Dou Zhao looked at Ji Yong in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to be so meticulous!

Ji Yong smiled mischievously and said, “Don’t worry, I will keep your secret and won’t tell my aunt.”

Dou Zhao also smiled. She considered her words carefully, “Auntie Cui has always been in good health. But two years ago, she went to the vegetable garden to pick melons and suddenly collapsed. If there hadn’t been someone with her, she might have…”

Ji Yong pondered and said, “Let me see the prescription the doctor gave at that time.”

Dou Zhao apologized, “Auntie Cui was staying at the farmstead then. By the time we brought her to the county, the prescription was long lost.”

Ji Yong paced around the side room with his hands behind his back and said, “I vaguely remember a medical case where a robust farm woman suddenly died without warning, similar to Auntie Cui’s symptoms. The diagnosis was wind-heat evil invading the body’s surface…”

Dou Zhao’s spirits lifted, “Is there a treatment?”

“Keep calm and maintain a balanced diet,” Ji Yong advised. “Focus on nurturing health, with dietary therapy as a supplement. What does Auntie Cui usually like to eat? Too much greasy food isn’t good for her, and she should avoid getting angry. Extreme emotions are the worst.”

Dou Zhao answered each question. Ji Yong and Dou Zhao then went to the kitchen to sort out foods that Grandmother shouldn’t eat. They were busy for half an hour before returning to the room.

Madam Ji looked at their empty hands and asked curiously, “Where’s the medicine you were brewing?”

Oops, they had forgotten about that!

The two exchanged glances, but before Dou Zhao could come up with an excuse like “spilling the bowl,” Ji Yong said, “The method I read in a book had never been used before. I finally got a chance to try it, but it turned out worse than the usual method, and the medicine got burnt.”

Madam Ji and Grandmother laughed heartily.

Dou Zhao, however, was puzzled: How could someone like him not leave any impression on me in my previous life? What happened to him? Or did I overlook something?

She became curious about why Ji Yong hadn’t continued to participate in the imperial examinations.

Madam Ji quietly told her, “My nephew could speak before he could walk and recite texts before he could hold a pen. Grandfather cherished him and personally taught him to read and write. He lived up to Grandfather’s expectations and gained a reputation for his literary talent at a young age. Because of this, he knows nothing about worldly affairs and relies on servants for everything. Grandfather said that with his temperament, he might do well in his studies, but if he entered officialdom, he might not even be as good as a minor official. Besides, our family has already produced an imperial tutor and a grand secretary, attracting enough attention. We don’t need the title of top scholar. Let him gain some worldly experience first; only then will his writings have vigor and spirit, making them truly great.”

Dou Zhao was half-convinced, “I think Cousin Ji is quite good!”

He was kind even to the maids and servants and helped her diagnose Auntie Cui.

Madam Ji was stumped by this comment. She hesitated for a while before mumbling, “You’ll understand in the future,” and then changed the subject to Auntie Cui’s health.

Dou Zhao became increasingly interested in Ji Yong.

At that moment, Gao Xing came in excitedly to report, “Du An said he’s returning to the capital tomorrow.”

Du An had been sent by Wang Yingxue to help the Wang family handle their remaining properties in Nanwa.

Gao Xing had been puzzled, “Lord Wang is now a high-ranking official. Doesn’t he have anyone to manage his properties?”

“A strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake,” Dou Zhao said calmly. “Du An was born and raised in Zhen Ding and started working for the family at eight. By the time he went to the capital, he was already a well-known steward with extensive connections. With his help, they can certainly sell for a better price.”

Gao Xing trusted Dou Zhao completely. A few days later, he sent a clever servant to investigate, and indeed, the Wang family’s fields sold for a high price. Gao Xing was amazed, “Fourth Miss is truly impressive!” He also remained cautious of Du An, fearing he might cause trouble for Du Ning. However, Du An was too busy, and even when he occasionally gave Du Ning advice, Gao Xing had Dou Zhao as his backing, so no one dared to openly oppose him. Those tricks were ineffective, and everything in the Western Dou estate remained orderly under his control.

Dou Zhao calculated that Du An should be returning soon. If he stayed any longer, he might not have a place in the capital.

Gao Xing asked, “Miss, should I see Steward Du off?”

“Why see him off?” Dou Zhao replied indifferently. “Did he inform us when he arrived? Since he didn’t need you to welcome him, he certainly doesn’t need you to see him off!”

Gao Xing nodded repeatedly.

Dou Zhao instructed him, “Prepare a carriage for me. I’m going to the farmstead tomorrow.”

Gao Xing smiled, “Is Mr. Chen back?”

Chen Qushui, known publicly as the newly hired accountant for Dou Zhao’s stationery shop, usually stayed at the farmstead and went to the capital once a month to settle accounts with Fan Wenshu. This gave Dou Zhao a reason to visit the farmstead to learn about the shop’s situation in the capital, but in reality, she was seeking guidance from Chen Qushui and inquiring about events in the capital.

“Yes!” Dou Zhao smiled, thinking of the shop in the capital.

Although Fan Wenshu had no experience running a stationery shop, he was capable. Within a month of arriving in the capital, he used the Dou family’s connections to smooth out all the necessary relationships. Three months after opening, the shop broke even.

Dou Zhao hadn’t opened the shop to make money, but now that business was picking up, she wasn’t stingy. She agreed with Fan Wenshu that if there was a profit at the end of the year, he could take a ten percent share.

Fan Wenshu was overjoyed and became even more dedicated to the shop. Every time Chen Qushui went to settle accounts, Fan Wenshu treated him warmly and shared everything he knew about matters of interest with Chen Qushui, helping him a lot.

I wonder what news Mr. Chen has brought this time?

Dou Zhao pondered, informed her grandmother, and set off early the next morning with Su Juan, the Bie sisters, and several guards to the farmstead.

Chen Qushui had already brewed a pot of Biluochun tea, waiting for her.

Holding the cup of tea with its clear green color, Dou Zhao couldn’t help but praise, “Good tea.”

Chen Qushui smiled and refilled her cup, saying, “I have good news for you, Miss.”

Dou Zhao raised an eyebrow.

“At the beginning of the month, your father was summoned by imperial decree and received commendation,” Chen Qushui said.

Regardless of her father’s character, his scholarship was indeed commendable.

Dou Zhao remained indifferent.

Chen Qushui gave her a deep look. Up to now, he still couldn’t quite understand the young woman before him.

You might think she’s naive, yet she can make decisions like sharing profits with Fan Wenshu and hiring him as a tutor—things even ordinary men might not do. You might think she’s worldly, yet she shows no interest in her father’s promotion or family honor, things that could elevate her status.

Dou Zhao changed the subject, asking about her studies, “I read in a book: ‘The way of the sage is to discard wisdom and cunning. Without discarding them, it is difficult to follow the common way.’ Isn’t a sage called a sage because they possess more wisdom and cunning than ordinary people? Why then does it say ‘without discarding them, it is difficult to follow the common way’?”

She studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting with Song Weimin and classics and history with Chen Qushui.

Chen Qushui understood that Dou Zhao didn’t want to discuss her father further, so he naturally followed her lead, smiling as he explained, “A sage only needs to diligently attend to their duties and await the will of heaven. If they rely on cunning and deceit and lose their focus, it becomes difficult to sustain the heavenly way…” He elaborated on the concept of governing a country by law.

Dou Zhao listened intently, enthusiastically discussing with Chen Qushui, “That’s interesting! It’s similar to managing the household—there are established customs in the mansion, and as long as everything follows these customs, nothing major will go wrong. But some people, relying on their cleverness, try to act on their own, breaking the rules, and as a result, the entire household’s atmosphere deteriorates.”

Chen Qushui broke into a sweat, “How can managing a household be the same as governing a country? This is the way of statecraft.”

“Self-cultivation, family regulation, state governance, and world peace,” Dou Zhao laughed. “If one cannot manage a household, how can they govern a country? It shows that the principles are interconnected.”

Chen Qushui thought about it and found some truth in her words, though he felt her perspective was somewhat limited, which was not surprising given her status as a young woman.

He couldn’t help but smile, “If Miss applies this to managing a household, it would indeed be excellent. However, law and reason should not be devoid of human sentiment. Rigid adherence to rules without considering human feelings may not always be beneficial.”

“It depends on the person applying it,” Dou Zhao thought of Ji Yong.

Perhaps this was why the Ji family patriarch wanted Ji Yong to travel and gain experience!

Their conversation grew more animated until Su Juan rushed in, flustered, “Miss, something terrible has happened! Auntie Cui has fainted!”

Dou Zhao’s face turned pale, and she stood up in a panic, “What happened?”

“Just now, Liu Wan from the mansion rushed over, saying Auntie Cui was talking with Hong Gu when she suddenly closed her eyes and fainted,” Su Juan said, tears welling up. “Manager Gao sent him to inform you, asking you to return quickly.”

How could this happen?

Didn’t Ji Yong say that as long as she rested well, nothing would happen?

Feeling anxious, Dou Zhao instructed Su Juan to prepare the carriage and asked Su Xin to bring Liu Wan in for questioning, “Did Manager Gao call for a doctor? What is everyone saying?”

Liu Wan, covered in sweat and dust, wiped his face, leaving a black streak, “When I left, Tong Ling was on Manager Gao’s orders to fetch a doctor, and Hong Gu had sent Qiu Kui to call Sixth Madam.”

Dou Zhao felt slightly reassured and hurriedly bid farewell to Chen Qushui, taking her maids and guards back home.

Bie Su Xin, pale-faced, held Dou Zhao’s hand, constantly comforting her, “Good people have their protection. Auntie Cui will be fine. She is so kind-hearted; the Bodhisattva will surely bless her…”

With a heavy heart, Dou Zhao couldn’t hold back her tears.

Suddenly, everything turned upside down. She was jolted, feeling dizzy, but there seemed to be a cushion beneath her, so she didn’t feel any pain, only a buzzing in her ears.

Outside the carriage, the leader of the Dou family’s guards shouted in alarm, “Who are you? This is the carriage of the Dou family from Beilou! What do you want? Be careful, or the authorities will arrest you…”

Someone pulled at Dou Zhao, “Miss, Miss, are you alright?”

Dou Zhao, her head spinning, recognized the voice as Bie Su Lan’s, and her mind cleared.

Their carriage had overturned, and someone had malicious intentions toward them!

“We’re targeting the Dou family’s carriage,” a man’s sinister voice said. “Being arrested by the authorities? That depends on whether you have the life to report it!”

Sounds of fighting erupted outside the carriage.