Those words rang out like a thunderclap, resounding through the hall and leaving everyone present wide-eyed and speechless!
Strictly speaking, Wei Tingyu's words were not wrong in the slightest. Now that Dou Zhao was officially the Lady of the Marquis Household, the only ones qualified to chastise her were the Marquis himself and the elders of the household.
But as fate would have it, all the direct elders of the Marquis Residence had already passed away. If that were not the case, how could Wei Tingyu—so young—have inherited the title of Marquis of Jining?
Yet despite the apparent truth of his words, Wei Tingyu's statement won immediate approval from the younger generation in attendance. Regardless of gender, all nodded in agreement.
To the young men present, who among them would want to marry a wife only to suffer endless scoldings from their in-laws every day? It was one thing to be lectured by a father-in-law or mother-in-law, but if some so-called elder from the wife's side—like Dou Shishu—also interfered in everything, life would become unbearably miserable!
And for the young women, what could be more desirable than a marriage where they had no need to rely on their natal family for support? If, instead, their husband could even stand up for them against their own kin, such a union was the stuff of dreams!
Miao Ansu and Dou Ming, the two young maidens standing at the back, were now utterly captivated by the imposing figure of Wei Tingyu. Their eyes sparkled with stars, completely entranced by this gallant brother-in-law and friend's husband.
Even Zhao Zhangru—who had always believed in women being equal to men—could not hide her admiration as she gazed upon Wei Tingyu, her face filled with appreciation and quiet yearning.
As for Dou Zhao herself, her heart was stirred more deeply than she could ever have expected!
She had never imagined that Wei Tingyu would say something like that—for her husband to stand up for her so fiercely, even in front of her own kin!
More importantly, his support wasn't merely empty talk—it carried weight! Even her most difficult fifth uncle was now subdued, sitting obediently without daring to raise his voice.
Had she met Wei Tingyu earlier and entered into a marriage agreement with him from the start, perhaps her natal family wouldn't have dared treat her mother so callously. Perhaps her mother wouldn't have died with such bitter resentment…
At that thought, a wave of sorrow welled up in Dou Zhao's heart once more.
Wei Tingyu, noticing her silent distress, turned to her with a gentle smile. Reaching out, he brushed aside a few loose strands of hair from her temple and gave her a look filled with unshakable confidence and reassurance.
Little women? Great women?
After watching countless modern dramas featuring so-called strong female leads, Wei Tingyu had reached one clear conclusion:
Only when the men in a woman's life were weak or unreliable were women forced to become 'great female leads.'
But if a woman had a steadfast and capable man who stood by her side—who believed in her and protected her—then even the strongest heroine would naturally become a gentle little woman, content to be pampered and cherished.
Thus, when the golden finger bestowed upon him the mission to gather these 'great female leads' of this world and transform them into his own little women, Wei Tingyu hadn't felt the slightest bit anxious.
Because this was exactly who he was.
Unlike those spineless men, he had been reborn into this world, granted a golden finger. Of course he would carve out a grand destiny for himself! And he would never allow his women to suffer a single grievance!
Clearly, Wei Tingyu's powerful presence had worked wonders. Everyone present now hung their heads in silence, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Dou Shishu, meanwhile, was in an awkward predicament. Though Wei Tingyu was his junior, his bold words left no room for rebuke—and truth be told, he lacked the courage to scold him outright. The atmosphere grew tense and uncomfortable.
"Haha, our dear son-in-law must be joking. How would we dare scold our Shou girl?" Just then, Wang Yingxue's sharp eyes twitched, and she suddenly stepped forward with a smile, dragging her daughter Dou Ming along with her.
"Yes, yes! My wife is absolutely right—no scolding, no scolding at all!" echoed Dou Shiying, ever the timid peacemaker, nodding repeatedly toward Wei Tingyu. "Shou girl has always been sensible—there's no way she'd ever make a mistake deserving of punishment. Isn't that right, Fifth Brother?"
As he spoke, he tugged subtly at Dou Shishu's sleeve, signaling him to let go of his stubborn pride.
And Dou Shishu—an old bureaucrat and sly fox—naturally knew better than to dig his own grave. Seeing a way out, he quietly nodded. Even without Dou Shiying's reminder, he understood that now was the time to yield.
After all, Dou Zhao was no longer that helpless little girl without a mother to rely on. Behind her now stood a powerful husband willing to shield her from the storm.
The guests who witnessed this scene understood everything without a word needing to be said.
Especially the young noblewomen—when they looked at Dou Zhao now, their gazes were no longer filled with mere envy at her title as a Marquis's wife. There was something else—something deeper.
Jealousy.
After all, how many unmarried girls dreamed of a husband who would stand up for them even against their own family?
From this day on, even the fearsome and arrogant Fifth Master Dou would likely think twice before daring to challenge Dou Zhao.
In other words, forget being the official wife in the Jining Marquis Residence—Dou Zhao, even back in her natal home, could now walk with her head held high and unchallenged!
With that thought, many turned their gaze toward Dou Zhao's stepmother, Wang Yingxue, curious to see how she would respond…
Yet to their surprise, Wang Yingxue showed no hint of anger or dissatisfaction. On the contrary, she even smiled amiably.
"Since this was all just a misunderstanding, it's best we let it go," she said, exchanging a subtle glance with Dou Ming before turning to Wei Tingyu. "Son-in-law, please—do take your seat. The feast is ready."
"Brother-in-law! Sister!" Dou Ming immediately caught her mother's signal. She smiled sweetly at Wei Tingyu and Dou Zhao, bowed gracefully, and offered, "Let me lead you to your seats."
"We'll trouble you, then, dear Ming," Dou Zhao replied, noting the blush on her younger sister's face as she looked at Wei Tingyu. It was all too clear—this little girl had fallen for her brother-in-law.
But then again, who could blame her?
Not only did Wei Tingyu fit Dou Ming's ideal man to a tee, but he had also just displayed a level of dominance and loyalty that would make any girl's heart flutter.
Seeing this, Dou Zhao gave a quick glance toward Wang Yingxue—and caught the flash of concealed pride in the woman's eyes.
Oh, Wang Yingxue... You think having your daughter seduce Wei Tingyu will kill two birds with one stone? Stir up trouble for me and elevate your daughter into glory?
How laughable.
In this lifetime, I'll make you taste bitter defeat. I'll win your daughter over to my side, and we'll see what tricks you have left to play!
With that, Dou Zhao stepped forward and gently took Dou Ming's hand, the two sisters walking arm-in-arm toward the banquet hall.