Chapter 53: The Feeling of Home

At the mention of Fang Mengru’s dowry, Lady Wu perked up.

"What 'your mother’s dowry'? I am your mother now, so your mother’s dowry should be disposed of by me!"

Jun Zijin’s expression turned cold:

"I was unaware that in our Tianqi, the dowry of a deceased first wife must be left for the stepwife to dispose of, especially since that was left by my late mother to add to my own dowry. Father, since when did Tianqi have such a law?"

Jun Zhengming turned red and then pale with shame; Tianqi had no such law. Yet, he was not entirely ignorant that Lady Wu was clutching Fang Mengru’s dowry and her dowry shops. Now that the second girl asked this, he was momentarily speechless, not knowing how to answer.

According to the legal system of Tianqi, if a woman had dowry shops after marriage, she could manage them herself, and the profits belonged solely to the holder of the land deeds. Her husband’s family had no authority to interfere with or obstruct matters concerning a woman’s dowry and shops. Upon a woman’s death, her dowry, shops, and all other private property should be inherited by her children or gifted to designated persons. This rule was set personally by the Emperor.

Lady Wu gritted her teeth in hatred, pointing at Jun Zijin and cursing:

"You unfilial daughter, how dare you question your father like this!"

Jun Zijin sneered: "If Father cannot state this law, then I shall go to the Jingzhao Prefecture right now to ask when our Tianqi enacted a law stating that a late mother’s dowry and shops, left to add to her daughter’s dowry, must be disposed of by a stepmother."

Having said this, she made a move to walk out.

"Zhengming, is our Jun Fu not disgraced enough?" The Old Lady, who had been cursing her son and the First Lady in her heart several times over, finally spoke.

"Lady Wu, why have you not returned the things to the second girl yet!" the Old Lady scolded.

"The master of the Jun Fu condoning a stepwife in seizing the late mother’s inheritance of a legitimate daughter—such a scandal! Are you still not upholding justice now? Do you want this to be known by everyone? Jun Zhengming, if you will not uphold justice, then today I, this old woman, will uphold it. Do you have anything to say?"

Jun Zhengming’s face flushed, and he stammered:

"Mother, your son was indeed negligent in this matter. I shall have Lady Wu return them at once."

Upon hearing this, the First Lady immediately put on a face full of grievance:

"Master, how can this be? All these years, I have managed those shops with great effort and toil. Why should she take them away just because she says so?"

It was indeed effort and toil, but the one who put in the effort and toil was not the First Lady, but her brother from her maiden family, Wu De. Fang Mengru’s dowry shops had long since fallen into Wu De’s hands; otherwise, where would the several shops he opened for business have come from?

The Old Lady glared at the First Lady:

"You still have the nerve to argue? Those were originally the late mother’s belongings of the second girl; your seizing them for years was already wrong."

Jun Zijin stood to the side, watching quietly with mockery in her eyes. Seeing this, Jun Zhengming spoke sternly to the First Lady: "Enough, do not continue to make a spectacle of yourself. Hand the things over immediately."

The First Lady was unwilling in every way, claiming that the land deeds for Fang Mengru’s dowry shops and the dowry list were lost.

"How could the land deeds be lost? Lady Wu, look for them again," the Old Lady said angrily.

The First Lady was extremely uncomfortable with the Old Lady calling her "Lady Wu" at every turn. She gritted her teeth, cursing the old hag in her heart, while forcing a smile on her face.

"Old Lady, after all, I have been in the Jun family for so many years; if I have no merit, I have at least put in hard work. Is it not too distant for you to address me this way?" The First Lady was particularly displeased in her heart, and she said this intentionally to steer the conversation elsewhere.

The Old Lady gave a cold snort:

"Then what would you have me call you? You have done such a thing as seizing a legitimate daughter’s property, and you still have the nerve to speak of merit and hard work? Do not quibble anymore; find the land deeds quickly."

"If Mother truly cannot find them, then do not trouble yourself. The Jingzhao Prefecture has records on file; I shall just make a trip there," Jun Zijin said slowly.

The First Lady hated her in her heart and wanted to say something more, but Jun Zhengming had truly lost patience with her:

"Enough, Lady Wu. I limit you to two days to return all of Mengru’s shops to the second girl. Otherwise, do not blame me for not showing mercy to the Jun family!" After speaking, he stood up and left.

"I also request that Mother return my mother’s dowry list and the account books from these years together," Jun Zijin added.

The First Lady stood frozen in place, feeling as if she had just had a dream. It was clearly Jun Yiyi who wanted to scheme against the Crown Prince, so how did it turn into the second branch’s third girl marrying the Second Imperial Prince? Jun Yiyi lost the marriage arrangement with the Prime Minister’s residence, and she suddenly lost control of the household, and was almost cast aside. These series of unfortunate events seemed to have been endless ever since that wretched girl returned to the residence.

The First Lady came to her senses, her face full of resentment, yet she dared not defy Jun Zhengming’s order. She glared viciously at Jun Zijin and lowered her voice: "You little slut, don't think you can ride on my head just because of this."

Jun Zijin merely smiled indifferently, "Mother is joking. Your daughter is merely taking back what belongs to her. Mother is getting on in years, so you should rest."

Glancing at the First Lady, who was so angry she was reeling, Jun Zijin raised the corners of her mouth, bowed gracefully, and turned to leave.

Li Shi, who had been watching the spectacle for a long time, felt as if this play had been performed specifically for her, and she also left, feeling satisfied. The group of people had made a scene for half the day and finally dispersed.

Jun Zijin returned to Aoxue Courtyard with Hanxiao and Xiao He, and Dong Mama, who had been waiting for a long time, hurried up to meet her:

"Why was the Young Lady gone for so long? Did anyone make things difficult for the Young Lady?" Dong Mama asked with concern.

Jun Zijin felt a warmth in her heart:

"Mama, rest assured. Today, I took back Mother’s dowry and dowry shops from Lady Wu’s hands."

Upon hearing this, Dong Mama wiped away tears:

"That is good now. Now the Lady can rest in peace if she knows of this in the afterlife."

"Young Lady must be hungry. Come into the room and rest. This old servant has already prepared food for you; I will bring it up right away."

Only then did Jun Zijin feel she was truly a bit hungry. Looking at the sun, it was already past noon. She returned to the room, and Hanxiao served her as she washed her hands. Seeing Jun Zijin return, Miaozhu had already brewed tea.

Xiao He vividly recounted to everyone how mighty her Young Lady was in outsmarting the First Lady.

The three maids stood by Jun Zijin’s side, and none of them went out.

Hanxiao and Miaozhu were older, calm and steady, not prone to idle chatter, and were clever, so they naturally took on more of the courtyard’s affairs.

Although Xiao He was younger, she was clever, quick-witted, and had a good memory; Jun Zijin intended to have Dong Mama take her along to manage the shops.

Zhou Mama managed the courtyard and had been busy training the new maids sent by the slave trader these days, so she had not come forward. Now that the Old Lady was managing the household, she would likely send over the deeds of sale for those newly bought maids before long.

The two mamas and three maids by her side were all extremely reliable people. With the deeds of sale in her own hands, she was naturally at ease.

Before long, the fragrance of food drifted over, and Dong Mama walked in carrying hot dishes.

Dong Mama placed the food gently on the table and said affectionately:

"Young Lady, the food is still warm. Do have a taste."

The dishes on the table were a perfect balance of meat and vegetables. Jun Zijin picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of food, and placed it in her mouth. A warm current surged in her heart; Dong Mama gave her the feeling of home.