Dou Zhao watched as Sixth Aunt left. Fifth Uncle was a Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Personnel – who would he ask for leave from? Of course, it would be his superior, the Minister of Personnel and tutor Zeng Yifen.
Ha!
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh.
She wondered if Wang Xingyi would rush back to the capital to explain to his fellow tutor Zeng Yifen why Fifth Uncle needed to take leave.
Tuo Niang watched as Dou Zhao started laughing mysteriously and called out “Young Miss” in surprise.
“It’s nothing, nothing.” Dou Zhao laughed even more cheerfully, shaking Cai Shu’s arm. “Cai Shu, I want to go home, I want to see Father!”
“But Sixth Madam instructed us to wait for her return before taking you back,” Cai Shu said helplessly.
Dou Zhao didn’t care and insisted on returning.
She was a child now, so being noisy and willful was normal.
Cai Shu had no choice but to send a young maid to ask Ji Shi for instructions.
Ji Shi was in the flower hall.
She glanced at the Second Madam sitting in the main seat, then at Young Master Lan, First Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law sitting across from her, feeling somewhat peculiar.
Meanwhile, Second Madam looked at Dou Shizu, Dou Shiyang, Third Madam, Dou Shiheng and Ji Shi sitting opposite her, her heart filled with anger.
Talk about discussion – the three brothers Third, Fifth and Sixth who shared the same mother had already planned everything. Their three households were being forced into this without any prior knowledge of why Second Madam had called them over. How could they discuss anything?
When the nest falls, no eggs remain intact1 – she understood this principle. But being forced to clean up the mess for the Western Residence like this left her furious. If she opposed, given Fifth Brother’s personality, he probably had a whole set of arguments ready. How could she argue against him? One wrong move could leave everyone with the impression that she was opportunistic and cowardly. As the family matriarch of the Dou family, what authority would she have left?
Second Madam glanced at First Madam.
First Madam’s face was pale, her eyes puffy, but her expression remained calm.
Having been the family matriarch for over ten years, now a widow with young children, she had her own considerations.
Among the cousins, Fifth Brother Dou Shizu had the best prospects. Young Master Lan would need his Fifth Uncle’s help in the future. They absolutely could not afford to fall out with Dou Shizu.
When the First Master was alive, he had served as an official in Jiangnan for many years. They had considerable savings. Even if they gave half of the Eastern Residence’s property to Miss Shou, and the remaining half was divided among the other six households, if they were frugal, it would be enough to support two or three generations. Why make things ugly over money?
As long as they had people, they needn’t worry about money!
However, the Second Branch had the most sons. If she suggested splitting things six ways, the Second Branch might not agree.
Fortunately, she had stepped down as family matriarch, so she didn’t need to take the lead on these matters anymore.
First Madam pressed her lips tightly together.
Second Madam was filled with resentment.
If she had known things would turn out this way, she shouldn’t have listened to Second Madam and followed her husband to his post.
To ensure her sons could study well, and fearing being labeled “unfilial,” she had left all four sons in Zhending. Now her eldest son Dou Wenmao was studying and gaining experience with her husband in the capital. Her second son Dou Yuchang, third son Dou Xiuchang, and fourth son Dou Guangchang (who ranked fifth among the cousins) were studying at the family school back home. Wenchang was already past thirty but still only a xiucai scholar2. Though Yuchang studied well, he couldn’t compare to his two uncles Dou Shiheng and Dou Shiying. As for Xiuchang, he had married early and had several sons, but his studies were worse than her own son Zhieger. Guangchang was only slightly better than Xiuchang…
Thinking of all this, she steeled herself and asked with a smile, “What did Fourth Brother say?”
The Dou family’s Fourth Master Dou Shizhu had stalled at the level of provincial graduate. A few years ago, he finally gave up hopes of passing the imperial examinations. On Dou Shizu’s recommendation, he became a senior official in the household of the Crown Prince, Prince Xinyang, who was stationed in Xinyang. It was said he was very much favored by Prince Xinyang, and the whole family had moved to Xinyang two years ago.
Dou Shizu hesitated for a long while before pulling a letter from his sleeve and gesturing for a maid to pass it to Second Madam. “This is Fourth Brother’s reply. I originally felt it was somewhat inappropriate, so I didn’t bring it out…”
In her heart, Second Madam cursed Dou Shizu a hundred times.
Xinyang was a thousand li from the capital – as soon as I opened my mouth, you could produce Old Fourth’s letter… if this wasn’t premeditated, I’ll bang my head dead right here in this hall!
In her heart, she understood the tide had already turned.
Old Fourth had already conspired with Old Fifth…
She didn’t need to read the letter to know what it said.
Sure enough, Dou Shizhu not only agreed with Dou Shizu’s distribution of the Eastern Residence’s property, but also suggested that Miss Shou’s dowry be split equally among the six households.
Second Madam simply passed the letter to First Madam.
A faint smile appeared at First Madam’s lips as she read.
Second Madam sighed inwardly, then heard First Madam say with a laugh, “Fourth Uncle thinks the same as me. I suggest we do as Fourth Uncle says. This isn’t just about any single household – it concerns Fifth Uncle’s career prospects and the rise or fall of the Dou family.”
“I didn’t bring out Fourth Brother’s letter earlier because I was afraid my two sisters-in-law would misunderstand,” Dou Shizu quickly said with a smile. “To be honest, this situation exists today because I didn’t handle things well. I appreciate both sisters-in-law’s good intentions. Since I made this decision, let me bear the responsibility. I can’t drag everyone else down with me.”
Second Madam was about to say something when Second Madam Dowager smiled and said, “He discussed this with me as well, and I agreed. Stop arguing – it’s decided.” She instructed Liu Mama, “Go tell Manager Dou to invite the Old Master from the Western Residence over. Tell him I have urgent matters to discuss.” Then she said to Dou Shibang, “You’ve always managed the affairs of both households. Take some time these next few days to organize the accounts. When the Zhao family sends someone over, we can discuss which properties to put under Miss Shou’s name.”
Dou Shibang quickly stood up and respectfully answered “Yes.”
The young maid who had come to ask Ji Shi for instructions saw this situation and didn’t dare approach. She ran back to say she couldn’t get near Sixth Madam. Cai Shu could only keep trying to console Dou Zhao.
Just then, Mama Liu came out to relay messages and saw the situation. She smiled and asked, “What’s going on here?”
Cai Shu quickly explained what had happened to Mama Liu.
Mama Liu was Second Madam’s personal old servant. Even Dou Shizu had to show her some respect. Usually, she would just ask a few caring questions and leave it at that, never taking matters into her own hands. But thinking of what had just happened in the flower hall, and knowing Fifth Master Dou as she did – whatever Fifth Master Dou wanted to do, he would accomplish – this Fourth Miss from the Western Residence suddenly rose dramatically in importance in her mind, reaching a level that couldn’t be ignored.
She couldn’t help but smile and say, “I’ve been ordered by Madam Dowager to ask Manager Dou to go to the Western Residence. Why don’t you have Manager Dou take you over, and just leave a message for Sixth Madam? Blood relations naturally miss each other – no wonder Fourth Miss is insisting on going back.”
With Mama Liu’s words, Cai Shu grew bolder. After giving some instructions to the young maid beside her, she accompanied Dou Zhao back to the Western Residence along with Tuo Niang.
Gao Sheng was directing servants to move Dou Shiying’s trunks.
Seeing Dou Zhao return, he quickly came forward to bow.
Dou Zhao asked him, “Where is my father?”
Gao Xing smiled and said, “Seventh Master went to Qixia Court.”
Dou Zhao turned to leave, then after a moment’s thought, had Haitang accompany Cai Shu while she took Tuo Niang to Qixia Court.
From a distance, she saw Madam Pang standing proudly in the courtyard, ordering maids and servants to serve tea.
Dou Zhao took a detour to Dou Shiying’s study.
The side door of Qixia Court’s back courtyard was at an angle to Dou Shiying’s study.
The side door was ajar, unguarded.
She made her way to Qixia Court without any obstacles.
Qixia Court had several magnolia trees planted in the back courtyard. When the flowers bloomed, they were as brilliant as rosy clouds, which was why the court was named Qixia (Roosting Clouds).
Dou Zhao listened to her father and Wang Yingxue talking in the warm room behind the inner chamber.
“…I’m just an ordinary, unremarkable man who selfishly wants to live happily and forget about the past,” her father was saying. “But whenever I see you, I think about how Gu Qiu died, and my heart feels like it’s being stabbed… Yingxue, let’s both start anew!”
Wang Yingxue was stunned: “What… what do you mean?”
“Yingxue, don’t you understand yet?” Dou Shiying looked at Wang Yingxue with a complex expression, murmuring, “If we’re together, besides status, I can’t give you anything else…”
In the warm room, Dou Zhao was grinding her teeth in anger.
What did he mean by starting anew?
What did he mean by not being able to give anything besides status?
For a woman, if you’re willing to give her status, what could be more important than that!
She couldn’t listen anymore. Furiously, she emerged from the warm room and went straight to the courtyard of Qixia Court.
Madam Pang was like a gecko, pressed against the window lattice eavesdropping, with her maid keeping watch nearby.
The Dou family servants stood far away in the corner of the corridor, their expressions showing some contempt.
Dou Zhao stood there quietly, looking at Madam Pang with an ambiguous smile.
Madam Pang’s maid suddenly noticed Dou Zhao.
Her face turned bright red as she kept pulling at Madam Pang’s clothes: “Second Madam, Second Madam…”
“Don’t make noise!” Madam Pang said impatiently. “When you talk, I can’t hear!”
“It’s not that,” the maid was almost crying under Dou Zhao’s gaze. “It’s Fourth Miss, the Dou family’s Fourth Miss is here…”
“Who?” Madam Pang turned around and immediately saw Dou Zhao.
“Oh, so it’s Fourth Miss!” She casually patted her clothes, adjusted her hair, and smiled. “Fourth Miss, why are you here? Who accompanied you?”
In both her past and present lives, Dou Zhao admired her ability to act as if nothing had happened.
The people inside heard the commotion and rushed out.
“Shou’er?” Dou Shiying stared at his daughter in shock. “Why did you come here? Weren’t you at your Sixth Aunt’s place? Who brought you here?” As he spoke, he looked around, and seeing Tuo Niang, his expression darkened. Just as he was about to scold her, Dou Zhao said: “Cai Shu accompanied me here.” She turned to leave as she spoke. “I still need to go back with Manager Dou’s carriage!”
She didn’t want to stay in this place for even a quarter of an hour.
“Slow down!” Dou Shiying chased after his daughter. “I’ll go with you to pay respects to Grandfather…”
Wang Yingxue, who had followed them out, stood on the steps watching the father and daughter’s figures grow distant and finally disappear from her sight.
- This means if the group or foundation is destroyed, no individual can escape harm. So this emphasizes how everyone’s fate is connected. ↩︎
- Xiucai (??) refers to someone who passed the lowest level of imperial exams in ancient China. It was an honor but not as prestigious as higher levels, like Juren. They were respected and could pursue further exams or small official roles. ↩︎
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