ATLAS TRANSLATES

Dou Zhao finally picked up the money pouch.

After all, three thousand taels of silver could buy over a thousand acres of land or a four-courtyard mansion!

If someone else found it, both the person and the banknotes would likely disappear in the blink of an eye.

Better she keep it than give it to others.

She opened the pouch.

Inside were banknotes of various denominations – hundred taels, two hundred taels, and even tens of taels, all immediately redeemable.

Her father had thought this through carefully.

As Dou Zhao put the banknotes back in the pouch, she heard crying from the flower hall: “Brother, if you pressure me like this, you might as well give me three feet of white silk to hang myself. Better than living with this torment, where life is worse than death…”

Just give her the white silk then!

Dou Zhao thought sarcastically.

Back then, didn’t her mother give her a handkerchief as she wished? Yet here she was, still alive and well.

How could Wang Xingyi give birth to such a shameless creature?

It truly tarnished his lifetime of reputation.

Wang Zhibing’s low voice came from the flower hall, but it was too muffled to hear clearly.

As Dou Zhao considered whether to eavesdrop more, she saw the latticed door of the flower hall move. Her father emerged, accompanying Wang Zhibing.

She quickly hid behind a nearby Taihu rock.

Her father was consoling Wang Zhibing: “…Don’t get so worked up. This came very suddenly, she might need time to accept it. Going back and forth like this won’t lead to any resolution. You should head back today, let her sisters-in-law check on her and see what other thoughts she has. Then we can sit down and discuss further. Whatever the Dou family can do, we’ll try our best to accommodate.”

Wang Zhibing’s dark face showed blue veins popping on his forehead as he heard this. He said in a deep voice: “What do you mean by that, Master Dou? Do you think my sister is trying to extort money from your family?”

“Don’t misunderstand,” her father said gently. “Though you’re her brother, there’s still propriety between men and women to consider, and you’ve been separated for so many years. She might not feel comfortable sharing her thoughts with you. Better to wait a few days until her emotions settle before making plans.”

He continued, “If she misses Ming’er, she can visit anytime. It’s just that Ming’er is young, and we worry that if certain things reach her ears, it might upset the child. If she agrees, Ming’er can accept her as a godmother or godaunt. When Ming’er is old enough to understand, we can tell her about what happened back then. However, regarding exactly how to explain it and whether this arrangement works, we’ll need your family’s input. I’ll follow whatever is decided.”

His words were so appropriate and sincere that Wang Zhibing’s expression greatly improved.

He carefully examined her father and said, “I didn’t expect you to handle matters so steadily and considerately. I underestimated you.”

Her father looked embarrassed and mumbled, “It’s getting late, I won’t keep you. Next time you come, I’ll serve you tea — I have some Da Hong Pao from Fujian that my second cousin sent, quite worth trying.”

Wang Zhibing left, satisfied.

Her father wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned toward the Taihu rock where Dou Zhao was hiding: “Come out now! The sun is so strong, you’ll get sunburned!”

Dou Zhao came out grinning and asked, “I was hiding so well, how did Father discover me?”

Her father smiled and pointed to the gold rings in Dou Zhao’s hair.

If she had known, she should have just used a hair tie.

Dou Zhao thought to herself. Thinking of the three thousand taels of silver, she held up the pouch she was carrying and smiled, “Father, I found a money pouch…”

Even if she weren’t just five years old but fifteen, secretly keeping three thousand taels wouldn’t be easy. The best approach was to be open about it and claim it legitimately.

Her father smiled, “So you’re the one who found it.” As he spoke, he reached for the pouch.

Dou Zhao quickly moved her hand, hiding the pouch behind her back: “I found it, so it’s mine.”

Her father was stunned for a moment, then smiled, “But this pouch is mine. When the owner comes looking for it, are you planning to keep it anyway?”

“Then you should thank me,” Dou Zhao said. “And share half with me.”

Her father couldn’t help but laugh, pinching her nose: “Who taught you to be like this?” Then he opened the pouch and picked out a ten-tael note for her, “Here’s your reward.”

“No, no,” Dou Zhao bargained with him, eyeing the hundred and two hundred tael notes and grabbing a handful, “These are all mine…”

Just then, her grandfather came out.

Her father nervously stuffed all the banknotes back into the pouch.

Grandfather frowned and asked coldly, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing, nothing,” her father quickly said. “Shou Gu’s pouch was loose, I was helping her secure it.”

Ah!

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but grin.

These banknotes were her father’s private money.

That’s why even Grandfather had to be kept in the dark.

Grandfather said disapprovingly, “These are tasks for maids and servants. You’re a grown man, why are you involving yourself in such things?” Then he said, “Come with me, I have something to discuss with you.”

Her father agreed, called Tuo Niang over, pointed at Dou Zhao and said something in a low voice, then went with Grandfather to He Shou Hall.

Dou Zhao walked toward the main house, smiling.

All along the way, Tuo Niang kept staring at the pouch at her waist. Whenever they crossed bridges or paths, her face would tighten, constantly muttering “Fourth Young Miss, please be careful, please be careful,” almost wanting to cradle the pouch in her hands.

Dou Zhao asked her: “Do you know what’s inside?”

Tuo Niang nodded repeatedly.

Dou Zhao took out a ten-tael note from the pouch: “This is your reward!”

“I don’t want it, I don’t want it,” Tuo Niang’s face turned pale. “Young Miss, please put it away! If someone sees and takes it, even dying a hundred times wouldn’t be enough to repay it!” She was almost crying with anxiety.

Dou Zhao sighed and handed the pouch to Tuo Niang: “Help me keep it safe!”

Tuo Niang agreed, carefully tucking the pouch into her clothes, keeping her hand over it until they returned to the main room.

That evening, when her father returned to the room, he asked her: “Where’s the pouch?”

Dou Zhao took out a box from the headboard panel: “It’s here.”

Her father laughed heartily.

Dou Zhao took the opportunity to put the box back.

Her father called Yu Mama in: “Fourth Young Miss has three thousand taels in banknotes in her room, record it in the ledger.”

Yu Mama’s face changed dramatically, saying anxiously: “Is it appropriate to keep so much money in Fourth Young Miss’s room?”

Her father, used to being generous, said dismissively: “It’s fine, it’s just three thousand taels.”

Yu Mama couldn’t say more, while Dou Zhao’s eyes curved with happiness.

This money would come in very handy!

The next evening, Wang Yingxue’s sisters-in-law came.

The three women talked behind closed doors.

Gao Shi was a serious woman who spoke rather bluntly: “There are no outsiders here, just tell us what you’re planning!”

Pang Shi sat on an embroidered ebony stool, drinking tea leisurely, but her almond eyes shrewdly surveyed every detail of Wang Yingxue’s room.

The rose-red Xiang blanket, cloisonné vase, lilac-colored felt cushion, official green silk curtains, and the famille-rose teacup from the imperial kiln in her hand — it must have cost at least ten thousand taels to furnish this room!

No wonder she didn’t want to leave.

Pang Yulou smiled slightly, hearing her sister-in-law choke up: “If I take Ming’er back, would Father agree?”

“If you think it’s good, I’ll make the decision for Father,” years of hardship had transformed Gao Shi from a submissive woman into someone decisive.

She said firmly, “If anyone asks, we’ll say she’s a relative’s child, orphaned with no one to care for her, and I’ve taken her as my adopted daughter. Your eldest brother will handle all the official documents, don’t worry about that.”

The urgent matter now was getting Wang Yingxue back.

Wang Yingxue hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

She unconsciously bit her lip and said: “But this way, she’d still be just an adopted daughter…”

Gao Shi’s heart ached at these words.

Where had that pure, kind, and noble Wang Yingxue gone?

Was a life of poverty really so terrifying?

She too had been a young lady from a wealthy family. After marrying into the Wang family, she managed the household, served her mother-in-law, cared for her sister-in-law, and raised children. Remembering her father’s teachings before marriage about “a gentleman should be content with poverty and find joy in the Way, being at peace with his lot,” she could calm her heart and focus on her duties.

But what about Wang Yingxue?

When did she start to change?

Was it when the Lei family broke off the engagement? When she started working to support the family? Or was it when she, out of pity, went against her conscience to cover up for her moment of weakness?

Gao Shi didn’t know what to say.

But Pang Shi, who came from a merchant family, quickly caught on.

Having grown up listening to the sound of abacus beads, how could she not understand Wang Yingxue’s implications? Moreover, she had always been annoyed by this sister-in-law who looked down on her merchant background and constantly compared her to her eldest sister-in-law Gao Shi.

So, like someone watching a show and not afraid of the drama escalating, she smiled and said: “Sister-in-law has a point. But our family isn’t like before, we can’t have you become someone’s concubine. How about having Father speak with the Dou family? Cancel the other marriage arrangements and make you the primary wife instead…”

“Don’t talk nonsense, be careful not to let the Dou family hear and laugh at us,” Gao Shi couldn’t help but scold, secretly regretting that she couldn’t resist her mother-in-law’s suggestion to bring Pang Shi to the Dou family.

“Sister-in-law, I don’t like hearing you talk like that,” Pang Yulou said lazily. “So you’re a Wang family daughter-in-law, but I’m not? Yes, you’re from a noble family, I can’t compare. But I married into the Wang family when they were down and out. Poverty couldn’t change me, and I’m not necessarily so unsuitable for polite society.”

When the well-bred Gao Shi encountered the merchant-born Pang Yulou, it was somewhat like a scholar meeting a soldier, so unless it was a matter of principle, Gao Shi usually yielded to Pang Shi a bit.

Wang Yingxue showing reluctance to leave the Dou family was indeed a matter of principle.

Gao Shi patiently said: “You’re not someone without worldly experience. Which family would casually promote a concubine to primary wife?”

Pang Yulou certainly knew this, but not wanting to let Gao Shi have the upper hand, she pouted: “Didn’t Scholar Tao in our town make his concubine the primary wife?”

“That’s because Scholar Tao’s proper wife passed away, and that concubine bore his only son. Scholar Tao’s wife’s brothers wrote a letter of agreement, accepting that concubine as their sister,” Gao Shi’s eyes flashed with displeasure. “How can that be the same?”

“Isn’t it all about having a son?” Pang Yulou winked at Wang Yingxue.

Wang Yingxue’s face alternated between red and white.

Pang Yulou sensed something wasn’t right and asked softly: “How is it? Ming’er is already over a year old, and with a wet nurse taking care of her, haven’t you had any signs yet?”

“What nonsense are you talking about, Second Sister-in-law?” Wang Yingxue looked uncomfortable and said, “Seven Master said he would observe three years of mourning for Zhao Guqiu.”

“Ah!” Pang Yulou’s mouth gaped open as she stared at Wang Yingxue, her lips quivering, but ultimately said nothing.

Gao Shi sighed inwardly.

Such a good person, yet met at the wrong time.