Tomorrow was the official date for Jiang Lizhu’s wedding. Today, the Wu family came to urge the marriage preparations. The Fourth Madam of the Jiang family had been busy all day. Why would she suddenly come to find Dou Zhao instead of resting at home or having an intimate talk with Jiang Lizhu?
Dou Zhao suppressed her surprise and met the Fourth Madam of the Jiang family in the reception room of the main house.
The Fourth Madam’s expression seemed somewhat awkward. She held a cup of tea in her hand for a while before abruptly saying, “Madam hasn’t met the Mei family, right?” Without waiting for Dou Zhao to answer, she continued, “My mother-in-law’s grandfather once served as the Governor-General of Yunnan. Due to a military defeat, he was stripped of his property and exiled. By then, my mother-in-law had already married into Duke Dingguo’s family, so she was spared from being enslaved. However, she witnessed the miserable fate of her natal family’s women firsthand.”
“So when my eldest brother-in-law was convicted, my mother-in-law immediately had arsenic prepared and told us that rather than living in humiliation, it was better to die with dignity, at least leaving a good name in the world.”
“Now that my mother-in-law has passed away, we daughters-in-law admire her even more.”
“If it weren’t for Duke Dingguo’s family’s reputation for loyalty to the country and their tradition of fidelity and uprightness, how could the fallen Jiang family have received others’ protection and kept our last refuge?” As she spoke, she took out a small sandalwood box from her sleeve and handed it to Dou Zhao. “Please return this item to the Second Young Master and pass on a message: even if our Jiang family’s girls are useless, they will never become someone’s concubine!” After saying this, she stood up, gave a slight curtsy to Dou Zhao, and walked out.
Her back was straight as a rod.
Dou Zhao was speechless for a while before realizing what the Fourth Madam of the Jiang family had said.
“Fourth Aunt, please wait.” She took the sandalwood box and chased after her. “I don’t know what to say, but you watched the Heir Apparent grow up. You should know very well what kind of person he is and how he treats the Jiang family. Neither the Heir Apparent nor I have any intention of disgracing the two Jiang cousins. Please calm down, Fourth Aunt. Let me investigate this matter with the Heir Apparent before we come to apologize.”
“I don’t mean to blame you,” the Fourth Madam of the Jiang family said, her expression gloomy as she sighed deeply. “If I resented you, I wouldn’t have come at this time. Perhaps the Second Young Master had good intentions, but our Jiang family has our dignity and way of life. There are things we will do and things we won’t. Please convey my message to the Second Young Master and ask him not to come again. After all, we’ll be returning to Haozhou in a few days. This will also prevent him from neglecting his studies and displeasing the Duke.”
What else could Dou Zhao say?
She could only agree respectfully and escort the Fourth Madam of the Jiang family out the door.
But as soon as the Fourth Madam left, Dou Zhao raised her eyebrows and asked the matron guarding the second gate, “Has the Second Young Master returned?”
The matron smiled and came forward to greet Dou Zhao, respectfully saying, “The Second Young Master returned half an hour ago. He’s probably just starting his evening meal now.”
Dou Zhao smirked and went to Song Mo’s study.
Because of Jiang Lizhu’s wedding tomorrow, he had taken a day off and returned home early. He was talking with Chen Qushui and Song Shize in the study.
Seeing Dou Zhao enter with a cold face, Chen Qushui and Song Shize tactfully withdrew.
Dou Zhao then told Song Mo about the Fourth Madam of the Jiang family’s visit.
Upon hearing this, Song Mo was so angry that the veins in his temples bulged.
He opened the sandalwood box, which contained a pair of pearl earrings the size of lotus seeds.
Song Mo’s face darkened even more. He took the sandalwood box and went to see Song Han.
Dou Zhao thought for a moment, gave Ruo Zhu a meaningful look, and returned to her room.
Song Han was lying on the bed, being fed by his maid, Caiyun.
His complexion was rosy, his eyes smiling, looking to be in a good mood.
When Song Mo entered, he happily called out “Brother” and said, “I’ve already prepared my clothes for drinking at the wedding tomorrow. Come and see if they’re good!”
He called out loudly for Qixia to bring the clothes.
Song Mo choked for a moment, then said after a pause, “No need. I have something to discuss with you. Ask everyone serving in the room to leave.”
Song Han happily complied, dismissing the maids, and asked with a grin, “What important matter does Brother have to discuss with me?”
Song Mo threw the sandalwood box in front of Song Han’s pillow.
Song Han’s smile gradually faded, and his eyes began to moisten.
“Did Cousin Xieshu ask you to return this to me?” he asked pitifully. “Brother, you know I’ve liked Cousin Xieshu since I was little. I didn’t dare say it before because you were ahead of me, but now that you have Sister-in-law, why does Cousin Xieshu still come to you when she has issues?” He looked up, his eyes red as he glared at Song Mo. “I just want to keep Cousin Xieshu by my side! No one can stop me, not even you!”
“How dare you talk such nonsense!” Song Mo raged. “Which of our cousins from Uncle’s family didn’t I get along with? How could you have such filthy thoughts? I see your studies are regressing. You can’t even distinguish right from wrong! Who taught you to speak like this?” He shouted for Qixia, “Call all the maids, matrons, and servants from the upper courtyard to the yard. I want to see who’s been instigating you today!”
Song Han began to cry upon hearing this.
He wiped his tears and said, “Don’t think I don’t know. When Mother was alive, she planned to match Cousin Xieshu with you. But after Uncle got into trouble, it changed to Cousin Hanzhu, who then hanged herself for Brother Yin… Cousin Xieshu is so pitiful. If it weren’t for you, she would have been betrothed long ago and wouldn’t have fallen to the point where no one wants her now. I truly like Cousin Xieshu. What right do you have to stop me? If you don’t approve, I can move out of Duke Ying’s mansion with Cousin after we marry! I have a Mother’s dowry, and Cousin Xieshu is good at managing a household. We can live frugally on simple meals and surely live well!”
Song Mo was so angry that he raised his hand to strike Song Han.
Song Han defiantly closed his eyes and raised his face towards Song Mo.
Looking at that face still bearing traces of childishness, Song Mo thought of how their mother had doted on him when she was alive. He found himself unable to bring that slap down.
Song Han took advantage of this moment to cry out, “I want to marry Cousin Xieshu as my wife. Why won’t you agree?!”
He cried, tears streaming down his face.
Song Mo coldly replied, “Because Father won’t agree!”
“You go talk to Father,” Song Han grabbed Song Mo’s hand. “Father will surely listen to you.”
Song Mo barely restrained himself from immediately shaking off Song Han’s hand.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” His voice was as oppressive as the air before a storm. “Father has high expectations for you. How could he allow you to marry a daughter of the Jiang family? Your reckless shouting will only lead to misunderstandings about Cousin Xieshu and Fourth Aunt. This isn’t love, it’s harming them. Do you understand?”
Perhaps it was Song Mo’s gloomy voice, but Song Han’s shouts froze in his throat.
He stared blankly at Song Mo, as if not understanding why Song Mo was saying this.
Song Mo suddenly felt utterly exhausted.
What was he to do with this brother?
Song Mo thought of Dou Zhao.
Did she feel this sense of helplessness when facing Dou Ming?
But while Dou Zhao could ignore Dou Ming, how could he ignore Song Han?
In Yizhi Hall, Dou Zhao heard Ruo Zhu’s whisper and couldn’t hide her surprise.
So Madam Jiang had once thought of matching Jiang Xieshu with Song Mo. This explains why Jiang Xieshu’s expression was complex when she saw Song Mo.
But she didn’t overthink it.
She not only trusted Song Mo but also believed in the Jiang family’s upbringing.
In her previous life, the gentle Jiang Lizhu, the proud Jiang Xieshu, and the considerate Jiang Xieying had all hanged themselves.
How much pain must Song Mo have felt?
Dou Zhao thought for a moment, then went to the upper courtyard.
If Ruo Zhu could hear what Song Han said, naturally others could hear too.
But whether they heard or not, when she entered, all the maids, matrons, and servants of the upper courtyard were standing silently in the middle of the courtyard with their hands down. Thus, Song Han’s sobbing could be faintly heard.
Qixia lifted the curtain for Dou Zhao, then quickly retreated into the crowd.
Seeing Dou Zhao, Song Mo visibly relaxed.
Perhaps because of her memories from her previous life, Dou Zhao could never bring herself to like Song Han.
She looked at Song Han, whose eyes were red from crying, and said softly, “It’s not that your brother and I won’t fight for you, but because that box was sent over by Fourth Aunt. Everything requires mutual willingness. You can’t force the Fourth Aunt to accept you just because you like her daughter. Don’t you agree?”
Song Han stubbornly replied, “If Fourth Aunt knew I wanted to marry Cousin Xieshu as my wife, how could she disagree? When Mother was alive, Fourth Aunt liked me the most…”
Thinking of what the Fourth Madam of the Jiang family had said, Dou Zhao deliberately misunderstood him, saying, “So you’re saying Fourth Aunt thought you wanted to take Cousin Xieshu as a concubine? Although the Jiang family has declined, their integrity remains. What exactly did you do to make Fourth Aunt misunderstand like this?”
Song Mo’s gaze towards Song Han immediately turned cold as ice.
Song Han couldn’t help but shiver, exclaiming, “I didn’t do anything! I just asked Cousin Xieshu if she liked staying in the capital. Cousin Xieshu said that although the capital was nice, it was no longer her home. That’s when I realized my feelings. Sister-in-law,” he looked at Dou Zhao sincerely, “I truly want to marry Cousin Xieshu. Please help me talk to Fourth Aunt!”
“I won’t make that request to Fourth Aunt,” Dou Zhao directly refused Song Han. “Your marriage is for the Duke to decide. You shouldn’t entertain such wild thoughts.”
Hearing this, Song Han jumped up.
He questioned Song Mo, “Does Brother think the same as Sister-in-law?”
Song Mo hesitated slightly, then nodded, “Without Father’s consent, even if Xieshu married into our family, she wouldn’t have a good life. You’d better give up on this idea!”
Song Han’s eyes reddened, and he limped towards the door, “If you won’t help me, I’ll go talk to Father myself! At worst, he can beat me to death. I don’t want to live anyway. One of you won’t help me, the other wants to control everything about me. I’m just the scapegoat between you two. I’ll go find Mother. Only Mother cares for me. If Mother were still alive, how could she stop me?”
Dou Zhao called out loudly for Ruo Zhu, saying, “Why aren’t you stopping the Second Young Master! The Second Young Master has a fever and is delirious. Quickly, call for a doctor to examine him!”
Without a word, Ruo Zhu directed Jin Gui and Yin Gui to pin Song Han to the ground, while she stuffed a handkerchief into Song Han’s mouth.
Jin Gui and Yin Gui, frightened and pale-faced, couldn’t help but secretly glance at Song Mo. Seeing Song Mo frowning but silent, the two sisters felt slightly relieved and carried Song Han to bed.