His mother did not sleep all night, and Dou Zhao did not sleep all night either. Dou Zhao did not know what his mother was thinking about, but she was thinking about Wei Tingyu all night.

What you think about during the day, you dream about at night.

Her mother-in-law had always been kind to her, so it was understandable that she dreamed about her mother-in-law. But how could she dream about Wei Tingyu?

Where on earth is she?

Dou Zhao thought of Wei Tingyu's crying and Mrs. Guo's assurance that he had vaguely heard... He shuddered and snuggled tightly in his mother's arms.

The next morning, my mother dressed up and went to the living room as if nothing had happened.

Dou Zhao pursed his lips and followed his mother closely.

My mother-in-law, Mrs. Tian, ​​was dressed in simple yet gorgeous clothes, had a gentle smile, and a quiet demeanor, like a magnolia blossoming in spring, with a hint of brightness in her tranquility.

Dou Zhao's heart sank.

My mother-in-law looks thirty years younger.

That's not the point.

The point is, she knows her mother-in-law's temperament too well.

When my father-in-law was alive, he treated my mother-in-law like a pearl and a jade. My mother-in-law's biggest regret was that spring came too late. The peonies she planted next to the pavilion had just formed buds in April.

So as soon as her father-in-law left, she lost her mind and became just like the flower, quickly withering and dying, losing her vitality... How could she have been so calm and bright before?

She looked behind her mother-in-law.

I saw Wei Tingyu, who looked only five or six years old.

Her fair face still had some baby fat, and her eyes, as warm as black jade, were wide open, pure and clean, observing the people and things around her with unmistakable curiosity.

Feeling someone looking at him, he looked over. Seeing Dou Zhao staring at him blankly, he raised his little face, snorted lightly through his nose, and turned his head away.

The mother-in-law hugged Dou Zhao and said, "Is this your little girl? She is so pretty!" She smiled warmly and kindly, and gave Dou Zhao a necklace inlaid with gemstones and a pair of small red gold bracelets as a gift. "But your little girl doesn't look like you at all. She looks more like my brother-in-law!" She said, smiling at her mother with a hint of teasing in her eyes.

The mother smiled, her smile was charming and full of pride, as if she was particularly proud that her daughter resembled her husband. There was no trace of the big quarrel she had ever had with her father.

My mother-in-law invited Wei Tingyu to come and greet my mother.

He bowed to his mother in a very proper manner, with proper manners, and it was obvious that he had been carefully guided by someone.

His mother liked it very much, and gave Wei Tingyu two rare scriptures from the previous dynasty and two ancient inkstones. Then she took him aside and asked him how old he was, whether he had been enlightened, and what he usually did.

Wei Tingyu answered each question clearly and in an orderly manner.

My mother showed envy: "Our Shougu still can't speak well."

"Girls are not like boys." The mother-in-law comforted her mother in a gentle voice, "Girls will get married in the future, so they must be raised with kindness. Boys will inherit the family business, so we have to be strict with them. What's more, our brother Yu is the eldest son, and he will inherit the title in the future, so we can't be careless." She felt a little heartbroken when she saw Wei Tingyu's look.

The mother nodded and asked curiously, "Why didn't you bring Sister Zhen back?"

"Our aunt and the aunt of the Duke of Jing's mansion are close friends," said the mother-in-law with a smile, "She acted as a matchmaker, and Zhen Jie'er got engaged to the eldest grandson of the Duke of Jing's mansion. I'm keeping her at home to learn needlework!" She added, "Originally, I didn't plan to bring Yu Ge'er with me this time. It was only because my grandfather repeatedly asked me to see Yu Ge'er that I brought him with me."

This time Tian returned home because his grandfather, who was over 80 years old, was critically ill.

"The old man is old, and he always thinks about the younger generation." Mother smiled, "Fortunately, he is blessed with great fortune and has survived." Then she said, "Jane is engaged, and I am relieved. Congratulations! When Zhen gets married, don't forget to send me an invitation. Otherwise, I will blame you."

"That's for sure." Grandma smiled, "Our two families have a friendship that dates back to our ancestors, no different from others."

The mother rolled her eyes and asked with a smile, "Is Brother Yu engaged?"

"He is still young," the mother-in-law said with a softer look in her eyes. "The Marquis and I are focusing on Sister Zhen and haven't considered his affairs yet!"

Mother smiled and said, "Our Shougu hasn't gotten engaged yet! I wonder when is Yu'er's birthday?"

The mother-in-law was stunned.

Dou Zhao's face flushed red.

Wei Tingyu often said: "As the Marquis of Jining, I can marry any famous lady in Kyoto. If it weren't for the friendship between our two families, how could I marry you?"

As he said this, he pushed her onto the bed with his face drooling.

She originally thought that Wei Tingyu just wanted to save face and wanted her to obey him...

Dou Zhao didn't think so.

I didn't expect that she could still remember it in her dream. It shows that she still cares about this matter very much.

Mother smiled and said, "They are standing there like wooden stakes while we adults are talking. Why not let them play in the study next door? There is a floor heating there too, so it is warm."

The mother-in-law nodded, called Wei Tingyu over, and gave him a few instructions.

Wei Tingyu nodded obediently, and followed Nanny Yu to the study with Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao left Wei Tingyu alone, lifted a slit in the warm curtain and looked out.

The mother smiled and raised the teacup, motioning for her mother-in-law to drink some tea.

"I admire the fact that Yu Ge'er has such good upbringing despite his young age. I like him very much. If you don't agree, just pretend I never said anything." His expression was inevitably a little sad.

"No, no!" the mother-in-law apologized, "Yu'er is the eldest son. We need to discuss this matter with the Marquis..."

"Sister, stop talking!" Mother blushed, smiling awkwardly, "I didn't know the seriousness of the matter." Then she took some fruit from the table and offered it to her mother-in-law, "Here, try this persimmon cake. It's homemade, sweet and sticky. Do you like it?"

My mother's forced change of subject made my mother-in-law very uneasy.

"Gu Qiu," she said hesitantly, "How about I go back and discuss this with Lord Hou first?"

The mother smiled awkwardly: "Sister, please stop talking about it! You know my temper, I don't care what I say. I was just saying it..."

Grandma laughed.

Perhaps she was thinking of the past, her eyes became gentler: "What's wrong with you? You're already a mother, but you're still so irritable!" As she spoke, her expression was slightly serious, and she said, "As long as you are willing to do it, why shouldn't I be unwilling? It's just that it's not good for two women like us to say these things here. You should also ask your brother-in-law and your father-in-law for their opinions!"

"Sister!" Mother's eyes lit up, "I'm just afraid that Brother Yu will be wronged!"

My mother's undisguised joy also made my mother-in-law happy. She smiled and said, "Poetry and calligraphy are passed down from generation to generation in the Dou family. I am really afraid that Shougu will be wronged."

"Where, where!" said the mother, and she went back to her room, took out a jade pendant and handed it to her mother-in-law, "Sister, this is an heirloom of our Zhao family. You know it. I gave it to Yu Ge'er."

"This..." The mother-in-law was in a dilemma as to whether to answer it or not.

The mother smiled and said, "If the two children are destined to be together, we will both be happy. If not, I am still Yu'er's aunt!"

The mother-in-law smiled, thought for a moment, took off a mutton-fat jade bracelet from her hand, and said, "This was given to me by my father when I got married. I will give it to Shougu." She took the jade pendant.

The mother was delighted and placed the jade bracelet solemnly in her arms.

Dou Zhao felt a lump in her throat and felt someone pulling her clothes.

"What are they doing?" Wei Tingyu's voice came from behind.

Dou Zhao snatched the corner of the clothes from Wei Tingyu and said, "I don't know!" Then he left him and went to the warm kang.

Wei Tingyu opened his mouth wide, and it took him a while to come to his senses. He ran over and got on the kang in front of Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao glanced at him, leaning on the big pillow and absentmindedly biting on a piece of candied winter melon.

It's been four days and three nights?

Every detail is vivid and lifelike...

Is this a dream?

If not in a dream, where was she?

Dou Zhao didn't like this out-of-control state and was very upset, but he didn't want to leave this dream.

No matter what, even if it was just a dream, helping my mother defeat Wang Yingxue could comfort me to some extent.

Wei Tingyu kept staring at Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao didn't even look at him.

His face flushed, and he asked, "Is this your home?"

Dou Zhao said "hmm" and continued thinking about his own thoughts.

In Jining Marquis's Mansion, Wei Tingyu was the center of everything. Being ignored for the first time, he was indignant and shouted, "Your tea is really bad!"

Nanny Yu was terrified and embarrassed.

Dou Zhao raised his eyelids, glanced at him lightly, and said, "You don't have to drink it!"

"You..." Wei Tingyu's face turned red and white, and he shouted, "The food in your house is also unpalatable!"

Dou Zhao was too lazy to pay attention to him and shouted "Tuo Niang": "Carry me to the desk!"

If she went out now, given how much her mother valued Wei Tingyu, she would definitely think that she and Wei Tingyu didn't get along well and that she was the one neglecting Wei Tingyu. But she was unwilling to put up with Wei Tingyu's unreasonable behavior, so she simply separated and waited for the adults to finish their talk before coming to find them.

Anyway, it was almost time for lunch, and even if Wei Tingyu got angry, he wouldn't make a fuss for long.

Sure enough, before a cup of tea had even finished, Wei Tingyu, who was glaring at her like a chicken, came in with a smile and invited them to have dinner in the flower hall.

Dou Zhao quickly followed Han Xiao and slipped away.

Perhaps his grandfather and father had already received the news, and Wei Tingyu was carried to the main hall by a servant.

Dou Zhao had his lunch leisurely.

The good habits she has cultivated make her movements as natural and graceful as flowing water.

The mother-in-law looked at her and nodded, saying, "She is indeed the daughter of the Dou family."

My mother was a little confused, but she was so excited by my mother-in-law's praise that she put her uncertainty behind her.

After the meal, Wei Tingyu was carried back by the servant and given a pile of pens, ink, paper and inkstone.

Dou Zhao was thinking secretly in his heart.

Why aren't they leaving yet?

No matter what, we must find a way to get Wang Yingxue to sign the indenture!

If my father was cruel enough to keep Wang Yingxue away from home, things would be even more troublesome if Wang Xingyi came back to power three years later.

But how to convince my mother?

She frowned and thought about it, but couldn't find a better solution.

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If you have any questions, please discuss them with everyone here.

Regarding the exile of criminals, generally speaking, unless it involves treason, the women of the family will not be implicated. So although Wang Xingyi was exiled, his family could still live a normal life. In order to take care of the scholars, the court also allowed the relatives or children of the exiles to take care of the exiles in the exile area, but they had to pay for it themselves. Sometimes the court would even exempt some exiled people from exile because their parents were old and had no relatives to take care of them.

Please do not misunderstand that Wang Yingxue was betrayed by some official. Wang Xingyi did not commit any serious crime of treason.

O（∩＿∩）O～

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