plot

More guests arrived from afar, all of them prominent figures in Mujing. Bai Shi stood at the door, greeting them with a smile, and also instructed Fu Lian to quickly lead the ladies into the inner hall.

Lin Xu called out to Feng Daizhu, but saw that she seemed to be looking into the distance, lost in thought, with a rather melancholy expression. After a while, the light in her eyes suddenly brightened, and Lin Xu followed Feng Daizhu's gaze forward, only to see the brothers Dou Yanxun and Dou Yanzhou, dressed in green satin robes and with bright eyes, walking side by side into the hanging flower gate.

He had obviously just returned from his shift.

The two greeted the ladies from prominent families gathered at the door, then looked up and saw Lin Xu and Feng Daizhu, so they quickly walked over. Dou Yanzhou walked in front, nodded to Lin Xu, and then put his arm around Feng Daizhu's shoulder.

Feng Daizhu did not look at Dou Yanzhou; instead, she subtly stepped back a few paces.

Before Lin Xu could think about it, she saw Dou Yanxun walk straight up to her and naturally take the several large gift boxes from Lin Xu's hands.

Judging from the packaging, it should have been brought by the old lady Qi, whose hair was gray and who had been lost. She didn't even know when these things had ended up in her hands.

Why are you standing here?

Lin Xu then smiled and said, "My sister-in-law and I are here greeting guests. Many ladies from prominent families have come today; it's quite lively..."

Dou Yanxun casually handed the heavy gift boxes to the servant, the jade pendant hanging from his waist swaying slightly, shimmering with a faint green light.

After a busy day, a hint of weariness appeared between his brows and eyes, but his tall stature and the jade belt around his waist made him look even more broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted. Just standing there, he looked as handsome as an ancient pine tree rising from the edge of a cliff.

Dou Yanzhou was two years older than Dou Yanxun, but the two were about the same height, and Dou Yanxun was even a little taller. Standing in a bustling crowd, although Dou Yanzhou was also handsome, Dou Yanxun still appeared more refined and eye-catching.

There's no way around it; some people are just born beautiful and effortlessly attract attention with every move they make.

Lin Xu only reached Dou Yanxun's chest before he bent down to speak to her, a strand of hair by his temple swaying gently in the warm breeze, his eyes filled with indescribable tenderness and doting affection.

Lin Xu didn't say anything, but a smile appeared on his lips, as if seeing her made him happy from the bottom of his heart.

Standing to the side, Feng Daizhu felt her heart clench even tighter. She couldn't even bear to look. She turned her face away, gazing at the few rose bushes in the flowerbed in the courtyard, a riot of vibrant colors that stung her eyes. She could only whisper:

"The banquet is about to begin, let's hurry over."

The inner hall was already bustling with people, even more lively than before. Dou Huaisheng had also returned from his shift, having changed into a dark scarlet casual outfit. He was smiling and chatting with the people while holding today's protagonist, Chen Ge'er.

He is currently acting as the Minister of Personnel. Even if Zou Xiangqing recovers from his illness and returns to the capital to resume his post, Dou Huaisheng will still be the Vice Minister of Personnel with real power. No one can guarantee whether Dou Huaisheng will be promoted again in the future. Therefore, with so many guests in front of him, no one dares to be disrespectful to him.

Seeing that both families had arrived, Fu Lian hurriedly had his servants arrange seats and then, along with his maids, served tea and fruit to everyone. Dou Yanxun, who had never been well received on such occasions before, was greeted by the two officials from the Ministry of Works who turned around and bowed to him as soon as he sat down. They then looked at Dou Yanzhou and raised their hands in congratulations from afar.

This has always been the way of officialdom; those who have been in the game for a long time only recognize official titles and not personal relationships. Even though Laining is small, it is adjacent to Mujing, and the county magistrate is a proper sixth-rank official, the father and father of the people in the area. Nowadays, everyone has to think twice before speaking.

Qiu Shanhai and Dou Huaisheng were both Jinshi graduates in the same year. In their early years, they also served in the Secretariat. When Dou Huaisheng was just a minor registrar in the Secretariat, Qiu Shanhai was already a city gatekeeper, specifically responsible for the gate management of the imperial city. Now, he has gradually risen to the fifth rank of Secretariat Attendant.

The man was tall and thin with a square face and thick, long eyebrows. He was a native of Laining. Upon seeing Dou Yanxun, he greeted him with a broad smile, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and loudly congratulated him.

Dou Yanxun, however, was very humble and returned the courtesy with a smile, then repeatedly asked Lord Qiu about the local customs and culture of Laining.

Before he entered officialdom, he was very carefree, as if everything around him was irrelevant to him, and he did everything in a nonchalant manner. Now that he has entered officialdom and has even risen through the ranks, he seems to be able to handle interpersonal relationships with ease, and everything is done very properly, without a trace of flattery.

For example, he sat with his head down next to Qiu Shanhai, listening to Qiu Shanhai talk endlessly about his poor childhood and his journey through the imperial examinations. He was very focused and did not show the slightest impatience. He even nodded from time to time and said, "...Laining has a simple and honest folk culture, and the people are all kind-hearted. You can see this from Lord Qiu."

Despite the generational difference between the two, Qiu Shanhai, after drinking several cups of Yu Niang Chun, became quite engrossed in the conversation. He patted Dou Yanxun's shoulder and wouldn't let go, saying that they should address each other as brothers from now on. He also said that he would arrange for his relatives to host a welcome dinner for Dou Yanxun as soon as he arrived.

Lin Xu sat to the side, casually glancing around. He noticed that Dou Yanzhou, who had been sitting opposite him, looked gloomy, as if the sun was obscured by dark clouds.

In the past, on such occasions, Dou Yanzhou, the eldest son of the family and a handsome young man, was always the center of attention. Now, however, everything has been reversed.

Even Bai Shi, who was standing in front of the wet nurse and had been teasing Lang Ge'er and talking with several ladies from noble families, would occasionally glance in their direction.

Even the steady and mature Bai family couldn't help but start to scheme...

Lin Xu saw it clearly because she knew that Qiu Shanhai, the man in front of her, had always been a crucial link in the intricate network of relationships within the Dou family in her previous life.

Qiu Shanhai and Dou Huaisheng were old friends, and later they both joined the ranks of the Princess's husband. Even at the banquet held at the Princess's residence nearly a year ago, Lin Xu saw Qiu Shanhai among the officials present.

At that time, even though the news of the Dou family currying favor with the imperial son-in-law Liao Qian spread far and wide, Dou Huaisheng and his son were not even qualified to attend the banquet. Even Dou Zhen was only allowed to go with Lin Xu by Bai Shi, who openly and secretly arranged for him to do so.

In the eighteenth year of the Yuanzhen era in his previous life, when his father was falsely accused of bribing officials and abusing his power for personal gain while overseeing the imperial examinations, it was Qiu Shanhai, who was then serving as a censor, who suppressed several memorials to exonerate his father. However, he singled out Dou Huaisheng's memorial, which slandered his father for abusing his power and engaging in fraud. This enraged the emperor, who had been silent until then, and within half an hour, he sent an imperial edict to confiscate his family's property.

In her previous life, Lin Xu was ignorant of politics, and even though she knew the outcome, she couldn't distinguish the various reasons. Since her rebirth, she first went to school, and then read through the history books of three dynasties, as well as the laws and policies of the Dayu Dynasty, and gradually came to understand.

At that time, the Lin family was wronged. The so-called bloody case of cheating was not just about Dou Huaisheng.

Qiu Shanhai was merely a supervising secretary, whose daily duties included reviewing imperial edicts, having the power to reject or remand documents, and reviewing major criminal cases. However, he was utterly incapable of suppressing the memorials submitted by censors. Had it not been for the secret collusion between powerful ministers and eunuchs, how could he have overstepped his authority and committed such dereliction of duty?

However, even though she is now in the Dou family, spending every day with Dou Huaisheng, and is very close to Princess Kunrou, there is still no clue to be found.

Although Liao Qian was the imperial son-in-law, he held no real power. His ancestors were merely a declining noble family, and his daily life consisted mostly of hosting elegant gatherings in his mansion, inviting a few scholars and poets to compose poems and exchange verses. Everyone praised him for his profound understanding of the "Doctrine of the Mean," and Dou Huaisheng and Qiu Shanhai, among others, were chosen for their outstanding literary talents. As for the eldest princess... although she wielded immense power, she did not concern herself with politics, and the Lin family had no grudges against these powerful figures... Whenever she thought of these things, she felt a deep sense of unease and could not find a way to relieve it.

Calculating the time, there was only a year and a half left since the Lin family's misfortune in her previous life. However, she was confined to the inner quarters of the mansion and had no clues whatsoever.

Perhaps leaving the Dou family and going to Laining would allow me to get away from the center of this vortex and thus calm my mind and clear my head.

As evening approached, the full moon banquet finally came to an end. The Dou family was busy seeing off the guests, and it was quite a flurry of activity. Dou Yanxun personally escorted Qiu Shanhai, whose face was flushed from drinking, to the door. It wasn't until the sun was setting that the banquet truly came to a close.

Feng Daizhu was unwell and returned to Lingbo Garden to rest early. Now that she was the mother of two legitimate sons in the mansion, naturally no one dared to say anything.

Dou Huaisheng, busy welcoming and seeing off guests, drank quite a bit of wine and fell asleep drunk. Meanwhile, Dou Yanzhou and his mother, Bai Shi, sat quietly in the main hall, which had finally returned to peace, slowly sipping their tea.

It was midsummer, the perfect time for water chestnuts to bloom. Lady Bai had a blue-and-white square-mouthed vase placed in the hall, its interior filled with shimmering blue water, lying still as a mirror. Snow-white water chestnuts floated on the surface, only their delicate yellow stamens peeking out, their soothing fragrance carried on the night breeze drifting in from the window.

Bai gently skimmed the floating leaves from the cup with the lid of the teapot. “Chrysanthemum tea is the best for relieving summer heat and brightening the eyes. Young master, please have a taste.”

Dou Yanzhou had been in a bad mood all day, and now, in front of his mother, he could hardly force a smile. He responded softly, but kept playing with the teacup in his hand.

"You still can't keep your composure."

Madam Bai chuckled and put down the white jade teacup in her hand. After all, he was her own son, and she knew Dou Yanzhou's temperament best. "...He's just a minor county magistrate. Laining is far from the capital, and he can't possibly cause any trouble. It's really not right for you to be so worried and tormented."

"But Mother, was my second brother's previous carefree attitude just an act? You used to scold him for so long, and he still didn't try to improve himself. But now he's completely changed! If he ever manages to climb the social ladder..."

Bai chuckled softly, her well-maintained fingertips gently caressing the string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand.

“My son, no matter how much trouble Dou Yanxun causes, you must never forget his status. He's just a son of a concubine. Back then, how clever and quick-witted Xia Shi was, yet she still died so easily. The river swept her away, along with her infant child, leaving nothing behind... Do you know that your father even chose a nickname for him back then? Qing Ge'er... He's dreaming. He's just a lowly child born to a concubine, yet he dares to call himself a nickname with such a good meaning?”

When the past was brought up, even someone as experienced as Bai couldn't help but get angry.

At that time, she had only been married into the Dou family for a few years, and her position was still unstable. Seeing that Xia had given birth to two sons in succession, she was afraid that her position would soon be in jeopardy. If it weren't for that ruthless decision she made back then, she probably wouldn't even know where her eldest son is now, living in poverty and destitution!

Dou Yanzhou had always suspected that Xia's death was related to his mother. Now, seeing Bai's face turn ashen just from recalling that past event, he couldn't help but feel a chill.

So what if his mother killed someone... Didn't his mother do it all for his own good?

Dou Yanzhou sighed and changed the subject, "But why does Mother seem less concerned about my second brother these days? I really don't know, but I'm afraid that he'll marry into a better family and then stop caring about us..."

Madam Bai chuckled, glancing at Dou Yanzhou with affection. "You've always been too kind-hearted. If it weren't for your mother protecting you, you'd probably have been taken advantage of by that other family long ago. The journey from Mujing to Laining... isn't it almost a day's journey? The mountains are high and the roads are long. They say July is prone to torrential rains, and if the rain is too heavy, there will be many falling rocks..."

Dou Yanzhou's heart skipped a beat.

Did Mother mean to eliminate my second brother on his way to his new post? This… Even though Dou Yanzhou was jealous of Dou Yanxun's recent success, he didn't intend to kill him. After all, Dou Yanxun had helped him with so many despicable things in the past…

He looked at Bai Shi in fear, only to see that Bai Shi still had a smile on her lips, but her eyes were filled with coldness.

"What's the panic? Now that he's a member of the Dou family, his official position is a blessing to the Dou family. Why should I go against their reputation? However, the second wife has been childless since her marriage, and it seems she's not bearing any offspring. That day, I merely mentioned giving him Anchan, one of my servants, as a concubine when Dou Yanxun finished his shift early, and that rebellious son's face changed. He'd never dared to do that before!"

Bai paused, then lowered her head and reached out to fiddle with the pure white petals floating on the water.

"It seems to me that someone is whispering sweet nothings in his ear..." Madam Bai raised her head, her eyes showing a deeper thoughtfulness.

"...Perhaps, Dou Yanxun's promotion was also partly due to this person's planning."