Chapter 241 — Offspring (Bonus Chapter — Please Vote Pink)

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.

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.

Shouyuan had always been so considerate.