Blossom

Dou Ming sprang to her feet. "Have you gone mad?" Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Wang Yingxue.

Wang Yingxue sneered, "Do I look mad to you?" She then revealed how she had borrowed Dou Ming's name to invite Wei Tingyu over. "If you weren't relying on him coming at your beck and call, would you dare to arrange a meeting with him at the Great Xiangguo Temple?"

Dou Ming shrieked, "What kind of mother are you? Can't you stand to see me happy? You actually encouraged me to do such a thing?!" The thought of being threatened by Ji Yong, which she couldn't tell anyone about, filled her with fear and resentment, making her voice even shriller. "You know nothing! Absolutely nothing! All you do is keep your head down and live day by day. You've never cared about my affairs..."

Her daughter's words stung Wang Yingxue, and tears welled up in her eyes. "How can you say I only keep my head down? If it weren't for you, would I have endured humiliation and stayed in the Dou family? If it weren't for you, would I have tested the Marquis of Jining? If it weren't for you, would I be facing your accusations now? All these years, you've always blamed me for not being able to give you the honor other mothers give their daughters. But have you ever considered that without me, would you even have a foothold in the Dou family? Without me, would you be the legitimate daughter of the Dou family? What's wrong with me wanting you to marry the Marquis of Jining?

"Marriage is meant to unite two families. Now that your sister is crying and refusing to marry him, can't we take advantage of the situation?

"You complain that my words are harsh. Go find someone who speaks gently to you then!

"Your Maternal Aunt speaks gently enough, but do you know what kind of match the Gao family arranged for you? The man lost his father at two and was raised by his widowed mother with the help of her brothers. Now he's just a Recommended Man, still needing to pass the Presented Scholar exams, await official appointments, and curry favor with superiors while managing subordinates. Are you planning to pour all your dowry into him? If it were just supporting his widowed mother, I wouldn't say a word. But don't forget—he has an uncle too, with a whole family waiting for this nephew to rise to greatness so he can repay their upbringing!

"Your grandmother speaks gently too, but she wants to marry you to Tan Ge'er. With your dowry, as long as you keep Tan Ge'er from gambling it away, you and he could live comfortably off Nan Ge'er's generosity for life.

"Your second aunt also speaks gently, but every time she sees me, she asks: 'Mingjier's sister inherited half of Western Dou's property. Since you have no sons, rather than leaving it to a concubine's son or an adopted heir, why not leave it to Mingjier? I hear Shou Gu earns fifty thousand taels of silver annually. When Mingjier marries, her husband must prepare at least a hundred thousand taels for her dowry, right?' She's telling me plainly—if your dowry is less than a hundred thousand taels, she won't agree to the match..."

"Stop! Just stop!" Dou Ming collapsed onto the bed, sobbing loudly. "Don't say anymore!"

Seeing her daughter's heartbroken state, Wang Yingxue regretted how harsh her words had been.She couldn't help but walk over and sit by the bed, gently stroking her daughter's smooth black hair as she whispered, "Mingjier, I'm your mother. Who else would I care for if not you? If he held no affection for you whatsoever, I wouldn't even consider this plan. You must believe me. In this lifetime, I misjudged your father. It was me... I valued him too highly, my heart already biased before any actions were taken, naturally leading to poor judgment. But this time, I won't be mistaken. I have my own ways to ensure you marry securely and gloriously become the Lineage Wife of the Marquis of Jining's Mansion!"

"No, I don't want to!" Dou Ming lifted her tear-streaked face. "I don't want something my sister rejected..."

"Silly child, what kind of person is your sister? If she truly disliked the Marquis of Jining, she would have dealt with him long ago—why bother with such roundabout methods? That Pang Kunbai still needs help walking even today!" Wang Yingxue gazed at Dou Ming with tender affection. "But look now—when the Marquis of Jining met you privately at Great Xiangguo Temple, she actually tolerated it. Doesn't that show how much she values him?"

Dou Ming froze in shock.

She recalled the recent rumors spreading among the family's pages about Wei Tingyu spending nights at the male brothel... and how the Wei Family had actually set their sights on the youngest legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yan'an... Yet her sister endured it all...

The dawning realization on her daughter's face reassured Wang Yingxue. Softening her voice, she coaxed, "I'm your birth mother—would I ever harm you? Don't you want to marry into a good family? The Dowager Marchioness of Jining is gentle and kind-hearted, the Marquis himself is handsome and upright, and his only sister is married to the Young Lord of the Duke of Jing's household. Once you marry him, you'll be the Marchioness of Jining, able to hold your head high wherever you go. Doesn't this fulfill your wishes? What more could you want?"

Dou Ming seemed to hear again the shrill voice of the Eighth Miss Lang, long buried deep in her heart: "You're just the child of a concubine! How dare you pretend to be the young mistress? Shameless!"

As if bewitched, she asked Wang Yingxue, "What do you plan to do?"

※※※※※

Indeed.

What did she plan to do?

Wang Yingxue had confidently thumped her chest before her daughter, but once she stepped out of Dou Ming's inner chamber, she felt lost and uncertain.

Arranging a substitute bride sounded simple, but executing it was fraught with difficulties.

Even setting aside whether Dou Shiying would agree, deceiving Dou Zhao wouldn't be easy. Moreover, there were Madam Cai from the Zhao Family—who would surely attend Dou Zhao's wedding as the woman of complete blessings—Fifth Madam and Sixth Madam coming to assist, and all the relatives attending the banquet... Not to mention she had already been stripped of her authority to manage the household. Even if she were the legitimate Seventh Madam of the Dou family, pulling this off would be nearly impossible.

The thought made her head throb painfully.

First, she needed to stay in Jing'an Temple Alley.

Hadn't Father arranged a match for Mingjier through the Gao Family? As her mother, she naturally had to evaluate the proposal.

When it concerned their daughter, Dou Shiying was always accommodating.

She could use this as her excuse!

During the wedding, when bidding farewell to her parents, she could claim they'd miss the auspicious hour if they delayed further—forcing Dou Ming to hastily kowtow to Dou Shiying before leaving. With so many guests present, even if Dou Shiying noticed, he'd be caught off guard. Since both were his flesh and blood, he'd never make a scene under such circumstances.

Then there was Dou Zhao...The only opportunity to substitute the bride would be after she was fully dressed and made up, just as the bridal sedan arrived.

At that time, apart from Fifth Madam, Sixth Madam, and Madam Cai from the Zhao family, there would also be the woman of complete blessings and the dowry maids in the bridal chamber.

The dowry maids were easy to handle—Dou Zhao would surely return to Jing'an Temple Alley for the wedding, where all the attendants would be her own people. Moreover, Dou Zhao's personal maids would be encountering such a situation for the first time. With some excuse about customs or etiquette, a simple trick would be enough to send them away.

As for Fifth Madam, they could claim some guest wanted to see her and find a way to keep her occupied in the Reception Hall.

The troublesome ones were Sixth Madam and Madam Cai from the Zhao family—they would surely stick close to Dou Zhao without leaving her side...

Wang Yingxue pondered deeply.

If only Madam Cai, the woman of complete blessings, could lend her a hand!

Then they could find an excuse to send Sixth Madam and Madam Cai away.

And Dou Zhao... Before the wedding, she would have to drink lotus seed and lily soup... They could prepare a bowl spiked with knockout drops... There were people loyal to her in the kitchen—they just needed to coax Gaosheng's wife to bring it in...

Wang Yingxue tossed and turned in bed, thinking it over for a long time. While the plan wasn't entirely impossible, if they really went through with it, there would be many loopholes, making it hard for her to commit to the decision.

Just then, a message arrived from Willow Leaf Alley, saying that Gao Shi had invited Liu Qingzhuo for a meal the next day and wanted her to bring Dou Ming along to take a look.

Wang Yingxue's mood instantly soured. She lazily replied, "Understood," and then went to Dou Ming's room.

Dou Ming was sitting on an embroidered stool by the window, hugging a pipa and staring blankly.

Wang Yingxue tiptoed over and whispered, "Your maternal aunt has invited us for a meal tomorrow. She said Liu Qingzhuo will be there too, so you can take a look..."

Dou Ming's fingers clutching the pipa turned white at the knuckles.

Wang Yingxue sighed and said, "This matter is up to you. I'll always stand by your side. Even if it's a mountain of swords or a sea of flames, your mother will bear it for you."

Dou Ming remained silent.

Wang Yingxue left.

Shortly after, the chaotic strumming of the pipa echoed behind her.

※※※※※

When Dou Shiying returned home and heard from Wang Yingxue that the Gao family had arranged a marriage prospect for Dou Ming—a man only twenty-two years old who had already passed the provincial examination—he was very pleased. He ordered Gaosheng to fetch three hundred taels of silver for Dou Ming's new clothes and told Wang Yingxue to relay a message to Dou Ming: "A talented man and a beautiful woman—only when a man excels in learning can he uphold the family. Looks and background aren't the most important."

Dou Ming lowered her eyelids and acquiesced, but she tossed and turned all night without sleep.

She knew that once she agreed, the marriage would be settled, and her future would be sealed—there would be no turning back.

Liu Qingzhuo was of average height, robust in build, with a simple and honest appearance. Dressed in a brand-new sapphire-blue silk robe, at first glance, he looked like a country boy who had come to the city to make a living, without a trace of the refinement and elegance expected of a scholar.

Dou Ming was deeply disappointed.

Wang Yingxue immediately pulled Dou Ming away from behind the screen in the Reception Hall, excusing themselves by saying they needed to discuss the matter with the Dou family. After lunch, they hurried back to Jing'an Temple Alley.

Before Wang Yingxue could say anything, Dou Ming locked herself in the study.

Wang Yingxue sneered in her room.

Why should her Mingjier be betrothed to such a man? While Wang Nan married the bright-eyed and charming Gao Mingzhu?

She twisted her handkerchief, lost in thought.Madam Cai was not only Fifth Madam’s in-law but had also managed the household for many years. Her husband held the prestigious position of a scholar in the Imperial Academy, and with his extensive social connections, she was acquainted with most of the officials and noble families. She herself was a smooth and socially adept woman, commanding considerable respect among the noble families in the Capital. As for herself, she was merely an obscure woman from the Dou family, incapable of helping Cai Bi gain promotions or wealth, nor could she bring Madam Cai any prestige. Why would Madam Cai ever help her?

Wang Yingxue recalled the rumors in the Capital about Cai Bi’s opportunistic nature, and her heart suddenly raced.

In this world, there was nothing that couldn’t be bought—it all depended on the price one was willing to pay.

Wang Yingxue’s gaze involuntarily fell upon the three hundred taels of silver note that Dou Shiying had given her to prepare Dou Ming’s wardrobe...