Dou Shiying’s letter first addressed Yuzhen’s marriage, then provided a lengthy list of estates and properties he planned to allocate to Dou Zhao. Finally, he asked Madam Zhao, “If you have any objections, you can discuss them with Sixth Master.” He entrusted this matter to Dou Shiheng.
Madam Zhao frowned as she held the letter, asking Nanny Peng, “Do you think Dou Shiying’s words can be trusted?”
Dou Zhao was also filled with doubt.
“It’s hard to say whether we can trust him or not,” Nanny Peng pondered. “However, if we have Master Tang investigate the details of these estates and properties, it would certainly save time compared to our blind guessing.”
Madam Zhao nodded and made a copy of Dou Shiying’s letter, handing it to Nanny Peng. “Take this to Master Tang.”
Upon receiving the list, Master Tang immediately began investigating with his team. Meanwhile, Madam Zhao spent her days accompanying Dou Zhao, chatting with the Second Madam, visiting the First Madam, or having tea with Lady Ji. She didn’t appear to be there to negotiate Dou Zhao’s dowry but rather seemed to be visiting relatives. When asked, she would simply say, “The master has invited someone to help draft the contract. I don’t understand these matters, and the person is still on their way.”
Since they weren’t dividing the East Dou family’s property or supporting their relatives, naturally, no one from the East Dou family was in a hurry. Taking advantage of Madam Zhao’s visit, the Second Madam was exceptionally hospitable. The second and third sisters-in-law seized the opportunity to encourage the Second Madam to invite a female storyteller to the house. The Second Madam, having received a hint from her second son, considered that if Madam Zhao agreed to raise Dou Zhao in the East Mansion, this matter would be easier to handle.
Thus, she not only invited a female storyteller but also, a few days later, hired a theater troupe to perform at home. She invited the matriarchs of Zhending County’s wealthy families to accompany them. The house was bustling with people coming and going, filled with laughter and chatter, even more lively than during the New Year celebrations. This left Wang Yingxue and Lady Pang feeling anxious and uncertain about what was happening.
After about half a month, news came from Master Tang’s side. He reported that all the places listed by Dou Shiying were excellent, especially the properties on South and North Streets in Qingyuan County. These were shopfronts connected in a row, occupying more than half of two streets, generating over ten thousand taels of silver in annual rent alone.
Qingyuan County was the prefectural city of Baoding Prefecture, and South Street was its most prosperous main street.
Madam Zhao couldn’t help but sigh, “I knew the Dou family was wealthy, but I didn’t realize they were this rich.”
Nanny Peng smiled, “We have the Wang family to thank for this opportunity.”
Despite her dislike for the Wang family, Madam Zhao couldn’t help but smile.
The next day, she introduced Master Tang to Dou Shibang.
Dou Shibang took Master Tang to discuss Dou Zhao’s dowry with Dou Duo.
Dou Duo was prepared and brought out a thick stack of papers. “These are for Miss Shou.”
Master Tang looked them over and smiled, “Our master intends that since the young lady is a woman and inexperienced in business, we should forgo these oil presses and bamboo shops. Instead, we prefer more farmland and houses.” He then handed over the list he had discussed with Madam Zhao.
After reviewing it, Dou Duo’s face darkened like an impending storm. He shot a cold glance at Dou Shibang.
Dou Shibang, caught in this undeserved predicament, couldn’t help but pick up the list written by Master Tang. He immediately started cursing internally – who had informed the Zhao family? All the lucrative businesses are listed here.
No wonder his third uncle glared at him.
But he truly hadn’t done this!
He felt like crying but had no tears.
Yet, he could only stay by their side and continue to endure.
The two families haggled for about ten days. The Zhao family gave up some farmland and took over several workshops, while the West Dou family relinquished a few properties. Thus, the matter was largely settled.
Madam Zhao prepared several gold ingots, ten bolts of new patterned silk, and some pearl hairpins to visit the Third Aunt: “We’ve troubled the Third Master these past days. In the future, we hope he will continue to look after Miss Shou’s affairs.”
Seeing nearly a thousand taels worth of gifts before her, the Third Aunt’s smile grew even wider.
After leaving the Third House, Madam Zhao went to see the Second Madam.
“You see, the child is so young and doesn’t understand anything. Brothers are closest when hunting tigers, and fathers and sons are allies on the battlefield. According to our master’s wishes, we’d like to request the child’s uncles and cousins to help manage this property.”
The Second Madam’s eyes lit up.
Dragons beget nine sons, each different. The Dou family had those like Dou Shizhu who achieved early success in the imperial examinations, and those like Dou Shibang who were still just scholars in their forties. If the Dou family members helped manage Dou Zhao’s property, it would at least provide a livelihood and sound respectable.
But could the Zhao family trust the Dou family to manage it?
She recalled the “over thirty” clause that had infuriated her to the point of coughing blood.
“I’m afraid the Dou family might not manage it well,” the Second Madam said tactfully. “It would be a shame to waste Madam Zhao’s good intentions!”
“How could they not manage it well!” Madam Zhao laughed. “The people currently helping are from the Dou family. Fortunately, what Miss Shou received are mostly estates and houses, not businesses that I don’t understand. I’m quite familiar with agricultural matters. In a good year, we harvest more; in a bad year, we harvest less. But over ten years, it averages out to a consistent annual figure. In my opinion, we should use the average income of the past ten years as a benchmark. From now on, we’ll use this annual income as a standard. Any excess can be kept by the manager for lean years. If we have ten consecutive good years, it must be the Bodhisattva rewarding their hard work, so naturally, it should all belong to them.”
“Ah!” Even the Second Madam couldn’t remain seated at this point.
Half of that property was too substantial. Even a small increase would be a significant amount.
She called the wives from the other branches to discuss this matter.
The First Madam listened with a smile – Lan’er couldn’t possibly give up his studies to help manage affairs.
The Third Branch’s children were still young and inexperienced, unless Dou Shibang secretly managed it, they wouldn’t have the ability.
The Fourth Branch was in Xinyang, the Fifth in the capital, and the Sixth Branch only had Dou Shiheng.
After considering all options, this task could only fall to the Second Branch.
Lady Ji couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Who had come up with this idea? It was truly clever!
Dou Zhao was, after all, a daughter of the Dou family. She still had to live in the Dou household and would need the support of these uncles and cousins after marriage. The Zhao family had a falling out with the Dou family due to Zhao Guqiu’s death and had now taken half of West Dou’s property. Some in the Dou family were already privately complaining about the Zhao family’s interference. The Zhao family had few members, and if the Second Madam said the word, the Dou family could withdraw all the managers and clerks who had been handling Dou Zhao’s dowry, throwing everything into chaos.
The Zhao family neither had the ability nor the manpower to take over those properties in a short time. Now that Madam Zhao proposed letting the Dou family help manage Dou Zhao’s property and offered such generous terms, whoever took on this task would be tied to Dou Zhao’s fate, becoming her strongest support within the Dou family. If this person came from the Second Branch, and with the Second Madam being the matriarch of the Dou family… Dou Zhao’s life in the Dou household would become much easier.
She glanced at the Second Madam.
A flash of excitement shone in the Second Madam’s eyes.
The Zhao family had indeed come prepared this time!
Lady Ji smiled and said, “Our Sixth Master just became a Juren this year and is focused on preparing for the spring imperial examinations. Hui’er and Zhi’er still need care, so our branch won’t be involved in this matter.”
Hearing this, the First Madam also quickly stated her position: “Lan’er will be taking the exams tomorrow at the start of spring. He studies diligently until midnight every day, so I’m afraid we have the will but not the ability.”
The Third Madam hesitated for a while before finally saying, “Our Third Master manages the Dou family’s properties. Not only is he busy all day, but it would also be inappropriate for him to help manage Miss Shou’s property to avoid any suspicion.”
The Second Madam asked the Second Madam, “What do you think?”
The Second Madam took the initiative and said, “The eldest is with Fifth Uncle in the capital, while the second, third, and fifth are at home. Perhaps we can choose one from among them.”
“That’s fine,” the Second Madam smiled. “Once you’ve decided, let me know so I can give Madam Zhao an answer.”
This was also a reward for the Second Madam’s support of her son in the Dou Zhao incident.
The Second Madam understood this well. After returning to her room, she summoned her sons and daughters-in-law to discuss the matter.
When Dou Zhao learned of this, she chose her third cousin, Dou Xiuchang.
In her previous life, her eldest cousin had always been by Fifth Uncle’s side, and later Fifth Uncle had secured a hereditary official position for him. Her second cousin had persisted until he passed the imperial examinations. She hadn’t had much interaction with her third and fifth cousins, but she remembered that after the Third Uncle’s death, the third cousin had always helped the second cousin manage the Dou family’s affairs. This showed that the third cousin was capable of handling such responsibilities. Moreover, Dou Xiuchang’s eldest son, Dou Qijun, was the most promising of the “Qi” generation.
While chatting with her aunt, she mentioned, “Third Aunt scolded Seventh Cousin, saying his studies were worse than Zhi’er’s.”
Madam Zhao immediately took note of this and had someone inquire about Dou Qijun.
When the Second Madam invited her aunt over to discuss the matter, her aunt chose the third cousin over the fifth: “Third Young Master Xiu is older and a father to several children, so he should be more steady.”
The Second Madam didn’t mind; they were all her sons.
Dou Xiuchang’s family, however, was overjoyed.
For them, who relied on monthly allowances, having an additional source of income meant the children could eat better and dress more presentably.
Even Dou Duo couldn’t object.
He had a very good relationship with Dou Xiuchang’s father, who was Dou Zhao’s second uncle, Luo Shiqi.
Dou Xiuchang smoothly took over the management of Dou Zhao’s dowry, and her aunt handed the letter of agreement to the Second Madam.
By the time all this was settled, it was the winter solstice, and every household was eating dumplings.
Her aunt discussed with Dou Xiuchang: “Why don’t you also manage the property left to Miss Shou by her mother? Wang Shi is about to enter the household, and it’s not appropriate for Nanny Yu to continue staying in the West Mansion. We might as well take this opportunity to let her retire with honor. Her son and daughter-in-law have both left service, so it can be considered that they have served our young lady well.”
If it were someone else, they might worry that taking over Dou Zhao’s property and immediately removing existing staff might be seen as eliminating opposition. But Dou Xiuchang was a legitimate master of the Dou family; why would he care what servants said?
“Alright!” he agreed without hesitation. “After all, herding one sheep or a flock of sheep is the same task.”
Her aunt sent someone to summon Nanny Yu for a talk, instructing Yu Daqing to hand over the accounts to Dou Xiuchang that afternoon.