Chapter 383 — Zhang Mu
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Wei Fan's face was full of shame, and he mumbled without a word, yet from the corner of his eye he glanced toward Wei Wan.
Lady Gao, whose heart had just been jabbed by Wei Wan, looked furious beyond measure.
Others would rather demolish ten temples than ruin a single marriage. But this Wei Wan was a fine one — a veritable shit-stirring stick, determined to churn her natal family into unrest and wreck Ming-jie'er's marriage.
She forced down the rage in her heart and said slowly to Wei Fan, "How could matters of our elders ever be for us juniors to comment on? The Marquis and Ming-jie'er are living their lives together — you tell me, in what way has Ming-jie'er wronged you? Is she unfilial to her parents-in-law? Is she disrespectful to her sister-in-law? Or is she jealous and sour, failing to bear you an heir? How can you lay matters that happened before Ming-jie'er was even born at Ming-jie'er's feet? That is far too unfair to Ming-jie'er! You should know that this match was one you chose yourself."
The Fifth Madam listened with mounting alarm.
This First Madam of the Wang family was truly long on propriety and short on quick wit.
By saying such a thing, was she not admitting that Dou Ming was a child born of adultery?
She hurriedly shot a look at Cai-shi.
But Cai-shi only stared blankly at Dou Ming, wearing an expression of astonishment.
She had only vaguely heard before that the Wang woman had used her power to bully others, forcing Seventh Uncle to legitimize her — but she had never imagined that before the Wang woman was legitimized there had been such a scandal?
No wonder Dou Yan was so wealthy?
Half of Seventh Uncle's fortune!
How much money was that?
She mulled it over inwardly, paying no attention at all to the look her mother-in-law had thrown her.
The Fifth Madam sighed helplessly to herself.
She could hardly blame Cai-shi for looking that way.
If the events of those years were spoken aloud, neither the Dou family nor the Wang family would have any face left; none of them wished to bring it up, so who would take the initiative to tell the younger generation such things?
Ji-shi had stood on Zhao Guqiu's side from beginning to end; Gao Mingzhu probably did not even know that Wang Shuying had been legitimized. Now the only one they could count on to step forward and duel with Wei Wan was Pang-shi.
She looked toward Pang Yulou.
But Pang Yulou wore the look of a thirsty person, sipping her tea in tiny mouthfuls, and for a long while did not raise her head.
The Fifth Madam was a veteran of social occasions; how could such small tricks escape her eyes? Yet even knowing that Pang Yulou meant to stand aside, what could she do? She had no choice but to roll up her sleeves and enter the fray herself. Seeing that Lady Gao had played the part of the red-faced one, she must play the white-faced one. Her tone hardened: "When our family marries off a daughter, we send her with a great sum of silver. The married daughter eats from her own purse and wears from her own purse — is that a crime? If you merely wish the Dou family to step in and manage Ming-jie'er's dowry because of what happened with our Seventh Sister-in-law, then our Dou family will absolutely never agree! If you are dissatisfied, there is the Shuntian Prefecture above and the Court of Judicial Review below — one in the ward next to yours, the other on the street of the Ministry of Justice. The splayed walls before their gates all face outward. You are welcome to go and bring suit against our Dou family!
"It just so happens that our Dou family is also full of grievances and needs a place to air them.