Dou E's mother died when she was young. Her father, Dou Tianzhang, was a poor scholar. Because he lacked the means to attend the exam in Beijing, he sold the seven-year-old daughter to Granny Cai's family as a child bride. When Dou E was seventeen, she married Cai's son. However, within two years of the marriage, her husband fell ill and died, leaving only Dou E and her mother-in-law to depend on each other.
There was a local gangster named Zhang Luer who bullied Cai's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law into being helpless. He stayed with his father Zhang Lao'er in the Cai family and forced Cai's mother-in-law to marry Zhang Lao'er. Granny Cai was weak and fearful, so she reluctantly agreed. Zhang Luer also threatened Dou E to marry him, but Dou E firmly refused. He also scolded Zhang Luer.
Zhang Luer held a grudge. A few days later, Granny Cai fell ill and asked Dou E to make sheep tripe soup for her. Zhang Luer secretly poured poison into the soup, hoping to kill Granny Cai first and then force Dou E to get married. Dou E served the mutton tripe soup to Granny Cai. Grandma Cai took the bowl and suddenly felt uncomfortable and wanted to vomit, so she gave it to Mr. Zhang to drink.
Lao Zhang was poisoned and rolled on the ground a few times before dying. Zhang Luer unexpectedly poisoned his father and was so angry that he framed the crime of murder on Dou E. Reported to Chuzhou Yamen.
The prefect of Chuzhou was corrupt and perverted the law. Zhang Luer secretly bribed Dou E with money and took Dou E to court for interrogation without asking any questions, forcing her to confess. Dou E was tortured and tortured to death, but she still refused to admit it.
Next, Chuzhou really experienced a severe drought for three years. Everyone believed in Dou E's injustice and stood up for Dou E. It was not until Dou E's father Dou Tianzhang returned to his hometown as an official in the capital that Dou E's injustice was vindicated. The murderer Zhang Luer was sentenced to death and the corrupt prefect was punished. Some punishment.
Extended information:
Story source
The story of "Touching Heaven and Earth about Dou E's Injustice" originated from "The Filial Wife of the East China Sea" in "The Biography of Lienu" 》. ?
Era background
During the Yuan Dynasty, in order to meet the extravagant life and military needs of the Mongolian nobles, some Mongolian ministers colluded with local officials, took bribes and violated the law, and did everything. Under cruel class oppression and national oppression, working people of all ethnic groups are living a miserable life, especially the Han and Southerners who are discriminated against and have countless unjust cases.
Some scholars with a sense of justice were dissatisfied with the dark rule of the government, so they used the form of drama to expose the evils of the officialdom and social injustice. Guan Hanqing was one of them. He wrote the tragic experiences of the people he saw and heard into his script "The Injustice of Dou E" that moved the world.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Dou E’s Injustice