Chapter 45 — Agreement

Dou Yan watched her Sixth Aunt leave.

Her Fifth Uncle was Vice Minister of Personnel. When he asked for leave, to whom would he submit the request?

To his direct superior, of course—Zeng Yifen, Minister of Personnel and his examiner.

Ha!

Dou Yan could not help laughing.

If Wang Xingyi heard this news, would he rush back to the capital to explain to Zeng Yifen—who had also been his examiner—just why his Fifth Uncle needed leave?

Tuoniang watched Dou Yan start laughing for no apparent reason and called out in surprise, "Young miss."

"It's nothing, nothing." Dou Yan laughed even harder. She shook Caishu's arm. "Caishu, I want to go home. I want to see Father!"

"But the Sixth Madam instructed that you were to be sent back to the residence only after she returned." Caishu was quite put out.

Dou Yan would not be reasoned with; she insisted on going back.

She was a child now. To fuss and be wilful was only natural.

Caishu had no choice but to send a little maid to ask Ji shi for instructions.

Ji shi was in the flower hall.

She glanced at the Second Old Madam seated in the place of honor, then at Lan ge'er, her eldest sister-in-law, and her second sister-in-law sitting across from her, and felt a strange subtlety in her heart.

And the Second Madam, looking at Dou Bingheng, Dou Shiyang, the Third Madam, Dou Heng, and Ji shi seated across from her, was filled with fury.

Consult, they called it—but the three brothers born of one mother, the third, the fifth, and the sixth, had long since reached their agreement. Their three branches had been dragged in willy-nilly, never told beforehand why the Second Old Madam had summoned them, so what was there to consult about?

When the nest is overturned, no egg stays whole; she understood that principle well enough. But to be forced like this to clean up the mess for the West Residence—her anger would not subside. If she objected, knowing the Fifth's temperament, he likely had a whole heap of arguments waiting for her. Could she outtalk the Fifth? And if she slipped even once, she might leave everyone with the impression that she shrank from danger and sought her own advantage, that she dared not take responsibility. She was the Dou family's principal wife; what authority could she ever command in the Dou household again?

The Second Madam glanced at the First Madam.

The First Madam's face was pale, her eyes swollen, but her expression was calm.

Having served over a decade as the family's principal wife, now widowed with young children, she had her own calculations.

Among the uncles and cousins, the Fifth, Dou Bingheng, had the brightest prospects. Lan ge'er would depend on this Fifth Uncle's support in the future; they absolutely could not afford to fall out with Dou Bingheng.

When the First Master was alive, he had held office in Jiangnan for many years. They had saved up a fair amount. Even setting that aside—even if the East Residence gave half its property to Shouyuan and the remaining six branches split the other half, with thrift it would still suffice for two or three generations. Why make an ugly scene over money?

So long as there are people, need one fear there will be no money?

Still, the Second Branch had the most sons. If she proposed that the six branches share the burden equally, she feared the Second Branch would refuse.

Fortunately, she had now laid down the duties of principal wife; these matters need no longer be raised by her.

The First Madam pressed her lips tightly together.

The Second Madam was consumed with resentment.

Had she known it would come to this, she never should have listened to the Second Old Madam back then and followed her husband to his post.

To let her sons study properly and to avoid the charge of "lack of filial piety," she had left all four of them in Zhending. Now her eldest, Dou Wenmao, was in the capital with the Master, studying and gaining experience; her second, Dou Yuchang, her third, Dou Xiuchang, and her fourth, Dou Guangchang—fifth among the cousins—were attending the family school at home. Wenchang was past thirty and still only a xiucai; Yuchang studied well enough, but fell far short of his two uncles, Dou Heng and Dou Huaiying; of Xiuchang nothing need be said—he had married early and already had several sons, yet in his studies he was not the equal of her own son, Zhi ge'er; and Guangchang was only a little better than Xiuchang...

At these thoughts, she hardened her heart and said with a smile, "What does the Fourth Brother say?"

Dou Shi, the Fourth Master, had never advanced beyond the degree of juren. A few years ago he had finally given up all hope of the golden roll and, on Dou Bingheng's recommendation, taken the post of chief secretary in the household of the Imperial Eldest Son at his fief in Xinyang. Word had it he was much favored by the Prince of Xinyang, and two years ago he had moved his whole family there.

Dou Bingheng listened, hesitated a long while, then drew an envelope from his sleeve and signaled a maid to hand it to the Second Madam. "This is Fourth Brother's reply to me. I thought it somewhat improper at first, so I did not bring it out..."

The Second Madam cursed Dou Bingheng a hundred times in her heart.

Xinyang is a thousand li from the capital—yet the moment I open my mouth, you produce the Fourth's letter... You had this planned all along. I might as well dash my brains out here in this hall!

Yet in her heart she knew: the game was lost.

The Fourth had long since colluded with the Fifth...

She did not need to read the letter; she already knew what it said.

But she could not keep herself from opening it.

Sure enough, Dou Shizhu not only agreed with Dou Bingheng's division of the East Residence property, but further proposed that Shouyuan's dowry be shared equally among the six branches.

The Second Madam simply handed the letter to the First Madam.

As the First Madam read it, a faint smile crept to the corners of her mouth.

The Second Madam sighed inwardly, and then heard the First Madam say with a smile, "The Fourth Uncle and I think alike. I say we do just as the Fourth Uncle proposes. This is not a matter for any one branch alone; it concerns our Fifth Uncle's prospects, and the rise or fall of the Dou clan."

"I did not bring out Fourth Brother's letter earlier precisely because I feared my two sisters-in-law might misunderstand." Dou Bingheng hastened to say with a smile, "Strictly speaking, this whole affair is my failure to handle things properly that has brought us to this pass. I am grateful for my sisters-in-law's goodwill. Since the decision is mine, let me bear the burden—surely we cannot drag everyone down with us."

The Second Madam was about to say more when the Second Old Madam smiled and said, "This matter he discussed with me as well, and I too agree. There is no need for the two of you to argue further; so it is decided." The Second Old Madam struck the table, then instructed Mama Liu: "Go tell Steward Dou to invite the Old Master of the West Residence over; say I have an urgent matter to discuss with him." Then to Dou Zhen she said, "You have always managed the household affairs of both residences. Over the next few days, find time to sort out the accounts, so that when the Zhao family sends someone, we may discuss properly just which properties are to be entered under Shouyuan's name."

Dou Zhen rose hurriedly and answered with grave deference, "Yes."

When the little maid sent to ask Ji shi's instructions saw the scene, she dared not press forward; she ran back and said only that she could not get anywhere near the Sixth Madam. Caishu had no choice but to keep coaxing Dou Yan.

Just then Granny Liu came out to relay a message, and seeing the state of things she could not help laughing. "What is all this?"

Caishu hurriedly told Granny Liu the whole story.