“Of course, she should stay with the Dou family!” Wang Zhibing and Dou Duo said in unison.
“No, no!” Wang Yingxue shook her head, looking panicked. “She’s still so young. I can’t leave her with the Dou family…”
Could she possibly take her back to the Wang family?
Even if the Wang family agreed, the Dou family would never allow it!
Wang Zhibing looked at his sister, who appeared fiercely protective, feeling quite troubled.
With what had happened in their family, the neighbors were already gossiping behind their backs. Now that their father had been reinstated, more people knew about their family situation. Soon, not just the small South Hollow village, but the entire Zhending Prefecture would be pointing fingers at them. Not only would it bring shame to their father, but the children might also find it difficult to hold their heads high in South Hollow. So before coming, his father had discussed with him about quietly bringing his sister back. Once their father was settled, the whole family would follow him to his new post, never to return to South Hollow.
He had been thinking about arranging a good marriage for his sister in a few years when things had calmed down.
What would it mean to keep this child with them?
Would his sister still be able to marry in the future?
Even if, by some miracle, the Dou family allowed his sister to take the child, and their father agreed to raise her, how would they explain the child’s background if relatives and friends asked?
They were leaving South Hollow to escape the rumors in the first place. If they said the child was his sister’s, her past would be exposed, and their move would have been in vain.
To distance themselves, they could only claim the child was his or his younger brother Wang Zhibiao’s.
But the timing was all wrong.
If they said it was his, he hadn’t been home for years. If they said it was his brother’s, his sister-in-law had just given birth to a big, healthy boy a month ago… Could they say they found her abandoned?
These thoughts flashed through his mind, but as it was a family matter, it wasn’t appropriate to discuss it in front of Dou Duo.
Wang Zhibing could only say quietly to Wang Yingxue, “We’ll discuss some things when we get home.”
Wang Yingxue didn’t dare to go back with her brother.
In her situation, she would either be sent to a nunnery or married off to a distant place. She might never have the chance to see her daughter again.
Dou Zhao still had her uncle and the housekeeper left by her mother to look after her, but her daughter had no one. She couldn’t entrust her daughter’s future to the Fifth Miss of the Zhu family, whom she had never met or dealt with.
Where was Dou Shiying?
Wang Yingxue looked around.
Why wasn’t he here?
He had always been soft-hearted and wouldn’t stand by and watch them be separated.
“No!” She took two steps back, distancing herself from her brother. Her gaze towards him showed a hint of wariness. “I won’t go home with you until we’ve settled Ming’er’s affairs!” She said, giving Qiongfang, who was standing at the hall entrance, a meaningful look. Then, with tears in her eyes, she pleaded with Dou Duo, “Old Master, Ming’er was born weak. She didn’t even have the strength to nurse. The doctors and experienced old nannies all said Ming’er might not live long. It was I who, through my constant care, raised her to this age. How can I just hand her over to someone else? Please, for Ming’er’s sake, let me take her with me.”
“I was the one who named Ming’er!” Dou Duo said with a gentle smile. “We all understand how you feel about Ming’er. Children are a part of their mother’s flesh. But Ming’er is a child of the Dou family. She can’t just go to the Wang family without any explanation. You haven’t been with our family long, but you know our situation. When you first arrived, we assigned an experienced nanny, two maids, and several servants to attend to you. After Ming’er was born, besides her wet nurse and the servants in her room, we added two more maids for you… You don’t need to worry. The Fifth Miss of the Zhu family has been well-educated from a young age. She has a gentle nature and is kind and virtuous. She will take good care of Ming’er…”
“No matter how good others are, how can they compare to her mother?” Wang Yingxue saw Qiongfang quickly leave the Heshou Hall, which slightly eased her mind. But she continued to plead with Dou Duo, “Please, Old Master, grant this wish for us, mother and daughter.”
Dou Duo smiled, “Wanyuan also grew up under his stepmother’s care. You don’t need to worry about Ming’er!”
The two continued to argue, neither willing to give in.
Dou Zhao quickly received the news.
She thought for a moment and said to Tuo Niang, “Let’s go see Father.”
Dou Zhao wanted to know what her father thought and what plans he had for this situation.
Tuo Niang agreed, putting down her needlework, and went with Dou Zhao to Dou Shiying’s study.
Dou Shiying wasn’t in the study.
Dou Zhao thought for a moment and went to the flower hall behind the main hall.
Grandfather and Wang Zhibing were drinking tea in the flower hall, while Father and Wang Yingxue were talking by the bamboo grove behind it.
Dou Zhao gestured for Tuo Niang to stop, then, taking advantage of her small size, she circled the flower hall and hid behind the bamboo to eavesdrop.
“…No matter what, I’ve wronged you,” her father’s voice carried a hint of sadness. “I’m older than you and have been married before. Even if you had feelings for me, I should have firmly refused you. Instead, I went along with it, doing something that shamed you. Afterward, I even blamed Gu Qiu for not helping me cover it up, and because of this, I spoke harshly to her, causing her to lose face and take her own life.”
“No, no!” Wang Yingxue hurriedly said, “How can this be your fault, Seventh Master? It was Sister Gu Qiu who was too harsh on herself and others…”
“I used to think that way too,” Father interrupted Wang Yingxue with a slight smile. “But when I recall what Gu Qiu said to me before she died…” Father paused briefly, “I realize that Gu Qiu was right. It was my impure thoughts that led me to make mistakes, yet I only knew how to blame others, expecting them to clean up my mess…”
“Seventh Master!” Wang Yingxue looked as if she couldn’t bear to hear him blame himself. “Please don’t say such things. It makes me feel even worse…”
“Alright, alright, let’s not talk about it anymore,” Father said with a smile upon hearing this. “No matter what we say, Gu Qiu won’t come back.” As he spoke, he pulled out a sapphire blue pouch embroidered with magnolia flowers from his sleeve. “There are banknotes worth three thousand taels of silver in here. Take it and go home with your brother. If you need my help in the future, just send me a message. I’ll do whatever I can to help. I’ll take good care of Ming’er, and I won’t treat her any differently from Shou Gu. You can go home with peace of mind. Don’t be like those bitter women who go to temples to become nuns. If you meet a good family, you should marry. If you miss Ming’er someday, quietly send someone to let me know. I’ll have Shou Gu take her to a temple to burn incense or visit your fifth brother’s family. You can see her from afar, which should fulfill the bond between mother and daughter. When Ming’er grows up, if you still want to acknowledge her, I’ll tell her about her background…”
So Father was trying to persuade Wang Yingxue to return home!
Dou Zhao smiled as she watched the two, then saw Wang Yingxue throw herself into Father’s arms with tears streaming down her face, tightly hugging his waist. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I just want to stay by your side, even if I have to be a servant…”
“Don’t be like this,” Father gently pried away the arms around him and said softly, “What about Lord Wang? How would he feel?” He stepped back a few paces and looked at Wang Yingxue with sincere eyes. “Your father and brother treat you well. You should cherish that. Don’t make them sad again…”
Wang Yingxue looked at the distance between them, her eyes filled with bitterness. She asked Father, “Is it because of the Fifth Miss of the Zhu family?”
Father was stunned. “What?”
“Is it because of the Fifth Miss of the Zhu family?” Wang Yingxue asked again, her tears suddenly flowing like rain. “Have you fallen for the Fifth Miss of the Zhu family? I heard people say she’s exceptionally beautiful…”
“What are you thinking?” Father laughed. “I’ve never even met the Fifth Miss of the Zhu family.”
“Then why did you send Gaosheng to deliver a message to the Zhu family?” Wang Yingxue’s gaze was intense.
It seemed she wasn’t the only one concerned about the marriage between the Dou and Zhu families!
Dou Zhao pricked up her ears.
“You know I sent Gaosheng to deliver a message to the Zhu family?” Father was very surprised.
Seeing that she had let something slip, Wang Yingxue said nervously, “That night, Ming’er was crying incessantly. I was comforting her until dawn. Just as I was about to go to bed, I heard the maids say that Gaosheng had been sent to the Zhu family on your orders…”
What a lie!
Dou Zhao pursed her lips.
Gaosheng was Father’s confidant. If he couldn’t keep his mouth shut, Father would have replaced him long ago.
She must have found a way to get this information!
Father didn’t dwell on this point, instead frankly saying, “I sent a letter to Scholar Zhu, telling him about some of our family matters. I asked him to wait until I’ve sorted out our family affairs before discussing the marriage…”
“Why?” Wang Yingxue stared at Father intently. “Why did you do that?”
Did she think Father did this for her?
Dou Zhao smirked.
Father remained silent for a long time before saying quietly, “Yingxue, I have my responsibilities! The West Dou needs an heir, and Father is waiting to hold his legitimate grandson. I don’t want to drag the Fifth Miss of the Zhu family into this. She has no responsibility to bear the mistakes I’ve made, no obligation to face these conflicts as soon as she enters our family…”
“Am I just a mistake to you?” Wang Yingxue’s face turned as white as snow as she asked sharply.
“Don’t misunderstand,” Father said gently. “I just hope that because of me, no one else will be hurt!”
“What about me? What am I to you?” Wang Yingxue questioned Father. “You don’t want to hurt the Fifth Miss of the Zhu family, but you’re willing to separate me and Ming’er forever? You’re willing to let Ming’er grow up without a mother?”
“Yingxue, it’s not that I’m being heartless,” Father sighed deeply. “Ming’er’s status would be unclear in the Wang family. In the Dou family, at least she’s the Fifth Miss of the Dou family. She’s still young now and won’t remember anything. She’ll become close to whoever raises her, so she won’t feel so much sadness and pain…”
“She’s my daughter, my daughter!” Wang Yingxue cried out in a low voice, angrily throwing the pouch at Father. “I don’t want your silver. I want my daughter.” With that, she turned and entered the flower hall with her head held high.
Father smiled bitterly, shaking his head as he followed her into the flower hall.
Dou Zhao looked at the pouch on the ground, wondering if she were to take the three thousand taels of silver for herself, would it implicate the maids and servants on duty in the flower hall?