The boys who had come swimming last time arrived in groups to thank Dou Zhao, including Pang Jixiu. However, the elders of the Dou family didn’t appear. Dou Zhao knew they feared being scolded by their elders, so the boys had agreed to keep the incident a secret.
Dou Zhao thought this was for the best. The incident had occurred at her grandmother’s estate, and the Dou family already held prejudices against her grandmother. They might have blamed her for the incident.
She instructed Hong Gu, “If anyone else comes to swim, gather some villagers to watch over the river bank as I instructed. It’s better to be prepared!”
Hong Gu repeatedly agreed.
After checking on Tuo Niang, Dou Zhao asked her grandmother to help find a few maids to take back with her. “…I don’t have any capable helpers on my side.”
Her grandmother thought for a moment and called for four or five young girls of suitable age.
Dou Zhao recognized Gan Lu and Su Juan among them.
At that time, they were called Er Ya and Zhao Di.
Dou Zhao kept these two, changed their names, and personally taught them proper etiquette.
Just like in her previous life, Gan Lu was quick-witted and learned everything rapidly. Su Juan was steady and thorough in everything she did. In her past life, Su Juan had managed her personal belongings, while Gan Lu had served as her attendant.
Dou Zhao nodded approvingly to herself.
As August arrived, the West Mansion sent people to fetch Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao urged her grandmother, “Why don’t you come back with me? The Mid-Autumn Festival is in a few days.”
“I’m not used to staying there,” her grandmother refused, not for the first time. Dou Zhao had lost count of how many times she had declined. “Don’t make me uncomfortable.”
Dou Zhao had no choice but to instruct Hong Gu again: don’t let grandmother be alone, don’t let her wake up so early to water the vegetable garden, don’t let her inspect the fields at noon… She rattled off a long list of instructions before finally departing.
Hong Gu then said to the grandmother, “Fourth Miss truly wants to care for you. You’ll make her sad if you keep refusing.”
“What do you know?” Cui Shi said displeased. “Shou Gu is still living in the main room. Where would I stay if I went?”
Hong Gu fell silent.
Upon returning home, Dou Zhao freshened up and went to pay respects to her father.
Dou Shiyingwas living in the study, while Dou Ming stayed with Wang Yingxue in Qixia Court.
When she arrived, Dou Shiying was tending to the chrysanthemums in the courtyard. Wang Yingxue stood nearby, holding a tray with scissors and other tools. Dou Ming lay on Dou Shiying’s reclining chair under the veranda, eating osmanthus cakes.
Seeing Dou Zhao, she turned her face away, pretending not to have noticed her.
Dou Shiying, with a broad smile, waved at her. “You’re back! How is Aunt Cui? Have you eaten?”
“Aunt Cui is doing well,” Dou Zhao said. She nodded to Wang Yingxue, calling her “Madam,” then glanced at the chrysanthemums her father was carefully tending. She smiled, “I didn’t expect your chrysanthemums to have buds already. They should bloom by the Mid-Autumn Festival, right?” She bent down to touch one of the plants. “Is this an ink chrysanthemum, the kind that blooms black flowers?”
“How did you recognize it?” her father asked, surprised.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh, pointing at the flower pot. “You’re using a Xianyang porcelain pot decorated with magnolia flowers to grow it.”
Her father also laughed, taking a handkerchief from the tray Wang Yingxue was holding to wipe his hands. He and Dou Zhao went inside. “Are there only a few ginkgo trees planted in the East Wing?”
When Dou Zhao’s great-grandfather built this residence, Dou Huancheng and Dou Yaocheng had just established their careers. Hoping for family prosperity and numerous descendants, he constructed over a dozen courtyards of various sizes. By the time the property passed to Dou Duo, apart from the central halls and main rooms, only the Heshou Hall in the west and the front study and Qixia Court were still occupied. The East Wing had been empty for decades, and despite good maintenance, it exuded an air of decay.
With Dou Shiying idle at home, he considered demolishing and rebuilding the East Wing after the mourning period. However, Dou Zhao felt that when her father went to Beijing to await an official post, this task would either be left to Wang Yingxue, who would remain at home, or possibly to herself if Wang Yingxue accompanied him to Beijing. If left to her, she had no interest in the project; if left to Wang Yingxue, given her taste, who knew what it would end up looking like. She thought it better to maintain the original state, so she suggested that her father simply renovate the East Wing and replant some flowers and trees.
Dou Shiying, hearing Dou Zhao’s ideas, thought his daughter had a design talent. He frequently discussed the East Wing renovation with her, writing and drawing plans for almost a year without any sign of actual work beginning. This further convinced Dou Zhao that her decision to prevent her father from rebuilding the East Wing was correct.
Passing by the veranda, Dou Shiying stopped and called out to the pretending-to-sleep Dou Ming, “Your sister is back!”
Dou Ming had no choice but to open her eyes. Afraid that Dou Zhao would see through her act, she rubbed her eyes, feigning drowsiness, and mumbled a “Sister.”
Dou Zhao pretended not to notice and smiled, “I brought you some fresh dates. Haitang will send them to your room later.”
Dou Ming reluctantly stood up, curtsied, and thanked Dou Zhao.
Dou Shiying looked very satisfied and made an approving “Mm” sound before entering the study with Dou Zhao.
Dou Ming jumped up and pulled at Wang Yingxue, “Mother, Mother, did you see Dou Zhao’s attitude? She neither bowed nor greeted you properly…”
Wang Yingxue turned her face away, her voice choked with emotion, “What can I expect as a second wife?” She wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand. When she turned back, though her face was dry, her eyes were red. “Ming’er, your father loves how obedient and sensible your sister is. You should learn from her in the future…”
“Never!” Dou Ming said through gritted teeth, though it wasn’t clear if she meant she’d never learn to be obedient and sensible like Dou Zhao, or that Dou Zhao would never win their father’s favor.
Wang Yingxue sighed quietly.
Over the years, no matter how she tried to please Dou Shiying, he remained indifferent, merely going through the motions with her. However, he deeply loved both his daughters. Having run out of options, she could only push Dou Ming forward, hoping Dou Shiying would treat her better for Dou Ming’s sake.
Though Dou Ming spoke harshly, when it came to actually competing with Dou Zhao, she was at a loss.
She had heard the maids gossiping that her mother wanted Dou Zhao to manage the kitchen during Grandfather’s mourning period. But with just a word from Dou Zhao, everyone from the kitchen manager to the vegetable pickers had been dismissed. Now, all the kitchen staff acted according to Dou Zhao’s wishes. If Dou Zhao took an extra helping of any dish, the whole family would be eating that dish the next day.
Dou Zhao had even gone to their third cousin to ask for money, saying that their mother’s seasonal rewards were too meager. She wanted to use her own money to reward her maids and servants. This caused such a stir that the Second Madam summoned their father for questioning. As a result, now whenever their mother received money from the outer courtyard, her first task was to settle the monthly allowances for Dou Zhao’s maids and servants. This led to Dou Zhao’s servants becoming arrogant, looking down on other servants in the household. At Dou Zhao’s command, the household servants would run faster than anything, practically wagging their tails around her.
Thinking of this made Dou Ming furious. She shouted at her maid, “I want to go play with Yi’er!”
Naturally, no one in the household dared to stop her.
A carriage was immediately prepared to take her to the East Mansion.
Yi’er was changing clothes in her room, surrounded by several maids, while Shu’er sat on a kang bed piled with clothes, holding a wooden doll and waiting for Yi’er.
Seeing Dou Ming enter, Yi’er pulled her over and asked, “How do you like my outfit?”
She wore a pale moon-white gauze summer blouse with silver stripes and a leek-green horse-face skirt with embroidered green bamboo borders. In her ears were small golden lilac earrings.
Dou Ming’s eyes widened, “Dou Zhao has clothes and jewelry just like these.”
Yi’er’s face immediately turned red. She argued, “When did she ever have clothes like these? I’ve never seen them!”
Shu’er also chimed in, “Fifth Aunt must be mistaken. Fourth Aunt gave me her golden lilac earrings. Fourth Aunt’s horse-face skirt is water-blue with embroidered magnolias.”
What’s the difference? It’s just a change in color and pattern.
But Yi’er insisted, “That’s right, that’s right. How could I wear the same clothes as Fourth Aunt?”
Dou Ming was dumbfounded.
Shu’er, growing impatient, said, “Second Sister, how much longer? I’ve been waiting for you for almost half an hour.”
“Alright, alright,” Yi’er said, taking a final look in the mirror. She turned to Dou Ming, “A’Qi has arrived. We’re going to Sixth Aunt’s place. Are you coming?”
If they were all going, of course, she had to go too!
Dou Ming grumbled, “A’Qi is here, so why are you going to Sixth Aunt’s?”
“A’Qi will be going to Beijing with Madam Wu after the Mid-Autumn Festival,” Yi’er explained the situation to Dou Ming.
Dou Ming perked up hearing this, “Beijing must be so much fun. There are people everywhere…”
The three young girls chattered as they went to Ji Shi’s place.
Not only was Bi Shi there, but Wu Shan and Wu Ya, the brother and sister, were also present.
They respectfully greeted Bi Shi and exchanged greetings with the Wu siblings.
This was Bi Shi’s first time meeting Dou Ming. She smiled and asked, “And who might this be?”
“This is Seventh Uncle’s second daughter,” Ji Shi explained. “Her childhood name is Ming’er.”
“Ah, so it’s Ming’er,” Bi Shi smiled warmly and instructed her maid to reward Dou Ming with a jade pendant.
Yi’er and Shu’er had received similar jade pendants when they first met Bi Shi, so they didn’t think much of it.
However, Dou Ming felt that Bi Shi must like her to give her a gift. She smiled at Sixth Aunt and said, “My sister has come back too!”
Sixth Aunt smiled gently, “I know. She just sent me some fresh eggs and vegetables.”
Dou Ming felt deflated.
It seemed Dou Zhao never made a mistake!
Yi’er took Wu Ya’s hand and said, “Grandmother Wu, I’d like to invite A’Qi to play in the courtyard.”
Bi Shi looked at Dou Ming with a moment’s hesitation.
Ji Shi quickly explained, “Ming’er was originally raised in Second Madam’s quarters. It was only when Seventh Uncle returned for the mourning period that she was brought back.”
Hearing this, Bi Shi smiled and said, “Don’t go too far, and be careful not to bump or hurt yourselves anywhere.”
Yi’er and the others agreed repeatedly and ran out.
Dou Ming followed far behind, thinking about Wu Ya’s mother.
She could sense that it was because of her that Bi Shi had been reluctant to let Wu Ya play with them.
But why?
Her mother had told her that being raised in Second Madam’s quarters meant she was dependent on others and pitiful. So why did Wu Ya’s mother agree to let Wu Ya play with them after hearing she was raised in Second Madam’s quarters?