Dou Zhao was unaware of the events unfolding at the Tan family estate. When Chen Qushui returned to Zhending, she had instructed him to meet with her third uncle, Dou Shibang, to discuss her properties and gauge the reaction from the Eastern Dou branch.
“I met with the Third Master as we discussed,” Chen Qushui said, his expression grave. The meeting’s outcome had left him unsatisfied. “The Third Master spoke very frankly. He said Madam could send someone to take over at any time. The Third Master is straightforward, and the accounts have always been clear. He didn’t mention anything else. I had planned to bring Zhao Liangbi to the capital with me as you instructed, but seeing the Third Master’s attitude, I decided to leave Zhao Liangbi in Zhending. If anything changes, we won’t be completely in the dark.”
Dou Zhao nodded slightly, pondering, “My marriage was arranged rather hastily. Third Uncle probably didn’t expect me to send someone to discuss this matter with him so soon. He’s likely waiting for word from Huaishu Hutong before making a decision. Let’s set this aside for now. I suspect Third Uncle will contact us by the end of the month at the latest.” She added, “I’ll need you to keep a close eye on this matter.”
“Rest assured, Madam. I understand,” Chen Qushui replied, then hesitated before continuing, “I’m concerned that the senior managers might not accept Zhao Liangbi taking over the Third Master’s responsibilities…”
“Isn’t it rumored outside that Zhao Liangbi is my relative?” Dou Zhao smiled dismissively. “It’s not unreasonable for me to promote my family member, is it?”
“That’s true,” Chen Qushui conceded with a smile. “I’ve noticed Zhao Liangbi has made considerable progress over the past few years. Whether he’s a mule or a horse, we’ll have to see him in action. It all depends on whether he’s fortunate enough to handle such a large operation.”
Dou Zhao smiled, pressing her lips together.
She had confidence in Zhao Liangbi.
Even if he fell short, wasn’t Song Mo there to help?
Seeing Dou Zhao’s calm and composed demeanor, Chen Qushui realized she must have a backup plan. His anxiety subsided, and his mood lightened. He smiled, “As for your flowers and plants, I was worried about them being damaged during our journey, so I had them follow behind us at a slower pace. They should arrive in two or three days.”
Dou Zhao was surprised.
She hadn’t asked Chen Qushui to bring her plants.
Zhending was her roots.
Those flowers and plants that had accompanied her through beautiful years were left in Zhending, along with those cherished memories. Whenever she thought of them, her heart filled with warmth.
She didn’t want to disturb that warmth. Chen Qushui explained with a smile, “It was Madam Cui’s idea. She said to take good care of these plants, to let them take root, sprout, blossom, and bear fruit in the capital.”
This must be Grandmother’s wish for her, Dou Zhao thought.
Her eyes moistened slightly, and she became even more determined to find an opportunity to visit her grandmother in Zhending.
She brought up the matter of Yizhitang, “When a woman marries, she follows her husband. Now that we’ve joined Yizhitang, some things can’t be separated too clearly. Yizhitang has guards who accompany the heir or me when we go out, as well as those who patrol and stand night watch. We’ve brought over thirty people with us. At the welcome banquet earlier, with the heir present, I’m sure you couldn’t fully enjoy yourselves. Mr. Yan will certainly host a private dinner for you later. You can discuss with him then and see what arrangements he has—keeping Master Duan, Chen Xiaofeng, and a few others with me will suffice. The rest can follow Yizhitang’s arrangements.”
Chen Qushui agreed with this plan.
After they decided on who would remain by Dou Zhao’s side, Yan Chaoqing’s servant was already waiting outside. Chen Qushui left the main room and followed the servant to Yan Chaoqing’s quarters.
It was the same group of people, but without Song Mo, the atmosphere was quite different.
Everyone drank from large bowls and ate heartily, creating a lively scene.
Chen Qushui, Yan Chaoqing, and Liao Bifeng, the three scholars, held their wine cups and smiled as they watched the enthusiastic guards eating and drinking before them. They spoke softly, discussing plans.
Song Mo returned after having dinner at the Yunyang Marquis’s mansion.
Dou Zhao personally helped him change his clothes and asked, “How is Gu Yu?”
“He’s not one to stay still!” Song Mo washed up and sat on the large kang by the window. He took a sip of tea that Dou Zhao handed him, sighed contentedly, and said, “He may be under house arrest, but others aren’t—he’s now hosting gambling parties at home every day! When I went there, the Yunyang Marquis vented his frustrations to me, asking me to keep Gu Yu in check. Otherwise, he threatened to stop Gu Yu’s monthly allowance.”
Dou Zhao was shocked, “Has the Yunyang Marquis… grown old? How much is Gu Yu’s monthly allowance? He can already earn and spend money on his own. Stopping his allowance would be like scratching an itch through one’s boot—how could that be effective? However, if the Emperor learns of Gu Yu’s reckless behavior, he might be displeased. You should still advise him!”
Song Mo smiled bitterly, “All the young nobles of the capital are gathering at his place. The Yunyang Marquis is at his wit’s end.”
Dou Zhao sat beside him, also holding a cup of tea, and asked with concern, “How are his marriage prospects? Perhaps if he gets married, he’ll settle down.”
“The Empress herself has inquired about it. The match proposed by the Yunyang Marquis Heir’s wife is off,” Song Mo said, somewhat displeased. “But that woman won’t let it rest. Whenever someone comes to propose a match for Gu Yu, she says ambiguously, ‘This matter must be approved by the Empress. Why don’t you go to the palace and ask for her opinion?’ Tell me, what good family would dare marry their daughter to Gu Yu? This woman is causing too much trouble!”
The Yunyang Marquis Heir’s wife was Gu Yu’s stepmother.
Dou Zhao pondered, “Anyway, Gu Yu has grown up smoothly. It might be better if he marries later. By then, when Gu Yu can manage his household, even if the Yunyang Marquis Heir’s wife continues to be difficult, everyone will see clearly, and he’ll still have good marriage prospects.”
“That’s how I advised Gu Yu as well,” Song Mo said. “This time, I gave him a good scolding and threw all his gambling equipment into the river. I also spread the word that if anyone continues to cause trouble with Gu Yu, I’ll break their legs.”
Dou Zhao broke out in a cold sweat.
This was hardly how an older brother treated a younger brother; it was more like a father disciplining his son.
No wonder Gu Yu and Song Mo were so close in their previous life.
She sat down beside Song Mo, “I want to discuss something with you.”
Song Mo pretended to be afraid and shrank back, saying, “Tell me what it’s about first! You’re being so serious and using your feminine charms. I suspect this isn’t a simple matter. I won’t fall for it!”
Dou Zhao was taken aback and then burst into laughter.
“You rascal!” She punched him lightly. “You’re becoming more and more improper!”
“It depends on who I’m dealing with,” Song Mo said, raising an eyebrow arrogantly. “For ordinary people, I wouldn’t even bother being improper!” He grinned and embraced Dou Zhao. “First, tell me what it’s about, then we can discuss terms…” He stroked his chin, pretending to calculate gains and losses. “If the conditions are tempting, of course, everything is negotiable. If the conditions aren’t appealing… I’ll have to think it over carefully!”
“Think over your head!” Dou Zhao laughed heartily. “Quickly, do you agree or not?”
“The lioness of Hedong roars, how dare I not comply?!” Song Mo said shamelessly.
Dou Zhao punched him with her small fists, shaking her head and laughing despite herself.
After their playful banter, Dou Zhao’s expression grew slightly more serious. Leaning against Song Mo’s shoulder, she spoke softly, “Do you remember when I mentioned to you that because of my mother’s death, the Dou family allocated a portion of their assets to me as dowry before my marriage? Because our wedding was arranged so hastily, these assets weren’t listed in the dowry inventory at the time. Now that I’ve been married for over a month, I’ve been thinking it would be better if I managed these assets myself. Since my third cousin has been managing them for me, and he can’t come to the capital, I’ve chosen Zhao Liangbi to take over his responsibilities. But Zhao Liangbi is still young, and I’m worried he might not be able to handle everything. I was wondering if I could borrow Manager Zhong from you.”
Manager Zhong was Zhong Bingxiang, the head manager of Song Mo’s Guangdong Thirteen Hongs shop.
Song Mo smiled, “Why use an ox knife to kill a chicken? I’m also very good with accounts. I can help you!”
“That would be wonderful!” Dou Zhao smiled, pressing her lips together. She pulled out a thick account book from behind her and placed it in front of Song Mo with a thud. “This is the inventory of the assets under my name. Take a look so you can get an idea.”
When Song Mo saw how thick the account book was, he had a bad feeling. When Dou Zhao said it was just an inventory of assets, his mind went blank. He took the book in disbelief and started flipping through it.
Baoding Prefecture
Qingyuan County South Street: 76 shop fronts.
Qingyuan County North Street: 62 shop fronts.
Guangji Lane: One residence, 286 rooms in total.
Next to Tianwang Temple: One residence, 200 rooms in total.
Outside Huimin Gate, Xiuqiu Street: One residence, 192 rooms in total.
Farmland and ponds: 4,746 mu.
…
Taiyuan Prefecture
Yonghe Main Street: 122 shop fronts.
Outside Loyal Ministers’ Shrine Gate: 33 street-facing properties.
Chunhua Street: One residence, 79 rooms in total.
…
Ponds, mountains, and land: 14,462 mu.
…
Handan
…
Anyang
…
Liaocheng
…
As Song Mo read on, his eyes grew wider and wider. When he reached the end, he couldn’t help but look up at Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao silently sighed to herself, then nodded firmly, “These are all farmlands, mountains, ponds, rivers, forests, shops, and residences. There are also some gold and silver ornaments listed in two other ledgers.”
Song Mo had never dreamed that Dou Zhao would have so many assets.
“How is this possible?” He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Just how wealthy is the Dou family?” No wonder his father-in-law had given Dou Zhao a cartload of silver notes without batting an eye.
“This is half of the Western Dou branch’s assets,” Dou Zhao explained, realizing Song Mo’s misunderstanding. She told him the whole story from years ago. “…My uncle and aunt were afraid I’d be taken advantage of, so this ledger was made in triplicate. They have a copy too.” She caressed the bright blue cover of the ledger and said softly, “My aunt brought this especially from Qingyang…” Her eyelashes drooped, two crystal-clear tears hanging from them.
Song Mo listened, dumbfounded.
He had thought he was the most unfortunate person in the world, but compared to Dou Zhao, he felt he was already very lucky.
At least, when he was in trouble, he still had Dou Zhao.
“Shou Gu!” Song Mo held Dou Zhao tightly in his arms. “You still have me… We’ll be together forever… I promise I won’t let you be sad…”
His embrace was warm, his breath fresh like the autumn air, invigorating her spirit.
Dou Zhao took a deep breath.
“It’s all in the past. I don’t feel as bad as I did at first,” she murmured, closing her eyes and nestling into Song Mo’s embrace.