Blossom

Dou Zhao smiled sheepishly, "My suspicions are growing heavier by the day!"

Chen Qushui disagreed, "It's not that you're overly suspicious, Miss. It's just that we're currently like vines clinging to the Dou family tree—without our own channels to access core matters, we can only infer developments by observing minor details to avoid things that might affect us..." Here, he paused, his expression turning solemn. "Fourth Miss, thanks to your generosity, I'm privy to family affairs. I know you wish to be self-reliant, but have you truly considered how long this will take? Such things cannot be achieved in less than ten years."

"Not only have I considered it, but I also know exactly how arduous our path will be," Dou Zhao nodded. "As a woman, I cannot establish my own household—I must rely on the Dou family. That's the first challenge. I don't intend to marry or have children, which means my direct lineage will never produce a Presented Scholar. Without a Presented Scholar, we'll remain politically dependent on others. That's the second challenge. Though I possess considerable assets, my fixed allowance is only ten thousand taels a year. Even with the stationery shop and help from people like Fan Wenshu, it will take at least five years to make a name for ourselves. And even if we become the top shop in the Northern Metropolitan Region, the income would still be a drop in the bucket compared to our expenses—we need to support a team capable of gathering intelligence at any moment. That's the third challenge. If even I can see these obstacles, surely you, Mr. Chen, have an even deeper understanding." She spoke earnestly, "So when you agreed to help me, though I never voiced it, I was truly grateful."

Chen Qushui hastily cupped his hands in humility. "I'm ashamed. Ashamed! This old man's meager talents have been of little use to you."

"Don't be modest," Dou Zhao laughed. "Without you, we wouldn't have come this far." Her gaze was resolute and bright, her tone calm yet fearless. "But I can't give up just because it's difficult. We must at least try!"

Chen Qushui nodded gravely. "Exactly as you say."

This was precisely what he admired about Dou Zhao.

No matter the hardship, she never gave up.

His long-dormant heart stirred in response.

A person with unwavering conviction and the courage to press forward, no matter how tortuous the path, would ultimately reap bountiful rewards.

His only fear was that Dou Zhao might abandon the effort midway.

The gravity of their discussion cast a solemn atmosphere over the room.

Disliking the heaviness, Dou Zhao lightened the mood with encouragement: "Look at how far we've come—my annual allowance has increased from one thousand to ten thousand taels, and we've even secured experts like Duan Gongyi and Chen Xiaofeng for protection. In the past, such things would have been unimaginable! Life is long—who knows what opportunities may arise? We must have faith."

Chen Qushui laughed heartily, his worries easing. "Very well! As long as you have confidence, this old man will gladly follow you on this journey, feeble as I am!"

Dou Zhao couldn't suppress a smile as she raised her teacup in toast.

Chen Qushui drained his cup in one gulp.

The two shared a knowing smile.A few days later, Cui Shisan returned from the Capital: "It's done. I've visited all the people you mentioned." He said suspiciously, "Are you really sending me to be the assistant manager at the Capital's stationery shop? I don't know anything about it. Shouldn't I learn the ropes at the Dou family's shops for a couple of years first? Besides, that Fan Wenshu seems to be doing just fine—there's no need for an additional assistant manager."

As for Fan Wenshu's subtle wariness beneath his warm welcome, in the past, Cui Shisan would have defiantly challenged him. But after witnessing the lives of the displaced peasants and tenant farmers with Dou Qijun, his perspective had shifted dramatically. He now understood Fan Wenshu's behavior as natural, something he could empathize with and accept without making a fuss. There was no reason to pick a fight when Fan Wenshu hadn't done anything wrong.

Dou Zhao remained silent, her fair, slender fingers with distinct joints lightly tracing the green glaze patterns on the teacup. Softly, she asked, "Shisan, have you heard about my mother?"

Cui Shisan froze, lowering his eyes as if to avoid her gaze, and murmured, "No."

"You're lying," Dou Zhao laughed, her voice clear and pleasant.

Cui Shisan was visibly flustered.

Dou Zhao continued leisurely, "The Wang family is powerful now, and I can't afford to provoke them. But that doesn't mean I never will. I'm not sending you to meddle in the stationery shop's business. I want you to go to the Capital and befriend officials who can provide us with court intelligence."

She laid her cards on the table.

Cui Shisan's face paled. "You want revenge on Wang Shi?" he blurted out, then hastily added, "I won't be part of this..."

How unpredictable life was!

Dou Zhao smiled self-deprecatingly.

The person who had been most loyal to her in her past life was now outright refusing her.

"Revenge on Wang Shi?" She picked up the teacup unhurriedly. "You overestimate her and underestimate me."

Cui Shisan was stunned.

"Would I need revenge?" Dou Zhao took a sip of tea, her tone icy. "All I'd have to do is persuade Father to take a concubine, raise a firstborn son under my guidance, and then find someone to lead Dou Ming astray. That would be the end of her. Why would I bother with revenge?"

"Then... then what do you want?" Cui Shisan jumped up, his face as white as paper.

She was absolutely right.

Wang Shi had failed to produce a male heir for the sparsely populated Western Dou family all these years. Dou Zhao could easily pressure Dou Shiying through Second Madam or even Consort Cui to take a concubine. With Wang Shi stripped of her authority as the mistress, entrusting the young firstborn son to the dignified and steady eldest daughter would be perfectly reasonable. And now, with the entire Western Dou under Dou Zhao's control, ruining Dou Ming's reputation would be child's play—no effort required at all...

As this thought flashed through his mind, Cui Shisan, staring at Dou Zhao's frosty expression, suddenly had another epiphany.

Horrified, he stammered, "You... you want to establish your own household?" But as soon as the words left his mouth, he dismissed the idea himself. "No, no, that's impossible..."

Cui Shisan had always been sharp.

Dou Zhao sighed deeply and asked, "Why is it impossible?"

Without hesitation, Cui Shisan replied, "Because you're a woman..."

"Wasn't Consort Cui also a woman?" Dou Zhao smiled. "Didn't she live just fine?"Cui Shisan's mind was momentarily muddled, and he couldn't help but lower his head in thought. Gradually, a bold idea took shape in his mind: "You mean, securing a place within the Dou family. Making them respect you whether they like it or not..."

"Would you like to join me in this?" Dou Zhao smiled without answering directly, extending an invitation. "This way, the Cui family could have the means to educate their younger generations. Who knows, in a few decades or even a century, you might become the second Dou family!"

Cui Shisan's eyes gleamed with excitement. After a brief pause, he resolutely declared, "I'm in."

Dou Zhao silently approved in her heart and whispered, "Your main task when you go to the Capital this time is to find a way to quietly engage in loan sharking..."

She then laid out her plan to Cui Shisan.

As he listened, his eyes grew brighter, and by the end, he was brimming with fervor.

"Fourth Miss, just leave it to me!"

This was the first time he had addressed Dou Zhao with the respectful "you."

Dou Zhao pretended not to notice the honorific and nodded with a smile.

But Cui Shisan pressed on, "Then... why don't you use those methods against Wang Shi?"

Dou Zhao fell silent for a long moment before solemnly replying, "A person must have principles."

Cui Shisan was silent. After sitting quietly for a while, he stood up, bowed respectfully to her, and left.

Dou Zhao sat alone by the window on the heated brick bed, sipping her tea slowly.

Wang Yingxue. She had done wrong and must be punished. If the Wang family wouldn't act, she would.

But not now.

Matters of heirs would only sadden her, but they wouldn't make her regret or despair.

Dou Ming had wronged her in her past life.

But in this life, she had done nothing wrong.

She couldn't seek revenge for something Dou Ming hadn't done.

That was her principle.

She hadn't lied to Cui Shisan.

Dou Zhao turned her face away.

Through the glass window, she saw several young maids building a snowman in the courtyard.

Their cheerful expressions gradually eased the tension in her expression.

Chen Qushui, accompanied by Su Xin, hurried in.

Surprised, Dou Zhao called out to the maids outside, "Please invite Mr. Chen and Su Xin in directly."

A young maid acknowledged the order, and within moments, Chen Qushui and Su Xin lifted the curtain and entered.

Seeing no one else in the room, Su Xin stepped back out, while Chen Qushui bowed deeply to Dou Zhao with a grave expression.

"What's happened?" Dou Zhao's expression also turned serious.

"Young Master He—no, the He family has formally proposed to the Dou family!" Chen Qushui took a deep breath. "Fifth Master and your father have both agreed."

Dou Zhao was shaken to the core, her face paling in shock. "Have the betrothal cards been formally exchanged yet? When did this happen? Has Dong Dou heard any news of this?"

"The betrothal cards haven't been formally exchanged yet," Chen Qushui replied, his expression still grim. "This happened two days ago. The He family enlisted Imperial Academy scholar Cai Bi to propose to your father. Although your father didn't agree immediately, he and Sixth Master went to consult Fifth Master specifically about this matter. Afterward, your father consented to the marriage. Right now, we're using Fifth Master's connections to send messages via military courier routes, so the eastern household hasn't heard about this yet."Dou Zhao barely managed to suppress her inner criticism of her father, though she understood that in this matter, he wasn’t at fault—marriages were arranged by parental authority and matchmakers. The He family was prestigious, He Yu was exceptionally handsome, and as the favored youngest son, it was no surprise her father had agreed to the match.

But still...

“Wait…” she said, “Minister He is my father’s mentor, so by convention, He Yu should address my father as ‘elder brother.’ How could they propose to our family?”

Fifth Uncle was exhausting every effort to ally with the He family, so turning a blind eye or feigning ignorance was plausible. Her father, who had never been decisive, might have been persuaded by Fifth Uncle—but the He family shouldn’t have made such a mistake!

“It seems Young Master He caused quite a stir at home,” Chen Qushui said, his expression slightly odd as he looked at Dou Zhao. “Minister He and Madam He had no choice but to agree.”

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Dear sisters and brothers, here’s yesterday’s update.

o(n_n)o~

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