Chapter 16: Off to the Yamen to File a Complaint!

Prime Minister’s Residence.

The gatekeeper, upon seeing the former mistress return, hurried to inform the steward.

When Dong Xinrui heard the steward report that Tang Chaoyang had come to retrieve her dowry, she casually put down her painting brush and said gently,
“Let her take it. It’s just that pitiful little dowry.”

So shabby!

The steward kept his head lowered, pretending not to hear the sarcasm in her tone. He quickly agreed and left.

Dong Xinrui, however, grew increasingly disgusted the more she thought about how Tang Chaoyang had stopped Fei Yan’s carriage in public.

“Nanny, do you think Tang Chaoyang still has feelings for the Prime Minister?”

The more she thought about it, the uglier her expression became. She even suspected that Tang Chaoyang had brought up the child on purpose just to get close to Fei Yan.

She clenched her handkerchief tightly.

Nanny Huang frowned. “Madam, the Prime Minister loves you. No matter what Tang Chaoyang feels, she won’t get another chance.”

Dong Xinrui’s anger eased slightly at those words.

Yes—so long as her husband’s heart didn’t waver, Tang Chaoyang wouldn’t have any opportunities.

Just then, a maid came in and reported,
“Madam, the Old Madam has stopped Miss Tang and won’t let her take her dowry.”

Dong Xinrui nearly laughed in disbelief.

A flicker of disdain passed through her eyes. That old woman must be trying to seize Tang Chaoyang’s meager dowry for herself.

As the current mistress of the Prime Minister’s household, Dong Xinrui had to step in to stop the old woman from making a fool of herself.

After all, if it got out that the Prime Minister’s family had seized his ex-wife’s dowry, the entire world would ridicule her husband!

—

“Tang Chaoyang, if you want your dowry back, then return An’an to the Fei family first!”

Madam Fei was helped over by attendants. She knew Tang Chaoyang wouldn’t abandon her child.

She hadn’t slept well for days, and her fatigue showed clearly on her face.

Tang Chaoyang first observed her haggard appearance. Hmm. It seemed the medicine she’d prepared was working well.

She had come personally to retrieve the dowry precisely because she understood Madam Fei’s greedy nature.

Her gaze swept over the old woman’s lifeless face, and she gave a soft laugh.
“Old Madam, are you sure you won’t let me take my dowry?”

She suspected her dowry had already been taken by this greedy old woman.

“Not unless you bring An’an back!” Madam Fei snapped sharply and shamelessly.

She stood firm now, completely unafraid of Tang Chaoyang.

But Tang Chaoyang had no intention of entangling further. She curled her lips into a smile.
“Just don’t regret it. Nanny, let’s go.”

By the time Dong Xinrui arrived—elegantly dressed and exuding nobility—she happened to see Tang Chaoyang and her party leaving empty-handed.

The two women exchanged a glance.

Tang Chaoyang’s brows arched slightly, and her stunning face radiated arrogance.

Dong Xinrui couldn’t believe that despite the hardships in Hancheng, Tang Chaoyang’s beauty had not diminished one bit!

Tang Chaoyang came and went swiftly—without taking her dowry.

After they exited the residence, Nanny Wu lowered her voice in confusion.
“Miss, are we really leaving just like that?”

Holding a hand warmer, Tang Chaoyang turned to her.
“Nanny, I never expected to retrieve the dowry today.”

“Besides, much of it has likely already been taken by Madam Fei and Fei Li. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure Fei Yan delivers the entire dowry to the General’s estate himself.”

Nanny Wu cursed Madam Fei in her heart. What a shameless woman!

Tang Chaoyang glanced back at the plaque of the Prime Minister’s residence, then climbed into the carriage.
“Nanny, let’s go to Xiangrui Restaurant.”

Nanny Wu thought she wanted to eat something.

At the restaurant, Tang Chaoyang booked a private room and sat by the window where she could look down at the street below.
“Nanny, call in Ma Jiang.”

She had realized Ma Jiang was quite a talent. She just didn’t know whether he’d be willing to work for her long-term.

When Ma Jiang heard he’d been summoned, he immediately guessed that this young lady had another task for him.

He and his brother were both disabled veterans who had returned from the battlefield. Because they were still physically capable, they were fortunate enough to remain at the General’s estate as ordinary guards.

Generally, nobles didn’t assign important tasks to injured men like them.

They’d already resigned themselves to living quietly as guards—maybe find wives and settle down, or just live in a village after leaving the estate.

Ma Jiang had never expected this cousin of the General would not only treat them with respect, but even entrust important errands to him. That, in itself, was recognition.

“Miss.”

“I need you to find some people to spread word around town—make sure everyone knows that the Prime Minister has seized his ex-wife’s dowry.”

“Miss, could I ask my brother to handle this? He knows some beggars in the city.”

Tang Chaoyang nodded and had Nanny Wu hand him a pouch of silver.
“The remaining silver is your payment. One more thing—go wait outside the Prime Minister’s residence. When the Prime Minister returns, come inform me.”

Ma Jiang accepted the pouch respectfully and exited the private room.

Tang Chaoyang was inwardly grateful that she’d earned some silver from saving Lu Fanyi. Otherwise, she wouldn’t even have funds to carry this out.

“Nanny, sit down. We still have to go to the capital’s judicial office to file a complaint.”

Nanny Wu had just sat down and instinctively asked,
“What complaint?”

Tang Chaoyang smiled faintly.
“Of course—to accuse the Prime Minister’s household of seizing his ex-wife’s dowry!”

Nanny Wu instantly shot to her feet in shock.
“Miss, you mustn’t!”

She was stunned that Tang Chaoyang would actually go to the authorities over something like this.

Hardly anyone ever filed complaints over dowries.

A divorced woman already had a tarnished reputation.

If she went to the authorities over dowry issues, her reputation would suffer even more than a man’s would.

“Miss, please reconsider. We could ask the Su family for help. You’d get your dowry back quickly.”

“Nanny, I can’t rely on the Su family for everything. And I need to make a public spectacle of this. First, I want everyone to know that Fei Yan and I are completely at odds. Otherwise, people might keep thinking I still harbor feelings for him—which would be very inconvenient.”

Tang Chaoyang gently ran her fair fingers over her teacup and said calmly,
“Second, I need the Prime Minister’s family to understand that I’ve reached my limit—so they’ll stop trying to target An’an.”

Of course, there was an even more important reason—but she didn’t need to tell Nanny Wu all the details.

There was too much involved behind it all.

Nanny Wu was distressed.
“But this will ruin your reputation…”

Tang Chaoyang gave a small laugh and poured tea for her.
“Nanny, sit. Don’t worry. My reputation means nothing to me. It’s not like I plan to remarry anyway.”

Nanny Wu wanted to say more, but Tang Chaoyang shook her head.

Then her eyes narrowed slightly, and a dangerous smile appeared.

She might not have a powerful backing.

But she could borrow power—and the power she intended to borrow… was the new Emperor’s.

—

Meanwhile, Nanny Huang also brought up Tang Chaoyang’s dowry to Dong Xinrui.

“Mistress, you really should’ve tried harder to persuade the Old Madam not to block Miss Tang from taking her dowry.”

Dong Xinrui also found Tang Chaoyang’s dowry annoying, but she had tried to persuade the old woman—who simply refused to listen.

“If Tang Chaoyang has the ability, let her convince the Old Madam herself. Why should I help her? We’ll just wait and see.”

It was just a few days. Nothing major would happen…

They never imagined Tang Chaoyang would go to the yamen that very day to file a complaint.

—

As Fei Yan’s carriage pulled up to the Prime Minister’s residence…

Disguised as a street peddler, Ma Jiang sat in a nearby alley, gnawing on a steamed bun as he watched Fei Yan step out of the carriage.

The Prime Minister’s movements seemed a little… off.

Ma Jiang didn’t dare stare too long.

Fei Yan always gave off a deep and unreadable aura.

Ma Jiang stuffed the rest of the bun into his mouth in a few bites, picked up his goods, and quickly left.

He changed back into his guard uniform and rushed back to Xiangrui Restaurant.

When he saw his older brother standing guard at the door, he knew the task had been completed as well.

The two exchanged a silent nod.

Ma Ge had gathered a few beggars he knew and had them spread the story about the Prime Minister seizing his ex-wife’s dowry—especially near teahouses.

Why teahouses? Because right now, a lot of scholars were gathering in them.

Ma Jiang entered the private room and bowed before speaking in a low voice.
“Miss, the Prime Minister has returned. When I saw him getting out of the carriage… his movements seemed a little odd?”

Tang Chaoyang raised a brow.
“Could it be he was flogged?”

Of course, that was just her speculation.

Setting down her teacup, a smile played at her lips.
“Let’s go—time to file our complaint at the yamen!”