As Dou Ming alighted from the carriage, she immediately spotted her grandmother standing outside the crowd.

Grandmother looked just as she remembered: wearing a plain lilac-colored silk jacket, her jet-black hair neatly coiled into a bun, adorned with a silver lantern-shaped hairpin, and a pair of silver bracelets on her wrists. She circled the thick wintersweet tree in front of the ancestral hall steps with a composed demeanor. The scene reminded Dou Ming of many years ago when she had awakened, feeling lost and confused, only to see her grandmother casually squatting in the field, examining the growth of melons and vegetables. That sight had instantly calmed her heart.

“Grandmother!” Dou Zhao’s eyes welled up with tears, barely restraining herself from crying out loud.

While her grandfather and father were ushered into the ancestral hall by her Third Uncle, she was left in the care of Tuo Niang and Yu Zan.

The six-year-old daughter of her third cousin ran over, tugging at Tuo Niang’s pants. “Fourth Aunt, Fourth Aunt, let’s play cat’s cradle!”

In her previous life, Dou Zhao had little interaction with this niece and didn’t even know her name.

Dou Zhao mumbled a vague response.

Tuo Niang set her down, and she darted to her grandmother’s side.

Should she call her “Cui Auntie” or “Grandmother”? Dou Zhao hesitated momentarily.

She wanted to call her “Grandmother,” but feared it might cause trouble for her if others heard.

The five-year-old daughter of her fifth cousin chased after her, calling, “Fourth Aunt, Fourth Aunt!”

Hearing the commotion, Grandmother turned and saw Dou Zhao gazing at her curiously.

She smiled warmly, crouching down. “You… are you Shou Gu?”

Dou Zhao nodded, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

Grandmother, slightly startled, quickly embraced her. “Don’t cry, don’t cry!” She wiped Dou Zhao’s tears, the calluses on her fingertips slightly rough against her skin, yet comforting to her heart.

Yu Zan rushed over, looking somewhat anxious. She called out “Cui Auntie” and hastily took Dou Zhao into her arms, muttering, “The Seventh Master told us to take good care of the Fourth Young Miss…”

Dou Zhao was displeased.

A fleeting bitter smile crossed Grandmother’s lips, but she said nothing. Instead, she pulled out a large red embroidered pouch with yellow orioles from her bosom and handed it to Dou Zhao. “Here’s a snack for you!” With that, she quickly turned and left.

“Grandmother!” Dou Zhao called after her.

Her tall figure paused briefly before resolutely entering a nearby alley, heading towards the back courtyard of the ancestral hall.

Yu Zan hurriedly said, “Fourth Young Miss, please lower your voice. The Old Master doesn’t like Cui Auntie talking much with the Seventh Master or you!”

Dou Zhao smirked, feeling deeply humiliated.

If he disliked it so much, why did he father a child with Grandmother…

She wanted to find her grandmother, but the little daughter of her second cousin wouldn’t let go of her hand. “What nice thing did you get?” she asked, almost drooling.

The accompanying maid, feeling embarrassed, grabbed her waist and started walking towards Third Sister-in-law. As they walked, she apologized to Dou Zhao with a red face, “Fourth Young Miss, our little miss is just curious!”

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile, her anger dissipating somewhat.

She opened the pouch to find a small bag of dried Longan fruit inside.

Grandmother had once told her that the first time she ate a snack was on the night she was brought into the Dou family. While Grandfather and the legal Grandmother were entertaining guests outside, and the servants who were supposed to attend to her had disappeared somewhere, she sat alone on the bed. Afraid to use the toilet during the journey, she hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since getting up. Hungry and thirsty, she dared not move. By chance, she found two Longan fruits on the bed. Not knowing what they were, she bit through the shell and quickly stuffed them into her mouth… Since then, Grandmother had always believed longan was the most delicious thing in the world.

Whenever Dou Zhao fell ill or had an accident, Grandmother would comfort her with longan or dried longan.

The pouch still retained the warmth of Grandmother’s body.

Had Grandmother prepared this pouch early, waiting for a chance to give it to her?

Dou Zhao slowly peeled a longan and gently placed it in her mouth.

Its sweet and refreshing taste slid from her throat to her heart.

She struggled out of Yu Zan’s arms and dashed to the flower hall in the back courtyard.

The women of the Dou family were gathered around the Second Madam, chatting.

Dou Zhao immediately spotted her grandmother sitting alone by the fire in a corner of the flower hall.

She tossed a longan seed into the fire basin.

The fire flared up with a “poof,” startling Grandmother, who looked around to find the source.

Dou Zhao waved her little hand at her, then turned and hid behind a holly tree at the back of the flower hall.

Soon, Grandmother came out, standing on the steps and looking around.

Dou Zhao stood up.

Grandmother smiled at her affectionately, shaking her head helplessly as she walked over in two quick strides.

Dou Zhao asked her, “Are you my grandmother?”

Grandmother crouched down, gently stroking her head. “No, I’m your Auntie Cui.”

Dou Zhao’s heart ached, but she held back her tears. “Then can you let me visit the farm in a few days?”

Grandmother’s hand froze slightly. After a moment, she said, “The farm is dusty everywhere. It’s not fun.”

“Can I come see you then?” Dou Zhao persisted.

“I have to work in the fields. If you come to see me, I won’t have time to play with you,” Grandmother refused her again.

She threw herself into Grandmother’s arms, hugging her neck tightly.

Was this the price she had to pay for changing her fate?

From now on, those warm memories of their life together in her previous life would be hers alone…

Dou Zhao’s hot tears fell silently on Grandmother’s shoulder.

Or perhaps she could take the initiative to live on the farm?

But before that, she had to resolve the matter with Wang Yingxue!

Dou Zhao pondered in her heart.

The Spring Festival passed quickly.

Grandmother sent Dou Zhao a sack of elm flower buds, saying they could be stir-fried with eggs for her to eat, which would clear heat and moisten the lungs.

This was the first time Grandmother had sent anything to the Dou family in the city.

When Grandfather found out, he flew into a rage: “Who allowed her to send this? Throw it all away, throw it away!”

Dou Zhao arrived after receiving the news, just as the steward was carrying the sack of elm flower buds out of the second gate.

She rushed forward and hugged the sack. “I want to eat stir-fried eggs, I want to eat stir-fried eggs.”

The steward dared not throw it away, nor could he forcibly drive Dou Zhao away.

Dou Zhao made a big fuss, alarming Dou Shiying.

After pondering for a while, Dou Shiying instructed the steward: “Take this sack of elm flower buds to the kitchen.”

The steward breathed a sigh of relief.

Dou Shiying took Dou Zhao back to his study.

Dou Zhao thought her father would say something to her, but he spent the entire day practicing calligraphy at his desk, not even eating lunch.

Wang Yingxue brought Dou Ming over.

Dou Ming giggled, trying to grab Dou Shiying’s brush.

Dou Shiying smiled and took Dou Ming into his arms.

Wang Yingxue asked softly, “Does the Seventh Master have something on his mind? Would you like to share it with me?”

After a moment of silence, Dou Shiying said quietly, “It’s nothing.”

Wang Yingxue didn’t press further. She smiled and said, “I remember the Seventh Master likes the oil-splashed noodles I make. Shall I go to the kitchen and make you a bowl?”

“No need,” Dou Shiying replied glumly. “It’s almost time for dinner.”

“It won’t take long!” Wang Yingxue insisted, not allowing her father to refuse. She instructed the wet nurse to watch Dou Ming carefully, then hurried off to the small kitchen.

Dou Zhao, practicing calligraphy in the study, smirked slightly.

Her father brought Dou Ming over to her. “Shou Gu, don’t you think your sister is pretty?”

“No, she’s not,” Dou Zhao said expressionlessly.

Her father was taken aback.

Dou Zhao asked her father with a straight face, “Is my sister prettier than me?”

Her father was stunned, then burst into laughter. “No, no. Our Shou Gu is the prettiest.” He handed Dou Zhao to the wet nurse beside him, pinched her little face, and said, “Your temperament takes after your mother.” After saying this, as if remembering something, he sighed deeply, his expression suddenly gloomy. “Practice your calligraphy well. I’m going out for a walk.”

When Wang Yingxue returned with a bowl of noodles, smiling, she only saw Dou Ming sound asleep in the wet nurse’s arms.

Wang Yingxue’s face darkened slightly.

Dou Zhao, however, felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.

Wang Yingxue had too many opportunities.

And her father, like Wei Tingyu, couldn’t be relied upon in such matters.

If Wang Yingxue were to become pregnant with Dou Xiao now, the three-year mourning period for her mother would become a joke, and the marriages arranged with other families would surely fall through.

When news of Wang Xingyi’s reinstatement arrived, with Wang Yingxue having the support of the Wang family, the Dou family would surely reconsider their position. The Dou family already had a rift with the Zhao family, and her uncle was only a seventh-rank county magistrate. Even if the Dou family didn’t agree to elevate Wang Yingxue’s status, her uncle wouldn’t be grateful to the Dou family at all. The Wang family, on the other hand, was different. If the Dou family acknowledged Wang Yingxue, the Wang family would be nothing but grateful, and the Dou family would gain a powerful ally in court.

The choice the Dou family would make was clear.

Unless Wang Xingyi failed to be reinstated, or if he wasn’t reappointed to an important position after his reinstatement!

Dou Zhao tried hard to recall what had happened in her previous life.

Wang Xingyi’s reinstatement relied on the support of his former superior, Zeng Yifen.

If Zeng Yifen didn’t recommend Wang Xingyi, he naturally wouldn’t have a chance.

But how could she prevent Zeng Yifen from doing so?

Dou Zhao bit her nails.

She realized that not only was she a child now, but even if she were still the Marchioness of Jining from before, she would certainly have no way to influence this.

Dou Zhao was extremely troubled.

She asked Dou Huanchang, “Do you know Zeng Yifen?”

Dou Huanchang thought for a long time, then shook his head apologetically, asking in confusion, “Why are you asking about this person?”

“I heard Father say he’s very powerful, so I wanted to know who he is.”

“Why don’t we go ask Zhi’er?” Dou Huanchang suggested shyly. “He knows many people, maybe he’s heard of this person!”

Dou Zhao followed Dou Huanchang to the East Dou residence.

The adults assumed she was just visiting.

The Second Madam, First Aunt, Third Aunt, and Sixth Aunt all gave her many treats.

Dou Huanchang led her to the study and sent a servant to call for Dou Qijun.

Dou Qijun ran in wearing a coarse short jacket, his forehead covered in sweat.

Dou Huanchang was shocked: “What have you been doing again?”

Dou Qijun grinned, picked up the water jug from the table, poured himself a cup of cold water, and drank it in one gulp. Then he said, “Ninth Uncle, never mind what I’ve been doing. Just tell me why you’re looking for me.”

Dou Huanchang asked him, “Do you know a person called Zeng Yifen?”

Dou Qijun’s eyes lit up. “You know about Zeng Yifen too? He was the Fifth Great-uncle’s superior officer. He’s a very powerful man who has served under four emperors, falling from grace and rising again three times without being destroyed! He was recently summoned into the palace by the Emperor and is now the Prime Minister. As the saying goes, ‘New emperor, new ministers’ – this time, Fifth Great-uncle is likely to be transferred…”

Dou Zhao smiled bitterly.

Wang Xingyi would probably be transferred too!