ATLAS TRANSLATES

Pang Yulou had three brothers: Pang Jinlou, Pang Yinlou, and Pang Xilou.

Pang Jinlou was capable, having taken control of the Pang family shops while his brothers were still naive; Pang Yinlou was shrewd, knowing he wouldn’t get far helping in the family shops, so he sweet-talked their father into giving him private funds to open his own teahouse; Pang Xilou was a troublemaker from childhood who loved fighting.

After learning some moves at the county martial arts school, he couldn’t help with the shops and wouldn’t serve customers submissively like Pang Yinlou.

With his meager monthly allowance barely covering food or drink, he ended up going into debt collection with some martial arts school brothers.

Dou Shizu immediately understood what the Pang brothers were up to.

To curry favor with the Wang family, they had eagerly acted as their enforcers.

Now that the Wang family was to be allied with the Dou family through marriage, they feared being abandoned by the Wang family due to their previous actions against the Dou family.

So they decided to perform an act of contrition – since they had already humbled themselves before the neighbors, surely the Wang and Dou families couldn’t completely destroy them?

Although he understood their reasoning, the Pang brothers’ grasp of the situation, their decisive action, and their shameless disregard for reputation still surprised Dou Shizu.

He had no intention of interfering in the East Mansion and Wang family’s affairs, but was displeased that the Pang family had so quickly learned about the impending marriage alliance between the Dou and Wang families.

He smiled meaningfully at Second Madame, who was seeing him off with the family’s women: “I wonder why the Pang family suddenly changed from arrogant to humble?”

Second Madame turned her son’s words over in her mind and understood his meaning.

She smiled, “Every effect has its cause, and every cause has its effect.”

Meaning she would investigate this matter.

Dou Shizu then said: “I wonder how long things will be unsettled at Seventh Brother’s place. Official Gong is still waiting at the relay station to see me off. I’ll wait for Seventh Brother there! It’ll give me a chance to chat with Official Gong.”

The newly appointed magistrate of Zhending County was surnamed Gong.

Although Dou Shizu wasn’t the Dou family patriarch, he held the highest official position in the family. With people causing trouble at the Dou household, he should theoretically go mediate. But thinking about why the Pang brothers had a rift with the West Mansion… Second Madame couldn’t help but grumble internally. How could she let her son, an official of the proper third rank, get involved in such petty matters? She naturally hoped her son would leave this place of controversy as soon as possible.

She nodded hurriedly, saying: “Although you’ve reached the third rank, a current magistrate outweighs a current minister. Household matters still need Official Gong’s support. You must not become arrogant and offend Official Gong. Making him wait for you would be even more inappropriate!” After speaking, she urged Dou Shizu to quickly meet with Official Gong.

Dou Shizu thought for a moment and said: “Sixth Brother, why don’t you bring Sixth Sister-in-law and Shou Gu with me to the relay station?”

Since Dou Shiying hadn’t come, and Dou Shizu had decided to keep Dou Zhao close to the East Mansion people, naturally the less contact Dou Zhao had with the West Mansion, the better.

Lady Ji didn’t want Dou Zhao to get caught up in these adult conflicts.

She smiled at Dou Shiheng while holding Dou Zhao, looking ready to leave with Dou Zhao immediately if he agreed.

Dou Shiheng felt this was ultimately the East Mansion’s affair. If Dou Shiying needed help, he would send a steward to ask, and if he didn’t need help, they shouldn’t rashly go to assist. Seeing his wife looking at him, he smiled and took Dou Zhao, saying: “Shou Gu, shall we go with your Fifth Uncle to see what Zhending County’s relay station looks like?”

Dou Zhao giggled.

She couldn’t care less about the Wang and Dou families’ troubles.

Dou Dechang also clamored to go, but Second Madame had Liu Mama hold him back: “Your parents are dealing with important matters, what business do you have joining in?”

Dou Dechang pouted dejectedly.

Dou Shiheng and Lady Ji ignored him and took Dou Zhao into the carriage.

Magistrate Gong was a man about the same age as Dou Shizu. He had a dignified appearance and an impressive bearing. He said he was a jinshi graduate from the Xinchou year, four sessions after Dou Shizu, and showed great respect for Dou Shizu.

Dou Shizu’s expression was also very humble.

After everyone had met, Magistrate Gong, Dou Shizu, and Dou Shiheng talked in the relay station hall. Lady Ji withdrew, taking Dou Zhao to look at flowers and plants in the relay station’s back garden.

It wasn’t until noon that Dou Shiying arrived.

He profusely apologized to Dou Shizu and the others.

Dou Shizu paid it no mind and introduced Magistrate Gong to Dou Shiying.

Magistrate Gong praised Dou Shiying as talented: “Truly worthy of being a Xie Hall disciple.”

After Dou Shizu and Dou Shigong exchanged humble pleasantries, Magistrate Gong hosted a farewell banquet for Dou Shizu and Dou Shiying, with Dou Shiheng accompanying.

In the back hall, Lady Ji saw that the dishes were very oily and saucy, and only picked some light dishes to feed Dou Zhao: “Bear with it, when we get back Sixth Aunt will make you lotus leaf soup.”

Dou Zhao was never picky about food. After finishing her dishes and eating a steamed bun, she became drowsy and didn’t even know when they returned to the East Mansion.

When they got down from the carriage, Caisu came to greet them with a smile: “Sixth Master, Sixth Madam, Lady Zhao from Anxiang has returned from Ganquan and is talking with Old Madame. Old Madame asked that as soon as you return, you bring Fourth Miss to pay respects to Lady Zhao.”

Dou Zhao, Dou Shiheng, and Lady Ji were all surprised. Dou Zhao was particularly excited: “My aunt is here? When did this happen?”

Caisu quickly replied: “She arrived almost two hours ago, had a meal in Old Madame’s room, and should now be having tea with Old Madame in the rest chamber.”

Dou Zhao pulled Lady Ji’s hand: “Let’s go quickly!”

Lady Ji laughed and picked up Dou Zhao: “Let’s wash your face and change your clothes first, so your aunt doesn’t get covered in dust when she hugs you.”

Dou Zhao smiled sheepishly and followed Lady Ji to wash up before going to Second Madame’s quarters.

Her aunt looked thinner than when she was in Anxiang, but appeared more energetic.

She threw herself into Lady Zhao’s arms calling “Aunt” and asked: “How is Uncle? How are my three female cousins? Why did you suddenly return to Zhending?” The questions came one after another, her words sincere, moving her aunt nearly to tears: “In just two or three years of not seeing you, our Shou Gu has suddenly become a young lady who knows how to show concern for others.”

Second Madame quickly said: “For the past half year, Shou Gu has been with her Sixth Aunt — you know her Sixth Aunt, from a prestigious Jiangnan family, the most virtuous person. She takes her everywhere daily, and to better look after her at night, even arranged for her to sleep in her own gauze cabinet. You don’t need to worry.”

There was some exaggeration in her tone, and Lady Zhao felt suspicious hearing it. Looking up, she saw Dou Zhao was fair and lovely, and after a whole summer, didn’t even have a single mosquito bite. It seemed that Lady Ji had indeed taken very good care of Dou Zhao, and it was natural for someone to want credit for that.

She curtsied to Lady Ji: “Thank you for taking such trouble, Sixth Madam.”

But Lady Ji caught some hidden meaning in this.

It seemed her mother-in-law still wanted her to help the West Mansion raise children.

Dou Zhao heard Second Madame’s intentions. After helping her aunt settle in the East Mansion’s guest room, she told her aunt: “…Grand-aunt asked if I liked Sixth Aunt, and if I wanted Sixth Aunt to stay with me forever!”

Lady Zhao didn’t want to see people from the West Dou household, so when Second Madame offered her to rest in the East Dou household’s guest room, she immediately agreed.

Hearing Dou Zhao’s words, she kept only Peng Mama by her side, then took Dou Zhao’s hand and asked: “So do you like Sixth Aunt?”

“I do!” Dou Zhao said, “She buys me pretty puppets, makes me new clothes and socks, fans me at night, and dyes my fingernails.” She held out her little hands to Lady Zhao, “Aunt, aren’t they pretty?”

Lady Zhao felt incredibly bitter hearing this.

These were things that should have been done by a mother, but now were being done by an aunt-in-law.

Peng Mama softly said from the side: “It wouldn’t be bad for Miss to stay with that Sixth Madam, better than having to bow and scrape before Wang Yingxue.”

“I think so too,” Lady Zhao said, “Children take after those who raise them, anyone from the East Mansion would be better than Wang Yingxue. However, this matter needs careful consideration. I need to watch carefully what Old Madame’s intentions are. With half of the West Mansion’s property as dowry, Shou Gu isn’t the same Shou Gu as before.”

Peng Mama sighed hearing this: “Master’s move was too risky, I’m really worried Miss might be raised wrongly.”

“This was our only option!” Lady Zhao also sighed, “We never expected the Dou family would actually agree.”

She paused, then continued, “When Master received the letter from Miss’s Fifth Uncle, he immediately said things had gone wrong. He said Miss’s Fifth Uncle never speaks wildly, and since he asked us to bring the agreement back quickly, he must be completely confident he could get Miss’s grandfather to agree to our conditions… Sure enough. Fortunately, we had made backup plans and brought Master’s account expert, Master Tang, with us. Otherwise, how could we women and children figure out exactly how much money the Dou family has? Which estates have good harvests? Which shops make money? If they tried to fool us with worthless fields, we’d hardly be able to tell. These few days we’ll carefully probe the Dou family people, letting Master Tang secretly assess the Dou family’s assets, to avoid being completely in the dark and accepting whatever the Dou family says, letting Shou Gu bear the name of ‘taking half of West Mansion’s property’ for nothing.”

Just then, a young maid called from beyond the curtain: “In-law Madam, Gaosheng’s wife from the West Mansion has brought some maids and servants to pay respects to you.”

Gaosheng was Dou Shiying’s personal servant.

Lady Zhao found it strange: “Even for paying respects, Yu Mama should be the one coming. What business does she have here?”

Since Zhao Guqiu’s death, the Zhao family had been very averse to people from the West Mansion.

Gu Mama advised: “We should still see them! Listen if you like what they say, ignore it if you don’t.”

Lady Zhao nodded.

Gu Mama went to bring in Gaosheng’s wife.

Gaosheng’s wife was a fair-skinned young woman, looking only seventeen or eighteen years old.

She somewhat shyly paid respects to Lady Zhao and Dou Zhao, then took out a thick letter from her bosom: “Seventh Master specifically instructed my husband when he left to have me bring this to you.”

Dou Zhao was startled hearing this.

Father had known about Fifth Uncle’s arrangements all along?

She couldn’t help but lean on her aunt’s shoulder, wanting to see what was written in the letter.