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The dowry was exceptionally lavish, with items for all needs meticulously enumerated in the detailed list. From land and shops to trunkfuls of silver, furniture, earrings, toilet sets, everything was clearly listed. The total value of the dowry, including land, a manor, a small shop in Capital, rosewood furniture, and various fabrics, clothes, leather goods, medicinal herbs, books, and jewelry, amounted to over 10,000 taels of silver.
As a pseudo-legitimate daughter, it was remarkable that Madam Jiang had arranged such a substantial dowry for Chen Feng, showing great care and effort. Chen Feng knew that her half-sisters, Chen Yuqing and Chen Yuxia, would not have even half of what she had received. This was not just due to Chen Shiying’s special regard for her but also because she was marrying into the Chu family, which Madam Jiang was keen on fostering a good relationship with.
Additionally, four maids and two household staff were sent along with her. One household staff family had already gone to Capital to manage the four hundred acres of land and the manor there, where they would reside in the future. The other household staff family, the Li family, consisted of Mr. Li, Mrs. Li, their son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons.
Among the four maids was Qing Feng, who had been serving Chen Feng since her arrival at the Chen residence.
Head housekeeper Lady Liang led the group to Rose Pavilion to pay respects to Chen Feng.
Chen Feng paid special attention to Mrs. Li, a woman in her forties who was neat, efficient, and of average build. Chen Feng found her to be a favorable impression, believing she could be a valuable assistant. She trusted Madam Jiang’s judgment, confident that after such elaborate preparations, she wouldn’t assign an incompetent or spy as her housekeeper.
Madam Jiang specifically mentioned that the Li family were not blood relatives of the Chen family and had no ties to them. Among the four maids, Qing Feng was a blood relative, while the other three had been purchased a few months ago and trained recently. All were thirteen years old, named Xiaohong, Xiaolv, and Xiaozi.
Madam Jiang explained that their names were deliberately simple, as Chen Feng could rename them as she pleased.
After their introductions, each person received a purse containing six silver coins from Autumn.
Next, Madam Jiang took a key from her waist and led Chen Feng to see the dowry. While the furniture had already been transported to the Estate, the remaining dowry items were stored in the side room of Rose Pavilion.
Opening the door revealed a room filled with boxes, each packed with a variety of goods—fabrics, jewelry, and other high-quality items. One neatly arranged box contained silver ingots, representing the thousand taels of trunkful silver.
Chen Feng expressed her gratitude to Madam Jiang, and Autumn handed her a purse containing two silver ingots.
Madam Jiang accepted the purse with a smile, passed the key to Chen Feng, who then handed it over to Autumn for safekeeping. From now on, Autumn would be her head maid.
Leaving three of the maids behind, Chen Feng asked the others to return home and prepare for the journey to the Capital by boat the next morning. She decided not to bring Mrs. Li, her son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons, as they would return to Dingzhou Prefecture. Instead, she instructed the Li family to visit General Yang at the Commandant’s Office, where accommodations and duties would be arranged for them.
The Li family bowed to Chen Feng once more.
After a brief rest, Chen Feng heard laughter in the courtyard and saw Chen Yuqing and Chen Yuxia, the sisters, arriving. The two were delighted, especially Chen Yuxia, who hadn’t been to Dingzhou’s capital before. They had come to help Chen Feng prepare, with Chen Yuqing gifting a pearl-encrusted golden hairpin and Chen Yuxia presenting two handkerchiefs she had embroidered herself.
As the sisters left, another visitor arrived—Chen Yuhui. Being thin, her high cheekbones and narrow nose made her look even sharper, unable to conceal the hostility in her eyes.
Chen Feng dispensed with any formalities and bluntly said, “Are you here to help me prepare? If you have nothing nice to say, keep it to yourself. Your words won’t affect my good mood.”
Chen Yuhui sneered coldly and sharply retorted, “Of course, I’m not here to help you prepare, because you simply aren’t deserving. You stole the fiance Grandmother arranged for me and instigated Father to find me a countryside rich man. You wretched woman, you are despicable!”
Before she could finish, her hand lunged towards Chen Feng’s face.
Alert and defensive, Chen Feng swiftly evaded, grabbing her wrist. With long, sharpened nails, it was clear that the intention was to harm her appearance.
Enraged, Chen Feng slapped Chen Yuqing hard across the face with one hand and forcefully pushed her to the ground with the other. She shouted, “I may be a country girl, but I have strength. How dare you try to ruin my appearance! Let me make it clear to you, with your ugly looks, even if my fiancé never marries and never takes a wife, he would never choose you. Stop dreaming.” She then instructed Xiaohong, “Take a look at Miss Chen’s sharp nails. Report her actions to Madam, so she knows how malicious Miss Chen is.”
With a swollen face, Chen Yuhui, feeling pain, embarrassment, and anger, got up, cried, and ran away. Xiaohong went to report Chen Yuhui’s behavior to Madam Jiang.
In the evening, Chen Feng and her sisters went to the main residence for dinner, with Chen Shiying and Chen Yulan absent. They were with Chu Lingxuan in the outer courtyard.
Chu Lingxuan would return to Capital in a few days.
When Chen Shiying returned to the main residence, the Chen sisters had already left. Hearing about Chen Yuhui’s actions, he shook his head in disappointment. He told Madam Jiang, “Once Feng’s marriage is settled, we should arrange Yuhui’s marriage soon, preferably by the end of this year.”
Madam Jiang coldly remarked, “She claims we found her a countryside rich man.”
Chen Shiying responded, “Wife, don’t be upset. She has been spoiled by her mother. As she grows older, she will understand that we are doing this for her own good.”
Later, Chen Shiying had a talk with Chen Feng at Rose Pavilion, advising her not to dwell on her sister’s behavior and to prepare herself to be a happy new bride.
The night passed without incident. The next morning, as the sky began to lighten, the main entrance of the Chen residence was wide open. Several carriages, escorted by guards, rushed out towards the canal docks outside the city.
They reached Tongxian at dusk and headed to an inn where a courtyard had been reserved in advance. A lavish dinner was prepared for them.
After dinner, Madam Jiang took the children back to rest in their rooms.
The next day after breakfast, the family boarded carriages and entered the Capital around midday.
***On Going Novel, Title: “The Excellent Physician”, Genre: Transmigration, Historical, Romance. Happy Reading and Thank You Everyone.***