Dou Wenyi's heart pounded like a drum as she carefully examined the document—it was a confession accusing Dou Bochang of accepting bribes!
"As the legitimate daughter of the Dou family, reporting your own father to uphold justice will surely earn you the Emperor's praise. According to the laws of Great Zhou, the men of the Dou family will be exiled to military service, while the women will be reduced to prostitutes."
Pei Siyan's voice was slow, each word like a sharp thorn piercing her heart.
"As long as you don't speak recklessly, this confession will never reach the Ministry of Justice. But if you dare betray me, the Crown Prince, I will ensure you have no place to be buried."
The depth of scheming and suspicion in a nation's heir apparent!
How could her mere words dispel such doubts?
Dou Wenyi stood frozen. Once she signed this confession, she would be handing over her own life and the fate of the entire Dou clan to Pei Siyan.
"If I can cure you, can this paper be returned to me?"
Despite her disappointment in her father and mother, Dou Wenyi couldn't bring herself to send them to their deaths.
Pei Siyan pondered for a moment. "Agreed!"
After serious consideration, Dou Wenyi ultimately signed her name.
She wanted to defy fate and needed leverage. If she could cure Pei Siyan's headaches, she might just change her destiny!
After Dou Wenyi left, Pei Siyan returned to his room.
The hidden guard Crimson Flame handed him a bowl of medicinal soup and couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, why let her discover us… I could have knocked her out with one strike."
"Last time at the temple, she nearly ruined our plans. This time she saved the young master of the Zhang family. Don't you find it too coincidental? What if she's a spy deliberately sent by Prince Rui?" Pei Siyan took the medicine and drank it in one gulp.
His gaze darkened. If he hadn't intervened in time, she would have fallen into the hands of those ruffians, wouldn't have attracted the officers, and nearly exposed him. Such ingratitude for his kindness.
"But Your Highness shouldn't use such confidential matters to set a trap." If she really reveals it…"
Pei Siyan picked up a ripe cherry and put it in his mouth, sneering, "Her acupuncture technique seems somewhat effective. Have someone keep an eye on her for now."
"Isn't she entering the palace? Once she becomes the Imperial Pharmacist, if she shows any disloyalty, we can find any excuse to eliminate her," Crimson Flame added.
Pei Siyan toyed with the cherry in his hand, neither confirming nor denying.
Several days later, Dou Wenyi entered the palace and passed the initial selection of the Imperial Kitchen, smoothly advancing to the second round of examinations.
When the news reached home, the tranquil Dou residence instantly erupted into chaos.
In Lanyue Pavilion, Dou Mingyan was irritable and restless, having shattered several Jianzhan teacups in a row.
Her personal maid, Hu Po, trembled as she knelt on the ground gathering the fragments. "Miss, please don't harm your health with anger."
Dou Mingyan casually threw the Wolf Hair Brush in her hand onto the desk, instantly staining a sheet of snow-white Chengxin Paper with ink. "Did those ruffians your cousin hired never come to collect their silver?"
Hu Po found it strange. "My cousin went looking for them several times but couldn't find them anywhere…"
Dou Mingyan's eyes turned icy. According to her plan, they were supposed to kidnap Dou Wenyi at the temple, ruin her purity, and then find an opportunity to publicize the incident.
Even if those ruffians failed, Dou Wenyi's reputation would be tarnished after staying out overnight.
Even if she married Xie Guidu, she would never be able to hold her head high for the rest of her life.
All she wanted was to stain her reputation, not take her life—and even found her a suitable husband.
She still wants to break off the engagement? What more could she possibly be dissatisfied with?
Where exactly did things go wrong?
Dou Wenyi had actually thought of a solution before she did. Now, even if she found people to cause trouble again, it might not be enough to nail her firmly to the pillar of shame!
When did she become so troublesome?
Dou Mingyan suppressed her anger, changed into a Shu brocade gown, and took the copied Buddhist scriptures to Madam Gu’s courtyard.
Madam Gu had just been reprimanded by Old Madam Dou. Her eyes were red, and she was seething with pent-up frustration.
"…She blames me for not treating her as my own daughter, for mistreating her. But she has no respect for her elders and acts recklessly. Without a word, she ran off to the palace to become a servant. If the palace hadn’t sent word, we would still be kept in the dark. Does she even see me as her mother?"
"She’s only so arrogant and unmanageable because she was raised by the old madam since childhood and has your grandmother’s support. I think she’s nothing but hopeless mud that can’t be plastered onto a wall!"
"Your grandmother’s words were too harsh…"
Madam Gu felt that ever since she brought her back, the family had been plagued with misfortunes. The thought of nearly dying from postpartum hemorrhage while giving birth to her only fueled her rage.
Dou Mingxiu couldn’t bear to listen any longer and interrupted her, "Mother, the palace is selecting female officials, not servants. They hold official ranks. The selection criteria are extremely strict—only one in ten thousand makes it. Without real talent, there’s no chance of being chosen!"
"Since the fourth year of Jingkang, the selection of female officials has even included strict checks on a woman’s chastity…" He paused, his chopsticks hovering mid-air as he suddenly realized something.
If Fourth Sister had passed the preliminary selection, that meant she hadn’t…
Dou Mingxiu was overjoyed. Why hadn’t he thought of this method to prove her innocence?
Madam Gu was taken aback, instantly understanding his meaning. She snorted coldly, "Her mind works quickly, I’ll give her that."
Under her sleeves, Dou Mingyan’s brightly painted nails dug into her palms. She smiled and said, "Fourth Sister has always been clever. This is for the best—those malicious rumors will now collapse on their own. Mother, set your heart at ease. I’ve always said Fourth Sister is blessed."
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Dou Mingyan’s eyes. Old Madam Dou was Dou Wenyi’s support. Why hadn’t that old crone died yet?
It seemed that to get rid of her, she would first have to remove Old Madam Dou as an obstacle!
Dou Mingyan presented the copied scriptures, "Mother, these are the Buddhist scriptures I copied for you. When you have time, you can offer them at the temple."
Madam Gu opened the scripture booklet, her brow smoothing. "Yan'er is the only one with filial piety. If she were half as sensible as you, I’d thank heaven and earth!"
Dou Mingxiu’s anger flared up instantly.
With a sharp crack, he threw his chopsticks onto the table. "Mother, because of your suspicions, Fourth Sister was whipped dozens of times by Father for nothing! The rumors in the mansion are spreading like wildfire. How are you managing as the head of the household? Have you even gone to check on Fourth Sister all this time?"
"Even if she had lost her chastity, wouldn’t she still be your daughter? Despite the rumors, she went to the palace—a place that devours people without spitting out their bones—willing to serve as a slave just to prove her innocence. And you? Without even asking, you blame her for being unreasonable and disrespectful. Is this how a mother should treat her own child?"
"I think Grandmother was absolutely right—you don’t care whether she lives or dies!"
Dou Mingxiu gave them a disappointed look, flicked his sleeve, and stormed out.
Madam Gu stared in shock, then suddenly burst into tears.
Dou Mingyan's face turned pale, and she froze in place, feeling that things were spiraling out of control.
She couldn't just sit back and wait for death; she had to plan carefully.