Wei Tingyu forced a smile and addressed Song Mo as “Brother-in-law.”
He couldn’t bring himself to call him “Elder Brother.”
Song Mo smiled gently, appearing humble.
Dou Shiying was pleased. Both sons-in-law came from distinguished backgrounds, yet they greeted each other with the etiquette befitting wife’s relatives. This showed respect not only for his daughter but also for the Dou family.
Since the Dou family ancestral hall wasn’t in the capital, he led Song Mo and Dou Zhao to the main hall to pay respects to the Dou ancestors’ portraits, offer incense, and formally announce the joyous occasion. Afterward, he brought them back to the flower hall to kowtow to Dou Shizu and others, officially beginning the family introductions.
Perhaps considering that Duke Ying’s household was of high status, where rare books were more valuable than gold and silver, Dou Shizu’s welcoming gift was a previous dynasty’s printed copy of “Spring and Autumn Annals.” Dou Shiheng’s gift was a set of “Four Books with Annotations.” The elder brothers Dou Wenchang and Dou Bochang offered various scholarly items such as ink collections, fine paper, jade brush washers, and enamel ink warmers.
Dou Zhao smiled discreetly.
Song Mo, noticing no one was paying attention, whispered to Dou Zhao, “What are you smiling about?”
Dou Zhao glanced at Chen He, who was dutifully holding the gifts nearby, and softly replied, “You could go take the imperial examinations now!”
Song Mo, looking at the scholarly treasures, couldn’t help but smile.
After meeting the elders and those senior to them, it was time to greet their peers and juniors.
Wei Tingyu fingered the red envelope in his sleeve, unsure whether to present it or not. By custom, although Song Mo was his brother-in-law, Wei Tingyu had married first. Giving Song Mo a welcoming gift now would be proper etiquette, but not giving one could also be justified, though it might seem a bit timid and petty. However, the Dou family had just given gifts that couldn’t be easily valued in money, and his red envelope with 200 taels of silver might seem vulgar in comparison.
While he hesitated, Song Mo smiled and bowed slightly to Wei Tingyu, taking out a red envelope and handing it to him.
Wei Tingyu, glancing at the younger children lined up behind him, flushed red and was about to refuse when Song Mo firmly pressed the envelope into his hand, saying, “We’re not strangers. Take it!” His tone reminded Wei Tingyu of when Song Mo had previously encouraged him to join Gu Yu in the river engineering business for a share of the profits.
He was momentarily stunned.
Song Mo had already bent down to pat the head of Dou Jichang’s eldest son, Dou Qiren, giving him a red envelope.
Dou Qiren loudly thanked his “Fourth Uncle,” his joy evident, making Song Mo smile even more.
Dou Jichang’s second son, Dou Qifu, didn’t wait for Song Mo to take out an envelope before exclaiming, “Fourth Uncle, me too, me too!” His chubby little hand nearly reached Song Mo’s face.
“Of course, I remember Qifu!” Song Mo chuckled, taking out another envelope for him.
Dou Qifu cheered, took the envelope, and ran towards the west hall, shouting, “I got a red envelope!”
Dou Pingyuan, Dou Bochang’s daughter, hearing this, toddled over on her plump little legs and tugged at Song Mo’s robe, saying, “Fourth Uncle, you haven’t given me a red envelope yet!”
Her soft voice and blinking big eyes melted Song Mo’s heart.
“Alright, alright,” Song Mo smiled, picking up Dou Pingyuan and giving her two red envelopes.
Dou Pingyuan giggled, proudly waving her envelopes at Dou Qiren and Dou Qifu.
The two boys hugged Song Mo’s legs, one on each side, shouting “Fourth Uncle” and “I want two as well!”
The Dou family members looked embarrassed, and the children’s nurses couldn’t lift their heads, hurrying forward to console the children.
Song Mo, however, stopped the nurses with a smile. “It’s just for fun, no need to be so formal.” He then took out two more envelopes for Dou Qiren and Dou Qifu.
The boys cheered loudly.
Dou Pingyuan pouted, “I want one more too!”
Surprisingly, Song Mo gave her another one.
Dou Pingyuan beamed with joy, while Dou Qiren and Dou Qifu looked dumbfounded.
The Fifth Madam, red-faced, glared at her two daughters-in-law.
Guo Shi startled, quickly picked up Dou Pingyuan, smiling as she instructed her, “Quickly thank Fourth Uncle!”
“Thank you, Fourth Uncle!” Dou Pingyuan said in her childish voice, then added sweetly, “Fourth Uncle, come play at our house during New Year’s. I’ll ask Grandfather to write spring couplets for you!”
She had grown up seeing many people unsuccessfully seeking spring couplets from Dou Shizu, believing them to be the best things in the world. Her words made even Dou Shizu uncomfortable, and he stood up, bowing to Song Mo, “How embarrassing, how embarrassing!”
Song Mo, however, smiled and said, “Given Pingyuan’s sincere invitation, Fifth Uncle, you can’t refuse when the time comes!”
Dou Shizu was surprised by Song Mo’s easy-going manner, then smiled and humbly replied, “As long as the Young Master doesn’t mind!”
Song Mo laughed, “I’ve long heard that Fifth Uncle’s calligraphy is elegant and refined, but never had the chance to see it. Thanks to Pingyuan’s good fortune, I can now ask Fifth Uncle for a pair of spring couplets. How could I possibly ‘mind’?”
As Dou Shizu was about to be modest again, Dou Shiheng impatiently interjected, “We’re family, why to be so polite? If you want to ask Fifth Brother for some calligraphy or paintings, just come over and say so. But remember, half of Fifth Brother’s skill comes from his diligence in his youth, and half from his current position as a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. Don’t get your hopes up too high!”
This comment made everyone chuckle, and Dou Shizu shook his head, sighing with a smile, “How can family undermine each other like this?” He then began chatting with Song Mo, “I heard from some senior scholars at the Hanlin Academy that your calligraphy is quite good. The Emperor even had you copy Buddhist scriptures for him. Who was your teacher? What books have you studied?”
“I studied under the Loyal and Resolute Duke,” Song Mo said seriously. “I read the ‘Spring and Autumn Annals’ with him.”
The vast sea of classical texts and the Four Books and Five Classics would take a lifetime to master. Even scholars preparing for the imperial examinations couldn’t be familiar with all of them, usually choosing one as their main focus. The Loyal and Resolute Duke was a renowned scholar of the classics in their time, tutor to several princes, and had passed away three years ago, receiving the posthumous title “Loyal and Resolute.”
“It seems I chose the right gift with the ‘Spring and Autumn Annals,'” Dou Shizu stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze on Song Mo changing subtly as if he had found a kindred spirit.
Dou Shiheng’s expression also changed slightly as he said, “The ‘Spring and Autumn Annals’ are long and difficult to remember. Nowadays, people rushing to pass the examinations rarely have the patience to read them. I didn’t expect you’d be willing to study them.”
He had also studied the “Spring and Autumn Annals.”
Song Mo smiled, “I don’t need to take the examinations, so I can read at my leisure.”
Dou Shiheng nodded approvingly, “That’s already quite admirable.” He put his arm around Song Mo’s shoulders, looking as if he wanted to sit down for a long chat.
Ji shi, seeing this, couldn’t help but laugh and said, “My lord, whatever you want to discuss, you can invite the Young Master over another day. Today, let’s have the Young Master meet the Fifth Sister-in-law and the other nephews’ wives first.”
Dou Shiheng laughed heartily, patting his head and saying, “Look at my memory,” while taking the initiative to introduce Song Mo to the Fifth Madam.
Thanks to the children’s playful interruption, everyone stood together smiling, the atmosphere less solemn than when they first entered, and more festive and lively.
After Dou Zhao and Song Mo kowtowed to the Fifth Madam, she helped Dou Zhao up and handed her a red-lacquered, gold-decorated box, saying with a smile, “It’s a pair of jade hairpins, wishing you mutual respect and a long life together.”
Compared to their earlier greetings with Dou Shizu and others, the atmosphere was now warmer and friendlier.
Song Mo and Dou Zhao quickly thanked the Fifth Madam, then turned to kowtow to the Sixth Madam.
Ji Shi’s welcoming gift was a pair of enamel pocket watches.
“How beautiful!” Dou Zhao was delighted and thanked her repeatedly.
Ji Shi smiled without saying anything, just helping Dou Zhao adjust her collar before stepping aside.
The maternal aunt carefully looked Song Mo over and gave them a pair of small jade ruyi as a welcoming gift.
Dou Ming’s eyes reddened at the sight.
She remembered her three-day return visit when Dou Shizu’s seemingly warm but inherently indifferent arrogance showed through; she recalled the red envelopes with 100 taels of silver that Dou Shizu and the other elders had given to Wei Tingyu and herself as a reward…
They were both married daughters, so why treat her and Dou Zhao so differently?
She glanced at Wei Tingyu.
Wei Tingyu stood in a corner, smiling somewhat awkwardly.
Dou Ming bit her lip hard.
She called Song Mo “Brother-in-law” and asked coquettishly, “What welcoming gift have you and Sister prepared for me?”
Song Mo, who was in the middle of greeting Zhao Zhangru, smiled and handed her a red envelope, then turned to tease Dou Pingyuan, “Pingyuan got my red envelope but hasn’t paid her respects yet!”
Dou Pingyuan covered her mouth and giggled, then respectfully bowed to Song Mo and Dou Zhao.
Gaosheng hurried over to invite everyone to the east hall for the feast: “The food and wine are ready!”
Everyone went to the east hall, laughing.
No one paid attention to Dou Ming.
Dou Ming sneered and squeezed in to sit next to Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao pretended not to notice and calmly answered the Fifth Madam’s questions: “…Yizhi Hall is beautiful, and the Young Master has always lived there. If we were to move, it would be a complex process that might take two or three months. It’s better to just stay in Yizhi Hall.”
The Fifth Madam nodded, “That’s fine. Your father-in-law is in his prime; he might remarry any day. Living in Yizhi Hall, you’ll be far from her, which will be more peaceful.”
Ji shi, noticing Dou Ming eavesdropping, smiled and poured wine for the Fifth Madam, saying, “No matter how large the inner courtyard of Duke Ying’s mansion is, can it be bigger than West Dou? If Shou Gu can manage West Dou’s household, surely she can manage Duke Ying’s household. Even if she’s unsure about something, doesn’t she have you to turn to? Don’t worry about her! She’s living well!” She interrupted the Fifth Madam’s words and then asked a maid to check on the remaining dishes, changing the subject to Spring Fragrance Pavilion’s dried fruits. The Fifth Madam then mentioned the candied tangerines at the feast: “Their candied tangerines are delicious, I wonder how they make them?”
Ji Shi smiled and said, “I think the Fujian tangerine cakes taste better.”
She had successfully changed the topic.
Dou Ming knew Ji Shi was guarding against her. She lightly kicked Han Shi and joked in a low voice, “Your mother-in-law seems quite difficult to please!”
Han Shi quietly moved away, creating an inconspicuous distance from Dou Ming, and softly replied with a smile, “My mother-in-law is quite nice! It’s just that the Ji family is particular about their food being exquisite and finely prepared!”
She used to sympathize with Dou Ming for not having elders who cared for her, but since the incident of the sisters’ marriage swap, she realized she had been too naive before, thinking some things were simpler than they were.