Grandfather was watching a play with the newly arrived magistrate of Zhending County, Lu. As servants brought snacks like fu orange cakes and Fengcheng jerky, Grandfather, intending to eat a fu orange cake, accidentally grabbed a salted peanut instead. His eyes fixed on the stage, and he tossed it into his mouth. Upon realizing his mistake, the peanut had already lodged in his throat, causing him to cough incessantly. Those nearby hurriedly offered tea to soothe his throat, but the more he drank, the worse he coughed. Finally, his breath caught, and he lost consciousness.
Dou Zhao sat at Dou Duo’s bedside, gazing at her unconscious grandfather. She couldn’t discern whether she felt sorrow or melancholy.
In her previous life, she had returned to West Dou Manor only after Grandfather’s body had been prepared for burial. It was already August then, and in her naive youth, newly arrived at the West Manor, she was too overwhelmed with anxiety and fear to inquire about the cause of Grandfather’s death.
Would Grandfather pass away after three months of unconsciousness in this life too?
Father quickly returned from the capital, accompanied by Dou Ming.
There was a marked difference in her demeanor compared to her time at East Dou Manor. She appeared more lively, speaking with a louder voice. As soon as she alighted from the carriage, she called out loudly to Gaosheng, “I’ve brought many things back for Sister Yi and Sister Shu. Be careful and take everything to my room.”
Her room? Where was her room? Was it the warm chamber near Second Madam or the east wing room arranged by Wang Yingxue? The warm chamber was in the East Manor. She had never stayed in the east wing room for even a day.
Gaosheng looked troubled.
Dou Ming, displeased, shouted, “You dog of a servant! Be careful, or I’ll tell Father to sell you off.”
Dou Zhao closed her eyes. Events were inexorably returning to their original course.
She stepped out to reprimand Dou Ming, “Gaosheng serves Father. Even if he errs, it’s not your place to punish him. If you dare speak like that again, I’ll lock you in the woodshed for three days.”
Dou Ming, who had always feared her somewhat aloof sister, visibly trembled. However, she quickly overcame her fear and said, “I… I didn’t mean it.” But her voice had lowered, and she dared not talk back to Dou Zhao.
Dou Yao Cheng, fond of comfort, had long ago purchased a three-courtyard residence in an alley near Jing’an Temple in the capital. Though not large, it was exquisitely decorated with refined furnishings, making it very comfortable to live in.
Blood ties are a formidable thing. Both Dou Duo and Dou Shiying, like their ancestor Dou Yao Cheng, enjoyed comfort.
While in the capital, Dou Shiying lived there. Although Dou Ming was also in the capital, it was inconvenient for him to care for a child alone. Moreover, when Wang Xu Shi saw Dou Ming’s dull demeanor and heard her daughter’s words, she knew of the discord between Dou Shizhu and her husband. She felt that East Dou Manor intended to suppress West Dou Manor and would spoil Dou Ming. Heartbroken, she doted on Dou Ming like the apple of her eye when she arrived in the capital, neglecting her grandchildren to focus solely on this granddaughter. Dou Shiying visited Dou Ming a few times, finding her rosy-cheeked and surrounded by many maids and servants, unwilling to leave Wang Xu Shi’s side for a moment. Realizing that the Wang family treated her well, he was relieved. With father and daughter living separately in Jing’an Temple Alley and Willow Leaf Alley respectively, they had little contact.
Seeing how Dou Ming treated Gaosheng, Dou Shiying was displeased. However, lacking experience in dealing with his daughter, he was momentarily at a loss for words.
Now that Dou Zhao had intervened and Dou Ming had calmed down, Dou Shiying breathed a sigh of relief.
Wang Yingxue, noticing that Dou Ming had been scolded by Dou Zhao while Dou Shiying remained silent, realized he was siding with Dou Zhao. Fearing Dou Ming might lose favor with Dou Shiying, she quickly smoothed things over, saying to Dou Zhao, “Your father and sister have been worried about your grandfather’s illness and rushed back from the capital. They’re tired and anxious, so their tempers might be short, leading to some inconsiderate words.” Then to Gaosheng, “Take the Fifth Miss’s trunks to the east wing room of Qixia Courtyard, please.” Now that her daughter had finally returned, she couldn’t allow her to enter the East Manor again. Finally, to Dou Shiying, “Seventh Lord, you’ve had a tiring journey. I’ve instructed the kitchen to prepare hot water. Please freshen up before visiting your father, lest you bring dust to him.”
Dou Zhao inwardly sneered, thinking: If your mother doesn’t care for you, why should I, a half-sister, meddle? She said nothing more and returned to her grandfather’s bedroom.
Since Grandfather’s illness, Concubine Ding had been tending to him tirelessly at his bedside. Two days ago, she finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell ill herself. Now, her chief maid Qiufen was in charge of Grandfather’s care.
Seeing Dou Zhao enter, Qiufen respectfully stood aside.
Dou Zhao instructed her, “My father has returned and will come to see Grandfather within the time it takes to burn three incense sticks. Have the maids prepare some tea, and summon the doctor who’s been treating Grandfather. Father will likely have questions for him.”
Since Dou Duo’s collapse, Dou Zhao had returned to West Manor, moving into the previously empty main room. She spent her days at her grandfather’s bedside, leaving Wang Yingxue to manage other household affairs. Only when important guests like the Second Madam came to visit would she come out to entertain briefly? Occasionally, she would instruct maids or household managers, always addressing matters Wang Yingxue had overlooked or neglected. Gradually, the prominent maids and managers became more cautious in her presence.
Qiufen respectfully agreed and dispatched maids and servants to carry out the orders.
Soon after, Dou Shiying and Dou Ming, accompanied by Wang Yingxue, entered, freshly washed.
Dou Zhao stepped aside, yielding the bedside position to her father.
Dou Shiying grasped Dou Duo’s hand, his eyes instantly reddening.
Qiufen entered to report, “Fourth Miss, the doctor has arrived.”
Dou Zhao softly told her father, “You can ask the doctor anything you wish.”
Dou Shiying, realizing this was his daughter’s arrangement, gave her a grateful look. He felt greatly comforted, convinced that entrusting his eldest daughter to Ji Shi for upbringing had been the right decision.
The doctor carefully explained Dou Duo’s condition to Dou Shiying, essentially stating that if he didn’t wake up by July, the family should prepare for the worst.
This assessment was quite accurate.
Dou Shiying began to cry upon hearing this.
The atmosphere in the room turned somber, with everyone joining in tears. Even Dou Zhao shed a few drops.
Father set up a couch by Grandfather’s bedside, personally helping to bathe him, change his clothes, feed him water and medicine, and attend to his needs.
Dou Zhao kept to her usual schedule, accompanying her father, taking a short nap at noon, and retiring to her room at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM). She would return at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM) to help her father care for Grandfather. During Grandfather’s unconscious moments and Father’s silent vigils, she would silently recite “The Analects” which she had recently been learning from Sixth Aunt.
Dou Ming, being only six years old, couldn’t bear the stillness and would fidget after a short while in the room.
Father, annoyed by her restlessness, asked Wang Yingxue to leave her in Second Madam’s care. Wang Yingxue didn’t dare do so, nor could she explain Second Madam’s intentions to Father. She had no choice but to keep Dou Ming by her side, managing the household while caring for her. Dou Ming had brought many novelties from the capital that weren’t available in Zhending, often inviting Sister Yi and Sister Shu to play, making it difficult for Wang Yingxue to attend fully to Grandfather’s needs.
Visiting Second Madam, upon seeing this, suggested to Father, “Why not invite Concubine Cui back to help care for him? After all, she is your uncle’s proper concubine and your birth mother.”
Father naturally agreed.
Dou Zhao, however, was unwilling. Why should Grandmother, who had been abandoned on the farm estate while Grandfather was healthy, now be brought back to serve him when he was bedridden?
She interjected, “Perhaps we should wait a while longer… Concubine Ding managing Grandfather’s affairs is his wish… If things worsen, we can send for Concubine Cui then.”
For Second Madam, these were trivial matters.
“Very well,” she nodded, inquiring about Grandfather’s condition.
Later, Father, full of doubt, asked Dou Zhao, “Don’t you want to bring Concubine Cui back?”
He had thought Dou Zhao was the closest to his birth mother in the family, never expecting her to oppose the idea.
When Grandfather is on his deathbed, Dou Zhao thinks, she will bring Grandmother back even if the Dou family disagrees, but not now!
Aloud, she said, “We should consult with Concubine Ding first. There’s no need to bring Concubine Cui here to face others’ resentment.”
Father said no more.
Dou Zhao, however, called for Zhao Liangbi: “Has Cui Thirteen contacted you recently?”
Cui Thirteen, now fourteen, had passed the county examination and was studying at the county school. He and Zhao Liangbi had been good friends in their previous lives and maintained a close relationship in this one. Because Grandmother didn’t want to be involved with the Dou family, the Cui family never interacted with them. With both boys in the county, Dou Zhao guessed that Cui Thirteen must have secretly contacted Zhao Liangbi, though she had never caught them.
Zhao Liangbi jumped like a startled cat: “How… how did you know?” His eyes showed fear and unease.
This was exactly the reaction Dou Zhao wanted. She naturally wouldn’t explain, instead saying sternly, “Summon Cui Thirteen to see me immediately.”
She knew Cui Thirteen was capable, ambitious, and determined. His lifelong dream was to elevate the Cui family’s status, transforming them into a renowned scholarly family.
The advantage of being reborn was that it eliminated the need for observation and testing. If she wanted to use someone, she could do so directly.
Zhao Liangbi, pale with fright, ran off in a flash.
In the afternoon, he led Cui Thirteen through the side door of West Dou Manor.
Dou Zhao asked Cui Thirteen, “Do you want Concubine Cui to enter the Dou family’s main gate with dignity?”
Cui Thirteen’s eyes lit up, but his gaze remained somewhat wary as he looked at Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao instructed him, “Stay at Concubine Cui’s farm estate these days. I’ll have Zhao Liangbi bring you messages. When I call for Concubine Cui, you escort her here. But if there’s no word from me, no matter who comes to fetch Concubine Cui, you must keep her there. Can you do that?”
Cui Thirteen, sensing a scheme, hesitantly said, “What… what are you planning? We Cuis don’t want to be anyone’s pawn!”
Dou Zhao, indignant on her grandmother’s behalf, didn’t want to see her summoned and dismissed at the Dou family’s whim.
“What do you have to worry about?” she looked at Cui Thirteen disdainfully. “Concubine Cui is my father’s birth mother. Doesn’t she have the right to enter the Dou family’s main gate? As for whether Concubine Cui chooses to stay with the Dou family or return to the farm after she arrives, I think even Second Madam couldn’t stop her, could she?”
That look pierced Cui Thirteen, but after long contemplation, he slowly nodded.