Chapter 76 Severing Ties and Establishing a Female Household
Dou Wenyi steadied herself and said, "Zijuan, don't worry, I will never let this matter rest!"
In her previous life, after Zijuan committed suicide by jumping into a well, Old Madam Dou inexplicably tripped and fell in the courtyard.
At that time, she had already married into the Dingyuan Marquis's household, and upon learning of this, she rushed back.
Although her grandmother had twisted her back, the injury wasn't serious. With proper care, she could live for a few more years. Worried about her grandmother's health, she frequently visited the Dou family, intending to wait until her grandmother fully recovered. However, Old Madam Dou resolutely sent her back to the Xie family, deeming it against the rules.
Less than six months later, the devastating news of her grandmother's passing arrived.
The Dou family was rife with rumors. One minute they were saying it was Zijuan's vengeful spirit seeking revenge, the next they were spreading that she was a jinx, bringing misfortune to her family and causing her grandmother's death. She found it all suspicious, but the Dou family's affairs were not her concern. Despite her long investigation in secret, she had not found any concrete evidence.
It's not the theft itself that's scary, it's having someone eyeing you!
The second branch of the family was after the grandmother's private property. They failed this time, so who knows if they will go even further and use even dirtier methods to seize it next time?
Human nature is treacherous, and she could hardly help but suspect that they were heartless and ruthless, and that they had used any means necessary to bring about her grandmother's death in order to divide up her grandmother's private property.
Dou Wenyi was filled with many thoughts. Dou Bochang was selfish and unreliable, and Dou Zhongyuan was even less so. If things continued like this, she was really worried that her grandmother would follow the same path.
She longed to establish her own household, sever all ties with the Dou family, and then take her grandmother to a beautiful, secluded place to live a peaceful life.
The main hall of Shouhe Hall.
Dou Bochang, Madam Gu, Dou Zhongyuan, and Madam Yang were all there, filling the room to the brim.
Dou Wenyi stood behind Old Madam Dou, giving her a sporadic shoulder massage, while Cao Mama stood by coldly.
Dou Bochang, still in his official robes, spoke in a low, hoarse voice, tinged with helplessness: "Mother, it's all because your son is unfilial. We accept being beaten and scolded as we should, but you can't be so heartless as to insist on going back to our hometown of Youyang. If word gets out, how will our family ever be able to face the world again..."
Dou Wenyi sneered inwardly. No matter what, Dou Bochang only cared about his official reputation.
Was his grandmother's passing in his previous life related to him?
Madam Gu was clearly impatient, and her tone was displeased. "Master came here as soon as he returned home, without even having time to take off his official robes. The court is in turmoil, and it's not easy for him. He still has to worry about things at home after returning home. Old Madam, you have always been magnanimous and understanding, so please be more considerate."
Granny Cao rolled her eyes, suppressing the hatred in her heart. These heartless bastards thought they could cover up the truth by pretending to be filial sons and grandsons here.
Dou Wenyi got off the couch and gave Cuizhi a look.
She immediately took out a blue and white porcelain plate and placed it on the table, which contained the jade osmanthus cakes and pastries served at yesterday's banquet.
Upon seeing this, Yang's face turned deathly pale.
Dou Wenyi pointed at the plate and said coldly, "This plate of pastries has been drugged with a potent aphrodisiac available on the market. If anyone accidentally eats it, the consequences will be unimaginable... Yesterday, many distinguished guests attended the banquet, but the second branch's maidservant served these pastries to His Highness the Crown Prince's table."
"Second Aunt, don't you think she looks familiar?"
Madam Yang wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, and she knew perfectly well that Madam Yang was once again using the Crown Prince's name to intimidate her.
"Stop spreading alarmist rumors. Who would dare to plot against the Crown Prince..."
"Whom is Second Aunt plotting to harm this time?"
Yang suddenly realized she had spoken out of turn and quickly stopped talking.
Dou Wenyi's smile vanished, and she stared intently at Madam Yang. "Father, this is a heinous crime of plotting against the Crown Prince. I don't know how long the Dou family's wealth and power will last!"
Dou Bochang was completely bewildered, then suddenly realized the seriousness of the matter, "What exactly happened?"
Dou Zhongyuan's eyes were cold, and he said angrily, his neck stiff, "Brother, Fourth Sister is a complete liar! Yesterday she tricked me into going to see the Crown Prince, but he had already left. Your daughter is out of control; you need to discipline her!"
Does she really think she can pull the same trick a few more times? Does she really think they're all fools?
Dou Wenyi smiled meaningfully, "If the Crown Prince hadn't left so early, your plan might have succeeded. You also wanted to send a daughter to the Eastern Palace as a concubine."
These words caused both Dou Bochang and Madam Gu to become unsettled.
Yang was utterly shocked and so angry that she could barely speak. "You...you're making false accusations! Brother-in-law, there's no such thing. Yi'er is just spouting nonsense and making things up out of thin air. She has no evidence at all!"
"Who says I have no evidence?" Dou Wenyi said calmly.
Her dark hair was styled in a simple bun, adorned with only a white jade hairpin, and her lustrous pearl earrings shone brightly, making her face appear even whiter and more radiant.
“Yesterday, Xi’er from the second wife went to the main kitchen. She’s the one who took this plate of osmanthus cake. She’s the evidence. Father, you just need to bring Xi’er here and interrogate her thoroughly, and you will understand the truth.”
Yang panicked completely. Xi'er was a servant born into the Dou family, and the indenture was not in her possession at all.
If we let her confront us, wouldn't that expose their plot to murder Zijuan?
People need skin, trees need face, so how can they be human?
Dou Bochang was furious and disregarded his usual demeanor. "No wonder Mother is making a fuss about going back to our hometown. Second brother, are you jealous of the Dou family's wealth and have to cause trouble?"
Dou Zhongyuan was completely dumbfounded. He couldn't very well reveal his original plan from yesterday. "Brother, how could you believe Fourth Sister? She's just being unreasonable and spreading rumors. We have no intention of doing that."
Dou Bochang felt a chill run down his spine. Based on his previous experiences, he had long believed Dou Wenyi's story. "Then tell me, with witnesses and physical evidence, why did you drug her?"
Yang's face flushed red, and cold sweat soaked through her vest. She had no idea how to answer.
"Men, bring Xi'er here to me." Dou Bochang's face was ashen.
Dou Zhongyuan felt a little guilty and pleaded in his voice, "Brother, we are all brothers and sisters, why do you have to make things so embarrassing?"
Madam Dou glanced at Dou Zhongyuan with disappointment, her eyes already moist. "Second son, aren't you going to tell the truth?"
Seeing that he could no longer hide the truth, Dou Zhongyuan knelt on the ground with a thud, weeping bitterly, "Mother, your son was wrong. It was all Yang's doing. She said she needed a capable person to manage the inner courtyard and wanted to find someone to help..."
Madam Yang was shocked and hurriedly knelt on the ground, crying as she pleaded, "Mother, Zijuan is a good girl. Please give her to our second branch of the family. I will definitely treat her well."
Dou Wenyi said sarcastically, "Still pretending? Second Uncle has such high standards, how could he have taken a fancy to Zijuan? He's probably after Grandmother's private treasury. After all, no one knows Grandmother's assets better than Zijuan, and besides, she holds the key to Grandmother's private treasury."
Dou Bochang finally understood. It turned out that the second wife had drugged Zijuan in an attempt to seize the old lady's private property.
Old Madam Dou was heartbroken and couldn't hold back her tears. "I've lived to this age and enjoyed all the blessings I could. To live to old age is to be a thief. Even if I die, I have no regrets. Granny Cao, go and bring out all the things I have left. We'll distribute them to the two brothers today."
"I'll go back to my hometown of Youyang tomorrow and wait to die!"
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