By mid-June, the matter of Pang Kunbai’s robbery finally concluded.

Initially, Pang Yulou had intended to speak on behalf of her nephew, but due to Du An’s involvement, she and Wang Yingxue were implicated in the instigation. Madam Wang Xu naturally refused to acknowledge Wang Yingxue’s involvement, placing all blame on her daughter-in-law. She claimed her daughter was merely deceived and threatened to divorce Pang Yulou. Wang Zhishao, along with his sons Wang Tan and Wang Shan, knelt before Madam Wang Xu’s quarters to plead for his wife. Only then did Madam Wang Xu relent, demanding that Pang Yulou behave properly in her presence. Pang Yulou dared not utter a word, diligently serving her mother-in-law daily, hoping to weather this storm. She no longer dared to mention Pang Kunbai.

Dou Shengying was furious.

He threw a copy of “Lessons for Women” at Wang Yingxue, ordering her to copy it in her room. She would only be allowed to leave once she had completed a thousand copies. He then entrusted the management of the inner household to Gaosheng’s wife, effectively stripping Wang Yingxue of her authority as household manager. He also set a date to send Wang Yingxue back to her hometown in Zhending, to be disciplined by the Second Old Madam.

Madam Wang Xu was shocked and dismayed.

Wang Yingxue’s lack of sons had always been a source of anxiety for her.

If Wang Yingxue were sent back to Zhending at her age, she would likely never have a son in her lifetime!

She pleaded with Dou Shengying.

Dou Shengying remained unmoved, displaying unprecedented firmness.

With no other option, Madam Wang Xu sought help from Dou Shengzhu.

Dou Shengzhu smiled and said, “This is Seventh Brother’s family matter. As his elder brother, it’s not appropriate for me to interfere.” However, he hinted to Madam Wang Xu, “Even if it were me, or if Miss Shou were to plead on Seventh Sister-in-law’s behalf, saying that as long as the Pang family compensates with twenty thousand taels of silver, it would be settled, Seventh Uncle wouldn’t listen…”

Madam Wang Xu’s eyes lit up. Upon returning, she demanded that the Pang family compensate Dou Zhao with twenty thousand taels of silver.

The Pang family couldn’t produce such a sum.

Madam Wang Xu sneered, “Then take your daughter back. We can’t afford to keep such a wastrel in our family!”

Pang Yulou was furious. She sent her steward to persuade her three brothers: “As long as we have the mountain, we needn’t fear running out of firewood. Without the Wang family as our strong backing, even if we had more silver, we couldn’t protect ourselves.”

Pang Jinlou urged their father: “We naturally can’t sell our ancestral properties. Second Brother’s taverns and teahouses, Third Brother’s money shops and pawnshops, they must be worth at least twenty thousand taels. If that’s not enough, we can mortgage our general store to borrow more—with the store as collateral, those money shops will be willing to lend us silver, and we’ll still have the means to make a comeback.”

The general store was Pang Jinlou’s property.

Old Master Pang nodded repeatedly. Without waiting for Pang Yinlou and Pang Xilou’s agreement, he immediately found someone to sell the businesses, raising twenty thousand taels of silver to send to the Western Dou family.

Pang Yinlou and Pang Xilou kicked down Pang Jinlou’s front gate and chased after him to beat him.

Chen Shi, Pang Jixiu’s wife, stood by with her arms folded, watching the spectacle with amusement.

Pang Jixiu, exasperated, shouted at Chen Shi, “Why aren’t you helping to separate Second Uncle and Third Uncle? If anything happens to my father, I’ll divorce you immediately!”

Chen Shi wasn’t afraid at all.

Pang Jixiu threatened divorce at least twice a day to feel better.

She dragged Pang Jixiu by the collar back to their room.

“Considering what Pang Kunbai did, the Dou family showed mercy by not beating him to death. Do you still expect me to help you fight? Dream on,” Chen Shi said disdainfully, calling for her maid to pack their belongings. “You’re coming with me to stay at my parents’ house for a few days. We’ll return when this matter is settled.”

Pang Jixiu stormed off.

But Chen Shi caught him by the back of his collar, dragging him from the doorway to the center of the main hall.

“I’m being serious, and you’d better listen!” Chen Shi’s face turned stern, her large eyes flashing fiercely. “We’re going to stay at my parents’ house for a few days right now. My mother hasn’t seen you in a while and says she misses her son-in-law.”

Unable to fight back physically and realizing that scolding her would be futile, Pang Jixiu could only stamp his feet in frustration.

Chen Shi giggled and escorted Pang Jixiu out of the room.

Pang Yinlou’s wife was lying in the front courtyard, wailing, “Pang Jinlou, you bastard! You instigated Father to sell our shop. How are we supposed to pay for Kunbai’s medical treatment? My poor Kunbai, he’s like a living corpse…”

Pang Jixiu became anxious and pointed at Pang Yinlou’s wife, saying to Chen Shi, “Look!”

“What’s there to look at?” Chen Shi said, walking out without turning back. “If he dies, he dies. Someone like him is just wasting food and clothes, taking up space even while alive!”

Pang Jixiu was so angry he couldn’t speak.

Chen Shi raised her hand and stuffed him into the carriage.

Her maid jumped onto the carriage shaft, cracked the whip, and the carriage rumbled out of the Pang family compound.

Naturally, Dou Zhao was unwilling for Wang Yingxue to return.

Out of sight, out of mind!

She had Su Xin relay a message to the Pang family: “This twenty thousand taels of silver is compensation for us. If they want me to speak favorably to my father on her behalf, tell them to bring another five thousand taels.”

The Pang family lamented but dared not refuse. They borrowed five thousand taels at high interest and sent it over.

Dou Zhao wrote a letter to her father, saying that an inner household without a mistress would invite gossip. Since Gaosheng’s wife was now managing the household, it would be better to keep Wang Yingxue by his side and simply restrict her interactions with relatives in the future. Moreover, she truly didn’t want to live under the same roof as Wang Yingxue.

However, Dou Shengying was determined to teach Wang Yingxue a lesson. He agreed to keep her in Beijing but proposed sending Dou Ming back to Zhending to be educated by Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao refused.

Dou Shengying sent Dou Ming back anyway.

The ten-year-old Dou Ming, with her delicate features and slender frame, already showed signs of fragile beauty, like a willow in the wind. At this moment, however, her snow-white face was tightly drawn, and her large almond eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire, more like a thorny rose than a gentle daffodil by the water.

“Don’t think I’m happy you’re back,” Dou Zhao said coolly, sitting in the main hall’s armchair. “If you want to blame someone, blame the Pang family. There’s no need to direct your anger at me.” She then pointed towards Qixia Court, “You’ll be staying in the West Wing from now on. I’ve assigned Du Ning to serve you. You can do whatever you want, as long as you don’t intrude into my main courtyard or disturb Aunt Cui in the East Wing.” She stood up, “Come, I’ll take you to pay respects to Aunt Cui!”

Her sister’s cold gaze, composed demeanor, and absolute confidence in her control of the situation instantly transported Dou Ming back to her childhood, leaving her both immobilized and filled with a gnawing resentment.

“Who are you to order me around!” She couldn’t help but clench her fists and scream, speaking without thinking, “She’s just a concubine! I won’t pay respects to a mere concubine!”

Dou Zhao stood still, looking at her coldly without saying a word.

A woman dressed as a matron hurriedly stepped forward to cover Dou Ming’s mouth. “Fourth Miss, please don’t take offense. Fifth Miss is just confused from anger. No, she’s not angry at you, but at the Master…” Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Dou Zhao recognized her.

In her previous life, this woman was the housekeeper Madam Wang Xu had found for Dou Ming after she went to Beijing. Her surname was Zhou, and she had some distant relation to the Xu family. She was very loyal to Dou Ming and managed her household affairs meticulously.

Unexpectedly, they met again in this life.

She smiled and said to Dou Ming, who was struggling in Mama Zhou’s arms, “Don’t humiliate yourself. This time, I’ll only punish you by having you kneel in the flower hall for half an hour. If there’s a next time, I’ll make you kneel in the ancestral hall’s courtyard for two hours. If you don’t believe me, just try it!”

Dou Ming glared at her.

Dou Zhao instructed Mama Zhou, “Let her go. This isn’t the Wang mansion; this is the Dou family. We have our great-aunt above and nieces below. If I don’t discipline her, her wild behavior will only ruin her reputation and leave her isolated.”

Mama Zhou nodded repeatedly.

Dou Zhao heard her quietly advise Dou Ming, “A wise man knows when to yield,” as she slowly released her grip.

Dou Ming indeed fell silent.

Dou Zhao took her to see their grandmother.

As both were her granddaughters, Grandmother was delighted to see Dou Ming. She held her hand, asking incessantly if she had eaten and slept well on the journey, and instructed Hong Gu to bring out all the delicacies in the room for Dou Ming.

Dou Ming didn’t like the Dou family at all and looked down on Grandmother’s food. But seeing Dou Zhao standing by with a smile yet threatening eyes, she reluctantly humored Grandmother.

Grandmother watched, sighing inwardly. After sending Dou Ming to rest, she said to Dou Zhao, “Your father sent her back, likely because he didn’t want Wang Shi to spoil her. As her elder sister, you should be more understanding.” She then advised, “You’re sisters in this life, but may not be in the next. This is your karmic connection.”

Dou Zhao wanted to say that she had already been Dou Ming’s sister for two lifetimes… but not wanting to worry Grandmother, she respectfully agreed.

Grandmother smiled and hugged Dou Zhao, saying, “I knew our Shou’er was a magnanimous and sensible child!”

“She thinks so too,” Dou Zhao said.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so polite earlier.

The thought flashed through her mind, and she burst into laughter, her mood suddenly improving.

Back in her quarters, Dou Zhao summoned all the household managers to the flower hall and reassigned the household staff.

She divided the kitchen staff, laundry workers, stable hands, palanquin bearers, and even night watchmen into three groups: those serving Aunt Cui in the East Wing, those serving her in the main courtyard, and those serving Dou Ming in the West Wing. Gao Xing would manage the East Wing and main courtyard staff, while Mama Zhou would oversee the West Wing. The household expenses would be divided accordingly.

Mama Zhou was very surprised and hesitantly called out “Fourth Miss,” but was interrupted by Dou Ming: “You were assigned to me by Grandmother. What’s there to be unsure about?” Then she turned to Dou Zhao and said, “At least you know your place!”

No one had ever dared to speak to Dou Zhao like this before.

All the servants in the room lowered their heads in fear, and the room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Dou Zhao picked up her teacup, gently brushing the tea leaves floating on top with the lid. The jade bracelet on her wrist clinked softly, like a drum beating on everyone’s hearts, creating a heavy and oppressive atmosphere.

“Dou Ming, do your knees hurt?” Dou Zhao asked softly. “Can you kneel for another half hour?”

A flash of embarrassment crossed Dou Ming’s face.

After paying respects to Grandmother, Dou Zhao had ordered her to kneel in the flower hall as punishment. She had been dismissive, but one of Dou Zhao’s maids had forcibly dragged her there, making her kneel for half an hour. Her knees were still aching.

“Dou Ming,” Dou Zhao said, “I treat you as a sister and have the servants treat you as a young miss. But if you don’t respect this respect, I can also treat you as a stranger, and the servants won’t need to show you any deference.”

Dou Ming glanced at Su Xin behind Dou Zhao and fell silent, chilled to the bone.