ATLAS TRANSLATES

“What made you think of visiting Great-Aunt today?” Second Madame asked Dou Zhao with a warm smile. The senior maids on duty in Second Madame’s quarters were all serving either fruits, tea, or snacks, welcoming Dou Zhao with pleasant smiles.

Dou Zhao nodded in greeting to the senior maids and told Second Madame about going to Zhending Prefecture to offer incense for Bie Gangyi: “…seeing things through to the end. Seeing that the two Bie sisters had no one to rely on, I agreed to Bie Gangyi’s request that if he passed away from his illness, his two daughters would come under my care. Earlier, when Bie Gangyi was still well, we didn’t mention this as it would have been inauspicious.”

The East and West Dou family businesses were still managed together and hadn’t been officially separated. Second Madame was the highest-ranking woman in the Dou family. Informing her was not only proper etiquette, but would also help reduce future complications for the Bie sisters, Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan, when they moved about in the inner quarters.

Second Madame was somewhat surprised and asked thoughtfully, “Does your father know about this?”

Dou Zhao smiled, “I wanted to tell you first. After getting your approval, I can then inform father. Also, regarding Sixth Aunt’s quarters, once they enter the mansion, we’ll need to ask Sixth Aunt to help teach them the proper etiquette.”

Second Madame was very pleased hearing this. She smiled, “This is a good deed, one that accumulates virtue. How could I object? Let’s do as you say – after Bie Gangyi’s forty-nine days of mourning are complete, let the two young ladies enter the mansion. You can bring them to meet me then.”

Dou Zhao smiled and agreed, chatted with Second Madame for a while, then took her leave.

“First she wanted to open her own shop, then she settled the Cui family people in the shop. Now she’s taking in two ‘adopted servants,’” Dou Shibang asked his mother, “What do you think about this…?”

Second Madame gently brushed the tea leaves in her cup with the lid, saying calmly, “No matter who’s encouraging her, one shop and a few people probably won’t satisfy her – there will likely be more moves to come. We shouldn’t be hasty. Let’s wait and see for now.”

Dou Shibang nodded respectfully.

Dou Zhao went to Ji shi’s quarters.

Wu Shan had been taken home by his family for the New Year celebrations. The sun was warmly shining in the courtyard, where Dou Zhengchang was writing Spring Festival couplets alone, attended by his personal servant.

This was a tradition passed down from Dou Huancheng’s generation.

When Dou Huancheng retired and returned home at sixty, others saw him as a blessed man – he had passed the provincial examinations in his youth, had many descendants, and at sixty his hearing was still sharp and his eyesight clear.

Therefore, every Spring Festival, many relatives and old friends would come asking for Spring Festival couplets, hoping to share in Dou Huancheng’s good fortune.

Being naturally helpful to his neighbors, Dou Huancheng would always oblige, providing his own paper and ink to write couplets for others.

As time went on, more and more people came asking for couplets. When Dou Huancheng’s energy waned, his two sons and three grandsons helped write couplets.

Eventually, it developed into a tradition where any Dou family child who had achieved proficiency in calligraphy could write Spring Festival couplets for the neighbors during the festival. This became an important indicator of the Dou family children’s academic progress.

Last year, the brothers Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang had qualified to write couplets.

Dou Zhao asked curiously, “Where’s Twelfth Brother?”

Dou Zhengchang was sweating profusely, taking the opportunity while answering to wipe his forehead with a handkerchief: “Fourth Sister, you’ve come at the right time. Please help me find Zhi’er – we have to write four hundred couplets today! How can I finish them alone?”

It wasn’t clear if he was sweating from anxiety or heat.

Dou Zhao smiled, “Let me pay my respects to Sixth Aunt first, then I’ll help Eleventh Brother find him. After all, it won’t make much difference if we wait a little longer.”

The warm curtain of the main room swayed, and Cai Shu walked out smiling.

She curtsied to Dou Zhao and said with a smile, “Madame thought she heard Fourth Miss’s voice. We all thought she had misheard, but it really is Fourth Miss!” As she spoke, she turned to lift the warm curtain to invite her in, “How is Concubine Cui? The narcissus and winter plum blossoms that Fourth Miss sent to our Madame last time are all blooming now, filling the room with their pure fragrance. Madame loves them so much!”

Because of Ji shi, all the maids and elderly servants in the sixth household deeply respected Concubine Cui.

“She’s doing very well,” Dou Zhao said as she entered the hall with Cai Shu, immediately seeing the two pots of winter plum blossoms she had sent before. The yellow flowers were crystal clear, like carved from fine yellow jade, cool and serene.

The inner chamber’s warm curtain was wide open, and Cai Lan was attending to Ji shi, who wore a peach-red treasure vase-patterned lined jacket and walked out smiling. Seeing that Dou Zhao was only wearing a blue lotus wool cape, she took her hand and chided, “This child, you should wear more. Your hands are ice cold.” She called for a maid to bring her hand warmer to Dou Zhao, then went with her into the inner chamber: “I was just about to go see you,” then asked, “Have you prepared all the New Year goods on your side?”

“With Concubine Cui there, everything was prepared early,” Dou Zhao smiled, sitting on the kang bed with Ji shi, and told her about everything that had happened these days.

Ji shi smiled, “You’re a fortunate child. Taking in these sisters will benefit your reputation – you should do more such things in the future. Even if the people you take in aren’t well-behaved at first, after the situation passes, there are ways to send them away. Don’t worry.” She continued, “As for the shop, it’s fine to lose a few thousand taels of silver at first, as long as you can break even before your marriage. We’re not looking for profit.”

It was all about reputation then.

Dou Zhao felt embarrassed.

Ji shi chuckled and asked her, “Did you personally inform Second Madame?”

“I went to Second Madame first, then came here.”

“That’s good,” Ji shi smiled, “Elderly people most dislike when younger ones don’t show them proper respect. In the future, you should always tell Second Madame about important matters.”

Dou Zhao already understood this principle, but still nodded with a smile.

When she left Ji shi’s quarters, Dou Dechang had already returned and was writing Spring Festival couplets with Dou Zhengchang.

“Where did Twelfth Brother sneak back from?” Dou Zhao watched as the sunlight gently shone on them, went over to help them grind ink, and also enjoy the sunshine.

“I went to the latrine,” Dou Dechang said, “Didn’t go anywhere else.”

Really?

Dou Zhao looked toward Dou Zhengchang.

Dou Zhengchang’s face still showed traces of anger, but he said, “He came back early!”

What was this fellow up to?

He had been acting mysteriously these days.

However, with Dou Qijun watching over him, there shouldn’t be any major problems.

Dou Zhao pondered as she returned to the West Mansion.

After the Lantern Festival, Bie Gangyi’s forty-nine days of mourning were complete. The Bie sisters packed their belongings and went to West Dou.

Gan Lu and Su Juan hurried over to help them pack.

Dou Zhao saw that although they weren’t wearing red, they weren’t wearing mourning clothes either, and said, “Second Madame in the East Mansion is quite strict about rules, but you don’t need to worry too much about other things.”

When Chen Cuishui had asked for Dou Zhao’s help, he had inquired about her background. They had some understanding of the Dou family’s situation.

Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan repeatedly agreed, both changing into light gray fine cotton jackets, and went to see Concubine Cui.

Concubine Cui first held their hands and warmly asked after their well-being, then pointed to Bie Suxin and said to Dou Zhao: “She’s so pretty, doesn’t look like someone who has practiced martial arts at all.” Then she took Bie Sulan’s hand: “This child is truly beautiful!” Her tone was very sincere.

Dou Zhao pressed her lips together in a smile.

Grandmother liked sturdy children.

Bie Sulan was somewhat overwhelmed by the attention.

When she stood with her sister, people always praised her sister’s beauty, never her.

Although it was their first meeting, Bie Sulan immediately took a liking to Grandmother.

Bie Suxin also found Grandmother kind and amiable. She couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief, all her previous worries dissipating. She handed the key to the Bie Martial Arts School to Dou Zhao: “…You did this so my father would have a place to go to, we are already eternally grateful. Now that father’s funeral matters are settled, this residence should be returned to you.”

Dou Zhao had redeemed it in Bie Gangyi’s name, and she hadn’t planned to keep the residence, but Bie Suxin’s willingness to give up the residence still made her quite pleased. She took back the key.

Grandmother then said softly to her: “That’s their ancestral home, you should give it back to them, you don’t need that bit of silver.”

Dou Zhao smiled, “Of course I’ll return it to them, just not at this time.”

Grandmother was about to ask more, but Dou Zhao said, “Alright, alright, you should go change your clothes now, Miao Niang and Cui Si will be bringing their children to see you soon.”

Because of Grandfather, the Cui family always came to pay New Year respects to Concubine Cui after the New Year celebrations. Now, although Concubine Cui had moved into the Dou family, the Cui family was used to this tradition and still came to pay their respects after the New Year.

Grandmother smiled with great joy. Before the Cui family arrived, Dou Zhao took the Bie sisters to meet Second Madame.

Second Madame asked a few questions, and seeing that both sisters answered politely, neither servile nor arrogant, she was very satisfied. After giving some instructions about serving Dou Zhao well, she gave each of them a silver hairpin with plum blossom design, then served tea.

Dou Zhao then took them to Sixth Aunt’s quarters.

Sixth Aunt’s courtyard was full of people, some carrying boxes, some holding porcelain vases, some carrying small trinkets, all flowing endlessly toward the east wing room.

Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan were quite startled.

Dou Zhao smiled, “The Wu family’s Fourth Young Master has returned!”

Just as she finished speaking, Wu Shan appeared from somewhere.

“Fourth Sister, how was your New Year?” he bowed in greeting to Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao smiled and returned the greeting: “Very good! How is the Wu family’s Old Madame?”

Wu Shan’s great-grandmother was still alive.

“Very well, very well,” Wu Shan smiled and called his personal servant, “Bring over that agarwood Go set I brought from home.” Then he said to Dou Zhao, “The Go pieces have arhats carved on them, with vivid clothing and expressions, very interesting. Fourth Sister will surely like it.”

He often gave small gifts to Dou Zhao, which she kept in her boxes.

She smiled in thanks and introduced the Bie sisters to him.

He rewarded Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan each with a high-quality jade pendant.

Bie Sulan was overjoyed and hid the jade pendant in her box, saying to Bie Suxin: “That Young Master Wu is so generous! These jade pendants must be worth forty or fifty taels of silver.”

Bie Suxin smiled and patted her sister’s head without saying anything, but in her heart, she thought about how Wu Shan’s eyes never left Dou Zhao for a moment. She wondered what the relationship was between Wu Shan and Fourth Miss, as he seemed very kind…

Just as she was thinking this, Gan Lu pushed open the door: “Sister Suxin, someone called Chen Xiaofeng, who says he’s your relative, is looking for you.”