ATLAS TRANSLATES

Madam Yu II was seeing off her aunt and brought up the marriage between Wu Shan and Dou Zhao: “…How should I explain this to the Old Madam?”

This marriage proposal was initially brought up by Madam Wu. Now that the Dou family had agreed, by all rights, Madam Wu should have finalized this matter before leaving Zhending. Even if they couldn’t exchange birth charts yet, there should at least be a firm commitment.

Madam Wu spoke indifferently: “At the time, it was just a casual inquiry. This matter still needs my husband’s approval.”

Madam Yu II was stunned.

Madam Wu avoided her gaze by lowering her eyelids and taking a sip of tea.

Madam II’s face turned purple with anger.

Although she was born into the Wu family, she was now a Dou family daughter-in-law.

Initially, it was her aunt’s sincere intentions that made her go before the Second Old Madam to arrange this match. Now that her aunt had suddenly changed her mind, how could she maintain her standing in the Dou family?

“Aunt, we’re not outsiders,” Madam II finally suppressed her anger and said hoarsely, “Whatever you have to say, please tell me directly. I need to give an explanation to the Old Madam and my mother-in-law. Perhaps you don’t know? Shou Gu has half of the West Dou family’s fortune as her dowry. So many families have their eyes on her! If it weren’t for the Wu and Dou families being in-laws, if it weren’t for Uncle and Fifth Uncle being close friends, the Dou family might not have agreed to this marriage…”

Madam Wu was startled.

Dou Zhao had half of the West Dou family’s fortune as her dowry?

No wonder she was so arrogant, daring to beat Pang Kunbai half to death.

Such a woman simply could not be allowed to enter their family!

Who could control her then?

They might even get a reputation for coveting their daughter-in-law’s dowry.

She immediately became furious and said with displeasure: “You know what kind of people your uncle and I are, don’t you? Why didn’t you tell me about Fourth Miss Dou’s enormous dowry? Were you afraid I would covet it? It’s good that you told me today. If we had proceeded with the engagement ceremonies, could our Wu family afford such a bride price? You’re not acting as a matchmaker here. You’re bringing shame to your maiden family! Let me be frank with you – this Fourth Miss of yours beat someone nearly to death just because she was robbed. And she’s supposed to be family? My son can’t handle someone like that! I’m afraid that if we ever offend her, she won’t even spare me as her mother-in-law!”

Madam II didn’t know the details and was very surprised, but still argued: “How can you say such things, Aunt? When Fourth Sister and Twelfth Uncle were robbed, should they have just offered their heads to be chopped off instead of fighting back?”

Madam Wu dismissed this as her speaking up for her married family and said coldly: “I’m not saying she shouldn’t defend herself. But there should be limits, shouldn’t there? As a woman, even though she had the upper hand, she went too far…” As she was speaking, the bamboo curtain crashed with a bang, and Wu Shan burst in from outside, his face ashen.

“Mother, Fourth Sister isn’t that kind of person!” In just a few days, his eye sockets had sunken in and he looked like withered grass, having lost all his former vigor. “Beating Pang Kunbai was all of our idea. He was too despicable, and we couldn’t rest easy without teaching him a lesson…”

“Weren’t you supposed to be studying in the study room? What are you doing out here?” Madam Wu looked at her son with unprecedented severity. “I’m talking with your cousin, what right do you have to interrupt? Who taught you to be so ill-mannered? Go back to your room right now!” She called out loudly for Bi Mama, “How are you serving the young master? How could you let him wander around…”

Her aunt was clearly using this to criticize indirectly.

Madam II’s face changed dramatically.

Wu Shan couldn’t help but cry out “Mother” loudly and said: “There’s no need to blame Bi Mama, it’s all my fault. I’ll go back to study right away.” As he spoke, he didn’t immediately return to his room, but hesitated for a moment before suddenly falling to his knees before his mother. “Mother,” determination showed in his eyes and brows as he pleaded with Madam Wu, “Please, please agree to my marriage with Fourth Sister? I beg you…” As he spoke, he started kowtowing to his mother repeatedly.

Both Madam Wu and Madam II changed color abruptly. Madam Wu shouted even louder: “Wu Shan, what are you doing?”

What was he doing?

He simply couldn’t give up!

Didn’t Fourth Sister want a marriage arranged by parents and matchmakers?

If the Dou family agreed to their marriage, even if that family came to propose, he could still fight for a chance, couldn’t he?

Wu Shan’s eyes were blurred with tears as he kept kowtowing, as if only this way could the pain in his heart lessen a bit.

Madam II sighed softly and went forward to help Wu Shan up: “Get up quickly!”

But Wu Shan grabbed Madam II’s sleeve like a drowning man clutching at straws: “Cousin, please help me…”

Before he could finish speaking, there was a sharp slap as his mother struck his face hard: “A man should only kneel to heaven, earth, the emperor, parents, and teachers. Yet you kneel to your mother and cousin for a woman? Are you still a man? Get up!” She said while roughly pulling at Wu Shan.

Wu Shan remained silent, staring intently at Madam II.

Madam II couldn’t bear to meet his gaze and turned her face away, saying softly: “Given how things stand, even if Fourth Sister married into the family, do you think it would be appropriate?”

Wu Shan’s eyes immediately dimmed at these words, and all strength seemed to leave his body as he was pulled up limply by his mother.

Madam II didn’t want to get involved in this mess anymore and got up to leave.

Within half an hour, news of what happened in the west guest room reached Ji Shi’s ears.

She was furious and said: “What does the Wu family think they’re doing? Do they think our Dou family is just a side dish they can pick at as they please? I must go ask the Old Madam about this matter.”

The Second Old Madam was also very angry. She was resting on the kang while Nanny Liu was massaging her legs with a beauty mallet.

“A forced melon isn’t sweet; it’s better this way,” she advised Ji Shi, though her eyes flashed coldly. “She just finished scolding Zijun’s wife. But what use is that? Since Madam Wu looks down on Shou Gu, even if she married into their family, she probably wouldn’t be happy. If you care, you should keep an eye out and help find her a better marriage than the Wu family in the future.”

Ji Shi saw the occasional cold glint in the Second Old Madam’s eyes and knew she had developed a hatred for Madam Wu. She would likely cause trouble for Madam Wu in the future. So Ji Shi said nothing more and got up to leave. Remembering how Aunt Cui had sent someone a few days ago to ask if she could help find two embroiderers from Jiangnan to embroider Dou Zhao’s wedding clothes, she felt a pang in her heart. She instructed Cai Shu: “Prepare the carriage, I want to go to the West Mansion.”

Dou Zhao had also received the news. She thought Wu Shan must have said something to Madam Wu, and while feeling relieved, she felt an inexplicable trace of melancholy. But she quickly pushed this feeling aside and discussed the latest news with Chen Qushui: “…Second Old Madam has already decided that Du An was acting under Wang Yingxue’s instructions?”

“Yes!” Chen Qushui smiled, “Not only did Third Master write a letter to Fifth Master, but he also wrote one to your father, and just sent them by express messenger to the capital.”

Dou Zhao pondered: “Given my Fifth Uncle’s character, he will definitely use this incident to challenge Wang Xingyi. Although Wang Xingyi has achieved brilliant military victories in recent years, even though a general in the field may sometimes disregard imperial orders, he still needs the help of the Six Departments’ officials for military supplies, provisions, and rewards. Fifth Uncle has established deep roots in the capital over many years. At this time, Wang Xingyi definitely won’t dare to openly oppose Fifth Uncle. If I were him, I would certainly apologize and make some promises to Fifth Uncle…” She smiled as she continued, “I’ve been worried sick, surely Fifth Uncle shouldn’t get all the benefits? We might not get the meat, but shouldn’t we at least get some soup? Why don’t we make the Pang family compensate us ten thousand taels of silver… no, make it twenty thousand! For Pang Kunbai, I put up a reward of ten thousand taels! The Pang family members all walk around with their heads held high as if they have ‘I have money’ written on their foreheads, so let’s squeeze them for all they’re worth!”

Chen Qushui chuckled.

Dou Zhao instructed Su Xin: “Help me grind the ink, I want to write a letter to my father. It would be best if he brought this up with Fifth Uncle.”

Su Xin smiled and prepared the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone for Dou Zhao.

After writing the letter to her father, Dou Zhao brought up Duan Gongyi’s matter: “I’ve already spoken with Third Uncle. From now on, if Old Madam Duan needs any medicines, just have her maid get them from the Dou family’s medicine shop and charge it to my account.”

Yesterday, Duan Gongyi officially became a guard for the Dou family.

Chen Qushui nodded with a smile: “That’s excellent!”

Dou Zhao then asked about the business at the stationery shop before returning to the inner courtyard.

Her grandmother’s eyes were red, as if she had been crying. Her gaze occasionally showed traces of pity when looking at Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao was secretly amazed. After leaving the East Wing, she asked Gan Lu: “What exactly happened?”

Gan Lu lowered her head and mumbled: “Sixth Madam came by and said the Wu family would be leaving for the capital tomorrow…”

So grandmother was sad about her failed marriage.

Dou Zhao let out a helpless sigh.

?????

On the day Wu Shan left, there was a light rain.

The rain was wet and washed the tree leaves particularly green.

Dou Zhao spent the whole day in the flower room trimming holly branches until evening when Dou Dechang came to visit her: “Wu Si said you once asked him to paint a fan for you, and asked me to deliver it.”

She washed her hands and had Su Xin put the fan away in a chest.

Dou Dechang asked bewilderedly: “Won’t you look at what he painted?”

“What does it matter what he painted?” Dou Zhao carefully wiped her hands with a handkerchief and said indifferently, “It’s better to put it away.”

Dou Dechang fell silent.

A few days later, Ji Yong returned from Mount Tai. When he heard that Wu Shan had left, he laughed a couple of times while fanning himself and ordered his attendant to prepare a carriage, saying he wanted to go to the West Mansion.

Ji Shi anxiously stopped him: “What are you going to do?”

Ji Yong opened his eyes wide: “I brought a fully formed polygonatum for Fourth Sister, is that not allowed?”

Ji Shi smiled awkwardly.

Ji Yong left with long strides.

Upon seeing Dou Zhao, he asked her: “I heard your marriage to Wu Shan fell through? Don’t be sad, someone like him, so soft and weak, really isn’t anything special. You’ll definitely meet someone better in the future! I happened to find a polygonatum to give you, you can use it to nourish your hair.”

Was he trying to comfort her or mock her?

Dou Zhao heard this and was so angry her temples throbbed. She gritted her teeth and said: “Did Cousin Ji hear wrong? When did I ever get engaged to Fourth Brother Wu?”

Ji Yong’s mouth fell open and it took him a long while to close it.

Dou Zhao felt much better.