Shortly after Aunt’s departure, news arrived from Jiangnan. The household immediately fell into chaos.
First Aunt, unable to bear the shock, took to her bed. The third Aunt took charge of managing the East Dou household. Third Uncle led Second Cousin Dou Yuchang to Yangzhou to handle First Uncle’s funeral arrangements. Fourth Cousin Dou Rongchang assisted Sixth Uncle in managing the family’s affairs. Grandfather seemed to have aged a decade overnight, spending his days staring blankly from the drunk’s chair in his study.
A somber atmosphere enveloped both the East and West Dou households.
These events, however, hardly affected Dou Zhao. She continued her daily habit of dragging whatever caught her fancy into her room. Dou Shengying teased her, “Aren’t you going to visit your sister?”
“Concubine Wang doesn’t like me visiting my sister,” Dou Zhao pouted, feigning indifference, though a hint of sadness flickered in her eyes.
Dou Shengying’s heart skipped a beat. He said nothing, merely reaching out to gently stroke Dou Zhao’s jet-black hair. “That’s alright,” he said softly. “Father will teach you to write.”
Dou Zhao asked Dou Shengying, “When will Grandmother arrive?”
The Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and she hoped to speak with her grandmother then.
Dou Shengying’s brow furrowed slightly. “Who told you to call Aunt Cui ‘Grandmother’?”
Dou Zhao inwardly groaned. Grandmother had likely only been called “Grandmother” after Dou Xiao’s birth. Having lived with her grandmother since she could remember, Dou Zhao had always addressed her as such, forgetting this detail.
She vaguely replied, “If not Grandmother, what should I call her?”
“You should call her Aunt Cui!” Dou Shengying patiently instructed his daughter. “Your First Uncle has passed away, and everyone is in low spirits. This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival probably won’t be a grand affair. Aunt Cui might stay at the country estate for the holiday.” He then asked, “Why do you want to see Aunt Cui?”
Dou Zhao replied, “They say Aunt Cui knows how to farm!”
Dou Shengying burst into laughter. “Indeed, your Aunt Cui is quite skilled at tending crops. Her estate has always been the most profitable among our family’s properties.” As he spoke, his gaze grew distant.
Perhaps this was the sorrow of being born to a concubine.
Dou Zhao changed the subject, pulling her father to the study to practice calligraphy.
That year on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the family merely shared mooncakes, a far cry from the previous years’ moon-viewing and lantern-admiring festivities.
The maids whispered among themselves: “When will this mourning period ever end?”
By late September, First Uncle’s coffin was transported back to Zhending County.
The Dou family donned mourning clothes, and half of Zhending County was draped in white.
The county magistrate, along with Sixth Uncle and Father, personally received First Uncle’s coffin at the city gate. Grandfather and Second Madame, as elders, did not attend the funeral.
Dou Zhao met her ninth cousin, Dou Huanchang, nicknamed “Lan’er.”
At sixteen, he was frail and pale. He trembled as he thanked the mourners before his father’s spirit tablet, then turned and collapsed into Grandfather’s arms, sobbing, “Father coughed up so much blood…”
Grandfather’s eyes immediately filled with tears. He embraced the boy’s shoulders, consoling him softly, “Good child, from now on, you’ll study with your Grand Uncle.”
Dou Huanchang nodded, gazing at Grandfather with adoration.
Dou Zhao smirked inwardly. Grandfather had misguided her father, and now he was about to ruin First Uncle as well. No wonder Dou Huanchang had failed the imperial examinations for nearly twenty years!
She gritted her teeth and persevered in practicing three hundred characters daily.
Dou Huanchang, however, was exceptionally kind to Dou Zhao—they were the only two in the family wearing full mourning attire.
He often shared delicacies prepared by First Aunt with Dou Zhao, gradually softening her attitude towards him.
Soon, it was the twelfth lunar month, and Dou Zhao’s mother’s lesser mourning ceremony was to be held.
Father would remove his mourning clothes, while Dou Zhao would continue wearing hers for fifteen months.
The third Aunt visited to discuss arranging a new marriage for the Father with Grandfather.
Since First Uncle’s passing, First Aunt was no longer the Dou family matriarch. By custom, Second Aunt should have taken charge of household affairs, but she was with Second Uncle at his post, needing to settle matters there before returning home with the children. For now, the Third Aunt managed the household.
Grandfather asked Third Aunt, “Do you have any suitable candidates in mind?”
The third Aunt considered carefully, “First Sister-in-law has a younger cousin who often visited us as a child. She has a good character and appearance, and her First Sister-in-law approves. Then there’s the fifth daughter of the Zhu family of scholars in the east of the city and the granddaughter of Official Chen from Nanlou Village. Miss Zhu is gentle and has studied with her brothers for a few years, dabbling in poetry, music, calligraphy, and painting. She might converse well with her Seventh Brother-in-law. Official Chen was once the prefect of Songjiang. The young lady in question is his third granddaughter. I haven’t met her personally, but she has a reputation for virtue. The other families are either of slightly lower status or have less desirable backgrounds, being of concubine birth. I don’t think they’re worth considering.”
Grandfather nodded, greatly appreciating Third Aunt’s competence. “You’ve thought this through thoroughly. Wanyuan is of concubine birth, so we absolutely cannot marry him to another concubine’s daughter. I think we should settle on the Zhu family’s daughter. First Nephew’s wife’s relatives are too close, which isn’t always beneficial. Official Chen always considers himself a scholar, and his behavior can be somewhat pedantic. A young lady raised in such a household might be rather inflexible.”
Third Aunt rose with a smile. “Then I’ll inform the Zhu family. Who do you think should go to meet her?”
Since Concubine Ding’s embarrassment in the main hall, she had claimed illness and remained secluded. Grandfather was now attended by Qiufen, formerly Concubine Ding’s chief maid.
Grandfather found himself at a loss. After pondering for a while, he said, “You can make the decision.”
The third Aunt left with a beaming smile.
When Dou Zhao heard this news, she was tracing characters at her rosewood desk.
The family would soon welcome a new mistress, and she would have to move out of the main quarters.
From now on, her mother’s presence in her life would grow increasingly faint.
These thoughts left her feeling somewhat lost.
She wondered where Father would place her.
She decided to have Tuo Niang and the others start packing her belongings when she returned.
The West Dou household currently lacked a mistress to manage affairs. Once the marriage was arranged, Miss Zhu would likely marry quickly.
Dou Zhao set down her brush, gently flexing her sore wrists.
Father, however, furrowed his brow and went to see Grandfather.
“I don’t want to remarry,” he said, looking directly at Grandfather, his expression filled with unwavering determination. “I want to observe three years of mourning for Guqiu.”
“Preposterous!” Grandfather exploded in anger. “How old are you? How can you still be so foolish? You’re the family’s only son. Instead of thinking about expanding the Dou lineage as soon as possible, you want to imitate those frivolous wastrels who observe mourning for their wives… Do you even understand responsibility? Do you know what it means to shoulder your duties?” Grandfather’s beard quivered with rage. “This matter is not up for discussion! I’ll have your Third Aunt set a date with the Zhu family soon. You just need to prepare for the wedding!”
Dou Zhao, eavesdropping at the door, nearly fell over.
Next May, Wang Xingyi would be reinstated.
The Wang family, needing to maintain their reputation in official circles, would never allow their daughter to become a concubine.
If Father remarried before next May, the Wang family would either leave Dou Ming with the Dou family and have Wang Yingxue return home; or they would send Wang Yingxue three chi of white silk, forcing her to hang herself; or they would send her to a nunnery to live out her days in solitude.
If Father didn’t remarry before next May…
In her previous life, Wang Xingyi had always felt he had failed his wife and children. After regaining his wealth and status, he lived only with his old wife, never indulging in other women, and doted on his children, fulfilling their every request to the best of his ability. He was especially fond of Wang Yingxue, who had not only been jilted by her fiancé but had also helped support the family, delaying her marriage. As a result, he doted on Dou Ming and Dou Xiao even more than his grandchildren.
If she wasn’t mistaken, Wang Xingyi would certainly find a way to have the Dou family elevate Wang Yingxue to the position of official wife.
Wouldn’t that make Wang Yingxue her stepmother again?
No, no! This absolutely cannot happen!
Father must remarry before next May.
Let Wang Yingxue be gone!
But Father’s attitude remained resolute: “Father, if you’re not afraid of falling out with the Zhu family, go ahead and set a date with them. I won’t show up at the ceremony, and even if Miss Zhu marries into our family, I won’t acknowledge her.”
“You dare defy me!” Grandfather’s face turned purple with rage. He smashed his teacup on the ground with a loud crash. “Go ahead and don’t show up. We’ll see if the Zhu family’s daughter can enter our household!”
“Father!” Father suddenly knelt before Grandfather, choking back tears. “I’ll obey you in everything else from now on. Just grant me this one request! I know I’m your only son, born when you were over forty. You’ve always hoped to see your grandchildren and have someone to inherit the family business. Let me be willful this one last time! From now on, I promise to follow the rules, study diligently, pass the examinations, bring glory to the Dou family, and continue our lineage. Father, please agree to this one thing!”
Father kowtowed repeatedly to Grandfather.
The sound echoed in Dou Zhao’s heart, causing a momentary pang of sympathy.
Why now, of all times?
He hadn’t observed mourning for Mother earlier or later, but chose to do so just as Wang Xingyi was about to be reinstated!
In her previous life, hadn’t he hastily married Wang Yingxue before Mother’s hundred days were even over? Why was he trying to be a good person this time?
If only he had known then what he knows now!
She had everything arranged, and now Father was throwing a wrench in her plans!
What was going on?
Dou Zhao felt both anxious and angry.
She heard Grandfather’s hesitant voice: “You’ve already mourned her for a year… That’s more than enough…”
“Father, Father,” Father continued kowtowing, his voice growing louder, “I only ask this one thing of you, just this one thing!”
Dou Zhuo looked at his son’s bruised forehead and heaved a long sigh. “If you insist on mourning, then do so! But you must pass next year’s provincial examinations…”
“Thank you, Father! Thank you, Father!” Father’s face lit up with joy.
Dou Zhao’s face felt ice-cold. She touched it and found her hand wet with tears.
※※※※※
A few days later, the Zhu family sent word to the Third Aunt, saying that their fifth daughter admired Father’s loyalty and was willing to wait three years for him.
Grandfather was overjoyed. He selected several reams of fine paper, two inkstones, and a box of brushes from the storehouse to be sent to Scholar Zhu. He praised the Third Aunt for her keen judgment of character.
Third Aunt smiled demurely and asked Father, “Are the birth dates compatible or not?”
Father remained silent, but his tense expression relaxed.
The third Aunt took the card bearing Father’s birth details to the Zhu family.