Blossom

Chapter 38: Ji Shi

Dou Zhao rested her chin on her hands as she lay on the windowsill, watching the sky gradually brighten.

The maids who came in to attend to Ji Shi’s morning routine were startled and exclaimed softly, "Fourth Miss, why are you up so early?"

Ji Shi was roused awake and hurriedly lifted the plain white gauze bed curtain. "Shou Gu, why didn’t you wake Sixth Aunt when you woke up?" she said, covering her mouth as she yawned.

Last night, she and Dou Shiheng had talked late into the night, confirming Wang Xingyi’s promotion.

Dou Shiheng, who had been sound asleep, was also startled awake. Rubbing his bleary eyes, he said, "Who was on night duty last night? How could no one notice when Shou Gu woke up?" Then, forcing himself to sit up, he added, "Thankfully Shou Gu is obedient. If she had wandered off somewhere, how could we explain it to Seventh Brother?" He chided Ji Shi.

The one on night duty was the maid with almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks, named Cai Lan, Ji Shi’s head maid. She had no idea how, upon waking, Dou Zhao—who had been sleeping with her in the green gauze cabinet room—had vanished without a trace.

"It was this servant’s shift," she said nervously, standing by Ji Shi’s bedside. "This servant was too deep in sleep and didn’t notice Fourth Miss had woken."

When Sixth Uncle stayed in Sixth Aunt’s room, the one who could serve night duty was usually his bedroom servant.

Dou Zhao mused to herself, then grinned and said, "I got out of bed quietly, so Sister Cai Lan didn’t notice." Cai Lan sighed in relief, her gaze toward Dou Zhao softening considerably compared to the day before.

Ji Shi scolded Cai Lan a few times before dismissing her to rest.

Maids came in to help Ji Shi, Dou Shiheng, and Dou Zhao wash up.

Ji Shi then said, "Why don’t you sleep in the study these next few days? That way, I can arrange for Shou Gu’s maids to take night shifts."

Sixth Uncle frowned unhappily. "I’m leaving the day after tomorrow."

Ji Shi’s face flushed slightly.

Sixth Uncle suggested, "How about letting Shou Gu sleep with Huige’er and the others?"

Huige’er was Sixth Uncle’s eldest son.

"That won’t do!" Ji Shi objected. "Shou Gu just arrived, and moving her again would frighten her."

"Then what do you suggest?" Sixth Uncle sounded impatient.

Dou Zhao very much wanted to say she wasn’t afraid and that she wanted her own room, but she couldn’t say anything. She could only pretend not to understand as the maids dressed her.

"Then I’ll go with you to the study," Sixth Aunt said quietly. "Let Shou Gu stay in the main room for now."

Sixth Uncle called for a maid. "Go and ask when the Old Master of the Western Residence left last night."

The night before, even after they had retired, Second Madam’s gathering had still not dispersed.

The maid hurried off to inquire. Meanwhile, another of Ji Shi’s head maids, named Cai Shu, directed the serving women to set out breakfast. Two bright-eyed children, surrounded by maids and old women, entered the room.

The elder was Huige’er, whose formal name was Dou Zhengchang, aged nine. The younger, nicknamed Zhige’er, was Dou Dechang, aged seven.

Dou Zhao glanced at Dou Dechang.

In her past life, Dou Dechang had been the black sheep of the Dou family.

While others studied, he caused trouble everywhere. While others settled down, he eloped with his cousin, Ji Shi’s widowed niece. While others built careers, he was already raising crickets in the Imperial Academy, becoming the Capital’s most notorious playboy.

After paying their respects to their parents, Dou Dechang ignored his elder brother standing respectfully to the side and threw himself into his mother’s arms, acting spoiled.

Ji Shi chuckled indulgently and gently pushed her younger son away. "You’re already attending school—you’re not a little child anymore. Be careful, or Fourth Cousin will laugh at you."They had already met yesterday and even went together to Third Uncle's house for a meal. On the way, Dou Dechang secretly tugged at her braid, only stopping when Dou Zhengchang glared at him fiercely.

Unfazed, he called out to Dou Zhao, "Fourth Sister," then nestled into his mother's arms with a playful grin.

Ji Shi didn’t know whether to laugh or scold.

Dou Zhao turned her face away.

She thought of her own two sons...

Meanwhile, Sixth Uncle asked Dou Zhengchang about his studies: "What did the teacher discuss yesterday?"

Dou Zhengchang answered respectfully, "The Master said: 'I am not bothered if others do not recognize my merits; I am bothered by my failure to recognize theirs.'"

"And how do you interpret that?"

Dou Zhengchang replied, "If others do not know me, it does me no harm. But if I do not know others, I cannot distinguish between the wise and the foolish, the good and the wicked—enough to ruin both my affairs and myself."

Sixth Uncle nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Dou Dechang.

Dou Dechang obediently straightened his posture.

Even so, Sixth Uncle’s expression darkened. He asked sternly, "What did the teacher teach yesterday?"

"Su Mingyun, at twenty-seven, began to strive and study the classics," he answered swiftly, clearly having memorized it well.

"And how do you interpret that?"

"We can wait until we're twenty-seven to start studying—it's not too late."

Sixth Uncle slammed his hand on the table, his face livid.

Dou Zhengchang lowered his head, shoulders shaking.

Dou Dechang looked pleadingly at Ji Shi.

Her expression was even sterner than Dou Shiheng’s.

Dou Dechang shrank back and dutifully recited, "Su Mingyun, also known as Su Xun, styled Lao Quan, was a native of Meishan in Meizhou..."

Sixth Uncle’s expression softened slightly.

Just then, the maid Sixth Uncle had sent to inquire returned and reported, "The gathering at the Second Madam’s residence has not yet dispersed."

Sixth Uncle was startled and said to Sixth Aunt, "I’ll go take a look!"

"At least have breakfast first?" Sixth Aunt suggested, but Sixth Uncle had already waved his hand and hurried out the door.

The tension in Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang’s expressions eased, and Dou Dechang even scrambled onto a chair in a few quick movements, beckoning to Dou Zhao, "Fourth Sister, come quick! Today we have leek dumplings. The ones our cook makes are delicious. She was brought by Mother from Yixing—her leek dumplings are different from Grandmother’s and Third Aunt’s. You’ve definitely never tasted anything like them."

Sixth Aunt, being from the south, was unused to kang tables, so the sixth household used chairs and tables for meals.

"Why must you act like a monkey, never sitting still for even a moment?" Ji Shi scolded him with a laugh, settling Dou Zhao into an armchair by the table. Worried she might be uncomfortable, she assigned a maid to assist her.

Dou Dechang stuck his tongue out at his mother.

Both Ji Shi and Dou Zhengchang burst into laughter.

Though everyone observed the etiquette of "no speaking during meals," the atmosphere remained cheerful and warm.

After breakfast, the two brothers bowed respectfully to their mother before leaving for the Family School.

Ji Shi then took Dou Zhao to pay respects to Second Madam.

As they walked beneath towering trees, Dou Zhao recalled the words she had overheard the night before.

In two months, Wang Xingyi would be promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and concurrently Vice Commissioner of the Censorate, overseeing the horse markets in Gansu. A year later, when the Mongols invaded, Wang Xingyi would repel the Mongol Khan Ludu, capturing five thousand warhorses and slaying over thirty thousand enemies, earning him the title of Shaanxi Pacification Commissioner.

Afterward, Wang Xingyi would repeatedly defeat the Mongols, achieving great military feats. As a result, Wang Zhibiao would be granted the hereditary title of Fourth-Rank Vice Commissioner of the Miyun Guard.Her fifth uncle was still struggling in his position as the Vice Minister of Personnel. It wasn’t until seven years later, after Zeng Yifen passed away, that he finally entered the Grand Secretariat with He Wendao’s support and took charge of the Ministry of Personnel. Yet compared to Wang Xingyi, his reputation fell far short. Despite having more seniority and overseeing more important ministries than Wang Xingyi, his ranking always remained beneath him.

In this life, her rebirth had disrupted the established trajectory. Would things turn out differently this time?

Dou Zhao smiled and stopped with Sixth Aunt in front of Second Madam’s door.

Nanny Liu, Second Madam’s most trusted aide, signaled to Sixth Aunt with her eyes: “The Madam is discussing matters with the elder master of the West Mansion today, so the morning and evening respects from the ladies are excused.”

Sixth Aunt and Second Cousin-in-Law, whom they had met along the way, left Second Madam’s courtyard with smiles.

Second Cousin-in-Law whispered to Sixth Aunt, “Do you know what’s happened?”

Sixth Aunt shook her head. “If you hear anything, do let me know.”

“Of course,” Second Cousin-in-Law replied with a smile, then held out her hands to Dou Zhao. “Come here, Shou Gu, let me hold you.”

Dou Zhao shifted from Sixth Aunt’s arms into Second Cousin-in-Law’s embrace. Second Cousin-in-Law then urged the grandchildren who had accompanied her to pay respects to Second Madam, “Quick, greet your paternal aunt.”

Two boys, aged five and four, and a two-year-old girl, all with bright, curious eyes, stared at Dou Zhao and called out, “Auntie.”

Second Cousin-in-Law set Dou Zhao down on the ground and said cheerfully, “Go play with your grand-nieces and nephews!”

But Sixth Aunt took Dou Zhao’s hand. “We still need to pay respects to Eldest Sister-in-Law. We’ll visit you later.”

Second Cousin-in-Law agreed with a smile, and they parted ways under the century-old osmanthus tree in the East Wing Courtyard.

Sixth Aunt carried her slowly toward her own residence.

Dou Zhao found it odd.

Suddenly, Sixth Aunt halted.

The maids following them immediately stopped in their tracks.

Sixth Aunt carried Dou Zhao alone to the nearby Waterside Pavilion.

“Shou Gu,” she set Dou Zhao down on the polished stone floor of the pavilion, crouched to meet her gaze, and asked softly but seriously, “Would you like to study?”

Dou Zhao was stunned.

Sixth Aunt’s grandfather had been a top scholar in the imperial examinations and a revered figure in literary circles. With such a family legacy, Sixth Aunt was not only skilled in music but also excelled in calligraphy. It was said she sometimes even discussed the techniques of the Eight-legged Essay with Sixth Uncle. The gender norms in the south were stricter than in the north. Well-educated young ladies from scholarly families typically learned from their mothers, sisters-in-law, or aunts. Only newly prosperous families hired elderly scholars as private tutors.

Could it be that Sixth Aunt wanted to teach her to read?

Before, she had only felt that her handwriting paled in comparison to those of well-read young ladies. But after hearing Sixth Aunt’s words yesterday, she realized how far she lagged behind truly learned women.

If she could study under Sixth Aunt, nothing could be better.

She nodded vigorously twice.

Ji Shi smiled, her gaze tender and warm. “Good child, remember this: wisdom comes from books.”

Was she pitying her for being used as a pawn while still feeling grateful to those who manipulated her?

Dou Zhao’s heart ached.

They returned to the house.

Several old women were waiting for Sixth Aunt’s instructions.

But Sixth Aunt paid them no heed.She carefully examined Dou Zhao's tracing exercises and instructed Cai Shu, "Bring me the 'Maosong Pavilion' calligraphy copybook from my study." Turning back to see Dou Zhao staring at her wide-eyed, she smiled and said, "The 'Maosong Pavilion' copybook was given to me by my aunt when I was young. It's more suitable for girls to practice with. You can start by tracing these characters, and this afternoon I'll explain in detail how to handle the brush."

This completely dismissed Father's previous method.

Dou Zhao gave an awkward smile.

Sixth Aunt then allowed the old women waiting on the veranda to come in and report their business.

Meanwhile, Dou Zhao was taken by Cai Shu to Ji Shi's study.

The study had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves along the walls, densely packed with literary works. In the center stood only a large painting desk and two round-backed chairs.

Beside the desk was an enormous antique porcelain jar filled with various scrolls. On the desk itself sat an old porcelain brush holder containing numerous used brushes. Nearby was an enamel box with lotus patterns—vibrant in color and exquisitely crafted—yet holding a well-worn inkstone and a short stick of black ink about the size of a fingertip.

Before Dou Zhao even began grinding the ink, she caught a faint whiff of jasmine fragrance.

This was truly the decor of an established noble family.

She couldn't help but silently admire it.

Sisters, here's the second update of the day—pink votes are appreciated!

PS: For the first month of this new story, every 30 pink votes will earn an extra chapter.

OX∩一∩KO～