Dou Shishu, Dou Shiheng, and Dou Shiying sat in silence, forming a triangle.
Dou Shiying now felt a tinge of regret. He wondered if giving Dou Zhao so many banknotes at once might lead to trouble, as his fifth brother had suggested. Could someone target Dou Zhao? Might she be kidnapped? Or perhaps her children could be abducted years later? What if someone deliberately led her son astray?
Before Dou Shishu’s arrival, Dou Shiheng had already scolded Dou Shiying. Seeing Dou Shishu’s reprimands leave Dou Shiying speechless, he decided not to comment further on the matter. What’s done was done. Even if they reclaimed the banknotes, they couldn’t undo the impact. There was no use in overthinking; they’d deal with issues as they arose. He certainly couldn’t side with his fifth brother at this critical moment, lest it encourage him further.
Dou Shishu was at a loss for words. To say Dou Shiying lacked intelligence would be unfair—he was, after all, a distinguished two-time imperial examination graduate with first-rate scholarship, known in the Hanlin Academy as a humble gentleman. Yet, he had done something so unimaginable that it defied common sense.
How could he help rectify the situation? Claim the banknotes were counterfeit? That would only spread more outlandish rumors. His head throbbed with pain.
Seeing this, Dou Shiying hesitantly suggested, “Perhaps I could ask Third Brother to help me sell a few shops and add another 60,000 taels in banknotes for Shou Gu. This way, she wouldn’t bear this reputation for nothing…”
“Silence!” Dou Shishu could no longer maintain his elder brother’s dignity or a minister’s composure. He shouted, “How dare you consider selling our ancestral legacy?!” Suddenly remembering Dou Shiying’s lack of a son, he thought he might understand his brother’s feelings. His expression grew solemn as he continued, “Shou Gu and Ming’er are grown now. The matter of offspring cannot be delayed. Tonight, I’ll discuss with Mother about finding you a proper young lady. This is settled, and your objections are futile! I cannot stand by and watch you squander our family fortune, leaving yourself destitute in your twilight years! I couldn’t face Father, Grandfather, or Great-uncle in the afterlife!”
Dou Shiheng, seeing this as a potential solution to Dou Shiying’s reckless spending, joined Dou Shishu in persuading him: “Seventh Brother, your life has been chaotic these past years. Since Wang Shi returned to Zhending, the Jingan Temple Hutong needs someone to care for your daily needs and manage the household. If you have someone in mind, you can tell Fifth Sister-in-law. As long as the family background is clean and the character upright, we’ll happily welcome her into our home with great fanfare.”
The usually weak-willed Dou Shiying now displayed a reed-like resilience. Lowering his head, he mumbled, “I… I won’t take a concubine. I simply won’t…” He sounded like a child refusing to eat vegetables.
The two brothers exchanged glances, feeling a mix of exasperation and helplessness.
Seeing their resigned expressions, Dou Shiying recalled how his sixth brother had remained silent when the fifth brother criticized him, despite having berated him earlier. His sixth brother had always supported him. This emboldened him, and a long-hidden thought burst forth.
“Why not have Sixth Brother’s son Zhi’er become my adopted heir?” Dou Shiying exclaimed. “After all, Sixth Brother has two sons, and Shou Gu grew up with Sixth Sister-in-law, treating Hui’er and Zhi’er like her own siblings…”
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Dou Shiheng’s face darkened with anger.
Adopting Dou Dechang as Dou Shiying’s heir would mean he might share half of the Western Dou family’s fortune with Dou Zhao and Dou Ming. This was no small sum.
They could tolerate Dou Zhao receiving half of the Western Dou family’s wealth largely because she was Dou Shiying’s eldest legitimate daughter. If the property wasn’t given to her, it wouldn’t concern the Eastern Dou family anyway. Moreover, Zhao Guqiu had practically grown up in the Dou household, and they all bore some responsibility for her death. But now, as fellow descendants of the Eastern Dou family, having his son inherit such a large sum from the Western Dou branch—even if the brothers didn’t envy each other, could their wives remain calm? With Mother still managing the household, occasional dissatisfaction arose among the three branches left by their great-uncle. If his son became the Western Dou heir, the Eastern Dou family might split into two factions!
“I think Fifth Brother is right. Let Mother or First Sister-in-law help you choose a suitable young lady from a respectable family as a concubine,” he said, standing up and glancing at Dou Shishu. “Tomorrow is Shou Gu’s wedding day, and you’ve asked me to oversee the gift room. I should head back now. Regarding the matter of offspring, let’s consider it settled! Don’t waver or entertain wild ideas. Zhi’er is too old to be an adopted heir, and I’m unwilling to let him become one anyway.”
Dou Shishu needed no reminder from Dou Shiheng!
“Your Sixth Brother is right. Zhi’er is a bit too old and unsuitable,” he quickly added. “You’re in your prime; it’s best to properly take a concubine.”
To demonstrate his resolve, Dou Shiheng yanked the door open with a loud “bang,” only to find Dou Zhao poised to knock.
Separated by just a door’s width, he startled, exclaiming, “Shou Gu, why are you here?” Realizing she might have overheard their conversation, his face flushed. He covered his embarrassment, saying, “Shou Gu, did you need something from your father? We’ve finished talking. Tomorrow is the wedding day, and relatives and friends will be arriving. I’ll be here early to help receive guests. You should rest soon, as you’ll need to prepare yourself.” With that, he strode away.
Dou Shishu, naturally unable to discuss concubines in front of his niece, exchanged a few pleasantries with Dou Zhao before also taking his leave.
Only the dejected Dou Shiying remained in the study.
Inexplicably, tears welled up in Dou Zhao’s eyes.
She had overheard the entire argument.
In the past, she had resented her father for not caring about her, for not favoring her.
But both in her previous life and this one, her father had given her far more than she had ever imagined.
Something like a tide washing over a beach swept through Dou Zhao’s heart, smoothing out the furrows and leaving her emotions unprecedentedly settled and calm.
She sat across from her father, propped her elbows on the table, and asked with a smile, “Would you like to play a game of chess with me?”
Dou Shiying’s eyes brightened, then quickly dimmed again. He said softly, “Shou Gu, I took it upon myself to give you a sedan of banknotes as a dowry… Your Fifth Uncle says it might bring you trouble…”
“What’s done is done!” Dou Zhao laughed carelessly. “I’m about to marry into the Duke Ying’s household. Didn’t you say they’re one of the most illustrious families in our dynasty, and that Young Master Song Yantang is exceptionally capable and upright? If they can’t even protect my dowry, how could they live up to their reputation as one of the most prominent families?”
Dou Shiying felt relieved.
His eyes crinkled into a smile.
Shou Gu had always been so considerate.
She could make any difficult situation seem simple.
He rolled up his sleeves and called out to a servant boy with gusto: “Bring us the chess set!”
Dou Zhao smiled, pressing her lips together.
Song Yichun felt as if the four golden ruyi scepters were like four gaping mouths, grinning and mocking him grotesquely.
What on earth had happened?
Wasn’t the Dou family’s fourth young miss supposed to be unloved by both her parents?
How did such a large dowry suddenly appear?
The “压箱钱” (ya xiang qian, money hidden at the bottom of the trunk) was supposed to be quietly brought over, hidden in chests, wasn’t it?
Who would be so brazen as to openly transport it in carrying boxes?
And as if fearing others wouldn’t notice, they even used foot-long pure gold ruyi scepters to weigh down the banknotes…
Why couldn’t there be a strong gust of wind today?
To blow away all these banknotes in the chest, leaving Song Mo to chase after them, crying and shouting, unable to catch up! Let Song Mo feel the pain and anguish for once!
He couldn’t help but glance at Tao Qizhong.
Tao Qizhong’s face was full of bewilderment, clearly unaware of what had transpired.
Meanwhile, Song Mo’s heart was indeed aching, just as Song Yichun had hoped.
This father-in-law of his… truly couldn’t be judged by appearances!
To think he could do something like this.
Was he afraid Song Mo would mistreat Dou Zhao, intentionally giving the Song family a warning? Or did he have so much money that he was no longer on the same level as them, viewing 40,000 taels as they would 400 or 4,000?
It was foreseeable that the capital would be abuzz with discussions about his marriage for a long time to come, and for an even longer period afterward, most of his manpower would likely be devoted to preventing theft.
Song Mo glanced at the wedding guests, their emotions running high from the sight of the banknotes, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Yan Chaoqing approached silently and whispered, “Young Master, what should we do?”
“What should we do?” Song Mo saw that Liao Bifeng still seemed somewhat dazed. He sighed and said, “We’ll do what needs to be done! Are you suggesting that our Duke Ying’s household can’t even protect these 40,000 taels of silver?”
Only then did Yan Chaoqing regain his composure.
It wasn’t that he had never seen so many banknotes before. When he served under the Duke of Dinguo, he was in charge of internal affairs and had even seen a million taels of silver in military pay. But the Dou family had been scholars for generations, and such a high-profile act was far beyond his expectations.
Yan Chaoqing quickly called Xia Lian over: “Station people here to guard this. Be careful not to let anything go missing, lest we become a laughingstock!”
According to custom, the bride’s dowry was to be displayed in the courtyard of the new couple’s quarters for viewing.
Xia Lian respectfully acknowledged the order.
Song Mo turned and headed for the study.
He recalled the spectacle of everyone’s expressions earlier.
Especially his father’s, mouth agape as if he’d seen a ghost, forced to squeeze out a smile worse than crying when faced with others’ envious congratulations. Song Mo’s mood inexplicably lightened.
He and Dou Zhao hadn’t even held their wedding ceremony yet, and already such an interesting event had occurred.
Perhaps there would be even more surprises waiting for him in the future!
Thinking of this, Song Mo couldn’t help but smile.
Regardless of the strange atmosphere in the Song household or the heavy mood in the Dou family, the day of Dou Zhao’s wedding arrived as scheduled.
Just as dawn broke, Gao Sheng, who had been busy nearly all night, instructed the servants to open the main gate.
The tea room, pastry kitchen, gift room, and accounting office quickly bustled with activity.
Dou Zhao was roused by Su Lan: “Young Miss, Young Miss, please wake up. It’s already the Hour of the Rabbit.”
She yawned and replied unhurriedly, “The auspicious time is set for the beginning of the Hour of the Dog. Why are you in such a rush? Washing up and dressing will take at most two hours. We can deal with it after lunch.”
The retired palace maid invited to do her hair, who had previously served noble ladies in the palace, had been brought over early by the Dou family’s sedan. Hearing this, she smiled and said, “I’ve done the hair of so many brides, but I’ve never met one as composed as you, Young Miss. No wonder you’re marrying into Duke Ying’s household. It’s clear you’re born with good fortune and destined for nobility!” Her eyes, however, couldn’t help but scan Dou Zhao’s person.
It seemed the sedan of banknotes had made quite an impact!
The news certainly traveled fast!
Dou Zhao remained impassive, instructing someone to reward the hairdresser with two high-quality red envelopes. She lay in bed reading for a while before finally rising to dress.