Madam Six hesitated, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
Dou Zhao asked, “Are you worried about gossip from the East Dou branch?”
Madam Six had been virtuous her entire life. Now in her old age, she feared being seen as greedy and heartless due to her son’s adoption. The thought must pain her deeply.
Unexpectedly, Madam Six shook her head and said softly, “Even if your Twelfth Brother is adopted into the West Dou branch, isn’t he still a descendant of the Dou family? The elders see further and deeper, they may not object. I just feel your father is still young and may have his children in the future. The best solution would be for your father to take a concubine or a maidservant…” Her voice trailed off.
Dou Zhao understood Madam Six’s meaning.
Since Dou Ming’s fallout with her father, he had been disappointed and barely kept in touch with Dou Ming. Now, only she could speak to her father.
If Dou Dechang was adopted and her father passed away without leaving a will, by law, Dou Dechang would inherit half of the West Dou branch’s property. The remaining half would be split between Dou Zhao and Dou Ming. The East Dou branch would naturally be pleased with this outcome.
However, the Sixth Uncle and Aunt still hoped her father could have his heir.
But her birth mother had committed suicide because her father took a concubine. Sixth Aunt wanted her to persuade her father but couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Dou Zhao appreciated Sixth Aunt’s good intentions. She thought about how her mother had been gone for so many years, and her father had been alone all this time. If he could let go of the past and start anew, it might not be a bad thing.
She smiled and said, “I’ll ask father what he thinks.”
Madam Six sighed in relief, gently patting her hand. “If you can let go of the past, I can rest easy.”
Although Dou Zhao knew this was the right thing to do, she still felt a bit dejected. When she met Miao Ansu, her mind was elsewhere.
Miao Ansu secretly wondered what had happened. After several failed attempts to probe, she was about to try again when Dou Zhao’s eldest sister-in-law Madam Wen, sixth sister-in-law Madam Guo, and tenth sister-in-law Madam Cai arrived to offer congratulations.
Seeing Madam Ji, and Madam Six, they all came forward to pay their respects and then teased Dou Zhao, demanding she treat them to a bird’s nest soup feast.
Dou Zhao smiled and agreed. Soon after, Lady An, wife of the Marquis of Yan’an’s heir, and Third Madam Feng from Duke Jing’s household arrived together.
Madam Cai, always sociable, especially since she had met Lady An and Madam Feng before, joked during greetings, “I didn’t expect you two to come together.”
Lady An smiled without responding.
Madam Feng explained, “We met on the way here.”
Before she finished speaking, a young maid entered to announce that three ladies from the Lu family had arrived together.
Everyone went to greet them warmly.
The room soon filled with laughter and chatter.
Miao Ansu had to keep her curiosity to herself.
That night, Dou Zhao tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Song Mo held her in his arms, kissing her forehead. “Let’s go to the temple another day to offer incense for your mother. We’ll pray that she no longer worries about worldly affairs and can peacefully reincarnate, hopefully into a life of prosperity and happiness.”
The warmth of his embrace eased the inexplicable sadness in Dou Zhao’s heart.
She chuckled, “Perhaps Mother has already reincarnated!”
“Indeed,” Song Mo seized the opportunity to counsel her, “So while we’re still struggling in this world, let’s not make things difficult for ourselves.”
Dou Zhao remained silent.
Suddenly, Song Mo bit her chest.
Dou Zhao was startled.
With only a thin layer of clothing between them, she felt a sharp pain in her chest.
“Have you gone mad?” she asked, pushing him away in mild anger.
“Let’s do something to cheer you up,” Song Mo said nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow and grinning mischievously as his hand slipped inside her clothes.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “Your hand is so cold, take it out quickly.”
“Really?” Song Mo nibbled her ear, “That’s good, help me warm it up…”
Soon, the room filled with sounds that would make one blush…
The next day when Dou Zhao woke up, Song Mo had already left for the office. She stretched her slightly sore body, feeling much better.
She instructed Duan Gongyi to offer incense at the Great Xiangguo Temple tomorrow.
After marrying into Duke Ying’s household, Dou Zhao lit a perpetual lamp for her mother at the Great Xiangguo Temple.
Duan Gongyi quickly arranged everything.
Song Mo suggested she wait a couple of days: “I’ll have time after these busy days.”
With Shao Wenji suddenly thrown into the imperial prison without any work handover, Song Mo had to ask people from the Ministry of War and Ministry of Personnel to witness the inventory of the Imperial Guard’s belongings. He also had to prevent the exposure of the Imperial Guard’s small private fund, keeping him extremely busy.
“I’m just going to offer incense, not sightseeing,” Dou Zhao smiled. “You rarely get to rest, I want to save your days off for us to go out together.”
Song Mo was touched by her words.
He repeatedly instructed Jiang Yan to take good care of Dou Zhao and asked Xia Lian to accompany her to the Great Xiangguo Temple.
Jiang Yan nodded repeatedly, extremely nervous, constantly asking, “Sister-in-law, did you bring a cloak?” “Sister-in-law, did you pack salted green plums for the road?” “Sister-in-law, are we going by carriage or sedan chair?” She was acting like a little housekeeper.
Dou Zhao couldn’t stop laughing. She pulled Jiang Yan to sit beside her and said, “The nannies will arrange these things. You just need to come with me to relax. That’s what your brother meant too.”
Jiang Yan smiled sheepishly.
The two went to offer incense at the Great Xiangguo Temple.
The abbot of the Great Xiangguo Temple personally came out to welcome them.
Kneeling before the Guanyin Bodhisattva of Great Mercy, Dou Zhao’s tears suddenly began to flow.
The abbot, having seen many aggrieved women from noble households, pretended not to notice.
Dou Zhao wiped away her tears and stood in the main hall for a while. Once her emotions settled, she left the main hall.
The abbot invited Dou Zhao to stay for a vegetarian meal at the temple.
Dou Zhao politely declined.
She decided to go to Jing’an Temple Alley in the afternoon.
As she walked down the steps, she encountered Ji Yong.
Ji Yong wore a gray Taoist robe with a bamboo hairpin, looking otherworldly as he walked alongside a handsome monk, speaking in low voices.
Dou Zhao was surprised.
The person walking beside Ji Yong was De Fu.
How did these two end up together? Dou Zhao wondered to herself.
Ji Yong suddenly looked up in her direction as if sensing something.
Seeing Dou Zhao, a gentle smile immediately appeared in his eyes.
He whispered a few words to De Fu, who also looked up and examined Dou Zhao with a curious gaze. They walked over together.
Dou Zhao greeted Ji Yong and introduced Jiang Yan to him.
Jiang Yan, blushing and lowering her head, quickly curtsied to Ji Yong.
Ji Yong glanced at her and said to Dou Zhao, “Is this Song Yantang’s sister who was switched at birth?”
Dou Zhao coughed.
Ji Yong laughed and said, “Don’t try to hide it, the whole capital is talking about it…” He was as unrestrained and carefree as ever.
Dou Zhao interrupted him: “How am I hiding it? At least people know we don’t want to talk about this matter.”
Ji Yong hadn’t seen Dou Zhao for a long time and didn’t want to argue with her. He mumbled in agreement, considering the topic closed.
De Fu, who had already greeted the abbot, looked slightly surprised. He put his palms together and bowed to Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao and Jiang Yan hurriedly curtsied in return.
Ji Yong then asked Dou Zhao, “Why did Song Yantang let you come to the Great Xiangguo Temple alone to offer incense? Where’s your son? I heard his milk name is Yuan’er. When he turned a month old, I was on an imperial mission in Fujian, so I asked my aunt to bring a longevity lock for Yuan’er. It was blessed by an enlightened monk from Mount Putuo. You should hang it by his bed to ward off evil!”
Dou Zhao broke into a cold sweat.
In front of the abbot of the Great Xiangguo Temple and De Fu, he was telling her that a longevity lock blessed by an enlightened monk from Mount Putuo could ward off evil. This was like praising Li Po’s melons in front of Wang Po’s melon stand…
She quickly glanced at the abbot and De Fu, but found them unperturbed, as if they hadn’t heard anything.
What was going on?
Dou Zhao’s mind was a bit confused, so she just asked, “What were you doing in Fujian? Did everything go smoothly?”
Ji Yong replied, “I went as an imperial censor! Didn’t you know? Fujian has been in chaos since the death of Duke Ding. Pirates frequently raid the coast, causing great suffering among the people. The Emperor sent me to assess the situation of the anti-piracy efforts there.”
Duke Ding hasn’t even been posthumously rehabilitated yet!
Even if that were the case, you shouldn’t discuss state affairs so openly in public!
Dou Zhao glanced at the abbot and De Fu again.
The abbot remained calm, but De Fu smiled and said, “Madam Song need not worry, I think Lord Ji’s words make sense.”
Dou Zhao felt embarrassed.
Ji Yong looked at her and chuckled, saying, “You should head back now! Be careful, Yuan’er might be crying for you. I have an appointment with Monk De Fu to debate scriptures today, so I can’t entertain you. Next time you come to the Great Xiangguo Temple, let me know in advance, and I’ll treat you to their famous sweet and sour fish.”
Debating scriptures?
At the Great Xiangguo Temple instead of Longshan Temple?
Dou Zhao wanted to say something but felt it would be inappropriate. She smiled and nodded at Ji Yong, then got into the carriage with Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan sighed in relief and quickly said, “Sister-in-law, who is this Lord Ji? He seems difficult to get along with…” She patted her chest, still a bit scared.
Her intuition was quite accurate!
Dou Zhao explained her relationship with the Ji family to Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan said seriously, “Sister-in-law, it’s better if you interact with him less!”
Dou Zhao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
She wondered why both siblings disliked Ji Yong.
Upon returning home, Dou Zhao asked Ganlu to find the longevity lock Ji Yong had sent for Yuan’er.
There were too many gifts for Yuan’er’s full-month celebration, and she didn’t know Ji Yong had sent something too.
Ganlu searched everywhere but couldn’t find the longevity lock from Ji Yong.
Dou Zhao asked, “Could it have been mixed up with the gifts from Sixth Aunt?”
“I’ve checked the gift list carefully,” Ganlu said. “Sixth Madam sent a pair of longevity locks, one gold inlaid with jade and one silver with engraved characters. Lord Ji only sent one longevity lock, so it should be separate.” As she spoke, she opened the box containing the longevity locks to show Dou Zhao.
It wasn’t there.
Where could it have gone?
All gifts were supposed to be recorded on the list, so it couldn’t have been taken by someone.
Dou Zhao said, “Did you check the gift list? Could it have been left off by mistake?”
Usually, the gift lists were written by the gift-givers, so the chance of omission was small, but it couldn’t be completely ruled out.
Ganlu hurried to check the gift list.
Ruorong came in to report that the carriage was ready.
Dou Zhao wanted to arrive at Jing’an Temple Alley before her father finished work. Seeing that time was running short, she had to put this matter aside for now and left for Jing’an Temple Alley.