Blossom

Grandmother smiled and chattered about how our Shou Gu would be getting new clothes soon.

Summer had passed, and Grandmother was still hale and hearty by her side.

Did this mean that with effort, some things could truly be changed?

Dou Zhao thought of going to the temple to offer incense.

Grandmother laughed. "Then let’s go to Daci Temple. Their vegetarian dishes are quite good."

Dou Zhao had spent the entire summer at home with her, never stepping out. Grandmother assumed she had grown restless from being cooped up for so long and wanted to go out for some fun.

Daci Temple was a nunnery, a place her mother had often visited to pay homage to the Buddha during her lifetime.

Naturally, Dou Zhao nodded with a smile and agreed.

After consulting the almanac with Grandmother to pick an auspicious day, she sent word ahead to the abbess of Daci Temple. Then, accompanied by her personal maids, old women, and family servants, she set off in a grand procession to the temple.

Daci Temple was surrounded by towering ancient cypresses and lush trees, its scenery serene and refreshing. The main hall, the Buddha Fragrance Pavilion, housed a golden statue of the Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Guanyin, standing over ten feet tall. Gilded in gold leaf, it shimmered brilliantly under the glow of incense, illuminating the entire hall.

Dou Zhao and Grandmother bowed devoutly and kowtowed three times.

When they stepped out of the hall, a breeze rustled through the trees, bringing a refreshing coolness.

The abbess invited Dou Zhao and Grandmother to rest in the incense chamber behind the hall. After some casual conversation, a guest-receiving nun came to ask where the vegetarian feast should be served.

"Right here is fine," Grandmother said. Having been taught from childhood to handle matters herself, she disliked troubling others.

The nun smiled and withdrew to make arrangements.

Haitang, however, entered beaming. "Consort Cui, Fourth Miss, Eleventh Master Zheng, Twelfth Master De, Fourth Young Master, Fifth Young Master, and Sixth Young Master are here. Also, the Fourth Master of the Wu family heard you were here paying respects to the Buddha and came specifically to greet you."

"Truly, the early bird doesn’t always catch the worm," Grandmother chuckled heartily and gladly invited them all to join the vegetarian meal. "...There’s no one else here, so if you don’t mind, why not share lunch with us?"

Haitang went off with a smile to relay the message.

Dou Zhengchang and the others soon crowded in cheerfully, bowing to Grandmother and greeting Dou Zhao. They thanked Grandmother in a lively chorus for the meal, their overlapping chatter turning the side chamber as bustling as a marketplace.

Dou Zhao turned to Dou Qijun. "How did you know we were at Daci Temple?"

This was, after all, a nunnery.

Dou Qijun grinned. "We went to Dafang Temple to watch the sunrise and thought of Daci Temple’s delicious vegetarian food. We planned to drop by for a meal—who knew you’d be here too?"

Daci Temple received patronage from the Dou family. Though men and women were segregated, the temple would never refuse a meal to any Dou family member passing by.

Dou Zhao laughed. "Indeed, the early bird doesn’t always catch the worm."

Dou Qitai boasted, "If I hadn’t urged everyone to come back early, we’d never have run into Fourth Aunt."

Wu Shan, however, was uncharacteristically quiet, stepping back as if trying to disappear into the crowd—a stark contrast to his usual chatter around Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao was taken aback, then faintly understood.

Wu Shan was still young at heart, honest and kind. That day, caught off guard, he had blurted out Pang Jixiu’s intentions without thinking, which had ultimately harmed her. Now, burdened by guilt, he couldn’t face her and shrank away in shame.

Understanding his feelings, Dou Zhao grew uneasy.

Truthfully, this matter had nothing to do with Wu Shan. It was she who had schemed to drive Pang Jixiu away while also making Wu Shan give up on her—a move to kill two birds with one stone.

After that day, she had never seen Wu Shan again and had no idea how he had been.

The thought made her study him more closely.He was dressed in a bamboo-leaf green silk robe, his jet-black hair tied up with a mottled bamboo hairpin. A black palace tassel hung at his waist, adorned with a pure white jade pendant. Compared to last year, he had grown much taller and thinner, his once delicate childlike features now sharpened with youthful vigor. Like a sapling in early spring, he seemed to have sprouted and grown in the blink of an eye.

Dou Zhao couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

When Wu Shan noticed Dou Zhao's gaze resting on him, he was both startled and delighted.

Startled because, despite the crowd standing before her, she had still noticed him. Delighted because, even after what he had done, she was still willing to acknowledge him.

Perhaps things weren't as dire as he had imagined...

Lost in thought, Wu Shan stepped forward to speak to her, but before he could utter a word, Dou Zhao called out to him with a smile, "Fourth Brother Wu, so Eleventh Brother and the others went to your place to freeload!"

Dafang Temple was located in Xinle County.

Wu Shan was instantly thrilled.

When the Third Elder of the Dou family passed away, he had once gone to Dafang Temple to fetch a peace talisman for Dou Zhao.

"No, no," he stammered, flustered. "They didn't come to freeload. In fact, it's me who's been staying at Sixth Aunt's place every day. She's been treating me just like Eleventh Brother and Twelfth Brother..."

Dou Dechang burst into laughter and whispered in his ear, "So you admit I'm your Twelfth Brother now!"

Wu Shan's face flushed crimson.

He was three months older than Dou Dechang.

Unless he was following Dou Zhao's ranking, there was no way he should be calling Dou Dechang "brother."

Dou Qitai, oblivious to the context, leaned in eagerly and asked, "Why is Fourth Uncle Wu blushing? What's the story here?"

Wu Shan didn't mind being teased by others, but he feared Dou Ming might think him frivolous.

He hopped anxiously, blurting out, "Dou Twelve, if you dare spread nonsense, don't blame me for exposing your secrets—"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Now it was Dou Dechang's turn to panic. "Petty minds fret, noble hearts are open and free..."

"What does this have to do with nobility or pettiness?" Dou Zhengchang looked blankly at his younger brother, puzzled. "What are you two hiding from us?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Wu Shan and Dou Dechang chorused in unison. "We're not hiding anything."

Dou Zhengchang didn't believe them.

Grandmother laughed heartily.

These children were like the rising sun at dawn, brimming with vitality, their energy infectious.

Dou Dechang and Wu Shan only amused her.

"Alright, alright," she said with a smile, instructing Hong Gu to set the table. "It's getting late. If you don't sit down soon, the vegetarian dishes will go cold."

Dou Dechang and Wu Shan sat side by side, wide-eyed and flustered, eliciting another round of laughter from the group.

No talking during meals, no speaking while resting.

Raised with strict discipline, the children of the Dou and Wu families finished their lunch in near silence, the only sounds the soft clinking of porcelain.

Hong Gu brought in tea leaves personally roasted by Daci Temple, served by Haitang and Qiukui to cleanse their palates.

Grandmother then inquired about Dou Qijun's studies: "...Is it difficult? Do you understand the teacher's lectures? Will you be taking the exams the year after next?" Her questions, though simple, carried a warmth unlike the stern interrogations of other elders.

At first, Dou Qijun responded politely, but gradually his expression grew solemn, his tone reverent, as if answering Second Madam herself.

Dou Zhao smiled faintly.A soft voice like the morning breeze reached Dou Zhao's ears from Wu Shan: "About that day... I didn't mean to..." he murmured, his tone urgent.

"Which matter are you referring to?" Dou Zhao feigned ignorance, replying in a hushed tone.

"It's about Pang Jixiu..." Wu Shan hesitated for a moment before continuing with a heavier voice, "I've been wanting to apologize to you..."

"Oh, that!" Dou Zhao laughed lightly. "Why would I blame you? If not for you, I wouldn't have known how to bring such a matter to my family's attention. In fact, I should thank you..."

Wu Shan's mouth fell open in surprise.

Dou Zhao smiled and nodded at him.

Unable to contain himself, Wu Shan's lips curled into a broad grin, revealing his pearly white teeth in a rather foolish expression.

Dou Zhao turned her face away, barely suppressing her laughter.

Wu Shan's smile grew even brighter.

Across from them, Dou Dechang stared intently at the pair.

Dou Zhao asked Wu Shan, "What has Twelfth Brother done to give you leverage over him?"

Wu Shan chuckled as he looked at Dou Dechang: "He won a thousand taels of silver from the sixth young master of the Chen family in a cockfight."

Dou Zhao was shocked.

Wu Shan quickly added, "Don't worry, I didn't gamble with him. I only lent him a hundred taels as capital."

This was truly giving an inch and taking a mile.

She had merely thought that since Wu Shan hadn't made his stance clear, there was no need for them to act like sworn enemies. Why not maintain their usual interactions? Who would have thought Wu Shan would immediately jump to saying "don't worry" as if they were close?

Dou Zhao suddenly felt as if sitting on pins and needles.

Had she known this would happen, she wouldn't have exchanged even a single unnecessary word with him.

She gave him a polite smile before straightening her posture to listen attentively to her grandmother's conversation with Dou Qijun.

Wu Shan, however, misunderstood this as her being angry. Filled with regret, he replayed their conversation in his mind repeatedly, realizing that no matter how he explained, it would be difficult to clear himself of suspicion. He could only stare unblinkingly at Dou Zhao, hoping she would turn her face toward him so he could apologize again.

Under Wu Shan's intense gaze, every movement of Dou Zhao's felt as exposed as under the scorching summer sun—unbearably uncomfortable.

This made her recall her past life experiences.

Why had no one ever treated her this way in her previous life?

If she had met someone like this in her past life, would she still have married Wei Tingyu?

Her thoughts immediately ran wild like an unbridled horse.

Meanwhile, her grandmother, listening to Dou Qijun, clapped her hands in admiration: "This child will have boundless prospects in the future. People always say studying is good, but without good health, how can one remember what's written in books? How can one endure three days and nights of imperial examinations? In youth, one should travel far and wide—understand both economics and agriculture. Only when older should one settle down to study. Then the essays written will have substance, and when serving as an official, one will truly know how to govern for the people..."

"Exactly, exactly!" Dou Qijun responded enthusiastically, as if having found a kindred spirit. He continued passionately, "Whenever I see county magistrates who don't know this year's harvest yields without their grain advisors, I find it unbelievable—isn't that handing leverage to others? Where's the authority in governance? Therefore, I've decided to spend a year traveling throughout Zhen Ding to understand: how much land is there? How many farming households? What are the annual yields? And what are the tax revenues?"Grandmother turned to Dou Zhao and said, "Shou Gu, what is Gou Sheng doing now? He grew up in the fields, so he's familiar with these tasks and is quite clever. Why not have him temporarily follow Bo Yan..."

Dou Zhao couldn't help but mutter to herself.

That Gou Sheng is now called Zhao Liangbi. He worked his way up from a menial position in the accountant's office to become a second-level steward, the youngest and most promising steward in the Dou family. He's on the verge of being sent out as a shop manager, and you want him to be Bo Yan's attendant? Who's going to help manage my shops in the future?