Blossom

Shaanxi, located in the heart of the Central Plains, was governed by the Shaanxi Governor who oversaw eight prefectures, twenty-one departments, and ninety-five counties, as well as forty-nine guards and twenty-five battalions under the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission and Itinerant Regional Military Commission. Yunnan, situated at the southwestern frontier, was governed by the Yunnan Governor who administered nineteen prefectures, forty departments, thirty counties, eight pacification commissions, four pacification offices, and five appeasement offices, along with twenty guards and twenty-four battalions under the Yunnan Regional Military Commission.

How could these two be the same?

Dou Zhao sat cheerfully by the window on the heated brick bed, eating cherries.

Shu Jie'er came to visit her.

Dou Zhao quickly asked Gan Lu to brew a pot of Biluochun tea: "When the new tea comes into season soon, I'll invite you over again for a tasting."

"New tea comes every year," Shu Jie'er said, uninterested, her eyes shining with hope. "Do you think we could take this chance to visit the Capital for Eleventh Uncle's engagement?"

Though Dou Zhao wasn't interested, she encouraged Shu Jie'er to go and broaden her horizons—she would be married next year, and opportunities to travel would be rare after that.

"Who else from the family is going?" she asked Shu Jie'er.

Shu Jie'er eagerly replied, "Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother... they're all going."

With Dou Qijun among them, there was nothing to worry about.

Dou Zhao smiled. "As long as Third Brother and his wife agree, I'll cover all your expenses for the trip to the Capital."

Shu Jie'er was overjoyed and clung to Dou Zhao's hand. "Fourth Aunt, you're the best to me!" Then, with a pleading look, she insisted Dou Zhao come along. "If I go alone, Father and Mother will never agree. Besides, I won't have anyone to talk to, and traveling and lodging would be inconvenient..."

Dou Zhao shook her head. "If you're worried about Third Brother and his wife refusing, I can speak to them on your behalf."

"Fourth Aunt, haven't you been to the Capital either? I've heard it's so much fun—there are so many temples, and temple fairs are held every few days. The White Cloud Temple specializes in antiques, while the front of the Great Xiangguo Temple is full of jewelry stalls. And there's a street—what's it called again? I can't remember—that sells shoes and socks from Jiangnan. Fourth Aunt, please come with me! Just to keep me company..."

Her enthusiasm was excessive.

Dou Zhao stared intently into her eyes.

Shu Jie'er gave an awkward laugh.

After barely the time it took to drink a cup of tea, she finally cracked and giggled. "Alright, alright, I'll tell you—it's Sixth Aunt. For Eleventh Uncle's engagement, she really wants you to come. She said she's invited you several times, but you always refuse. Cousin Ji then made a bet with Eleventh Uncle and Twelfth Uncle—if he could get you to come, Eleventh Uncle would give him that jade lotus brush washer displayed in his study, and Twelfth Uncle would give him that landscape painting by Zhao Boju..."

Dou Zhao was both amused and exasperated. "And what did you get out of this?"

Shu Jie'er blushed. ""

"So I'm only worth a painting!" Dou Zhao teased.

"Oh no, that's not what I meant!" Shu Jie'er panicked. "I really do want Fourth Aunt to come to the Capital with me!" Then, suddenly, her expression turned wistful. "I might never get another chance to go to the Capital after this."

"Nonsense!" Dou Zhao laughed. "Life is long. Never say never. What if Boyan and the others pass the Presented Scholar exams and stay in the Capital like Fifth Uncle and Sixth Uncle? Couldn't you visit them then?"

As they chatted, Gan Lu rushed in. Seeing Shu Jie'er there, she quickly composed herself and curtsied with a smile.Shu Jie'er knew Gan Lu had something to say to Dou Zhao, but how could she return empty-handed? Using the excuse of selecting a couple of potted flowers to take back, she led her attendants out the door. She planned to persuade Dou Zhao properly later—Uncle Ji’s painting was a trivial matter; what truly mattered was how happy Sixth Uncle’s wife would be seeing Fourth Aunt. So she left a little maid in the main courtyard: "Once Fourth Aunt finishes her tasks, come and tell me immediately."

The little maid often accompanied Shu Jie'er to the western residence and cheerfully agreed, then went off to play with the maids in Dou Zhao’s quarters.

Shu Jie'er headed to Dou Zhao’s greenhouse, where an old woman eagerly introduced the flowers to her. She picked a crimson cyclamen with white edges and a budding summer azalea, sipped two cups of tea, and nibbled on some pastries, but the little maid still hadn’t returned.

She sent her senior maid to check: "What’s the delay?"

The senior maid returned after half an incense stick’s time. Glancing at the attendants in the greenhouse, Shu Jie'er took the hint and stepped outside, standing under a large willow tree to talk.

"It’s the second young master of the Wang Family in the Capital. He sent a letter for Fifth Miss, saying Lord Wang has been transferred to Yunnan. The Wang matriarch fainted from shock upon hearing this. Then she summoned Seventh Madam and berated her harshly, making her cry uncontrollably. Fifth Miss insisted on going to the Capital to visit her grandmother and accompany Seventh Madam, and no one could stop her. Fourth Miss had no choice but to station people at Qi Xia Courtyard, saying she’d write to Seventh Master immediately—if he agreed, she’d send Fifth Miss back to the Capital at once."

Shu Jie'er frowned. "Lord Wang’s misfortune has nothing to do with Seventh Madam, does it?"

The imperial censor’s impeachment only targeted the Wang Family, deliberately omitting Wang Yingxue’s legitimization. Meanwhile, Dou Shishu seized the opportunity to join the Grand Secretariat. Those in the know would smirk at the implications, but Shu Jie'er, raised in the inner chambers, was oblivious to such intricacies.

Her maid knew even less and giggled, "Perhaps she was in a foul mood and wanted to scold her daughter a bit?"

Shu Jie'er frowned deeper. "Fourth Aunt probably isn’t in the mood to talk to me now. Let’s head back first!" She then went to bid Dou Zhao farewell.

Dou Zhao was in the middle of writing a letter to her father. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Shu Jie'er, she escorted her to the second gate.

When Shu Jie'er returned home, her mother was consulting a tailor about making clothes for her trip to the Capital. Remembering how Dou Zhao had been bent over her desk, writing furiously, a pang of sadness struck her. After the tailor left, she recounted the incident to her mother.

Third Madam was displeased. "This is entirely Seventh Uncle’s fault. Shou Gu is only two years older than Mingjier—no matter how composed, she’s still just a girl, and they aren’t even born of the same mother… These years must have been exhausting for Shou Gu, alternating between scolding and coaxing, but at least nothing major happened." Worried about potential trouble, she dismissed her daughter and went to Second Madam.

Second Madam pulled her toward Second Elder Madam’s quarters. "There are only two underage girls left in that household. The elder madam should decide how to handle this."

Grandmother had never been a proper elder to begin with.

Second Elder Madam sneered upon hearing this. "So our Dou Family has been raising daughters for the Wangs! If she wants to return, fine—let her go back with that mother of hers!"

Her words carried unmistakable severity.Second Madam quickly stepped in to mediate: "The blame lies in our household lacking someone to manage affairs. Seventh Uncle still hasn't had an heir to inherit the family business. I think we should find him a daughter from a respectable family to serve him, allowing Wang Shi to return and manage the household."

"That is indeed an idea," Second Madam considered.

Second Madam promptly added, "I believe we should look among our relatives—someone we know well, making it easier for both families to interact."

Second Madam nodded in agreement.

The two then began discussing which family's daughter would be suitable, their manner suggesting they had come prepared.

Third Madam sat quietly to the side, sipping her tea without a word.

Over the past few years, they had helped Shou Gu manage the family's properties, and their circumstances had gradually improved. Many were envious. Seventh Uncle had no sons, so even if half went to Shou Gu, the remaining portion was still substantial. Moreover, Shou Gu's marriage wouldn't require additional dowry preparations, and at most, Dou Ming would only receive a bit more according to the family's usual practices. No wonder some were eyeing the inheritance.

As the two were deep in discussion, Nanny Liu entered with a grim expression: "Madam, the Fourth Miss from the Western Residence has sent someone with news. The Marquis of Jining has passed away."

"What!" The three women in the room were stunned. Second Madam was the first to react, volunteering eagerly: "Shou Gu is his betrothed daughter-in-law. It's only proper to send funeral offerings. But she's just a young girl—how would she know about such things? I’ll go and assist her."

Her enthusiasm was unprecedented.

Second Madam, considering that such matters had always been Third Madam's responsibility, didn’t think much of it and said, "You and Third Madam should go together."

Third Madam, thinking that since Third Madam was also going, her presence wouldn’t arouse suspicion, added, "I’ll come along as well to see how things are."

"Very well," Second Madam agreed. "The Marquis of Jining's Mansion has only Wei Tingyu as the sole heir. With the old Marquis gone, he’ll have to take charge. The household lacks someone to manage affairs, so the Wei Family will surely send someone to discuss the wedding date. Call for Dou Shiheng—he’ll need to handle this matter."

The two women assented in unison. They sent someone to summon Dou Shiheng while changing their clothes and fetching Third Madam before heading to the Western Residence.

Along with the news of the Marquis of Jining's passing came a letter from Chen Qushui.He had safely arrived in the capital with Song Mo. As the Young Lord of the Duke of Yingguo's mansion, Song Mo resided in the western compound of the estate—a three-section, five-courtyard residence. Its exit led directly to the side gate of the Duke of Yingguo's mansion, opening onto Scissor Lane. To the south of Scissor Lane lay Duke of Yingguo's Alley, while to the north was Prefecture School Lane, named after the Shuntian Prefecture School located there. Beyond Prefecture School Lane was Andingmen Avenue, making travel in and out very convenient. He was settled in a small three-room house with a recessed space in the northeast corner of Song Mo's garden, where two pages were assigned to attend to his daily needs.

In his free time, he often chatted with the pages and learned that the Song family had few descendants. The Duke of Yingguo, Song Yichun, was an only child, while his cousins—Song Maochun, Song Fengchun, and Song Tongchun—were all within the five degrees of mourning, with Fengchun sharing the same grandfather. Song Yichun and Song Maochun each had only two sons, Song Fengchun had a son and a daughter, and Song Tongchun had just one son.

Perhaps because he was the eldest legitimate grandson, Song Mo had been doted on by his grandmother—the daughter of former Liangguang Governor Lu Zongyuan—since birth. She bypassed her own son and bequeathed her entire dowry to her grandson. As a result, Song Mo owned thirteen trading firms in Guangdong and over ten thousand acres of fertile land...

Finally, the letter subtly mentioned that after the current Duke of Yingguo's Madam had pleaded in the palace on behalf of the Duke Ding, Lu Fuli—the second son of the incumbent Grand Secretary Lu Zongyuan—submitted a memorial defending Duke Ding's innocence.

Dou Zhao’s anger flared, and she slammed the letter onto the desk with a sharp smack .

After all, her words still carried little weight!

Duke Ding’s death was one thing, but what about the Japanese pirates afterward? What about the common people of Fujian? Song Mo had power, influence, and wealth—how would he settle accounts with her?

So when the Wei Family suggested she marry within a hundred days, she couldn’t help but rebuke them: "Our Dou family is no destitute household—we don’t offer up our daughters to gild someone else’s reputation!"