As soon as Dou Ming got out of the carriage, she saw Grandmother standing outside the crowd. Grandmother looked just as she remembered – wearing a plain lilac silk jacket, her black hair neatly arranged in a bun with a silver lantern hairpin, and silver bracelets on her wrists. She was casually circling the plum…

At this rate, Father’s marriage to the Fifth Miss Zhu would surely be delayed for two years, and by then it would be too late. Dou Zhao felt she needed to do something to speed up the marriage arrangements between the two families. But before she could make up her mind, Spring Festival arrived. According…

Shortly after aunt left, news arrived from Jiangnan, throwing the household into chaos. First aunt fell ill from the shock and became bedridden. Third aunt took over the household management of East Dou residence. Third uncle took second cousin Dou Yuchang to Yangzhou to handle first uncle’s funeral arrangements. Fourth cousin Dou Rongchang assisted sixth…

Dou Zhao avoided her aunt and ran pitter-patter towards Third Aunt. Her aunt was stunned. Third Aunt smiled broadly as she picked up Dou Zhao: “Madam Zhao, the child is still too young and doesn’t understand anything. She can’t be separated from her familiar maids and servants. If she gets frightened, it would be troublesome.…

Back in the main room, Father asked Dou Zhao to write her name. In her previous life, Dou Zhao had studied “Biographies of Exemplary Women” and “Precepts for Women” with an old Confucian scholar invited by Grandfather. While she could manage account books, she wasn’t particularly scholarly. Seeing Father’s elegant and beautiful small regular script,…

Dou Zhao smiled playfully as she let go of Dou Ming’s hair, but then poked her face. Wang Yingxue’s heart leaped to her throat, and she hurriedly said, “Sister is still little, you can’t poke her face!” Her voice was unavoidably sharp. Dou Zhao then went to play with her sister’s little hands. She must…

Tiny ants marched in neat lines, methodically carrying food into their burrow. Zhao Zhangru excitedly waved at Dou Zhao: “Quick, quick!” She lowered her head and crumbled the white steamed bun in her hand onto the ground. The ants immediately surrounded it, working together to move the crumbs under the old locust tree. Dou Zhao…

What Uncle discussed with Grandfather, Dou Zhao had no way of knowing, but when Uncle returned, his expression was very grim. “Ruifu,” Maternal Aunt worriedly went to meet him, “What did Father-in-law say?” “What good could he possibly say!” Uncle sneered, his peripheral vision catching sight of Dou Zhao sitting at the end of the…

Arguments continued in the Heshou Hall. When Dou Zhao rushed over, she heard Third Uncle saying, “…This matter was caused by Seventh Brother taking a concubine, so it can be considered ‘jealousy.’ This way, the Zhao family can’t say much. It preserves the face of both families.” She trembled with anger. Respect the dead! Even…

After that day, Mother fell ill. Dou Zhao was very worried and stayed by her mother’s side every day. Mother would smile and stroke her head, saying, “I’m fine, I’ll get better soon. Go play!” Yet her face grew paler with each passing day. Father came to visit her. Mother took Father’s hand on her…