Cai Shu smiled while helping Dou Zhao place the tracing paper over the calligraphy model, then took a fan and gently fanned her from the side. “Sister Cai Shu,” Dou Zhao smiled, “The weather is so hot, you should go rest! Having Tuo Niang here is enough. With you here, I can’t write properly.” Cai…

Dou Zhao rested her chin on her hands as she leaned on the windowsill, watching the sky gradually turn white. The maids coming in to serve Lady Ji were startled, exclaiming softly: “Fourth Miss, why are you up so early?” Lady Ji was awakened by the sound and quickly lifted the plain white gauze curtain:…

Ji Shi sat by the window on the kang bed, looking at the sleeping Dou Zhao, and sighed almost inaudibly: “This child is truly beautiful!” After leaving Third Master Dou Shibang’s house, she had taken Dou Zhao to pay respects to several nieces-in-law. By the time they returned, it was deep into the quiet night.…

That night, Wang Zhishao and Lady Gao stayed at the Dou family residence. Dou Zhao wasn’t concerned about these matters; she was just waiting for Tuo Niang to return. “Madam Yu said she’ll send the items over first thing tomorrow morning,” Tuo Niang came back a bit late. Dou Zhao breathed a sigh of relief…

Yu Mama quickly brought several influential household managers with her. Yuzhen followed behind them, looking dejected. Yu Mama first severely scolded Yuzhen in front of everyone, praised Tuo Niang, and then asked Tuo Niang and the others: “What else did she give to Daqing’s wife?” Tuo Niang was straightforward and told everything about the needles…

As Madam Gao walked out the door, her wet nurse immediately came forward. Seeing her ashen face, the wet nurse’s heart skipped a beat as she hurriedly asked in a low voice: “What happened?” “They’ve gone mad, mad!” Madam Gao trembled with anger, “They’ve all gone mad!” As she spoke, she scanned the courtyard. The…

Dou Zhao naturally didn’t know what Wang Yingxue and her sisters-in-law were discussing inside. She had been taken fishing by her father, Dou Shiying. In June, Zhending was still very hot, but when the carriage was moving, the breeze coming through the bamboo blinds made it quite comfortable. Father’s attendant Gaosheng was acting as the…

Dou Zhao finally picked up the money pouch. After all, three thousand taels of silver could buy over a thousand acres of land or a four-courtyard mansion! If someone else found it, both the person and the banknotes would likely disappear in the blink of an eye. Better she keep it than give it to…

“Of course she should stay in the Dou family!” Wang Zhibing and Dou Duo said in unison. “No, no!” Wang Yingxue shook her head, her expression panicked. “She’s still so young, I can’t leave her with the Dou family…” Could she possibly take her back to the Wang family? Even if the Wang family agreed,…

Though reborn, Dou Zhao could only influence the people and events around her. What was meant to come would still arrive. In mid-April, Dou Wenzhang, who had been studying in the capital with Dou Shizhu, brought back a family letter from him. In the letter, Dou Shizhu not only mentioned his upcoming promotion to Deputy…