Madam Wu, originally scheduled to depart at the end of June, moved her journey forward by a few days.

Second Mistress Yu, bidding farewell to her aunt, brought up the marriage between Wu Shan and Dou Zhao: “…How should I explain this to the Old Madam?”

This marriage proposal was initially suggested by Madam Wu. Now that the Dou family had agreed, it was customary for Madam Wu to finalize the arrangement before leaving Zhending. Even if they couldn’t exchange horoscopes, there should at least be a firm commitment.

Madam Wu replied nonchalantly, “At the time, it was merely an inquiry. This matter still requires my husband’s approval.”

Second Mistress Yu was stunned.

Madam Wu averted her gaze, lowering her eyelids and taking a sip of tea.

Second Mistress Yu’s face turned purple with anger.

Although she was a daughter of the Wu family, she was now a daughter-in-law of the Dou family. It was her aunt’s sincere intention that led her to seek this favor from the Second Old Madam. Now that her aunt had suddenly changed her mind, how could she maintain her standing in the Dou family?

“Aunt, we’re not outsiders,” Second Mistress Yu finally managed to suppress her anger and spoke hoarsely. “If you have something to say, please tell me directly. I need to explain the Old Madam and my mother-in-law. Perhaps you’re unaware? Miss Shou has half of the Western Dou family’s fortune as her dowry. Many families have their eyes on her! If it weren’t for the Wu and Dou families being in-laws, and if Uncle and Fifth Uncle weren’t close friends, the Dou family might not have agreed to this marriage…”

Madam Wu was taken aback.

Dou Zhao had half of the Western Dou family’s fortune as her dowry.

No wonder she was so arrogant, daring to beat Pang Kunbai half to death.

Such a woman should not be allowed into their family!

Otherwise, who could control her in the future?

They might even be accused of coveting their daughter-in-law’s dowry.

Madam Wu became increasingly angry and said with displeasure, “You know who your uncle and I are, don’t you? Why didn’t you tell me about Fourth Miss Dou’s enormous dowry? Were you afraid I’d covet it? It’s a good thing you mentioned this today. If we had proceeded with the engagement, how could our Wu family afford the betrothal gifts? You’re not acting as a matchmaker; you’re bringing shame to your maiden family! Let me be frank with you: this Fourth Miss of yours beat someone nearly to death just for being robbed. Even as an in-law, my son can’t handle such a person! I fear that if we offend her one day, she might not even spare me as her mother-in-law!”

Second Mistress Yu, unaware of the details, was very surprised but still argued, “How can you say such things, Aunt? When Fourth Sister and Twelfth Uncle were robbed, should they have just offered their heads to be chopped off instead of resisting?”

Madam Wu, assuming she was speaking on behalf of her in-laws, coldly replied, “I’m not saying she shouldn’t have resisted, but there should be limits, shouldn’t there? As a woman, she had the upper hand, yet she showed no mercy…” As she spoke, the bamboo curtain clattered, and Wu Shan burst in from outside, his face ashen.

“Mother, Fourth Sister isn’t that kind of person!” In just a few days, his eye sockets had sunken, and he looked like withered grass, having lost his former vigor. “Beating Pang Kunbai was our idea. He was too despicable; we couldn’t bear not to teach him a lesson…”

“Weren’t you supposed to be studying in the study room? Why did you come out?” Madam Wu looked at her son with unprecedented severity. “I’m talking to your cousin. What right do you have to interrupt? Who taught you to be so ill-mannered? Go back to your room immediately!” She then called out loudly for Bi Mama, “How are you serving the young master? How could you let him wander around…”

Her aunt was using this to criticize indirectly.

Second Mistress Yu’s face changed dramatically.

Wu Shan couldn’t help but cry out, “Mother!” He continued, “There’s no need to blame Bi Mama. It’s all my fault. I’ll go back to my room to study now.” However, instead of leaving immediately, he hesitated for a moment, then suddenly fell to his knees before his mother. “Mother,” he said, his expression revealing determination mixed with sorrow, “Please, please agree to my marriage with Fourth Sister. I beg you…” He began kowtowing repeatedly to his mother.

Both Madam Wu and Second Mistress Yu changed color abruptly. Madam Wu shouted, “Wu Shan, what are you doing?”

What was he doing?

He was simply unwilling to give up!

Didn’t Fourth Sister want a marriage arranged by their parents and matchmakers?

If the Dou family agreed to their marriage, even if that other family came to propose, he could still compete, couldn’t he?

Wu Shan, with tears blurring his vision, continued to kowtow, as if only this could lessen the pain in his heart.

Second Mistress Yu sighed softly and stepped forward to help Wu Shan up. “Get up quickly!”

But Wu Shan clung to Second Mistress Yu’s sleeve like a drowning man grasping at straws. “Cousin, please help me…”

Before he could finish, a loud slap echoed as his mother struck his face harshly. “A man should only kneel to heaven, earth, the emperor, parents, and teachers. You dare to kneel before your mother and cousin for a woman? Are you still a man? Get up!” She roughly pulled at Wu Shan.

Wu Shan remained silent, staring intently at Second Mistress Yu.

Unable to bear his gaze, Second Mistress Yu turned away and said softly, “Given the circumstances, even if Fourth Sister were to marry into our family, do you think it would be appropriate?”

Hearing this, Wu Shan’s eyes immediately dimmed, and all strength seemed to leave his body. He allowed his mother to pull him up, looking dazed.

Second Mistress Yu, not wanting to get further involved in this mess, rose to take her leave.

Within half an hour, news of what had transpired in the western guest room reached Ji Shi’s ears.

She flew into a rage, saying, “What does the Wu family think they’re doing? Do they think our Dou family is just a side dish they can pick at as they please? How dare they act so capriciously! I must go to the Old Madam and get to the bottom of this.”

Second Old Madam was also very angry. She was reclining on the kang, resting with her eyes closed while Mama Liu massaged her legs with a “beauty pounder.”

“Forced melons are never sweet. It’s better this way,” she advised Ji Shi, though her eyes flashed coldly. “They even scolded Zijun’s wife earlier. But what good does that do? Since Madam Wu looks down on Shou’er, even if she were to marry into their family, she probably wouldn’t be treated well. If you’re concerned, you should keep an eye out for her in the future and find her a better match than the Wu family.”

Seeing the occasional flashes of coldness in Second Old Madam’s eyes, Ji Shi knew that she now harbored resentment towards Madam Wu and would likely cause trouble for her in the future. She said nothing more and rose to leave. Remembering that Aunt Cui had sent someone a few days ago to ask if she could help find two embroiderers from Jiangnan to embroider Dou Zhao’s wedding clothes, she felt a pang of heartache. She instructed Cai Shu, “Prepare the carriage. I’m going to the Western Mansion.”

Dou Zhao had also received the news. She thought Wu Shan must have said something to Madam Wu, and while feeling relieved, she also experienced an inexplicable sense of loss. But she quickly pushed this feeling aside and discussed the latest news with Chen Qushui: “…So the Second Old Madam is now convinced that Du An was acting under Wang Yingxue’s instructions?”

“Yes!” Chen Qushui smiled. “The Third Master not only wrote a letter to the Fifth Master but also sent one to your father. They’ve just been dispatched to Beijing by express messenger.”

Dou Zhao pondered, “Knowing my Fifth Uncle’s character, he’ll certainly use this opportunity to challenge Wang Xingyi. Although Wang Xingyi has achieved great military feats in recent years, as a general in the field, he may have some autonomy in following imperial orders. However, he can’t do without the help of the Six Ministries’ officials for military pay, provisions, pensions, and rewards. My Fifth Uncle has been entrenched in Beijing for many years with deep roots. At this time, Wang Xingyi wouldn’t dare to openly defy him.

If I were him, I would certainly apologize and make some promises to my Fifth Uncle…” She smiled as she continued, “I’ve been worrying, but it wouldn’t be right for Fifth Uncle to reap all the benefits, would it? We might not get the meat, but surely we can have some of the soup? Why don’t we have the Pang family compensate us with ten thousand taels of silver… no, make it twenty thousand taels! After all, I put up a reward of ten thousand taels for Pang Kunbai! The Pang family members always walk around with their noses in the air, as if they have ‘I’m rich’ written on their foreheads. So, let’s give them a good fleecing!”

Chen Qushui chuckled in agreement.

Dou Zhao instructed Su Xin, “Help me grind some ink. I want to write a letter to my father. It would be best if he brought this up with Fifth Uncle.”

Su Xin smiled and prepared the ink, paper, and brushes for Dou Zhao.

After writing the letter to her father, Dou Zhao brought up Duan Gongyi’s matter: “I’ve already spoken with Third Uncle. From now on, if Old Mrs. Duan needs any medicinal herbs, her maid can go to the Dou family’s herbal shop and put it on my account.”

Yesterday, Duan Gongyi officially became a guard for the Dou family.

Chen Qushui nodded with a smile, “That’s very good!”

Dou Zhao then inquired about the business at the stationery shop before returning to the inner courtyard.

Her grandmother’s eyes were red as if she had been crying, and her gaze occasionally revealed traces of pity when looking at Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao was secretly amazed. After leaving the East Wing, she asked Gan Lu, “What exactly happened?”

Gan Lu lowered her head and mumbled, “Sixth Madam came by and said the Wu family is leaving for Beijing tomorrow…”

So, her grandmother was saddened by the failure of her marriage arrangement.

Dou Zhao sighed helplessly.

On the day Wu Shan left, there was a light rain.

The rain left everything damp, washing the tree leaves to an especially vibrant green.

Dou Zhao spent the day in the greenhouse trimming holly branches until the evening when Dou Dechang came to visit her: “Wu Si said you once asked him to paint a fan for you. He asked me to deliver it to you.”

She washed her hands and had Su Xin put the fan away in a chest.

Dou Dechang asked, bewildered, “Don’t you want to see what he painted?”

“What does it matter what he painted?” Dou Zhao said indifferently as she carefully wiped her hands with a handkerchief. “It’s better to put it away.”

Dou Dechang fell silent.

A few days later, Ji Yong returned from Mount Tai. Upon hearing that Wu Shan had left, he laughed a couple of times while fanning himself and instructed his attendant to prepare a carriage, saying he wanted to go to the Western Mansion.

Ji Shi anxiously tried to stop him: “What are you going to do?”

Ji Yong widened his eyes: “I brought a fully formed ginseng for Fourth Sister. Is that not allowed?”

Ji Shi smiled awkwardly.

Ji Yong left with a flourish.

Upon seeing Dou Zhao, he asked her: “I heard your marriage to Wu Shan fell through. Don’t be sad. That kind of person, so soft and weak, isn’t really interesting. You’ll meet someone better in the future! I happened to find a ginseng root for you. It’ll help nourish your hair.”

Was he trying to comfort her or insult her?

Dou Zhao was so angry her temples throbbed. She gritted her teeth and said, “Did Cousin Ji mishear something? I don’t recall ever being engaged to Fourth Brother Wu.”

Ji Yong’s mouth gaped open, and it took him a while to close it.

Dou Zhao felt much better after saying this.