SGEIRS -Chapter 49 Leaving No Room for Mercy

Meng Jinyao noticed the unusual tone in his voice, feeling a little puzzled.

When she looked up and their eyes met, her mind jolted, and only then did she belatedly realize the nonsense she had just said.

She was at fault—she shouldn’t have opened her mouth.

What she had said would have been a compliment to an ordinary person, but to Gu Jingxi, it felt like an insult. His former fiancée had broken off the engagement simply because Gu Jingxi had a hidden illness and she didn’t want to marry him only to live a life of widowhood.

She forced a stiff smile and stammered, “Y-yes…”

Gu Jingxi asked again, “Then, Madam, do you think marrying me is a stroke of luck or misfortune?”

Meng Jinyao had regained her composure and put on an impeccable smile: “Marrying my husband is naturally a blessing.”

He had a hidden illness, wouldn’t take concubines and have a bunch of illegitimate children, and would give her money to spend. If she ran into trouble, he would help her. That was already pretty good. The only imperfection was that the older son came with the younger one—and the younger was still a wayward child.

Gu Jingxi clicked his tongue softly, amused: “This young lady lies without even thinking—what’s lucky about marrying me to live as a widow?”

Meng Jinyao countered, “Being a couple isn’t only about that, is it, Husband? What do you think?”

Gu Jingxi was momentarily stunned, then said, “But Madam could have married a healthy man.”

Meng Jinyao glanced at him, unusually candid: “If that were the case, I wouldn’t have the status I do now. I would still be a poor little wretch who could be bullied. But marrying my husband is different—you can protect me. I am the daughter of a fallen family, and my husband has a hidden illness. Neither of us should look down on the other.”

Gu Jingxi was taken aback. Seeing her so unconcerned, he laughed silently: “Madam is a rare, insightful person, knowing exactly what she wants.”

Meng Jinyao blinked and said nothing, tacitly acknowledging it. From the start, she valued his status and the fact that he could protect her.

After a brief silence, Gu Jingxi suddenly asked, “Madam, since you had the evidence, why didn’t you retrieve your mother’s dowry earlier?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head slightly: “Without backing, even if I got it back, I couldn’t protect it. If Madam Sun kept it, some losses were inevitable. But since she was greedy, the only thing that would be damaged was her reputation.”

Gu Jingxi understood. The Yongchang Marquis’s household had declined, but judging by the master’s attire, they were barely maintaining the appearance of nobility. A poor family naturally desired wealth. If the dowry had been retrieved earlier, it would likely have been schemed away. By waiting until marriage, with her husband as backing, the Yongchang Marquis’s household dared not embezzle it.

Meng Jinyao continued, “Thank you for today, Husband. Without you, I’d have surely received a couple of slaps before leaving.”

Gu Jingxi said, “No need to thank me, Madam.”

Two days later.

The Yongchang Marquis’s household sent all of Madam Zhou’s dowry to the Changxing Marquis’ residence. The servants there were stunned—this was like carrying a full dowry again. She had already brought her dowry when she married a few days ago, so why now again?

Meng Jinyao went to the front hall and saw only the steward. She wasn’t surprised—her father and stepmother would hardly come themselves and make a scene. They could only send the steward with servants to deliver the items.

The steward approached her cautiously: “Miss, all of the late Madam’s dowry is here. Please have a look.”

Meng Jinyao sat in the main seat and instructed, “Open all the boxes.”

The steward hesitated, bewildered: “Miss… all… all of them?”

“Why, you don’t dare let me inspect them here?”

Meng Jinyao furrowed her brows, smiling faintly: “Are you trying to pass off inferior items again, or secretly hiding something you’re afraid I’ll see? Besides, if I accept them without inspection and find something wrong later, I’d be suffering in silence. After all, the items passed through my hands.”

The steward’s heart raced even though he hadn’t hidden anything. Following the principle of ‘a dead comrade, not a poor path,’ he obediently ordered the household servants: “Open all the boxes so the lady can inspect them properly.”

If the Marquis or his wife had secretly kept something from the dowry, it wouldn’t be his fault—Miss demanded an on-the-spot inspection. Refusal would imply wrongdoing.

Once all the boxes were opened, Meng Jinyao handed the dowry list to Qingqiu and Ningdong—one original, one copy—asking them to check if everything was present, and to have Chunliu record anything missing.

The steward watched, sweat forming on his forehead. He hadn’t expected items to actually be missing. Items were occasionally untraceable, proving that the Marquis and his wife had shamelessly tried to withhold parts of the dowry left by her birth mother.

Meng Jinyao wasn’t idle either. She examined her mother’s account books for estates and shops to review the profits.

In just two days, Madam Sun couldn’t have faked the accounts, so the records were genuine. It seemed Madam Sun never intended to return these items to her, which is why she hadn’t prepared duplicate records.

Meng Jinyao tallied the silver bills Madam Sun had sent. To prevent any accusations, she counted them in the steward’s presence, noted the total, and had Chunliu copy it, with the steward signing as a witness.

The steward broke out in cold sweat but signed anyway. Back at the Yongchang Marquis’s household, the Marquis and his wife would undoubtedly vent their anger on him.

After some time, Ningdong and Qingqiu finished checking.

Chunliu handed the missing items list to Meng Jinyao: “Madam, I’ve recorded everything that’s missing.”

Meng Jinyao glanced at it. Some items were indeed gone. If Madam Sun had deliberately hidden them, it would be impossible—but these items were simply no longer around, either gifted to others or pawned for money.

She had Chunliu copy the list, then called the steward: “Sign below these two lists.”

The steward complied, once again reluctantly signing and pressing his seal, impressed by her meticulousness. The Marquis and his wife probably never imagined she would inspect the assets on-site.

Meng Jinyao nodded in satisfaction and handed one copy to the steward: “Go back and tell Madam Sun—either return the missing items or pay their equivalent in silver.”

She pointed to the account books beside her and added: “As for whether the estates’ and shops’ profits match the silver I’ve received, I’ll need to review the books and calculate carefully. If there’s any discrepancy, I’ll have someone notify Madam Sun to return it.”

The steward wiped the sweat from his forehead and responded: “Yes, Miss.”

Meng Jinyao thought a moment and added, “And bring another message—if she refuses, we’ll settle it in court.”

With that, she curled a knowing smile. After all those years of Madam Sun’s greed over her mother’s dowry, Meng Dongyuan and Madam Sun would now experience the bitter taste of empty-handed efforts. Not a single coin would be left unreturned.