Blossom

Dou Shiying felt a fleeting temptation but quickly suppressed it.

Tao Qizhong spoke with refined elegance and had a dignified appearance, appearing like a modest and scholarly gentleman. Yet, there was an occasional hint of sycophancy in his demeanor, revealing his questionable character. Clearly, he had proposed matchmaking for Dou Shiying’s daughter merely to curry favor—who knew what kind of family he had in mind?

Surely, just because Shou Gu was of marriageable age, she couldn’t be hastily wed off to just anyone?

He chuckled lightly and brushed the matter aside.

Seeing this, Tao Qizhong didn’t press further and took his leave with Xu Zhiji.

Dou Shiying returned to his study to read, but soon a page rushed in and said, “Seventh Master, Mr. Tao, who visited earlier with Lord Xu, has returned and insists on seeing you urgently. He begs for an audience no matter what.”

Though displeased, Dou Shiying’s gentle nature prevailed, and he agreed to meet Tao Qizhong again.

The moment Tao Qizhong saw him, he bowed deeply, his face filled with shame. “Lord Dou, a man must save face, and a tree must keep its bark. In front of Lord Xu, I truly couldn’t bring myself to speak. My nephew didn’t steal from others—rather, while running a silver shop in Baoding Prefecture, he became involved with a concubine of the Baoding magistrate, who frequently summoned craftsmen from his shop to make jewelry. The magistrate suspected something but lacked proof, so he fabricated a charge and threw my nephew into prison.

“As an adviser in the Duke of England’s Mansion, I’ve enjoyed a harmonious relationship with the Duke. I once sought his help in this matter, believing it was merely a misunderstanding. The Duke even sent a personal note to the Baoding magistrate on my behalf—only then did we learn the truth. But with the magistrate’s stance now so firm, the Duke could no longer intervene. Left with no choice, I’ve come to beg for your assistance.

“Given the disgraceful nature of his actions, we have no right to plead for leniency. But he has a sixty-year-old mother above and several young children below relying on him. If he perishes, they’ll be left with no means of survival. I dare to ask only that you spare his life…” With that, Tao Qizhong bowed deeply once more.

Now this was more like it!

Dou Shiying considered the matter.

If the man’s life could be spared, Tao Qizhong could maneuver behind the scenes to secure his release in a couple of years.

Since this was clearly a personal vendetta, he weighed his words carefully. “I’ll inquire about it first.”

Tao Qizhong was overcome with gratitude. “As for my offer to arrange a match for your eldest daughter—that was sincere. The prospective groom is none other than the Young Lord of the Duke of England’s Mansion, now sixteen. Not only is he exceptionally handsome, but he’s also skilled in horsemanship, archery, and the six arts. Just a month after his birth, he was granted the hereditary rank of fourth-grade Vice Commissioner by imperial grace. At five, he inherited the title of Young Lord, and now serves as a third-grade Commander in the Golden Guard’s Vanguard. His family consists only of one younger brother and a few distant relatives—a very peaceful household.

“If not for the incident at the Duke of Dingguo’s Mansion and the passing of Madam Jiang, the Young Lord’s marriage wouldn’t have been delayed until now…”

The matter concerning the Duke of Dingguo was common knowledge.

Many in scholarly circles believed the Duke had been wrongfully executed, viewing him not as a criminal but as a victim of the power struggle between Zeng Yifen and Ye Shipei—some even likened him to Lord Guan.

Song Mo, being the Duke of Dingguo’s nephew by blood, undoubtedly came from illustrious lineage.

Dou Shiying was immediately tempted. After all, marrying off Dou Zhao would certainly be better than keeping her at home.He couldn't help but ask, "Is this truly the case?"

"How dare I deceive Lord Dou!" Tao Qizhong straightened his expression and spoke solemnly. "Having served at the Duke of England's Mansion for over a decade, I hold enough influence to speak directly before the Duke himself. I would never dare to make false claims about such matters."

Although it was common for matchmaking among noble families to be facilitated by trusted servants, Tao Qizhong's confident demeanor—as if the matter would be settled the moment he proposed it—only made Dou Shiying more suspicious.

If the Young Lord of the Duke of England's household was truly so outstanding, why would he take a liking to Shou Gu?

Not that he was belittling himself. But the circles of nobility and civil officials were fundamentally distinct. The Duke of England's Mansion was renowned and illustrious—even someone like him, who rarely engaged in social gatherings, knew of its prestige. Meanwhile, he was merely a fourth-rank Hanlin academic, and though his cousin held a position in the Grand Secretariat, their family's foundation was still shallow. There was no mutual benefit between the two families, and a centuries-old family of high officials like the Duke of England's Mansion might not even spare them a glance.

As if reading Dou Shiying's thoughts, Tao Qizhong smiled and said, "To be frank, ever since Madam Jiang passed away, the Duke of England's Mansion has lacked someone to manage the household. The Duke has no intention of remarrying and instead wishes to find a capable and dignified wife for his heir—preferably someone slightly older than the Young Lord, someone composed, virtuous, reasonable, gentle, and kind-hearted. Yet after much searching, no suitable match was found. When I heard that your eldest daughter remained unmarried—the one you intended to keep at home for your later years—I assumed she must be exceptionally capable, which is why I took the initiative to propose this match. Had it been your younger daughter, I might not have dared to suggest such a thing..."

Dou Shiying's doubts eased, and he couldn't help but say, "Not to boast as a father, but my daughter is indeed remarkably capable. There isn't a single matter in the household, big or small, that she can't handle..."

Tao Qizhong listened with an outwardly serious expression but inwardly dismissed the claim.

If she were truly so capable, why hadn't she uttered a single word when her younger sister stole her betrothal?

Even if she were capable, she was likely the type who kept her head down, silent and dull.

He patiently waited for Dou Shiying to finish praising his daughter before smiling and saying, "Earlier, with Lord Xu present, I couldn't specify which family I was proposing for your daughter. I must also sound out the Duke of England first. I'll return in a couple of days to hear your response."

Dou Shiying nodded in satisfaction.

Now this was how matchmaking should be done!

Both families were distinguished—if the marriage succeeded, it would be a joyous occasion for all. But if it failed, wouldn't it invite ridicule? Especially for Dou Zhao—the truth about the switched marriages wouldn't stay hidden for long. If the arrangement with the Song family also fell through, she would truly become the laughingstock of the Capital. Being mocked was one thing—one could endure it until the gossip faded—but if rumors spread that Dou Zhao had some hidden ailment or flaw, that would be disastrous.

He personally escorted Tao Qizhong out and added, "Regarding your nephew's matter, Mr. Tao, you needn't worry. The Baoding Prefect is an old classmate of my second cousin. When he came to the Capital for his annual report earlier this year, he even stayed at my fifth cousin's residence. It's just a concubine's affair—truthfully, it reflects poorly on his household management. I'm sure he understands, otherwise he wouldn't have found an excuse to imprison your nephew."

The implication was clear: if Tao Qizhong could secure this marriage for his daughter, he would take care of the nephew's predicament.

Tao Qizhong bowed repeatedly before finally departing Jing'an Temple Alley.Dou Shiying was so excited he could hardly sit still.

If Shou Gu could marry the Young Lord of the Duke of Yingguo, she wouldn’t need to stay home and take in a son-in-law anymore.

Last time, Shou Gu had been wronged. This time, for her marriage, he must prepare a more generous dowry.

Surely Mingjier would understand and wouldn’t compete with her sister over such matters.

He called Gaosheng in and instructed him, "Prepare another dowry for the eldest young lady, double the original amount." As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt it was inappropriate—others might think he favored Dou Zhao over Mingjier, making Mingjier lose face. He quickly added, "Never mind. Just arrange a dowry worth twenty thousand taels of silver for the eldest young lady. The rest, I’ll give to her privately."

Gaosheng was stunned.

How had the eldest young lady suddenly become engaged in just a few days?

Could it be that the master, in a fit of anger, was hastily marrying off the fourth young lady?

He couldn’t help but say, "Master, who is the groom’s family? Have you sent trusted people to investigate his background? Matchmakers’ words are often unreliable!"

Dou Shiying froze. "Ah! How could I have forgotten that?!"

Perhaps it was because he was too eager to make amends to Dou Zhao.

Dou Shiying chuckled wryly and told Gaosheng about Tao Qizhong’s proposal for Dou Zhao, asking, "...What do you think?"

Gaosheng found the match too abrupt. But seeing Dou Shiying in high spirits, he didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm. Moreover, if this marriage truly was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and his words ruined it, he would never be able to atone for it.

"If it works out, what could be a better match than this?" he said cautiously. "Still, it’s best to investigate thoroughly. That way, when the fourth young lady marries into their family, she won’t be completely in the dark."

"Naturally," Dou Shiying nodded repeatedly. Realizing Gaosheng was the most trustworthy person for this task, he smiled and said, "Then I’ll leave this matter to you." He repeatedly emphasized, "You must investigate thoroughly." He added, "If you handle this well, I’ll secure an official position for your son."

Gaosheng had always respected Dou Zhao. Even without Dou Shiying’s orders, he would have looked into the matter. Now, with the promise of an official position for his son, Gaosheng was overjoyed. He thanked Dou Shiying profusely, knelt, and kowtowed three times before leaving.

Dou Shiying’s mood was conflicted.

He feared Gaosheng might uncover unfavorable details about the Young Lord of Yingguo, jeopardizing Dou Zhao’s marriage. Yet, he also worried that if the findings aligned with Tao Qizhong’s glowing description, the Duke of Yingguo might still reject Dou Zhao...

He practiced calligraphy in his study, anxiously awaiting Gaosheng’s report.

Unexpectedly, Gaosheng returned by lamplight.

"Master, I’ve learned something," he said, his face pale, making Dou Shiying uneasy. "I’ve heard that the Young Lord of Yingguo has a violent temper. After quarreling with the Duke, he actually killed all the guards who obeyed the Duke’s orders. Not only that, he arranged their corpses neatly in the courtyard for the Duke to see upon his return. Even the noble families in the Capital tremble at the mention of this..."

"What did you say?" Dou Shiying leapt to his feet.

No wonder Tao Qizhong had proposed this match for Shou Gu—the Young Lord of Yingguo had such a terrible temperament that no one dared to marry into their family!Isn't this pushing Shou Gu into a pit of fire?

How dare you, Tao Chi, try to deceive me!

Trembling with rage, he saw that all the pages in the room had been dismissed. With a livid face, he roared at Gaosheng, "Where is Tao Chi's visiting card? What was the name of his nephew again? Grind the ink for me—I'm writing a letter to the Baoding Prefect. Does he still think he can save his nephew's life?! I'll have his nephew exiled three thousand miles away... No, exiled to the Nine Garrisons. That might just be what he wants—then he’ll have the Duke of England's Mansion intervene, and a three-year sentence might end up more comfortable than living outside. I’ll make sure his nephew rots in prison..."

Gaosheng had never seen Dou Shiying so furious before and dared not utter a word. Just then, an oblivious—or perhaps overly astute—page rushed in to report, "Seventh Master, Fifth Madam from Huai Tree Alley has arrived and wishes to discuss something with you!"