“Why don’t you restrain her at once!” The old madam clutched her chest in fury, nearly unable to catch her breath again.
“Second Sister-in-law, if you have something to say, speak properly. Why resort to such foolishness that only pains your kin and delights your enemies?” Dou Xueci spoke.
Hearing this, Jin Yudian regained a bit of composure. Supported by her maids, tears streamed down her face as she cried: “Old Madam, today, while I was packing Second Master’s luggage, I discovered a woman’s handkerchief. Upon questioning, I learned he had consorted with prostitutes for pleasure on the boat returning to the capital. That alone I could endure. With all the concubines filling the courtyard, I have never complained, knowing I am not a jealous woman. But… but he…”
Her sobs nearly choked her, her body trembling as though she might collapse at any moment. Madam Yao frowned deeply.
Matters of the inner chambers should not be aired so disgracefully—such behavior was utterly improper! Men fooling around outside was one thing, but why make such a scene?
Yet when Zhi Ying accepted the handkerchief from Jin Yudian’s maid and presented it to the old matdam, she struck the bedframe in rage and shouted:
“Go! Bring that lawless beast here at once!”
Everyone was stunned. What could have provoked such fury in the old madam?
Zhi Ying then handed the handkerchief to Madam Yao, since the Second Master was her son.
On one corner of the handkerchief were embroidered the characters “Hong Yu.”
Madam Yao felt her vision darken. *Unfilial son! Have you gone mad?*
If it had been an ordinary prostitute, it might have been overlooked. But this one—Hong Yu, *Yu*!
It was a direct affront to Jin Yudian’s name. He could have chosen anyone, yet he deliberately chose this insult!
In the second branch’s courtyard, not even a servant was allowed to bear a name containing “Yu,” for fear of offense. And yet he had gone outside and found a filthy woman with that very name!
Jin Yudian’s father currently served as Salt Transport Commissioner of Lianghuai—a lucrative post that showed how much favor her family enjoyed before the Emperor. The Jin family’s ancestors had even produced a Grand Tutor. Though Jin Yudian’s temper was like a firecracker, in truth, she was very strict about rules.
Now that such a taboo had been broken, Madam Yao did not even know how to defend her son. While she hesitated, Dou Minghuai was brought in. He had already knelt in the snow for an hour and had not yet recovered. His face was flushed unnaturally, as though fevered.
“Wretched child, your courage has grown far too great! You show no respect for anyone, committing acts that defy Heaven itself. Do you mean to drive me to my grave?”
Dou Minghuai knew full well what he had done. Seeing the old madam’s fury, he ignored his own discomfort and fell to his knees with a thud, knocking his head to the floor several times.
“Grandmother, Minghuai knows his fault. I will never dare again. Please do not let anger harm your health. That woman was given to me while passing through Yangzhou—I did not know her name. Had I known, even with ten lives, I would not have dared!”
But the old madam’s rage did not abate—in fact, it grew stronger. She seized the lotus longevity-pattern pillow beside her and hurled it down violently.
“You still dare to lie to me! If you truly knew your fault, why did you strike Yuer? You spend your days chasing women like a rotten log, filth upon filth. Do you remember your younger sister was also on that boat? An unmarried girl—and you did such things before her eyes! Shameless creature! Call his father here. Today we’ll beat him to death outright, and I’ll be spared further worry!”
The words were too severe. All the women in the room immediately dropped to their knees.
“Old Madam, please calm yourself. If the Master is summoned, the matter will only grow worse. Behind closed doors, whether beating or scolding, all should follow your command.”
At this moment, Madam Yao dared not speak too much in defense of her son, only hoping the matter would not spread to the outer court. Her husband’s temper—if he truly laid hands on the boy, Minghuai would be stripped of his skin.
“Yes, Minghuai was confused for a moment. Let him properly apologize to Yuer, and may he never commit such a mistake again.” Even Zou Nianqiu added a conciliatory word. But suddenly, the old madam’s gaze shot toward her, cold as frost.
Madam Zou was startled. In her eagerness to curry favor with the second branch, she had forgotten that the matter just now involved Dou Xueci.
“As for Xueci, after all, they are siblings of one family. Surely Xueci will not blame her elder brother.” Madam Zou shifted the topic, deliberately turning it toward Dou Xueci, watching her with probing eyes. Since suspicion had already been planted in the old madam’s mind, she might as well test whether this child had truly turned against her.
Dou Xueci seemed taken aback that Madam Zou would say such a thing. Her eyes reddened suddenly at the corners. Forcing back her tears, she lowered her head and replied: “Of course.”
“But Second Master did such things in front of the young lady…”
“Liu Yun! Enough!”
Liu Yun, seeing her mistress forced to forgive Second Master, felt indignant. She had just spoken up in protest when Dou Xueci cut her off.
The old madam saw everything, her head pounding. She realized she had been a fool. In the past, she had only seen Zou Nianqiu shower Dou Xueci with care, sending cartloads of fine goods to Yongzhou, and believed their mother-daughter bond was deep. But now, Zou Nianqiu had openly forced Xueci to swallow such a grievous humiliation before her very eyes. She closed her eyes, her chest tight with anger that would not disperse.
“Zhi Ying, go inform Second Master. This grandson I cannot control, nor do I have the right to. Let his father discipline him himself.”
These words nearly scared Dou Minghuai to death. In this age, filial piety governed the realm. If word spread that he was unfilial, what future would he have?
Collapsed on the floor for a long while, Dou Minghuai finally crawled forward and knocked his head hard against the ground.
“Grandson was wrong. If Grandmother says such words, even if I die, I will not rest in peace!”
Dou Minghuai wept with snot and tears. Seeing the chaos, even Jin Yudian—who had originally come to lodge a complaint—began to sense something was wrong. If things continued like this, Second Master would truly lose both his father’s and grandmother’s favor. And what benefit would that bring her?
“Accursed scourge! How did I give birth to such a bane? Are you a block of dead wood? Hurry and kowtow to your wife and admit your guilt!”
Madam Yao was truly a seasoned fox. Catching the subtle change in Jin Yudian’s expression out of the corner of her eye, she immediately shifted her words, scolding her son instead.
Jin Yudian dabbed her tears with a handkerchief, sobbing softly. She did not refuse—thus giving him a way out.
Dou Minghuai crawled on his knees like a dog to Jin Yudian’s side, clutching at her pomegranate-red skirts.
“My good wife, it was all my fault. Those men forced a few cups of horse piss on me, muddling my head, tricking me into foolishness. You suffered such a grievance, my heart aches too. Strike me a few times if it helps!”
As he spoke, Dou Minghuai pulled Jin Yudian’s hand to slap his own face. His shamelessness left her exasperated.
“How would I dare? If you get in the mood again, I’ll only suffer another beating.”
Dou Minghuai cried out repeatedly that he would not dare, clutching her hand tightly against his chest.
“If there is a next time, may I die miserably! I will never dare again. Wife, forgive me just this once.”
Jin Yudian gave him a light push, but he did not budge. Her lips pressed downward, revealing a shy smile.
“Enough! Don’t play out your drama before me, good one moment, bad the next!” The old madam seemed somewhat calmed, though she still shot Dou Minghuai a fierce glare.
The other ladies stepped forward to mediate, and for the moment, the atmosphere eased.
Dou Xueci stood quietly, as though an outsider.
Unexpectedly, the old madam reached out to draw her to the bedside, holding her in her arms.
“Since you’ve reconciled, then let us speak of another matter—one I will not forgive.”