Blossom

Dou Shiying felt nothing but a headache.

Song Mo could clearly see his father-in-law's distress and thus offered with a smile, "Shall I accompany you there?"

Dou Shiying couldn’t have wished for more.

When Dou Shiheng learned of this, he specifically called Song Mo over and said, "Don’t bother with the Wang family. Just say what needs to be said. If they start making trouble, simply come back and tell me. We elders won’t stand by and do nothing." His tone was protective, as if fearing Song Mo might be taken advantage of.

Warmed by this concern, Song Mo suggested, "Why not have Twelfth Brother come with us? He can also pay his respects to Seventh Madam then, so we won’t need to disturb her on the actual day."

He was worried the Wang family might use the pretext of having the adopted son pay respects to Wang Yingxue to send her back to Jing'an Temple Alley.

Dou Shiheng immediately understood.

He too didn’t want his son burdened with such a legal mother.

His gaze toward Song Mo now held approval as he said, "Then let Zhigeer go with you!"

Song Mo agreed with a smile, and the next day, he set off with Dou Shiying and Dou Dechang to Willow Leaf Alley.

Wang Zhibing had already guessed Dou Shiying’s purpose and politely welcomed the three into the hall.

But when Dou Shiying stated his intentions, Wang Zhibing’s face turned ashen.

His previous silence had been a deliberate strategy to quietly send Wang Yingxue back during the Dou family’s adoption process, avoiding alerting them to his plans. Now, his scheme had failed.

Bitter disappointment filled him, yet he couldn’t help saying, "How can such an important matter as adoption proceed without Yingxue? There’s no need to rush. Since you’ve come all this way, stay for a proper feast. In the afternoon, I’ll have Yingxue return with you."

Song Mo was about to respond diplomatically, but Dou Shiying cut in coldly, "I brought Zhigeer here as a courtesy to the Wang family. It seems you don’t value it. My mistake!" With that, he motioned to Song Mo and Dou Dechang, standing to leave. "If she’s unavailable, we’ll go now. No need to wait till afternoon."

Not even during his years in exile with his father had Wang Zhibing suffered such humiliation.

His face flushed purple, but remembering his mother’s instructions, he forced himself to try stopping Dou Shiying.

Dou Shiying, however, was already striding away, pulled along by Song Mo. Suddenly, Wang Zhibiao emerged from somewhere, grabbing Wang Zhibing’s arm with a grim expression. "Brother, you can’t keep indulging our sister like this. Because of her, Father is still mocked by his colleagues. Haven’t we done enough for her? Even if she returns to the Dou family, will they treat her with respect? Do you even know that Tan’er’s marriage prospects have been ruined again because of her?"

Wang Zhibing fell silent, images flashing through his mind—his wife’s troubled face, his sister-in-law standing on the steps, hands on hips, screaming curses toward his sister’s courtyard over her son’s repeatedly failed marriage arrangements. He sighed deeply.

Wang Zhibing’s tension eased slightly as he slung an arm around his brother’s shoulders. "We can’t afford to offend more people for her sake. Nan’er and Tan’er still have their lives to live. Let’s go see off our brother-in-law. Since he’s shown us courtesy, we should return it properly."

Hearing this, Wang Zhibing couldn’t help but smile. "You’ve grown much steadier now!"Previously, due to the incident involving Wang Yingxue affecting Wang Tan's marriage prospects, Pang Yulou would always stir up trouble at home, and Wang Zhibiao would seize the opportunity to lament before Madam Xu Wang. The household would be thrown into chaos, but this time, the words spoken carried some reason.

Wang Zhibing gave a dry chuckle. Realizing these were all things his wife had told him, he grew even more convinced of her wisdom.

After seeing off Dou Shiying and the others, he went to Madam Xu Wang’s quarters.

"Mother!" he began, his face scrunching up as usual. "You must help us decide on this matter! Tan’er’s marriage has fallen through again. Nan’er is capable on his own, but Tan’er relies on his in-laws for support. Both are our flesh and blood—please have mercy on Tan’er! Other children his age are already running around, yet he remains alone. How can we, as parents, eat or sleep in peace?"

Wang Zhibiao nearly blurted out, "You can’t sacrifice my son for the sake of your own daughter," but remembering Pang Yulou’s warning, he swallowed the words.

Madam Xu Wang only shook her head.

She was old now. Gao Shi was kind-hearted, while Madam Pang was cunning. Yingxue would have to depend on her eldest brother in the future.

"What do you want to do?" she asked her second son.

Wang Zhibiao’s eyes darted about as he replied, "I—I want to move out!"

Though she had anticipated this, Madam Xu Wang’s heart ached sharply.

She closed her eyes for a long moment before opening them again. "I’ll write a letter to your father."

Wang Zhibiao was overjoyed, unable to hide the glee in his expression.

He answered with a "Yes," then hurriedly left the main house, barely able to contain his eagerness.

From the rear quarters, however, came Pang Yulou’s shrill curses: "...You shameless wretch! For the sake of a man, you’d harm your own brothers and nephews, only to be tossed aside like a worn-out shoe. If I were you, I’d have ended it all long ago! Your husband just came with his heir—do you know what he said? He’s afraid you’ll ruin the heir’s marriage if you return, so he made it clear: don’t you dare show up at the Dou family’s adoption ceremony!"

The Wang residence wasn’t large. With Wang Nan married and Wang Tan grown, Wang Yingxue had returned home expecting to rejoin the Dou family soon. She had initially stayed in her mother’s rear quarters, but as no other rooms became "available," she ended up settling there.

Over the past two years, Pang Yulou’s words had grown increasingly vulgar, no different from the curses of market women. The Wang family’s maids, too, began looking down on Wang Yingxue.

Meanwhile, Wang Yingxue, embittered by her own daughter’s rejection despite the hardships of childbirth, had grown increasingly volatile. How could she tolerate such provocation? She flung open her door and lashed back: "What are you, anyway? Just something your father foisted on the Wang family during hard times! You show no respect to your elders and fail to educate your children. It’s only by the Wang family’s kindness that you haven’t been cast out—"

Inside the house, Madam Xu Wang listened until she could no longer breathe—then collapsed unconscious.

The main house descended into chaos.

Afraid his wife’s outburst would jeopardize their plans to divide the household, Wang Zhibiao ignored his mother and rushed to the rear courtyard. He pulled Pang Yulou, who was standing on the Covered Corridors shouting, aside and hissed, "What are you doing? Mother has already agreed to let us move out—why are you still making a scene? Aren’t you ashamed to let the maids and old women laugh at us?"I just can't stand Wang Yingxue looking down on people like that.

Pang Yulou thought to herself, but when she looked up, she saw a young maid from Gao Mingzhu's room peeking through the back door. Knowing it was either Gao Mingzhu or Gao Shi who had sent someone to check on the situation, she had an idea and called out to the maid, "Go back and tell your mistress. Although I've moved out, Nan Ge'er and Tan Ge'er are still brothers, and I'm still Nan Ge'er's aunt. His failure in the exams this year is all because of that wretched woman. Let Nan Ge'er come with me to study outside. We can't let her ruin everyone in this household, young and old alike!"

The maid didn't dare respond and ran off in fright.

Upon receiving the message, Gao Shi sighed deeply and said to her daughter-in-law, "If your second aunt really moves out, you should go with her to study. With the household in such chaos, it's no wonder Nan Ge'er failed this round. Though she's snobbish, there are benefits to that—Nan Ge'er is a young Recommended Man. If he becomes a Presented Scholar, it would benefit both her and Tan Ge'er. Without your aunt around, your second aunt still knows how to put on a show."

Gao Mingzhu was stunned.

Her mother-in-law had always been virtuous and gentle. For her to say such things now showed she had reached her limit.

"What about you?" Gao Mingzhu asked. She didn't want to stay in this household either. The constant quarrels between Wang Yingxue and Pang Yulou were embarrassing enough, not to mention she had a young son who was just learning to speak.

"Me?" Gao Shi said helplessly. "I'll just endure it."

It was better than dragging her son and daughter-in-law down with her.

She deeply regretted standing up for Wang Yingxue back then.

Was this retribution?

Gao Mingzhu hesitated before suggesting, "What if I take our child and accompany my husband to study at the Gao family's place? It's much quieter there."

She disliked Pang Yulou immensely.

Gao Shi shook her head. "Your father-in-law would never agree."

The next best option was to move out with Pang Yulou and the others.

But even that was better than the current situation.

She nodded slightly.

Wang Zhibing, who had always defended Wang Yingxue, surprisingly didn't object this time. Instead, he gently patted his wife's shoulder and said softly, "You should go with them. Our grandson is still young, and Nan Ge'er needs to focus on his studies. The household can't be left without someone in charge. I'll stay behind. We can't leave Mother without anyone to attend to her."

Gao Shi was taken aback.

Wang Zhibing smiled at his wife. "I have my own selfish reasons too."

Gao Shi tightly grasped her husband's hand.

Madam Xu Wang, however, seemed to age ten years in an instant. She fixed her sharp gaze on her eldest son and demanded sternly, "Is this your idea or Gao Shi's?"

Wang Zhibing's heart skipped a beat, but he clenched his teeth and said, "It's my decision!"

Madam Xu Wang's gaze instantly dimmed, and she slumped back against the large bolster.

This family was falling apart!

Was she supposed to drive away her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson for the sake of that unfilial daughter?

As the thought crossed her mind, she heard her son murmur, "I'm doing this for Yingxue's sake too. With things as they are, the Dou family will surely abandon her. Dou Ming is reckless and unreliable. She'll have to rely on her nephews and nieces in the future. If the children grow to resent her, how will she survive?"

Wang Zhibing's words moved Madam Xu Wang.She fiddled with her prayer beads for a long while before sighing to her eldest son, "Stop arguing about dividing the family property. I've decided—we'll send Yingxue to the farmstead in the countryside!"

Wang Zhibing kowtowed heavily to his mother several times.

When Wang Yingxue found out, she threw a fit in her room, threatening to die.

Madam Xu Wang was resolute this time. She had her trusted Old Women escort Wang Yingxue to the farmstead.

Gao Shi and Madam Pang joined forces for once, seizing the opportunity to dismiss, sell off, or marry off all the maids and Old Women in the household, replacing them entirely. She then quietly sent capable Old Women to the farmstead with instructions: "Keep her under close watch. Don't let her interact with outsiders, lest she spread wild rumors that would tarnish our reputation. If the master or the old madam question it, I’ll stand up for you."

The Old Women obeyed and left.

Pang Yulou also discreetly sent Old Women to attend to Wang Yingxue. Her initial instructions were similar to Gao Shi's, but she added, "People are bound to fall ill or meet misfortune. Besides the old madam, who would even remember her? Just make sure you don’t drive her to death."

The Old Women smiled and departed to carry out their orders.