ITVCFITB CHAPTER 10

 Chapter 10 – A Hidden Side Quest

Back then, when Luo Shuyu married into the Third Prince’s household, Lady Liu was still the one “managing” his dowry. What he took with him was only what a typical legitimate ger might bring. With the Third Prince’s betrothal gifts added, it barely passed muster. Luo Shuyu had had no objections since he was not someone who readily made demands. Besides, he told himself, Luo Renshou was Minister of Rites; the family was “poor,” not as wealthy as other houses. A little less was fine.

Only after he opened his mother’s dowry storeroom did he grasp just how foolish he had been, and for how long Luo Renshou had duped him.

His mother had truly brought a ten miles of red bridal procession, chests upon chests, piece upon piece. Even with Lady Liu’s embezzling, the large items remained. She hadn’t dared to spirit those out; every piece was of the finest make.

It was enough to make one sigh. Had he not suddenly flared up at Luo Renshou, the dowry would have continued its fate of “being repurposed.” As a son, he had failed the mother who was gone. He had trusted those with hidden knives and snake hearts far too much.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too late.

As for how he obtained the original inventory, he had an upper-class lady from his last life to thank, she had mentioned the sable robe Luo Shuyao's wore.

After returning to life, Luo Shuyu immediately sent Qingwang to find his maternal relatives. The Chen clan had fallen, yes, but even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. They had once been a grand family; though exiled from the capital, they still had footholds here through a handful of venerable shops. Through them, Luo Shuyu found his mother’s old momo. The woman was quietly invited to the Luo estate. Tearfully, she pressed a small box into his hands and said she had finally lived to see her lady’s child seek her out. Inside were a copy of Lady Chen’s dowry list and an unsigned letter.

The letter was from his maternal grandfather to his mother. Sadly, after the family’s departure from the capital, his mother fell ill; heaven separated them, and she never saw the letter. Had he not been reborn, he would have missed it forever. It was short, urging her to care for herself, and not to worry for her parents and brothers: even exiled to their ancestral home, they would live well enough.

The Chen family had once been dazzling in the capital, basking in imperial favor. But favor wanes, and bright names attract grasping hands. Trouble followed; Grandfather Chen was stripped of office and sent away.

The momo said she had tried to visit Lady Chen at the Luo estate but was turned away again and again. The household always found excuses to keep them apart. They said they feared the Chen family would implicate the Luos, when in truth, there was something they wished to hide.

By the timeline, the momo had come only after the Chen affair had “settled.” His mother was already ill; the disease had struck viciously and swiftly. She died not long after. When the momo returned, all she learned was that Lady Chen had passed. Thus the letter remained undelivered until Luo Shuyu’s men came searching.

It had been nearly ten years since his mother died; the Chens had long left Shangjing.

Had he not come back, had he never read that book, he might never have known his grandfather’s letter existed or that this dowry inventory had been preserved.

Luo Shuyu personally audited the storeroom. When Luo Renshou handed him the keys, Luo Shuyu made it clear: everything Lady Liu had taken must be returned or made good in silver. His mother had never opened the storeroom in life; in death, its treasures were squandered. The dowry had not only fed these people, but they also used it to bully her son. If his mother had any spirit left in the heavens, she would have sprung from her coffin in fury.

He had no idea when Lady Liu had taken charge of the vault, only that its contents could only ever grow fewer, not more.

He had the dowry re-inventoried and re-recorded, item by item, cross-checking against the original list. Everything missing was carefully marked. With Feng Momo’s staff assisting, the tally went quickly; two days later they had the full reckoning. He wrote out what was missing and presented it to Luo Renshou.

The show of locking Lady Liu up had been for appearance’s sake. What did Luo Renshou fear? Two things if it blew up: first, losing face; second, if the censors learned the Minister of Rites had plundered his dead wife’s dowry and let his second wife squander it to prop up the household, they would memorialize against him savagely. His carefully crafted image as a “clean official” would collapse, and his career would end on the spot.

List in hand, Luo Shuyu entered Luo Renshou’s study for accounting and restitution.

At the sight of him, Luo Renshou’s teeth ached. He wanted nothing more than to avoid him; the boy was like a vengeful ghost demanding payment.

He hadn’t had a single easy day since the imperial betrothal decree. Over this business of the dowry, his head had split in two.

“Father,” Luo Shuyu said, setting down the paper, “here is the list of what’s missing. I won’t belabor the point. The keys were in your hand; the one who took things was Lady Liu. You know better than I who’s in the wrong. None of what she used ever touched me. I’m here to have what was taken returned. Otherwise, I’ll go door to door and retrieve every piece. My skin may be thicker than yours; I doubt that’s a scene you wish to see.”

The opening jab stole Luo Renshou’s breath.

Only now did he truly look at the quiet son he had always dismissed. Thinking back, he’d mostly fobbed him off, hardly sparing him a thought. Since the decree, the boy had become someone else.

So he wasn’t meek by nature, he’d merely been waiting. The marriage to the Third Prince had handed him an opening.

And on the matter of reclaiming Lady Chen’s dowry, ritual and law were on his side. That was what rankled: there was no angle for Luo Renshou to attack. Righteousness was a fortress; he could do nothing.

He thought it over then shoved all the fault onto Lady Liu again. “She’s from a small family; she has little vision. Faced with money, she lost her head and took more than she should. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Thank you, Father.” When there’s no affection left, all that remains is money. “I trust you’ll be fair and just—favor no one.”

The sudden flattery sat ill in his stomach. He sent for the steward.

In truth, Luo Shuyu had already sent word for the steward to come. Whatever honeyed “fatherly” words Luo Renshou had prepared died on his tongue when the man arrived. Pulling the sentiment card was impossible now; Luo Shuyu’s face held none for him.

The steward had served the Luo clan longer than Luo Shuyu had been alive. He had mirrored the master’s attitude, casual disregard for the legitimate son. Now the wind had shifted, and he bowed in proper deference.

“How goes that matter I set you on?” Luo Renshou asked.

At the sight of Luo Shuyu, the steward knew which matter he meant. Everyone in the house already knew about the uproar over the legitimate son demanding his mother’s dowry. Some whispered that the previous madam had come to him in a dream, how else to explain the sudden steel? The steward had seen enough filth through the years to feel a flicker of fear: had he wronged this young master before? Now he dared not hold his head high.

“I boxed up whatever could be recovered,” he said. “I’ve been to the Eldest and Second Young Masters, to Fourth Miss and Fifth Young Master. Everything’s in the vault, locked. I haven’t moved anything.”

“Tomorrow,” Luo Renshou said, “move it all to Shuyu’s courtyard.”

“Yes, my lord. Here is the list. For you and Third Young Master.”

One copy went to Luo Renshou, one to Luo Shuyu.

A quick scan, and Luo Shuyu’s mouth tilted in a cold, shallow smile. Clearly, Lady Liu hadn’t cooperated. From his own tally, at least thirty percent was missing, this recovery was a mere drop of that thirty. A splashless pebble.

Luo Renshou frowned. “Only this much?” What was Lady Liu playing at? He was losing face daily, and she still wouldn’t cover for him, still hoarding things at a time like this!

“The Madam said that was all,” the steward murmured.

Luo Renshou slapped the list to the table. “How dare she!”

Still acting for my benefit, Luo Shuyu thought. Tedious.

“Master…?” the steward ventured.

Luo Renshou turned to Luo Shuyu. “Tomorrow, I will have Lady Liu give you a proper account. What must be returned will be returned.”

“No bargaining,” Luo Shuyu replied, tapping the figures after each item. “If something cannot be found, I won’t force it. What can be recovered, I’ll be glad to have. I won’t name an outrageous price over my mother’s dowry, not a single cash more than it’s worth. I only wish for Mother to rest easy and not worry over me below. After each missing item, I’ve written an equivalent value, already calculated. If the thing itself cannot be reclaimed, pay its worth. Lady Liu’s brother seems to have bought up quite a lot of property on your name, Father. I imagine our family’s money has been fattening others long enough. As for my wedding trousseau, you may decide as you see fit. If it’s light, so be it. I doubt the Third Prince will make things difficult for us on that account.”

At the mention of Lady Liu’s brother, Luo Renshou started. How does he know? He himself hadn’t known. So Lady Liu had hidden things from him as well. Then he saw the total: dowry converted to silver and cold sweat pricked his brow. He forced composure. At this point, a hard, emotionless exchange was only natural.

With a heavy sigh, he said, “Very well. I have wronged your mother and you. I will convert what’s missing into silver and shops. The matter will be settled by the day after tomorrow at the latest. You won’t be shorted. It was my failure to keep proper watch all these years.”

Luo Shuyu let it pass without comment, face empty. Luo Renshou floundered; the sentiment card had hit a wall. In the past, he could still scold the boy but now, not anymore.

A servant announced from outside: Eldest Young Master and Young Master Shen had come together.

Luo Shuyu lifted his eyelids. His elder brother and Shen Mingyun, still thick as thieves.

Lady Liu’s sons: Eldest, Luo Shumo; Second, Luo Shuhan.

“Let them in,” Luo Renshou said at once.

Had it been just his elder and second brothers, Luo Shuyu might have excused himself. But with Shen Mingyun present, he had cause to stay. He was curious what tricks Shen had in mind now.

The system was quick to push tasks to Shen.

The two entered to find Luo Shuyu unhurriedly drinking tea.

Luo Renshou wanted to send him away, but the earlier humiliation had already burned him raw. He couldn’t get the words out.

“Shuyu,” Luo Shumo greeted.

Of this elder brother, Luo Shuyu had few impressions, merely that he was close to the Crown Prince’s elder brother. As a boy, he’d been a palace study companion, and it was then he forged that tie.

Luo Renshou had not climbed to Minister without wits. Elder son friendly with the Eldest Prince; second son closer to the Crown Prince. Offend no one; if asked, say only, “We serve the emperor.”

Among adult princes there were the Eldest, the Crown Prince, the Third, and the Fourth. The throne seemed likeliest for the Crown Prince but he was not beloved of the emperor. The imperial favorite was Noble Consort Lin, mother of the Eldest Prince. Anything was possible.

So why had Luo Shumo come with Shen Mingyun, a partisan of the Eldest? What business?

Luo Shuyu smiled faintly at his elder brother. Sharp-eyed, he asked, casual as could be, “Where have you two come from? There’s mud on your hems.”

At that, Shen Mingyun’s expression twitched, just as the familiar chime rang in his mind.

[Hidden Side Quest Triggered: Prevent the wedding of Third Prince Li Mingjin and Luo Shuyu on the tenth day of the eighth month.]

[Reward: 200 mall points.]

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Author’s Note:
Luo Shuyu: Spicy.
Third Prince: Wife, you can’t do this to me! (sobs)

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