Caishu smiled as she helped Dou Zhao place the tracing paper over the calligraphy model. She then picked up a fan and gently waved it for her.
“Sister Caishu,” Dou Zhao said with a smile, “it’s so hot today. Why don’t you go to rest? Tuo Niang can attend to me here. I can’t concentrate with you around.”
Caishu suppressed a smile and replied, “Alright, I’ll wait outside the door. Just call if you need anything.”
Dou Zhao nodded with a grin and quietly instructed Tuo Niang, “Stand by the door and cough once if anyone comes.”
Tuo Niang nodded and tiptoed to the study door, listening intently for any movement outside.
Dou Zhao took out a sheet of paper and wrote a letter to her uncle: “…The Second Madam says that if Wang Yiniang is made the official wife, her father won’t compete with Fifth Uncle for the party leadership. If you don’t write a letter of consent, she’ll have me file a complaint against Wang Yiniang when I’m older.”
Though it was just a few sentences, her lack of strength meant it took nearly two incense sticks’ worth of time to write. Fortunately, her handwriting remained fairly neat.
After absorbing the excess ink with fine sand, Dou Zhao folded the paper into a small note. She beckoned to Tuo Niang and whispered, “Do you remember the address Nanny Peng had you memorized?”
“Yes,” Tuo Niang whispered back, reciting it quietly.
Dou Zhao nodded approvingly and handed her the note. “Later, ask Sixth Aunt for leave…”
She explained her plan to Tuo Niang.
Tuo Niang nodded repeatedly. “Don’t worry, I’ll cause a commotion.” Then, pointing at the small note, she reminded Dou Zhao, “Fourth Young Miss, sending one letter costs ten taels of silver. They charge the same whether it’s a small note or ten pages. Why not write more? It would be more cost-effective.”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile, then sighed, “If Uncle still doesn’t understand what to do and just keeps antagonizing the Dou and Wang families, writing more won’t help. It’s better to remove him from the situation now, rather than let those self-righteous, cunning people have their way.”
Tuo Niang didn’t understand.
“Just follow my instructions,” Dou Zhao said with a smile. “Don’t worry about the rest.”
Tuo Niang carefully hid the note close to her body. After serving Dou Zhao lunch, she asked Madam Ji to leave as instructed: “The Young Miss wants me to fetch her favorite orchid pillow from home.”
Madam Ji told Caishu to call a carriage to accompany her.
“No need, no need,” Tuo Niang hurriedly said. “It’s just a short trip. I can walk there.” She refused repeatedly.
Madam Ji grew suspicious.
However, she usually preferred not to meddle. She nodded with a smile, then looked up to see Dou Zhao writing diligently, her small face flushed with heat.
The child sat perfectly straight as instructed, focused and careful, without a hint of laziness.
Madam Ji’s heart softened for a moment.
If it were Zhi’er, he would have probably thrown himself into her arms, whining by now.
A motherless child is like a blade of grass, enduring hardships without complaint.
Contrary to her usual demeanor, as soon as Tuo Niang turned away, she called over a maid named Caiwei and whispered, “Go and see what this Suxin is up to.”
Caiwei left immediately.
Madam Ji sat beside Dou Zhao, watching her trace characters and occasionally offering advice.
After completing two large characters, Madam Ji had Caishu bring in some mung bean soup. “Shou Gu, take a break and cool down.”
Dou Zhao was indeed tired. As she sat drinking the soup with Madam Ji, Sixth Uncle returned.
Before Sixth Aunt could even greet him, Sixth Uncle said sternly, “Everyone serving in this room, go wait in the outer courtyard.”
There was a rustle of movement, and soon only Dou Shiheng, Madam Ji, and Dou Zhao remained.
This was when being a child had its advantages.
Sixth Uncle absent-mindedly patted Dou Zhao’s head and spoke directly to Sixth Aunt: “The families have invited Scholar Zhou to intervene and return Seventh Brother’s betrothal gifts. Mother and Little Uncle are still at an impasse. The third Brother asked me to assess the situation first. Don’t wait for me for dinner.”
So quickly! Dou Zhao was surprised.
The sixth Aunt was also shocked. “Why did the families suddenly decide to break off the engagement?”
“Wang family’s Second Madam Pang gathered her brothers to make a scene at the Zhu family. Scholar Zhu couldn’t bear the embarrassment and shut his doors. As soon as the Pang family left, he went to the prefecture overnight to invite Scholar Zhou.” Sixth Uncle sighed. “Scholar Zhou and Scholar Zhu are good friends. It seems Scholar Zhu is determined to break off the engagement.”
“Then you’d better go quickly!” Sixth Aunt frowned. “It’s best if the engagement isn’t broken. Otherwise, the Wang family will cause even more trouble.”
“I think so too,” Sixth Uncle said. “I’ve already sent a steward to find Old Master Pang. If he continues to make trouble without understanding the consequences, he won’t be able to do business in Zhili anymore.”
The Sixth Aunt agreed with the Sixth Uncle’s idea. “Be careful not to give anyone any leverage against us.” She gave Sixth Uncle a few more reminders before seeing him out.
Dou Zhao slowly sipped her mung bean soup, watching Sixth Aunt stand lost in thought in the courtyard for a while after Sixth Uncle left before returning to the room.
“Shou Gu, would you like to go visit with me?” Sixth Aunt asked her, just as Caiwei returned.
“Sixth Madam,” she reported quietly, “Suxin returned to the West Compound and got into an argument with Fourth Young Miss’s other senior maid, Yuzhan. From what I heard, she wanted to inventory everything in Fourth Young Miss’s room. Yuzhan accused her of meddling, and Suxin called Yuzhan a thief. They ended up fighting… I didn’t dare stay longer and hurried back.”
Dou Zhao had only told her to cause a commotion and use the opportunity to inform Madam Ji about Yuzhan’s theft. She hadn’t expected Yuzhan to react so strongly that they would end up fighting.
However, Tuo Niang was stronger, and Yuzhan was no match for her. Moreover, since Tuo Niang had accompanied her to the East Compound, even if Nanny Yu found out, she wouldn’t dare keep Tuo Niang in the West Compound, let alone punish her. Otherwise, the truth about Yuzhan stealing from her room to curry favor with Daqing’s wife would be exposed.
When servants dared to bully their masters, the ladies of the East Compound couldn’t let it slide, if only to make an example. At that point, it wouldn’t be a matter of just a few lashes and dismissal from the household.
Dou Zhao wasn’t worried.
Madam Ji immediately understood the situation.
Her expression changed dramatically. “Keep quiet about this. As soon as Suxin returns, inform me immediately.”
Caiwei acknowledged and withdrew.
Madam Ji acted as if nothing had happened, taking out a copy of the “Three Character Classic” and began teaching Dou Zhao to recite it.
As the sun was setting, Tuo Niang returned, pretending to carry an orchid pillow.
Madam Ji asked her directly, “You fought with Yuzhan. What did Nanny Yu say?”
Tuo Niang mumbled for a while, appearing unsure of how to respond.
Madam Ji didn’t press further. Instead, she mused, “I can’t intervene in this matter directly. However, you could write to Shou Gu’s maternal aunt and ask her to request help from any of the ladies in our household. I’m sure none of them would stand by and let Shou Gu be bullied like this. As for Yuzhan, tomorrow morning, tell Nanny Yu that Fourth Young Miss is used to her maids and that I need help packing for Sixth Master these days. Ask her to come over and lend a hand. I have my plans.”
Seeing that events had unfolded exactly as Dou Zhao had predicted, Tuo Niang couldn’t contain her joy and broke into a wide grin.
Madam Ji smiled along with her and said, “You’re honest and loyal. I like that. If you continue to serve Shou Gu well, good days are ahead for you.”
Tuo Niang felt that her current life was already very good, but being praised by the Sixth Madam was still something to be happy about.
She nodded repeatedly, her smile growing even brighter.
Seeing that the sun had set, Madam Ji thought Dou Zhao had been cooped up inside all day and took her hand to stroll in the courtyard, casually pointing out the various flowers and plants to Dou Zhao.
The Second, Third, and Fifth Sisters-in-law came together to see Dou Zhao.
As Madam Ji was instructing the maids to set out fruits, Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang returned from their studies, accompanied by the tall, fair Dou Huanchang and the radiant Dou Qijun.
“We’ve come to see Fourth Sister (Fourth Aunt),” they said.
Madam Ji praised them both generously.
The Third Sister-in-law beamed with pride, unable to stop smiling as she held her son’s hand.
Dou Huanchang greeted Dou Zhao with a gentle smile. “Fourth Sister, are you comfortable here? Is the East Compound fun?”
Dou Zhao had no intention of building relationships with them and simply smiled shyly in response.
The younger generation of the East Compound all had dinner in the Sixth House.
That evening, the Sixth Uncle didn’t return, but Grandfather rushed back.
The next day at noon, news came that the Zhu family and the Dou family had dissolved their engagement.
Dou Zhao didn’t feel it was a pity.
For a woman to think a man is good simply because he’s willing to observe a three-year mourning period for his wife shows quite limited insight.
She snorted softly, quickly putting the matter out of her mind, not considering the deeper reasons behind it. In her heart, her mother was a woman as pure as water and as fierce as fire. In this world, no woman could be more genuine and pure than her mother, nor could anyone take her place.
Dou Zhao asked about Tuo Niang’s whereabouts.
Cailan smiled and told her, “Suxin went to Zhending Prefecture with Steward Wang. They’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.”
According to Dou Zhao’s calculations, after learning of this, Madam Ji would surely help her quietly. To avoid drawing attention from the Dou family, she would most likely entrust the Ji family’s shop in Zhending Prefecture to help send the letter, and Steward Wang was precisely Madam Ji’s attendant.
She smiled to herself.
Yuzhan nervously entered with a bundle, following Caiwei.
Dou Zhao was tracing characters, and Madam Ji sat beside her as if she hadn’t heard the announcement. Without even lifting her eyes, she fanned Dou Zhao while praising her writing in a low voice. She left Yuzhan standing there for nearly half an hour. After Dou Zhao finished tracing, Madam Ji personally helped her clean her hands and fed her a few spoonfuls of lotus seed soup that the maids had brought. Only then did she say, “Are you Yuzhan, who serves Fourth Young Miss?” as if she had just noticed her.
Yuzhan’s legs were shaking, her clothes soaked with sweat, but she didn’t dare move. Hearing Madam Ji’s question, she quickly replied, “In response to Sixth Madam, this servant is indeed Yuzhan.” Her attitude was extremely respectful.
However, Madam Ji merely said casually, “You may go,” and then turned back to Dou Zhao with a smile, scooping up another spoonful of lotus seed soup. She patiently coaxed, “Our Shou Gu is so good, she’s almost finished a whole bowl of lotus seed soup!”
Since when had the ladies of the East Compound become so close to Seventh Madam?
Seventh Madam was gone, yet they still treasured Fourth Young Miss like a precious jewel.
Yuzhan watched, bewildered for a moment.
A maid had already come forward to gently tug at her sleeve. “Hurry and withdraw.”
She came to her senses and hurriedly left the inner room, hearing someone’s low mockery as she left: “Didn’t she say she served the former Seventh Madam? How come she looks so dull-witted to me? Could she have snuck in under pretenses?”