“Let him come here now to support Jing Yi. With such a cousin here, the Duke’s mansion will not looks down upon our Du family.”
A sigh escaped Master Du’s lips as he heard this self cater words . Then, her eyebrows arched. “Oh? I don’t understand what my fourth brother is trying to say. I wonder if Jingxian has joined the court as an official or gone to the battlefield to become a general? Why is it that with him here, the Duke’s mansion dares not look down on the family status of us mere merchants?”
“You…” Madam Du never minced her words, especially not with Du Jingxian. It was clear he was here to covet their property, so why should she bother with pleasantries? Du Jingxian, stung by the public humiliation, couldn’t even meet her gaze. He retorted with indignation, “Auntie, I respect you as an elder and won’t quarrel with you . With my merchant status, even if I possessed the talent for the imperial examination, I still couldn’t enter the gates of the Duke’s mansion . Why do you wish to pierce my heart with such remarks?”
“Hey, it truly is our couple’s fault for being so ignorant ,” Master Du chimed in, a deceptive smile playing on his lips. “But wasn’t it my fourth brother who begged us to let you become a respectable merchant? Are you regretting it now?”
Fourth Uncle Du bristled with fury with there remarks . Originally, they had hoped to capitalize on the eldest couple’s lack of male heir , intending to have their only son adopted as a merchant to gain favor. After all, though a merchant’s status was lower than a scholar’s, it promised immense wealth. Who would have thought that their son was accepted as a merchant, yet the adopted heir of the main house remained unseen for so long? This had driven Fourth Master Du and his family to constant agitation, leading them to stir up trouble every few days. Second Uncle Du fiercely protective of his grandson, often joined in, flaunting his authority and putting on airs, conveniently forgetting their past.
Generations ago, the Du family had been impoverished, barely able to pay land rent. Had Master Du not been blessed with fortune, and had Madam Du not tirelessly managed and expanded their wealth, the entire Du clan would still be digging for roots in the mountains, struggling to survive. How else could they now enjoy such a peaceful and prosperous life in Sui’an City? Yet, human nature remained fickle. Once accustomed to comfort, people began to believe it was their inherent right.
Madam Du surveyed the faces around her. She knew their every thought. Listening to their clamor, she remained outwardly calm, her expression unyielding. She then cast a cold glance at Master Du, who had remained silent beside her. Seeing this, Master Du immediately plastered on a fawning smile, a sight so obsequious that even the maid, Cui’an, struggled to suppress a giggle. Indeed, he was born a merchant, his eye for opportunity far keener than theirs.
The uncles, realizing that gentle persuasion wouldn’t work, decided to resort to aggression. It just so happened that Du Jingyi’s homecoming provided them with a convenient excuse to cause a scene. Second Uncle Du took the lead, his voice rising fiercely. “Daughter-in-law, don’t think we don’t know your plans. Is it not because you yourself cannot bear a son that you actively prevent Chang Fu from taking a concubine? Are you afraid that Jingxian will enter the main house as the eldest son and then neglect your two girls in the future? Is that why you stop him again and again!” He punctuated his words with another heavy thud of his yellow pearwood crutch.
At these words, Madam Du, who had been barely maintaining her composure, visibly snapped. Her expression hardened as she retorted, “My husband and I stated from the beginning that when we married Jing Xiang, we would keep Jing Yi at home and find a livin son-in-law, so we could have a bloodline to inherit the family property. It was you two who vehemently fought against matchmakers, going around spreading rumors that Jing Yi had a difficult fate, making it impossible for anyone to consider her! Now you dare to come to our house and openly cast such foul accusations upon me? Do you believe you are worthy of living such a respectable life in Sui’an City without the support of my husband and me?”
Madam Du’s anger lent a sharp edge to her words. Second Uncle Du , a firecracker ready to ignite, could no longer sit still after this insult . He opened his mouth, on the verge of launching into a wailing lament, threatening to disrupt his granddaughter’s homecoming entirely.
But just as he began, Master Du interjected with a smile, “Jingxian will have to work hard outside in the future. Wouldn’t it be fitting for him to have the support of his younger cousin-in-law? If Second Uncle insists on single-handedly angering the Duke’s mansion today, then in the future, this eldest son will have no choice but to sever ties with you. Have you considered that? If you continue to cause trouble, this nephew will send someone to invite the son-in-law himself.”
Though a smile remained on his face, Master Du’s words struck fear into the hearts of everyone in Second Uncle Du ‘sfaction. They had come to extort benefits, not to make Du Jingxian’s life more difficult. If they truly offended the second son-in-law , wouldn’t it be a devastating loss? For a moment, they were utterly silenced. Second Uncle Du’s face flushed crimson, his neck thickened with suppressed rage, but he dared not utter another word.
Seeing Second Uncle Du held in check, Madam Du pressed her advantage. After a prolonged struggle, the true intentions of these relatives had finally been laid bare. Madam Du cast a sidelong glance at these so-called kin, too weary to engage further. She snorted disdainfully. “This property is the result of many years of hard work between my husband and me. So what if it is all given to our two daughters as dowries? Besides, how is it that my Second Uncle knows more about the affairs within our couple’s room than anyone else? Could it be that he spends his days prying into other people’s courtyards, earning himself the title of a shameless old man?”
Weren’t they simply coveting the modest wealth of their main house? The Daxing Dynasty, under the formidable influence of Empress Yide’s strong promotion and iron-fisted tactics, had enacted laws highly protective of women. One such decree stipulated that a woman’s dowry belonged solely to her. Even if her husband died, it remained entirely at her discretion. Not even biological parents or family members were permitted to interfere. Failure to comply would result in a severe punishment, including exile to the northwest.
This entire charade, where the Du family elders converged to pressure the main branch to adopt an heir, was, at its core, a desperate attempt to prevent tens of thousands of wealth from falling into the hands of others.
Master Du, unable to stomach the audacity of his clan relatives, prompted Madam Du to deal with the guests harshly. The couple, playing good cop and bad cop, proved remarkably adept at controlling the unruly crowd. Subsequently, Madam Du, with a defiant flick of her sleeves, swept out of the room, with Master Du hot on her heels.
Left behind were a seething Second Uncle Du, and an indignant and deeply dissatisfied Du Jingxian, grinding their teeth but daring not to act rashly. As for the others, they were mere hangers-on, present only to save face, and thus, unwilling to step forward. The target of their collective ire then shifted to Seventh uncle Du , who had remained silent throughout the ordeal. “Old Seven why don’t you speak up for Jingxian? This child is also your grandson, isn’t he?”