Chapter 241 — Offspring (Bonus Chapter — Please Vote Pink)
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
To adopt Dou Huaide out to Dou Huaiying would mean Dou Huaide might share in the other half of the Western Dou's fortune alongside the sisters Dou Yan and Dou Ming.
That was... no small sum.
That Dou Yan had received half the Western Dou's property was something everyone could bear, largely because Dou Yan was Dou Huaiying's legitimate eldest daughter; and if the property did not go to Dou Yan, it would have nothing to do with the Eastern Dou anyway. Moreover, Zhao Guqiu had practically grown up in the Dou household, and they all bore some responsibility for her death. But now they were all equally descendants of the Eastern Dou—if his son inherited such a vast fortune from the Western Dou, even if the brothers themselves felt no envy, could the sisters-in-law keep their peace? With Mother managing the household now, the three branches left by the granduncle still occasionally showed a measure of discontent. If his son also became the adopted heir of the Western Dou, he feared the Eastern Dou would split into two factions!
"I think Fifth Brother is right. Let Mother or Eldest Sister-in-law pick you a fine girl from a clean family for a concubine." With that, he rose and glanced at Dou Bingheng. "Tomorrow is Shouyuan's wedding day, and you have asked me to oversee the gift storeroom. I will be going now. As for the matter of heirs, it is settled! Do not waver or let your thoughts wander. Zhi boy is already grown and unsuited to be an adopted heir besides—I could not bear to part with him, and I will not let him be adopted."
Dou Bingheng needed no reminder from Dou Heng!
"Your Sixth Brother is right—Zhi boy is a little too old, unsuitable," he said at once. "You are still in your prime. Best to properly take a concubine."
To show his resolve, Dou Heng flung the door open with a "bang"—and came face to face with Dou Yan, who was just raising her hand to knock.
Only a door's breadth apart, he started violently and blurted, "Shouyuan, what are you doing here?" Then, recalling what they had just been discussing and unsure whether Dou Yan had heard, his face grew hot. He covered it up: "Shouyuan, what did you want to see your father about? We have finished talking. Tomorrow is the main day—the aunts, the relatives, and friends will all be arriving. I must come early to help receive the guests. You need to dress and make up too, so you should retire early." Then he strode off.
Dou Bingheng naturally could not discuss taking a concubine in front of his niece. He exchanged a few pleasantries with Dou Yan with a smile, then rose and took his leave.
Only the despondent Dou Huaiying remained in the study.
For no reason she could name, Dou Yan's eyes brimmed with tears.
She had heard the whole quarrel just now.
In the past she had resented her father for not caring about her, resented herself for failing to please him.
But whether in her past life or this one, what her father had given her was far, far more than she had imagined.
Something, like the tide washing over a beach, smoothed away the gullies in Dou Yan's heart and left her spirits more settled and calm than ever before.
She sat down across from her father, propped her elbow on the table, and asked him with a smile, "Would you like to play a game of chess with me?"
Dou Huaiying's eyes lit up, then quickly dimmed again. He said in a low voice, "Shouyuan, I took it upon myself to give you a chest of silver drafts as dowry... Your Fifth Uncle says it will bring you trouble..."
"So it was given—let it be given!" Dou Yan said carelessly with a smile. "I am about to marry into the Ying Duke's household, aren't I? Didn't you say the Ying Duke's household is one of the few most illustrious families in the realm, and that the heir, Song Yantang, is a man of outstanding ability and upright character? If they cannot even protect my dowry, how could they deserve the name of 'one of the few'?"
Dou Huaiying's heart eased.
His eyes crinkled into slits with his smile.