Fan Wenshu, the head manager of the Dou family’s ink shop, sensed that his fortunes were about to change.
Initially, he had been promoted to the second manager of Jifen Pavilion, and everyone praised his bright future. However, out of the blue, the third master of the Dou family suddenly assigned him to assist the fourth young lady of the Dou family in managing a small ink shop.
Those who knew this assignment recognized it as a sign of the third master’s regard for him, and while they congratulated him, they also felt pity for his situation. Those unaware of the circumstances might have thought he had committed some offense, as they either displayed expressions of schadenfreude or hesitated to speak, which left him feeling quite frustrated for several years.
But now, with the fourth young lady of the Dou family marrying the heir of Duke Ying’s household, he stood tall and proud.
That was the Duke Ying’s household! A prestigious family with a long-standing royal favor! He was managing the estate of Duke Ying’s daughter-in-law! If he performed well, once the fourth young lady gave birth to a legitimate son, he might even become the steward of Duke Ying’s household!
With these thoughts racing through his mind, Fan Wenshu felt a surge of excitement and became even more dedicated to the shop. In recent days, he had been contemplating whether to suggest to Dou Zhao that they acquire the neighboring shop. Besides selling ink, paper, and inkstones, they could also add exquisite stationery items, packaged in various boxes as gift sets.
So, when he suddenly heard that Chen Qushui’s carriage had stopped outside the shop, he was taken aback and hurried out to greet him. He did not see Cui Shisan or Tian Fugui.
Fan Wenshu couldn’t help but mutter to himself. After all, under the same roof, he was well aware of what business Cui Shisan and Tian Fugui were involved in and who had given them the orders. Although he had never spoken about it, he understood perfectly that these were not legitimate dealings. He disapproved but chose to remain ignorant, knowing that Cui Shisan and Tian Fugui were Dou Zhao’s trusted aides. Nevertheless, he didn’t want to be excluded, so he had always been very courteous to Chen Qushui.
After days of back-and-forth travel between Kyoto and Zhen Ding, the aging Chen Qushui was quite fatigued. He allowed Fan Wenshu to assist him in the shop. “I’ve arranged most of the family matters, but there are still some things that require the fourth young lady’s decision. I’m afraid they might miscommunicate, so I decided to come in person.”
Surely, things couldn’t be that simple, Fan Wenshu thought to himself. However, he had long aspired to be a competent manager and had resolved not to get involved with Cui Shisan’s dubious dealings. He smiled and said something like, “It’s hard work for you, old friend,” and refrained from asking further questions. After settling Chen Qushui, he returned to his modest office.
After freshening up, Chen Qushui leaned against the large kang by the window, reading while waiting for Yan Chaoqing. As he read, fatigue washed over him, and he dozed off. He was jolted awake by a servant calling, “Mr. Chen, Mr. Yan has arrived!”
He blinked in the darkness. “What time is it?” he asked.
“The hour of the Rooster has just passed,” the servant replied.
Chen Qushui sighed, “Oh,” and began to straighten his clothes.
He was getting old; he had fallen asleep in such a short time. It seemed he would have to settle down in Kyoto for his old age. However, with Dou Zhao and a group of old friends around, it wasn’t all bad. Perhaps he would even witness the birth of Dou Zhao’s child.
He smiled as he exited the inner room.
Yan Chaoqing arrived alone, dressed in a simple blue cloth robe and wearing a black cap. At first glance, he resembled a scholar from a wealthy family, dressed plainly and seemingly trying to avoid attention.
Chen Qushui’s heart sank.
The more unassuming Yan appeared, the more serious the matter he was about to discuss.
Maintaining a calm demeanor, Chen Qushui greeted Yan Chaoqing and led him to the study. After they sat down, he instructed the servant to bring tea and snacks, then told the servant to stand guard outside: “Don’t let anyone disturb our conversation.” He then took a sip of tea and asked, “Why the urgency in calling me here?”
Yan Chaoqing glanced around cautiously, listening intently for any unusual sounds. After a moment of hesitation, he leaned closer to Chen Qushui and whispered a few words.
Chen Qushui gasped, his eyes widening in shock. “Is this true?”
“Do you think I would lie to you?” Yan Chaoqing replied with a wry smile. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask the Bei sisters who are close to the lady.”
“How could this happen?” Chen Qushui rubbed his hands together and asked Yan Chaoqing, “What about the double congratulatory red envelopes?”
Yan Chaoqing looked embarrassed. “The heir instructed me to make some adjustments.”
“How could you be so foolish!” Chen Qushui exclaimed, standing up in anger. “Can you tamper with such matters? Do you realize how serious this is? If they harmonize on their wedding night, who would dare question their relationship afterward?” He paced the room in agitation.
If Dou Zhao couldn’t bear a child after a year or two, wouldn’t they be the subject of gossip?
What was crucial now was to clarify whether this was Dou Zhao’s intention or Song Mo’s. If it was Dou Zhao’s idea, that would be one thing. But if it was Song Mo’s… a cold light flashed in Chen Qushui’s eyes.
Yan Chaoqing understood this all too well.
Yet at that moment, he felt more wronged than Dou E herself.
“The heir visits Zhen Ding to see his wife frequently,” he murmured. “He even sneaked over to Huai Tree Alley several times before the wedding. When the heir instructed me, I thought he and the lady… I broke out in a cold sweat and didn’t have time to think. Later, when there was no news from them, I assumed the lady was pregnant and thought of some excuse to cover it up… It wasn’t until I realized the dates didn’t match and that the lady’s diet was normal that I noticed something was off. Since they had already been together before the wedding, now that they were married, they seemed to be acting independently. That’s when I realized something was wrong and had to consult you about it…”
Chen Qushui was furious. “Your heir has no sense of propriety! Climbing over walls in the middle of the night, and you dare to blame our young lady? Your heir has never had anyone in his household; perhaps he is incapable, which is why he came up with such a terrible idea, leaving our young lady in a difficult position…”
Yan Chaoqing’s face turned pale. “What do you mean by that? Our heir is vigorous and healthy. Not long ago, he even invited a Taoist from Longhu Mountain to check his pulse. He said not only has he recovered from his internal injuries, but his martial arts skills have also improved. He even joked that the Duke of Dingguo had him practice this internal martial arts technique, suggesting that it was not just for show but to ensure he could provide the Song family with more offspring… Don’t slander the heir’s reputation! For all we know, this could have been your young lady’s idea! I’ve always wondered, with your young lady’s intelligence and capabilities, how could a mere woman from the Wang family orchestrate such a sister exchange…”
It was all forced upon them!
If it weren’t for your heir, we would have returned to Zhen Ding long ago.
We could have lived freely and happily, without having to deal with Duke Ying’s household and their trivial matters!
These words almost escaped Chen Qushui’s lips but were swallowed back down—such mutual accusations were akin to those of common street women.
Before Yan Chaoqing could finish speaking, he realized he had misspoken.
He quickly stopped.
For a moment, the study fell into silence.
“What should we do now?” After a long pause, both Chen Qushui and Yan Chaoqing asked in unison.
Yan Chaoqing replied, “I think we should ask Mr. Chen to speak with the heir—you are, after all, the lady’s person and it would be better for you to ask such questions!” He had one more thing to add: even if the heir was displeased, he would likely only be mildly upset for the lady’s sake, which would be less damaging.
Chen Qushui was not so easily fooled. He thought to himself, if this matter truly was the young lady’s idea, wouldn’t I be aiding and abetting? But in front of Yan Chaoqing, he would not reveal a hint of his thoughts.
“They are both still young and lack proper guidance from elders. We should be more understanding,” he said slowly. “However, the heir is a decisive person. When to see him and what to say will require careful planning. I can’t just run up to the heir and say, ‘How did I find out about this? Does the lady know?’ Given the heir’s meticulous nature, he would likely consider these factors first. We should proceed with caution…”
You want to delay until you see the lady first, don’t you?
But it seems my suspicions about the sister exchange were not unfounded.
In any case, we must find a way for the fourth young lady of the Dou family and the heir to consummate their marriage quickly and have children as soon as possible.
Only with children can a couple settle down and live a stable life.
“That’s why we need to consult Mr. Chen,” Yan Chaoqing said with a smile. “I’m just flustered and didn’t consider these matters. No wonder the saying goes, ‘Three cobblers can outsmart Zhuge Liang’…”
You didn’t think of it; you wanted to act under the name of our young lady!
Chen Qushui and Yan Chaoqing exchanged pleasantries, each lost in their thoughts.
Meanwhile, Dou Zhao and Song Mo, the two individuals they were concerned about, were sitting on the kang by the window discussing the banquet for the next day.
“…It’s not about being afraid of a thousand things, but rather the one thing that could go wrong. I think we should hold the Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet at Yizhi Hall,” Dou Zhao suggested. “This way, we can avoid the old man thinking that without the Duke Ying’s garden, we can’t hold an event.” As she spoke, a hint of pride appeared on her face. “Let’s take this opportunity to make a name for Yizhi Hall!”
Angered by her father’s neglect of her actions, Song Mo finally suppressed her inner fury and smiled, “What good idea do you have?”
Dou Zhao replied, “Why don’t we carve a seal for Yizhi Hall? In the future, whenever we invite relatives and friends to our home, we can use the ‘Yizhi Hall’ seal on the invitations to distinguish ourselves from Duke Ying’s household. Of course, our banquets must also have unique features that leave a lasting impression.” This was an idea she had from her previous life, which she had never been able to implement. Now that she brought it up again, she became increasingly enthusiastic. “For example, we could plant water radishes and cucumbers in the small garden and attach a note with the ‘Yizhi Hall’ seal when we gift them to relatives and friends. Or we could raise a plant of the Eighteen Scholars to present to the Empress or the Queen, also with the ‘Yizhi Hall’ seal on the pot… In short, we want people to associate ‘Yizhi Hall’ with quality and uniqueness, something that no other family can match, even if they have similar items. Our offerings must be exquisite, elegant, and precious…”