Blossom

“What brings you to visit your great-aunt today?” Second Madam asked Dou Zhao with a warm smile, holding her hand. The senior maids on duty in Second Madam’s chambers had either brought fruits, tea, or pastries, all greeting Dou Zhao with beaming smiles.

Dou Zhao nodded in acknowledgment to the maids and explained her visit to Second Madam: she had gone to Zhen Ding to pay respects at Bie Gangyi’s memorial. “...Seeing it through to the end, as they say. I noticed that Bie’s two daughters had no one to rely on, so I promised Bie Gangyi that if he passed away, his daughters could seek refuge with me. Since he was still in good health before, I didn’t mention it—it would’ve been inauspicious.”

The estates of the eastern and western Dou branches were still jointly managed and not formally divided. As the highest-ranking woman in the Dou family, informing Second Madam was both a courtesy and a way to ensure smoother interactions for Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan within the household later.

Second Madam seemed surprised and pondered for a moment. “Does your father know?”

Dou Zhao smiled. “I wanted to inform you first. Once you agree, I’ll tell Father. Also, Sixth Aunt will need to help teach them the household rules once they arrive.”

Second Madam was pleased. “This is a good deed, one that accumulates blessings. Why would I object? As you suggested, once Bie Gangyi’s mourning period of seven times seven days is over, let the two girls come. Bring them to see me then.”

Dou Zhao agreed cheerfully, exchanged some casual conversation, and then took her leave.

“First, she wanted to open her own shop, then she settled the Cui family there. Now she’s taken in two ‘adopted servants,’” Dou Shibang said to his mother. “What do you make of this...?”

Second Madam lightly stirred the tea leaves in her cup with the lid and replied calmly, “No matter who put her up to it, a single shop and a few people won’t satisfy her. There’ll be more to come. Let’s not rush—we’ll wait and see.”

Dou Shibang nodded respectfully.

Dou Zhao then went to see Ji Shi.

Wu Shan had been taken home by his family for the New Year celebrations. The sun shone warmly in the courtyard, where Dou Zhengchang was writing spring couplets, attended only by his personal page.

This was a tradition passed down since Dou Huancheng’s time.

Dou Huancheng had retired at sixty. To others, he was a man of fortune—having passed the imperial exams young, surrounded by descendants, and still sharp of hearing and sight in his later years. Every Spring Festival, many friends and relatives would come seeking his spring couplets, hoping to share in his luck for a prosperous year. Being a warm-hearted neighbor, Dou Huancheng never refused, providing his own ink and paper to write for them. Over time, the demand grew, and when he could no longer keep up, his two sons and three grandsons helped. Eventually, any Dou descendant who achieved decent calligraphy skills could write couplets during the festival—a mark of scholarly accomplishment.

Last year, both Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang had qualified to write the couplets.

Dou Zhao asked curiously, “Where’s Twelfth Brother?”

Sweating profusely, Dou Zhengchang paused to wipe his forehead with a handkerchief. “Fourth Sister, you’re just in time! Please go find Zhigeer for me—we’re supposed to write four hundred couplets today! How can I manage alone?”

It was hard to tell whether his sweat came from stress or the heat.Dou Zhao smiled and said, "Let me go pay my respects to Sixth Aunt first, then I'll help Eleventh Brother find someone. It's not like he needs help right this moment anyway."

The warm curtain of the main room swayed as Cai Shu walked out with a smile.

She curtsied to Dou Zhao and said cheerfully, "Madam said she thought she heard Fourth Miss's voice, but we all thought she must have been mistaken. Who would have guessed it really was you!" As she spoke, she turned to lift the warm curtain and invited her in. "How is Consort Cui doing? The narcissus and wintersweet you sent Madam last time have all bloomed, filling the room with their fragrance. Madam was absolutely delighted!"

Because of Ji Shi, all the maids and old women of the sixth branch held Consort Cui in high regard.

"She's doing quite well," Dou Zhao replied as she entered the hall with Cai Shu. There, she saw the two pots of wintersweet she had sent earlier, their yellow blossoms translucent like top-quality yellow jade carvings, exuding a serene and chilly elegance.

The inner chamber's warm curtain was drawn wide open as Ji Shi, dressed in a peach-red Ornate Back Coat adorned with vase patterns, emerged with a smile, assisted by Cai Lan. Noticing Dou Zhao only wore a blue lotus woolen cloak, she took her hands and chided, "Child, why aren't you wearing more? Your hands are freezing." She instructed a maid to fetch her hand warmer for Dou Zhao, then led her into the inner chamber. "I was just about to visit you," she said before asking, "Have you prepared all the New Year goods on your side?"

"With Consort Cui overseeing things, everything was prepared long ago," Dou Zhao replied with a smile as she sat with Ji Shi on the kang, recounting recent events in detail.

Ji Shi chuckled. "You're truly a fortunate child. Taking in those sisters benefits your reputation—you should do more of such things in the future. Even if some people prove troublesome at first, once the fuss dies down, there are ways to send them away. No need to worry." She added, "As for the shops, it's fine to lose a few thousand taels at the start. Just break even before you marry. We're not counting on profits from them anyway."

It was all about reputation.

Dou Zhao felt a pang of embarrassment.

Ji Shi laughed warmly and asked, "Have you personally informed Second Madam yet?"

"I went to Second Madam first before coming here."

"Good," Ji Shi said approvingly. "Elders dislike being overlooked by the younger generation. Make sure to consult Second Madam often in the future."

Dou Zhao already understood this but nodded with a smile nonetheless.

When she left Ji Shi's quarters, Dou Dechang had already returned and was bent over writing spring couplets with Dou Zhengchang.

"Where did Twelfth Brother sneak back from?" Dou Zhao asked, watching the sunlight bathe them warmly as she went to grind ink for them, also basking in the sun.

"I went to the privy," Dou Dechang said. "Nowhere else."

Really?

Dou Zhao glanced at Dou Zhengchang.

Though traces of anger lingered on Dou Zhengchang's face, he said, "He came back a while ago!"

What's this fellow up to?

He's been acting strangely these days.

Still, with Dou Qijun keeping an eye on him, nothing major should happen.

Dou Zhao mused to herself as she returned to Western Dou.

After the Lantern Festival, Bie Gangyi's seventh seventh-day memorial had passed. The Bie sisters packed their belongings and headed to Western Dou.

Gan Lu and Su Juan hurried over to help them settle in.

Noticing they weren't wearing red but also weren't in mourning attire, Dou Zhao said, "Second Madam in the Eastern residence is quite strict about rules, but otherwise, you needn't worry too much about formalities."When Chen Qushui sought Dou Zhao's help, he had inquired about her. They had some understanding of the Dou family's situation.

Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan quickly agreed and changed into pale moon-colored fine cloth jackets before going to Consort Cui's place.

Consort Cui first held their hands, asking warmly about their well-being, then pointed at Bie Suxin and said to Dou Zhao, "She’s so delicate-looking, hardly like someone who practices martial arts." Then she took Bie Sulan’s hand: "This child is truly lovely!" Her tone was utterly sincere.

Dou Zhao smiled faintly.

Her grandmother preferred sturdy, robust children.

Bie Sulan, however, was pleasantly surprised.

Whenever she stood beside her sister, others always praised her sister’s beauty—no one had ever complimented her before.

Though it was their first meeting, Bie Sulan immediately took a liking to the grandmother.

Bie Suxin also found the grandmother kind and amiable, letting out a long sigh of relief. All her earlier worries vanished. She handed the keys to the Bie Family Martial Arts School to Dou Zhao: "...You did this so my father could have a place to rest in peace. We are endlessly grateful. Now that his funeral is settled, this property should be returned to you."

Dou Zhao had reclaimed it under Bie Gangyi’s name but never intended to keep it. Still, Bie Suxin’s willingness to relinquish the property pleased her, and she accepted the keys.

Her grandmother whispered to her, "That’s their ancestral home—just give it back to them. You don’t lack that bit of silver."

Dou Zhao smiled. "Of course, I’ll return it—but not just yet."

Before her grandmother could press further, Dou Zhao urged, "Alright, alright, go change your clothes. Tuo Niang and Cui Si will bring the children to see you soon."

Due to her grandfather’s influence, the Cui family always visited Consort Cui after the New Year. Even though Consort Cui had moved into the Dou household, the Cui family kept their habit of paying respects post-celebration.

Her grandmother laughed heartily. Before the Cui family arrived, Dou Zhao took the Bie sisters to meet Second Madam.

Second Madam asked them a few questions and, satisfied with their polite and poised responses, instructed them to serve Dou Zhao well. She rewarded each with a silver hairpin adorned with plum blossoms and then sipped her tea, signaling the end of the audience.

Dou Zhao then led them to Sixth Aunt’s courtyard.

Sixth Aunt’s yard was bustling—people carrying chests, holding porcelain vases, or carrying small trinkets streamed continuously toward the eastern wing.

Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan were startled.

Dou Zhao laughed. "The fourth young master of the Wu family has returned!"

No sooner had she spoken than Wu Shan appeared out of nowhere.

"Cousin, how was your New Year?" He bowed to Dou Zhao.

She returned the greeting with a smile. "Very well! How is the Wu family’s matriarch?"

Wu Shan’s great-grandmother was still alive.

"Very well, very well," he replied cheerfully, calling to his page, "Bring the agarwood Go set I brought from home." Then he turned to Dou Zhao, "The pieces are carved with arhats—their robes vivid, lifelike, and quite amusing. You’ll surely like it."

He often gave Dou Zhao small gifts, which she stored away in chests.

She thanked him with a smile and introduced the Bie sisters.

He rewarded Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan each with an exquisite jade pendant of fine quality.Bie Sulan was overjoyed. She hid the jade token in her own chest and said to Bie Suxin, "That Young Master Wu is so generous! This jade token must be worth forty or fifty taels of silver."

Bie Suxin smiled and patted her younger sister's head without saying a word. In her heart, however, she recalled how Wu Shan's gaze had lingered on Dou Zhao without a moment's respite. She wondered what relationship existed between Wu Shan and the Fourth Young Miss, as they seemed quite amiable with each other...

Just as she was lost in thought, Gan Lu pushed the door open and entered: "Sister Suxin, there's someone named Chen Xiaofeng here who claims to be your relative. He says he has business with you."