Chapter 46 — Half

Dou Zhen, who in ordinary times smiled before he spoke, now sat bolt upright, gravely serious.

Only Dou Heng sat there sprawled and careless, looking rather out of place.

Dou Duo asked Dou Heng, "You agree as well?"

"I agree as well." Sixth Uncle straightened in his seat and spoke with a solemn face. "I was not in favor of elevating that woman Wang to wife, but it is now a settled matter, so let Shouyuan have some silver of her own to lean on. I think it is quite good. Ruifu has at last done one reliable thing." He never minced words.

Dou Duo sneered, "Fine, then. You pay for Zhao Ruifu! I won't be putting up a single copper."

You want to make trouble for me? Fine. Let's see how you get yourselves out of this one.

To his surprise, Dou Bingheng let out a long breath and smiled, his whole body seeming to sag with relief. "I was worried Uncle would refuse... In that case, Third Uncle, please bring out the account books. Let's divide the property right here, face to face, so Uncle knows exactly where things stand."

Dou Zhen immediately brought in a great stack of ledgers. "Uncle, since this is to be Shouyuan's dowry, I think it should be mostly land and houses." He found one of the books, opened it, and spread it before Dou Duo. "Look here, this is an estate we hold in Xing Tang—over two thousand mu, all in one piece, bringing in three or four hundred taels of silver a year. Then there's the estate in Quyang, another fifteen hundred mu or so. That yields three or four hundred taels a year as well..."

Dou Duo might not manage the family's affairs, but that did not mean he never looked at the account books.

The properties Dou Zhen was pointing to all belonged to the East Residence.

Were they really prepared to use their own silver to make up for Dou Yan?

A deep bewilderment flickered through Dou Duo's eyes.

Dou Bingheng smiled faintly and said to Dou Zhen, "Third Brother, you and Uncle can work out the details later. The pressing matter now is to draw up a contract—we've all agreed that Shouyuan's dowry is to be shared equally among our six branches. Words alone are no proof. There must be something in writing, surely?"

"Look at me," Dou Zhen said with a laugh. "I forgot you still have to hurry back to the capital." He turned to Dou Duo. "Uncle, who do you think should write up this contract?"

"Wasn't it said that your three branches would share the cost?" Dou Duo said. "Why is it now the six branches all together?"

Dou Bingheng smiled. "My original intention was for our three branches to put up the money, but Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law and Fourth Brother would not hear of it. I thought it over—with their support, I'd feel more confident—so I agreed."

Sweat broke out on Dou Duo's forehead.

He had only one son.

He was not afraid of offending Second Uncle's branch—there was still Eldest Uncle's branch.

These cousins were just like the Grand Secretariat: under the pull of interest, today you draw me in to strike at him, tomorrow I draw him in to strike at you... splitting and joining, it all came down to the same thing.

But now, to protect his own property, he had let the other six branches take a loss together. It was as if he had bound the other six to a single rope and united them against himself, the one who had taken what was theirs... Not one of those six branches would ever be able to make common cause with his branch again... His branch would be utterly isolated... Never mind that Wanyuan was only a newly made juren; even if he were a jinshi, would he not have to seek an official post? Would he not have to wait for a vacancy? Would there never be a moment of difficulty in his career?

As Dou Duo brooded, Dou Zhen had already dashed off the document in a few strokes.

"Uncle, have a look—is anything missing? If not, we'll each press our fingerprints."

It was only a thin sheet of stationery, yet in Dou Duo's hand it felt as heavy as a thousand catties.

Even now he could not believe Dou Bingheng would put up his own money.

But the document before his eyes left him no choice but to believe it.

Once the fingerprints were pressed, there would be no undoing it.

As Dou Duo thought this, a drop of sweat fell from his brow onto the document, slowly spreading like a tear.

A dark shadow flitted before his eyes, and the document was suddenly snatched from his hand.

"I know what Father means—he's afraid I won't agree." Dou Huaiying tore the contract to shreds, then crumpled it into a ball and flung it into the corner. "Fifth Brother, say no more. Shouyuan is my daughter; her dowry should rightly come from me. This half of the silver—I agree to it."

※

Someone in the comments asked whether Wang Xingyi was for or against opening the horse market. He was for it.

Then, blushing, I have to say: I wrote it wrong.

Also, there's a question about Cailan and Caishu—it's the same thing with Wei Yanzhen's daughter.

Indeed it is the same, they all come from the Book of Songs... each has its own source, so I won't revise it any further.

※RQ