Blossom

Chapter 52: Refusal

In her previous life, Father had ranked thirteenth in the second tier of the Spring Examination. This time, he was sixteenth.

Could it be because Wang Yingxue's affairs had consumed more of his energy in this lifetime?

Dou Zhao mused randomly.

Second Madam, however, was deeply regretful.

She said to Dou Shiheng, "Wanyuan is truly fortunate! If you had taken the Spring Examination this year, you might have also made the honor roll."

Since the incident with Wang Yingxue, Dou Shiying had been viewed by the Dou family as an incompetent man of no learning. Although he had passed the imperial examinations and been selected as a Bachelor of the Imperial Academy, Second Madam still believed it was due to luck rather to his scholarly abilities.

She wasn’t the only one in the Dou family who thought so.

Dou Shiheng couldn’t help but feel irritated. "Wanyuan has always been intelligent in his studies—he just doesn’t rigidly memorize books like others. Who could rely on luck to pass the Metropolitan Examination, the Palace Examination, and then be chosen as a Bachelor of the Imperial Academy?"

Second Madam fell silent but remained unconvinced.

Dou Duo, on the other hand, was overjoyed.

He posted the announcement of success on the main gate of his house, basking in the admiration and pride of passersby, and wrote a letter to Wang Xingyi to share the good news.

Wang Xingyi’s days had been rather gloomy.

From last winter to this spring, he had repelled several Mongol invasions, earning unparalleled prestige in the northwest. His mentor was pleased, and the Emperor had even proposed appointing him as Shaanxi Governor. Yet, for some reason, the matter had been shelved.

He suspected it was because of Dou Shishu’s recent return to their hometown, which had led his mentor to believe he still lacked steadiness and needed a few more years of tempering.

Wang Zhibing grumbled, "Had we known this would happen, you should have rushed to the Capital to explain things to Lord Zeng."

"The facts speak for themselves. Explaining would only make us seem defensive. Better to let everyone see that I, Wang Xingyi, am open and forthright, willing to take responsibility for my actions."

Despite his words, he still wrote a letter to his closest friend in the Capital, Guo Yan, a lecturer at the Imperial Academy and son-in-law of Zeng Yifen:

"...My family has fallen into such poverty, and my daughter has stumbled. Every time I think of it, I weep uncontrollably. Fortunately, she was married to the seventh son of the Dou Family of the Northern Mansion. After his first wife passed away, he intended to elevate my daughter to the position of principal wife. Though I felt it improper, when I recall how my daughter suffered due to my lack of guidance, I would drink even the bitterest gall."

Now, it seemed the letter had some effect, though not a significant one.

Lost in these thoughts, Wang Xingyi paced the room with his hands behind his back before instructing his son, "Set the date for this month!"

Elevating a concubine was different from a wedding. There was no need for betrothal gifts, formal announcements, or setting an auspicious date. A few banquet tables would suffice, inviting relatives to witness the concubine donning the bright red ceremonial robes of a principal wife and offering wine to the guests, thereby formalizing her new status.

Wang Zhibiao acknowledged the order and drafted a reply on his father’s behalf, stamping it with Wang Xingyi’s personal seal.

Dou Duo set the date for the twenty-second day of the fifth month.

Dou Zhao had no intention of kowtowing to Wang Yingxue, serving her tea, or calling her "Mother."

She instructed Tuo Niang to send word to her grandmother, saying she wished to visit her.

Her grandmother’s reply was slow in coming.

Dou Zhao had silver on hand and secretly arranged for Tuo Niang to hire a carriage.

"...Tell the driver to wait at the alley behind the Western Mansion at mao hour on the twenty-second. That’s when Third Sister-in-law will be leading helpers from the Eastern Mansion over. Since it’s Wang Yingxue’s formal day, she won’t be able to leave freely. Ding Yinyinai and Hu Momo will be busy receiving Third Sister-in-law and the others—we’ll seize that moment to slip away."Tuo Niang nodded. "I'll help the young lady pack her trunks," she said.

"What's there to pack?" Dou Zhao replied. "Just bring a few silver notes and some loose silver taels. We can always come back for the trunks once we're settled."

Tuo Niang still felt something was missing.

Dou Shiying returned.

He brought several jars of Dong wine for Sixth Uncle, boxes of Beijing-style pastries for Sixth Aunt, inkstones for the brothers Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang, and identical dolls for Dou Zhao and Dou Ming.

Dou Ming was overjoyed, clutching hers tightly.

Dou Zhao thought the doll wasn't as exquisite as the one Sixth Aunt had given her. She thanked him politely and had Tuo Niang put it away.

His eldest daughter's composed yet distant manner pained Dou Shiying.

After paying respects to Second Madam, he made a special trip to see Dou Zhao.

She was practicing calligraphy under Ji Shi's guidance.

When Dou Shiying returned, Ji Shi excused herself to make tea, leaving the study to father and daughter.

Dou Zhao stepped out from behind the desk and stood straight. "On the twenty-second, I want to visit Consort Cui," she said directly.

Dou Shiying froze.

Dou Zhao stared unblinking into his eyes.

The room fell deathly silent.

After a long pause, Dou Shiying asked hoarsely, "Why?"

"I don't want to call a concubine 'Mother'," Dou Zhao stated solemnly.

After another silence, Dou Shiying said flatly, "Understood," his expression unreadable.

Dou Zhao didn't speculate about her father's thoughts.

If he agreed to let her go to her grandmother, things would simply be easier. If not, she'd still achieve her goal.

That bag of elm buds her grandmother sent convinced her—once she reached the farmstead, her grandmother would take her in.

Dou Shiying returned home in a daze, where Gaosheng waited at the gate with a strange expression.

"Young Master!" Gaosheng bowed and whispered, "Consort Cui just sent word—she's ill and wants Fourth Miss to keep her company at the farmstead."

Startled, Dou Shiying tensed. "Where's the messenger?" he asked urgently.

"I had him eat in the kitchen," Gaosheng said. "The Old Master hasn't agreed yet."

Dou Shiying grunted and hurried to the kitchen.

In the dim kitchen, Cui Da was noisily slurping noodles.

As Consort Cui's eldest nephew, he was twenty this year.

"Young Master," he stood up hastily, dropping his chopsticks, "Consort Cui said to tell you she's fine—just wants Fourth Miss to visit for a few days." He added emphatically, "She'll send her back!"

To Dou Shiying, Consort Cui was fiercely proud. Since Father sent her to the farmstead, she'd never initiated contact with the Dou family, let alone interfered in its affairs.

Suppressing his confusion, he told Cui Da, "Stay the night. Tomorrow morning, escort Fourth Miss to the farmstead."

Cui Da grinned broadly, his smile simple and honest.

The sight stung Dou Shiying's eyes. He blinked reflexively.

Then he went to see Dou Duo.Dou Duo was cheerfully tending to a pot of asparagus fern. When he saw Dou Shiying, he set down the watering can, his smile widening. "Have you seen your Second Aunt?"

"I have," Dou Shiying replied. "I also ran into Cui Da."

Dou Duo's smile froze on his face.

"I've arranged for him to stay," Dou Shiying continued mildly, as if he hadn't noticed. "He'll escort Shou Gu to the farmstead first thing tomorrow."

With a thud, the watering can was slammed onto the side table, water splashing everywhere. A few droplets landed on Dou Shiying's robe hem, but he paid no heed. "Father," he said, "this matter is settled. I've only taken ten days' leave, and two of those were spent traveling without rest. I'll retire now. We can discuss anything else tomorrow." He bowed slightly and withdrew.

Dou Duo stared at his son's retreating back, unable to recover for a long while...

Dou Zhao felt deeply guilty knowing her grandmother was "ill."

She knew if her grandmother were truly sick, her father wouldn't look so relaxed. The illness was entirely feigned for her sake.

Dou Zhao lit three sticks of incense before the Bodhisattva, praying for her grandmother's long life.

Hearing his daughter's murmured prayers, Dou Shiying was shocked. After a long pause, he stammered, "You... are you..."

Gazing at his daughter's youthful face, he found himself at a loss for words.

Once Wang Yingxue became her stepmother, she would hold moral authority. If Dou Zhao continued pretending ignorance, she'd only be manipulated by Wang Yingxue.

Dou Zhao decided to gradually reveal her edge, forcing Wang Yingxue to keep her distance regarding her affairs.

So when Dou Shiying showed suspicion, she simply stated, "I asked Consort Cui to take me to the farmstead."

Dou Shiying was left speechless.

Dou Zhao ignored him, instructing Haitang to pack her favorite porcelain statue of the deities of Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity, and Happiness into a trunk.

The brightly colored statue symbolized joy—her grandmother would surely love it.

She then inspected the dried longans prepared for her grandmother.

Each one was plump and sweet.

Satisfied, Dou Zhao nodded and rewarded the maid who had handled the task with some silver pieces.

The maid was overjoyed, thanking her profusely.

Watching his composed and mature daughter, Dou Shiying felt a strange sensation.

His daughter was like an orchid, meant to grow slowly in a greenhouse. But suddenly, she'd been cast aside, forced to struggle through storms alongside wild grass, growing tall and strong in adversity... And he was the storm itself.

"Shou Gu," he asked Dou Zhao, "do you want to come home?"

He wanted his daughter back in the greenhouse.

"No," Dou Zhao replied bluntly. "That home is a mess—just looking at it irritates me. I'd rather stay with Sixth Aunt and Consort Cui."

Dou Shiying fell silent.

Father and daughter traveled wordlessly to the farmstead.

Grandmother stood by the roadside, eagerly awaiting them.

At the sight of her father, her eyes immediately welled up.

"I heard you became a Presented Scholar," Grandmother said with a smile. "You've done well!"

Father smiled faintly.

Grandmother then turned to Dou Zhao with affectionate warmth that had seen her through countless dark nights. "Shou Gu."

Dou Zhao's nose stung, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.

"Consort Cui," she hugged her grandmother tightly. "The dried longans—they're delicious!"

Grandmother paused, then embraced Dou Zhao just as tightly... The farmstead was exactly as she remembered.The lush green crops, the smooth dirt road, and the ancient locust tree at the village entrance with its umbrella-like canopy—under it sat clusters of women chatting and laughing as they did their needlework, while a few children played nearby.

When they noticed someone entering the village, everyone paused their work and looked over curiously.

Dou Zhao also stared at them, hoping to spot a familiar face.

Unfortunately, they were too far away, and all the faces seemed unfamiliar.

The carriage soon came to a stop in front of her grandmother’s blue-brick tiled house.

A neat and efficient woman stepped forward to lift the carriage curtain, and Grandmother herself carried Dou Zhao out.

The courtyard paved with bluestone, the window frames pasted with white paper and decorative cutouts, and the quiet foal in the stable chewing on fresh grass—all of it felt so familiar. Only the plum tree she had planted by the wall was missing.

※

Sisters, after having a meal at a relative’s place, we found out the taxis had stopped running when we came out—they said they were finishing early because of the approaching New Year. So we had to walk all the way home…

These next few days will be busy visiting relatives, so the evening updates might not be on time. Just letting you all know in advance… To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to vote with your recommendations or monthly tickets—your support is my greatest motivation.) RQ