Chapter 145: Return the Dowry

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Old Lady Zhang clamored, “Dowry? What dowry? The Lu family was so poor. Since when did they give us a dowry? On the other hand, our Zhang family gave them five taels of silver as a betrothal gift. They should return it to us!”

Shu Yu was not too clear about the marriage between the two parties, so she could only look at the old lady.

The latter had already rushed out and pointed at Old Lady Zhang’s nose while scolding, “What did you say, you shameless woman? Our Lu family is poor, but when Daya got married, we tried our best to give her everything. Let’s not talk about anything else. Two years ago, before Erbai’s leg was injured, we could at least take out two taels of silver as a base. There are also the bedding and clothes, as well as the cabinets, dressing tables, and boxes our Erbai made himself. Even the wood was chopped by Erbai himself. They were all new and good-quality products. Why are you saying that you didn’t receive any dowry?”

The old lady took out a piece of paper from her pocket, “This is the dowry list. Take a look at it carefully! You gave me five taels of silver as a betrothal gift, but we didn’t take it. We gave them to Daya so that she could have some money while in your Zhang family. Now, all the money and things have been stolen by you, right?”

Shu Yu went forward to take a look. The handwriting on the dowry list was somewhat familiar.

She couldn’t help but glance at Scholar Tang. This seemed to… also be written by him.

No wonder he was the first to bring up the idea of returning the dowry and betrothal gift to each of the two parties. He must be very clear about this matter.

The Zhang family was speechless. Old Lady Zhang’s face was flushed red, but she was still stubborn, “Let’s not talk about the chest and the cabinet, she kept the money herself. Who knows how much she has?”

The old lady sneered, “Tell me, where did your dowry money go?”

Daya pursed her lips, “Not long after we got married, my mother-in-law said that the family was in trouble. To help Zhang Shu get married, they had specially built a few more rooms and thus owed some money. She asked me for two taels to pay off the debt.”

Later on, her mother-in-law used all kinds of excuses to plunder her money bit by bit.

She gave excuses like someone in the family had fallen sick, another family was having a marriage ceremony and they needed to send gifts, or she had to give her nieces and nephews red packets during the New Year. At the same time, all the wages that Zhang Shu received from working part-time jobs were given to Old Lady Zhang. He did not give her a single cent.

Therefore, during the New Year, anyone in the Zhang family who was sick or in pain would spend her dowry money to heal themselves.

In two years, she gave out another tael of silver.

The remaining four taels of silver… For some reason, when she woke up one morning, they were suddenly gone.

At that time, she said that there was a thief at home, but her mother-in-law said that she must have been forgetful and didn’t know where she had put the money. If she talked too much about it, her mother-in-law would scold her and attack her for not being able to have children.

After a few times, Daya also understood that there was indeed a thief, but it

was a domestic thief.

However, she did not have any evidence, so she could not rashly say that her in-laws had taken her money. If word got out, not only would she not get the money back, but her situation would also be even more difficult.

Later on, she learned how to hide things. Otherwise, the piece of cloth that she had given Shu Yu would have long been stolen.

It was because the Zhang family’s members realized that they had missed out on such a good piece of fabric that they became even angrier and tortured her even more.

Hearing her words, everyone looked at Old Lady Zhang with disdain.

If a daughter-in-law couldn’t give birth, it was fine if one tortured her. Such a thing was not uncommon. But to think she actually stole her daughter-in-law’s dowry. That was just disgusting.

Village Chief Yan felt even more ashamed.. He pointed at Old Lady Zhang, “Aren’t you going to return the dowry to her?”

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