Naming the Tibetan Mastiff
"Do you think the reputation of the Zhenguohou Mansion is too good, or do you not feel embarrassed enough to take such a trivial matter to court?" The old lady glared at Murong Xue, her voice sharp with reprimand.
People usually try to keep family issues hidden and locked away, especially the unsightly ones. But Murong Xue seemed determined to make a scene and let the whole capital know. It's truly wicked.
"If you dare to steal my mother's dowry, I will sue you in court. Even if it brings shame upon you, so be it. Don't forget, our relationship is quite sensitive," Murong Xue calmly replied with a hint of a smile.
The old lady's sharp eyes narrowed as she realized the delicate situation. Murong Xue and Murong Ye's parents were both deceased, and she wasn't their grandmother by blood. She was merely the grandmother of Murong Ye's illegitimate children, and her relationship with Murong Xue and Murong Ye wasn't that of true aunt and uncle. If Murong Xue accused her and Murong Ye of conspiring to seize their siblings' private property, outsiders would likely believe it.
"Qingyan, go back to the house and return all the jewelry you took," the old lady instructed sternly. The treasury contained numerous exquisite dowries that she had planned to divide equally between her two granddaughters, Jian'er and Rou'er. However, this matter needed to be handled quietly and kept away from prying eyes.
"Grandmother!" Song Qingyan looked at Du Shi with tear-filled eyes. She loved those delicate and beautiful pieces of jewelry and didn't want to return a single one. She hoped her grandmother would help fight for her right to keep them.
"Why are you hesitating, Qingyan? Go back and return the jewelry," Du Shi's face turned gloomy. Returning the jewelry to appease Murong Xue was merely a ploy to make her drop the matter. Once Murong Xue let her guard down, Du Shi planned to slowly claim all the dowries stored in the warehouse for herself.
Song Qingyan's body froze as she faced her stern grandmother. Her eyes filled with grievances. She couldn't believe her grandmother was scolding her on behalf of Murong Xue. It was truly infuriating!
"Hmph!" Song Qingyan stomped her foot and ran out with teary eyes.
"My mother's dowry is documented in the county, listing all the lost jewelry. I hope the items Song Qingyan returns are the originals and not some counterfeit pieces meant to deceive," a cold reminder echoed in their ears. Song Qingyan paused in her steps, looked back at Murong Xue, and gritted her teeth. She promised, "Cousin, rest assured, Yan'er is also a member of the Hou Mansion and possesses countless jewelry. She wouldn't bother with these meager trinkets."
"Very well," Murong Xue replied nonchalantly, clearly not believing her.
Song Qingyan clenched her fists, torn between complying and standing her ground. She glared hatefully at Murong Xue and angrily walked out, determined to return the genuine exquisite jewelry rather than appeasing her with some inferior substitutes.
A maid hurriedly entered the main courtyard and whispered something into the old lady's ear. Instantly, her face darkened, and her stern gaze pierced through Murong Xue. "So, you want to break off the marriage contract with Prince Jing?"
"Yes," Murong Xue nodded. "Ye Yichen has returned with his beloved. In order to live a free and happy life with her, he demoted me to a side concubine. Being a concubine in the Hou Mansion, I would always be looked down upon. To uphold the long-standing reputation of the Zhenguohou Mansion, I proposed ending the engagement."
"Marriage matters have always been decided by your parents and the matchmaker. You cannot end the engagement without the consent of your elders. What kind of system is this?" Du Shi sharply reprimanded.
Murong Xue smiled and looked at her. "When you mention elders, do you consider yourself one?"
Du Shi's gaze turned cold. "Although I am not your biological grandmother, I am your step-grandmother, your rightful elder. I have a say in your marriage. Is that wrong?"
Murong Xue squinted her eyes and spoke calmly. "The marriage contract between Prince Jing and me was personally arranged by my father and the old Prince Jing. It bypassed the interference of the inner courtyard. As long as the male elders agree, the engagement can be terminated without seeking the stepmother's opinion."
"But your second uncle..."
"My second uncle is far away in Jingzhou, and it takes over a month for him to travel back and forth. Ending the engagement is an urgent matter, and there's no time to consult my second uncle. My brother is the current Marquis of Zhenguohou, and my eldest brother is like a father to me. They have both agreed to my withdrawal from the engagement. So, step-grandmother, you need not worry about this matter anymore," Murong Xue looked at her with a smile, a hint of meaning flashing in her eyes.
Du Shi's face turned dark and terrible. Murong Xue's demotion to a side concubine had tarnished the reputation of the Zhenguohou Mansion, but Du Shi was more delighted to see Murong Xue's misfortune. After all, Murong Xue was Murong Yue's daughter and had no blood ties to her. She could easily cast her aside. It was all Murong Ye's fault for being a foolish squirrel and getting influenced by Murong Xue, agreeing to terminate the engagement. It was truly detestable!
"Woof!" A white figure rushed in and landed in Murong Xue's arms.
Murong Xue looked down and saw a small, snow-white puppy nestled in her arms, looking at her with watery eyes, its adorable appearance melting hearts.
This is the Tibetan Mastiff that defeated five large dogs? Murong Xue couldn't believe her eyes.
"It's the Tibetan Mastiff, a little Tibetan Mastiff!" Murong Ye ran over, panting. When he saw the Tibetan Mastiff nestled in Murong Xue's arms, he became exasperated. "I had people bathe you, groom your fur, and make you comfortable, but you didn't even say thank you. Instead, you hurriedly ran here. You truly have no gratitude!"
"It's still young and doesn't know any better. Don't mind it," Murong Xue affectionately rubbed the little head of the Tibetan Mastiff, feeling a surge of happiness. "Let's give it a name. The name 'Tibetan Mastiff' isn't very appealing for everyday use."
Murong Ye's eyes lit up. Naming dogs was his specialty. "Since it's so good at biting, why not call it General Chang Sheng?"
Murong Xue's cheerful expression instantly darkened. "If it stays with me, it won't be fighting in the arena anymore. So, let's avoid names associated with biting. Think of a normal name."
Murong Ye frowned, considering the person and the dog happily interacting with each other. He suggested, "Sister, you treasure this Tibetan Mastiff so much. Why not call it 'Baby'?"
"Baby?" Murong Xue raised an eyebrow. "That sounds strange!"
"Then how about 'Beibei'?" Murong Ye suggested gently, noticing Murong Xue's face growing darker and quickly changing his words. "Or 'Babe'?"
"Babe? Peaceful? Let's go with 'Babe'," Murong Xue decided. Murong Ye's naming skills were like that, and she couldn't think of a particularly good name at the moment, so she settled for 'Babe'.
As she happily chatted, ignoring Du Shi's presence, Murong Ye and Murong Xue's conversation seemed deliberately dismissive of her, as if she were transparent and ready to be ignored.
Her lips moved, and she was about to give them a piece of her mind, but Murong Xue spoke first. "It will take at least an hour for Cousin Yan to return the jewelry. Red Sleeves, lock the warehouse door for now and keep the key," she instructed.
"Yes!" The red-sleeved maid stepped forward to lock the warehouse door and handed the key to Murong Xue.
Murong Xue had decided to personally take charge of the warehouse!
Du Shi's gaze turned cold, and she spoke loudly. "Prominent noble families in the capital entrust the keys to their treasuries to trusted grandmothers. Yet, as a marquis with immense wealth, you choose to keep these common items yourself. Aren't you afraid of others mocking you?"
"I don't have a trusted grandmother by my side, so I have to keep the key myself. When I find someone trustworthy, I will naturally hand over the key. You needn't worry, stepmother," Murong Xue calmly retorted.
Du Shi choked, a dark haze passing through her eyes. If the key to the treasury was in Murong Xue's hands, she wouldn't find an opportunity to seize the dowry inside. "Ye'er, persuade your sister. She's an unmarried girl who shouldn't be preoccupied with dowries. Isn't she afraid of embarrassment?"
Murong Ye furrowed his brow and whispered, "Grandmother, my sister is already fourteen years old and will soon be married. There's nothing wrong with her learning to manage the dowry and oversee the inner courtyard."
"You... You two!" Du Shi was furious, her gloomy gaze shifting from Murong Ye to Murong Xue and then back to Murong Ye. She wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent. She snorted heavily and walked away without looking back.
As they watched her quickly depart, Murong Ye was perplexed. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, my stepmother is happy that my brother understands," Murong Xue smiled, feeling relieved. Her eyes turned slightly cold. Du Shi likely resented their brother and sister for cutting off her access to wealth. Du Shi had her eyes on the dowry in the treasury and would surely try every means to seize it.
However, Murong Xue was not afraid. She would face any challenges head-on.
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