Why didn’t Dou Ming marry Wang Tan in her previous life?

These two were quite a match!

“Don’t think everyone will indulge you like your two cousins…” Dou Zhao scolded Dou Ming and then confined her to the house. “Stay at home for the next few days. When you’ve thought things through, you can go back to Teacher Song’s classes.”

Whether out of fear of Ji Yong’s methods or shock at his attitude, Dou Ming didn’t say a word. She obediently stayed in her room, reading and writing, not going anywhere.

The maids, servants, and attendants around Dou Ming also became more well-behaved.

Dou Zhao said to Ji Yong, “A beating would have been enough. You went too far.”

“Don’t all you girls hate filth?” Ji Yong winked at her. “I thought this would be more effective.”

Dou Zhao frowned, “You’re a scholar after all. How can you act without any propriety…”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Ji Yong said with disgust, “I hate it most when people lecture me about propriety. I saw how cleanly and decisively you dealt with Pang Kunbai and thought you were a straightforward person. It seems I misjudged you.”

Now it had become her fault.

Dou Zhao couldn’t be bothered to say more to him. She turned and went to Lady Ji’s place. It wasn’t until Ji Yong was about to leave for the capital with the brothers Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang that she appeared to wish Ji Yong a “safe journey.”

Ji Yong sneered and ignored her, smiling as he bid farewell to Third Master Dou and the others. He left the Dou family in his seemingly simple but luxurious carriage.

Dou Ming immediately came back to life. She went to Teacher Song’s classes, learned to play the pipa with Wan Niang, practiced calligraphy whenever she had free time, and often accompanied Dou Zhao to pay respects to Second Madam. When she met Yi’er and Shu’er, she was all smiles and sweet talk. As they were aunts and nieces, and Yi’er and Shu’er were about to get married, they were more tolerant than before. Yi’er even went with Dou Ming to Daci Temple to listen to a sermon, where they met the eighth miss of the Lang family. When they were young and ignorant, they would imitate adults’ speech recklessly. Now that they had grown up, Dou Ming greeted the eighth miss of the Lang family with a smile, and the latter didn’t mention past incidents, exchanging pleasantries with Yi’er and Dou Ming.

Dou Zhao just smiled slightly when she heard about this.

Regardless of the reason, it was good that Dou Ming could control her temper.

In the blink of an eye, winter arrived. Dou Zhao and her grandmother were busy moving all the flowers and plants into the greenhouse for the winter. Dou Ming finally couldn’t hold back anymore and shouted at Granny Zhou, “Why hasn’t Mother come to pick me up yet?”

“My dear young miss,” Granny Zhou had to keep comforting her, “The New Year is approaching. We can’t take you to the capital in front of Second Madam and Aunt Cui, can we? Don’t worry, I think Madam will come to pick you up when spring comes.”

Only then did Dou Ming calm down.

After receiving the new calendar from the government office, the Dou family began preparing for the New Year. Cui Thirteen’s matter was also settled, and he formally bid farewell to Dou Qijun.

Dou Qijun was very reluctant to let him go and said regretfully, “It’s a pity I don’t have a good future to offer you. Otherwise, I’d love to keep you by my side.”

Cui Thirteen was very smooth, so he didn’t have too many principles, but this didn’t prevent him from respecting Dou Qijun. He smiled and said, “Then I’ll first wish you success in the imperial examinations. When that time comes, I’ll come and be your doorkeeper.”

Dou Qijun laughed heartily and said generously, “Being a doorkeeper would be beneath you. You should at least be a legal secretary or a grain secretary!”

“Then I’d have to go back to the county school and study for a few more years,” Cui Thirteen joked with Dou Qijun for a while, then bid farewell to him and went with Sulan, who had been waiting for him outside, to see Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao gave him a thousand-tael silver note, saying, “Fan Wenshu is doing well in the capital. You can represent me in paying New Year visits to those long-term patrons of our business in the capital!”

Cui Thirteen spent two days reuniting with his parents before setting off.

No sooner had he left than Ji Yong, Dou Zhengchang, and Dou Dechang returned.

Dou Zhao wondered, “Why did Ji Jianming come to Zhending instead of going home for the New Year?”

Sulan laughed, “Who cares why he came back? He won’t be coming to our West Mansion for the New Year anyway.”

“That’s true,” Dou Zhao smiled, “I just get nervous whenever I see him, afraid that if I blink twice and don’t pay attention, he’ll cause some trouble again.”

Sulan laughed heartily and asked Dou Zhao in a low voice, “Fourth Miss, do you think the Ji family didn’t let him take the imperial examinations and sent him out to gain experience because of this?”

“Not necessarily,” Dou Zhao smiled, “There are many people like him who are good at studying and also active. It’s not a big deal. I’m afraid there’s something about Ji Jianming that we don’t know. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be so worried.”

Sulan nodded repeatedly.

Suxin saw that she was speaking more and more casually and scolded her, “Go and bring in the hot water for the young miss.”

Dou Zhao said, “There are servants for that. She doesn’t need to go.”

“Young miss, you’re spoiling her too much,” Suxin said, “She’s naturally strong. Those servants aren’t as steady as her.”

While going to fetch water, Sulan grumbled, “But the young miss said, people should do what they’re meant to do—I’m a second-class maid by the young miss’s side, why should I fetch water?”

Suxin didn’t say anything, just glared at her.

She immediately lowered her head and obediently left the room.

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh.

Without Sulan’s liveliness, her days would certainly have much less laughter.

She asked Suxin, “Isn’t it almost the anniversary of Master Bie’s passing? I’ll give you sisters three days off. Go back and pay your respects to Master Bie properly, fulfill your filial duty.”

Suxin’s eyes reddened, and she choked up as she thanked Dou Zhao.

As they walked out of the room, they saw Zhao Liangbi talking with Ganlu.

He was very capable. In just a short year, he had already been promoted to manager of the grain shop. Dou Xiuchang had proposed several times to have Zhao Liangbi come back to help him, but Dou Zhao wanted him to stay in the Dou family shop for a few more years, not only to learn about business but also to learn how to conduct oneself, so she hadn’t agreed.

Zhao Liangbi was also patient, steadily doing his job as a manager.

This was also what Dou Zhao valued most about him in her previous life.

Seeing Dou Zhao and Suxin come out, his face reddened slightly, and he came forward to greet Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao smiled.

In her previous life, Zhao Liangbi had married Ganlu.

“How do you have time to come over today?” Dou Zhao asked him gently, “Has the shop finished its year-end inventory?”

“It’ll take two more days,” Zhao Liangbi said respectfully, looking increasingly embarrassed. He continued, “I remembered that in a few years, it will be the small anniversary of Master Bie’s passing. You instructed me to help the two Bie sisters with Master Bie’s funeral arrangements, so I came specially to tell them—I’ve prepared all the offerings for the small anniversary, and I’ll help the two sisters pay respects to Master Bie when the time comes.”

Suxin and Sulan, with tears in their eyes, curtsied and said “Thank you,” adding, “Fourth Miss has given us sisters three days off. We don’t dare trouble Manager Zhao.” They also asked, “How much did the offerings cost? We should reimburse you.”

“Not much, not much,” Zhao Liangbi said, his face red, not even looking at Suxin.

Dou Zhao’s heart skipped a beat.

She looked at Suxin, then at Zhao Liangbi, with an incredulous expression.

A row of carriages lined up at the side gate of the Dou family. Ji Yong’s entourage and luggage were the most eye-catching, and two unfamiliar burly men were standing by the stone drums, directing several carriages loaded with trunks directly into the side gate.

Who knows what strange things Ji Yong had bought and brought back this time?

Dou Zhao pondered as she went to Lady Ji’s courtyard.

In Lady Ji’s courtyard, only a few little maids were playing jump rope. When they saw Dou Zhao coming, they quickly put away the rope and ran over with smiles, “Fourth Miss, are you looking for the madam? The young master from the Ji family and the two young masters have returned from the capital. The madam is accompanying them to pay respects to the Old Madam.”

Since she had come, she might as well join in the excitement to avoid Old Madam’s silent reproach if she knew Dou Zhao had come but hadn’t visited her.

Dou Zhao turned and left Lady Ji’s courtyard, but as she looked up, she saw several people coming out of the alley ahead.

She looked closely and was shocked.

Walking in front was Lady Ji. Behind her was a young man with a face like polished jade, wearing a brocade red robe with gold all over, a jade hairpin, and a pouch and sachet hanging at his waist, exuding luxury and nobility.

Seeing Dou Zhao, he was also very surprised, his eyes widening slightly, making his pupils look especially clear and bright.

It was the young man in brocade clothes she had met behind Fayuan Temple!

But why was he here?

Looking at Ji Yong again, he was walking side by side with that young man, wearing a true blue cotton robe, looking spirited and confident, not at all awkward. In contrast, the brothers Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang, who were originally handsome and tall young men, were reduced to mere bystanders by these two.

Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang were unlucky!

Dou Zhao muttered to herself as she went forward to greet them.

As soon as Lady Ji saw her, she smiled joyfully and introduced the young man in brocade clothes: “…He’s the youngest son of Minister He, named Yu. According to generational order, you should call him Little Uncle.”

Dou Shengying was He Wendao’s disciple, so naturally, He Yu was a generation above Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao was astonished.

He was He Wendao’s son!

Could it be that Fifth Uncle had reached some agreement with He Wendao? Otherwise, why would his son appear at the Dou family near the New Year?

She curtsied and called him “Little Uncle.”

He Yu returned the greeting with a slight bow and smiled, “At Fayuan Temple that time, I wondered whose young lady could walk so swiftly. I didn’t expect it to be the daughter of Brother Dou!” He had the air of an elder.

“What’s going on here?” The others were all surprised and asked Dou Zhao in unison.

Dou Zhao explained what had happened.

Lady Ji chuckled, “This is also fate.”

“Indeed!” He Yu agreed, and everyone followed Lady Ji into the courtyard.

Sitting down in the hall, maids served tea and snacks. Lady Ji invited He Yu to stay for a few more days. Only then did Dou Zhao learn that He Wendao’s hometown was in Anyang. This time, He Yu was sent by his father to return home for ancestral worship. The two groups met on the road and traveled together. He Yu took the opportunity to pay his respects to the Second Madam.

Sending the youngest son instead of the eldest for ancestral worship… Who knows what story lay behind this in the He family?

Dou Zhao thought as she slowly sipped her tea. Then she heard Ji Yong say, “Fourth Sister, Brother He heard from Twelve on the road that the vegetarian food at Daci Temple is a specialty of Zhending. He wants to try it. Why don’t you come with us?”