After the True Heiress Travels Back
Chapter 473: Meet the Dowry Maid

Chapter 473: Chapter 473: Meet the Dowry Maid

These words of his, indeed, would be unwelcome when spoken aloud.

No one likes being pointed at the nose and told that everything they possess was given to them by someone else.

Even if, that is the truth.

Admit it or not.

Some things, they are just the facts as they occurred.

Thus, what must be said, still needs to be articulated.

"Xingjian, what exactly are you trying to say?" Uncle Cheng, unable to contain his curiosity at the look on Cheng Xingjian’s face, asked, clueless about his real intentions.

Cheng Xingjian extended his hand, pointing at everyone present, "Uncle Wen, if I remember correctly, your youngest daughter is seventeen this year, yes? Right at the age where she is more charming than a flower."

Then, turning to another, "Third Uncle, your granddaughter seems to be twenty this year; at such an age, she is perfectly suited to marriage and raising children."

"Fourth Cousin, doesn’t your sister-in-law have a sister? I remember she is also quite attractive; whoever marries her will surely be happy."

"And furthermore..."

Cheng Xingjian looked toward those present, his smile growing wider, "...surely all the uncles and great-uncles here have several young ladies of marriageable age at home, right?"

The faces of those present turned sour.

Unsure of what Cheng Xingjian was getting at, they all wore guarded expressions on their faces.

Cheng Xingjian’s smile was sincere and harmless, "Don’t all of you rush to panic, now. I haven’t finished speaking."

"Didn’t you all say you would listen to me?"

But how could they not panic at his words?

Uncle Cheng’s own granddaughter was among those he mentioned.

His granddaughter, a year older than Cheng Lingdang, had just taken the college entrance exam this year.

Although her scores were not outstanding, they were sufficient for admission to a prestigious university.

For this, he was immensely proud.

Now, with just a few words from Cheng Xingjian, his intentions for the girl were unclear, but in any case, they were unacceptable to Uncle Cheng.

Cheng Xingjian, having brought up the subject, wouldn’t just lightly brush past it.

He looked at Uncle Cheng, his smile growing even more pronounced.

"Uncle, you may not be fully aware, but I think it’s necessary for me to clarify," Cheng Xingjian started, adopting their tone from earlier to persuade them, "All young ladies must eventually marry. Who they marry is inevitable, right?"

"Instead of wasting her time at home, wouldn’t it be better for her to make a contribution to the family clan sooner rather than later? You all agree, don’t you?"

If these words hadn’t come straight from their own mouths just moments ago, each one of them would have taken offense at Cheng Xingjian saying this now.

Who doesn’t cherish and dote on the daughters they’ve raised?

Except for a few old-fashioned types, daughters at home are indeed treated like treasures.

But Cheng Xingjian, with just one sentence, managed to devalue all their daughters.

Saying that as long as they marry, it should be enough—such nonsense would shame anyone who hears it!

Yet, they couldn’t voice their opposition.

After all...

This subject was initiated by them, and they were the ones who wanted Cheng Xingjian to marry off his own daughter.

Pleasantly put, it’s marrying off; plainly speaking, it’s forging an alliance through marriage.

Of course, there can be benefits to a marriage alliance—matching families reduces family conflicts to some extent, and aside from loveless relationships, there’s nothing bad about it.

However...

The marriage they arranged for Cheng Lingdang went beyond what could simply be described as an alliance.

To put it more accurately, it was a marriage to ward off disaster.

As the term suggests.

"Only when somebody isn’t doing well do they need to ’boost happiness’ by arranging a good event."

"The person the Cheng Family wants Cheng Lingdang to marry is already seventy-two this year."

"They say hitting seventy is a rarity in itself, a person with one foot already in the coffin."

"And Cheng Lingdang is just an eighteen-year-old girl in the prime of her youth."

"No matter how you look at it, they’re mismatched."

"If it hadn’t been the other party who took the initiative to approach us, saying that Cheng Lingdang’s birthdate was very compatible with the old man’s, we wouldn’t even be having these thoughts."

"But!

"Once the idea has come up, it’s there, and letting them give up easily is absolutely impossible."

"Xingjian, you can’t just because Lingdang is getting married, start pestering us for our daughters and granddaughters, how inappropriate would that be?"

Patriarch Cheng still had thick skin, seizing the moral high ground once he regained his composure.

Hearing this, Cheng Xingjian’s face showed a mocking smile, "Uncle, don’t be in such a hurry."

"Haven’t I already agreed to your request, allowing Lingdang to get married?"

"I’ve even agreed to your biggest demand, surely I can’t be left with zero benefits, right?"

As he said this, they exchanged glances with each other before Patriarch Cheng, acting as their representative, took the lead in asking, "Then tell us, what is it that you want?"

Cheng Xingjian curled his lips, "Those few girls whose names I previously mentioned, leave them to my disposal."

Upon hearing this, Patriarch Cheng was the first to object.

"No way!"

Cheng Xingjian raised an eyebrow, "Why not?"

He showed a disappointed expression, "My daughter can get married, but yours are treasured? If that’s the case, then I don’t think there’s a need for a marriage alliance at all. Our Lingdang is perfectly fine staying at home."

At these words, they suddenly became anxious.

Thinking it over, reluctant as they were, they could only agree.

Seeing the benefits almost within reach, they definitely couldn’t let them slip away now.

Thinking this, Patriarch Cheng struggled before speaking, "If you want us to hand over our children to you, you have to give us a reason, right? Otherwise, who could be at ease?"

"Tsk, you all know about not being at ease?" Xiao Mingyue scoffed disdainfully, contempt written all over her face.

The men of the Cheng Family fancied themselves magnanimous, not stooping to argue with Xiao Mingyue, a woman from a petty household.

They looked at Cheng Xingjian, waiting for him to speak.

Cheng Xingjian had no intention of beating around the bush and straightforwardly stated his purpose.

"In ancient times, when a noble girl married, she came with a dowry, you know that, right?"

The crowd: "Nonsense, who doesn’t know that?"

Cheng Xingjian continued, "Apart from some jewelry and treasures, a dowry also included maidservants. You’ve heard of that, right?"

The crowd: "Nonsense, who hasn’t heard..."

Wait a minute.

Someone immediately realized what Cheng Xingjian was driving at.

"Cheng Xingjian, what the hell do you mean? Bringing this up now, you can’t possibly be thinking of having our daughters serve as your daughter’s accompanying maids, right?"

Cheng Xingjian shrugged, with an ’of course’ attitude, "Your daughters are daughters, and so is mine."

"If the benefits are for all to share, surely I can’t be the only one making sacrifices, can I?"

Uncle Three of the Cheng Family thought for a moment and then said, "Xingjian, you must be joking, right? What era are we in? Dowry maidservants and all that, that’s nothing but feudal dregs!"

Xiao Mingyue scoffed coldly, "Dowry maidservants are feudal dregs, but sending my child to give ’happiness’ to an old geezer isn’t a remnant of feudalism?"

"You bunch of pretenders, really make me sick!"

"You, you shrew, what are you saying?" someone couldn’t help but curse, then blustered out, "With so many of us here, are we afraid of a widow and orphan? If Cheng Xingjian doesn’t agree, we can just knock them out and take them away, can’t we? Why waste time dilly-dallying, don’t drag it until the old man kicks the bucket!"