Dou Zhao was oblivious to the conversation between Wang Yingxue and her sisters-in-law. Her father, Dou Shiying, had taken her fishing.
In June, Zhending was still sweltering. However, the breeze flowing through the bamboo curtains of the moving carriage provided a pleasant respite from the heat.
High Sheng, her father’s attendant, acted as the coachman this time. As he drove, he chatted with her father, “…It’s been two years since we last went fishing together. The wild kudzu on the mountain was so tender and sweet. I haven’t tasted such delicious wild kudzu since. But I’m afraid we won’t be able to eat any this time, as it’s not the right season.”
“However, there’s wild mugwort growing halfway up the mountain,” her father replied with a smile. “We can pick some to make mugwort tea or porridge when we return. It’s excellent for clearing heat and reducing inflammation.”
Dou Zhao, noticing only three people in the carriage, asked curiously, “Father, why didn’t you bring along some servants? They could have helped us with tasks.”
High Sheng chuckled and focused on driving the carriage.
Her father simply patted her head without responding.
It seemed as if she had said something wrong.
Dou Zhao felt slightly perplexed. As she looked around, she realized the scenery looked oddly familiar.
She peered out of the carriage window.
Vast fields of sorghum stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with small, quaint farmhouses. In the distance, verdant hills rose and fell, while rows of lush poplar trees occasionally lined both sides of the road.
Wait, isn’t this the road to Grandmother’s country estate? Dou Zhao turned to her father, bewildered.
Her father, mistaking her surprise for awe at the scenery, pointed at the sorghum fields with a smile. “See those yellow tassels? That’s sorghum. I’ll ask High Sheng to check if they’re ripe. If so, we can pick a few to roast on the mountain.”
High Sheng chuckled again.
Dou Zhao remained noncommittal.
The carriage soon turned onto a side road, passing through a sorghum field towards a small hill.
Inexplicably, Dou Zhao felt relieved.
This sorghum field belonged to the Lang family. Grandmother’s estate was next door to the Langs, separated by a tall bluestone boundary marker carved with a large “Dou” character.
Soon, the carriage stopped, and they disembarked. High Sheng tethered the horse and followed behind them, carrying the fishing gear.
As they rounded an old pine tree, Dou Zhao heard the gentle sound of flowing water.
Her expression became somewhat strange.
She knew this place all too well.
It was a small river at the border between the Lang and Dou properties. The water was crystal clear, revealing the pebbles on the shallow riverbed. Every June, small silverfish resembling shuttles would come to the riverbank to feed on the green grass. She often rolled up her trousers and joined the local children in catching fish with nets.
Across the river was a slope where three wild peach trees grew in a triangular formation. In early spring, they would bloom with delicate pink flowers, creating a beautiful sight. By summer, the trees would bear small, green peaches, too bitter and astringent to eat. During this time, they would go to the hollow near the peach trees to gather wild vegetables: pearlwort, okra, wood sorrel, alfalfa… In spring, they picked tender leaves for dishes; in summer, they collected fruits to sell to Zhending’s apothecaries, earning a few coppers to supplement their families income. This always earned praise from the adults and a couple of coins to buy snacks.
Of course, Dou Zhao didn’t need to do this for pocket money, but she always had two maids following her like little tails. The maids would pick wild vegetables or fruits, which she shared with her companions. Over time, everyone grew to enjoy playing with her more and more.
How did Father know about this place?
Dou Zhao’s mind was in a whirl. When she came to her senses, she found herself standing with her father under a large locust tree by the small stream.
High Sheng set up folding stools under the locust tree and laid out cold tea.
Father led Dou Zhao to sit on the stools under the tree.
High Sheng chose a spot rich with aquatic plants, took out his fishing rod, baited the hook, and began to fish.
Is this what Father meant by fishing?
Dou Zhao was speechless.
Her father, however, leisurely sipped his tea and cautioned her, “Don’t go out in the sun. Be careful not to get sunburned.”
Dou Zhao gazed boredly at the green peaches across the river.
The wind rustled through the branches, causing the peaches to sway.
Her father remarked, “Those peaches are bitter and astringent, inedible. Next spring, I’ll have someone buy you some honey peaches from the capital when they visit Zhending Prefecture.”
He even knows about that!
Dou Zhao’s eyes widened in surprise.
Meanwhile, High Sheng had caught a small fish.
He tossed it into a small bucket and said with a smile, “At this rate, the Seventh Master and Fourth Young Miss will have fish for dinner tonight!”
Father laughed, “Today, we’ll go to the Bao family for a meal!”
High Sheng let out a puzzled “Oh,” but didn’t inquire further.
Dou Zhao, however, had no such reservations. “Why are we going to the Feng family for a meal?”
Father hesitated for a moment before explaining with a smile, “Concubine Wang’s sisters-in-law have come to visit. Their family’s circumstances have changed, and they have some connection with your Fifth Brother. By rights, I should entertain them properly. However, since Concubine Wang is a concubine, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to host them directly. We’ll have dinner at your Uncle Feng’s house and return afterward. By then, they should have gone back to Nanwa.”
So that’s why we’ve come fishing on such a hot day!
Dou Zhao suddenly understood.
Father suggested, “Come, let’s go up the hillside and take a look!” He picked up Dou Zhao and climbed to the top of the slope.
From there, Grandmother’s house was visible. Dou Zhao could even see Grandmother standing in the front courtyard, talking to a maidservant.
Dou Zhao was astonished.
Whether it was her imagination or not, Grandmother seemed to sense their presence and kept looking in their direction.
Dou Zhao turned back.
Father was gazing intently at Grandmother’s house, his expression serious.
Dou Zhao’s mind buzzed.
So, this was how Father had been expressing his longing for Grandmother all along.
She had never known!
What other secrets did Father have?
As Dou Zhao pondered this, she heard her father murmuring to himself, “I was nine when I learned I wasn’t born to my mother. I just wanted to know what kind of person my birth mother was. I didn’t want to hurt Mother’s feelings, but thinking of her living alone on this estate for so many years makes my heart ache…”
She felt a lump in her throat.
Was this why she had been sent to the estate in her previous life?
That day, Father had told Wang Yingxue he needed a legitimate son.
Was this why Dou Xiao had been born in her previous life?
In her past life, Father had only two concubines and rarely spent the night in their chambers. She had thought it was because Father favored Wang Yingxue, but now it seemed that despite being in his prime, Father and Wang Yingxue had only had Dou Ming and Dou Xiao…
She wanted to ask Father about all this.
But none of it had happened in this life.
Her mind was in turmoil.
Madam Gao’s mind was equally chaotic.
She knew Madam Pang was cunning and spoke without propriety, but she never imagined she would say such things. Even more surprising was the Young Miss’s apparent interest in the idea.
Unable to contain her anger, she scolded Madam Pang harshly, “Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you. What you’re suggesting is too…” She wanted to say “shameless,” but considering they would still have to live together, she reluctantly changed her words to, “…too much!”
Seeing Madam Gao’s change in expression, Pang Yulou was secretly pleased. She spoke with barbed words, “Sister-in-law, I’m not like you, well-versed in the classics and full of lofty principles. I only know that if one doesn’t look out for oneself, heaven and earth will punish them! Why has our Young Miss ended up in such a situation? Isn’t it all for the sake of our family?
Now that our family’s fortunes have improved slightly, what, are you ashamed of the Young Miss and turning your back on her? I could never do such a thing! I know one must be grateful. Back when the Young Miss, as an unmarried girl, had to put herself out there for the family’s livelihood, wasn’t everyone pointing fingers and gossiping behind our backs? Why didn’t you step up then to talk about propriety and shame? In the end, it’s because you all relied on the Young Miss for your livelihoods…”
Madam Gao glanced at Wang Yingxue and saw her nodding almost imperceptibly.
She felt as if she had been plunged into icy water, a chill running through her heart.
“Silence!” Madam Gao shouted, cutting off Pang Yulou’s words. “Earning one’s living through honest work is righteous and above reproach. Why fear the gossip of petty people? Master Dou is already engaged. For you to try to sabotage the marriage between the Dou and Zhu families for your selfish reasons is despicable and worthy of everyone’s contempt. How can you even compare the two situations…”
Pang Yulou sneered, “What’s selfish? What’s selfless? Is wanting to eat well, dress well, and live well selfish? Is giving everything you have to others selfless? Is our Young Miss less beautiful than the Zhu family’s fifth daughter? Is her background inferior? Besides, it was Dou Shiying who deceived the Young Miss, saying he wasn’t married. That’s why she was careless and fell for his tricks. Why can’t she be elevated to the status of a proper wife? Why can’t she take back what rightfully belongs to her? Sister-in-law, don’t forget that you’re from the Wang family. It was for the sake of your son’s medicine that the Young Miss met Dou Shiying in the first place!”
Madam Gao’s face turned pale, her chest heaving violently. For a long while, she couldn’t utter a word.
“Young Miss, I support you in this matter,” Pang Yulou sat at the bedside, immediately adopting a gentle demeanor to comfort Wang Yingxue. “Those who haven’t eaten your food or drunk your wine criticizing you is to be expected. But those who have benefited from you and still hypocritically condemn you are even more vicious than outsiders…”
“Second Sister-in-law!” Wang Yingxue cried, leaning on Pang Yulou’s shoulder.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry,” Pang Yulou took out a handkerchief to wipe Wang Yingxue’s tears. “Listen to me, I promise to make the Zhu family break off the engagement willingly…”
Madam Gao closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, her expression much calmer.
She called out softly, “Yingxue,” and said, “I wronged you back then, and I apologize. I’ve been married into the Wang family for so many years, and while I’m said to be managing the household, the truth is that without you, I couldn’t have kept this family going. You’ve always been clever, and there are some things I don’t need to spell out for you to understand. For a concubine to be elevated to the status of a proper wife, the Zhao family would need to write a letter of consent.
Given how strained things are between the Dou and Zhao families, how could the Zhao family possibly agree to write such a letter? Moreover, you’ve seen the Dou family’s attitude. If they had any intention of elevating your status, they could have used the Zhu family’s refusal to set a wedding date as an opportunity to break off the engagement. Why would they wait until now? Besides, the Zhu family is not an insignificant household. The Dou family can’t afford to offend them for our sake. Although Father has been reinstated, he’s only a minor seventh-rank county magistrate. You need to think carefully about what to do next.”
Wang Yingxue, still leaning on Pang Yulou’s shoulder, said softly, “Sister-in-law, didn’t you always tell me that some things, you have to try to know?”
Madam Gao felt suffocated. Finally, she said, “Think it over carefully,” and left in a huff.