Chapter 241 Offspring
Dou Shishu, Dou Shiheng and Dou Shiying sat in silence.
Dou Shiying now felt a little regretful. He gave Dou Zhao so many banknotes at once. Could it be that, as Fifth Brother said, someone was targeting Dou Zhao? Or even kidnapping Dou Zhao? Or kidnapping Dou Zhao's children in a few years? Or deliberately causing Dou Zhao's son to learn bad things?
Dou Shiheng had already scolded Dou Shiying before Dou Shishu arrived. Seeing that Dou Shiying was speechless and dared not say a word, Dou Shiheng decided not to express his opinion on this matter anymore.
Anyway, it has been done. Even if the banknotes are taken back, there is no way to eliminate the impact caused by this incident. There is no point in thinking too much. We can only deal with it when the situation arises. He can't help but speak for the fifth brother at this critical moment, right?
Otherwise, wouldn't the fifth brother be even more motivated?
Dou Shishu didn't know what to say anymore.
You may say that Dou Shiying is stupid, but he is a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, has first-rate academic knowledge, and is a well-known humble gentleman in the Hanlin Academy; you may say that he is smart, but he did something that ordinary people could never imagine!
How can I help clean up the mess?
Could it be that all these banknotes are fake?
Well, then this news might spread even more outrageously!
He had a splitting headache.
Seeing this, Dou Shiying hesitated and said, "How about I ask my third brother to help me sell a few shops and give Shougu another 60,000 taels of silver? This way, Shougu won't have to bear this reputation in vain..."
"Shut up!" Dou Shishu could no longer maintain his brother's dignity and the demeanor of an elder, and shouted loudly, "How dare you think of selling the inheritance left by our ancestors?!" At this point, he suddenly remembered that Dou Shiying had no son, and suddenly felt that he seemed to be able to guess Dou Shiying's mood. He couldn't help but look frightened and said, "Shougu and Mingjie'er have grown up, and the matter of offspring cannot be delayed. I will discuss with mother tonight and find a girl from a decent family for you. This matter is settled, and your objection is useless! I can't watch you squander the family property like this and end up with a miserable old age! When I die, I will not be able to face my father, grandfather, and great-uncle!"
Dou Shiheng also thought that this might be a solution to Dou Shiying's wasteful spending, and he and Dou Shishu advised Dou Shiying: "Seventh brother, you have been living a mess these years. After Wang returned to Zhending, someone in Jing'an Temple Hutong will be needed to take care of your daily life and manage the family's affairs. If you have someone you like, you can also tell Fifth Sister-in-law. As long as the family background is clean and the person is upright, we will also help you to bring the person into the family."
Dou Shiying, who had always been weak, showed a reed-like tenderness at this moment. He lowered his head and murmured, "I, I won't take a concubine, anyway, I won't take a concubine..." Just like a child saying "I don't eat vegetables".
The two looked at each other, both feeling helpless and at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
Dou Shiying saw the helpless looks on the two men's faces and thought of how his sixth brother had just scolded him. But when his fifth brother scolded him, his sixth brother remained silent.
Sixth brother has always helped him.
He couldn't help but grow braver, and the thought that had been hidden in his heart for a long time couldn't help but come out.
"Or, just let Sixth Brother's son Zhige be adopted by me!" Dou Shiying said loudly, "Sixth Brother has two sons anyway, and Shougu grew up with Sixth Sister-in-law, and she is as close to Huige'er and Zhige'er as a brother..."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Dou Shiheng's face turned pale.
If Dou Dechang was passed on to Dou Shiying, it would mean that Dou Dechang might share the other half of Xidou's property with the two sisters Dou Zhao and Dou Ming.
This is no small amount.
Dou Zhao got half of Xidou's property, and everyone could tolerate it, in large part because Dou Zhao was Dou Shiying's eldest daughter. If the property was not divided with Dou Zhao, it would have nothing to do with the people of Dongdou. Moreover, Zhao Guqiu almost grew up in the Dou family, and they were all responsible for Zhao Guqiu's death. But now everyone is the descendant of Dongdou, and his son inherited such a large sum of money from Xidou. Even if the brothers are not jealous, can the sisters-in-law be calm? Now that my mother is in charge, the three houses left by my great-uncle still occasionally show some dissatisfaction. If his son becomes the adopted son of Xidou, I am afraid that Dongdou will be divided into two branches!
"I think what Fifth Brother said is right. Let Mother or Eldest Sister-in-law help you pick a good girl from an honest family as a concubine." He stood up and glanced at Dou Shishu. "Tomorrow is Shougu's wedding day. You asked me to help you manage the wedding room. I'm going back first. It's settled about the heir! Don't be indecisive and have wild thoughts. Zhi'er is already old and is not suitable to be an heir. I can't bear to let him be an heir either."
Why does Dou Shishu need Dou Shiheng to remind him!
"Your sixth brother is right. Zhi'er is too old to be suitable." He said immediately, "You are in your prime, it is better for you to take a concubine."
To show his determination, Dou Shiheng opened the door with a "click", only to see Dou Zhao who was about to knock on the door.
The two of them were only separated by a door. He was startled and cried out, "Shou Gu, why are you here?" Then he thought of what they had just talked about. He didn't know if Dou Zhao had heard it. His face was a little hot. He covered up and said, "Shou Gu, what do you want to talk to your father about? We have already finished talking. Tomorrow is the main day, and all the relatives and friends will be here. I have to come early in the morning to help entertain the guests. You also need to dress up and go to bed early." Then he strode away.
Dou Shishu naturally could not discuss the matter of taking a concubine in front of his niece. He smiled and exchanged a few words with Dou Zhao, then stood up and said goodbye.
The only person left in the study was the dejected Dou Shiying.
For some reason, Dou Zhao's eyelashes were filled with tears.
She and he heard the argument just now.
In the past, she blamed her father for not caring about her and for not being liked by her father.
But no matter in the past life or this life, what her father gave her was far more than she could have imagined.
Something, like a tide flooding over the beach, smoothed out the gaps in Dou Zhao's heart and made her feel more comfortable and peaceful than ever before.
She sat down opposite her father, leaned on her elbows, and asked her father with a smile: "Do you want to play chess with me?"
Dou Shiying's eyes lit up, then dimmed again. He whispered, "Shou Gu, I took the initiative to give you a bunch of banknotes... Your fifth uncle said that it would bring you trouble..."
"It's fine if they accompany me!" Dou Zhao said with a nonchalant smile, "I'm going to marry into the Duke of Ying's Mansion soon. Didn't you say that the Duke of Ying's Mansion is one of the most prominent families in our dynasty? Isn't the prince Song Yantang a man of outstanding ability and good character? If they can't even protect my dowry, how can they deserve the title of 'one of the most prominent'?"
Dou Shiying was relieved.
His eyes narrowed into slits from smiling.
Shougu has always been so considerate.
Any difficult task becomes easy in her hands.
He rolled up his sleeves and shouted to the servant proudly, "Bring us the chess equipment!"
Dou Zhao pursed his lips and smiled.
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Song Yichun felt that the four golden Ruyi were like four big mouths, laughing at him mockingly.
What happened?
Isn’t it said that the fourth daughter of the Dou family is unloved by her mother and father?
How come such a large dowry suddenly appeared?
The money in the box, the money in the box, shouldn't it be put in a box and brought here quietly?
How could someone be so brazen as to carry the deposit in a box over here?
As if to prevent others from knowing, he pressed it with a ruler-long red gold Ruyi...
Why isn't there a strong wind today?
He ran away with all the banknotes in the box, leaving Song Mo crying and shouting but unable to catch up! He made Song Mo feel heartbroken for once!
He couldn't help but look at the pottery.
Tao Qizhong's face was filled with confusion, and he didn't know what had happened.
And Song Mo's heart was twitching just as Song Yichun had hoped.
His father-in-law...you really can't judge a person by his appearance!
Such a thing can be done.
Was he afraid that he would bully Dou Zhao and was trying to intimidate the Song family? Or was it that he had so much money that it was no longer on the same level as them, and that 40,000 taels was the same value as 400 or 4,000 taels in their eyes?
It can be predicted that his marriage will be discussed in Kyoto for a long time in the future, and for an even longer period of time, his main manpower will probably have to be used to prevent thieves, right?
Song Mo glanced at the guests who were in high spirits due to the excitement of the banknotes, and couldn't help but sigh secretly.
Yan Chaoqing walked over quietly and whispered, "My Lord, what should we do?"
"What should we do?" Seeing that Liao Bifeng still looked a little dazed, Song Mo sighed and said, "Whatever we have to do, we can't even protect the 40,000 taels of silver in the Duke's Mansion?"
Only then did Yan Chaoqing regain his composure.
It's not that he hasn't seen so many banknotes before. When he was working under Duke Dingguo, he was in charge of internal affairs. He had even seen a million taels of military pay. However, the Dou family was a family of scholars who had been farming and studying for generations. Such high-profile behavior was really beyond his expectations.
Yan Chaoqing hurriedly called Xia Lian over and said, "Send someone to guard here. Be careful not to lose anything and make a fool of yourself!"
According to etiquette, the dowry brought by the bride should first be placed in the courtyard of the new house for people to see.
Xia Lian responded respectfully.
Song Mo turned and went to the study.
He thought of the wonderful expressions on everyone's faces just now.
Especially when his father opened his mouth wide with an expression as if he had seen a ghost, and faced with other people's envious congratulations and had to force a smile that was uglier than crying, he suddenly felt extremely happy.
Such an interesting thing happened before he and Dou Zhao had their wedding.
Maybe there will be more surprises waiting for him in the future!
Thinking of this, Song Mo couldn't help but laugh.
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No matter how strange the atmosphere in the Song family was or how solemn the atmosphere in the Dou family was, Dou Zhao's wedding day arrived as scheduled.
It was just daybreak, and Gao Sheng, who had been busy almost all night and had not slept, ordered the servant to open the door.
The tea room, snack room, reception room, and accounting office all became busy soon.
Dou Zhao was woken up by Su Lan: "Miss, Miss, please get up quickly, it's already morning."
She yawned and said slowly, "The auspicious time is set at the beginning of the dog day. Why are you in such a hurry? It will take no more than two hours to wash and dress. Let's talk about it after lunch."
The person who was invited to comb her hair was a retired palace maid who had combed the hair of nobles in the palace in the past. She had been invited here by the Dou family's carriage a long time ago. Upon hearing what she said, she smiled and said, "I have combed the hair of so many brides, but I have never met anyone as patient as you. No wonder you were able to marry into the Duke of England's mansion. It shows that you are born to be a noble!" But her eyes could not stop looking at her.
It seems that it was that pile of banknotes that played a role!
News travels so fast!
Dou Zhao remained calm and asked the hairdresser to give him two top-quality red seals. He lay on the bed and read for a while before getting up and getting dressed.