The Young Master Becomes a Wife Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Dowry  

Yan Jingshu smiled and raised his hand, signaling them not to stand on ceremony, then turned to Jiang Chenghan and said, "The people sent by Madam Jiang shouldn’t be neglected. How about I have Zheng Er prepare a carriage to escort them back personally? Zheng Er is one of my dowry servants, he used to manage the horses and carriages in our family’s stables."  

"Alright, as you say." Now that the wedding was over and Yan Jingshu had brought his own servants, there was no need to trouble the general’s household. Jiang Chenghan naturally had no objections to Yan Jingshu’s arrangement.  

Yan Jingshu then turned to a tall, lean, and dark-skinned middle-aged man in brown short robes standing below the hall and said, "Go prepare the carriage and personally escort Qiao Momo and the others back to the general’s residence. Be careful on the road and make sure they arrive safely."  

The middle-aged man, Zheng Er, immediately bowed and replied, "Understood, this servant will see to it." With that, he turned and left the hall to prepare the carriage.  

Qiao Momo and the others expressed their profuse thanks to Jiang Chenghan and Yan Jingshu before returning to their rooms to pack their belongings.  

Once the outsiders had left, only their own people remained. Jiang Chenghan pointed out the two young servants he had purchased to Yan Jingshu—both around seventeen or eighteen years old. The taller one was named Fang Ping, and the stockier one was Lin Dong. They both seemed honest and dependable.  

Following custom, Yan Jingshu gave each of them a red envelope. Then, he introduced his dowry servants to Jiang Chenghan.  

Apart from Zheng Er, who had already left on his task, there were two personal maids: Wen Jin and Wen Xiu, originally the most skilled embroiderers from the Duke of Anguo’s household.  

Since Yan Jingshu had never learned needlework, the Dowager Lady had specially selected these two for him so that, whether for making clothes or mending them, he wouldn’t have to rely on outside tailors—neither convenient nor trustworthy.  

Besides these two maids, there was also a middle-aged woman in her forties, Zheng Shi, and a young man in his twenties, Zheng Hu. They were Zheng Er’s family—a married couple and their only son.  

Zheng Shi was an excellent cook. The Dowager Lady, concerned that Yan Jingshu might struggle to adjust to the local cuisine in Ningcheng, had chosen her for his service. Noticing that her husband was skilled in handling horses and carriages and that their son, Zheng Hu, was clever and capable—perfect for running errands—she had assigned the entire family to Yan Jingshu.  

Five dowry servants were considered meager compared to the usual entourage of the Duke of Anguo’s household. But the Jiang family was small, requiring few servants. Moreover, Yan Jingshu, recalling the people Jiang Chenghan had bought to serve him in Ningcheng in his past life, hoped to find them again. Thus, he dissuaded the Dowager Lady from assigning him too many attendants.  

Once the introductions were done, Yan Jingshu dismissed the servants to their tasks while he and Jiang Chenghan returned to their bridal chamber.  

Yan Jingshu then brought out a huanghuali wood chest containing his dowry list and other documents. Opening it, he took out the contents one by one and placed them before Jiang Chenghan, saying, "This is my dowry. Would you like to look through it?"  

Jiang Chenghan smiled. "These are your belongings. You should keep them yourself, no need to show me."  

Yan Jingshu nodded but insisted, "Since you won’t look, I’ll read it to you. Well, I won’t bother with trivial things like clothes, fabrics, jewelry, or decorations. The betrothal gifts you sent included 6,600 taels of silver. Grandmother added that to my private savings, rounding it up to a total of 30,000 taels. Additionally, there are two estates in the capital—one with two courtyards and another with five. The dowry list includes 108 pieces of huanghuali and red sandalwood furniture, along with some bulky decorations, all stored in the five-courtyard estate. Grandmother said that if we ever return to the capital, we can live in that five-courtyard residence."  

"Furthermore, there are five shopfronts on Zhuque Street and Jixiang Street, a hot spring estate at the foot of Fenghuang Mountain in the outskirts, and six other estates in the northern suburbs, Yongcheng, and Moxian County. These include 1,600 mu of paddy fields, 2,100 mu of mulberry fields, over 1,100 mu of woodland, and twelve hills…"  

Yan Jingshu went on at length, while Jiang Chenghan listened in silent astonishment.  

He had nearly exhausted his savings to prepare the betrothal gifts worth almost 8,000 taels, yet Yan Jingshu’s private savings alone amounted to 30,000 taels. Moreover, from what he had gathered while arranging the dowry, properties like the shops on Zhuque Street, the five-courtyard estate, and the hot spring estate at Fenghuang Mountain were priceless—things money couldn’t easily buy in the capital.  

But Jiang Chenghan had no idea that Yan Jingshu’s original dowry had been worth less than his betrothal gifts. Acquiring what he had now had required considerable effort.  

When Xie Shi had managed the household, the Duke of Anguo’s accounts had barely enough funds to prepare a dowry for Yan Jingshu. But after Shen Shi took over, many items—either missing from Xie Shi’s original dowry list or unaccounted for—were recovered and returned to the family’s treasury.  

With the accounts replenished, the Dowager Lady had revised Yan Jingshu’s dowry list. True to her protective nature, she only added, never subtracted. She persuaded the Duke of Anguo that since Yan Jingshu would be moving north with his husband, having more silver on hand was essential. Thus, the original 20,000 taels of private savings were increased by another 10,000. To accommodate the 108 pieces of furniture, she even gifted him the largest and finest of her own properties—the five-courtyard estate—along with numerous other additions.  

By the end, both openly and privately, Yan Jingshu’s dowry exceeded 100,000 taels in value. While this seemed substantial, it was far from crippling for the centuries-old Duke of Anguo’s household—especially since much of it came from the Dowager Lady’s personal wealth.  

After Yan Jingshu finished, it was Jiang Chenghan’s turn to speak. Though not the type to feel insecure or emasculated by a partner’s greater wealth, he couldn’t help but appear somewhat ashamed.  

"My monthly salary is one and a half taels, and I’ll give it all to you. Also, when we return to Ningcheng, I’ll go hunting and herb-gathering with friends during my days off. Half of the earnings from selling those can go to you—but only half. The other half I’ll give to a merchant friend to invest. After deducting the principal, I’ll receive 70% of the profits. But that money… I can’t give to you."  

"You see, I’m a soldier. Ningcheng is a border town, and the court’s military provisions are often insufficient. I can’t let my men go hungry, so I need to keep reserves for emergencies. So…"  

Feeling guilty for being unable to provide Yan Jingshu with the best life—or even his full earnings—Jiang Chenghan was deeply apologetic.  

"I know, I understand—" Yan Jingshu couldn’t bear to see Jiang Chenghan distressed and quickly interrupted. He reached out and took Jiang Chenghan’s clenched hand, softening his voice. "I know. Don’t forget, my grandfather also fought on the battlefield. When I was little, he often told my brother and me stories of war. So I understand what you’re saying, and I would never blame you for it."  

Jiang Chenghan clasped Yan Jingshu’s hand in return, gazing into his eyes. Seeing the sincerity there only deepened his shame.  

Noticing this, Yan Jingshu grew anxious. He stepped closer, cupping Jiang Chenghan’s face with both hands, his brow furrowed in seriousness. "Look at me. Do you really think I’m some money-grubbing, status-obsessed person?"  

Jiang Chenghan immediately wanted to shake his head but couldn’t with Yan Jingshu holding his face. "Of course not. That’s not what I meant."  

Yan Jingshu remained unsatisfied. "When I agreed to marry you, I knew exactly who you were and what kind of life I’d have. But I never cared. Yet now you… Fine. If you think I’m just after money, then divorce me. Later, you can marry someone more to your liking—"  

By the end, Yan Jingshu’s voice trembled with suppressed hurt, his eyes reddening. He released Jiang Chenghan and turned to leave.  

Jiang Chenghan hadn’t expected his words to bring Yan Jingshu to tears. Panicked, he knew he couldn’t let him walk away. In one swift motion, he wrapped an arm around Yan Jingshu’s waist and pulled him back.  

"Let me go! If you resent me, just let me leave—" Yan Jingshu struggled as if genuinely wounded, but Jiang Chenghan’s arms were like iron bands around his waist—unyielding no matter how hard he fought.  

"That’s not what I meant—really, believe me—" Holding Yan Jingshu, Jiang Chenghan was equally tormented. He feared Yan Jingshu would flee but also worried about squeezing him too tightly.  

When Yan Jingshu kept struggling, refusing to listen, Jiang Chenghan saw no other choice. He forcefully pulled Yan Jingshu against his chest and said firmly, "I’ll never divorce you. Never. In this life, I’ll only have you—only want you. Besides you, I’ll never marry anyone else—"

Then he fell silent, simply holding Yan Jingshu tightly, letting his actions convey what words could not.  

The method worked. Gradually, Yan Jingshu stilled, no longer struggling or demanding to leave. But Jiang Chenghan didn’t dare loosen his grip. Unable to see Yan Jingshu’s face, he remained rooted in place, arms locked around him.  

Finally, Yan Jingshu tapped his solid chest and grumbled, "It’s too hot, let me go."  

Jiang Chenghan asked cautiously, "You won’t leave?"  

Yan Jingshu shoved at him. "If you don’t write a letter of divorce, how can I leave?"  

Reluctantly, Jiang Chenghan released him, silently vowing: I won’t. Never.