Second Uncle Du’s face reddened with fury, a trait common in typical scolding man. But his younger brother, seventh uncle Du , simply uttered, “How many times have you thrown tantrums and caused trouble with no outcome? Should I also have to coax you like them by telling you that this estate will be yours eventually ?”his tone laced with sarcasm and with saying that, he rose and left the courtyard.
His departure was a signal as many other clan members, feeling the futility of staying, also left in despair. Only Second Master Du, Fourth Master Du, and second master Du’s grandson Du Jingxian’s remained in Mao Diexuan, surrounded by scattered plates and bowls, yet daring not to utter a single word.
[Read More Here] The Du family couple’s expressions hadn’t softened much by the time they reached Minse Courtyard. Madam. Du, finally free of those tiresome relatives, was still seething with anger at her husband. The moment she entered, she spat, “Hmph, you just push me forward to be a fool’s vanguard, while you hide behind, pulling your dirty tricks!”
Master Du, ever the adaptable one, especially with his wife, quickly presented a teacup. “Madam, please calm yourself first . Take a sip of tea to soothe your throat. You’ve had a difficult day, but this is just for now. Our son-in-law had return to court victorious. Let’s see if those timid souls dare to make trouble for us again!”
His words, though manipulative, brought a measure of relief to Madam Du. However, Cui’an, her maid, couldn’t suppress a giggle. Madam Du’s brow immediately furrowed. “What’s so amusing? Is the master not right?”
“Madam, please calm down. The master is wise and powerful, and you, madam, are virtuous and generous. Our Du family’s success today is entirely thanks to you both. I am merely laughing at those people, attempting to draw water with a bamboo basket in vain.”
Hearing this, Madam Du’s temper cooled considerably. “That’s right! They never think about making progress. All they care about is getting ahead by pulling someone down. Just because I haven’t given birth to a son for Du family, these old people have created so many obstacles for me, both publicly and privately!” She huffed again, casting a sharp glance at Master Du.
Master Du immediately swore to the heavens, “Don’t worry, madam! Even if they send a fairy, I won’t look twice.” Seeing her husband’s sincere face, Madam. Du felt a great sense of satisfaction within her .
Over the years, the meddlesome relatives of the Du family, and those eager to offer concubines, would visit several times a year, constantly pushing for reconciliation. Second Uncle Du, finding it impossible to break their relentless refusal to swayhad decided to target his two daughters instead. First, they proposed that Du Jingxian, his fourth brother’s son , be recognized as their heir to carry on the family name. When Master Du sternly rejected this, they threatened that unmarried women would not be allowed to share the family property.
Indeed, when Du Jingyi was merely thirteen or fourteen, several well-matched suitors desired to arrange engagements, but these intrusive relatives disrupted every attempt. Later, when Master Du announced he was seeking a son-in-law, the entire family erupted in chaos. Those who understood knew the Du family wanted a son-in-law to live with them, but outsiders perceived the Du family as a place where life-threatening ghosts resided. Whoever got involved would be cursed!
This dragged on for a considerable time. Seeing that Du Jingyi had been of marriageable age for months, yet no suitable match had appeared, the couple couldn’t help but be anxious. Even with all the wealth they’d accumulated, their dissatisfaction lingered. Madam Du’s anger was understandable, and Master Du was certainly not pleased either.
Who would have thought that while she pondered their predicament, she’d encounter the Duke’s family as -in-laws, who was also troubled by there young son’s marriage? Adding to the irony, there was even a rumor circulating that their daughter had a “hard fate.” As expected, the Duke and his wife arrived in person to discuss the marriage. All of this left the Du family couple feeling a chilling fear. If she hadn’t been so fortunate to secure this marriage, wouldn’t her daughter Du Jingyi have been confined to the boudoir for life? The thought alone infuriated her .
She immediately asked, “Where are the second young lady and her husband?”
“Madam, they are in Jianliu Courtyard.”
Jianliu Courtyard was where Du Jingyi had lived before her marriage. It was customary for her to return home and show her husband the courtyard where she had spent her formative years. Hearing this, Madam Du suppressed her anger and instructed, “Send someone to call them. It’s time for lunch. It’s best to return to the Duke’s mansion as soon as possible after eating, so they don’t stay here and encounter that shameless meddlers and add to the family ridicule.”
“Yes, I’ll go and fetch them.”
While waiting for there daughter’s return ,in Mingse Courtyard, Master Du continued to gently coax Madam Du. In the other side In Jianliu Courtyard, not far away from them , Shang Ji and Du Jingyi occupied separate rooms, each lost in their own thoughts.
Du Jingyi had just returned to this courtyard, claiming she wasn’t feeling well and wished to rest. Shang Ji glanced sideways at the simple box she carried, understanding that she had something private to deal with. It had only been three days since they had met, and he himself couldn’t quite discern his true feelings, so he certainly wouldn’t question Du Jingyi. He simply nodded and retreated to the left room to rest.
Inside the main room , as soon as Du Jingyi closed the doors and windows, she immediately instructed the maid, Yingtao, to open the box.[Read More Here] As expected, it contained several thick volumes of papers. However, they weren’t marked with the “Du” family name. Instead, they held extensive records of the family properties of a wealthy merchant named Yiyan. Densely packed, one after another.
Outsiders only knew that Du family was wealthy, but in Sui’an City, which merchant family wasn’t prosperous? Thus, outsiders knew little about the true extent of the Du family’s wealth. They only knew that the Du family’s married women had grand dowries and that the Du family was quite philanthropic. But only Du Jingyi knew that this box contained not only the family fortune accumulated over the years but also the Du family’s future retreat.
The Daxing Dynasty had seen two emperors, and it was still calm. But the sky was unpredictable, and people were prone to misfortunes. Two dynasties could change in just a few decades, and no one could predict what the future held. So, apart from the Du family couple, only Du Jingyi knew the secret hidden within this box.
What happened many years ago remained vivid in her mind. At that time, Du Jingyi was only four or five years old, already remarkably adept with an abacus. Master Du had patiently taught her, bit by bit, as he held her and showed her the account book. Therefore, Du Jingyi’s literacy skills didn’t come from classical texts but were taught by Master Du using ledgers. This was because she had shown an extraordinary talent for business from a very young age, prompting Master Du to cultivate her carefully as the future heir.
Just as Master Du was all smiles, pleased with the 1.2 million taels in profit earned that year, Du Jingyi tilted her small head and asked curiously,
“Dad, if others saw our family as a fat duck sitting in the sun, wouldn’t someone eventually want to wring its neck?”
The words of a child might seem trivial to others . However, Madam Du, standing nearby, instantly grasped the profound truth of “the rich are hidden.” At that time, with two dynasties overlapping, immense wealth, both visible and concealed, had been amassed. The couple had clearly been somewhat distracted by their prosperity. Fortunately, their daughter’s childlike words had jolted them awake from their sweet dreams.