Blossom

The county town of Zhen Ding was bustling with noise and excitement. As soon as the carriage entered the city gate, Dou Zhao heard someone shouting loudly, "Hurry to Dong Dou to claim your reward money!"

Her grandmother was startled and repeatedly asked Hong Gu, "What reward money?"

At first, Dou Zhao was also puzzled, but after a moment's thought, she understood. Seeing her grandmother's inquiry, she smiled and said, "I suppose Boyan has passed the provincial examination and become a Recommended Man."

"Oh, that's right!" Her grandmother brightened up and urged Hong Gu, "Go and ask quickly!"

The carriage stopped, and Hong Gu pulled aside a passerby to inquire.

"The fifth young master of the Dou family has become a Recommended Man. The Dowager has sent people to distribute rewards at the gate. If you're late, you'll miss out!" The speaker hastily explained before dashing off.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Her grandmother beamed with joy. "The Dou family will have another high-ranking official soon!" She harbored no resentment toward the family that had often slighted her.

Dou Zhao tightly grasped her grandmother's calloused hand.

Without her grandmother, in her previous life, she might have become a bitter and resentful person, constantly cursing heaven and earth. How could she have let go of the Dou family's wrongs to live her own good life?

Upon returning home, Dou Zhao prepared some stationery as a congratulatory gift and went with Dou Ming to the eastern mansion.

The mother of Dou Qijun, Third Madam, wore a brand-new sapphire-blue Hangzhou silk jacket with auspicious patterns, her face radiant as she bustled about entertaining the female guests who had come to offer congratulations.

Dou Ming let out a disdainful snort.

Dou Zhao told her, "If you didn’t want to come, you didn’t have to—there were plenty of excuses. Since you’re here, you’d better act happy."

Dou Ming giggled coyly, leaning close to Dou Zhao’s ear and whispering venomously, "That night, I saw Ji Yong looking for you!" Her tone dripped with malice and undisguised schadenfreude.

Dou Zhao took two steps back and studied the girl before her carefully.

"Dou Ming, you don’t like me, and I don’t like you. There’s no need for pretenses. I think this is just fine," she said solemnly. "If you wish, you can spend every day watching my every move—opposing whatever I support and supporting whatever I oppose. You can even debase yourself just to spite me. But I won’t change anything because of you. Remember that well! If you think Ji Yong visiting me tarnishes my reputation, feel free to shout it from the gates of Western Dou. I promise I won’t stop you."

Dou Zhao leaned against the veranda railing, her pea-green Xiang skirt embroidered with goose-yellow persimmon calyx patterns spilling onto the ground. Her posture was utterly casual, yet it carried an air of careless disdain that struck Dou Ming’s heart like a sharp blade.

"Don’t get too smug!" she couldn’t help but threaten Dou Zhao. "One day, I’ll make you beg me in tears!"

Threats are built on power.

If the one saying this had been Song Mo, she might have trembled in fear.

The thought flashed through her mind, and Dou Zhao chuckled wryly.

If it were Song Mo, he probably wouldn’t utter such childish words, would he?

He would simply act—making you beg him in tears.

Her expression suddenly grew distant.

Even at a gallop, the journey from the Capital to Liaodong took over a month, which was why the Liaodong commander only returned to the Capital once every three years to report. Since the Emperor had reprimanded Song Mo, it showed he still favored him. But if the Emperor suddenly remembered him and summoned him while he was away from the Capital... that would truly be a headache.Dou Ming, standing opposite Dou Zhao, trembled with fury to the core of her heart.

How dare Dou Zhao look down on her like this!

Was she some kind of joke? Not even worth the effort of basic courtesy?

One day—one day—she would make Dou Zhao regret this!

Dou Ming clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug painfully into her palms.

※※※※※

In the back garden of Dong Dou, the lotus flowers had withered, the osmanthus fragrance lingered, and the budding Haitang flowers were just beginning to emerge. One scenic view seamlessly gave way to another.

The female relatives giggled and chatted as they settled into the Reception Hall, offering congratulations to Lady Qi, who was already blessed with a son and now carried another child.

Lady Qi blushed and thanked them repeatedly. Her younger sister, Little Lady Qi, married to Fifth Madam’s nephew, sat beside Fifth Madam with a beaming smile, clearly delighted for her sister.

Kou Ge’er, the eldest son of Seventh Cousin Dou Fanchang, peeked curiously from outside the Reception Hall.

Dou Zhao discreetly beckoned him over.

In her past life, she had been close to Third Uncle, and by extension, his two sons—Dou Fanchang and Dou Huachang—and their families. Having watched Kou Ge’er grow up, she naturally felt a fondness for him.

Excited, Kou Ge’er tiptoed along the lattice screen and scurried to Dou Zhao’s side.

"Fourth Aunt," he said in his childish voice, "Anyuan Ge asked me to find him an incense stick..."

Dou Zhao immediately understood what was going on.

Firecrackers had been set off outside earlier, and mischievous children often picked up the unexploded ones to relight with incense sticks. Since the fuses of these firecrackers were shorter than usual, accidents like burns or injuries were common, making them particularly dangerous. Adults usually forbade children from playing with them. The name Anyuan sounded vaguely familiar, but he definitely wasn’t a child from the Dou family—most likely a relative by marriage. They must have taken advantage of Kou Ge’er’s young age and his status as a Dou family child to coax him into asking adults for incense.

"What’s so fun about discarded firecrackers?" How could she let Kou Ge’er play with such a crowd? She coaxed him, "Tomorrow, Fourth Aunt will buy you a whole pile of firecrackers. For now, there are fresh autumn pears—how about I peel one for you? Later, Su Lan can take you to the woods to watch the birds. How does that sound?"

Kou Ge’er’s mouth instantly watered.

He obediently sat on the small stool by Dou Zhao’s feet and munched on the pear.

Little Lady Qi, observing this, leaned over and quietly asked Fifth Madam, "Has Fourth Aunt been betrothed yet?"

To show familiarity, she followed her sister’s way of addressing the Dou family members.

Her younger brother-in-law was of marriageable age.

Fifth Madam, well aware of this, burst into laughter. "You’re a step too late! Our Fourth Sister is destined to be a Marquess’s Madam!"

A desirable daughter attracts countless suitors, and since Dou Zhao was already engaged, Fifth Madam saw no harm in others admiring her—on the contrary, she considered it an honor. After all, once a girl married, she would fade like a pearl turning dull—her brilliance shone brightest in these few years. Thus, she spoke loudly enough for everyone in the Reception Hall to hear.

Little Lady Qi had phrased her question diplomatically, leaving room for retreat, so she wasn’t embarrassed. Being sharp-witted, she promptly joined in the merriment with congratulations.

Dou Zhao had never been one for bashfulness. She smiled without comment, allowing the chatter to continue unhindered, which only made the others feel even more at ease."Our fourth sister is truly blessed. If she hadn't been betrothed since childhood to the Marquis of Jining from the Capital, she might have married into a Grand Secretary's household." Since failing to arrange a match for the Wu family, Second Madam had carried this regret like an illness. Now with this opportunity to vindicate Dou Zhao before all their relatives by marriage, she spared no effort, speaking just as loudly as Fifth Madam. "When the He family heard our fourth sister was already betrothed, they lamented for quite some time."

The sister-in-law from Third Madam's maternal family examined Dou Zhao carefully before nodding. "The fourth young lady's earlobes are large and full—she's truly blessed."

"Of course!" Third Madam, who shared a special bond with Dou Zhao, naturally wanted to elevate her status. She laughed, "You wouldn't know this, but when the old Marquis of Jining passed away, their paternal aunt sent someone demanding the wedding take place within the mourning period. Our Second Madam was so furious she threatened to break off the engagement. But before the words had even settled, the Marquis sent his wet nurse to apologize profusely, explaining there was no one managing their household affairs and they meant no disrespect to our fourth sister. Then came lotus lanterns for the Ghost Festival, zongzi for Mid-Autumn, chrysanthemums for Double Ninth—not a single festival was missed. It seems they genuinely wished to hasten the marriage to put their minds at ease."

The women covered their mouths in laughter, their expressions revealing varying degrees of envy.

Dou Zhao sighed inwardly.

In both her past and present lives, Wei Tingyu had only ever cared for her beauty.

This thought brought some confusion.

What else could a man like about a woman if not her beauty?

Could she expect him to become her soulmate instead?

Though she spoke these words and understood the truth of them, the idea that even in a proper marriage, love would fade as beauty waned—what was the point?

After all, he had underestimated her.

Her interest waned abruptly, and when she looked up, she saw Ji Yong sitting alone by the lotus pond.

Clad in a violet straight robe, he sat motionless on a stone bench. The autumn sunlight filtered through the nearly withered osmanthus branches, casting ever-shifting patterns of light and shadow upon him, making his cold, despondent figure seem utterly unreachable.

Ji Yong had never been this quiet before.

What could have happened?

Dou Zhao couldn't help but wonder.

Meanwhile, Dou Ming, seated beside her, felt as though she were holding fire in her heart.

She bit her lip hard, afraid she might say something inappropriate.

Was it really such a big deal to marry a marquis that everyone had to fawn over her?

That marquis only held a sinecure—could he help the Dou family's sons secure official posts? Or assist Fifth Uncle in the Grand Secretariat?

These women, preoccupied with trivial matters, had no vision at all!

Besides, she wasn't even married yet.

What if some accident occurred and the engagement fell through?

A trace of mockery flashed in Dou Ming's eyes as Nanny Liu invited everyone to proceed to Second Madam's courtyard, where a banquet had been prepared—funded entirely from Second Madam's personal savings.

The guests naturally offered more congratulations to Third Madam and Lady Qi.

Third Madam and Lady Qi beamed with joy, unable to contain their delight.

It wasn't about the money—it was that Second Madam had used her own savings to celebrate her grand-nephew, demonstrating her happiness and affection.

The group chatted and laughed as they made their way to Second Madam's quarters.Dou Ming, who had been keeping a close eye on Dou Zhao, noticed her gradually falling behind the group. As they turned past the wisteria trellis, Dou Zhao suddenly disappeared.

A cold smile crossed Dou Ming's lips as she paused to pluck a few wisteria blossoms. Seeing the others had already moved ahead, she hurried toward the Reception Hall.

Along the way, she spotted Ji Yong and Dou Zhao standing by the lotus pond.

"What are you doing sitting here?" Dou Zhao teased Ji Yong. "Could it be that now our family has produced a young Recommended Man, Cousin Ji can no longer bask in undivided glory as before, leaving you feeling somewhat dejected?"

Normally, such words would have made Ji Yong immediately leap to his feet with a sharp retort that would leave her defenseless. But today, Ji Yong merely lifted his head to glance at her and said in a dispirited tone, "I'm doing some calculations."