Wei Tingzhen was furious. Just as she was about to retort to Pang Yulou, Dou Ming’s wet nurse Zhou came supporting Dou Ming.

“I’ve caused trouble for all the aunts and sisters-in-law because of my matter,” Dou Ming curtsied to the women of the Dou and Wang families. Her crimson embroidered robe hung loosely on her skeletal frame, making people feel a pang of sadness.

Pang Yulou was always good at putting on a show. She immediately went forward to hold Dou Ming’s hand, wiping her eyes and saying chokingly, “My dear niece, how did you become like this after just not seeing you for the New Year? We’ve all been through it. Which daughter-in-law isn’t pampered with chicken, duck, fish, and meat during her postpartum month, gaining a few pounds after? How come you’ve become so thin?

If our ancestors knew about this, they would be heartbroken and urge Uncles to write to your grandfather to find some of Yunnan’s best medicinal herbs to nourish you!” She turned to Wei Tingzhen and said sincerely, “Your family has been prestigious for centuries, how come you don’t have any good medicinal herbs?” She then looked at Madam Cai, “Sister-in-law, I still have two packets of premium gastrodia and a jin of bird’s nest. But the hundred-year-old ginseng was used up when my mother-in-law was unwell recently. Only a small piece is left. I don’t know if it’s enough?”

The implication was that the Dou family would provide the hundred-year-old ginseng.

Madam Cai cursed Pang Yulou in her heart.

How could the price of hundred-year-old ginseng be compared to a bit of gastrodia and a bird’s nest?

But in front of Wei Tingzhen, she couldn’t refuse.

Otherwise, according to custom, the Dou family would lose face.

These people were truly wolves in sheep’s clothing, unfit to be companions.

She smiled and said, “If Fifth Niece’s in-laws don’t have any, she can only rely on us, her natal family. I’ll tell the servants to send over some ginseng to nourish Fifth Niece later. Don’t worry, Aunt.”

However, she didn’t specify how many years old the ginseng was.

Pang Yulou sneered inwardly.

They always boasted about being a scholarly family, but at critical moments, they revealed their merchant nature, while still looking down on the Pang family everywhere!

After the two women’s overt and covert struggle, the Fifth Madam was secretly displeased. She turned to Wei Tingzhen kindly and said, “Since the in-law is unwell, why don’t we go sit in Ming’er’s room?”

It was time for the main act.

Everyone naturally smiled and agreed.

The group went to the reception room in Dou Ming’s quarters.

Maids served tea and snacks, then quietly withdrew.

Seated in the place of honor, the Fifth Madam smiled and said, “When a girl’s natal family prepares her dowry, it’s to give the married daughter something to rely on. Great-aunt is also a married daughter, yet she proposed letting the Dou family control Ming’er’s dowry. This is against propriety. Not to mention Ming’er, even our Dou family wouldn’t agree to it.”

“Originally, we could have just ignored this, even if Great-aunt took this lawsuit to the emperor, it wouldn’t have passed. But Great-aunt mentioned this matter again and again as if she didn’t want our Fifth Niece to have a dowry. Our family’s lords found it strange – how did the Wei family come up with such an idea? So they asked me and the two ladies from the Wang family to come and ask Fifth Young Master.”

“As the saying goes, an elder sister-in-law is like a mother. The Marquis of Jining has no brothers, only you as his elder sister, so it’s right for you to look after him. However, this matter involves the ownership of Ming’er’s dowry. I think it would be inappropriate for Great-aunt to make decisions without consulting the Marquis of Jining. There are no outsiders here, so why don’t we invite the Marquis of Jining over and ask his opinion before making any plans?”

The Dou and Wang families had strength in numbers. Wei Tingzhen had no intention of arguing with them, so she immediately sent someone to invite Wei Tingyu, saying, “Which family doesn’t hope for their daughter-in-law to have a large dowry? It’s not only dignified, but the descendants will also benefit. But my sister-in-law’s temper is too strong, always bringing up her natal family. We just want to live peacefully and quietly, and can’t bear my sister-in-law’s fuss. That’s why we had to resort to this measure, inviting the elders from both families to discuss this matter.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Wei Tingyu, who had been waiting in the study, hurried over with a worried expression.

As soon as Dou Ming saw him, tears began to fall uncontrollably.

She had miscarried, and Wei Tingyu had only comforted her perfunctorily before colluding with his mother and sister to scheme against her.

This Wei Tingyu was too disappointing.

Her heart had turned half cold.

Didn’t he know that if she handed over her dowry, they would have to live at Wei Tingzhen’s mercy in the future?

What’s the point of living if not for happiness?

How could one be happy living under someone else’s thumb?

How could he not think about this and just blindly listen to his mother and sister?

She collapsed crying on Nurse Zhou’s shoulder.

Nurse Zhou held Dou Ming comfortingly, consoling her in a low voice.

Wei Tingyu hadn’t spoken to Dou Ming for over half a month. Now seeing her cry like a rain-beaten flower, his heart softened, and his face showed some hesitation.

The Fifth Madam nodded slightly as she watched. After Wei Tingyu paid his respects, she said, “The request your Wei family made is too bizarre. Our family’s lords sent me to ask, what exactly is the Marquis unsatisfied with about Ming’er, to torment her like this? Not only did you cause her to miscarry, but you also want our Dou family to manage Ming’er’s dowry – the Marquis must give us a reason, right?”

Seeing Wei Tingyu’s expression, Wei Tingzhen knew things were going badly. Before Wei Tingyu could speak, she interjected, “Mother-in-law, your words are not right. How have we tormented Dou Ming…”

The Fifth Madam made a gesture, signaling Wei Tingzhen to stop talking. She said gently, “Great-aunt, only the foot knows if the shoe fits. Although we are all outsiders, we still hope for the couple to live well. Let’s hear what the Marquis has to say.”

Dou Ming on the other side also raised her head, sobbing, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Wei Tingyu, as delicate and moving as an autumn chrysanthemum.

Wei Tingyu’s face immediately turned bright red. He dared not look at Dou Ming again and mumbled, “I, I have no complaints about Ming’er…” Before he could finish his sentence, he felt his sister’s knife-like gaze. Thinking of his bedridden mother, his mind buzzed, and he mumbled again, “It’s just that her mother’s character is too poor. One takes on the color of one’s company. Ming’er keeps going to see her mother, and we can’t persuade her otherwise, so we had to resort to this measure… It’s Ming’er who doesn’t listen, not that we want to torment her…”

The room was filled with astonishment.

The Fifth Madam couldn’t help but exchange a glance with Lady Gao.

If this was the reason, it could make sense.

But they came this time to stand up for Dou Ming, how could they let Wei Tingyu get away with it?

The Fifth Madam had to go against her conscience and say, “Marquis, your words are too inappropriate! Even if a son doesn’t speak of his father’s faults, how can you, as a son-in-law, casually criticize your mother-in-law? Moreover, what you call poor character doesn’t make sense. I’ve been sisters-in-law with your mother-in-law for over a decade, and apart from not being fond of socializing, I really can’t find any other faults…”

“Fifth Aunt!” Dou Ming suddenly interrupted the Fifth Madam’s words. She stood up abruptly, her eyes red as she looked at Wei Tingyu, and said in a sharp voice, “Isn’t the Marquis just looking down on me because my birth mother was a concubine who was later elevated? Well, both my natal and marital families are here, let’s clarify this matter.” She looked at the Fifth Madam with tears in her eyes, “Although my mother was a concubine, she was only elevated a year after the first wife passed away.

At that time, she also obtained Zhao’s Brother-in-law’s consent letter, and according to Zhao’s Brother-in-law’s wishes, half of the West Dou family’s property was given to my sister as her dowry. All of this was documented in the government office and can be verified.” She stood straight, looking directly at Wei Tingyu, “You say my mother has poor character, tell me, what exactly has my mother done wrong to deserve such criticism from a junior like you?”

Wei Tingzhen immediately spat in Dou Ming’s face: “You have the nerve to say that? How did you marry into our family? You might have forgotten, but we in the Wei family haven’t!”

The color immediately drained from Dou Ming’s face, leaving only paleness.

She asked Wei Tingyu chokingly: “Is this what the Marquis thinks too?” She still considered their marital bond and didn’t reveal that Wei Tingyu had agreed to meet her at the Great Xiangguo Temple before their marriage, not wanting to burn all bridges.

Wei Tingyu was extremely embarrassed. He glared at Wei Tingzhen, then turned his gaze to Dou Ming, softly comforting her: “There’s no such thing. This marriage was my own willing choice!”

Wei Tingzhen was so angry she gritted her teeth. She stood up and said: “Since you married into our Wei family, you’re one of us now. If your birth mother was just a concubine who was elevated, with the Dou family elders’ acknowledgment, we in the Wei family would swallow this bitter pill and accept it! But what is your birth mother? She only entered the Dou family in the twelfth month and gave birth to you in the fifth month… What kind of person is that!” She spat and continued, “Otherwise, how could your sister get half of the West Dou family’s property, while you only had a dowry of twenty thousand taels of silver when you married?

If you don’t understand, let me tell you, you’re not even considered a child born of a concubine, you’re an illegitimate child!” She pointed at the women from the Dou and Wang families, “Your natal family members are all here. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them! See if I’ve said a single lie! It’s my brother who’s honest and simple-minded, willing to put up with you like this. You’re ungrateful, asked to set some rules for your mother-in-law, and even deliberately miscarried our Wei family’s bloodline. You know my brother is the only heir for two generations. Aren’t you trying to end our Wei family line?”

Her words were like sharp blades stabbing into the hearts of the Dou and Wang family members, silencing the reception room and making Dou Ming tremble like a leaf in the wind.

“You’re talking nonsense!” she screamed, “My mother is not that kind of person! You just can’t stand to see the Marquis and I living well, so you’re here spreading rumors and slandering! What are you really up to? Why do you always dislike me? What have I done wrong to your Wei family? When the Marquis was idle at home, I was the one who begged my grandfather to find him a position; when mother was bedridden, I used the medicinal herbs from my dowry to nourish her; on your mother-in-law’s birthday, I spent a fortune to help you save face and sent her an expensive gift. What more do you want from me?!”

She questioned Wei Tingyu in a hoarse voice, her frail body swaying unsteadily.