Chapter 102: Vanished into Thin Air

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The day after tomorrow, the sixth day of the tenth month, would be the wedding day of Seventh Miss Wen, the legitimate daughter of the Wen family. The Wen residence was decked out with lanterns and decorations, filled with a festive air, and everyone in the household was busy.

“Seventh Sister, once you put on this bridal crown and robe, you’ll be the most beautiful bride in the world.” Eighth Miss Wen stroked the magnificent wedding attire, her expression faintly moved.

“Don’t get it dirty.” Fifth Miss Wen shot her a glance.

The words on Eighth Miss Wen’s lips were swallowed back at once. It was, after all, a joyous occasion, and she had no wish to quarrel with that sharp-tongued woman. There would be plenty of opportunities for arguments later; there was no need to start one now.

Madam Wen dabbed at the corner of her eye. “Though Seventh Miss was not born of my body, I raised her with my own hands. To see her about to become a member of another family… As a mother, my heart…”

The young ladies’ expressions grew sorrowful as well, and Wen Jing shed a few tears in sympathy.

“Mother, please take comfort. Seventh Sister has found a good match, and that is something we ought to be happy about. Besides, she can come back to visit us often after she marries. We’ll still have many chances to gather together.” Ninth Miss Wen offered her comfort.

Madam Wen nodded, and her expression eased somewhat.

“Once we are all married, only Tenth Brother will remain in the residence to keep Mother company,” Eighth Miss Wen sighed.

Ninth Miss Wen glared at her. She truly had a talent for touching every sore spot. Sure enough, the tears Madam Wen had just managed to hold back began to fall again.

“In a few years, Tenth Brother will be bringing a wife home as well,” Wen Jing said.

“Exactly. When the time comes, he can have several children, and the residence will be lively again.” Fifth Miss Wen smiled.

Nurse He suddenly entered and whispered a few words into Madam Wen’s ear. Madam Wen’s expression changed dramatically, and she hurried out.

The others exchanged bewildered glances. They had no idea what had happened, but it was certainly something serious.

“Let’s go and see,” Eighth Miss Wen said.

Fifth Miss Wen nodded, then turned to Wen Jing. “Seventh Sister, you stay here. We’ll go take a look and come back to tell you.”

“All right. Thank you, Fifth Sister,” Wen Jing replied.

The others left.

Wen Jing glanced toward the door. At last, they could not hold back any longer, could they?

Wen Qiran and Madam Wen arrived at the storeroom at the same time.

“What happened?” Wen Qiran demanded.

Steward Zhou Quan dropped to his knees with a thud and cried, “Master, someone broke the lock on the storeroom. Quite a number of things inside are missing.”

Wen Qiran strode into the storeroom. Seventh Miss’s dowry had all been placed here as well. Could the thief have come for the dowry?

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The storeroom had been ransacked, and nearly everything of value had been looted.

“Seventh Miss’s dowry!” Madam Wen stared in horror at the scene of devastation. Almost every valuable object had been taken.

“When did it go missing?” Wen Qiran asked Zhou Quan.

“I came to inspect it before going to bed last night, and the lock was perfectly intact. But when I looked this morning, it had already become like this.” Zhou Quan was trembling with unease.

“Then someone came to steal it last night? And not one of you heard the lock being forced?” Wen Qiran demanded, looking at everyone present.

Several servants dropped to their knees in fright. They had been exhausted after days of work and had fallen into bed like the dead. They probably would not have woken even if thunder had struck beside them.

“Since matters have come to this, Master, you should think about how to recover the dowry. Seventh Miss is to be married the day after tomorrow,” Madam Wen said anxiously.

Wen Qiran fell silent for a moment. “Prepare another dowry. Even if we cannot recover the original in time, we must not fail in proper ceremony.”

Madam Wen’s face revealed her difficulty. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“What is it?” Wen Qiran asked, displeasure showing on his face.

“You may all leave for now,” Madam Wen said to the servants.

Once they had gone some distance away, Madam Wen said hesitantly, “Master, to avoid bringing shame upon the Wen family, preparing this dowry already consumed every last bit of silver in the household. We even sold one of Ninth Miss’s shops, and you were fined your salary. There are so many mouths to feed…”

“Let me think.” Wen Qiran was impatient. Why had such a thing happened at this critical juncture? Truly, every good fortune came with obstacles.

Seeing their father seething with anger, Fifth, Eighth, and Ninth Miss did not dare make a sound. They quietly withdrew.

“What should we do? Should we tell Seventh Sister?” Fifth Miss Wen asked Ninth Miss.

“Let’s not tell her yet. She’ll only grow anxious. Perhaps Father will find the dowry soon,” Eighth Miss Wen said.

Ninth Miss Wen considered this, then replied, “I think we should tell Seventh Sister. This concerns her entire future. If… if the dowry cannot be recovered, she should at least be mentally prepared. That way, when she arrives at the Wang residence, she won’t be too…”

Fifth and Eighth Miss Wen thought it over and nodded. The three of them once again headed toward Wen Jing’s room.

“Should we tell Seventh Miss about this?” Madam Wen asked cautiously.

“What use would there be in telling her?” Wen Qiran said crossly.

Madam Wen glanced at him. “I heard from my family that the dowry Elder Sister brought with her back then was extremely lavish. If the dowry cannot be found for the time being…”

Wen Qiran looked at Madam Wen thoughtfully. He had nearly forgotten about the dowry Lady Chu had brought with her. When his first wife had been alive, she had managed everything in the household, and he had rarely concerned himself with such matters. But now that Madam Wen had mentioned it, he remembered that it was indeed true. Yet where could they find a thief in only two days?

“Where is that dowry now?” Wen Qiran asked.

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Madam Wen looked troubled. “I do not know either. Ever since Elder Sister passed away, that dowry has become a mystery.”

A mystery?

Wen Qiran’s brows drew tightly together. As the head of the household, he did not even know where his own family’s possessions had gone. It was utterly absurd.

“Seventh Miss may know where it is,” Madam Wen said. Then she added, “It is not that I covet Elder Sister’s dowry. After all these years, you have seen for yourself how I have treated Seventh Miss.”

Wen Qiran’s face darkened like still water. After a long while, he rose to his feet.

As his back disappeared from view, a faint smile touched Madam Wen’s lips, while a sinister glint appeared in her eyes. There was nothing she wanted that she could not obtain.

When Wen Qiran entered Wen Jing’s room, the others were startled.

“Father,” they greeted him in unison.

“Mm. You three go outside first. I have a few words to say to Seventh Miss.” Wen Qiran addressed the other three.

“Yes, Father.” The three hurried out, afraid that if they displeased him, they would be caught up in his anger.

Wen Qiran looked at Wen Jing, who remained as calm as ever, and found himself hesitating instead. Ever since Seventh Miss had suffered a serious illness and recovered, she seemed to have become an entirely different person. Her temperament had changed completely.

“Seventh Miss, you already know?”

Wen Jing nodded. Even if Fifth Sister and the others had said nothing, she could have guessed most of it.

“There is one more matter. It concerns the dowry your mother left behind…” Wen Qiran looked away as he spoke.

Wen Jing turned her eyes to the side, thinking rapidly. Since Wen Qiran had brought up the dowry, she certainly could not bluff her way through by claiming ignorance.

“The dowry is with me,” Wen Jing said.

Wen Qiran immediately relaxed. “That is excellent. The Wen family will not take that dowry. Since your mother left it to you, let it serve as your dowry. That way, you will not be looked down upon at the Wang residence.”

“Yes. Thank you, Father.”

“Where is it now?” Wen Qiran continued.

“It is…” Wen Jing leaned close to Wen Qiran’s ear and whispered a few words.

Wen Qiran nodded.

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