The words that burst out in anger felt so abrupt that they made Song Mo’s heart race as he faced Dou Zhao’s gaze.
As his hot blood gradually cooled and his thoughts settled, calmness and reason returned to his body, prompting him to reflect on his earlier impulsiveness. Yet, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that marrying Dou Zhao was a brilliant idea!
At the very least, his background was more distinguished than Wei Tingyu’s, and his talents surpassed Wei Tingyu’s. In the eyes of the noble ladies in the capital, he was a more desirable match than Wei Tingyu.
What better way to retaliate than to marry a husband who far surpassed her former fiancé in every aspect?
This marriage would be enough to silence the cold mockery and malicious gossip directed at Dou Zhao!
Song Mo immediately felt a surge of excitement.
He tightened his grip on Dou Zhao’s arm. “Dou Zhao, marry me! I will treat you well and make those who dare to underestimate you regret their actions!”
He wanted to elevate Dou Zhao’s status.
The faint pain in her arm quickly brought Dou Zhao back to her senses, and she glanced at Su Xin.
Su Xin’s eyes were wide with shock, her face filled with disbelief.
Only then did Dou Zhao dare to confirm that what she had just heard was not a figment of her imagination.
It seemed that Song Mo was already aware of the proxy marriage.
She couldn’t help but ask, “How did you know the bride wasn’t me?”
Dou Zhao had sent Su Lan to gather information. If Wei Tingyu had discovered the bride had changed during the wedding ceremony, she would have received the news early on, and the Dou family wouldn’t be so calm.
Song Mo recounted the events.
Dou Zhao felt a mix of emotions, unsure of what to think.
Song Mo had only seen her a few times, while Wei Tingyu was her fiancé. Dou Zhao and Dou Ming were of different heights and bore no resemblance to each other. How could Song Mo deduce that the bride was not her based on just a few actions? By now, Wei Tingyu should have already entered the bridal chamber…
She fell silent for a moment.
Song Mo urged her, “What do you think?”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation.
“Do you think this is just a game?” she chided him softly, laughing. “Wei Tingyu married my sister, so I should find someone of higher status, greater prestige, better looks, and more talent than him? I have my own life to live; why should I compete with them?”
Song Mo opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.
Did Dou Zhao think this way?
Did she believe she was of higher status than Wei Tingyu, more prestigious, more handsome, and more capable?
Such thoughts were rather shallow!
He inwardly scorned himself for thinking this way.
Yet, within that scorn was a hint of joy that made him feel slightly tipsy.
Song Mo quickly suppressed that feeling and, somewhat awkwardly, asked, “What do you propose then?” Remembering the words he had overheard earlier, he hesitated to speak ill of Dou Shiying in front of Dou Zhao and instead reminded her, “Are you planning to stay at home and wait for a husband?”
Dou Zhao hesitated for a moment.
Since Song Mo had dared to commit patricide in his past life and now stood against his father, it was clear he was not one to follow the rules.
“I do plan to stay at home!” she replied candidly. “But I never thought about waiting for a husband.” She joked about herself, “I plan to stay in the Dou family forever and be an annoying aunt!”
“That won’t do!” Song Mo immediately opposed without thinking. “If you stay in the Dou family, it’s fine while your father is alive, but what will you do when he’s gone? Even if you have brothers, there’s still a sister-in-law in between. Besides, you only have a younger sister, and she and her husband can’t be relied upon…” He then recalled the events surrounding Dou Zhao’s marriage and suspected that Wang Shi was the one benefiting from it. Knowing that Dou Zhao and Wang Shi were at odds only fueled his disapproval of Dou Zhao staying in the Dou family.
He informed Dou Zhao about Wang Xingyi gaining the emperor’s favor: “…Don’t underestimate the emperor’s words. Among the thousands of officials in the court, very few leave a name in the emperor’s heart. If I were Wang Xingyi, I would make a big deal out of this and find a way to advance further. Since Wang Shi could arrange for Dou Ming to marry into the Wei family, she could easily marry you off to someone else. In your marriage, she holds the moral high ground. If you want to resist her, you can only rely on favorable circumstances, but those are the most unpredictable and elusive. You must not be careless and fall into her trap!” He added, “I think you should take the initiative rather than passively respond; that way, you can catch her off guard and make her wary of you!”
His tone was sincere, and a hint of worry showed on his brow, making Dou Zhao feel grateful and appreciative of her uncle and aunt for everything they had done for her.
After a moment of thought, she said, “Let’s talk inside.”
Song Mo readily agreed, “Alright.”
Su Xin was sweating profusely.
What would they say if someone suddenly barged in? Especially since the Fifth Miss had just married the Fourth Miss into the Wei family, and they still didn’t know how to handle it!
But standing in the courtyard and talking would make them more easily discovered.
Choosing the lesser of two evils, Su Xin steeled herself, helped Dou Zhao and Song Mo lift the warm curtain, and brewed a pot of fine Tieguanyin tea to bring inside.
Dou Zhao subtly informed Song Mo about her mother’s death: “…If it weren’t for that, how could I have money to open a shop? You needn’t worry; she can’t touch me. After this incident, she will likely find it hard to establish herself in the Dou family. Although the Dou family won’t dismiss her out of respect, she won’t be able to meddle in family matters anymore.”
As for how much money the Western Dou family had, she kept it modest and didn’t disclose it.
She also didn’t mention the Dou family’s plans.
After all, it was merely a verbal agreement based on mutual benefit. As long as it wasn’t written down, there was a possibility of changes. She couldn’t go around spreading unconfirmed matters; if the situation changed, wouldn’t she be causing trouble?
Song Mo had vaguely sensed that Dou Zhao must have some money she could freely use. He had always thought that money was part of Dou Zhao’s mother’s dowry, but he hadn’t expected it to be this way!
No wonder she had to rely on herself for everything!
Occasionally, he thought of his own experiences and felt that there was probably no one more tragic than himself, only to realize that Dou Zhao’s situation was even worse!
Wang Shi’s relentless efforts to marry her biological daughter to Wei Tingyu must have been due to some private dealings between them.
Song Mo fell into a pensive silence for a moment before quietly saying, “If you don’t marry, that money will be managed by the Eastern Dou family, which will surely attract the envy of others in the Dou family. Even if you stay at home, your future days will likely be far from peaceful. Moreover, what does your father think? He may not want to see you live alone for the rest of your life. If your father insists on you marrying, what will you do? Even if you marry a husband who is honest and lives with you, what if your father, in his old age, has another child? What will you do then? If both your father and uncle pass away, and your brother colludes with the Eastern Dou family to divide the family assets again, even going so far as to take you to court, what will you do?”
A son-in-law would find it difficult to achieve anything in the imperial examinations, which meant Dou Zhao would not receive support from the court.
Just thinking about it made him feel that Dou Zhao’s future was fraught with thorns.
Dou Zhao was well aware of these things!
But she couldn’t just sit back and wait for difficulties to come, could she?
However, compared to the potential hardships ahead, the known pain of marriage was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
Perhaps, that was life.
There was never a perfect time.
You could only choose a suffering you believed you could endure!
Both of them were lost in their thoughts, and the room fell into silence.
It wasn’t until the early-rising maids and matrons began to move outside that they realized the day had already broken.
Song Mo couldn’t help but say, “You should consider what I said carefully.”
His expression was earnest, clearly indicating that he had thought it through deeply, which made Dou Zhao feel she had to take it seriously.
Not to mention that she already had plans to deal with the Dou and Ji families; even if she didn’t, using one lie to cover another would only make things worse, potentially spiraling out of control!
She subtly replied, “Let me handle this matter myself!”
“But…” Song Mo tried to persuade Dou Zhao again, but she felt that arguing over something that hadn’t happened could never yield a right or wrong conclusion. It was better to stop here and let him give up hope.
She bit her lip, succinctly stating, “Your Grace, I cannot marry you!”
“How is that impossible…” Song Mo’s words were cut short, and his expression changed dramatically.
Indeed.
His marriage was not his own to decide.
What right did he have to speak so boldly in front of Dou Zhao?
His face turned pale, and a hint of shame flickered in his eyes.
“I’m sorry!” For the first time, Song Mo apologized for being unable to fulfill his promise, especially in front of Dou Zhao, whom he valued. This made him feel utterly embarrassed. “I thought about it too simply.”
Dou Zhao immediately regretted being too direct.
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” she hurriedly said. “I just feel…” What could she say to make Song Mo feel less hurt? The best way was to speak the truth… After a moment’s hesitation, Dou Zhao made a decision. “You said you wanted to marry me, and I’m very grateful. But given the current situation, I’ve decided not to marry!”
Did she not want to marry him? Or did she not want to marry at all?
The young Song Mo felt extremely sensitive at that moment.
He pondered repeatedly in his heart, for the first time not daring to ask for clarification. He could only nod slightly, smiling faintly, but it couldn’t hide the defeat on his face.
Seeing his expression, Dou Zhao felt a pang of pain and couldn’t help but explain, “Getting married means not only serving a husband and managing concubines but also raising children. However, such things may not necessarily reward hard work. I truly don’t have the confidence to do well, so I’d rather avoid it and selfishly shirk my responsibilities. Seventh Madam arranged for Ming Jie to marry into the Wei family, and I had sensed it early on. It was just a matter of going with the flow, and this opportunity allowed me to avoid marriage without any blame. It’s not that I don’t want to marry you!”
Really?
Song Mo was skeptical.
If he wanted to dismiss someone, he would always first soothe them with kind words.
“I understand!” He suddenly felt a wave of disappointment wash over him, and an uncontrollable sadness surged from his heart. “If you have any matters, just let me know. I’m more familiar with the capital than you, and it’s easier for me to act…” As he gazed at the gradually brightening window, his expression turned indifferent as he stood up to take his leave.
Dou Zhao seemed to see the distant figure of the Jin Yi Wei commander, who kept people at arm’s length.
But looking at Song Mo’s straight back, which felt fragile, she steeled her heart and said nothing.
As Song Mo stepped off the platform, he couldn’t help but turn back.