Dou Zhao felt she had done something foolish and was in low spirits.
However, Tao Qizhong’s mood was even more dejected than hers.
He had left the capital on August 25th, traveling day and night. After just four days of swift journey, he arrived in Zhending.
Upon entering the city, he sat down in a teahouse and inquired about the Dou family of Zhending: “…I mean the family of the current Minister of Justice and Grand Secretary of Wenhua Hall, Duke Dou Yuanji!”
The tea master glanced at Tao Qizhong, who was dressed as a scholar. While skillfully brewing tea, he smiled and said, “You’re not from around here, are you, sir? Who in Zhending doesn’t know about the Dou family of North Tower? Our teahouse owner married the daughter of a Dou family steward, and my ancestors once sold cotton to the Dou family. You’ve certainly asked the right person!”
Only then did Tao Qizhong truly sense how deeply rooted the Dou family was in Zhending.
He smiled and said, “I’m from Jiangnan. I’ve been teaching in the capital for many years, but now that I’m getting on in years, I’ve resigned and am returning home. A while back, I saw the Dou family marrying off their daughter in the capital. The ten-mile-long wedding procession was even grander than those in Jiangnan. That’s why I’m curious.”
The tea master laughed and said, “You must be talking about the Dou family’s Fourth Miss? She’s been betrothed to the Marquis of Jining in the capital since childhood. But the old Marquis passed away, so Fourth Miss observed three years of mourning. Last year, the Madame personally escorted her to the capital. By my reckoning, the Dou family’s Fourth Miss should be married by now.”
It seemed that news of the Dou sisters’ marriage swap hadn’t reached Zhending yet. Or perhaps the Dou family already knew but, unsure how to explain it to their neighbors, had chosen to remain silent.
As Tao Qizhong was about to inquire about Dou Zhao, he overheard someone nearby say, “It’s a pity the Second Madame isn’t home. Otherwise, when the Fourth Miss got married, the capital would surely have sent someone to deliver the good news. The Dou family would have held a banquet, set up a stage for opera performances, and given out red envelopes. We could have joined in the festivities!”
Accompanying Tao Qizhong was one of his attendants, a confidant who naturally knew why Tao Qizhong had come. Seeing that Tao Qizhong could barely conceal his surprise, the attendant thought for a moment and smiled, “The Dou family must be wealthy. No wonder they were so extravagant. I heard there was even a chest of banknotes in the dowry!”
His words were like water droplets falling into hot oil, causing an explosion of chatter.
“A chest of banknotes? Why would they include that in the dowry? The Dou family isn’t nouveau riche!” someone exclaimed in surprise. “Sir, what’s this all about?”
Everyone in the teahouse, locals and visitors alike, turned to look at Tao Qizhong.
Tao Qizhong then recounted the details of the dowry.
Some expressed envy, others sighed, and a few spoke with a hint of sourness: “The Dou family has plenty of silver. What’s a chest of banknotes to them? Years ago, when Duke Yao Cheng of the Dou family hosted the Salt Commissioner who was passing through Zhending on his way to Huai’an, he not only invited opera troupes from the capital to perform but also lit over a thousand glass lotus lanterns in the water pavilion. The reflection of the starry sky above made it hard to tell if one was in the mortal world or heaven. Now that was truly grand…”
Someone scoffed, “How long ago was that? If you want to talk about grandeur, I think the coming-of-age ceremony for the Dou family’s Fourth Miss a couple of years ago was the real spectacle! Not only did the Dou family’s female relatives from the capital attend, along with the Zhao family’s aunt who had followed her husband to his post in the Northwest, but even in-laws like the Ji family from Yixing in Jiangnan, and the wives of local gentry like Master Lu came to offer their congratulations. Even the managers of the Dou family’s various shops, the heads of their estates, and all the neighbors came to celebrate Fourth Miss’s coming of age. The entire North Zhili was stirred up. That’s not something money alone can achieve!”
These words set off a flurry of discussions, with no one voicing any objection.
Tao Qizhong drew in a sharp breath and asked, “Why did everyone come to celebrate the Fourth Miss’s coming of age?”
A gossip enthusiast laughed loudly and explained, “The Dou family’s female relatives from the capital all returned because the Dou family’s Seventh Master holds an official position in the capital. Fourth Miss stayed at home to fulfill filial duties on behalf of her father, serving Seventh Master’s birth mother, Madam Cui. The Dou family elders wanted to comfort Fourth Miss! As for Master Zhao, Fourth Miss is his only niece, and he cherishes her like a pearl in his palm.
Although the Zhao family has followed Master Zhao to the Northwest, Madam Zhao returns every few years to check on Fourth Miss. She fears that without her birth mother, Fourth Miss might be mistreated. Of course, she had to return for Fourth Miss’s coming of age.
As for ladies like Madam Lu, they saw how much the Second Madame valued the Fourth Miss and came to add their blessings. As for the shop managers and estate heads… Fourth Miss not only manages the household of West Dou but also, with the support of the Dou family’s Third Master, handles West Dou’s miscellaneous affairs. How could they not attend Fourth Miss’s coming-of-age ceremony?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the person who had scoffed earlier said, “Your words are somewhat biased. The Fourth Miss of the Dou family is known for her kindness throughout Zhending. Who doesn’t know about her? A few years ago, when there was a lawsuit involving another martial arts school on East Alley Street, if it weren’t for Fourth Miss, how could Master Bie have cleared his name? The Bie sisters are still under Fourth Miss’s protection to this day! That year when Zhending experienced heavy rains, if Fourth Miss hadn’t waived the rent for some of the Dou family’s estates, how many families would have been unable to make ends meet and forced to sell their children? How can you say that those managers and estate heads came to congratulate Fourth Miss on her coming of age just to curry favor?”
His words immediately gained the approval of most people in the teahouse, who began to murmur criticisms at the one who had spoken loudly earlier.
That person looked embarrassed and lowered his head to drink his tea.
This scene resonated like thunder in Tao Qizhong’s mind. His heart felt as heavy as if a large stone were pressing down on it, and he could no longer maintain a polite smile on his face.
Was this the same Fourth Miss of the Dou family he knew? The one who grew up in the countryside, who was dull, stubborn, disliked, and without support?
Were they talking about the same person?
Tao Qizhong couldn’t help but ask, “Wasn’t it said that the Fourth Miss of the Dou family was disliked by her stepmother and thus left in Zhending to be raised by Seventh Master’s birth mother, who was originally a concubine?”
Someone in the teahouse chuckled and said, “Sir, are you from Lingbi County? Don’t listen to the nonsense from the Pang family. That Wang woman was just a promoted concubine. Although she’s the daughter of Wang Yousheng, Wang was down on his luck those years and couldn’t properly educate his children. This Wang woman lacked a proper upbringing, and even after being promoted, she was still uncouth.
The household affairs could only be sorted out with Fourth Miss’s intervention. How old was Fourth Miss then? How could a common woman like Wang tolerate her? Ironically, Fourth Miss, having received proper family education, didn’t want to stoop to Wang’s level and requested to study under the Sixth Madam of East Dou, rarely returning to West Dou. This is also why the Ji family sent people to congratulate Fourth Miss on her coming of age – the Sixth Madam treated Fourth Miss like her own daughter, so the Ji family regarded Fourth Miss as their niece.
Wang had calculated everything, but she never expected that by pushing Fourth Miss out, she would gain more familial connections. As for the Ji family from Yixing, they’re no ordinary family. They’ve produced two imperial tutors, and currently have seven or eight jinshi degree holders serving as officials in the capital. How could the Wang family, with their commoner status, compare? This truly shows that man’s calculations are no match for heaven’s plans, and it serves Wang right for not being able to bear a son.”
The last sentence was spoken with particular venom, startling Tao Qizhong. He carefully observed the speaker while pondering about the Ji family from Yixing.
In his impression, the Ji family only had six people who had entered official service.
Although this person’s words were somewhat exaggerated, they weren’t entirely fabricated.
Could it be that he had made a mistake?
The thought that had been lingering in the back of his mind for days suddenly emerged, causing Tao Qizhong’s heart to tremble. Song Mo’s image suddenly appeared in his mind…
Could it be…
No, no, no!
Impossible!
If this matter was related to the Young Master, how did the Young Master come to know the Fourth Miss of the Dou family?
But if it had nothing to do with the Young Master, why would the Dou family stage this sister-swapping marriage for no reason?
Tao Qizhong’s mind was in chaos.
He overheard someone whispering nearby: “The one cursing Wang, isn’t that the steward from the Lang family?”
“It’s the companion of the Fifteenth Madam of the Lang family.”
“I see!”
“Have you heard? The Pang family pawnshop recently accepted a purple-gold laughing Buddha statue, but it turned out to be fake! The Pang family lost over 800 taels of silver and went to the county yamen to complain, saying they were deceived by the Fifteenth Madam of the Lang family.”
Everyone giggled, their expressions carrying a hint of “you know what I mean” ambiguity.
“Their appraiser made a mistake, who can they blame?” someone said. “What did the County Magistrate say?”
“What could the County Magistrate say?” the person laughed. “The money and goods were checked in person at the time. If they couldn’t spot the fake then, how can they cry foul now? Even if it wasn’t a young master who’s now a juren, even for a commoner family, there’s no justification for arresting someone and bringing them to court. The Pang family is just living off the Wang family’s connections. Do they think they own the Zhending County yamen?”
Someone questioned, “Could there be a mistake? Running to the County Magistrate over 800 taels of silver?”
“Why would I lie to you? The Pang family isn’t what it used to be. Ever since that Pang Kunbai was mistaken for a bandit and crippled by Fourth Miss’s bodyguard, the Pang family seems to have hit a streak of bad luck. Every business venture loses money, and each year is worse than the last. Otherwise, with the Pang family’s old master still around, why would the three Pang brothers be arguing about dividing the family property?”
“Have you heard?” someone else whispered. “I heard that the Pang family’s aunt is tired of them always causing her trouble. She’s said that the Pang family is the Pang family, and she is herself. From now on, the Pang family shouldn’t drag her into their affairs…”
Everyone whispered among themselves.
Tao Qizhong’s mind went blank.
The Pang family and the Wang family were in-laws, yet they were mistaken for bandits by Fourth Miss’s bodyguard and beaten to the point of paralysis… Could such a misunderstanding happen?
He couldn’t help but shudder. Coming to his senses, he quickly signaled his attendant to pay the bill, and they quietly left the teahouse.
A gust of cold wind blew, carrying withered yellow leaves that hit his feet. He instinctively tucked his hands into his sleeves.
This Zhending County wasn’t owned by the Dou family. He refused to believe he couldn’t find out what kind of person this Fourth Miss of the Dou family was.
Unwilling to give up, Tao Qizhong aimlessly wandered the streets with his attendant. He spotted a general store that also sold tea, with a woman in her fifties, looking somewhat harsh-faced, sitting at the counter and idly cracking melon seeds.
After some thought, he went in, tossed two taels of silver, and ordered two cups of scented tea.
The old woman, realizing she had a big customer, her eyes lit up. She eagerly brought over two pieces of cake and a small plate of melon seeds.
Tao Qizhong asked her, “Do you know which way to the home of the current Minister of Justice and Grand Secretary of Wenhua Hall, Duke Dou?”
The old woman chuckled upon hearing this, looking at Tao Qizhong as if he were a piece of fat meat. She said, “You must be here to deliver gifts to the Dou family, aren’t you, sir? It’s a pity the Second Madame isn’t home. The one in charge now is the Dou family’s Third Master. Let me tell you, there’s nothing about Zhending County that I don’t know…”
Tao Qizhong slipped her a few pieces of silver, weighing about three or four taels in total.