After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 1143 Dowry

Two days before Haitang and Jin Jiashu's wedding, the Hai family sent Haitang's dowry to the Jin family mansion.

As Haitang's dowry was exactly as she had expected, it weighed as many as 128 pieces, including fields, houses, gold, silver, treasures, silks, books, stationery, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, precious spices, furniture, etc., as well as four servants. In addition to Mama Li, Xiangcao and Dunzi's family of three, there was also Qiu Baisheng.

Qiu Shugen and his wife, along with their youngest daughter Cuiguo, stayed in the Hai family and did not marry Haitang. This was also to contain Qiu Baisheng, the male servant who accompanied the family. However, from the perspective of the Qiu family, they had been servants in the Luo family, so they naturally knew what kind of "noble person" Jin Jiashu, the nephew of the Queen Mother, was, and what kind of bright future their son would have if he could marry into the Jin family with their young lady. Not only were they not dissatisfied with this, they were even very happy, hoping that Qiu Baisheng would be able to rise to prominence with the master's family in the future and come back to help them. Anyway, both the Jin and Hai families lived in the capital, and even if the Qiu family was separated into two houses, they often had the opportunity to get together. For a better future, they did not feel any sadness about the separation of flesh and blood, but only felt that they were extremely lucky that their son was chosen!

Qiu Baisheng wore his new clothes and followed the housekeeper of the Hai family and Li Mama's family of three, along with the dowry, out of the Hai family. After he went to the Jin family, he would stay there to guard the dowry, unlike Li Mama and her two children, who had to return to the Hai family and wait until the wedding day to accompany the young lady out. He had eaten and drunk enough in advance, said goodbye to his family, packed his luggage, and was excited to welcome a new life.

The dowry was carried out of the Hai family mansion by strong men wearing the same clothes. These people were hired by Hai Jiao from Jiyuan. They were familiar with the job of delivering dowry and knew all the rules very well, so the Hai family didn't have to worry about it at all. Jiyuan also sent a band with gongs and drums and two knowledgeable matchmakers to escort the dowry all the way and remind the Hai family of the customs of delivering dowry, so that the Hai and Jin families would never make any mistakes.

Ma had specially asked her grandson Hai Jiao to arrange this just in case. Her precious granddaughter's marriage was the only major event in her life, and she was marrying a royal relative. I heard that the palace had also sent someone to the Jin family to take charge. Ma had made up her mind and would never let anyone criticize her family's rules. Although the Hai family was only a fifth-rank official from the northwest, the Hai family's granddaughter was more than worthy of the empress dowager's nephew!
When the last load of dowry was carried out of the Hai family's gate, half an hour had passed. The onlookers dispersed one after another, and some ran away with the dowry. However, the Hai family mansion gradually returned to peace.

Haitang helped her grandmother Ma back to the upper room of the main courtyard, poured her some tea, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, grandma. My brother and sister-in-law have gone with them, and our family has sent so many people to look after the dowry. What could go wrong?"

Ma was still a little nervous: "It's okay on the road. Anyway, outsiders can't see what's in the boxes. At most, they can see some furniture and clothes, but they can't say much. When you get to the Jin family, your dowry will be displayed for people to see. I don't know what people in the palace will think when they see it. We have prepared so many good things, and no one will dislike your dowry for being too simple, right?"

"How is that possible?" Haitang laughed, "What is missing from my dowry compared to others? On the day when Lady Cheng'en's dowry was sent to the Cheng'en Mansion, you also went to watch the excitement, so you naturally know what her dowry includes. Even so, there are not many people who laugh at Lady Cheng'en's dowry being so meager. I have dozens more dowry than her, so who would laugh at me?"

Ma said, "Do you think there aren't many people who laugh at the fact that Lady Cheng'en has a small dowry? It's just that people are not laughing at her, but at the direct branch of the Zhang family. Everyone knows that she lost her father when she was young, and has been dependent on her widowed mother for many years. Most of her dowry was taken from her widowed mother's dowry. The direct branch of the Zhang family withheld her wedding money, and she had no place to complain, so she could only endure it. Everyone in the capital knows what happened, so it's pointless to laugh at her. If you want to mock her, then mock the Zhang family. I don't know what they are doing by keeping the gold and silver. Could it be that the daughter of their direct branch wants to marry as a concubine and go out with a richer dowry than Lady Cheng'en? I'm afraid that the direct branch of the Zhang family is willing to give it up, but the Prince Ping's Mansion can't tolerate it!"

Princess Ping and Princess Ping's son are cousins. Princess Ping reluctantly accepted her son's concubine. She would never let the concubine with a prominent family overshadow her daughter-in-law and niece. The daughter of the Zhang family, who was destined to be the concubine of Prince Ping, could not marry into the Prince Ping's mansion with a huge dowry. So why did the Zhang family withhold the dowry of Zhang Yingfeng, the second wife? Of course, they are stingy by nature, right? Isn't this worth being laughed at by outsiders?
Haitang said casually, "This dowry doesn't have to be sent to Prince Ping's mansion before the wedding. Be low-key and restrained when sending the dowry. Afterwards, the Zhang family's head and his wife will give their daughter some money. Who can complain?"

Ma sneered, "Anything not on the dowry list is not considered dowry. Once something enters the Ping Wang Mansion, it becomes the property of the Ping Wang Mansion. I'm afraid that the daughter of the Zhang family will have a lot of time to cry when the time comes. She wants to marry someone as a concubine in such a shameless way. Does she really think that the princess and the prince's wife are soft persimmons? I heard that she is now hoping that the prince's wife will die soon so that she can marry and become the prince's successor. She is really dreaming! The imperial edict has come down. Even if the Ping Wang's prince's wife dies tomorrow, she can only be a concubine. There will never be a day when she can turn over to the throne!"

Ma complained about Zhang's daughter, then turned to Haitang and said, "I have reduced your dowry again and again, but there are still many things I can't take with me. Your grandfather always told me not to be too ostentatious and not to shout everywhere that our family is rich and willing to give dowry to his granddaughter. I listened to him this time and reduced the dowry by dozens of pieces. Otherwise, your dowry would be even more. But those things were originally prepared for you. Even if I can't send them over today, grandma won't let you down. Later, grandma will find a few I'll give you gifts every year and festival, and I'll soon make up for the dozens of bags of things. When the time comes, you should keep the things, use them when you need them, and spend them when you need them. Don't be reluctant. If you need money or something in the future, come back to ask grandma for it. Grandpa and grandma only have you and your brother as your own flesh and blood. Your brother is capable and can earn money by himself to buy flowers for his wife. The little money grandma has is all for you. Even if I don't give it to you now, I will give it to you sooner or later in the future."

Haitang said hurriedly, "Grandma, don't say that. My brother is also your flesh and blood, and my sister-in-law is also very filial to you. If you have good things, you should share half with them."

Ma gave her a proud look and said, "Don't worry about this. I've already left some good things for your sister-in-law. She's not a greedy person and won't care about it. Anyway, grandma just wants to leave the things for you. If you don't want them, I'll throw them away."

Haitang suppressed her laughter and hugged her grandmother: "Okay, okay, okay, as long as you give it to me, I will take it. Then if I have any good things to honor you in the future, you must accept them obediently, and don't be polite to your granddaughter."