Shaanxi, located in the heartland of China, was under the jurisdiction of the Shaanxi Governor, who oversaw 8 prefectures, 21 subprefectures, and 95 counties. The governor also commanded the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission, 4 secondary Regional Military Commissions, 49 guards, and 25 battalions. In contrast, Yunnan, situated on the southwestern frontier, was under the Yunnan Governor’s authority. This governor controlled 19 prefectures, 40 subprefectures, 30 counties, 8 pacification commissions, 4 pacification and surveillance commissions, and 5 pacification offices. The Yunnan Regional Military Commission included 20 guards and 24 battalions.

How could these two positions be considered equal?

Dou Zhao sat smiling on the large kang by the window, eating cherries.

Shu’er came to visit her.

Dou Zhao quickly asked Gan Lu to brew a pot of Biluochun tea. “In a few days, when the new tea comes to market, I’ll invite you over for a tasting.”

“There’s new tea every year,” Shu’er said, uninterested. She looked at Dou Zhao hopefully and asked, “Do you think we could take this opportunity to visit the capital when Eleventh Uncle gets engaged?”

Dou Zhao wasn’t interested herself but encouraged Shu’er to go and experience it—she was to be married next year, and opportunities to travel would become even rarer afterward.

“Who from the family is going?” she asked Shu’er.

Shu’er quickly replied, “Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother… they’re all going.”

With Dou Qijun there, there was nothing to worry about.

Dou Zhao smiled and said, “As long as Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law agree, I’ll cover your expenses for the trip to the capital.”

Shu’er was overjoyed, holding onto Dou Zhao’s hand. “Fourth Aunt is the best to me!” She then pleaded with Dou Zhao to join them, “Father and Mother won’t let me go alone, and without someone to talk to, it’ll be inconvenient for lodging and travel arrangements…”

Dou Zhao shook her head. “If you’re worried Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law won’t agree, I can speak to them on your behalf.”

“Fourth Aunt, you haven’t been to the capital either, right? I’ve heard it’s so much fun. There are many Buddhist temples, and there’s a fair every few days. The White Cloud Temple area specializes in antiques, and the area in front of the Great Xiangguo Temple sells all kinds of jewelry. There’s also a street, I can’t remember the name, that sells shoes and socks from Jiangnan. Fourth Aunt, please come with me! Just think of it as accompanying me…”

Her attitude was overly enthusiastic.

Dou Zhao stared intently into her eyes.

Shu’er smiled sheepishly.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she finally broke down and said with a coy laugh, “Alright, alright, I’ll tell you—it’s Sixth Aunt. With Eleventh Uncle’s engagement, she wants you to go. She said she’s invited you several times, but you’ve always declined. Cousin Ji made a bet with the Eleventh Uncle and the Twelfth Uncle. If he can get you to go, Eleventh Uncle will give him the jade lotus flower brush washer from his study, and Twelfth Uncle will give him that landscape painting by Zhao Boju…”

Dou Zhao was both amused and annoyed. “And what did you get out of this?”

Shu’er blushed. “Cousin Ji promised to give me a painting of court ladies by Qiu Ying.”

“So I’m only worth one painting!” Dou Zhao joked with her.

“Oh no, that’s not what I meant!” Shu’er became flustered. “I also want Fourth Aunt to come and experience the capital with me!” She suddenly became a bit melancholic. “I’m afraid I might never have another chance to visit the capital.”

“Nonsense!” Dou Zhao laughed. “Life is long, and you should never say never. If one day Boyan and the others pass the imperial examinations and stay in the capital like Fifth Uncle and Sixth Uncle, couldn’t you visit them?”

As they were talking, Gan Lu rushed in. Seeing Shu’er, she quickly composed herself and curtsied with a smile.

Shu’er knew Gan Lu had something to tell Dou Zhao, but she couldn’t leave empty-handed. Using the excuse of wanting to choose a couple of flower pots to take back, she left with her maid, planning to try persuading Dou Zhao again later. Cousin Ji’s painting was a small matter; what was important was that the Sixth Great-grandmother would surely be happy to see Fourth Aunt. She left a little maid in the main courtyard with instructions: “As soon as Fourth Aunt is free, come and tell me.”

The little maid, who often accompanied Shu’er to the Western Mansion, agreed with a smile and went to play with the maids from Dou Zhao’s quarters.

Shu’er went to Dou Zhao’s flower house, where an old woman eagerly introduced the flowers to her. She chose a pot of bright red Schlumbergera with white edges and a pot of budding summer azaleas. After drinking two cups of tea and eating some snacks, the little maid still hadn’t returned.

She sent her senior maid to check: “What’s taking so long?”

The senior maid returned after about half an incense stick’s time. She glanced at the servants in the flower house, and Shu’er understood. They stepped out and stood under a large willow tree to talk.

“It’s the second young master of the Wang family from the capital. He sent a letter to Fifth Young Miss, saying that Lord Wang has been reassigned to Yunnan. When the Wang family’s old madam heard this, she fainted from shock. She then summoned Seventh Madam and scolded her harshly, making Seventh Madam cry. Fifth Young Miss is now insisting on going to the capital to visit her grandmother and accompany Seventh Madam. No one can stop her. Fourth Young Miss had no choice but to have someone guard Qixia Courtyard. She said she’d write to Seventh Master immediately, and if he agrees, she’ll send Fifth Young Miss back to the capital right away.”

Shu’er asked curiously, “What does Lord Wang’s misfortune have to do with Seventh Madam?”

The censors’ impeachment only mentioned the Wang family without bringing up Wang Yingxue’s promotion to primary wife. Dou Shixu had also taken this opportunity to enter the cabinet. Those in the know would smile knowingly if they thought about it carefully, but Shu’er, raised in seclusion, naturally didn’t understand these intricacies.

The maid knew even less and smiled, saying, “Perhaps she’s upset and wanted to scold her daughter a bit?”

Shu’er frowned and said, “Fourth Aunt probably isn’t in the mood to talk to me now. Let’s go back first!” Then she went to see Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao was writing a letter to her father. She exchanged a few pleasantries with Shu’er and saw her off at the second gate.

When Shu’er returned home, her mother was discussing her clothes for the trip to the capital with a tailor. Remembering Dou Zhao bent over her desk writing urgently, Shu’er felt a twinge of sadness. After the tailor left, she told her mother about what had happened.

Third Madam listened with displeasure and said, “Seventh Uncle really shouldn’t have done this. Shou Gu is only two years older than Ming’er. No matter how mature she is, she’s still just a young girl, and they’re not even born to the same mother… It’s been hard on Shou Gu these past few years, always having to cajole and comfort. It’s fortunate nothing serious has happened.” After thinking for a moment, worried that something might happen, she sent her daughter away and went to see Second Madam.

Second Madam took her hand and led her to Second Madam Dowager’s quarters. “There are only two young girls who haven’t come of age at home. We should let the Old Madam decide this matter.”

Grandmother had never been a conventional elder.

Second Madam Dowager listened and sneered, “So our Dou family is raising daughters for the Wang family now! If she wants to go back, let her go with that mother of hers!”

These words were quite harsh.

Second Madam quickly tried to smooth things over. “It’s just that there’s no one in charge at home. The Seventh Uncle still doesn’t have an heir to inherit the family business. Why don’t we find a daughter from a respectable family to serve Seventh Uncle, and let that Wang woman come back to manage the household?”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Second Madam Dowager pondered.

Second Madam quickly said, “I think we should look for someone among our relatives. We know their backgrounds, and it would be easier for everyone to interact.”

Second Madam Dowager nodded.

Second Madam then began discussing with Second Madam Dowager which family’s daughter would be suitable, as if she had come prepared.

Third Madam sat to the side, silently drinking tea.

In recent years, as they helped Shou Gu manage the family properties, their lives gradually became more comfortable, and many people were envious. The Seventh Uncle had no son, so even if half the property went to Shou Gu, there would still be a considerable estate left. Moreover, Shou Gu wouldn’t need a dowry when she married, and Dou Ming would at most give a bit more according to family custom. It was no wonder people were coveting the position.

As the two were engrossed in their discussion, Madam Liu entered with a solemn expression. “Madam Dowager, Fourth Young Miss from the Western Mansion has sent someone with a message. The Marquis of Jining has passed away.”

“Ah!” All three women in the room were stunned. Second Madam was the first to recover, volunteering, “Shou Gu is an unmarried daughter-in-law, so she should send a funeral gift. But she’s just a young girl and doesn’t understand these things. I’ll go help her.”

This unprecedented enthusiasm was surprising.

Second Madam Dowager, considering that these matters used to be handled by Third Madam, didn’t think much of it and said, “You and Third Sister-in-law can go together.”

Third Madam, thinking that with Third Madam going as well, Second Madam wouldn’t mind if she joined, also said, “I’ll go along and take a look too.”

“Alright,” Second Madam Dowager said. “The Marquis of Jining only had Wei Tingyu as his son. With the old marquis gone, he’ll have to take charge of the household. Without someone to manage the domestic affairs, the Wei family will surely send someone to discuss the wedding date. Call Old Three over; he’ll need to handle this matter.”

Both women agreed in unison. They sent someone to invite Dou Shiheng while they went to change their clothes. They then called for the Third Madam, and together they went to the Western Mansion.

Along with the news of the Marquis of Jining’s death came a letter from Chen Qushui.

He had safely arrived in the capital with Song Mo. Song Mo, being the heir of Duke of Ying’s household, had a residence on the west road of the Duke’s mansion. It was a five-courtyard compound with three rooms facing the front, and its entrance was right next to the side gate of Duke of Ying’s mansion, leading to Scissor Lane. Scissor Lane ran south to Duke of Ying’s Alley and north to Prefecture School Alley, named after the Shuntian Prefecture School located there.

Past Prefecture School Alley was Anding Gate Street, making it very convenient for coming and going. Chen Qushui was housed in a small three-room dwelling with a stepped terrace in the northeast corner of Song Mo’s garden. Song Mo had assigned two servants to attend to his daily needs. When he had free time, Chen Qushui often chatted with the two servants and learned that the Song family had few descendants. Duke Ying Song Yichun was an only child, with one cousin Song Maochun, and two younger cousins Song Fengchun and Song Tongchun, all within five generations of kinship. Among them, Fengchun was from the same grandfather.

Both Song Yichun and Song Maochun had only two sons each, Song Fengchun had one son and one daughter, and Song Tongchun had only one son. Perhaps because he was the eldest grandson of the main line, Song Mo had been favored by his grandmother—the daughter of the former Governor-General of Liangguang, Lu Zongyuan—since birth.

She had bypassed her son and gifted all her dowry to her grandson Song Mo. Song Mo owned thirteen businesses in Guangdong and over ten thousand mu of good farmland… Finally, Chen Qushui delicately informed her that a few days ago, after the Duchess of Ying had entered the palace to plead for Duke Ding, Lu Fuli, the second son of the current Minister of Transmission Lu Zongyuan, had submitted a memorial defending Duke Ding.

Dou Zhao’s anger flared, and she slammed the letter down on her desk with a loud “thwack.”

In the end, she was still young and her words carried little weight!

It didn’t matter if Duke Ding died, but what about the Japanese pirates after his death? What about the common people of Fujian? Song Mo had power, influence, and money—how could she possibly settle accounts with him?

So when the Wei family proposed that she marry within a hundred days, she couldn’t help but rebuke them: “Our Dou family isn’t some fallen noble house. We have no reason to use our daughter to gild someone else’s family.”