Blossom

The crimson glow of the fire flickered across Dou Zhao's face, casting a shadow of melancholy over her usually cheerful expression.

Dou Shiying stirred the silver-frost charcoal with a pair of tongs and smiled. "What's the matter? You rushed back with me so eagerly, yet now you seem downcast. Is home not entertaining enough for you? Don’t blame Mingjier—that’s just her nature. Think of it as keeping me company."

Because Second Madam was present, they had their New Year’s Eve dinner at Huai Tree Alley, stayed up together to ring in the new year, and listened to the spring-chiming bells from the eighty-one temples of the Capital before finally returning home.

Dou Ming, however, yawned and excused herself, claiming exhaustion, leaving Dou Zhao standing alone at the Hanging Flower Gate.

Dou Shiying then pulled Dou Zhao into the study to roast sweet potatoes, nostalgically remarking, "When you were little, we often did this together in the study."

Dou Zhao couldn’t tell whether her memory was faulty or his.

She sighed deeply and muttered under her breath before saying aloud, "I’ve been thinking about our family’s marriage arrangement with the Wei Family..."

Dou Shiying’s hand holding the tongs stiffened, his expression turning grave. "What have you heard?"

The matter had been the talk of the town, so it was impossible for his daughter to be completely unaware. Yet, given Fifth Madam’s strict household management, it was unlikely that anyone at Huai Tree Alley would have revealed everything to Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao looked at him solemnly. "I heard the Wei Family wants to break off the engagement..."

"Nonsense!" Before she could finish, Dou Shiying snapped, his face darkening. "Who told you that? Just a few days ago, the Wei Family invited the wife of Marquis Ting’an to discuss the wedding date. They simply haven’t settled on an auspicious day yet, so it’s been delayed..."

"Why deceive me, Father?" Dou Zhao replied calmly. "Where has Seventh Madam gone? Even if she’s ill, she should have been brought back for the New Year’s reunion dinner. When the Wang Family sent their New Year’s gifts recently, why didn’t their messenger inquire about Seventh Madam at all? Don’t treat me like a naive child of seven or eight."

Dou Shiying fell silent.

Seizing the moment, Dou Zhao pressed on, "I don’t want to marry into the Wei Family either!"

Dou Shiying was stunned. "How can that be? I’m only upset that the Wei Family has shown you disrespect. They haven’t committed any major wrongs. Even if they’ve had some questionable thoughts, it’s all because the wife of the heir to Duke Jing’s household stirred up trouble. What does that have to do with the Marquis of Jining’s Mansion? The Marquis himself has come to apologize repeatedly. Don’t listen to those women’s provocations. In marriage alliances, even the most harmonious families may clash over dowries or betrothal gifts—it’s no reason to call off an engagement! Stop overthinking this. Leave it to me. All you need to do is prepare to marry happily when the time comes. Speaking of which, would you prefer your eleventh or twelfth cousin to carry you at the wedding?" He then sighed regretfully, "If only you had a brother."

Dou Zhao refused to be sidetracked. With a smile, she said, "Lord Cai was past forty when he gave Tenth Sister-in-law a younger brother. It’s not too late for you to give me one now!" Then she added pointedly, "And don’t change the subject, Father."

Dou Shiying grew visibly agitated.

Dou Zhao quickly reassured him, "Father, please stay calm and let me finish."

Dou Shiying paused, momentarily taken aback.Dou Zhao had already said, "I've thought carefully about my engagement with the Wei family, and I feel there's simply no fate between us. In earlier years, when the old Marquis of Jining was alive, he treated our family with indifference. Our family didn't take the matter seriously either, and by the time I was thirteen, there was still no formal agreement about the marriage. Later, when the He family came to propose, our family didn't want to get involved in the disputes between the He brothers, so we used the engagement with the Wei family as an excuse. The Wei family, out of face-saving, reluctantly agreed. Then the old Marquis of Jining passed away. After much difficulty, the new Marquis completed his mourning period, and I also observed the three-year mourning. Just when it seemed the clouds were parting and the sun was shining, and we were finally discussing the wedding date, rumors emerged that the Wei family wanted to break off the engagement. With all these twists and turns... I recalled what you once said: 'What is meant to be will come, what isn't meant to be cannot be forced.' Perhaps even if I married into the Wei family, life would be difficult. If that's the case, why force it? It would only ruin my life! And to think, these words came from the Wei family's paternal aunt, and the Marquis of Jining's Mansion has always followed her lead!"

Dou Shiying knew his daughter spoke the truth, but breaking off the engagement... He still hesitated and said, "Though that may be so, life is what people make of it. Which family doesn't have conflicts when marrying into it? The Wei family's paternal aunt may be unreliable, but she is after all a married woman. The Marquis of Jining is an only son and has already inherited the title. There are no fraternal disputes or sister-in-law rivalries. Compared to those high-ranking families, it's already worlds apart. You should try to see the good in it."

Having lived two lives, Dou Zhao was not naive enough to think her words alone could move her father to help her break off the engagement with the Wei family. Otherwise, why would she have taken the soft approach and targeted Wei Tingzhen?

In the eyes of her father and elders, Wei Tingyu's lack of talent, his preference for male companions, or even fathering a bastard son before marriage were not major faults. What mattered was whether he valued the alliance with the Dou family and respected her as his wife. As long as Wei Tingyu showed sincere repentance, dismissed his male favorites and concubines, and humbly came to apologize, giving the Dou family enough face, the engagement would still have to proceed.

This was also why Dou Zhao feared Ji Yong's interference.

Ji Yong valued personal feelings, and his strategies were always people-centric. This was the art of rulers and ministers alike, for both could overturn situations with a flick of the hand, instantly changing the landscape. Thus, he could leave no stone unturned.

But in marriage, a woman's feelings were never a significant obstacle to an alliance, so her reaction to Wei Tingyu would have no effect.

Dou Zhao shook her head inwardly.

Ji Yong had only spoken one sentence to Dou Ming, but given his abilities and Dou Ming's wariness of him, that one sentence alone could change Dou Ming's attitude.

What exactly did he want Dou Ming to do?

Ji Yong was skilled at manipulating people's hearts—she should consider this angle.

What did Dou Ming desire most?

To bring her down?!

Dou Zhao's heart jolted.

Could it be... Ji Yong was urging Dou Ming to seduce Wei Tingyu?

She inwardly cursed.

If that were the case, even Wei Tingzhen wouldn't be able to withstand the scandal. The Dou and Wei families would only join forces to suppress the disgrace and hasten her marriage to Wei Tingyu...

That scoundrel—there wasn't a moment of peace with him around.Dou Zhao made Dou Shiying promise her: "If Wei Tingzhen doesn't personally come to apologize, you must not agree to marry me off to them no matter what. When marrying daughters, families hold their heads high; when taking brides, they lower them. If the Wei family won't bow their heads now, what kind of life would I have if I married into their family?"

As long as his daughter wasn't clamoring to break off the engagement, Dou Shiying was willing to agree, especially since Dou Zhao's thoughts aligned with his own.

He nodded repeatedly and smiled, "Do you think your father is a child who understands nothing?"

Even if he understood, his understanding was probably quite limited, wasn't it?

Dou Zhao giggled, eating sweet potatoes with her father and chatting with him until she noticed signs of fatigue in his sleepless expression. Only then did she rise to take her leave.

Dou Shiying saw her to the main gate, reminding her to dress appropriately for the weather and to visit often when she had time.

Dou Zhao's eyes moistened, but she forced a smile and waved goodbye to her father.

The carriage turned onto Gulouxia Street.

Chen Qushui boarded the carriage.

Dou Zhao shared her concerns with him.

Chen Qushui was dumbfounded and after a long pause said, "No... that can't be, right? Fifth Miss surely isn't that foolish? If this comes to light, her situation would be dire..."

"If she could control her temper, she wouldn't be the Dou Ming we know now," Dou Zhao replied. "You must assign capable people to monitor her movements closely to prevent any irreparable incidents."

"I understand," Chen Qushui nodded solemnly.

Dou Zhao asked him, "How are things progressing on that front?"

Knowing her father wouldn't intervene on her behalf, she naturally had other plans.

Her heart-to-heart with her father was meant to lay the groundwork, so he wouldn't be too flustered when the time came.

Chen Qushui smiled, "It's going very smoothly. Fifth Madam should find out soon."

Dou Zhao nodded slightly.

Only by humiliating the Dou family would they possibly angrily break off the engagement with the Wei family.

When the Wang and Hua families were discussing a marriage alliance, she had Chen Qushui bribe an old woman close to Wang Qinghuai to pass along information.

Sure enough, Wang Qinghuai sent trusted people to thoroughly investigate the eldest son of the Hua family in Weizhou. They discovered that while the Hua heir was clean when it came to women, he had an extremely violent temper, frequently beating and maiming people. He had even beaten his own wet nurse into paralysis over a minor disagreement.

How could Wang Qinghuai agree to marry his younger sister to such a man?

Given Wang Qinghuai's influence in the Wang family, the marriage talks naturally fell through.

Dou Zhao then bribed an old woman close to the Madam of Marquis of Ting'an to pretend to accidentally let slip complaints to Wei Tingzhen's people: "The Wang family actually had their eyes on the Marquis of Jining, but unfortunately, they were a step too late as he's already engaged. After much searching, Madam couldn't find anyone comparable to the Marquis of Jining."

Connecting this with the Wang family's recent rejection of the Hua family, Wei Tingzhen would surely be tempted.

Once Wei Tingzhen made any moves, Dou Zhao would have people whisper in Fifth Madam's ear that the Wei family had already secretly agreed with the Wang family—they were just waiting to break off the engagement with the Dou family before proceeding with the Wang marriage.

Since rumors about the Wei family wanting to break off with the Dou family had already spread far and wide, when the Dou family heard even fragments about the Wei-Wang alliance, Fifth Madam would naturally assume everyone knew but was keeping it from the Dou family.

After suffering such humiliation, would the Dou family really go around advertising it?This way, whether the marriage between the Wei and Wang families ultimately happened or not, Wang Qingyuan wouldn't be harmed, and Dou Zhao would still achieve her goal of breaking off the engagement.

She just hadn't expected the Wei Family to ask Madam, Marquis of Yan'an to act as matchmaker.

In her previous life, the Wei Family had asked the wife of Zhang Jiming, the second master of the Duke of Jing's household.

Perhaps because in this life, Dou Shishu had joined the Grand Secretariat, the status of the matchmaker had risen accordingly?

In that case, Madam, Marquis of Yan'an would just have to endure the awkwardness—knowing full well that the Dou and Wei families were about to set a wedding date, even if she regretted that her daughter and Wei Tingyu weren't meant to be, she couldn't possibly say something like, "As long as the Wei and Dou families break off the engagement, I'll marry my daughter to Wei Tingyu..."

But at least Wang Qingyuan wouldn't have to marry the Hua family's eldest son—that could be considered some form of compensation!

Lost in thought, Dou Zhao returned to Huai Tree Alley.