In Fangyi Court, the air was thick with fury. Madam Wang’s face turned ashen as she hurled curses at Ye Li, Madam Xu, and the entire Xu clan. Shattered porcelain and teacups littered the floor like the aftermath of a storm.
Standing quietly to the side was the delicate Ye Ying, her graceful figure betraying only a fleeting flash of disdain in her eyes as she watched her mother rage.
“Mother, don’t make yourself ill with anger. Please, sit and rest,” Ye Ying finally urged, her voice soft and concerned once Madam Wang’s fury began to ebb.
At the sight of her daughter’s obedient face, Madam Wang’s bitterness spilled over into tears. She clutched Ye Ying’s hand.
“I’ve managed this household for years without fault. And now she dares fight you over a mere dowry? My daughter, when you marry into Prince Li’s household, if your dowry is lacking, you’ll be ridiculed—and even the Zhaoyi Consort will lose face. I only thought of the family’s honor, yet that wretched girl brought the Xu family to make trouble!”
Ye Ying’s eyes glimmered as she soothed her mother.
“Prince Li truly cares for me, Mother. He won’t mind if my dowry is modest. Besides, sister has been wronged this time. Giving her more will only prove your generosity. Others will see you’ve treated the first wife’s daughter fairly. Second Sister will surely understand.”
Madam Wang hesitated, her anger cooling as she compared Ye Li’s Xu‑like features with Ye Ying’s gentle forbearance. At last, she patted her daughter’s hand.
“Don’t worry. I won’t shortchange you. But I’ll never let that girl take a grand dowry when she marries!”
Ye Ying frowned with feigned worry. “Then what does Mother plan to do?”
Madam Wang’s lips curled into a smug smile. “Leave it to me. You just prepare your dowry.”
The Ye family basked in newfound glory: one daughter already a favored Zhaoyi Consort, another betrothed to Prince Li, and a third to Prince Ding of Da Chu. Visitors streamed into the residence, and preparations for the weddings consumed the household.
Yet Madam Wang’s favoritism was clear—Fourth Miss Ye Ying’s wedding was set before Third Miss Ye Li’s, ensuring the finest items went to Ye Ying first.
Old Madam Ye, however, intervened. She forced Madam Wang to surrender estates, shops, and silver, balancing the dowries to avoid scandal. Though Madam Wang seethed, she dared not openly defy the matriarch.
Minister Ye’s sister‑in‑law, tasked with preparing Ye Li’s dowry, pitied the legitimate daughter. Contrary to rumors, Ye Li was refined, elegant, and serene—her calm eyes hinting at hidden strength. Though her dowry was modest compared to her sisters’, she carried herself with dignity.
Ye Li accepted her fate without complaint. “Even fingers aren’t the same length,” she thought. As long as she wasn’t humiliated, she would not quarrel.
But when she examined her returned properties, her calm cracked. Shops were failing, estates had been swapped for inferior ones, and managers had been hastily replaced. Even the profitable shops were in decline.
Qingshuang, her loyal maid, fumed. “Miss, Madam has gone too far! We must tell Old Madam and Master!”
Ye Li only smiled faintly. “What good would that do? With one daughter in the palace and another marrying Prince Li, do you think they’ll punish her?”
Qingshuang clenched her fists. “Then what shall we do? These shops are worthless as dowry!”
Ye Li’s serene gaze sharpened. “Losing face only happens if I believe I’ve lost it. If I don’t, then I haven’t.”
Her maid’s eyes widened. “Miss… do you have a plan?”
Ye Li simply smiled, walking ahead. Qingshuang hurried after her, excitement bubbling. “The last shop is just ahead—Shende Pavilion, the antique shop!”
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