Blossom

Gao Shi stepped out the door, and her wet nurse immediately came forward. Seeing her livid expression, the wet nurse's heart skipped a beat as she urgently whispered, "What happened?"

"Madness, sheer madness!" Gao Shi trembled with anger. "They've all gone mad!" As she spoke, her eyes swept across the courtyard.

The courtyard was silent. The large red lanterns under the eaves cast light on the blooming Yu Zan flowers by the steps, making them appear even more radiant.

Coming from a prominent family, she knew that just because no one was visible in the courtyard didn't mean it was empty.

"Go call the coachman and give him a tael of silver," Gao Shi instructed her wet nurse. "We're leaving for Nanwa immediately."

The carriage and coachman were borrowed from the Li family in their village, the same family of Recommended Man Li. When Wang Xingyi was reinstated, he had forcibly borrowed them for their use. Originally, they were supposed to return tomorrow evening, but now they needed the coachman to make the journey overnight, so a reward was unavoidable.

The wet nurse knew something had gone wrong, but having come from the Gao family, she understood propriety and didn't ask any questions. She called for the coachman and, using the excuse of a family emergency, they hastily left the Dou family.

On the road, they encountered a carriage from the Dou family.

The wet nurse exclaimed softly with a smile, "That might be the Seventh Master of the Dou family returning!"

Her implication was whether they should greet them.

But Gao Shi pulled her back and ordered the coachman, "Don't stop!" Her voice was urgent.

The two carriages passed each other by.

Gao Shi let out a long sigh and murmured, "How could I possibly face the Dou family now?"

Only then did the wet nurse lean in and whisper, "What happened?"

Gao Shi had been cared for by this wet nurse since birth and had endured ten difficult years with her in the Wang family. To Gao Shi, she was like family, so she held nothing back and recounted everything in detail.

The wet nurse was stunned and anxiously said, "What are we to do? What are we to do?" Thinking of Gao Shi rushing back to Nanwa overnight, she grabbed her hand and repeatedly urged, "You and the eldest master were married for only nineteen days before he followed the old master to Xining Guard. To put it plainly, there's only gratitude between you two, no affection. Don't be foolish—this is a matter between siblings. You can advise them, but don't stand alone against them. You know the old madam's temperament. If not for you these years, how could the Wang family afford land? How could the paternal aunt run her business? You've treated the old madam better than your own mother, yet when it comes to family matters, she always puts the paternal aunt before you. Madam Pang married in reluctantly and already disliked you when the family had no wealth to spare. Relying on the second master's indulgence, she insists on competing with you. Now that the old master has been reinstated, who knows what schemes she's plotting! Don't let the whole family turn against you in the end."

"A mother always dotes on her daughter. My mother doted on me too," Gao Shi weakly argued before adding, "The reason I'm rushing back is to persuade the eldest master to ask his father to intervene and forcibly bring my sister-in-law home. Otherwise, with Madam Pang stirring up trouble, even if we bring her back, it'll likely become a scandal known to all—how humiliating that would be!" Her expression was helpless.

The wet nurse nodded repeatedly. "As long as you're clear-headed, I can rest easy."

Meanwhile, Dou Zhao saw a carriage pass by and couldn't help but glance back.

This side of the street was all Western Dou's residences—who would be passing through here at this hour?The thought flashed through her mind when she heard Gaosheng say, "Seventh Master, it seems to be the Wang family's carriage."

Dou Shiying was momentarily taken aback but then relaxed, saying, "Perhaps there's something to discuss with Wang Zhibing. Let's pretend we didn't notice."

Gaosheng chuckled in agreement, and the carriage didn't stop until it passed through the second gate.

Stewards and pages hurried forward, with the head steward smiling and saying, "Seventh Master, Sixth Master arrived at dusk and has been waiting for you in the study ever since."

Dou Shiying carried Dou Zhao straight to the study.

Dou Shiheng was leisurely reclining in a Drunken Old Man Chair, reading a book, with tea and fruits arranged on a small side table.

Hearing the commotion, he looked up and greeted his father with a casual, "You're back," then asked, "Were you out fishing again?" His tone was so natural that anyone unaware might have thought he was the master of the study.

Father smiled without responding.

Sixth Uncle seemed hesitant to speak.

Father said softly, "I know what I'm doing."

"As long as you know."

The two exchanged cryptic remarks before quickly changing the subject.

"What did you want to see me about?" Father asked. "You've been waiting here all this time—couldn't you have left a note?"

"I just wanted to ask if you're planning to take this year's Provincial Examination," Sixth Uncle said, pouring Father a cup of tea. "If you are, it's time to prepare for the journey." Then he tugged at Dou Zhao's hair and teased, "Little shadow, did you go fishing with your father? Was Uncle Feng's cooking good?" He handed her a cup of tea as well.

It seemed Sixth Uncle not only knew about Father's secret visits to Grandmother but was also well aware that Father would seek out Feng Baoshan for a chat afterward.

Dou Zhao politely greeted him, "Sixth Uncle," and replied, "It was delicious," before quietly sipping her tea.

Father hesitated. "If I go, what about Shou Gu? With no one managing the inner household, I'm a bit uneasy."

Sixth Uncle waved it off. "Send her to my place. My wife can look after her."

"We'll see when the time comes," Father said, still uncertain.

Sixth Uncle didn't press further and instead pointed to several large volumes on the desk. "Newly published current essays, brought back by Fifth Brother. Every scholar in the family gets a copy."

Father remarked, "So Fifth Brother is determined to have all the Recommended Men in our family take the Metropolitan Examination?"

Sixth Uncle laughed. "Zijun says he won't go. He's afraid of ending up as a Presented Scholar!"

Zijun was the courtesy name of their second cousin, Dou Yuchang, who later did indeed become a Presented Scholar. Fearing ridicule, he refused to take office and instead helped Third Uncle manage the Dou family's affairs at home.

Father burst into laughter and instructed a maid to fetch Tuo Niang to take Dou Zhao back to bed. He and Sixth Uncle then began reviewing the essays.

Dou Zhao tried hard to recall events from her past life.

Father and Sixth Uncle had gone to the Capital together for the Provincial Examination, both becoming Recommended Men, and stayed there until returning the following June. In the Metropolitan Examination, Father ranked thirteenth in the second tier, while Sixth Uncle failed.

She remembered Father's mentor was He Wendao, a Grand Academician of the Grand Secretariat who served for twenty years, presided over two Metropolitan Examinations, and weathered two dynasties—a veritable political survivor. As for Chen Jizhou, however, she had never heard the name. But then, she had married into a noble military family and had limited exposure to literati, so it wasn't surprising.At this thought, she abruptly sat up.

Dou Xiao was born in the year of Gengxu, on the sixteenth day of the third month next year. When he turned one month old, news arrived that Father had been Named on the Golden List. Wang Yingxue often brought this up later, using it as proof of how auspicious Dou Xiao was for the family.

Counting the days, Wang Yingxue must have gotten pregnant around this time.

She felt restless and agitated but did nothing.

Heaven would send rain, and mothers would remarry.

Even if she stopped it once, could she stop it twice or thrice?

Dou Zhao thought of her mother.

Even if she hadn’t died that time, seeing Wang Yingxue pregnant and giving birth would likely have driven her to do something foolish again!

Dou Zhao was angry at her mother’s weakness, but more than that, she ached for her mother’s blind devotion.

She tossed and turned in bed for a long time before finally drifting into a fitful sleep.

The next morning, she woke to the sound of a steady drizzle. The leaves in the courtyard had been washed a vibrant green, exuding a fresh, clean scent.

Tuo Niang was leading Mo Li and Haitang in making winter socks for Dou Zhao when Yu Zan burst in.

“It’s pouring outside!” she said, wringing out her soaked skirt as she addressed Tuo Niang. “I need to deliver some silk thread to Sister Yu later. Lend me that Hangzhou silk skirt with the embroidered waistband that the Fourth Young Miss gave you last time. I’ll return it as soon as I’m back.”

Sister Yu was how everyone referred to Yu Daqing’s wife—Yu Daqing being Yu Momo’s son.

Tuo Niang frowned. “Why doesn’t Sister Yu buy her own silk thread? If you keep using the Fourth Young Miss’s belongings to curry favor, be careful the Seventh Master finds out and loses his temper.”

Yu Zan, stung by the rebuke, sneered. “As long as you don’t blab, the Seventh Master won’t know.” She added, “Not everyone is like you, thinking they’re rich just because they’ve got ten taels of silver tucked away! The Seventh Master is a master of the Dou family—he gave the Fourth Young Miss three thousand taels just like that. A few strands of silk thread are nothing. If anything, if you told him, he might even reward me with a few boxes of silk thread, seeing as I’m here on the late mistress’s orders to look after the Fourth Young Miss! If you don’t want to lend the skirt, just say so. No need to drag the Fourth Young Miss into this to humiliate me.”

Mo Li trembled in fear, hiding in a corner, but Haitang stood her ground. “Then let’s go to the Seventh Master and see whether he rewards you with a few Paddle beatings or a few boxes of silk thread!”

“You little wretch! How dare you!” Yu Zan stepped forward and slapped seven-year-old Haitang across the face. As she raised her hand to strike again, Tuo Niang rushed forward, seized her wrist, and yanked hard. Yu Zan staggered, nearly falling.

“Try hitting her again!” Tuo Niang glared furiously at Yu Zan. “I’ll report you to the Seventh Master right now.”

Knowing Tuo Niang had once been a lowly Laundry Room maid and not wanting to risk a physical confrontation, Yu Zan shot her a venomous look before storming out, the door curtain clattering behind her.

Mo Li, on the verge of tears, pleaded, “Sister Su Xin, hurry and apologize to Yu Zan! She’s definitely going to complain to Yu Momo now.”

But Tuo Niang only snorted coldly, stubbornly retorting, “I stand by what’s right. She was the one who hit someone—why should I apologize to her?”

“But…” Mo Li, a year older than Haitang, was deeply worried. “Sister Yu is Yu Momo’s daughter-in-law…”"What's wrong with being a daughter-in-law?" Haitang retorted indignantly. "If anything, a daughter-in-law should be even more careful not to take things from Fourth Miss's room." She sided with Tuo Niang. "Suxin-jie, when Second Madam from the East Mansion returned from Fujian last time, she specifically sent some local specialties for Fourth Miss. I saw Yu Zan pick two pieces of each snack and send them to Sister-in-law Yu's place. If Seventh Master asks about it, I'll testify for you!"

They treated Dou Zhao like a naive child, with Yu Zan hitting people and Haitang tattling, not bothering to hide their actions from her.

Dou Zhao couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

This was the trouble of not having a proper mistress in the household.

However, Yu Zan could no longer stay in her chambers. Bad behavior at the top would be imitated below, and it would corrupt the younger maids in her service.

As for Yu Momo, she would wait and see how she handled this matter first!

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O(∩_∩)O~

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