Blossom

Ji Yong was furious upon hearing this: "Why should I leave her a way out? She fell into my trap because she's foolish; if she wants to scheme against me, she should at least have the capability! All this talk about playing with fire and putting laxatives in the horse feed—these are tricks I abandoned by the age of five! And spying on our movements, inviting elders to intervene... If I were her, I’d simply forge a letter in your handwriting to me and let Nanny Liu 'discover' it. Why go to all the trouble of gathering a crowd? She’s incompetent, and yet you blame me! What did I do wrong? You’re even defending her! In the end, it’s just because she’s your sister..."

He didn’t believe he was wrong at all.

Dou Ming’s current predicament was due to her own incompetence.

What angered him was that he had spoken up for Dou Ming.

Dou Zhao suddenly understood why the Ji family’s patriarch had sent Ji Yong out to gain experience.

In Ji Yong’s mind, there was no right or wrong—only "you" and "me."

That was why he repaid every slight tenfold.

He knew full well what fate awaited Dou Ming if she were abducted, yet he couldn’t care less.

He was too brilliant, too arrogant, dismissing all worldly norms and moral codes.

Others who did wrong might at least fear divine retribution, but Ji Yong feared nothing.

He was truly unrestrained!

The more such a person studied, the more he knew; the more he knew, the greater his capacity for destruction.

The Ji patriarch had merely hoped that experiencing the joys and sorrows of the mundane world might instill some compassion in Ji Yong’s heart.

But clearly, in the previous life, the patriarch had failed!

Ji Yong, as an outsider, challenged secular conventions, donning monastic robes while serving as a high-ranking official; he persuaded the Emperor to renounce the throne, not to save the unsavable, but to achieve what no one else had—simply to prove his own prowess.

"No," Dou Zhao interrupted Ji Yong’s impassioned rant. "It’s not because she’s my sister. It’s because I don’t want to see you become someone like Dou Ming!"

Her voice was calm and rational, tinged with a hint of sorrow, which gave Ji Yong pause.

"You’re so intelligent, so capable," Dou Zhao said earnestly, gazing at him. "You learn faster than anyone, excel at everything. What takes others hours to figure out, you grasp instantly. You should be better, more outstanding than anyone! But look at yourself now—competing with outsiders, squabbling with Dou Ming... Now look at Boyan. He spent a year traveling all over Zhen Ding, striving to improve the lives of the common people. He may not be as clever as you, but what he does is far more meaningful! Cousin Ji," she said sincerely, "you should aim higher, see further, not confine yourself to these petty household intrigues. With your talents, you could become someone who benefits the people, someone future generations will admire!"

Ji Yong’s expression gradually darkened.

The atmosphere grew heavy and tense.

Ji Yong was the type to yield to kindness but resist force. Had her words been too harsh?

Dou Zhao pondered this, then flashed a playful smile. "Then I can tell my descendants, 'Ji Jianming, Ji Yong, was my cousin! When he was studying for the Presented Scholar exams, he even stayed at our house!'"

Ji Yong’s face remained stern, not a trace of a smile. He flicked his sleeve and left.

"Ah!" Dou Zhao sighed, shaking her head.Su Lan hurried over, saying, "Miss, the Fifth Miss is making a scene, insisting on going to find Young Master Ji."

Dou Zhao immediately felt a surge of anger and snapped, "What does she want now?" As she spoke, she quickened her steps toward Qi Xia Courtyard.

Su Lan and the others swiftly followed.

Qi Xia Courtyard was brightly lit. Zhou Momo had her arms tightly wrapped around Dou Ming’s waist as the latter jumped and struggled. Zhou Momo pleaded earnestly, "Fifth Miss, please don’t make a scene. If this gets out, what happened that day won’t stay hidden. How will you face others after this? The Fourth Miss has been running around tirelessly for your sake these past few days, even losing weight from exhaustion. At least consider her feelings—"

"Why should I care about her feelings?" Dou Ming grew even more agitated, shrieking, "She knew Ji Yong was the one who harmed me, yet she shielded him! Did she ever treat me like a sister? If it can’t be hidden, then so be it! I’d rather die!"

"Zhou Momo, let her go." At some point, Dou Zhao had already entered the inner chamber.

She stood at the doorway, her gaze icy as she stared at Dou Ming. "She’s only acting this way because she’s back home now, thinking the Dou family won’t stand by idly if things go too far, and that Ji Jianming wouldn’t dare touch her. Since she wants to go find Ji Jianming, let her. But mark my words—if you show me no respect, I won’t show you any either. This time, even if Ji Jianming tries to drown you in the lake, I’ll stand by and watch." Her eyes swept over the servants in the room. "As for the rest of you, if anyone dares to aid her in her reckless actions, remember the fate of those who once served in Qi Xia Courtyard."

The maids and women immediately turned ashen, shrinking fearfully into the corners.

Dou Ming glared at Dou Zhao as if she wanted to tear her apart. "Dou Zhao, don’t think I won’t dare!"

"Oh, you dare," Dou Zhao replied calmly, as if Dou Ming were merely throwing a tantrum over vegetables. "I know you dare, which is why I told Zhou Momo to let you go. After all, you care about no one. Your personal maid Ji Hong helped you, and she was sold off—you can always get another maid. Zhou Momo protects you willingly, so even if she dies, it’s her own fault—"

"You’re lying! You’re lying!" For the first time, Dou Ming, who had always been defiant in front of Dou Zhao, showed a panicked expression.

"Am I?" Dou Zhao retorted. "Where is Ji Hong now? Ask Zhou Momo—if not for me, would she even be standing here? A spineless coward who can’t even protect those around her only deserves to throw her weight around at home. If you’re so capable, don’t drag others down—go settle the score with Ji Jianming yourself!" She turned to Su Lan. "Pass down my orders—close the main gate. Let the Fifth Miss do as she pleases. But if anyone dares to assist her, even by handing her a needle, drag them out and beat them to death!"

Zhou Momo clung even tighter to Dou Ming. "Fifth Miss, Fifth Miss, I beg you, please—"

Dou Ming viciously pried Zhou Momo’s hands away and stormed out.

Zhou Momo immediately chased after her, but Dou Zhao blocked her path. "Do you want to harm her again?"

Zhou Momo broke down in tears.

Fueled by rage, Dou Ming charged all the way to Crane Longevity Hall.

But when she stood at its entrance, she hesitated.

Along the way, everyone she encountered had indeed turned a blind eye to her.The icy, frost-like gaze of Mo Ergu flashed through her mind once more.

She couldn't help but shiver, wrapping her arms around herself.

A page emerged from Crane Longevity Hall: "What's wrong with the young master? Lying there motionless on the Drunken Old Man Chair without eating or drinking—if anything happens to him, how will we explain it to the old master?"

"Don't worry. I heard that in the past, the young master once tried to make the Immortality Elixir. He didn't step out of his room for a whole year, and he turned out just fine!"

Dou Ming quickly hid behind a large tree nearby.

The two pages chatted and laughed as they passed by her.

She crouched beneath the tree.

Watching as the sun set, darkness gradually enveloping everything around her.

The night wind seemed to pierce straight into her bones.

Dou Ming trembled from the cold.

No one came looking for her.

The moonlight was radiant, with only a few sparse stars scattered across the sky.

"Dou Zhao, Ji Yong, I'll make you pay, I'll make you pay..." Dou Ming clenched her fists, muttering through gritted teeth.

A dark shadow suddenly darted out from the flowerbed beside her, landing at her feet.

She let out a sharp scream and fled toward Qi Xia Courtyard as if her life depended on it.

The shadow, startled, arched its back and let out a "meow."

Both Crane Longevity Hall and Qi Xia Courtyard fell into silence.

Su Lan exhaled deeply. "Finally, we can have some peace to do other things!"

With winter's arrival, preparations for the winter solstice festival rituals began.

The maids had to pound rice cakes and make dumplings, while Dou Zhao needed to personally sew shoes and socks as offerings to the elders.

For a time, everyone was busy.

Duan Gongyi and Su Xin returned, covered in dust and exhaustion.

Dou Zhao and Su Xin spoke in the inner chamber.

"Seventh Master was furious—he smashed his teacup before I could even withdraw. Nanny Liu was even fiercer, throwing veiled and outright insults, every word accusing the Wang Family of lacking upbringing, failing to teach their daughters, and even their servants. Old Madam Wang nearly fainted from anger. The Wang Family's Second Madam then jumped in to argue with Nanny Liu, but Ma Jun's wife, whom Nanny Liu had brought along, didn't back down at all. She traded insults with the Second Madam," Su Xin said, clicking her tongue. "I always thought Ma Jun's wife was quite gentle, but who knew she could be so sharp-tongued? No wonder Nanny Liu brought her! Without her, we wouldn't have had anyone who could match the Second Madam's words. Eventually, the Wang Family's First Madam stepped in, trying to calm Old Madam Wang by telling her not to stoop to Nanny Liu's level while scolding Nanny Liu for overstepping boundaries and lacking respect. Her words were quite elegant, but unfortunately, Nanny Liu had been sent by Second Madam with the sole purpose of picking a fight. She didn't hold back, shutting down the First Madam's words in just a few sentences. To make matters worse, Old Madam Wang thought the First Madam was too soft-spoken and forbade her from intervening, leaving the First Madam helpless on the sidelines. The private residence of a provincial governor was no better than the streets of our Zhen Ding County—the shouting and cursing were so loud, I wonder if the neighbors could hear it?"

This was within Dou Zhao's expectations.

After all, Dou Ming was a daughter of the Dou family. Making a scene wouldn't benefit the Dou family, but Second Madam wouldn't let Madam Xu Wang off so easily either. Sending a few sharp-tongued old women to humiliate Madam Xu Wang and make her life difficult was also a way to vent her own anger.

Still, Madam Xu Wang's choice to engage in a shouting match with Nanny Liu and the others surprised Dou Zhao a little.

In her past life, Dou Zhao had dealt with Madam Xu Wang many times.In her impression, Madam Xu Wang was someone who cared about her image, which showed how desperate she must have been this time.

But none of this concerned her. She was only interested in her father Dou Shiying's reaction.

Dou Zhao asked Su Xin, "Did you relay my words to my father? What did he say?"

"Seventh Master seemed very troubled," Su Xin replied. "He said he couldn't trust anyone else with Fifth Miss. So I told him what Second Madam said to you that day. Seventh Master didn't say anything at first, but just before I left, he called me in and said we should send Fifth Miss to the Capital after the Winter Solstice festival. However, I heard from Chief Steward Gao that Seventh Master has hired a governess who used to serve in the palace, intending to properly teach Fifth Miss etiquette."

That works too!

Dou Zhao nodded.

Su Lan came in with a bright smile. "Guardian Duan is here."

Before Duan Gongyi left, she had quietly instructed him to find an opportunity to meet with Chen Qushui.

Dou Zhao immediately stood up and went to the hall.

Duan Gongyi's hair was still damp, clearly having freshened up before coming to see her.

With no one else in the hall, Dou Zhao went straight to the point. "How is Mr. Chen doing now?"

"Mr. Chen is doing well," Duan Gongyi said solemnly. "At first, he was restricted wherever he went. But after the Jiang Family matter was settled, he's been free to move around—except for Young Master Mei's study, private chambers, Resting Chamber, and accountant's office, which are off-limits." He paused before adding, "However, the Duke of Yingguo's Madam passed away on the twenty-sixth day of the tenth month."