Blossom

Chapter 56: Dragon Boat Festival

In the eighth year of Chengping, Dou Zhao turned nine. Her sixth uncle, Dou Shiheng, was listed on the Successful Candidate List, ranking thirty-sixth in the second tier. The previous September, her eldest uncle’s ninth cousin, Dou Huanchang, had passed the provincial examination to become a Recommended Man. This double stroke of good fortune delighted the entire family, especially Second Madam, as two of her three sons had now earned the title of Presented Scholar. Truly, joy brings vigor to the spirit.

Over the past few years, Dou Zhao had been staying at the Eastern Dou residence, though during the hottest days of summer, she would use the excuse of escaping the heat to spend time with her grandmother at the farmstead.

Yi Jie’er, the daughter of her fifth cousin’s wife, came to see Dou Zhao and asked, “Do you think we should make a few scented sachets?”

During the Dragon Boat Festival, it was customary to gift sachets filled with mugwort leaves and other herbs.

“You can discuss it with Shu Jie’er,” Dou Zhao replied with a smile. “I’ll go along with whatever you decide.”

Since she was neither part of the Eastern Dou branch nor willing to return to the Western Dou, she saw herself as a guest in the Dou family. As such, she treated everyone with polite courtesy. With ample means to socialize with relatives and reward the servants, she earned nothing but praise from everyone in the Dou household.

Shu Jie’er was the eldest daughter of her third cousin’s wife—Dou Qijun’s younger sister—two months older than Yi Jie’er but two months younger than Dou Zhao.

Yi Jie’er sighed. “If only Fifth Aunt were still here!”

Fifth Aunt referred to Dou Ming.

After Wang Yingxue entered the household, Second Madam had kept Dou Ming by her side. Over time, Dou Ming grew distant from her mother. In the seventh year of Chengping, Wang Xingyi remained in his post as Shaanxi Governor, but the Wang family moved to the Capital. Left with no choice, Wang Yingxue wrote to her mother, Madam Xu, who claimed to miss her granddaughter and sent someone to fetch Dou Ming for a visit to the Capital. Dou Zhao’s grandfather agreed, leaving Second Madam no grounds to refuse. By now, Dou Ming had already been in the Capital for over half a year.

Yi Jie’er had always gotten along well with Dou Ming, while she found Dou Zhao too eager to please the adults and thus kept her distance.

Past experience had taught Dou Zhao one thing: it was impossible to please everyone. And since that was the case, there was no point in trying to win over those who disliked her.

She smiled faintly. “Why don’t you write to Dou Ming and ask when she’ll return to Zhen Ding?”

Yi Jie’er was the only one in the family who noticed that Dou Zhao always referred to Dou Ming by her full name. Once, half-jokingly and half-accusingly, she brought it up in front of Second Madam. Dou Zhao’s explanation was, “If I call her Mingjier, people might mistake her for being of your generation.”

But why not call her “little sister”?

Yi Jie’er wanted to ask, but her wet nurse tugged at her sleeve. Later, when she returned home, the wet nurse quietly explained, “Wang Yiniang was elevated from concubine to wife. The fourth young lady is the legitimate daughter.”

Yi Jie’er didn’t see the difference.

So what if she was born to a concubine?

Did that make her any less a daughter of the Dou family?

Still, she was curious. “Why is it only Seventh Granduncle’s concubine who had children?”

The wet nurse hesitated before answering, “That’s because Seventh Granduncle had no sons.”

Yi Jie’er felt there was more to it, but just then, Wu Ya arrived. Excited, she ran off to see her and forgot all about the matter.

However, Wu Ya didn’t care much for Dou Ming. She often said Dou Ming was dull and slow-witted, as if missing a screw in her head. But she didn’t like Dou Zhao either, finding her arrogant and hard to get along with. “...No matter what nice things I have, Sixth Aunt immediately buys the same for her. And she acts like she doesn’t even care, setting a bad example for Shu Jie’er too.”Shu Jie'er used to cling to Wu Ya, wide-eyed, holding her dolls, hand mirrors, and ivory combs, pleading, "Let me play with them for a while." But ever since she took Dou Zhao's things without returning them—and Dou Zhao never asked for them back—Shu Jie'er had eyes only for Dou Zhao. She confided all her secrets to Dou Zhao, and in any little dispute between them, she would always side with Dou Zhao.

Wu Ya remarked, "Their family is quite odd. One lives in Dong Dou, another stays with their maternal relatives, while their mother alone guards that enormous house, not even accompanying their father to the Capital... Anyway, I don’t like either of those sisters."

Dou Zhao could vaguely sense these sentiments, but she paid them no mind—once they grew older, their perspectives would change.

She went to see her third elder cousin.

Her eldest cousin, Zhao Biru, was already eighteen, and Aunt had written to say that her wedding was set for the twelfth day of the eighth month.

Dou Zhao wanted to send her a congratulatory gift.

Her third elder cousin chuckled and asked, "What do you plan to give her?"

Dou Zhao owned half of Western Dou's property, but any expense exceeding ten taels of silver required approval from her third elder cousin, who managed her assets. This arrangement frustrated her, so she had assigned Zhao Liangbi to assist him. Seeing Zhao’s surname was the same as Dou Zhao’s maternal relatives, her third elder cousin assumed he was kin and treated him with extra care. Zhao Liangbi, ever diligent and appreciative, threw himself into learning from the Accounts room staff. Within a year, he had mastered the abacus.

She wondered when Zhao Liangbi would be capable enough to take over as chief accountant.

Pondering this, she smiled and explained her purpose to her third elder cousin.

After a thoughtful pause, he suggested, "How about we gift her a pair of gold and silver jewelry? Other items are likely already prepared by Aunt."

Dou Zhao nodded eagerly and entrusted the task to him.

On her way out, she ran into Shu Jie'er.

The girl tugged at her sleeve. "Second Sister said she’s making Five-Poison sachets. I have a new pattern—do you want one, Fourth Aunt?"

In her past life, Dou Zhao had been distant from her cousins and nieces, but in this life, Shu Jie'er clung to her like a little shadow.

"Of course!" Dou Zhao laughed. "I’ll have Haitang fetch the pattern from your maid later."

Tuo Niang had married Cui Si two years ago and had just given birth to a son, who wasn’t yet a month old. Haitang now handled matters in her quarters.

Shu Jie'er nodded and whispered, "Qiqi is here again."

Qiqi was Wu Ya’s childhood nickname.

Dou Zhao shrugged it off. "It’s almost the Dragon Boat Festival, after all!"

Shu Jie'er sighed. "Will Fifth Aunt come back?"

She was a sweet girl who got along with everyone.

"Do you miss her that much?"

"Yes!" she pouted. "We want to jump rope, but there aren’t enough people. Qiqi refuses to play with the maids."

Dou Zhao never joined them in such games.

She smiled. "That’s because her family has many sisters her age."

Shu Jie'er giggled.

Dou Zhao returned to Sixth Aunt’s quarters.

Now older, she could no longer stay in the Green Gauze cabinet room inside Sixth Aunt’s chambers. Four years ago, after Father brought her back from Grandmother’s farmstead, she had moved into the western wing of the main courtyard, while Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang occupied the eastern wing.

As soon as she stepped through the main gate, she heard a burst of raucous laughter from the western wing.

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile.

If Wu Ya was here, how could Wu Shan be far behind?Just like in her previous life, Wu Shan and Dou Dechang, who were the same age, got along very well. Every time he visited, he stayed with Dou Dechang, so he also became close friends with Dou Zhengchang and Dou Qijun.

They must be bragging together again!

She was about to enter the room when the opposite wing suddenly opened, and Wu Shan, along with Dou Dechang and the others, walked out.

"Fourth Sister!" he greeted Dou Zhao, his ears slightly red.

Dou Zhao nodded politely at him. "Fourth Brother Wu is here."

She addressed Wu Shan the same way the Dou Dechang brothers did, then greeted Dou Zhengchang and the others.

Wu Shan asked Dou Zhao, "We're going out to buy a congratulatory gift for Sixth Uncle. Do you want us to bring you anything?"

He referred to Dou Shiheng the same way the younger generation of the Dou family did.

"Thank you," Dou Zhao smiled. "I've already prepared a gift for Sixth Uncle."

It was a Qingtian stone she had previously taken from her father.

Carved on it was a monkey riding a horse, symbolizing an immediate promotion—perfect for Sixth Uncle to carve a leisure seal.

Wu Shan smiled. "My sister is here too, talking with my cousin. Have you met her yet?"

Wasn't this a pointless question?

If she were also at Second Cousin-in-Law's place, Second Cousin-in-Law wouldn't have let her leave.

Dou Zhao still replied with a smile, "Qiongfen is here too? I haven't run into her yet!"

Wu Shan added, "Twelfth said your family is inviting performers for the Dragon Boat Festival. Is that true?"

Dou Dechang was ranked twelfth, so everyone liked to call him "Twelfth."

Dou Zhao smiled. "If Twelfth Brother said so, it must be true."

Wu Shan said, "What a pity I'll already be back in Xindong by then."

"There will always be another chance."

"Who knows when that will be?" Wu Shan said wistfully. "I heard they've invited Zhou Qingfen to perform..."

His words were like lotus roots—even after being cut, he could still reconnect them into an unbroken thread.

Dou Zhao patiently listened to him finish, then smiled apologetically. "Fourth Brother Wu must be busy. I need to go see Second Madam soon."

Wu Shan immediately flushed red and stammered, "Fourth Sister should head back inside. We're about to leave too."

Dou Zhao entered the room.

Behind her, she heard Dou Zhengchang's puzzled voice. "Why do you always have so much to say whenever you meet Fourth Sister?"

Wu Shan retorted, "Didn't you say I talk too little?"

"I meant you always just hum and haw when you meet Yi Jie'er and the others..."

"As an elder, I should maintain some dignity, shouldn't I?"

"Fine, this time we'll let you play the elder to your heart's content," Dou Qijun chimed in. "You'll pay for everything we buy..."

"You're extorting me..." Wu Shan laughed as their voices gradually faded away.

Dou Zhao shook her head with a smile, finding it all quite amusing.

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Second Madam indeed invited Zhou Qingfen to perform.

The stage was set up in front of the Dou family's ancestral hall in the north building, and villagers from miles around came with their families to watch the opera.

Dou Zhao accompanied Sixth Aunt and Second Madam for tea in the side room next to the ancestral hall.

Wang Yingxue came in to pay her respects to Second Madam and waved at Dou Zhao. "Shou Gu, did you like the chrysanthemum cakes I sent over with Qiongfen last time? They were a gift from the palace to my father. Mingjier specially sent a box back, saying she wanted her sister to try them.""It was bestowed by the palace, no wonder it looks so different from what's available in the market," Dou Zhao said with a smile. "I'll offer it to the Madam." As she spoke, she glanced toward the Madam.

The Madam beamed as she took Dou Zhao's hand. "Our Shou Gu is always so thoughtful."

Wang Yingxue's face turned red, then green, then red again.

Over the past few years, Dou Zhao had left Wang Yingxue to Second Madam to deal with—she couldn't be bothered to engage with her.

A young maid rushed in, flustered and stammering, "Madam, Mistress, it's terrible—the Old Master is unwell..."

※

Sisters, I haven’t been able to get online much these past couple of days, so I posted this hastily with quite a few typos. I’m currently editing them—apologies for any inconvenience while reading! Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, so I wish you all a joyful celebration!

※RQ