Dou Zhao couldn’t know what Uncle had discussed with Grandfather, but when Uncle returned, his expression was extremely grim.
“Ruifu,” Aunt greeted him anxiously, “What did Father-in-law say?”
“What good could he possibly say?” Uncle sneered. His gaze swept across the heated kang bed, where he spotted Dou Zhao sitting at the end, holding a fluffy ball and looking at him curiously with her bright, star-like eyes. A pang shot through his heart. Remembering that Dou Duo was his niece’s grandfather and Dou Shiying her father, he swallowed the resentful words that had reached the tip of his tongue. Worried his expression might frighten Dou Zhao, he forced a smile and asked his wife gently, “Have the children had their midday meal?”
“They have,” Aunt replied. She followed Uncle’s gaze and glanced back at Dou Zhao, her eyes instantly brimming with tears. “This child… it’s as if she knows her mother is gone. She doesn’t cry or fuss. She eats whatever I feed her… She used to be so picky… Who knows how much she’ll suffer from now on?”
Uncle lowered his head sorrowfully and said, “I wanted to discuss this matter with you…”
“Just tell me,” Aunt said, taking out a handkerchief to dab her eyes. “When I married into the family, Guqiu was only five… On our wedding night, she insisted on sleeping with me, saying she liked me as her sister… I raised her until she was sixteen, then personally sent her off to marry into the Dou family. She’s my sister-in-law, but she’s more like my daughter… You don’t need to consult me about her affairs. Whatever you decide, I won’t say a word against it.”
“Xiaohe!” Uncle gratefully grasped Aunt’s hand. “You’ve endured so much these past years!”
“We’re husband and wife,” Aunt said, her ears turning red. “There’s no need to say such things.” Somewhat embarrassed, she sat on the kang and placed Dou Zhao on her lap. She coaxed the child, “Your cousins have all gone for their afternoon nap. Would you like to take a nap too? If you sleep now, you’ll have the energy to play with your cousins later. Don’t you want to play with them?”
Dou Zhao had been waiting for Uncle’s return. Now that he had something to discuss with Aunt, she thought that if she pretended to sleep, they would speak more freely.
Dou Zhao nodded slightly and yawned.
Aunt helped her remove her outer jacket, wrapped her in a blanket, and held her in her arms, gently patting her. She then called her maid to bring hot tea for Uncle and instructed, “Your master and I need to talk. Keep watch outside.”
The maid acknowledged and left.
Uncle sat beside Aunt on the kang and said, “I want to bring Shou’gu to live with us permanently.”
Dou Zhao, with her eyes closed, perked up her ears.
Aunt raised no objections, saying, “With Shou’gu here, she can keep Zhangru company.”
A glimmer of appreciation flashed in Uncle’s eyes. He pondered for a moment before asking, “You mentioned before that Shou’gu was betrothed to Sister Tian’s son. Is there an engagement token?”
“Yes,” Aunt replied, still patting Dou Zhao. “It’s a white jade bracelet that was part of Sister Tian’s dowry when she married.”
“Guqiu has just passed away, so the Dou family probably hasn’t had time to sort through her belongings yet,” Uncle said in a low voice. “Guqiu’s things were always managed by Nanny Yu. Send one of your trusted maids to quietly find Nanny Yu and secure Shou’gu’s engagement token.”
Although surprised, Aunt didn’t question him. She called in a maid and gave her instructions.
Uncle explained, “Now that Guqiu is gone, and Shou’gu’s engagement to the Wei family hasn’t been formally confirmed with a betrothal gift, there might be some complications. I think that Dou Shiying is a fool. If a woman so much as looks at him, he loses all sense of direction…” Speaking of the father, Uncle became agitated. “He doesn’t even know his capabilities. Expecting him to make decisions for Shou’gu is less likely than hoping for his early demise! If he were to die, at least we could legitimately intervene in Shou’gu’s affairs…”
“Lower your voice!” Aunt hurriedly cautioned. “You’ll wake the child.”
Uncle leaned over to check on Dou Zhao. Seeing her eyes closed, he sighed in relief and continued more calmly, “If Shou’gu finds a good match in the future, we won’t need to bring this up. But if there’s no suitable prospect, having this token in hand might make it difficult for the Wei family to back out if they try to renege on the engagement.”
Dou Zhao’s eyes stung.
With her mother gone, she had become a “motherless eldest daughter,” considered undesirable for marriage by respectable families.
Uncle had thought of everything for her…
Suddenly, she remembered.
When her mother and mother-in-law exchanged tokens, she thought it was a dream and paid no attention. In her previous life, she had never seen any engagement token before her wedding. It was on her wedding night that Wei Tingyu presented a jade pendant and a pair of bracelets, claiming they were the engagement tokens from years ago. She had assumed her father had given them to the Wei family.
Could it be that in her previous life, this jade bracelet had been in Uncle’s possession?
Her heart began to race.
She heard Uncle’s voice, tinged with an apology: “Xiaohe, I’m thinking of selling all the ancestral property except for the thirty mu of ceremonial land.”
“Ah!” Aunt exclaimed. “Why sell the ancestral property?”
Dou Zhao was also startled and squinted to observe Uncle.
Uncle lowered his gaze and said softly, “Xiaohe, you were once a pampered young lady who never had to lift a finger. But since marrying me, you’ve had to care for a bedridden mother-in-law, raise a young sister-in-law, bear and raise our children, manage the household, and even oversee the fields during busy farming seasons… You’ve shouldered everything, inside and out… I remember it all… I had hoped to study hard and earn an official position, to win you a phoenix crown and cloudy mantle, to let you hold your head high for once… But with what’s happened to Guqiu, I can’t pursue my career at the expense of my only sister… One can’t enter the Hanlin Academy without being a Jinshi, and one can’t enter the cabinet without being in the Hanlin Academy… I’ve let you down…”
“No, no,” Aunt hurriedly replied, her eyes reddening. “You’ve treated me very well. I know after I gave birth to Zhangru, my mother feared you might resent me. She specially arranged for a pretty young girl to be brought from Jiangnan for you, but you said we couldn’t afford it and refused to take her…”
Uncle looked flustered, as if a lie had been exposed. He said firmly, “We really couldn’t afford it!”
The aunt laughed openly and gently agreed with Uncle: “Yes, we couldn’t afford it.” Yet tears were streaming down her face.
Dou Zhao’s tears nearly fell as well.
The elegant and handsome Uncle standing beside the middle-aged, plump Aunt looked more like siblings than a married couple, with at least a five-year age gap.
Yet Uncle had never forgotten his roots, always remembering Aunt’s kindness, never willing to let her be hurt.
“Why bring this up? Biru and the others are my flesh and blood after all,” Uncle said uncomfortably, tossing a handkerchief to Aunt. “Quickly, wipe your tears.”
Aunt smiled as she wiped her tears.
Uncle continued, “I’m thinking of going to the capital to make some arrangements and try to secure an official post. Then we can take Shou’gu with us to our new post.” His tone turned bitter. “However, I’ve calculated that even if we sell all the ancestral fields, it might not be enough… Could you,” Uncle’s voice gradually lowered, his face showing a mix of shame and guilt, not daring to look at Aunt, “lend me your dowry… Once I have some funds, I’ll repay you immediately…”
“What are you saying!” Aunt chided. “What’s mine is yours! When my parents gave me such a large dowry, wasn’t it so we could live well? As long as we live well, the dowry has served its purpose. What’s there to hold back? If you don’t ask me for help in such important matters, I’d think you don’t consider us one.”
Dou Zhao began to cry.
“Shou’gu, Shou’gu, what’s wrong?” Aunt anxiously picked her up. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?”
Dou Zhao buried her face in Aunt’s shoulder and began to sob uncontrollably.
In her previous life, after her mother’s death, Uncle had been powerless against the Dou family. He had endured his grief to take the imperial examinations, then used Aunt’s dowry to secure an official post, intending to take her to his new post. But she had bitten Aunt in front of the Dou family members and shouted that she wouldn’t go with Aunt… Uncle had already let Aunt down for his sister’s sake. If he obtained an official post but didn’t take it up, he would lose his position, further disappointing Aunt who had sacrificed so much for him… Moreover, with the Zhao family’s property sold, they had no choice but to leave.
Who was it?
Who had instigated her to bite Aunt?
Although she had lost her mother, her father and grandfather were still alive. If she had strongly expressed her unwillingness to go to Uncle’s home, Uncle would have been helpless.
And in that situation, her resistance was like a harsh slap to both Uncle and Aunt!
Dou Zhao straightened up and stopped crying, and her tear-stained little face was filled with determination.
She had to find out who that person was!
Uncle, as expected, obtained the white jade bracelet. He handed it to Aunt for safekeeping: “…I’ll set out after Guqiu’s seven-seven mourning period. Get everything ready at home. As soon as I have news from there, use the excuse of inviting Shou’gu to stay with us for a few days, then take her with you to our new post. When she comes of age, we’ll send her back to the Dou family for marriage.” He added, “Don’t tell Mother-in-law and Brother-in-law yet. Visit them before we leave, and we’ll write a letter of apology to the elders once we’re settled.”
Aunt didn’t hesitate: “I’ll start arranging things at home in the next couple of days.”
The maid standing guard outside coughed loudly and announced, “Third Young Master, Sixth Young Master!”
Aunt said in a low voice, “You go take care of your business. I’ll look after Shou’gu.”
Uncle nodded slightly and left, lifting the curtain.
Aunt helped Dou Zhao comb her hair and smiled, “Shou’gu, would you like to stay with Aunt from now on?”
Her expression was relaxed, and her tone carried a hint of joy. It was clear that she not only had no reservations about Uncle’s arrangements but was quite pleased.
Aunt is such a good woman!
Dou Zhao’s eyes curved into crescents, her smile as sweet as sugar.
Aunt kissed her.
Zhao Zhangru came running in, her footsteps pattering: “Shou’gu, Shou’gu, I found an ant nest under the osmanthus tree in your yard. Let’s go watch the ants move things!”
Zhao Biru walked in sedately, holding back her sister: “Auntie is gone. You shouldn’t run around. Shou’gu still needs to go to the mourning hall to offer incense to Auntie.”
Zhao Zhangru, not understanding these matters, blinked her big eyes and asked her mother, “Where did Auntie go?”
Aunt stroked her daughter’s head, saying with some sadness, “Auntie went to the South Sea.”
“Oh!” Zhao Zhangru understood. “So Auntie went to see the Bodhisattva.”
Zhao Biru turned her face away.
Aunt put Dou Zhao down on the floor and gently instructed her, “Go play in the courtyard with your cousins for a while!”
“Hurry, hurry!” Zhao Zhangru took Dou Zhao’s hand and ran outside.