Chapter 24 — Schemes
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Dou Xin giggled and let go of Dou Ming's hair, but then poked Dou Ming's cheek.
Wang Shuying's heart leapt into her throat. "Your sister is still small—you mustn't poke her face!" Her voice came out sharper than she intended.
Dou Ji went to play with her little sister's hands.
She did it on purpose, surely!
Wang Shuying was furious.
Better to do it in front of everyone and be scolded as "naughty" than to harm the child behind their backs; a single word—"childish"—and the whole blame could be shrugged off...
What Zhao Guqiu had given birth to was no child at all, but a little demon!
The thought flashed through her mind, and try as she might to keep her composure, a trace of stiffness crept into Wang Shuying's expression. "Shouyuan, you mustn't play with your sister's hands either!"
Hearing this, Dou Huaiying felt a flicker of displeasure.
Shouyuan only wanted to get close to her little sister. If she had been careless and too rough, the child would naturally have cried out in discomfort. Yet the baby lay snug and content in the wet nurse's arms—plainly Shouyuan had been very gentle.
He felt Wang Shuying doted on her own child too much, and was somewhat harsh toward Shouyuan.
Third Aunt and Aunt Ding shared the feeling. Neither, however, was in a position to say anything—the former had only been asked by Dou Duo to temporarily oversee the household affairs of the Western Dou branch, and it would not do for her to meddle in such family matters; the latter's status here meant it was not her place to speak. But that did not mean the two had no opinions or allegiances. Third Aunt especially—she was, after all, the legitimate wife. Toward the Zhao family she would naturally speak up for the Dou. But behind closed doors, she held the deepest contempt for a concubine like Wang Shuying, who had wormed her way into the household by sordid means.
She gave a cold sniff inwardly, then went up beaming and scooped Dou Yan into her arms, quietly carrying her away from Dou Ming's side. "Silly child, you mustn't be naughty—mind you don't hurt your little sister!"
Too far is as bad as too little.
Wang Shuying was already nervous enough today.
She was, after all, only a three-year-old child. If Wang Shuying were truly driven to desperation and resorted to force without a care for the consequences, that would hardly be worth it!
Dou Xin smiled and wound her arms around Third Aunt's neck.
Third Aunt praised her as a "good girl" and said to Dou Huaiying, "Everything is settled here with Concubine Wang. I shall be going now. If anything comes up, just send someone to tell me."
Wang Shuying had gone into labor in the middle of the night; Third Aunt and Aunt Ding had been busy ever since.
Dou Huaiying thanked her profusely and, together with Aunt Ding, saw Third Aunt out.
Wang Shuying instructed her personal maid, Mama Hu: "From now on, Shouyuan is not to come near the girl, and certainly not to be alone with her."
Mama Hu was startled and said hesitantly, "Would that be wise? The Fourth Young Miss is, after all, a true legitimate daughter of the Dou household. If she could play together with the girl, nothing could be better..."
"You don't understand!" Wang Shuying said, still shaken. "That child... there's something uncanny about her. If you run into her in future, keep your wits about you." Seeing Mama Hu look somewhat dismissive, and reflecting that it was Mama Hu who managed all the affairs of her chambers, she thought for a moment and told her what Dou Zhiwei had said: "...Tell me, how would a three-year-old child know such things?"
Mama Hu mused, "Perhaps... someone told her?"
"Impossible!" Wang Shuying said. "Zhao Guqiu is gone. Who else in this household would be so idle as to do such a thing!"
Yet her thoughts drifted back to the past.
She had been jilted, while Zhao Guqiu was about to be married.