had shown a balance of only ten taels.
And today, he had just repaid me ten thousand.
To say the Du family was struggling to make ends meet was putting it kindly.
I gave a soft laugh.
“You've only just arrived. You may not know that there really is very little money left.”
“Second Master is the Vice Minister of Revenue. You should think carefully before saying such things!”
He was indeed the Vice Minister of Revenue.
But my father had always stood behind him, and he himself wanted a reputation as an incorruptible official.
So he had genuinely kept his hands clean.
Most importantly, I had never let him lack spending money.
That had allowed him to pay very little attention to finances.