Chapter 737: Distributing Property
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“You’re really ruthless. It’s been 40 years, 40 years! I thought that I wouldn’t be able to see you even after I was buried and turned into mud.” The Empress Dowager’s usual dignity was completely gone. After saying this, she was already covered in snot and tears.
She did not take the handkerchief and lay on Old Madam Wang’s shoulder, letting it flow on the other party.
Old Madam Wang moved but did not break free. A hint of helplessness flashed across her eyes. In the end, she pushed her away and took out a handkerchief to wipe her face.
She threw away the dirty handkerchief and took a new one to wipe her clothes.
“Big Sister Qin, my clothes were specially made. They can’t be soaked in water. If they’re dirty, they’ll have to be discarded.” Old Madam Wang sighed.
“Isn’t it just a set of clothes? When have I seen you feeling heartache for clothes in the past?” The Empress Dowager also sat up straight and said casually, “Moreover, when would you ever wash and wear your clothes a second time?”
“These days are different from the past. Do you know how expensive firewood, rice, oil, and salt are? Not to mention washing them in the water once, I’ve worn the same set of clothes for more than ten years in the past. I washed them again and again, and the black ones have turned white…”
She knew that Little Yaoguang had always liked to talk like this on purpose when she was with her, but the Empress Dowager still felt especially upset when she heard it.
“You reaped what you sowed. You had such a good life in the past, but you insisted on living a hard life outside. Isn’t that person a jade carving master? At least he deals with jade. How can he let you fall into such dire straits!” As the Empress Dowager spoke, she wanted to take off the bracelet on her wrist. However, she felt that it was inappropriate, so she simply called her maidservant in.
The maidservant came in and bowed. “Your Highness.”
“Find the key to the storeroom.”
The maidservant quickly took out the key. The Empress Dowager took it and threw it into Old Madam Wang’s arms without looking at it. When she held it firmly, she pulled her hand and looked at it. “Let’s go. I’ve left you a lot of good things over the years. It’s the dowry I prepared for you in the past. I left it there. I didn’t let anyone touch it. Go and take a look and see if you still need it now.”
Under the maidservant’s dumbfounded gaze, Old Madam Wang was pulled to the storeroom by the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager’s private storeroom was extremely large. There was a hall outside, and there were three underground vaults inside. They were filled with all kinds of things.
When Old Madam Wang was Princess Yong Chang, she had also been to the Empress Dowager’s storeroom. At that time, the Empress Dowager was still the Empress, and the storeroom was not much smaller than now.
She was the legitimate daughter of the Qin Family of Jiangnan, and the late Emperor she married was also from the Qin Family of Jiangnan. However, in terms of family status, although the two of them had the same surname, they were already beyond the fifth generation of kinship, which allowed them to form a marriage alliance.
However, the late Emperor’s wealth could not compare to Empress Qin’s at the time, and the current Empress Dowager Qin’s.
The dowry of the Qin family’s legitimate daughter, judging solely from what’s stored in this warehouse and disregarding what’s displayed outside, could easily be considered as wealth that rivals a nation!
“Don’t look too closely. The items on the second floor, everything you can see, is meant for you. And on the third floor, much of it is also the dowry set aside for you from the beginning. When you were a young girl, you might have found them useful, but now I’m afraid you might not find those things appealing anymore.” The Empress Dowager said casually.
Old Madam Wang said, “It’s not useless. Don’t I still have a granddaughter? I raised her well. If you left it to me, why don’t you leave it to her in the future?” “Are you talking about the little girl? I’ve investigated her. Speaking of which, she’s not your biological granddaughter. Aren’t you afraid that the other children will have something against her?”
“When have you ever seen me afraid of others’ opinions?”
After Old Madam Wang finished speaking, the two of them looked at each other and smiled.
A moment later, the Empress Dowager said, “To be honest, we’re still a generation apart. In terms of the little girl’s dowry, of course, others will have to contribute a significant portion. Although my daughter-in-law is from Duke Yong Manor and has a close relationship with my maternal family, she also has considerable wealth. When the time comes, I’ll have her offer a more substantial betrothal gift.
Also, when you wanted to get married back then, the various dukes and marquises had prepared a lot of things, but you completely disappeared, not leaving even a shadow behind. Those things haven’t been released yet. I’m afraid they’ve all turned gray. We have to get them to prepare them again.”
The two of them sat in the storeroom and began to count the assets of the various families..