“Just wait and you’ll see,” Dou Xueci said, her fingers lightly tapping the table, saying no more.
What ill intent could she have? She only wished to cut off Zou Yunjian’s path to success.
Three days later.
Xuelu came in to report that Zou Yunjian was to attend a polo gathering hosted by Princess Consort Pingnan, and that just yesterday, he had secretly met with Zhuang Wanqing.
Dou Xueci acknowledged this, then ordered messages sent to the young ladies of the household. She herself had received the invitation from the Princess Consort Pingnan. If any of the young ladies wished to go out and see the event, they could join.
That afternoon, the household grew lively. The young ladies rarely had the chance to go out, and this was a banquet hosted by the Princess Consort.
One by one, they formed groups and came to Dou Xueci’s courtyard to thank her. She then went to Old Madam to explain the matter.
Old Madam only told her not to get carried away with play, and instructed Second Madam to accompany them, so at least there would be an elder present to make it proper.
As for Zhuang Wanqing, Dou Xueci did not bother to inform her. There was no need — someone had already sent her an extra invitation.
Sure enough, on the day of the polo gathering.
When the Dou family’s young ladies went out, they saw Prince Pingnan’s carriage. Zhuang Wanqing was dressed in a long robe of shimmering white brocade with blue trim, her hair adorned with a full set of kingfisher‑inlaid auspicious cloud ornaments. She looked like a spirit of purity in the snow.
“Miss Zhuang, the young prince specifically ordered me to fetch you.”
“Many thanks to the young prince for his concern. Without him, how would I ever have such a chance to go out?” Zhuang Wanqing turned back to glance at the Dou family’s young ladies, her eyes forlorn, as though she might burst into tears the next moment.
The servant from the Prince’s household said nothing, but his expression clearly soured.
“What does she mean by that! As if someone at home had wronged her! What an ungrateful wretch!” Dou Mingxi stamped her foot in anger, spitting harshly at Zhuang Wanqing’s retreating figure.
Second Madam frowned and glared at her spoiled daughter. “Enough. Get in the carriage.”
But Dou Mingxi was still indignant. She was closest to Dou Yanning of the Third Branch, and the two rode together. Even as they boarded, she kept cursing.
“These past days, whatever good things Eldest Sister had, she sent them to her. Even we weren’t treated as well. And now she acts like this — who is she trying to impress, that little tramp!”
“Elder Sister, stop talking. Today is the Princess Consort Pingnan’s banquet. If she uses it to make things difficult for us…”
“I’m not afraid of her!”
That day, Dou Xueci only brought Yuxuan and Xuelu with her. Standing nearby, she overheard the two girls’ whispers, then boarded the carriage herself.
The Dou family’s carriage arrived almost at the same time as Prince Pingnan’s carriage, though Zhuang Wanqing’s came slightly earlier.
Dou Xueci had just stepped down when Lou Yuanduo approached her, face full of anger.
“Dou Xueci, what are you scheming! It’s bad enough you throw your weight around at home, but now you make Miss Zhuang suffer outside, too. When will you change that vicious nature of yours?”
Lou Yuanduo was the son of the Princess Consort Pingnan. Two years ago, Prince Pingnan petitioned the Emperor to name him heir.
Behind him, Zhuang Wanqing tugged at his sleeve, her eyes red as if she had been crying.
“Young Prince, Elder Sister has never made things hard for me. Please don’t speak to her like that.”
Dou Xueci glanced at her sidelong, her eyes filled with disdain and mockery. Then she turned to Lou Yuanduo and said, “And where did the Young Prince hear that I throw my weight around at home? Has the hand of the Pingnan household already reached into our Dou family? I think I’ll go to the palace and ask — what business does the Pingnan household have planting spies in the homes of court nobility?”
The servant beside Lou Yuanduo — the very one sent to fetch Dou Xueci — turned pale at her words, breaking out in a cold sweat. He frantically signaled to Lou Yuanduo with his eyes, begging him not to act rashly.
But Lou Yuanduo ignored him completely. Part of him was angry at Dou Xueci’s harsh words, while another part felt uncomfortable that she, who used to call him “Senior Brother,” now addressed him so distantly as “Young Prince.”
Lou Yuanduo was one of the Duke’s three disciples.
“Sharp‑tongued! And you claim you’re innocent? Then why is it that Eldest Madam didn’t come today? Did you anger her into illness? Dou Xueci, why must you always be like this? Of all virtues, filial piety comes first. If you cannot even serve your elders respectfully, how can you treat your sisters kindly?”
Dou Xueci no longer grew angry at such words — for only when one cares does one grow angry. In her past life, when she first returned to the capital, Lou Yuanduo, her former senior brother, had also questioned her without distinguishing right from wrong. At that time, her reputation was indeed poor. But now, no such rumors had spread, and yet Lou Yuanduo still spoke this way — clearly, he had been influenced by someone’s instigation.
Lou Yuanduo was not evil by nature, but he was foolish. And sometimes, foolishness was more dangerous than malice.
Behind them, several young ladies of the Dou family were displeased, especially Dou Changyue, the fourth daughter of the Second Branch, born of a concubine.
Second Madam was strict. Though she did not mistreat her concubine‑born children, she certainly was not kind either. During Dou Xueci’s time managing the household, she had never shorted Dou Changyue of anything. Just yesterday, when a maid spoke rudely to her, Dou Xueci punished the maid.
“Eldest Madam is perfectly healthy! How does the Young Prince know she is ill?”
Second Madam frowned, quickly pulling her daughter back and glaring at her fiercely. Why meddle when she should simply watch the drama unfold?
“You heard it — my mother is in good health. As for why she didn’t come, since the Young Prince has such far‑reaching eyes and ears, why not investigate for yourself?” Dou Xueci’s gaze was utterly cold, and that chill inexplicably pierced Lou Yuanduo.
When he was young, he had apprenticed under the Duke, all his martial skills taught by him. Back then, he and Dou Xueci had always addressed each other as senior brother and junior sister!
Flustered, he demanded, “Then why, after receiving the invitation, did you only bring your younger sisters out, but not invite Miss Zhuang?”
“Miss Zhuang received Prince Pingnan’s invitation even earlier than I did. Why should I trouble myself to invite her? And why — was that invitation not delivered personally by the Young Prince? Why then do you question me? Recently, I heard the Young Prince petitioned to join the Court of Judicial Review, but His Majesty rejected it. Truly wise of His Majesty — for if someone like the Young Prince entered the Court, judging cases by personal likes and dislikes, how many innocents would suffer unjustly?”
Lou Yuanduo’s face turned pale, then dark, trembling with rage, his finger pointing at Dou Xueci.
“You — Dou Xueci, how dare you speak to me like this! We were once senior brother and sister, yet you strike directly at my sore spots! And you keep calling me ‘Young Prince’ — do you mean to sever our bond as fellow disciples?”
Dou Xueci’s eyes grew colder still. “The Young Prince remembers we were once senior brother and sister, yet today you accuse me of being unfilial. Do you realize how grave a charge that is? If you slander me without cause, how will I face others in the future?”
Suddenly, sobbing was heard. Zhuang Wanqing’s eyes brimmed with tears, fragile like a flower about to scatter in the wind. “Elder Sister, it was Wanqing’s fault for not speaking clearly today, which led the Young Prince to misunderstand. If, because of me, Elder Sister and the Young Prince fall into discord, Wanqing would be guilty unto death…”
Dou Xueci said nothing, only raised her phoenix eyes, waiting leisurely for Zhuang Wanqing’s next words.
“Guilty unto death? Then go die!”