Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1304: Crushing Defeat

Duke Xing’s eldest son, incensed by the words, raised his hand to strike his second brother. "Second brother, you impudent scoundrel! Today, I shall discipline you in Father's stead and teach you the respect due to your elder brother!"

"Eldest brother, you dare to lay hands on me, you country bumpkin!"

These two men, both nearing sixty years of age, engaged in a heated quarrel at the entrance of the Duke’s Residence.

Duke Xing, gasping for breath, attempted to intervene. "Stop this bickering, my sons. Brothers should live in harmony. Such arguments and fights only serve to damage your bond."

Bah! With two sons from different mothers, both vying to seize control of Duke Xing Mansion, they were practically itching to kill each other. Where could any brotherly affection be found?

The Duke Xing Mansion experienced a day of chaos, nearly going up in flames. News of the Xing family's disgrace spread like wildfire throughout the Capital in less than four hours.

The populace derided Duke Xing’s lineage. "These peasants remain peasants at heart. Even elevated to a Dukedom, their offspring cannot shed their coarse, rustic nature."

"And their grandson, what a pity. Once the scion of a noble house, how did he become so uncouth?"

Someone guffawed, adding, "Ha! Only with such coarse traits can he truly prove he’s a seed from the Niu Family."

Upon hearing this, everyone erupted in laughter.

Others expressed shock that Emperor Jingyuan had appointed Duke Xing as the commanding general. This was no mere skirmish to be quelled by influence or luck; it was a direct confrontation with Da Rong, a campaign that seemed destined for failure.

Yet, no one dared voice such thoughts aloud. Should the patrolling soldiers overhear them, it would be a capital offense, especially if accused of undermining military morale, potentially leading to the annihilation of their entire clan.

For the following two days, the Capital buzzed with discussions of the incident. On the eagerly awaited first day of Jiuyue, the citizens, court officials, and even Emperor Jingyuan witnessed Duke Xing, clad in heavy armor and supported by his two sons, leading his entire family to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. A collective sigh of relief swept through the onlookers: Phew, thank goodness the man hadn’t perished and managed to hold on until the army was ready to march.

Keep holding on, please don’t pass away during the ancestral rites!

"This old minister pays his respects to Your Majesty," Duke Xing stated, attempting to kneel before Emperor Jingyuan.

Emperor Jingyuan, observing Duke Xing’s shaky and unsteady frame, feared he wouldn't be able to rise again after such a bow. He quickly interjected, "Minister, clad in heavy armor, such formalities are unnecessary."

Get up quickly. You cannot die now. If you force yourself to death, I will eradicate your entire family!

Duke Xing, hearing the Emperor’s words, was deeply moved, tears welling up. The Emperor still cherished their childhood bond.

Concerned that Duke Xing, being elderly, might not endure the protracted ceremony, Emperor Jingyuan repeatedly shortened the rites. After enduring for two hours, the final crucial step arrived.

He personally took Duke Xing and General Xu by the arms, guiding them to ascend the altar and enter the temple, there to worship the ancestors and pray for a glorious victory for Great Chu!

An hour later, the ritual was finally concluded. Emperor Jingyuan, his eyes reddened, entrusted Duke Xing and General Xu with a solemn charge: "Two beloved ministers, this campaign against Rong carries immense significance and represents my life's greatest aspiration. Please do not let my expectations go unfulfilled!"

Having spoken, he cast his gaze toward General Xu.

Duke Xing's role was merely supervisory; Emperor Jingyuan truly favored General Xu as the primary commander against Rong.

Duke Xing was profoundly touched, tears streaming down his cheeks. Clasping Emperor Jingyuan’s hand, he spoke tearfully of unwavering loyalty, even unto death.

General Xu also pledged, "Rest assured, Your Majesty, I shall certainly shatter the Rong invaders' stronghold, bringing vengeance for Great Chu and repaying Your Majesty's immense benevolence!"

Emperor Jingyuan was highly pleased, nodding repeatedly, eagerly anticipating the day Da Rong would be annihilated and the army would return in triumph.

Thud, thud, thud!

The resonating beat of drums signaled the departure of the army from the Capital, marking the end of the ritual.

Emperor Jingyuan, leading the officials, personally bid farewell to the troops, disregarding personal danger, and escorted them ten miles beyond the Capital. He commanded that every household in the army's path must erect incense altars, praying to heaven and earth for the army's victorious return, underscoring the profound importance placed upon this campaign against Rong.

The citizens of the Capital felt fortunate to witness this grand spectacle, following at a distance. Some even rode horseback, others traveled by carriage or mule cart, journeying nearly a hundred miles to observe the procession.

Following the departure of the military forces, the Capital buzzed for several days, initially discussing the army's grand send-off and then the subsequent chaotic clashes within Duke Xing's family upon their arrival back at the estate.

Five days hence, public attention pivoted once more, this time towards the Dou Family.

In a joint effort, the Dou and Meng families disbursed sixty thousand taels of silver, managing to secure the release of Mrs. Dou Meng and thereby saving her life.

However, upon her liberation, Mrs. Dou Meng found herself unable to return to her marital home. Manager Dou dispatched an envoy to present her with divorce papers, initiating a separation.

Stunned, Mrs. Dou Meng erupted in tears, creating a scene. "I am the daughter of an official; how dare that wretched merchant Dou Wen divorce me? I refuse to believe it; this must be the work of that scoundrel Dou Ke!"

Nevertheless, the divorce was considered a merciful outcome. Had Manager Dou not been concerned about Dou San's upcoming imperial examination and the potential stigma of his mother being branded as an abandoned woman, he would have simply issued a direct divorce decree to Mrs. Dou Meng.

Setting aside any notion of affection, Manager Dou, who had recently reminisced about the virtues of his original, lawful wife and now held her memorial tablet daily, had long grown weary of Mrs. Dou Meng.

Thus, when Mrs. Dou Meng personally confronted the Dou Family to demand redress, she was vociferously berated and turned away by Manager Dou himself.

A seasoned businessman with extensive trading experience, Manager Dou possessed a sharp and cutting tongue. He meticulously detailed Mrs. Dou Meng's disgraceful conduct, such as her illicit encounters and malicious schemes, which proved too much for her to endure.

Furthermore, Mrs. Dou Meng was denied entry to the Meng Family. Upon realizing she could not be readmitted to the Dou household, they took matters into their own hands, detaining her and sending her to a Daoist temple outside the city for spiritual contemplation.

This particular temple belonged to the Meng Family. Once inside, and as the year turned, Mrs. Dou Meng was to be reported as having succumbed to 'illness'.

Witnessing his mother's dire predicament, Dou Er, unable to bear it, orchestrated an assassination attempt on Dou Ke mere days later. However, he was apprehended by Dou Ke, handed over to the authorities, and subjected to profound humiliation before a petition was submitted, resulting in his controversial return home.

As a consequence, Young Master Dou not only reduced Dou Er and Dou San's inheritance by twenty percent of the family assets but also confiscated their personal valuables, gleefully adding a considerable hoard of gold and silver jewelry to his own coffers.

Both Dou Er and Dou San tearfully pleaded with Manager Dou for a reversal of their fortunes, but he merely advised Dou San to focus on his studies and offered no further comment.

Realizing they had been disavowed by Manager Dou, Dou Er and Dou San wept inconsolably. Meanwhile, Young Master Dou, with evident delight, attended the Ming family's esteemed September banquet, where he encountered several young ladies from purportedly noble lineages.

However, with a shrewd perception, he recognized that the families of these noble ladies had already seen better days. He made no commitments, stating instead that his affections were already engaged elsewhere.

Housekeeper Ming, eager to secure Dou Ke's allegiance for the Junior Minister, promptly inquired about the object of his affections. "Which family's lady has caught your eye? The Junior Minister will surely assist you in fulfilling your wish."

Yet, Young Master Dou remained reticent, leaving Housekeeper Ming frustrated throughout September and unsuccessful in eliciting any pledge of loyalty from Dou Ke towards the Junior Minister.

...

All these developments unfolding in the Capital were diligently reported back to Qin San Lang by You Xi.

Upon receiving news that the Emperor had appointed Duke Xing as the commander, and that he was accompanied by his two sons, both nearing sixty years of age, Qin San Lang immediately surmised that this impending campaign against Rong was doomed to suffer a catastrophic defeat.

His heart was heavy with sorrow. Although he harbored deep resentment towards the Emperor for instigating the demise of his entire family, those soldiers were his brothers-in-arms. His father had once impressed upon him the importance of valuing a comrade's life as one's own. Now, anticipating that these very comrades would perish on the battlefield, how could he not feel profound grief?

Qin San Lang's grim premonition proved accurate. By Dongzhi, in November, tidings of Great Chu's devastating loss, including the surrender of two additional cities, reached the homeland. Great Chu was plunged into collective mourning, the air filled with the sounds of shared lamentation.