Dou Zhao laughed awkwardly, “My suspicions are growing stronger!”
Chen Qushui disagreed, “It’s not that you’re overly suspicious, Young Miss. We’re merely vines clinging to the Dou family tree, without our channels to access core information. We can only observe minor details to predict how things might unfold and avoid situations that could affect us.” He paused, his expression turning solemn. “Fourth Young Miss, I’m grateful for your trust in sharing family matters with me. I can see your predicament to some extent. I know you want to be self-reliant, but have you considered this carefully? Such endeavors typically take at least a decade to achieve.”
“I’ve not only thought about it, but I’m also aware of how arduous our path will be,” Dou Zhao nodded. “As a woman, I can’t establish my household and must rely on the Dou family. That’s the first challenge. I don’t plan to marry, so I won’t have children. This means my direct line won’t produce any jinshi scholars, and without them, we can only be politically dependent on others. That’s the second challenge. Although I own substantial assets, I only receive an annual allowance of ten thousand taels of silver.
Even with the stationery shop and help from people like Fan Wenshu, it will take at least five years to make a name for ourselves. Even if we become the best in North Zhili, the income compared to our expenses would be a drop in the ocean—we need to support a group of people who can gather information for us at any time. That’s the third challenge. If I can think of these issues, you must see even further and deeper, sir.” She sincerely added, “So although I haven’t expressed it, I’m truly grateful that you’ve agreed to help me.”
Chen Qushui hastily bowed, “I’m ashamed, truly ashamed! This old man’s knowledge is shallow and hasn’t been of much help to you, Young Miss.”
“There’s no need for modesty, sir,” Dou Zhao smiled. “Without you, we wouldn’t be where we are today.” Her gaze was firm and bright, her tone calm and fearless. “But I can’t give up just because there are difficulties. We must at least try!”
Chen Qushui nodded solemnly, “That’s precisely the spirit, Young Miss.”
This was exactly what he admired about Dou Zhao.
Never give up, no matter the challenges.
His long-disheartened heart began to beat with renewed vigor.
When a person has unwavering faith and the courage to press forward, no matter how winding and difficult the path, the end will surely yield abundant fruit.
He had only feared that Dou Zhao might give up midway.
Their conversation was serious, and the atmosphere in the room grew heavy.
Dou Zhao disliked such an ambiance.
She smiled, encouraging Chen Qushui, “Look at our progress. My annual allowance has increased from one thousand to ten thousand taels, and we’ve recruited experts like Duan Gongyi and Chen Xiaofeng for protection. These were unimaginable feats before! Life is long, and who knows what we might encounter? We must have confidence.”
Chen Qushui laughed heartily, his worries easing, “Excellent! As long as you have confidence, Young Miss, I’ll gladly follow you on this journey, even with my old and frail body!”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile, raising her teacup in a toast to Chen Qushui.
Chen Qushui drained his cup in one gulp.
They exchanged smiles.
A few days later, Cui Shisan returned from the capital: “It’s done. I’ve visited all the people you mentioned.” He asked suspiciously, “Are you sending me to be the second shopkeeper at the stationery shop in the capital? I don’t know anything about it. Shouldn’t I learn for a couple of years in the Dou family shop first? Besides, Fan Wenshu seems to be doing a good job. There’s no need for another shopkeeper.”
As for Fan Wenshu’s hidden wariness beneath his enthusiasm, if it were in the past, Cui Shisan would have stubbornly confronted him. However, since witnessing the lives of migrant workers and hired laborers with Dou Qijun, his perspective has changed significantly. He now felt Fan Wenshu’s behavior was natural, understandable, and not worth making a fuss over, especially when Fan Wenshu hadn’t done anything wrong.
Dou Zhao remained silent, her fair, slender fingers with distinct knuckles gently caressing the green glaze of her teacup. She spoke softly, “Shisan, have you heard about my mother?”
Cui Shisan was taken aback. He lowered his eyes evasively and said quietly, “No, I haven’t.”
“You’re lying,” Dou Zhao laughed, her voice clear and melodious.
Cui Shisan looked embarrassed.
Dou Zhao spoke leisurely, “The Wang family is powerful. I can’t afford to offend them now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be able to in the future. I’m not sending you to be the second shopkeeper to interfere with the stationery business, but to establish connections in the capital with officials who can provide us with information about court affairs.”
She revealed her plan to Cui Shisan.
Cui Shisan’s expression changed dramatically. “You want to take revenge on Madam Wang?” Then he hurriedly added, “I won’t be part of this…”
How unpredictable life can be, Dou Zhao thought with a self-deprecating smile.
The person who had been most loyal to her in her previous life was now bluntly refusing her in this one.
“Take revenge on Madam Wang?” She calmly picked up her teacup. “You’re overestimating her and underestimating me.”
Cui Shisan was stunned.
“Me, take revenge on her?” Dou Zhao sipped her tea leisurely, then spoke coldly, “I would only need to persuade Father to take a concubine and have a son for me to raise, then find someone to seduce Dou Ming. She’d be finished. Why would I need to take revenge?”
“Then, then what do you want to do?” Cui Shisan jumped up, his face pale.
Indeed, everything she said was correct.
Madam Wang had been unable to bear a son for the West Mansion’s sparse lineage in all her years of marriage. Dou Zhao could easily pressure Dou Shixing through the Second Madam or even Concubine Cui to take a concubine. Once Madam Wang lost her status as the main wife, entrusting the young son to the dignified and capable eldest daughter to raise would be entirely reasonable. With the West Dou household now fully under Dou Zhao’s control, ruining Dou Ming’s reputation would be effortless, requiring no scheming at all…
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Cui Shisan looked at Dou Zhao’s frost-like expression and suddenly had another realization.
He blurted out in shock, “Could it be that you… you want to establish your household?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately denied it himself, “No, no, that’s impossible…”
Cui Shisan had always been quick-witted.
Dou Zhao sighed deeply and asked him, “Why is it impossible?”
Without thinking, Cui Shisan replied, “Because you’re a woman…”
“Isn’t Concubine Cui also a woman?” Dou Zhao smiled. “Isn’t she living well?”
Cui Shisan’s mind became muddled. He lowered his head in thought, and gradually, a bold idea formed in his mind: “You mean, to secure a place in the Dou family, forcing them to respect you…”
“Do you want to join me in this endeavor?” Dou Zhao smiled without answering directly, inviting him. “This way, the Cui family will have the means to educate its children. Who knows, in a few decades or a century, you might become the next Dou family!”
Cui Shisan’s eyes gleamed. After a moment, he decisively said, “I’m in.”
Dou Zhao inwardly approved and spoke softly, “Your main task in the capital this time is to quietly arrange some high-interest loans…”
She explained her plan to Cui Shisan.
As he listened, Cui Shisan’s eyes grew brighter and brighter, until he was burning with enthusiasm.
“Fourth Young Miss, you can count on me!”
This was the first time he had addressed Dou Zhao so formally.
Dou Zhao pretended not to notice and nodded with a smile.
Cui Shisan then asked, “But… why don’t you use those methods against Madam Wang?”
Dou Zhao was silent for a while before saying solemnly, “As a person, one must have principles!”
Cui Shisan fell silent. After sitting quietly for a while, he stood up, bowed respectfully to her, and left.
Dou Zhao sat alone on the large kang by the window, slowly sipping her tea.
Wang Yingxue, she thought, had done wrong and deserved punishment. If the Wang family couldn’t handle it, she would.
But not now.
Issues of offspring would only cause her sadness and pain, but not regret or despair.
Dou Ming had wronged her in her previous life.
But in this life, she hadn’t done anything wrong.
She couldn’t seek revenge for things that hadn’t happened.
This was her principle.
She hadn’t lied to Cui Shisan.
Dou Zhao turned her face away.
Through the glass window, she saw several young maids building a snowman in the courtyard.
The girl’s cheerful expressions gradually softened her tense features.
Chen Qushui, accompanied by Suxin, hurriedly entered.
Dou Zhao was somewhat surprised and called out to the maid waiting outside, “Please show Mr. Chen and Suxin indirectly.”
The young maid responded with a “Yes,” and within moments, Chen Qushui and Suxin entered, lifting the curtain.
Seeing no one else in the room, Suxin lifted the curtain and left again, while Chen Qushui bowed to Dou Zhao with a grave expression.
“What has happened?” Dou Zhao’s expression grew serious as well.
“Young Master He, no, the He family has formally proposed marriage to the Dou family!” Chen Qushui took a deep breath and said, “The Fifth Master and your father have both agreed.”
Dou Zhao was shocked, her face paling as she exclaimed, “Have the two families officially exchanged birth charts? When did this happen? Has the East Dou household received this news?”
“They haven’t officially exchanged birth charts yet,” Chen Qushui’s expression remained grim. “This happened two days ago. The He family sent Hanlin Academy Scholar Cai Bi to propose to your father. Although your father didn’t immediately agree, he went to discuss it with the Fifth Master, along with the Sixth Master. Afterward, your father agreed to the marriage. We’re now using the Fifth Master’s authority to utilize military courier routes for communication, so the East Mansion doesn’t know about this yet.”
Dou Zhao barely restrained herself from criticizing her father, but she understood that he hadn’t done anything wrong in this matter—parental arrangements and matchmakers’ words were the norm. The He family was prestigious, He Yu was handsome, and he was the favored youngest son. It wasn’t surprising that her father had agreed to this marriage.
However…
“Wait…” she said, “Master He is my father’s tutor. Logically, He Yu should address my father as a ‘senior apprentice-brother.’ How could they propose marriage to our family?”
The Fifth Uncle was currently making great efforts to win over the He family, so turning a blind eye and pretending not to hear was possible. Her father had never been very decisive, so being persuaded by the Fifth Uncle was also possible. But the He family shouldn’t have made such a mistake!
“It seems Young Master He threw quite a tantrum at home,” Chen Qushui said, looking at Dou Zhao with a strange expression. “Master He and Madam He had no choice but to agree.”