After breakfast the next day, Wang Zhibing said goodbye to Dou Duo: "...my father only told me to take my sister back. There are some things I don't know yet, so I need to tell my father."
During those years in the northwest, Wang Zhibing not only took care of his father's food and daily life and fulfilled his responsibilities as a son, but he also helped his father, who was unable to write for long periods of time due to torture in prison, to organize books, copy court reports, write letters to old friends, and do everything a staff member should do. He had long been accustomed to his father giving him a task, and no matter what difficulties he encountered, he would just complete the task beautifully, instead of complaining to his father or even taking credit for it when he encountered difficulties.
The same is true for Wang Yingxue's case.
He thought that despite the twists and turns, he would eventually be able to bring his sister back.
But now, things have gone off the track and he can no longer make a decision.
Dou Duo smiled and said, "That's right."
He personally escorted Wang Zhibing to the door.
When he turned around, he heard Wang Zhibing's servant whispering to Wang Zhibing who had come.
Wang Zhibing's face changed slightly after hearing this and he hurried out.
Dou Duo's heart moved, and he whispered to Duan: "Go and have a look!"
Duan responded and left.
After about two incense sticks, he came back and reported: "It was one of Lord Wang's followers who came. From the tone of his voice, it seemed that Lord Wang was going to Gansu to be an official, and asked Lord Wang to leave for Xi'an immediately..."
Dou Duo stood up from his chair suddenly.
"Could it be that the emperor is going to ban the horse market?" He frowned and looked in the direction of Qixia Courtyard.
At the same time, the second wife also got the news.
She stroked the paper in her hand, pondered for a while, and called her personal assistant, Madam Liu, to come in: "It's boring to stay at home every day. Let's go visit Madam Six."
Madam Liu smiled and agreed. She helped the Second Madam to get ready, arranged for maids and old women to serve her closely, helped the Second Madam to get on the small bamboo sedan chair, and personally made a green silk and tung oil umbrella and went to Ji's place.
Ji was talking to Nanny Wang in private: "...The horse market at the border has its pros and cons. Master Zeng is new, so even if he wants to ban the horse market at the border, he should do it slowly. Otherwise, if he is not careful, he might lose everything. It's a bit too hasty." She added, "But this is a good move. Everyone knows that Lord Wang is determined to ban the horse market. Even if the people below oppose it, they will think twice when they think of Lord Wang's determination, and they will soon resolve the situation. If the horse market is to be banned, it really has to be Lord Wang."
Upon hearing that the Second Lady was coming, they were both very surprised. They exchanged glances, and Ji, accompanied by Nanny Wang, walked forward with a smile.
The Second Lady looked around and said with a smile, "Why don't you see Shougu?"
Ji's eyelids twitched slightly, and she smiled and said, "Hui'er has started to learn the Analects, and Zhi'er has been studying with me for two days. She has almost finished the Three Character Classic after only a few days of school. She is much faster than the children of the same age in the clan school. It is inevitable that they are a little proud. I think it's okay for a while, but if it goes on like this, they will only become arrogant and complacent. I have to think of a way to secretly dampen their tempers." She said, and took the arm of the Second Lady. "It is inevitable that I can't take care of Shou Gu, but I have to be loyal to the person who entrusted me with the task. I saw that she practiced calligraphy every day with Uncle Qi before, so I found a calligraphy book and kept her at home to practice calligraphy. On the one hand, it complied with the rules of the West Mansion, and on the other hand, it prevented her from running around, so that I wouldn't be able to explain to Uncle Qi if she bumped into someone or bumped into someone."
The Second Lady nodded repeatedly after hearing this, put Dou Zhao aside, and asked carefully about the studies of her two grandsons.
While helping the Second Madam to sit down in the hall, Ji told her about her two sons' experiences in school. The Second Madam was so happy that her eyes narrowed into slits and she kept patting Ji's hands: "It's all because of your good teaching, it's all because of your good teaching." Then she sighed, "We have so many daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law in the Dou family. Some are better at speaking than you; some are better at serving their husbands and children than you; but when it comes to disciplining children than you, if you claim to be second, no one dares to claim to be first!" Ji was covered in cold sweats. She wanted to pull herself out of this muddy water, but with just a few words, she was entangled by the Second Madam again. Those who understood in their hearts knew that the Second Lady was setting a stage for her so that the children from the West Mansion could be sent to her to be raised. Those who did not understand thought that she thought she was a descendant of a famous family in Jiangnan and was arrogant and conceited, and did not take the daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law of the Dou family seriously.
It would be fine if both sons passed the imperial examination earlier than others, but if someone else's son passed the imperial examination before Hui'er and Zhi'er, I'm afraid there would be endless ridicule and mockery.
For a moment she didn't know whether her mother-in-law was lifting her up or roasting her over the fire.
Fortunately, the Second Lady did not dwell on this topic for too long. She said she wanted to go see Dou Zhao and went to the study surrounded by a large group of people.
Dou Zhao was sitting in front of his drawing table practicing calligraphy. Even though Tuoniang and Cailan were fanning him, his little face was still red and the tip of his nose was covered in sweat.
She finished writing the last stroke when she felt someone coming in, then looked up.
Seeing that it was the Second Madam, she smiled and handed the pen to Haitang, the little maid serving beside her, and was carried down from the armchair by Tuoniang, and bowed to the Second Madam.
The Second Madam laughed and said to the people around her, "Look at this little guy. He has only been with the Sixth Madam for a few days, and he has already behaved like a little adult."
Everyone around laughed.
There was a hint of helplessness in Ji's eyes.
Dou Zhaoze looked at the Second Lady with a half-smile.
In the previous life, my father married Wang Yingxue without knowing it, and the two families became in-laws. In order to get Wang Xingyi's support, my fifth uncle became Wang Yingxue's biggest supporter in the Dou family. She became a stumbling block that made people uncomfortable. If she wanted to grow up safely, she had better not offend Wang Yingxue, so she was sent to the farm to live with her grandmother. In this life, Wang Yingxue became my father's concubine. In order to make Wang Xingyi bow his head and give way, my fifth uncle had to use her to deal with Wang Yingxue. She became the favorite of the Dou family. In order to control her, the second wife had to keep her in the East Mansion and keep her in front of her.
Between life and death, life is turned upside down!
It's so ridiculous that it's hard to describe.
※※※※※
In mid-July, my father and sixth uncle arrived in Kyoto safely and each sent back a letter announcing their safety.
Zhao Si, who was far away in Ganquan County, Yan'an Prefecture, also received a note from his niece Dou Zhao.
He was so angry that he crumpled the note into a ball and threw it to the ground: "The Dou family is going too far! I want to see how the two families can become relatives if I don't write a letter of consent!"
Mrs. Zhao walked in quietly, looked at the ball of paper thrown in the middle of the study, bent down to pick it up, slowly unfolded it, stroked it, smoothed it out, and placed it on her husband's desk.
"I just asked the messenger," she poured a cup of tea for Zhao Si and said softly, "Dou Shiying went to Kyoto to take part in the provincial examination and entrusted Shougu to the care of the Sixth Madam. They are employees of the Ji family shop."
"What do you mean?" Zhao Si's eyes fell on the crumpled piece of paper.
"Shou Gu is only a five-year-old child who can't even hold a pen steadily," Mrs. Zhao said. "How can she know what to say and what not to say?"
Zhao Si's eyes suddenly became bright and sharp: "You mean, this envelope was written by Sixth Madam using Shougu's pen."
"Whether it is true or not, I don't know yet." Mrs. Zhao said carefully, "I just think these words have profound meaning."
Zhao Si calmed down, sat down at his desk, and held up the piece of paper with only a few lines of words written on it to the sunlight...
※※※※※
Wang Xingyi was of medium height. The torture in prison and ten years of exile had left him with premature graying hair and a haggard and emaciated appearance.
At this time, he was wearing a coarse linen shirt and standing in front of the flower garden. If it were not for the bright light in his eyes, he would look like a frail, old farmer.
"Dou Duo," he murmured, "he is forcing me...to kill Yingxue!"
Wang Zhibing was shocked and frightened to the point of breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Daddy," he cried, "you won't--"
Wang Xingyi glared at his son fiercely. "I, Wang Xingyi, have a daughter who is not well-educated, but don't the Dou family have any responsibility at all? They say Yingxue killed Zhao. Did Yingxue offend Zhao? Or did she poison Zhao's bowl? If she didn't want Yingxue to come in, she just gritted her teeth and refused to agree. Could Yingxue have bypassed her and entered the Dou family? Since she agreed to let Yingxue in, what about Zhao? You should have followed the rules of wife and concubine, managed what you should manage, punished what you should punish, and rewarded what you should reward, but you acted like this. Does Dou Wanyuan have to die for taking a concubine? I think it's still unclear whether it was Dou Wanyuan who killed Zhao or your sister. Don't believe everything you hear! She is your sister, the one who feeds you, clothes you, and helps you take care of your wife and children!"
Wang Zhibing was silent as a cicada in cold weather.
Wang Xingyi was still furious and said, "If Yingxue is wrong, whatever happens, I, as a father, will never shirk my responsibility, and I can guarantee that Yingxue will not shirk her responsibility. But if Dou Duo wants to pin the death of Zhao on Yingxue, I will never agree to it."
Wang Zhibing couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "Dad, that's not what I meant. I just think that Yingxue's behavior is somehow inappropriate..."
"Wenwei, I'm sorry for you!" Wang Xingyi called out his eldest son's courtesy name, his expression suddenly becoming gloomy. "You have been smart since you were young, but you don't even have the title of a scholar today; your brother grew up in the contempt of the public, he is timid and cowardly, and has no backbone; your sister has been working hard to make a living at a young age, how can she compare to the simple mind of the daughter of a rich family who was raised in the palm of her parents' hands? I know all this. "I know everything," he turned his head away, afraid that his son would see his wet eyes, "A general's success is built on the sacrifice of thousands of men. I have harmed you for my own sake!" He said, turning his head suddenly, staring at Wang Zhibing with eagle-like eyes, "If you have done anything wrong, I am willing to compensate others a thousand times, but if you want me to kill you for my own false reputation, then let them take my life first!"
The sonorous sound echoed in the flower garden.
Wang Zhibing knelt down in front of his father with a thump, his vision blurred by tears: "Dad, I won't have anything to do with you. It's us who are not good enough and have embarrassed you..."