Dispute (Revision)
Aside from the cacophony of voices, a sudden, rapid clatter of hooves echoed from afar, followed closely by the clear, tinkling of bells. It was a sound all too familiar.
Dou Yanxun glanced to the side and saw a shadow mixed in with the shade of the locust tree beside him, which looked like a person and a horse galloping towards him.
Dou Yanxun stood still, letting the gust of wind sweep past him and then stop abruptly in front of him.
“I recognized that official robe from afar; it really is my second brother.”
Dou Yanzhou said loudly.
He held a golden whip in his hand, and the tall, black horse beneath him stood in the road, its snorts snorting hot air, blocking Dou Yanxun's path.
"What, Second Brother, you're not taking the sedan chair again today? You're walking back by yourself?"
Looking at his elder brother's smug face, Dou Yanxun knew his brother all too well. He figured his brother had probably made another fortune from the water conservancy projects in some village.
His deep black eyes darkened slightly, and a slow, gentle smile appeared on his face.
"The rain has stopped around us, so it's nice to look at the street scene."
Dou Yanzhou looked down at Dou Yanxun, loosened the reins slightly, and the horse took a few steps in place. Dou Yanzhou smiled knowingly, but his voice was a few decibels lower.
"Bihua Tower, won't my second brother pay a visit today?"
Dou Yanxun knew perfectly well that Dou Yanzhou wasn't really concerned about him; he was clearly just itching for attention, longing for the women of Bihua Tower. He was using Dou Yanxun's reputation for unbridled behavior as a pretext to maintain his own good image in front of his wife and parents.
That's always been the case between the brothers. It has always been that way.
Dou Yanxun's gaze swept over the silver fish-shaped pouch hanging from the black and silver belt around Dou Yanzhou's waist. This was an item that Dou Yanzhou, as the chief clerk of the Water Conservancy Bureau, could only wear when accompanying the chief envoy on river patrols, to signify his responsibility for water management.
Sure enough, my good brother must have filled his purse quite a bit during his river patrol today, which is why he was so eager to have some fun.
"Let's leave it at that for today. I haven't been home for a while, so I should stay for a few more days."
Dou Yanzhou chuckled, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Second brother has always been free and easy. When did he start caring about the woman at home?"
What was meant to be a casual joke turned into a strange feeling of unease when he saw Dou Yanxun's less-than-relaxed reaction.
"Second brother, it couldn't be...."
The horse reared up and neighed, perhaps because it had been standing for too long, and began to grow impatient.
Dou Yanxun, however, remained indifferent and interrupted Dou Yanzhou.
"It's just that I can't make Mother angry anymore. The two maids in the other courtyard died suspiciously last time, and Mother still doesn't seem to have forgiven me."
The two stood under the tall locust tree beside the main road, talking. The loud shouts of vendors and the alluring voices of restaurants along the street barely drowned out their whispers.
Dou Yanzhou's expression changed, and his face immediately turned cold and reproachful.
"On such a joyous day, why bring this up?"
Dou Yanxun's dark eyelashes drooped, and when she raised them again, her face was full of nonchalant smiles.
"Jiaorui was kept in the room by my elder brother to serve him that day, and soon she became pregnant. Although she accidentally fell into the water, she and her unborn child died. As their former master, I naturally felt sorry for them. However, since they used to serve my mother, it is inevitable that my mother would not, like me, reminisce about the past in the dead of night and feel sorry for those two girls who died one after another."
Dou Yanzhou suddenly felt his mouth go dry. He looked around to make sure no one was passing by before bending down and saying nervously:
"You know perfectly well that the two of them are inseparable. If Jiaohan isn't eliminated soon, this matter will be exposed sooner or later... How will I face them then! Besides, when Mother punished you that day, my second brother didn't utter a single word even when facing the family law. Since you refused to betray me then, why are you bringing it up again now?!"
Dou Yanzhou's eyes were full of resentment, clearly angered by Dou Yanxun. He suddenly pulled out the golden silk whip in his hand, and the horse under him raised its front hooves and neighed.
"Elder brother, don't be angry. We are brothers, and I, as the younger brother, was just joking around. How could I betray you?"
Dou Yanxun held the fan handle firmly, casually tapping the ground with the end of the bamboo umbrella handle with his right hand, causing several flower petals mixed with willow catkins to fall. A faint smile played at the corners of his eyes as he fanned himself and sighed softly.
"As the lanterns are lit, Yao Niang's best-kept Ruoxiachun wine must be ready. It's perfect with perch soup. Elder brother, you should go and try it before the moon rises."
Dou Yanzhou glanced at his half-brother, whose behavior was frivolous. It seemed that in just a moment, his pretentious demeanor had vanished.
He was annoyed by Dou Yanxun's words, glanced at the setting sun, snorted, turned and rode away.
He's just a bastard son, a worthless life unloved by his father and mother. He only treats me well out of pity, but now he dares to be so ungrateful? What a scoundrel!
Dou Yanzhou, increasingly enraged by Dou Yanxun, spurred his horse forward, his resentment still burning within him. He charged recklessly, his face cold as he watched the fleeing people, until he finally spat hard behind him, finding some relief.
.
As the last rays of twilight crept over the hanging flower gate, Lin Xu leaned against the bamboo couch that Zhou Qi had specially brought out under the corridor, meticulously doing her needlework.
She had a piece of apricot-red Hangzhou silk spread on her knees, and the silver needles rose and fell on the frame. Even though she had practiced for a long time, she was still very clumsy.
Two unfinished tiger head shapes were squeezed together at the edge of the pattern. She lowered her eyes and tied the gold thread in her hand into a tight knot at the end.
"Miss has been busy all day, she should take a rest."
Granny Qin brought over a bowl of honey-preserved plum soup. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that Lin Xu's forehead was covered in a layer of fine sweat. At first glance, his embroidered face looked fine, but upon closer examination, she could see that the tiger whiskers were already crooked and disheveled.
A hint of a smile appeared in the wrinkles around Qin's eyes, and she was quite moved.
“Miss is always very attentive to her work. This tiger-head hat for the newborn lady in the house can be embroidered by this old servant. Why bother with all this trouble?”
Lin Xu raised his head, about to speak, when he suddenly caught sight of a tall figure emerging from the moon gate, a figure he recognized immediately.
Dou Yanxun stood in the shadows, his expression indistinct, but from a distance, he seemed weary.
A young maidservant respectfully stepped forward and took the bamboo-handled umbrella from his hand. Dou Yanxun took a few steps forward, approached Lin Xu's side, and then smiled.
"My husband, are you exhausted from your duty today?"
Lin Xu stood up, and the embroidery hoop in her hand inadvertently fell to the ground as she stood up.
Dou Yanxun's gaze swept over the two tiger heads, but before he could take a closer look, a slender hand covered up all the colorful joy.
"No, you can't watch it yet."
Dou Yanxun couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, his eyes crinkling slightly as he caught a glimpse of her lowering her head, a blush rising to the tips of her ears.
He couldn't help but cough a few times to cover up the remaining smile.
"I rarely see you embroidering patterns."
Lin Xu quickly handed the unfinished pattern to Granny Qin while trying to hide her embarrassment. It was naturally quite rare; if it weren't for celebrating Gao Youyi's pregnancy, and for her own soon-to-be-born younger brother or sister—
After thinking for a long time, she decided to sew a cute tiger-head hat by hand, suitable for both men and women, as a token of her affection.
It took Dou Yanxun almost half an hour to walk home, and he was delayed for a long time by chatting with Dou Yanzhou. Now he felt exhausted and hungry.
The person next to her was still wearing a plain-colored long dress, but she had draped a pink vest embroidered with intertwined branches over her shoulders, which added a touch of softness.
He reached out and put his arm around Lin Xu's shoulder, and the image of those "strangely shaped" tiger heads from earlier flashed through his mind, causing him to smile.
Lin Xu was busy arranging for the servants to set out the meal when he heard laughter. He looked at Dou Yanxun in confusion, but when he saw Dou Yanxun's mischievous smile, he immediately understood.
He's mocking her!
Lin Xu was furious and immediately broke free from his embrace, quickly stepping into the room.
Dou Yanxun shook his head slightly, watching her hopping and skipping figure disappear behind the door.
For some reason, my mood, which had been gloomy, suddenly relaxed.
It even has a sense of peace and tranquility, like returning home.
As they spoke, Qingmo led a line of maids to neatly arrange the dinner. Several plump wild pheasants had recently been delivered from the Dou family's estate, and Bai Shi had Fulian distribute some to each household. Although the detached courtyard had a small population, it still received two pheasants.
Sure enough, there were more than a dozen dishes on the table. Half a braised pheasant was placed in the middle of a rough blue-and-white pottery bowl. It was first boiled and then roasted. The golden-brown skin cracked with fine lines and sizzled with the aroma of hot oil. It was the most time-consuming dish to prepare.
She had been ill for a long time a while ago, and the food prepared in the small kitchen was always light. Now that she had stopped taking the medicine, she was feeling much better, and seeing the table full of steaming food, she couldn't help but have an appetite.
Lin Xu scooped up a spoonful of the yam and goji berry porridge in front of him, gently blew away the heat, and took a small bite. It was indeed soft, sticky, and sweet, with golden, sweet chestnut pieces added inside, giving it a unique flavor.
As she picked up a piece of water shield with her chopsticks, she looked to the other side of the table.
Dou Yanxun was too lazy to change his clothes, so he simply unbuttoned his official robe collar. Since he had a day off tomorrow, he ordered Qingmo to bring him some wine. He was always casual about food, but also extremely picky—he would only eat the food he truly liked a few times, and would not touch the rest.
Dou Yanxun, however, showed little interest in the pheasant and instead began roasting venison.
He held a small knife with a rhinoceros horn handle and roasted venison slices one by one on a small charcoal stove. Each slice was cut precisely, and the blade trembled slightly as it cut through the venison's muscle fibers.
"Madam looks quite well today."
Dou Yanxun seemed to have noticed her gaze earlier. He arranged the sizzling venison on a Ru kiln celadon plate, pushed it forward, and placed it in front of her. At the same time, he looked up and watched her drink the hot chicken soup and eat with relish.
Compared to when she first returned, her delicate chin was now much thinner and more beautiful. She was already quite lithe, and the clothes she often wore were rather loose, revealing only her graceful waist.
I can't lose any more weight.
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