ATLAS TRANSLATES

The relationships between people can sometimes be quite mysterious.

Dou Zhao considered herself someone who saw through worldly affairs and remained detached. Ji Shi was careful in both speech and action, meticulous in her dealings, and as an elder, she was entrusted by Dou Shying to take care of Dou Zhao. In front of Dou Zhao, she couldn’t help but maintain proper conduct. Although their relationship was good, it couldn’t be called intimate.

However, ever since receiving that pot of “Eighteen Scholars” camellia, when Ji Shi looked at Dou Zhao again, she had less of an elder’s reserve toward a junior and more of the closeness of kindred spirits.

After each lesson, she would always keep Dou Zhao behind to chat: “Where did you get this Eighteen Scholars from?”

“When Father was renovating the east wing courtyard, he sent people to Jiangnan to buy flowers and trees. Someone was selling this Eighteen Scholars for a high price. I saw it was genuine, so I bought it,” Dou Zhao explained. In her previous life, she was surrounded by people who enjoyed appreciating and wearing flowers, but none who liked growing them. In this life, Dou Zhao had finally met someone interested in gardening, and she loved discussing these things. “I also asked him to find me two Six-Angle Red, one Red Dan, one Pink Dan, and one Tea Plum.” She added, “Does Sixth Aunt like Asian Ground Orchids? I asked him to help me find some seedlings.”

“You know how to grow Ground Orchids?” Ji Shi’s almond-shaped eyes widened, “How do you know how to grow orchids?”

Dou Zhao suddenly realized she had let something slip and hurriedly said, “I don’t know how to grow orchids. However, I saw an orchid manual in Father’s study and found it interesting, so I wanted to try growing some Ground Orchids following the instructions, to see if it would work.” Then she smiled sweetly, “How will we know if we don’t try? Maybe we could develop a Dou family orchid variety!”

In her previous life, she loved Ground Orchids the most, especially the pure white variety. She thought their flowers were elegant and beautiful, pure and noble, yet adaptable to any environment. With a little care, they could even bloom for two or three seasons.

Ji Shi very much wanted to see this orchid manual, but she swallowed her words—orchids were precious, and in some families that had grown them for generations, the techniques were like family crafts, sometimes passed only to sons and not daughters. Who knew how the West Dou family had obtained this orchid manual? Rather than shamelessly trying to peek at the West Dou’s manual through the naive Dou Zhao, it would be better to let Dou Zhao gift her some orchids.

“I look forward to your Dou family orchids,” she smiled, “Just don’t forget to give your Sixth Aunt a few plants when the time comes.”

Seeing that Ji Shi wasn’t pursuing the matter of growing orchids further, Dou Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and promised repeatedly, “Definitely, definitely!”

Ji Shi went with her to look at the two Ground Orchids that were still in bloom: “How did you keep them blooming until now?”

Dou Zhao dared not show off anymore and smiled, “I just tried keeping them in the greenhouse. I didn’t expect them to bloom for so long. I still don’t know why they can bloom for such a long time. I’ve assigned capable maids to tend to them daily and record any changes, so we should be able to find out the reason.”

Ji Shi greatly admired this: “I only knew you were diligent in your studies before. I didn’t expect you to put so much effort into growing flowers as well.”

“Since we have to put in effort anyway, why not do our best?” Dou Zhao smiled.

Ji Shi nodded continuously, her admiration evident in her expression.

A young maid came running in hurriedly: “Sixth Madam, Fourth Miss, Madam Huan Nine has given birth.”

Both Dou Zhao and Ji Shi showed expressions of joy and asked the little maid in unison: “Is it a young miss or a young master? Is Madam Huan Nine safe and well?”

The little maid quickly smiled and said, “Madam Huan Nine has given birth to a young master, both mother and child are safe.”

The two of them simultaneously pressed their palms together and chanted “Amitabha.”

After chanting, they found it amusing and couldn’t help but smile at each other.

Ji Shi suggested that Dou Zhao split a pot of Ground Orchids as a congratulatory gift: “This is the eldest grandson of the main branch, there will surely be many relatives and friends coming to offer congratulations. Perhaps even the Huang family from Huai’an will send people. There are more orchid lovers in Jiangnan.”

Dou Zhao was somewhat surprised.

Ji Shi had always been low-key, but these days she was acting contrary to her usual manner, pushing Dou Zhao to the forefront in everything.

She didn’t understand until that evening before bed when she heard Hai Tang mumbling about “Fourth Miss’s winter clothes probably needing to be completely remade.”

She had reached the age for marriage discussions.

In the end, she sent several bolts of brocade as congratulatory gifts.

Ji Shi was angry at her lack of initiative, and quietly reflected, feeling it was her own fault for teaching Dou Zhao to be this way.

Wang Mama smiled and said, “Fourth Miss is truly unmoved by favor or disgrace, Madam should be happy about this.”

“Indeed!” Ji Shi responded dejectedly, “But the more she is like this, the more reluctant I am to let her be buried in obscurity.”

During the Dou family’s flower banquet on the Double Ninth Festival, she kept Dou Zhao by her side the whole time, occasionally having her serve tea or hand handkerchiefs to respected elders.

Dou Zhao knew what Ji Shi was doing, but being naturally strong-willed, she really couldn’t bring herself to do anything that would damage her reputation. She could only smile and accept the elders’ praise for being “steady and graceful” and “clever and quick-witted.” Compared to her, Yi’er and Shu’er appeared either too impetuous or too dull.

Second Madam sat nearby, smiling without speaking.

Liu Mama spoke softly: “Should we ask Sixth Madam to help check if the chrysanthemum mountain is arranged properly—Sixth Madam is from Jiangnan, she must have seen more than us.”

Second Madam was very unhappy, but since Ji Shi was her daughter-in-law, she didn’t want Ji Shi to lose face in front of Liu Mama, even if she was her most trusted servant.

“This is Shou Gu’s skill,” Second Madam glanced at Liu Mama and said, “If there’s blame to be placed, it’s on those who didn’t teach Yi’er and Shu’er properly.”

Liu Mama quickly lowered her head in acknowledgment.

Second Madam held Third Sister-in-law’s hand and went to the flower hall where guests were being received.

Usually, it was Sixth Aunt who supported Second Madam.

Seeing Ji Shi’s unruffled expression, Dou Zhao silently sighed in her heart.

If she hadn’t known Second Madam’s intentions before, after witnessing today’s smokeless tension between Second Madam and Ji Shi, she could guess a few things.

The Wang family couldn’t interfere with her marriage, the Zhao family was a thousand miles away in the northwest and couldn’t possibly marry her there, and since her father was a man, her marriage would most likely require help from the East Dou family. Second Madam clearly didn’t want her to outshine Yi’er and Shu’er, and didn’t want her to marry out.

Thinking of the half of West Dou’s property registered in her name, she had been a family matriarch before and could understand Second Madam’s considerations—rather than refuse the constant stream of matchmakers and offend people, it would be better to quietly marry her to someone beneficial to the Dou family, or keep her in the Dou family, treating her well with good food and care, coaxing her to distribute the property under her name to the Dou family’s nephews.

Fortunately, although Second Madam had her Zhang Liang’s strategy, she had her own way over the wall. There was no need to put Ji Shi in a difficult position between her and Second Madam.

After seeing off the guests, Dou Zhao asked Second Madam to help her make a request: “…I want to be like Sixth Aunt, to become a scholarly person, and Sixth Aunt agrees. So I wrote a letter to Father, asking him to agree to let me continue studying and hire a tutor to teach at home. Father hasn’t replied yet. I’m afraid Madam might intervene…”

Second Madam looked at Ji Shi, whose face showed a flash of surprise, and smiled, “You’re still young, it’s the right time to study. Don’t worry, I’ll take charge of this matter, Wang shi won’t say anything.”

Dou Zhao happily thanked Second Madam.

Ji Shi sighed softly and patted her hand, personally seeing her off to the carriage.

Second Madam didn’t want to make a fuss, and without waiting for Dou Shying’s reply, she had already instructed Dou Shibang to quietly find a teacher for Dou Zhao: “…It can’t be someone from around Zhending, their scholarship must be good, and must be able to keep Shou Gu interested in learning continuously.”

Dou Shibang was confused: “Miss Shou isn’t going to take the imperial examinations.”

Second Madam said, “We’re spending money, so why would we hire someone without proper learning? If others found out, where would the Dou family’s face be? What would happen to the reputation of the Dou family’s clan school?”

But is it necessary to hire someone whose background we don’t know?

Dou Shibang grumbled in his heart but dared not ask more, respectfully answering “Yes,” and found several reliable stewards to help find a tutor for Dou Zhao.

Even so, Dou Zhao’s outstanding appearance and graceful, steady demeanor became well-known.

Soon, families began coming to discuss marriage.

Second Madam used the excuse “too young, must wait until coming of age” to reject them all.

Grandmother heard about this and was somewhat worried. She privately said to Hong Gu, “Coming of age, isn’t that too late? The eligible young masters will probably all be engaged by then.”

Hong Gu comforted Grandmother: “Our Miss Shou is so beautiful and capable, we needn’t worry about not finding a good marriage. If not in Zhending County, surely there will be someone in the capital?”

“That’s true,” Grandmother felt reassured.

Dou Zhao heard about this and secretly smiled.

It seemed no one mentioned Wei Tingyu.

If only she could find a way to get back the betrothal token from Uncle’s hands… Then her marriage arrangement with the Wei family would be completely off.

Dou Zhao thought of her children.

They seemed to remain forever in her memories, still looking fourteen or fifteen years old.

Her mood suddenly dropped.

When going to Ji Shi’s place for lessons, Dou Zhao was leaning listlessly against the large welcoming pillow in the carriage.

The smoothly moving carriage suddenly stopped amid shouts, causing Dou Zhao, Hai Tang, and Qiu Kui to stumble and roll into a heap. From outside came a girl’s clear voice, trembling slightly: “Miss Dou, please save my father!”

Dou Zhao’s heart trembled when she heard this.

Since the girl said “save,” it must be very dangerous.

What danger could law-abiding citizens face?

She had no connection to them and no intention of getting involved. She instructed Hai Tang: “Tell the driver to hurry along, don’t delay the lesson.”

Hai Tang quickly relayed Dou Zhao’s words to the driver.

The driver raised his whip to continue on.

But the little girl who had stopped the carriage spread her arms wide, standing in the middle of the alley, refusing to move.

The driver could only quietly persuade the little girl: “Our young miss hasn’t come of age yet, even her own matters are decided by the family elders. If you have any grievances, just go directly to the drum at the front of the yamen. How can our young miss help you?”

The little girl stubbornly stood there.

The maidservant accompanying the carriage jumped down to pull the little girl away.

But the little girl didn’t move an inch.

The maidservant’s face turned red with effort, and she called for help.

The driver and another accompanying maidservant got down from the carriage.

The little girl shouted toward Dou Zhao’s carriage: “Fourth Miss, I beg you, my father has been wrongly accused. They say we’re collaborating with bandits, but my father doesn’t even know such people. When my father’s friends come to visit, I’m the one who serves tea and wine, I know all my father’s friends. Fourth Miss, I beg you!” Saying this, she started kowtowing to Dou Zhao with loud thuds, and the three adults couldn’t pull her up no matter how hard they tried.