Chapter Forty-Six Half

  Dong Tao is sitting in his own car on his way back to Dong Tao. Elegant words and sentimental language.

  In the car, Dun asked his son: "What did Yuanji say to you?"

  Just now, Dou Guan was present at the scene. He didn't dare to ask deeply and only knew that Dou Shi Zhui had returned, and guessed that Dou Shi Zhui had probably come for the conditions proposed by the Zhao family. However, he couldn't understand what use it was for Dou Shi Zhui to return - the Zhao family's proposal was obviously meant to make things difficult for him, in order to shift the responsibility onto his shoulders. Zhao Rui Fu would not agree to write a letter of consent if he couldn't get half of the Dou family's property. It was impossible for Zhao Rui Fu to give up because of Dou Shi Zhui's words; it was also impossible for him to acknowledge Dou Shi Zhui's few sentences and hand over half of the Dou family's property to Dou Zhao. The Wang family would not allow Wang Ying Xue to continue staying in the Dou family without the consent letter from the Zhao family.

  He thought about it and realized that this was a dead end!

  Dong Shiying said straightforwardly: "Wu Ge told me everything that happened at home during this time."

  After finishing speaking, there was no second word, so Duan Dongkong waited for a long time. He had to say again: "How did Yuan Ji speak to you?"

  "Brother Wu said that Uncle Zhao's request is reasonable but not rational," said Du Shiying. "However, since Gu Qiu has caused such a big deal, Uncle Zhao is furious and demands compensation from the Du family for Lao Gu. If we were to agree to this, it would be even more excessive. If it weren't for the fact that Lord Wang happened to be inspecting Gansu at this time, our three families could have sat down and had a good talk, re-negotiating a sum that the Zhao family finds reasonable and you can accept. Perhaps we could even refuse Uncle Zhao's request altogether, and I'm sure Lord Wang would understand. But now is not the right time, the Zhao family doesn't care, but the big matters in the court cannot be delayed - if Lord Wang were to be impeached, it's likely that no one will have the prestige and authority to ban the horse market on the border again. The Emperor's desire to stabilize the northwest would also become empty talk, and Grandfather Zeng would probably face the danger of being forced into retirement once again. Brother Wu asked me to advise you, for the sake of the bigger picture, please think thrice before acting."

  Dòu Zhāo bá zuǐ.

  In his previous life, Wang Xingyi ultimately only closed down the horse market in Lianzhou and was unable to prohibit horse trading.

  The imperial court does not allow it, can't those nine border generals find a way? What do the governors of the Five Armies Commander's Office eat and drink?

  In the end, it is difficult to ban horse markets because they are the private warehouses of all the northwest military generals. This is also the main reason why Wang Xingyi opposed opening horse markets. Shi Rui Lan was arrogant and the imperial censors could not bring him down, which is also due to this reason. This is no longer a simple issue of whether or not to open horse markets, but rather involves the open and secret struggles between civil officials and military generals. In the end, Dou Qijun was able to bring down Shi Rui Lan because of the new emperor's ascension to the throne. Deciding to take control of the horse market in Lianzhou himself, he appointed the eunuch Han Wei, who concurrently served as the supervisor of the Shaanxi Provincial Military Commission, to reside in Xi'an and be responsible for the border horse markets...

  Dong Dong sneered: "We're just relying on the East Mansion for food, what's the big picture? What do we have to do with that? We don't have such insight."

  Still resentful of being detained by Tai Fu Ren in the East Wing for a whole day and night.

  He pointed at Dòu Zhāo and said, "If he were a son, I wouldn't just give him half of the family property, I'd give him all of it, and I'd do so gladly. But you want me to let some little girl take the ancestral estate that our ancestors left us to another family? I'd rather the entire Dòu family fall with Zēng Yí Fēn."

  Dòu Shìyīng closed his mouth and didn't speak, he just gently stroked Dòu Zhāo's head, as if comforting her not to be afraid.

  The three of them walked silently all the way to Dongfu.

  The five uncles' father was waiting at the gate.

  "Little uncle," he said with courtesy, "I should have come to pay my respects earlier. But this is not a private matter, and I also need to listen to the opinions of Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law. So I'll take care of the public matters first and then the private ones. After this matter is over, I will go to your residence to apologize and receive your teachings."

  The fifth uncle opened the door with a smile, his eyes shining brightly. His attitude was sincere, leaving Grandfather unable to find any fault, and the pent-up anger could only be suppressed at the bottom of his heart. With an unchanged expression, he followed Fifth Uncle into the main house.

  Dòu Shìyīng handed his daughter over to Tuǒniáng: "Be good, go play. Daddy will pick you up at Liùbómǔ's place later."

  Dong Zhao nodded, and after her grandfather and father had entered the hall, she circled around outside, looking for an opportunity to slip in.

  "...... So I've been thinking and thinking, Shou Gu's dowry will be provided by our Dongtun!"

  "Are you crazy?!" Both Grandfather and Father were shocked, especially Grandfather, his face turned pale. "Do you know what you're talking about? Do you know how much half of the Xi Duan's industry is worth? This is our ancestral property!" He said, looking at Second Aunt.

  The second lady lowered her head and drank tea, expressionless, as if the son had just sent out not a quarter of the Dou family's property, but a small bowl of clear red porcelain.

  "I know!" said Fifth Uncle in a warm voice, his expression as gentle as spring colors. "Our ancestors worked hard to leave us such a large inheritance, wasn't it for the sake of making our descendants' lives better and better? If this property becomes a burden, we can give it up without regrets. The world's affairs are for those with virtue to manage. I believe that even if we give up one-fourth of the property, with me, with Lan and Zhi brothers, our lives will only become more prosperous and flourishing."

  Dong Zhao nodded silently in agreement.

  Lang is from the first wife and Zhi is from the second wife.

  Her own fifth uncle, no wonder he can enter the cabinet, without saying anything else, just relying on this watertight speaking skill is enough for her to learn from.

  Dong Dong couldn't utter a single word for half a day.

  This Su Shi, really can think and really can do it!

  No wonder he took over this matter.

  No wonder among all the descendants of the Duan family, only his official position is the highest!

  He is not only cruel to others but also to himself.

  One quarter of Dong's property, he said no and it was gone.

  At this thought, Du Dang's brow furrowed involuntarily.

  Wait... his own son wants to make the concubine legitimate, and he himself has a lot of silver that he doesn't use, but instead asks his nephews for help with the expenses... Lao Wu is not refusing his ancestral property, he's blackmailing him, this is blatant blackmail!

  Dong's eyes suddenly turned red.

  He absolutely cannot let Lao Wu get away with it!

  Dongdang went to see several nephews and nieces-in-law.

  The old lady hung down her eyelids and her fingers kept fiddling with the purple-red sandalwood Buddhist beads.

  The second lady sat there with a dignified expression, like an ancestral portrait come to life.

  Duan Shih-pang, who usually doesn't speak until he smiles, is now sitting up straight with a serious expression. His solemn face is stern.

  There was a big sword standing upright with a horse sitting there, looking somewhat out of place.

  Dong Dong asked Dong Shiheng: "Do you agree?"

  "I agree too." Sixth Uncle straightened his back and said seriously, "I didn't originally approve of making Wang Shi the main wife, but since it's already been decided, let Shou Gu have some personal silver by her side. I think it's quite good. Rui Fu has finally done something reliable this time." He never spoke ambiguously.

  Dong Leng sneered: "Fine, you guys give money to Zhao Ruifan then! Anyway, I won't take out a single penny."

  You want to add trouble for me? Fine, let's see how you step down.

  Who knew that Dou Shi Zhui listened and smiled, letting out a long sigh, the whole person seemed to relax like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He said: "I was worried that my younger brother would not agree... Since that's the case, Third Uncle, please trouble yourself to bring out the account book, we'll divide the property clearly in front of everyone and let my younger brother have a clear idea!"

  Dòu Shìbǎng immediately brought in a large stack of account books: "Young uncle, I think that since it's dowry for Aunt Shòu, we should prioritize land and houses." He said, pulling out one of the account books and spreading it open on Dòu Dāng's face. "Look, this is our estate in Xíngtáng, over 2,000 mu, all connected together, with an annual income of 300-400 taels of silver. And then there's the estate in Qūyáng, also over 1,500 mu, with an annual income of 300-400 taels of silver..."

  Although Dong Tong did not manage household chores, it does not mean he did not check account books.

  The several places pointed out by Dou Shi-bang are all properties of the East Mansion.

  Are they really going to use their own silver to make up for Zhaoyang's deficiency?

  Dong's eyes flashed with intense confusion.

  Dou Shi Jiong smiled slightly and said to Dou Shi Bang, "Third brother, you can discuss this with your younger uncle later. The most urgent thing now is to draw up a contract - everyone agrees that the dowry for Shou Gu will be shared equally among our six families. Verbal promises are not reliable, we need some written evidence."

  "Look at me," Dou Shi Bang laughed, "I forgot you still have to rush back to Kyoto." He turned his head and asked Dou Dang, "Young uncle, who do you think should write this contract?"

  "Didn't you say it was a joint responsibility of the three houses?" Du Dang asked, "Why is it now shared by all six houses again?"

  Dong Shixu smiled and said, "My original intention was for the three of us to take it out, but Big Sister and Second Sister, Fourth Brother also disagreed. I thought about it, with Big Sister and Second Sister helping me, I would have more confidence, so I agreed."

  Dong's forehead was sweating.

  He has only one son.

  He is not afraid of offending his second uncle's branch, and also his big uncle's branch.

  This is the same as with brothers and that cabinet, under the guise of interests, today you gang up on me to hit him, tomorrow I gang up on him to hit you... parting and uniting, it's all just the same old thing.

  Now, in order to protect his own interests, he has dragged six other families into the same trouble, which is like tying them together with a rope to fight against himself who has taken their benefits... None of the six families can ever get along with this family... This family will be completely isolated... Not to mention that Yuan is just a new jinshi (a successful candidate in the imperial examination), even if he were a jinshi, wouldn't he want to choose an official position? Wouldn't he want to wait for a vacancy? Is there no difficulty in his career?

  Dong Dong was thinking deeply, and Dong Shibo had already written three or two drafts of the document.

  "Uncle, take a look and see if there's anything missing? If not, we'll go ahead and sign with our fingerprints separately."

  It was just a thin sheet of paper, but in Du Dang's hand, it felt like a thousand pounds.

  He still doesn't believe that Du Shixiong will take out his own money.

  But the document in front of him made it impossible for him not to believe.

  Once the die is cast, things can never be recalled.

  Dou Dong thought, and the sweat on his forehead fell onto the document, gradually spreading out like a tear.

  A dark shadow flashed before his eyes, and the document in his hand was suddenly snatched away.

  "I understand Father's intention, he's afraid I won't agree." Du Shiying tore the contract to shreds and then crumpled it into a ball, throwing it into the corner of the wall. "Fifth Brother doesn't need to say more, Shou Gu is my daughter, the dowry should be provided by me, this half of the silver, I've agreed."

  ※

  Someone in the comments section asked whether Wang Xingyi was for or against opening up horse markets. He is for it.

  Then she blushed and said it was her mistake.

  Then there is the issue of Cai Lan and Cai Shu, which is similar to that of Wei Yan's daughter.

  Indeed a series of them, they all come from "Shi Jing" ... each has its own origin, I won't modify it again.

  ※RQ