trade
"Greetings, cousin." Dou Zhen clearly had no intention of catching up with him; he simply nodded and bowed before preparing to take his leave.
Dou Tonghan stepped over the pebbles and walked toward her with a very polite smile: "Did you just come back from your aunt's? I came out for some fresh air while I was reciting my lessons, and it's quite a coincidence."
Not wanting to be impolite, Dou Zhen smiled and said, "Indeed, cousin, you are preparing for the exam now, and you must be working hard every day. You must balance work and rest."
"I've heard that my cousin is well-versed in classical texts and is known as a talented young woman in the capital. It seems that if my cousin has the time, I'll have to humbly learn a thing or two from her." Dou Tonghan was handsome, and when he smiled, his eyes seemed to lose some of their calculating nature. As if he had unintentionally remembered something, he continued, "Has my cousin invited any of her close friends over for tea recently?"
Dou Zhen looked Dou Tonghan up and down, then realized what he was up to. She felt even more disdain in her heart, but smiled faintly and said, "Cousin, you are indeed astute. It's just that I've been too busy lately to see my sisters. Aren't you going back to study?"
Seeing that Dou Zhen's face was amiable and that he was about to ask Dou Tonghan to leave, Dou Tonghan could only chuckle and bow before departing.
Upon returning to Ningyue Tower, Dou Zhen felt depressed and downed the tea that Pan'er had just brought her in one gulp. This behavior was quite different from her usual dignified and gentle demeanor, startling both Pan'er and Yin'er.
"Miss... has something happened?"
The Dou family is not at peace right now. Dou Yanzhou's official position is precarious, and the servants, being the most well-informed, have naturally heard about it to some extent.
Dou Zhenqing's handsome features were filled with gloom. "I thought my cousin was a scholar who was focused on his studies. I didn't expect that before he even took the imperial examination, he would be eyeing Miaoyi, who comes from a prominent family."
She hadn't completely recovered from her previous failed relationship, and felt that all men were equally corrupt, to the point of utter disgust.
Yin'er had been with Dou Zhen since childhood and didn't understand these things very well. Pan'er, on the other hand, was very clever and asked tentatively, "Is Miss worried that the young master has developed feelings for Miss He? However, Miss He comes from a distinguished family in Mujing, so she won't choose her husband casually. Naturally, she will marry into a prestigious family."
What were originally just words of comfort from a maidservant touched a raw nerve in Dou Zhen, who had just received a serious reprimand from Madam Bai. Immediately, tears welled up in her eyes again, and she could no longer hold back her emotions.
"And what about me... my own marriage is in trouble now..."
Yin'er and Pan'er exchanged a glance, realizing they had spoken out of turn, and quickly put down their trays to gently coax her. Dou Zhen, who had previously devoted herself entirely to Jiang Heng, had been heartbroken for a long time, and neither of them dared to mention it again.
Dou Zhen finally stopped crying after a long while; her eyes were red from crying so much. Yin'er tenderly took a handkerchief, freshly prepared with hot water, and wiped away the tear stains from her face. She saw that Dou Zhen's expression had returned to calm, and she murmured to the carved bronze mirror on the table:
"This won't do. I can't... go on like this any longer."
.
Meanwhile, Lin Xu looked at Aunt Mu, who had lowered her eyes and looked obedient, in the hall, with a very cold expression, and remained silent for a long time.
Madam Mu was always quiet by nature, and now that she had been summoned, she was neither hurried nor slow. As usual, she brought Lin Xu an eight-treasure food box filled with salted plums. Lin Xu did not speak, and she sat quietly in the hall, showing no sign of anything amiss.
"I thought you were a low-key person, but I didn't expect you to be so impatient."
Mu Wenjun raised her head, her expression remarkably calm. "Since Madam already knows, then I have no way to refute it."
Even Zhu Ling and Rong Wei, who were standing to the side, looked at each other in surprise. Neither of them expected that Mu Wenjun would skip the explanation and simply accept everything.
Lin Xu carefully looked up at Mu Wenjun. Her face was serene and her features were not particularly outstanding. However, her calm temperament was quite unique. It was as if she was just sitting there, without making a sound, which made people feel inexplicably at ease.
"Tell me, why did you want to get rid of An Chan? Was that packet of talismans given to her by you?"
Mu Wenjun raised her eyes, her voice as usual:
"...Aunt An came from a humble background and gradually became arrogant after gaining favor. She repeatedly offended me and Madam Feng, and even cut off Madam Feng's expenses and monthly allowance. She was determined to become a second wife and was even more eager to get rid of Madam Feng. That talisman was fake. I only secretly spread the word. If Aunt An didn't have ulterior motives, she wouldn't have let Lian Rong put that talisman away and go to Lingbo Garden to find out the truth."
"Do you know that once I hand you over, you'll be caught red-handed, and you'll be able to frame others. You won't be able to escape then?"
Mu Wenjun lowered her head, but showed no sign of panic. She simply sighed softly, her expression full of understanding:
"I know you wouldn't do that, Madam."
Lin Xu smiled slightly, "That's a strange thing to say. Now that I've discovered your tricks, do you think I'd cover for you?"
“If Madam really wanted to hand me over, there was no need to bring me to your palace first.”
Mu Wenjun slowly raised her eyes, her gaze clear and bright like the moon hanging by a window. As she curved her lips into a smile, even her ordinary face seemed to gain a unique charm.
“These days, I have often stayed by your side, and whenever I sit quietly in the palace, I observe you carefully. Others may not be able to see it clearly, but I can see it clearly: you are just as dissatisfied and indifferent to the Dou family as I am.”
Now it was Lin Xu's turn to be taken aback.
Then Mu continued, “These infighting within the inner quarters might be fought to the death by others, or they might just watch from the sidelines, but you are utterly disgusted by these things and despise such behavior from the bottom of your heart.”
"...Getting rid of An Chan would only be helping Madam Feng, who is now unable to move around easily. I can't stand An Chan's sycophantic behavior, and I can't stand Zhou Lang's behavior of favoring his concubine over his wife."
A cold smile crept across Lin Xu's lips. "You've managed to say both sides of the story; you're quite clever. Who knows, if something happens to the First Madam again, wouldn't you be the only concubine left in the main branch, making it perfect for you to take over?"
Mu shook his head slightly.
"I am merely an illegitimate child from a family in Wuzhou. I have been accustomed to being treated coldly by my family since childhood. The reason I was able to marry into the Dou family is only because the old lady sees that my father's career is going smoothly and Wuzhou is an important town in Lingnan. If the boatman is punished, he can retreat to Lingnan, where he can stay away from the limelight for a while before continuing his post."
"Indeed intelligent. In that case, what do you want?"
Mu looked calmly into Lin Xu's eyes, which were pressing towards her, and said, word by word:
“I do not desire wealth or honor, nor do I covet the position of principal wife. I only wish for a way to escape: a letter of release, plus a thousand taels of silver—in other words, I wish to leave the Dou family permanently, and this will naturally lend you a hand, Madam. It is a win-win situation.”
Upon hearing this, even Zhu Ling and Rong Wei, who had been standing silently nearby, stiffened. Lin Xu glanced at Zhu Ling and Rong Wei standing beside him, gesturing for them to leave first.
As the main gate of the hall gently closed, all was quiet as before, with only the wisps of incense smoke rising from the triangular sandalwood incense burner.
Lin Xu raised her head, her fingertips tracing the grain of the fine pear wood on the table beside her. She hadn't expected to underestimate the Mu family. It turned out the world was vast; what she had been striving for wasn't this small, confined space at all.
She looked at Mu Wenjun with a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny:
"Do you want me to help you get divorced by the Dou family? Where can you go after leaving here? Do you want to go back to Wuzhou?"
Mu shook her head, but her eyes were filled with raging hatred.
"I have long since tasted the bitterness of those days when I was not valued. I was betrothed to my childhood sweetheart, but my mistress, in order to climb the social ladder by marrying into the Dou family, did not hesitate to beat that man to death and then trick me into marrying into the Dou family, so as to achieve a win-win situation for them. I never want to go back to those cannibalistic days again..."
Hearing this, Lin Xu was filled with emotion. In the end, she was just another pitiful person… Over the years, she had seen countless women caught in these situations, and a sense of melancholy washed over her. With such endless struggles, in the end, who could truly achieve their desires?
It's just a lose-lose situation; you have to accept the consequences of your bet.
After a long pause, she asked again, "You just said it would kill two birds with one stone, helping you leave this place. What benefit would that bring me?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Mu smiled gently, her expression remarkably confident:
"I have Dou Yanzhou's embezzled and concealed private accounts. The Dou family father and son are officials, they are all in the same boat, so they will naturally be implicated. Once you get your hands on them, starting with the eldest son, it will be easy to overthrow the entire Dou family in no time."
Lin Xu was shocked to hear Mu say such a thing, and her heart pounded wildly. Evidence of Dou Yanzhou's embezzlement? She couldn't believe that the evidence she had been searching for since marrying into the family, enough to bring down the entire Dou family, had been found so easily by Mu Wenjun. She was utterly stunned.
If the Dou family falls... will everything be resolved? My father has not yet participated in the imperial examination, and Dou Huaisheng has not yet falsely accused my father. So, as long as the momentum of the Dou family is permanently suppressed, will the Lin family be able to live a peaceful and worry-free life forever?
only……
As a strange light gradually appeared in her eyes, Mu Wenjun nodded and said, "This account book also contains evidence of Second Master's protection in his early years. Once it is exposed, Second Master will likely be implicated as well."
Lin Xu calmed himself down. "How did you find something so secret and important?"
Mu Wenjun smiled brightly, "Dou Yanzhou is too lustful. Once the bedroom is to his liking, and with a little aged liquor, he will naturally be unable to hide anything."
Lin Xu turned her face away, but couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She never expected that in the end, it would be this seemingly simple and kind-hearted Mu who found Dou Yanzhou's evidence...
And this was actually the moment when she had been lying low for a long time and was about to overthrow the entire Dou family.
However, this matter was of utmost importance, especially since it involved Dou Yanxun. Furthermore, it concerned a woman whom Lin Xu did not know well, and Mu Shi was unsure whether she could trust her.
"Are you absolutely certain about what you have?"
"Please rest assured, Madam. I, Mu Wenjun, would never act rashly. I would never dare to speak to you unless I had irrefutable, written evidence. And since I entered the manor, I have observed for a long time, and in this entire vast mansion, I am probably the only one who shares my thoughts."
"...Let me think about it for another night."
Mu Wenjun understood, rose and bowed to Lin Xu, then whispered:
"I understand, and I await your good news. Please also know that in all matters of the world, there is never a moment to lose. Once today is missed, there will be no more tomorrow."
.
The night was deep, the moon was heavy and the clouds were obscure.
When Dou Yanxun returned from his shift, he went straight back to the villa without resting. He pushed open the heavy curtains of the sleeping quarters and found the room extremely quiet, with only a plain lamp in the inner hall. The afterglow of the lamplight slanted onto Lin Xu's lotus-colored sleeping robe, making her figure appear slender and exquisitely beautiful.
He casually took off his heavy cloak and strolled indoors, still carrying a damp chill with him. The biting spring cold was even more severe than winter.
"What are you thinking about?" He casually tapped her delicate nose, and Lin Xu was startled by the coldness of his hand.
"Why is it so cold? Is your coat not warm enough?"
Looking at her concerned eyes, he felt instantly refreshed, and all the fatigue from the day's busyness vanished.
After Lin Xu finished speaking, she was about to sit up, wanting to take a closer look at the cloak he was wearing today. Dou Yanxun chuckled and sat down on the edge of the couch, pulling her into his arms.
"If this is cold, you have no idea how much colder other places are, waiting for you to warm me up..."
After saying that, he reached out to touch her body while holding her hand.
Lin Xu rarely saw Dou Yanxun in such an unserious state, and she was stunned for a moment. Then her face suddenly turned red, and she hurriedly tried to pull her hand away. Seeing her like this, Dou Yanxun wanted to tease her even more, and his soft and warm breath fell on her ear.
"Why are you trying to hide now...?"
Seeing that he was becoming increasingly unruly, Lin Xu was both ashamed and annoyed. She immediately reached out to push him away, but unexpectedly, he grabbed her slender wrists in an instant. His hands were always broad and thick, and one hand made her unable to move.
"You... Dou Yanxun!"
She rarely called him by his first name, which only deepened Dou Yanxun's smile. He stared intently at her, drawing closer and closer:
"I'm right here. What are your orders, my wife?"
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