Chapter 4: Empty Dowry

The night grew a few shades deeper, and Gu Jiu Ling brought Jiu Yue back to her own courtyard.

She chased all the other maidservants out of the Warm Pavilion, leaving only Jiu Yue.

After a full day's ordeal, Gu Jiu Ling was utterly exhausted and her stomach felt uneasy.

After bathing, she reclined on the bed, staring steadily at the beads sewn onto the gauze curtain.

But countless thoughts flickered through her mind; the urgent task was to discover who the child's father was. She suddenly thought that, since that person dared to do such a thing inside the palace, he must have some background.

Ordinary palace staff wouldn't dare, nor could it be arranged by a concubine and the Crown Prince; she clearly remembered that after she awoke, Gu Nan Xiang and the Crown Prince both wore shocked expressions.

Therefore, the one who broke into the room and harmed her must have been someone else.

Since that was the case, she could only try to use Imperial Uncle Jiu's status to investigate, after all the incident happened within the palace.

"Master!" Jiu Yue, standing to the side, looked at Gu Jiu Ling's stern expression, thinking she was worried about the dowry.

She also fretted: "Master, the Lin family is insatiably greedy; if we don't give the Miss a dowry, what should we do?"

Gu Jiu Ling's lips curled slightly: "Heaven never blocks all paths; the mountain folk always have clever schemes!"

News of Xiao Yin's marriage to the seventh Princess Consort spread like wildfire, stirring a huge uproar throughout Jing Cheng.

Early the next morning, Xiao Yin led the household guards straight toward Gu Xiangfu.

Xiao Yin wore a bright red wedding outfit and rode a high-headed steed.

The Prince Rui in his flaming red attire was even more peerlessly handsome, his bearing radiant.

Behind the wedding procession, dozens of boxes were carried—no one knew what they contained, but they looked heavy, one box after another, the betrothal gifts Xiao Yin sent to Gu Xiangfu.

Just judging by their weight, they seemed especially sincere.

The party passed through Zhu Que Jie and arrived at the gate of Gu Xiangfu.

Xiao Yin tightened the reins, and from afar saw a sea of people at Gu Xiangfu's entrance, occasional exclamations erupting—it was indeed bustling.

He curled his lips slightly and rode forward.

"Prince Rui has arrived!"

"It's Prince Rui, clear the way!"

The surrounding crowd burst apart with a roar, making a path; Xiao Yin smiled as he passed through, but after seeing the scene at Gu Xiangfu's entrance, his smile froze.

At the gate, a pile of empty boxes was stacked densely—180 empty boxes lined up, nearly blocking the alley, each box bearing a "joy" character.

They were supposed to hold dowries, yet they were completely empty, containing nothing.

Gu Jiu Ling, in a red robe, clutched her headpiece in her hand and sat at the edge of the boxes, exuding calm composure.

Xiao Yin's sharp, peach‑blossom eyes narrowed slightly, his jaw tightening, his brows furrowing.

"Prince! This…" Ling Feng, on the side, gasped, "What part is Gu Jiu Ling singing now?"

On a wedding day, how can a bride go without a red headpiece? What is the Gu family up to, the dowry? Just taking empty boxes to the Wangfu?

The onlookers kept chattering; Southern Qi hadn't seen such an entertaining spectacle in Shang Jing for a long time—truly fascinating.

"Did you see that? The Gu family's marrying daughter without a dowry?"

"Indeed, when Madam Du married into the Gu family, ten miles of red attire, even a hundred miles would have been enough."

"Yes, yes, the Du family were the richest in Southern Qi, providing a huge dowry for Madam Du; now the Gu family does this—aren't they ashamed?"

"Hehe! Perhaps the dowry the Du family left for their daughter was already swallowed!"

"Stay tuned for the drama!"

A few matriarchs standing at the Gu family gate sensed something amiss and rushed inside to report; the Gu family had only intended to send the mourning‑star Gu Jiu Ling away, hoping Xiao Yin would finish her off.

Last night Xiao Yin had beaten Lady Lin and the second miss into that state, so no one prepared the Miss's dowry.

Unexpectedly, this morning at the wedding, the Miss somehow obtained so many empty boxes and lined them up on the street for everyone to see.

Gu Jiu Ling's younger brother Er Ye and third uncle of the Gu family were studying at Nanlu Academy; elder brother Gu Cheng already found this sister disgraceful, so naturally refused to intervene.

The matriarchs were only waiting for Xiao Yin to take Gu Jiu Ling away, which would have settled the matter, but now it had escalated.

As more and more people gathered around the courtyard, even the Gu household servants couldn't drive them away; the Gu family members inside panicked.

Gu Cheng, Lady Lin, and the Gu family's second Miss hurried out; Lady Lin and the second Miss wore veils, daring not to show their faces.

Lady Lin looked at Gu Jiu Ling sitting on the dowry boxes, a trace of resentment flashing in her eyes.

She shouted, "Miss, what do you mean by this?"

"Back then the first Madam left a dowry, but over the past decade or so, you and your brother have spent every silver; you two have already squandered it all."

"Now you insist on making such a spectacle?"

Gu Jiu Ling let out a snort of laughter, leapt down from the box, first saluted Xiao Yin, then turned to the maid beside her.

"Jiu Yue, bring me my mother's dowry list!"

"Yes!" Jiu Yue hurriedly pulled a stack of papers from her bosom.

Lady Lin's face darkened; the dowry list had long been destroyed by her—where did this suddenly appear from?

Gu Jiu Ling was also grateful to Chen Mamam, who had served her mother, for secretly copying a copy.

"Read!" Gu Jiu Ling's voice was cold.

Jiu Yue quickly spread the list and read aloud: "The Du family's accompanying dowry includes twelve storefronts, two hundred qing of farmland, twelve manor houses, two million taels of silver, six hundred sixty thousand taels of gold. One Huanghuali bed framed with crabapple blossoms, one suanzhi three‑screen Arhat bed. Eighty‑eight pieces each of silver mouse skin, gray mouse skin, sheepskin, pearl hair. Eighty‑eight trays each of gold‑silver ornaments, coral prayer beads, amber prayer beads, beeswax prayer beads, agarwood prayer beads; eight pieces of various jade pendants. A pair of Xuande five‑color cloud‑patterned lid jars, a pair of pastel chicken‑cage cups, a pair of Chenghua dou‑color mandarin‑duck lotus high‑foot cups, a pair of jade evil‑warding charms, a pair of jade horses, a pair of jade discs, a pair of jade plaques... Ginseng, Salvia, Polygonum multiflorum, Lingzhi... sixty‑six boxes..."

Even hearing it again, Gu Jiu Ling clicked her tongue inwardly; the Du family's dowry was not for a common bride but fit for a princess.

She coldly stared at the paling Lin, glanced at Gu Nan Xiang standing beside her, and said, "By the way, the coral ornament your sister wears is actually part of my dowry."

"You... what are you talking about?" Gu Nan Xiang stepped back quickly, "I bought that at a jewelry shop; you've always envied my looks and talent, trying to smear me?"

Gu Jiu Ling sneered, "The items my maternal grandfather gave are inevitably the finest, and the coral you wear only comes from the East Sea; the ones in Jing Cheng are from the West Sea, and the coral beads even have Du family craftsmen's carved plum blossoms. The shops in Jing Cheng have nothing!"

The surrounding onlookers gasped, their gazes at Lin taking on a strange look.

Lin had always a good reputation, treating the first Madam's two children kindly; to think she was so kind? Utterly hypocritical!

"Sister," Gu Cheng's expression could no longer hide, and he smiled gently at Gu Jiu Ling, "I will make up your dowry later; now Prince Rui has come to fetch the bride, so first take the wedding sedan, and we will discuss it afterwards."

Gu Jiu Ling coldly laughed and said: "Today's affairs should be settled today; where is there any dowry that can be supplemented later? Well, the Gu family these years has indeed been impoverished."

"Elder brother plans and wins over connections, at Hundred Fragrance Tower he splurges a thousand gold; Lady Lin's silks and satins for food, clothing, and use are all the finest; the younger sister is spoiled, which of these doesn't cost silver?"

"Father, as Prime Minister, his salary silver is indeed not enough to spend, tsk tsk tsk, it's difficult!"

She says a word, the surrounding discussion grows louder; indeed, Prime Minister Gu is not of good origin, his family is poor; this time looking again at the jeweled and treasure-filled Lin clan and the Gu family's second miss, whose money is being spent is obvious, truly disgusting!

Where would one find spending all the dowry silver left by the former wife for her own daughter? Proper families wouldn't do such a thing.

Gu Cheng's face stiffened a bit, he couldn't help but look toward Xiao Yin: "Prince, it's not early; why not first proceed with the rites, and discuss the dowry matter later..."

"Heh! Interesting!" Xiao Yin leapt down from the horse's back, step by step walking toward Gu Jiu Ling.

Gu Jiu Ling raised her eyes and stared at him; at this point the play has reached this stage, I don't know how this cheap husband of hers will respond.

Xiao Yin lowered his gaze to look at the petite woman before him, gave a light laugh, and loudly said: "Ling Feng! Go to the Wangfu once and fetch my Dragon Spring Sword."

Ling Feng was startled, then hurriedly turned and galloped on horseback to fetch the sword.

Not long after, Xiao Yin held the Dragon Spring Sword in his hand, slowly drew it; the blade gave a faint hum; this sword had accompanied him in battles on the battlefield, a treasure bestowed by the former emperor.

Xiao Yin step by step approached Gu Cheng's front; suddenly the chilling blade of the Dragon Spring Sword rested on Gu Cheng's neck.

Ah! A chorus of exclamations rose all around!