Chapter 241 — Offspring (Bonus Chapter — Please Vote Pink)
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Dou Bingheng, Dou Heng, and Dou Huaiying sat facing one another in a triangle.
Dou Huaiying was already somewhat regretting it now. He had given Dou Yan so many silver drafts all at once—could it be as Fifth Brother said, that someone would set their sights on Dou Zhiwei? Or even kidnap Dou Yan? Or, years down the line, kidnap Dou Zhiwei's children? Or deliberately steer Dou Zhiwei's son toward bad ways?
Dou Heng had already given Dou Huaiying a thorough dressing-down before Dou Bingheng arrived. Seeing Dou Bingheng scold Dou Huaiying into mumbling silence, not daring to make a sound, he decided to say no more on the matter.
It was done, after all. Even if the silver drafts were taken back, the impact of the affair could not be undone. No use in overthinking; deal with things as they come. He could hardly side with Fifth Brother at a moment like this, could he?
Otherwise, wouldn't Fifth Brother only grow more zealous?
Dou Bingheng had simply run out of words.
Call Dou Huaiying a fool—yet he was a proper metropolitan graduate of the two-tiered examinations, a man of first-rate learning, and a famously modest gentleman at the Hanlin Academy. Call him a man of sense—yet he had gone and done something no ordinary person could even imagine!
How was he supposed to help clean up this mess?
Was he to claim the silver drafts were all forgeries?
Fine, then—and that rumor would surely spread even more wildly!
His head was splitting.
Seeing this, Dou Huaiying ventured hesitantly, "How about I have Third Brother help me sell a few shops, and add sixty thousand taels in silver drafts for Shouyuan? That way, Shouyuan won't have to bear this reputation for nothing..."
"Shut your mouth!" Dou Bingheng could no longer maintain the dignity of an elder brother or the poise of a Grand Secretary, and shouted, "The ancestral estate—how dare you even think of selling it?!" At this, he suddenly recalled that Dou Huaiying had no son, and felt he could somewhat guess at Dou Huaiying's state of mind. His expression turned grave. "Shouyuan and Ming girl are both grown now. The matter of heirs admits no delay. Tonight I will discuss it with Mother and find you a girl from a respectable family. It is settled—your objections are useless! I will not stand by and watch you squander the family fortune and end up in a miserable old age! When I die, I will have no face to meet my father, my grandfather, my granduncle!"
Dou Heng also thought this was as good a way as any to rein in Dou Huaiying's reckless spending, and joined Dou Bingheng in persuading him: "Seventh Brother, your household has been in disarray all these years. After Mrs. Wang returned to Zhending, someone ought to be at the Yunqi Temple Alley house to look after your daily needs and manage the household affairs. If you have someone in mind, you may tell Fifth Sister-in-law. So long as her family is of clean standing and her character upright, we will happily help you bring her in with full ceremony."
The ever-weak Dou Huaiying now showed the pliancy of a reed. He lowered his head and murmured, "I... I won't take a concubine. I just won't take a concubine..." like a child saying, "I won't eat my vegetables."
The two men exchanged glances, both overcome by a helplessness that was half laughter, half tears.
Seeing the resignation on their faces, Dou Huaiying recalled how Sixth Brother had given him a sound scolding just now, yet when Fifth Brother began to berate him, Sixth Brother had fallen silent instead.
Sixth Brother had always stood up for him.
His courage grew, and the thought long buried in his heart could not help surging up.
"How about we just have Sixth Brother's Zhi boy adopted out to me!" Dou Huaiying declared loudly. "Sixth Brother has two sons anyway. Shouyuan grew up at Sixth Sister-in-law's side—she's like a full sibling to Hui boy and Zhi boy..."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Dou Heng's expression changed on the spot.