Blossom

A few months ago, she had taken the initiative to visit Wang Yingxue and managed to strike up a conversation with her. Then, she began sending old women today with this gift and tomorrow with that. During the Dragon Boat Festival, she even invited Wang Yingxue to the Three Saints Temple for an outing. Wang Yingxue’s return gifts were quite refined, and during their outing, she was notably generous. It was then that she subtly hinted at her desire to break off the engagement. Yet, Wang Yingxue pretended not to understand and avoided the topic.

Anxious and desperate, she instructed Granny Jin to approach Hu Momo, Wang Yingxue’s personal attendant, hoping to relay her message through her.

Hu Momo responded, saying Wang Yingxue was preoccupied with arranging a marriage for her own flesh and blood and had neither the mood nor the energy to concern herself with Dou Zhao’s affairs.

Wei Tingzhen immediately promised that if this matter succeeded, she would personally ensure Dou Ming secured a good marriage.

But the other side merely smiled without a word.

Wei Tingzhen understood—Wang Yingxue wouldn’t act unless she saw tangible benefits.

She had no choice but to carefully consider Dou Ming’s marriage prospects.

Logically, both the Dou and Wang families were prominent households. Though Dou Zhao was born of a concubine, Wang Yingxue had been elevated to the status of a legitimate wife, making Dou Zhao barely qualify as a legitimate daughter. While marrying into the eldest son or grandson of a prestigious family might be difficult, arranging a match with the second or youngest son of an ordinary official family shouldn’t be too hard. Could it be that Wang Yingxue still harbored ambitions for her daughter to become a Lineage Wife?

Wei Tingzhen sent people to investigate Dou Ming’s marriage situation.

Only then did she realize that since arriving in the Capital, Wang Yingxue had hardly attended any social gatherings and hadn’t formed close friendships with anyone. When Wei Tingzhen tried to inquire about the Dou family’s affairs, she found no one to ask.

Suspicion arose in Wei Tingzhen’s mind.

But Granny Jin said, “How can the Dou family compare to noble households like the Marquis of Jining’s Mansion or the Duke of Jing’s residence? It’s only natural that Madam doesn’t know anyone familiar with them. Let me help you inquire—I know someone who works in one of the Dou family’s shops.”

Great households are all the same.

Many things are hidden from those above but not from those below.

Wei Tingzhen readily agreed.

Granny Jin went to Dou Zhao’s stationery shop and found an old woman who worked in the kitchen there.

The old woman wasn’t very clear about matters concerning Jing'an Temple Alley either: “Our shop’s accounts are all reported to Zhen Ding. Seventh Master has never taken money from our shop. Occasionally, he sends pages to buy paper and ink, but they always pay the full price.” At this point, she remembered Chen Qushui and eagerly added, “Why don’t you meet our accountant? He’s just come from Zhen Ding to check the accounts… Though he seems quite amiable, he’s sharp—our shop’s head manager and deputy manager are both a bit intimidated by him. Or you could ask Hong Gu. I hear she watched Fourth Miss Dou grow up. She’s a country woman, not well-traveled, but—” she lowered her voice, “when I accompanied her on an outing, she bought a three-tael silver headpiece without even haggling… She must hold some standing in the Dou family.”

The old woman addressed Granny Jin as ‘elder sister,’ prepared a few dishes to entertain her, and invited Hong Gu to join them.After downing a jar of Jinhua Wine, Hong Gu's face turned crimson and her words flowed freely. Speaking of the fourth young miss, tears streamed down her cheeks—how she lost her mother, how she grew up under Ji Shi's care, how endearing she was, how clever and capable... She poured out everything like beans from a bamboo tube, even presenting Granny Jin with two Nie's Brand handkerchiefs as a meeting gift before parting.

Granny Jin left satisfied.

Hong Gu hurried back to her room, gulped down two cups of cold tea, and went to find Chen Qushui: "Was what I said acceptable?"

"Acceptable? Of course it was!" Chen Qushui replied with a smile. "Granny Jin came to you in disguise to inquire about the fourth young miss, likely on behalf of the paternal aunt from the Marquis of Jining's Mansion. With your words, the aunt will surely feel both pity and affection for our young miss."

Hong Gu nodded repeatedly. "That's what I thought too. So I told Granny Jin all about how considerate, kind, and capable our young miss is at managing the household." She chuckled. "Turns out the noble families in the Capital are just like us common folk in Zhen Ding—they also secretly inquire about a girl's appearance and character!"

Chen Qushui smiled and nodded. "So don’t think these Capital folks have three heads and six arms—they’re just like us." Though inwardly, he mused, quietly investigating before a marriage proposal is normal. But someone like Wei Tingzhen clearly has ill intentions!

Hong Gu, however, felt reassured and even considered whether to gift Granny Jin the buff-colored bolts of cloth she had bought from the neighboring shop if the old woman visited again. Meanwhile, the version Granny Jin relayed to Wei Tingzhen was twisted—how Wang Yingxue had driven Dou Zhao's mother to her death yet was reinstated as the principal wife after Wang Xingyi's reinstatement, how Dou Zhao was sent to be raised by the Dou family's Sixth Madam, living under someone else's roof, yet still won the elders' favor: "...Sounds like a scheming one. No wonder the Dou family's matriarch stood up for her!"

Granny Jin, recalling her own unpleasant experiences with the Dou family, seethed with anger and couldn’t wait for Dou Zhao to be rejected by the Wei Family.

Wei Tingzhen frowned upon hearing this. "It seems this Wang Shi is no easy opponent!"

"Isn’t that better?" Granny Jin said cheerfully. "If she lacked such skills, she might fail at the task Madam entrusted to her. And this is no trivial matter."

"True!" Wei Tingzhen agreed. "But Dou Ming’s marriage prospects will require careful reconsideration."

Her earlier words had been mere talk.

Granny Jin smiled. "Wang Shi fears we won’t keep our word, but shouldn’t we also worry she might renege? Isn’t Second Madam’s younger brother seeking a match? Just spread the word that you intend to arrange a grand marriage for him. Once Wang Shi hears, won’t she be tempted? And when the time comes, who you choose to match him with will be entirely up to your preference!"

The "Second Madam" she referred to was Shi Shi, wife of Zhang Jiming, the second son of the Duke of Jingguo's household. Shi Shi was the eldest daughter of Marquis Changxing Shi Ruilan's younger brother. Her father served as Vice Commander of the Firearms Division, and she had an uncle who married a princess, becoming a royal son-in-law. Since the Shi brothers hadn’t divided the family estate, Shi Shi’s younger brother was considered quite the ideal son-in-law.

Wei Tingzhen nodded with a smile.

But when Wang Yingxue received the news, she grew frantic. Stripped of her authority over household affairs long ago, she lacked the means to sabotage Dou Zhao’s marriage.The previous silence was merely due to a lack of capability, and as for Dou Ming's marriage, it had been a desperate attempt. Unexpectedly, Wei Tingzhen actually helped Dou Ming find a good match.

Such an opportunity was fleeting.

"What should we do? What can we do?" she asked anxiously. "Wei Tingzhen has fulfilled everything we asked for. Now it's our turn to deliver... If there's still no progress, not only will this matter fall through, but I might also arouse Wei Tingzhen's suspicions. Wei Tingyu observed three years of mourning, and Dou Zhao waited for him all that time. Yet, just as they were about to marry, Wei Tingzhen called off the engagement. It shows how ruthless she is." At this point, she paused. "Honestly, I hope this marriage goes through—with a sister-in-law like that, Dou Zhao would probably have to sleep with one eye open."

Wang Yingxue sneered twice.

Hu Momo couldn't help but say, "Then let's just ignore this matter..."

Wang Yingxue held no status in the Dou family, and no one listened to her. How could she possibly break up the engagement between the Dou and Wei families?

"That won't do!" Wang Yingxue exclaimed. "If Wei Tingzhen finds out, she'll think we're toying with her. Given her temperament, she won't let it go. If she publicly criticizes me or says a few words against Mingjier, Mingjier's marriage prospects will become even worse!"

She couldn't help but regret agreeing to Wei Tingzhen's conditions. Yet deep down, she knew the temptation was too great—making Dou Zhao withdraw from the engagement and suffer a major setback was something she simply couldn't resist.

"For now, we'll have to find a way to stall," Wang Yingxue murmured. "We can only see if there's any turn of events..." She instructed Hu Momo, "If Wei Tingzhen comes asking, just say Seventh Master refuses, claiming it would disgrace the Dou family. Tell her not to rush and let me think of another way."

Hu Momo agreed and relayed the message to Wei Tingzhen through Granny Jin.

Wei Tingzhen waited patiently for two months, but there was still no movement from Jing'an Temple Alley. Meanwhile, Wei Tingyu held his Mourning Removal Ceremony.

Madam, Marquis of Yan'an also attended the ceremony.

Gazing at the handsome and upright Wei Tingyu, she remarked with some emotion to Wei Tingzhen, "Your family will soon be celebrating a joyous occasion, won't you? Our Qingyuan still doesn't know where her future lies."

The speaker may have meant nothing, but the listener took it to heart.

Wang Qingyuan was no longer young. In earlier years, Madam, Marquis of Yan'an had feared her daughter would suffer if married too early, but now she was eager to find her a match.

Wei Tingzhen grew restless and urged Granny Jin to seek out Hu Momo.

Wang Yingxue had no choice but to respond ambiguously, "I can only kindly persuade Seventh Master. If Madam has any good ideas, please enlighten me."

Wei Tingzhen was taken aback and asked Granny Jin for suggestions.

If even Wei Tingzhen had no solution, what could she possibly do?

This conversation, however, stuck in Lu Momo's mind.

Coincidentally, Hong Gu sent two Old Women from the kitchen to deliver two bolts of red Summer Cloth to Granny Jin.

Lu Momo seized the opportunity to strike up a conversation with the kitchen Old Women.

Two days later, she brought a jug of Jinhua Wine to the Dou family's stationery shop, claiming she was visiting the kitchen Old Women.

Following Chen Qushui's advice, Hong Gu warmly entertained Lu Momo.

After two rounds of drinks, someone outside called for Hong Gu. Apologizing to Lu Momo with a smile, she instructed the kitchen Old Women to take good care of their guest and went to attend to the shop.Before long, Chen Qushui came looking around. Seeing Lu Momo and the kitchen old women drinking, he let out a surprised "Huh?" and asked, "Where's Hong Gu? Why hasn't she shown up after waiting so long?"

The kitchen old woman quickly stood up and said, "Hong Gu just stepped out." Afraid Chen Qushui would scold her for setting up a drinking table in the kitchen, she introduced Lu Momo to him, "This is the personal maid of the Madam of the Jingguo Duke's heir. She came specifically to see Hong Gu." Then she pointed at Chen Qushui, "This is our accountant from Zhen Ding, here to check the accounts."

Lu Momo smiled and curtsied, showing no sign of fear.

Chen Qushui gave an "Oh" and turned to leave.

After the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Hong Gu returned but pulled Lu Momo with a grave expression to the recessed space behind the kitchen to talk: "Do you happen to know Marquis of Jining's birth date and time?"

Lu Momo was taken aback and shook her head, "I don't know."

Hong Gu said solemnly, "Could you help us find out?" As she spoke, she slipped a scented sachet into Lu Momo's hand.

Lu Momo felt its weight immediately and, judging by experience, it held at least ten taels.

Her heart sank at this, but she showed nothing on her face and smiled, "At least give me some background so I know how to handle this!"

Hong Gu hesitated for a long while before whispering, "Mr. Chen—the accountant you just met—said he knows a Daoist Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain who can tell fortunes. He wants to have one done for Marquis of Jining too."