Blossom

Dou Ming stepped out of the carriage and immediately spotted her grandmother standing apart from the crowd.

Just as she remembered, her grandmother wore a lilac-colored spun silk jacket with no patterns, her jet-black hair neatly tied into a round bun secured with a lantern-shaped silver hairpin. A pair of silver bracelets adorned her wrists as she calmly circled the plum tree, as thick as a wine cup, in front of the ancestral hall steps. It reminded Dou Ming of many years ago when she had woken up feeling lost and disoriented, only to see her grandmother leisurely squatting in the vegetable patch, inspecting the growth of the melons and greens. Her heart had instantly settled then.

Grandmother!

Dou Ming's eyes welled up with tears, but she held back from calling out loudly.

Her grandfather and father were ushered into the ancestral hall by Third Uncle, while she was left in the care of Tuo Niang and Yu Zan.

The six-year-old daughter of her third cousin ran over, tugging at Tuo Niang's pants. "Auntie Four, Auntie Four, let's play cat's cradle!"

In her past life, Dou Ming had had little interaction with this niece and didn’t even know her name.

She gave a vague response.

Tuo Niang set her down, and she darted straight to her grandmother’s side.

Should she call her Consort Cui or Grandmother?

Dou Ming hesitated for a moment.

She wanted to call her Grandmother but feared it might cause trouble for her if others overheard.

The five-year-old daughter of her fifth cousin chased after her. "Auntie Four, Auntie Four!"

Hearing the commotion, her grandmother turned and noticed Dou Ming’s curious gaze.

With a warm smile, she crouched slightly. "You... are you Shou Gu?"

Dou Ming nodded, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

Her grandmother paused briefly before quickly stepping forward to embrace her. "Don’t cry, don’t cry!" She wiped Dou Ming’s tears, her calloused fingertips scratching slightly, yet bringing an inexplicable sense of comfort.

Yu Zan hurried over, looking uneasy as she called out, "Consort Cui," and practically snatched Dou Ming away, murmuring, "Seventh Master instructed us to take good care of the Fourth Miss..."

Dou Ming frowned.

A faint, bitter smile flickered across her grandmother’s lips, but she said nothing. Instead, she pulled out a large red scented sachet embroidered with a pair of orioles from her sleeve and handed it to Dou Ming. "Here’s a little treat for you!" With that, she turned and walked away briskly.

"Grandmother!" Dou Ming called after her.

Her tall figure paused slightly but then continued resolutely down the side alley toward the backyard of the ancestral hall.

Yu Zan quickly whispered, "Fourth Miss, please lower your voice. The Old Master doesn’t like Consort Cui speaking too much with Seventh Master or you!"

Dou Ming sneered, feeling deeply humiliated.

If he dislikes it so much, why did he have a child with Grandmother in the first place...

She wanted to follow her grandmother, but the youngest daughter of her second cousin clung to her sleeve. "What did you get?" The girl’s eyes gleamed with anticipation, drool nearly dripping.

The embarrassed maid scooped the child up and carried her toward Third Sister-in-law, apologizing with flushed cheeks along the way. "Fourth Miss, our little miss is just curious!"

Dou Ming chuckled, her resentment easing somewhat.

She opened the scented sachet—inside was a small pouch of longan.Grandmother once said that the first time she had a snack was on the evening she was carried into the Dou family. Grandfather and the legal wife were outside entertaining guests, while the servants who had originally attended to the room had disappeared somewhere. She sat alone on the bed, lonely and afraid to move because she hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since waking up, fearing she might need to relieve herself during the journey. By chance, she felt two longans on the bed. Without caring what they were, she cracked the shells and hastily stuffed them into her mouth... That’s why Grandmother always believed longans were the most delicious thing in the world.

Whenever Dou Zhao fell ill or took a tumble, Grandmother would soothe her with longans or dried longans.

The scented sachet still carried the lingering warmth of Grandmother’s body.

Had Grandmother prepared this sachet long ago, waiting for the right moment to give it to her?

Dou Zhao slowly peeled a longan and gently placed it in her mouth.

Its sweet, refreshing taste slid from her throat to the depths of her heart.

She struggled out of Yu Zan’s arms and dashed to the Reception Hall in the backyard.

The women of the Dou family were gathered around Second Madam, chatting.

Dou Zhao immediately spotted Grandmother sitting alone by the brazier in a corner of the hall.

She tossed a longan pit into the fire.

With a pop , a small flame flared up, startling Grandmother, who instinctively looked around.

Dou Zhao waved at her, then turned and hid behind a holly tree at the back of the hall.

Soon, Grandmother stepped outside, scanning the courtyard from the steps.

Dou Zhao stood up.

Grandmother gazed at her with tender amusement, shaking her head helplessly before hurrying over.

Dou Zhao asked, “Are you my grandmother?”

Grandmother crouched down and gently stroked her head. “No, I’m your Consort Cui.”

Dou Zhao’s heart ached as she fought back tears. “Then, in a few days, can you take me to the farmstead to play?”

Grandmother’s hand stiffened slightly before she replied after a long pause, “The farmstead is dusty—it’s not fun.”

“Then can I visit you?” Dou Zhao pressed.

“I’ll be working in the fields. Even if you come, I won’t have time to play with you,” Grandmother refused again.

Dou Zhao threw herself into Grandmother’s arms, clinging tightly to her neck.

Was this the price of changing her fate?

In her past life, the warmth of their shared struggles would now only live on in her memories...

Dou Zhao’s scalding tears silently fell onto Grandmother’s shoulder.

Or perhaps she could take the initiative to live at the farmstead?

But before that, she had to settle matters with Wang Yingxue!

Dou Zhao began calculating in her heart.

The Spring Festival soon passed.

Grandmother sent Dou Zhao a sack of elm buds, saying they could be stir-fried with eggs to clear heat and moisten the lungs.

It was the first time Grandmother had ever sent anything to the Dou family in the city.

When Grandfather found out, he flew into a rage. “Who told her to send this? Throw it all away—now!”

By the time Dou Zhao heard the news and rushed over, the steward was already carrying the sack of elm buds out through the second gate.

She lunged forward and hugged the sack. “I want stir-fried eggs! I want stir-fried eggs!”

The steward didn’t dare disobey the order to discard them, but neither could he forcibly remove Dou Zhao.

Her loud tantrum drew Dou Shiying’s attention.

After a long silence, Dou Shiying instructed the steward, “Take this sack to the kitchen.”

The steward sighed in relief.

Dou Shiying then led Dou Zhao back to his study.

Dou Zhao expected her father to say something, but he spent the entire day practicing calligraphy at his desk, not even stopping for lunch.Wang Yingxue came over holding Dou Ming in her arms.

Dou Ming giggled and reached for Dou Shiying’s brush.

Dou Shiying smiled and took Dou Ming into his embrace.

Wang Yingxue asked softly, “Does the Seventh Master have something on his mind? Would you like to share it with me?”

Dou Shiying remained silent for a long moment before murmuring, “It’s nothing.”

Wang Yingxue didn’t press further and said cheerfully, “I remember the Seventh Master enjoys the oil-splashed noodles I make. Shall I prepare a bowl for you?”

“No need,” Dou Shiying replied listlessly. “Dinner will be served soon.”

“It won’t take long!” Wang Yingxue didn’t give him a chance to refuse. She instructed the wet nurse to look after Dou Ming and hurried off to the kitchen.

In the study, Dou Zhao, who was practicing calligraphy, curled her lips slightly.

Her father carried Dou Ming over to her. “Shou Gu, don’t you think your little sister is pretty?”

“No,” Dou Zhao answered expressionlessly.

Her father was taken aback.

Dou Zhao glared at him and asked, “Is she prettier than me?”

Her father froze, then burst into laughter. “No, no. Our Shou Gu is the prettiest.” He handed Dou Zhao to the wet nurse beside him, pinched her little cheek, and said, “Your temperament is just like your mother’s.” As soon as he said this, his expression darkened as if recalling something. He sighed and said, “Keep practicing your calligraphy. I’ll take a walk.”

By the time Wang Yingxue returned with a bowl of noodles, smiling, she only saw Dou Ming sound asleep in the wet nurse’s arms.

Wang Yingxue’s expression darkened.

But Dou Zhao felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.

Wang Yingxue had too many opportunities.

And her father, like Wei Tingyu, was unreliable in such matters.

If Wang Yingxue were to conceive Dou Xiao now, the three-year mourning period for her mother would become a joke, and the marriage arrangement with the Zhu family would certainly fall through.

Once news of Wang Xingyi’s reinstatement spread, with the support of the Wang family, the Dou family would inevitably weigh their options—they already had a rift with the Zhao family, and her uncle was merely a seventh-rank county magistrate. Even if the Dou family refused to legitimize Wang Yingxue’s status, her uncle wouldn’t be grateful. The Wang family, however, was different. If the Dou family acknowledged Wang Yingxue, the Wang family would be deeply indebted, and the Dou family would gain a powerful ally in court.

The Dou family’s choice was already obvious.

Unless Wang Xingyi failed to be reinstated—or if, after reinstatement, he wasn’t given an important position!

Dou Zhao racked her brain, trying to recall events from her past life.

Wang Xingyi’s reinstatement had relied on his mentor, Zeng Yifen.

If Zeng Yifen didn’t recommend him, Wang Xingyi would have no chance.

But how could she stop Zeng Yifen?

Dou Zhao bit her nails.

She realized that, not only was she just a child now, but even if she were still the Marchioness of Jining, she would have no way to influence this.

Dou Zhao was deeply troubled.

She asked Dou Huanchang, “Do you know Zeng Yifen?”

Dou Huanchang thought for a long time before shaking his head apologetically, puzzled. “Why do you ask about this person?”

“I heard Father say he’s very impressive, so I wanted to know who he is.”

“Maybe we should ask Zhi Ge’er?” Dou Huanchang suggested shyly. “He knows a lot of people—he might have heard of him!”

Dou Zhao followed Dou Huanchang to Dong Dou.

The adults assumed she was just visiting.

Second Madam, Eldest Aunt, Third Aunt, and Sixth Aunt all gave her plenty of treats.

Dou Huanchang led her to the study and had the pages summon Dou Qijun.Dou Qijun ran in, wearing a coarse short coat, his face dripping with sweat.

Dou Huanchang was shocked, "What have you been up to again?"

Dou Qijun chuckled, picked up the cold water jug by the table, poured himself a cup, and downed it in one gulp before replying, "Ninth Uncle, never mind what I've been doing. Just tell me why you wanted to see me."

Dou Huanchang asked him, "Do you know Zeng Yifen?"

Dou Qijun's eyes lit up, "You know about Zeng Yifen too? He's Fifth Granduncle's mentor. He's an impressive figure—survived four reigns, rose and fell three times but never went down! Recently, the Emperor summoned him to the palace again, and now he's become the Chief Grand Secretary. A new ruler brings new ministers—Fifth Granduncle will have to move positions soon..."

Dou Zhao smiled bitterly.

Wang Xingyi would probably have to move positions too!

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Dear readers, my internet connection was down, so the update was delayed. My apologies. I'll get a wireless card in the next couple of days so there's a backup if this happens again.

⊙﹏⊙b sweat

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