Chapter 65 — Consequences (Bonus Update for 420 Pink Votes)

Wang Shuying received a letter from her mother, Madam Xu, saying that she had not seen Dou Ming in several years and missed her greatly, and that she wished to take Dou Ming to her natal home in the capital for a stay.

She went to discuss the matter with Dou Huaiying.

Dou Yan ran to the study to talk to Dou Yan.

"In a few days we're going to the Pang family," he said, winking at Dou Yan.

Dou Yan froze, then said hurriedly, "What are you going there for?"

Dou Yan laughed. "Guess?"

At times like this, when her heart was burning with impatience, Dou Yan hated guessing games most of all. Without a moment's thought she said flatly, "I can't guess."

Dou Yan looked a little disappointed. "Pang Jixiu is getting married."

Dou Qi was startled.

Dou Yan smiled craftily. "Didn't Pang Jixiu want to find himself a wife? The rest of us thought that sort of thing was too much for one person to manage alone, so we rallied the brothers and sisters of the family and found one for him. And wouldn't you know it—she took one look at Pang Jixiu and was smitten. The betrothal gifts and the formal proposal were all done inside of three months..."

Dou Chu knew at once there was a story behind this, and pressed with a laugh, "Out with it, or next time you come there'll be no iced mung bean water for you!"

Seeing no one about, Dou Yan leaned in and whispered with mischievous glee, "In Lingbi County there's Constable Chen, whose family have been petty officials for generations. He has five sons and a daughter, every one of them built like a barrel and trained in martial arts by their father since childhood—no ordinary man dares come near them. That Chen girl was past twenty and still unbetrothed. Then who should turn up but Pang Jixiu, buying goods at the roasted-seed shop her family runs, and what does he do but slyly fondle her hand. The Chen girl knew Pang Jixiu was unmarried, and her eyes lit up on the spot. Not only did she let him fondle her, she wanted to send a matchmaker to the Pang house to propose. She said that rather than marry some spineless nobody and live out her days with him, she would sooner marry Pang Jixiu... Aren't the Pangs a pack of scoundrels? But the Chens are cutthroats themselves, walking both the white road and the black. The Chen family let it be known early on: Pang Jixiu needn't marry her if he doesn't want to—he need only hand over both his hands by way of apology to the Chen girl, and the matter can be considered closed..."

Dou Yan could not help roaring with laughter. "Who did the fondling?" she asked Dou Yan.

"Kou-ge'er, of course," Dou Yan declared with righteous indignation. "Do you think we'd ruin the Chen girl's reputation?"

Kou-ge'er was the eldest son of their seventh cousin Dou Fanchang. He was only five years old this year.

Dou Xin was beside herself with amusement.

She knew the Chen girl was simply seizing the chance to fasten herself onto Pang Jixiu.

She asked Dou Yan, "'The rest of us'—who exactly?"

Dou Yan looked left and right, but would not say.

Dou Yi did not press her. Thinking of the Pang family's shameless face, she rather felt this was a fitting match.

At supper she told Dou Huaiying about it.

Dou Huaiying and Wang Shuying were both somewhat surprised.

"We shall have to send a gift when the time comes," Dou Huaiying said.

Dou Xin nodded with a smile.

But Dou Ming, who had sat by in silence all this while, suddenly asked Dou Huaiying in a loud voice, "When are we going to the capital?"

Dou Huaiying's brows knit slightly. "No talking at the table," he said gently.

Dou Ming flew into a passion at once, flung her chopsticks to the floor with a clatter, and cried out loudly, "I want to go to my grandmother's house in the capital! I don't want to live here! I don't want to stay in Zhending..." As she spoke, tears came streaming down her face.

Beside her, Wang Shuying turned her face away, her eyes brimming with tears as well.

Dou Huaiying trembled with anger, and for the first time turned a stern face on Dou Ming. "Don't you forget—your surname is Dou, not Wang! This is your home. If you won't stay in your own home, where is it you think you're going?"

Wang Shuying opened her mouth but said nothing.

Dou Ming pushed her bowl away and went clattering off.

Dou Huaiying watched Wang Shuying coldly. "Starting tomorrow, she'll learn proper deportment from the Second Madam. Brawling with others, too—never in all the Dou family have we had such a young lady! Until these slapdash habits of hers are broken, she goes nowhere!"

Wang Shuying's face changed at once. "Seventh Lord is being utterly unreasonable. My mother merely misses Ming-jie'er and wants to take her home for a few days, and Seventh Lord speaks as though our Wang family meant to fight the Dous over a daughter... Father has arranged everything for you, and you will not so much as look at it—in what way has our Wang family wronged you, that you should turn such a face on me and on Ming-jie'er..." So saying, she shot Dou Huaiying a look full of grievance and reproach, turned, and left the hall.

Only Dou Huaiying and Dou Yan were left in the hall.

Dou Huaiying slumped back in the grand chair.

Dou Fan sat upright with elegant composure and went on eating as though nothing had happened.

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Sisters, I beg you for your pink votes...

ps: We have guests at home today, so tonight's update will be a little late. Everyone can read it when they get up tomorrow morning!

o(n_n)o~

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