Perhaps he cannot be truly in love, but he is a gentleman who will cherish his wife and maintain his integrity, respecting and loving her.
He did not take a concubine, nor did he force himself to have children. He only wished to spend the rest of his life feeling guilty to make up for the girl he chose not out of love, but out of love and friendship.
“Since we’ve already made our move, the Dou family, though neutral for a century, has never been afraid of anyone.” Madam Dou promptly chimed in, “Wei Ming admires you, and I admire you too, that’s enough.”
What are you optimistic about?
I think he'll become my son-in-law.
Xu Mo sighed and cupped his hands in response, "Madam, rest assured, I will remember everything and never forget it."
This is to ensure that the Dou family's daughter is treated well.
Madam Dou laughed even more heartily, while Jiang Sheng stood by, completely bewildered. Miss Dou clenched the handkerchief in her hand, and finally a hint of emotion flickered in her eyes.
It wasn't happiness, it wasn't resistance, it was hesitation.
Seizing the brief silence, she finally spoke, "The Dou family supports you not only because of Father's appreciation, but also because they favor the legitimate lineage and do not want illegitimate children to cause chaos in the court."
These words changed the Dou family's original intention from scheming for a son-in-law to supporting the legitimate heir.
Madam Dou was shocked and turned her head to look several times.
Miss Dou did not respond, and lowered her head slightly.
The atmosphere in the waiting room became tense for a moment, but fortunately the maidservant informed them, "Master has returned and is waiting for Lord Xu in the study."
Madam Dou then stood up and said apologetically, "Then, Xiao Mo, let the maid take you there."
Her gaze fell on Jiang Sheng, who had a round face, and she said understandingly, "Let Miss Jiang play with us in the backyard."
The fact that they were waiting in the study meant they were going to discuss matters of state, which might have been related to the prince.
Xu Mo could only stand up, pat his younger sister's head, and say, "Be a good girl and follow Madam, wait for your older brother to come back."
Seeing Jiang Sheng nod vigorously, he felt relieved and took his leave, heading to the Dou family study.
Madam Dou must have inquired beforehand and knew that Jiang Sheng loved to eat, so she smiled and ordered her servants to bring over some delicious pastries.
Miss Dou stood up. "Mother, let me choose it myself."
Jiang Sheng could clearly sense that Madam Dou was somewhat surprised, but she still nodded in agreement.
Why are this mother and daughter speaking in riddles?
Feeling something was amiss, she took advantage of the fresh air to stand by the window and glanced around out of the corner of her eye, and sure enough, she noticed something was wrong.
After leaving the reception room, Miss Dou didn't go to the main kitchen at all. Instead, she quickly stopped her elder brother, Xu Mo, and calmly said something to him.
The snow was heavy and the wind was light, so the sounds could only be faintly heard.
“Lord Xu.” Miss Dou was calm and composed, her slender figure showing no fear even when looking up. “I have something to say to you, sir.”
Xu Mo pursed his lips. "A mere sixth-rank official, young lady, you may simply address me by my name."
“Then I’ll call you Young Master Xu.” Miss Dou lowered her eyelashes. “My father admires you greatly, and my mother visited the imperial harem on your behalf. We both know that they are looking for a son-in-law. The Dou family is too powerful to associate with aristocratic families, so we have set our sights on a lone young talent.”
Being alone means having no family to help you, and it's more like marrying into the Dou family.
For emerging talents, it's about avoiding expanding their influence while betting on their potential – essentially gambling on the future.
Moreover, Xu Mo has a legitimate legitimate prince standing behind him.
If the Dou family truly binds themselves to this top scholar, it's hard to predict who will ultimately benefit.
“However, this is too unfair to you.” Miss Dou said something surprising. “Whether the Dou family helps you or the Fifth Prince, it’s all for their own benefit. I will persuade my parents not to take any more sons-in-law, and I also hope that Young Master Xu will not take the previous matter to heart.”
After saying this, she bowed slightly and took her leave.
Xu Mo stood there stunned, unable to recover for a long time.
He wanted to ask, since Miss Dou had gone to the list of successful candidates to find a husband, she must have been interested in him, the top scholar, so why did she now reject him?
But even without asking, it's clear that what Miss Dou wanted was a lover who truly loved her, not a husband who was merely a respectful guest.
This stop was both an explanation and an act of preserving her dignity.
As the rain and snow subsided, Lord Dou was still waiting in the study. Xu Mo did not linger, but felt a growing admiration for the young lady.
Upon arriving at the study, Dou Weiming, who had clearly already learned what had just happened, showed a hint of melancholy in his usually dignified eyes. "The girls in the family have grown up and are starting to have their own ideas."
Upon closer inspection, he was more pleased than disappointed. "However, since she has said so, let's put aside the matter of finding a husband for now and talk about the current situation in the court."
If we don't mention finding a son-in-law, then we have to start from the perspective of interests.
The Dou family can support the Fifth Prince, but they must be certain that they are supporting the legitimate heir and the future imperial family.
"Rest assured, my lord, my brother is a worthy ruler." Xu Mo bowed deeply and spoke in a gentle and detailed manner.
They said the Fang family was playing both sides, that the eldest prince was incapable of shouldering the responsibility, that the Ju family would inevitably seize power as maternal relatives, and that the Fang family was trying to control the imperial power.
No matter which prince it was, after seizing the throne, he could not escape the control of the aristocratic families over the imperial power.
"Aren't you worried that the Dou and Jiang families will control the government and usurp the imperial power in the future?" Dou Weiming asked with a smile.
Anyone else would have been shocked, but Xu Mo remained calm and composed, saying, "Your Excellency has the people at heart and the court on your mind."
"Countless predecessors have long proven through history that it is not appropriate for the imperial family to monopolize power, nor is it appropriate for aristocratic families to check it. What is truly for the benefit of the people is the combination of an upright and honest emperor and loyal and persuasive ministers."
In other words, it's not good for any one entity to be dominant; there should be checks and balances, and each entity should have a voice.
When the emperor is incompetent, powerful families can play a crucial role.
If the established families are not wise, the imperial family can choose a new one.
Even if the Jiang and Dou families become powerful in the future, as long as the head of the family understands and the family rules are strict, they can still be a good weapon in the hands of an emperor.
Having the people in one's heart is the greatest good in this world, and those who deserve to stand at the pinnacle of power are the ones who truly care about the people.
"Good, good, good." Dou Weiming exclaimed three times in a row, "No wonder so many family heads have their eyes on him. Young Master Xu will surely rise to the highest position, have the world in his heart, and be remembered for all time."
"I promise you, even without the option of a son-in-law, I am willing to lead the Dou family to choose a ruler."
“If remaining pure and neutral cannot bring about a more clean court, then what’s the point of taking sides in advance, or vying for the throne?”
"Ultimately, it's all for the sake of the world!"
People with great love in their hearts are not bound by rules.
They only look at the results.
"What are your plans next?" Dou Weiming finally came to his senses and asked with a smile.
Xu Mo clasped his hands in a resounding fist salute once more, “Spreading rumors!”
The emperor was ill, and rumors spread throughout Fengjing.
The scandal of cheating in the imperial examinations was making headlines, and countless students were clamoring to condemn it. He wanted to take this opportunity to disrupt the Fang family's plans, to make the prince behind them stand up, and to profit from the conflict between the two sides.
He's going to bring Fang Yuan down!
He wanted to thwart Wang Yuyao's plans for wealth and status!
He wants revenge for his friend!
He wants to restore fairness and impartiality to the imperial examination system!
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