ATLAS TRANSLATES

Bie Suxin met Chen Xiaofeng at the gatehouse of Dou family’s outer courtyard.

Chen Xiaofeng dejectedly asked Bie Suxin: “Did you really seek refuge with Fourth Miss Dou?”

Bie Suxin smiled and said: “Would I lie to you about something like this?”

Chen Xiaofeng remained silent for a long while.

Bie Suxin said: “If senior apprentice brother has nothing else, I’ll head back first. These days I’m learning proper etiquette from Sixth Madam at the East Manor.” Then she continued, “The Dou household has many people and servants. My sister and I are already conspicuous entering the manor at our age. If people hear us addressing each other as martial siblings, they’ll be even more curious about us sisters. From now on, I’ll call you Big Brother instead!” She then asked, “When are you leaving with Lame Chen? If anything happens at home, Aunt can send someone to let us know. Fourth Miss Dou is very kind, we can make time to visit Aunt.”

Hearing her words, Chen Xiaofeng felt even more ashamed: “I followed Lame Chen because he offered good money, hoping to help support you all. Now that you have someone to rely on, and mother doesn’t want me to leave home, I’ve already quit working for Lame Chen.”

Bie Suxin made a noncommittal “Oh” sound.

There was a commotion from the main gate.

Chen Xiaofeng and Bie Suxin both looked over.

They saw two dust-covered black lacquered carriages with flat tops stop at West Dou’s entrance. Manager Du An lifted the curtain and helped a man around fifty years old out of the carriage.

The man was of medium height, pale-faced and beardless, wearing a sapphire blue floral robe that gave him a scholarly elegance.

He looked up to examine the Dou family gate while Du An introduced beside him: “This is our master’s ancestral home. Please, Master Song!”

The man called Master Song smiled and followed Du An into the manor.

Meanwhile, Dou Zhao had received word that the tutor Master Song, newly invited by Dou Shengying, had arrived.

Dou Zhao had Gaoxing go arrange for Master Song.

Gaoxing was Gaosheng’s younger brother. When Dou Shengying went to the capital, Gaosheng accompanied him to serve.

The household affairs were originally meant to be handed over to Du An, who had served Dou Zhuo, but Wang Yingxue thought Du An handled matters meticulously and wanted him to go to the capital as well, suggesting Du An’s cousin Du Ning as steward instead.

With so many servants in the household, promoting Du An was also because he had served Dou Zhuo before. Dou Shengying didn’t care about such matters at all and agreed without thinking. Before Dou Shengying left, Dou Zhao had already used the excuse of needing managers for her manor to kick several managers loyal to Wang Yingxue to her own estate as managers, and promoted new people as managers instead.

After Dou Shengying left, Dou Zhao also had Gaoxing, who managed the Dou family gate, handle everything, immediately making Du Ning powerless. Soon after, using the excuse that those managers didn’t understand estate matters, she sent them home to idle.

Even the servant women who swept the courtyard in the Dou household knew what this was about, but no one dared say anything, only becoming more attentive in their attitude when encountering Dou Zhao.

Du Ning didn’t dare complain about Dou Zhao either, only daring to curse Gaoxing when drunk: “…What is he? He can’t even understand account books, yet he’s the steward? Don’t make people laugh their teeth off!”

When Dou Zhao heard about this, she spread the word: “Whoever I say is capable is capable, even if they’re not; whoever I say isn’t capable isn’t capable, even if they are!” This terrified everyone in West Dou up and down, and some well-meaning people passed these words to the East Manor. Second Madam frowned upon hearing this, privately saying Dou Zhao had become arrogant. She had originally wanted to help Dou Zhao but remained silent instead. When these words were passed back to Dou Zhao, she pretended not to hear and privately told Gaoxing how to handle major issues while letting minor ones slide. Though his work was rigid, after more than a year, he hadn’t made any major mistakes, which made Second Madam quite surprised, letting out a “hmm.”

Gaoxing returned after only half an incense stick’s time.

“Fourth Miss,” he reported respectfully, “Manager Du has returned, and Master Song is with him!”

Dou Zhao raised her eyebrows.

What was Du An back for?

She asked Gaoxing: “Did you come back on your own or did Manager Du tell you not to interfere with this matter?”

Gaoxing honestly replied: “I couldn’t get involved, and I felt I should report to Fourth Miss, so I came back.”

Dou Zhao said: “In that case, pass down my words – none of you are to handle Master Song’s matters.”

Gaoxing knew what “not to handle” meant, and hesitated: “But Master Song is the tutor Seventh Master invited for you. What if he gets angry and leaves like that Jiang Yougong…”

“What does that have to do with us?” Dou Zhao asked curiously, “Isn’t Du An hosting Master Song? If Master Song leaves angry, shouldn’t father hold Du An accountable?”

Gaoxing thought about it and felt Dou Zhao’s words made sense. He smiled simple-mindedly and passed down Dou Zhao’s instructions.

Du An’s side immediately had no one even to hand over a handkerchief.

He was furious and severely scolded Du Ning after calling him over.

Du Ning complained pitifully: “I told you earlier you should have stayed at the Dou household…”

“Shut your dog mouth!” Du An couldn’t help saying, “No matter how capable Fourth Miss is, she’ll still have to marry in a few years. Even if I’m extremely attentive, Seventh Master still prefers Gaosheng who served him since childhood.” Then he sighed, “If Fourth Miss were a young master, I wouldn’t have hesitated at all and would have just focused on currying favor with Fourth Miss!”

“But if you offend Fourth Miss, she could dismiss you whenever she remembers to. If you offend Madam, you can still beg Fourth Miss to work at her estate or shops…”

If Fourth Miss hadn’t gotten half of West Dou’s assets, could she be so overbearing?

Du An sighed internally and remained silent for a while.

Du Ning carefully asked him: “What do you think we should do about this?”

Du An glared fiercely at Du Ning and said: “What to do? Find some people to get through the current situation first. This time Madam sent me back because there’s an urgent matter to handle. Don’t manage the household affairs for now, just follow my instructions when the time comes. Once this matter is handled successfully, you’ll be the true steward of West Dou in name and reality.” By the end, his words were somewhat gritted through his teeth.

Du Ning nodded repeatedly and called over his wife, nieces, and nephews who worked at the Dou manor to help.

Master Song was used to moving in great households and had brought his clan nephew Song Yan to serve him. Seeing this situation, he secretly regretted it and said to his clan nephew: “Earlier they only said there was a young lady who wanted to learn some poetry, zither, calligraphy and painting for recreation. Who knew the household affairs would be so complicated. Sigh, if it weren’t for needing to ask Lord He for a favor, how would I have come here to tutor?”

Song Yan was only fifteen or sixteen but very steady. He smiled and comforted Master Song: “Uncle, don’t be discouraged. You just need to teach that young lady, surely they won’t skimp on our food and lodging? At worst, we can finish teaching this year and not continue next year. That way we can also give Lord He an explanation.”

Master Song nodded.

Song Yan helped carry the trunks together with Du An’s nephew.

At dinner time, Dou Shifu hosted a welcoming dinner for Master Song at Dou Zhao’s request: “Seventh Grand Uncle isn’t home, please forgive any discourtesies, Master Song.” Then he invited the Song uncle and nephew to Jingfu Spring restaurant.

As a result, Du An had no dinner arrangements, which angered him so much he grabbed Gaoxing’s collar wanting to hit him.

Others quickly stepped in to separate them.

Yet Gaoxing still said simple-mindedly: “The household meals are all counted. You came back without paying respects to Fourth Miss, so she didn’t know and didn’t give instructions. The kitchen couldn’t do anything about it. You should go pay your respects to Fourth Miss!”

The Dou household threw away so much leftover food every day, couldn’t they spare him one portion?

Du An was so angry his face turned purple, but he couldn’t say a word. Thinking of Madam’s instructions before coming, he had to obediently go pay his respects to Dou Zhao.

But the matron at the second gate stopped him outside, saying with an insincere smile: “Manager Du, the young miss is grown now, unlike before. It’s not appropriate for you to enter the inner courtyard anymore. Whatever matter you have, we can help relay it.”

He waited for two hours without even a bench to sit on. Du An’s legs were numb by the time a little maid came back with a response: “It’s late now, Fourth Miss asks Manager Du to come speak tomorrow morning.”

Du An couldn’t help asking: “What was Fourth Miss doing just now?”

The little maid smiled with pursed lips: “Fourth Miss was pruning flowers!”

This angered Du An again.

Dou Zhao couldn’t be bothered with Du An. She had Ganlu and others hurriedly make several pouches, then went to Daci Temple to get “Everything as Wished” talismans for Dou Zhengchang, Dou Dechang, Dou Qiguang, Dou Qitai and Wu Shan who were taking the children’s examination this year, putting them in pouches to send over.

Dou Zhengchang and the others all had their maids convey words of gratitude, only Wu Shan sent over a box of white lotus leaf fans: “When the flowers bloom in a few days, Fourth Sister can paint some fans to give away.”

Dou Zhao smiled, her heart stirred.

After Master Song finished teaching “How to Take a Wife, Must Tell Parents” from Mencius, she asked him: “I previously learned flower and bird painting from family elders and want to paint some fans. Could master teach me?”

Apart from some discord on the first day, the Dou household was very peaceful, and Dou Zhao was also very serious about her studies, which Master Song was quite satisfied with.

He smiled and said: “Draw a draft first, and I’ll take a look.”

Dou Zhao happily agreed.

Master Song’s given name was Huai, courtesy name Yumin. He was well-versed in various subjects and quite casual in manner. Perhaps because he was from Jiangnan, he didn’t slight Dou Zhao for being a girl. When Dou Zhao had questions she didn’t understand, he would often cite classics and explain at length. Dou Zhao listened with great interest, often forgetting what she had originally wanted to ask. These days when spring breeze touched their faces, he even taught Dou Zhao how to make kites. Now that Dou Zhao took the initiative to learn something, he was even more enthusiastic.

Dou Zhao returned home and found some fan painting albums to copy from.

News came from the county school that Dou Zhengchang, Dou Dechang, Dou Qiguang, Dou Qitai and Wu Shan all passed the county examination. By April, they had all passed the prefectural examination. In June, except for Dou Qitai, everyone else passed the provincial examination, especially Wu Shan who placed first.

The Dou family clan school’s reputation soared.

Madam Wu brought Wu Ya back specially from the capital.