Blossom

Ji Yong's remark was made in front of all the maids who came to change his bedding, so it naturally reached Dou Ming's ears quickly.

She sneered, shut herself in, and instructed Zhou Momo and Ji Hong: "From now on, everything sent to me must be thoroughly inspected. Only after confirming there’s nothing amiss should it be handed to me. I refuse to believe that if I don’t go out or consume anything carelessly, he can still take my life!"

Zhou Momo and Ji Hong had initially worried that Dou Ming would confront Ji Yong head-on. Seeing her cautious approach now, they sighed in relief. Every item of food, clothing, and daily use passed through their hands before reaching Dou Ming. Within half a month, they found a needle hidden in her autumn clothes, laxative drugs in her meals, a snake, and two mice in her room.

Dou Ming scoffed disdainfully, "Is that all?"

Su Lan, however, was utterly disappointed: "He acts so high and mighty, yet resorts to such petty tricks!"

Su Xin sharply reprimanded her sister, "What more do you expect? I think Young Master Ji is showing restraint! These harmless pranks are just to make the Fifth Miss suffer a bit. If something serious happened, the Fourth Miss, as her elder sister, would also be held accountable."

"That’s why it’s better to send the Fifth Miss back to the Capital," Su Lan said without restraint, as they were alone in their inner chamber. "I just dislike how the Fifth Miss always treats the Fourth Miss like an enemy."

"Even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes," Su Xin sighed. "We’ll just follow the Fourth Miss’s orders."

Su Lan nodded, "What else can we do? Young Master Ji is hardly reliable!"

Indeed, Ji Yong was becoming less dependable.

After Dou Qijun passed the provincial examination, he resolved to press on and take the Spring Examination the following year.

Most of the Presented Scholars in the Dou family were serving as officials away from home. The only Presented Scholar remaining at home claimed his knowledge was too shallow to guide Dou Qijun’s studies and refused to instruct him in the Eight-legged Essay. Knowing that the literary atmosphere in the south had always been more vibrant than in the north, and that Ji Yong was the top candidate from the Southern Metropolitan Examination two years ahead of him, Dou Qijun brought his essays to Ji Yong for advice.

Ji Yong was exceptionally brilliant, with an unmatched talent for things that followed patterns. With just a few words, he could enlighten Dou Qijun profoundly. Unlike the pedantic old scholars, Ji Yong answered every question openly and exhaustively, greatly benefiting Dou Qijun. Initially, Dou Qijun visited every few days, then daily, and eventually moved into the room next to Ji Yong’s...

How could Ji Yong still find time to torment Dou Ming?

This outcome pleased everyone.

Western Dou gradually regained its former tranquility, and Dou Ming resumed her daily pipa lessons with Wan Niang.

As winter approached and the household prepared for the winter solstice sacrifices, Ji Hong quietly informed Dou Ming, "Shang Er from Second Cousin’s side sneaked over, saying he has urgent business to see you. I was afraid the Fourth Miss might notice, so I hid him in the woodshed for now."

Dou Ming was startled.

For the past two years, any news from the Capital had been relayed to her by Wang Tan. This time, however, he had sent his own page...

She abandoned her pipa practice and urged Ji Hong to bring Shang Er in immediately.Shang Er was only about eleven or twelve years old, dressed in a coarse lilac-colored garment, looking like a country boy. Before Dou Ming could speak, he had already knelt down in tears, pleading, "Cousin, please save our Second Young Master!"

Dragons beget nine offspring, each different from the other.

Wang Tan took after Pang Yulou in temperament—lively and spirited. For a child, being lively wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. But the problem was that he had an elder brother, Wang Nan, who was mature beyond his years, making Wang Tan’s liveliness seem like mischief. Because of this, he was often scolded by his mother and reprimanded by his grandmother.

Hearing Shang Er’s plea, Dou Ming asked without hesitation, "What trouble has he gotten into this time?"

Wiping his tears, Shang Er replied, "The master asked a fellow scholar to write a recommendation letter for the Eldest Young Master to study at the Imperial College. The Second Young Master didn’t realize how important the letter was and accidentally stained it... Cousin," he sobbed again, "he truly didn’t mean to... But the Old Madam made him kneel in the ancestral hall and even threatened to send him to the master... No one could persuade her otherwise... Cousin, please save our Second Young Master... They say Yunnan is full of barbarians who even practice cannibalism..."

"Serves him right!" Dou Ming snapped. "Who told him to be so careless?"

"Cousin!" Shang Er stared at her in shock, his tears freezing in place.

Dou Ming wasn’t truly angry at her cousin. Seeing his reaction, she softened. "Even if I wanted to plead for him, I can’t—I’m in Zhen Ding, and he’s in the Capital!"

Shang Er blinked. "Yu Er brought me here."

Yu Er was originally a rogue from Lingbi County who had ingratiated himself with Pang Xilou and, through him, with Pang Yulou, who then brought him to the Capital.

Since Yu Er had escorted Shang Er here, it was clear this was Second Aunt’s idea!

But going to the Capital...

The thought flashed through her mind, and Dou Ming froze for a moment.

Going to the Capital!

She had dreamed of going there!

There, she had her doting grandfather, Wang Tan who always doted on her, and her beautiful mother...

Dou Ming couldn’t suppress her excitement.

At worst, she’d get scolded by her father—but she might even get to stay in the Capital!

Unable to contain herself, she blurted out, "What’s your plan?"

Shang Er said, "Daci Temple is a nunnery. When you go there to offer incense, our carriage will be waiting for you on the small path behind the temple."

Dou Ming became even more convinced this was Madam Pang’s doing.

After a moment’s thought, she said, "Then it’s settled. I’ll go to Daci Temple to offer incense the day after tomorrow."

Shang Er left, overjoyed.

Dou Ming told Ji Hong about the plan.

Ji Hong was worried. "What if Fourth Young Lady finds out...?"

"So what?" Dou Ming challenged. "Father entrusted me to her care."

Ji Hong fell silent.

Dou Ming then whispered instructions to her: "Don’t tell Zhou Momo about this... Dou Zhao will surely send a few house guards with us. When the time comes, cover for me. Once I’m back in the Capital, I’ll send for you."

Ji Hong was stunned. "You don’t want me to accompany you?"

"The Capital is only three or four days away. With Shang Er to attend to me and Yu Er along for protection, what’s there to worry about?" Dou Ming dismissed her concern. "Besides, if too many people go, Dou Zhao will figure it out quickly."

Moreover, she needed Ji Hong to cover for her.

Ji Hong thought it over and saw the logic.

The next day, Dou Ming argued with Dou Zhao, insisting on going to Daci Temple to offer incense.Dou Zhao initially thought Dou Ming was venting her frustration from the recent incident with Ji Yong and didn’t pay it much mind. She had Duan Gongyi assign a few house guards to accompany Dou Ming to Daci Temple.

After offering incense at Daci Temple, Dou Ming excused herself, claiming fatigue, and retired to a side chamber to rest. The guards, unable to follow her inside, lingered in the courtyard, chatting. Dou Ming then dismissed Zhou Momo, changed into plain, coarse clothing, and slipped out through the rear window of the chamber. She stealthily made her way to the secluded path behind Daci Temple.

As expected, Shang Er and Yu Er were waiting with a carriage by the path.

They hastily boarded the carriage and left Daci Temple.

By the time Zhou Momo realized Dou Ming was missing, an hour had already passed.

Her face paled with fear. Upon learning the details, she slapped Ji Hong hard across the face. “Even if Yu Er is a man and you wanted to avoid impropriety, you shouldn’t have let the young mistress go alone with them!” She urgently called for guards to pursue Dou Ming but was stopped by Ji Hong, who pleaded, “Momo, the young mistress just wants to return to the Capital.”

Zhou Momo hesitated.

After much deliberation, she still felt the situation was improper. Gritting her teeth, she summoned the guards, though it was already afternoon.

The guards were horrified. While some raced down the path from Daci Temple in pursuit, others rushed back to report to Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao was so furious her heart ached. She summoned Duan Gongyi and ordered, “… Ride at full speed. No matter what, you must find the Fifth Young Lady before nightfall.”

Duan Gongyi understood the gravity of the situation.

An unmarried young noblewoman, without a single personal attendant, traveling hundreds of miles at night with a page and a man—such a scandal would be disastrous if word got out.

He clasped his fists toward Dou Zhao and swiftly departed.

Yet Dou Zhao grew increasingly uneasy.

Even if Madam Xu Wang intended to send Wang Tan to Yunnan for his betterment—a legitimate reason—neither Gao Shi nor Madam Pang could dissuade her. Did Dou Ming truly believe she could succeed where they failed?

Sometimes, Dou Ming overestimated her own importance!

Dou Zhao silently cursed.

What if Shang Er’s story was entirely fabricated?

A cold sweat broke over her.

But if Yu Er’s tale was a lie, who would go to such lengths to deceive Dou Ming?

To make Yu Er and Shang Er betray the Wang Family would require an immense price, especially for a street-smart rogue like Yu Er, who knew how to bend with the wind…

Her thoughts drifted toward Crane Longevity Hall.

Surely not?

Dou Zhao chided herself for overthinking.

Tricking Dou Ming into going to the Capital aligned with her wishes—hardly a frightening prospect.

She exhaled in relief.

But what if it wasn’t just a scare?

The sudden thought terrified Dou Zhao, leaving her dizzy and weak-kneed. She gripped the nearby tea table to steady herself.

“Quickly, quickly!” she cried, drenched in sweat, calling for Su Xin. “Fetch Guardian Duan!”

Su Xin, alarmed by her pallor, hurriedly brought Duan Gongyi back.

Now, Dou Zhao struggled to articulate her fears. After a pause, she asked, “If Yu Er intended to abduct the Fifth Young Lady, where would he take her?”

Duan Gongyi, assuming she had uncovered something, turned even paler than she had.He stepped forward and said in a low voice, "That Yu Er used to engage in all sorts of deceitful schemes, but it's unclear who he hands people over to—if it's Wang Laoqi, they'd be sold to brothels in Yangzhou; if it's Tang San, they'd be taken to the Capital..."

Dou Zhao felt a chill run through her heart, her voice trembling as she spoke, "Go investigate quickly!"

Duan Gongyi acknowledged and left immediately.

Su Xin hurriedly poured a cup of hot tea for Dou Zhao, comforting her, "Uncle Duan knows the area like the back of his hand. The Fifth Young Miss has only been gone for four or five hours—she likely hasn't left Zhen Ding yet. She’ll surely be found soon." Knowing Dou Zhao’s worries, she added, "Though Young Master Ji enjoys teasing people, he’s never harmed anyone. He’s a scholar, after all—he definitely wouldn’t do such a thing. Please set your mind at ease!" After a pause, she continued, "If you’re still uneasy, why not ask Young Master Ji directly? He’s always been proud and straightforward—if it were his doing, he wouldn’t deny it."

"What I fear is that it wasn’t him!" The warmth from the famille rose teacup seeped into Dou Zhao’s hands, easing the tension in her heart slightly. "He’s always been unconventional, drawing attention wherever he goes. We can’t just pin every mishap on him, can we?"

Yet, a thorn of unease remained lodged in her heart.