ATLAS TRANSLATES

Dou Zhao went to class while her grandmother smiled and welcomed Ji shi into the house.

Ji shi asked Hong gu to find some flowers suitable for the hall and guest rooms: “It doesn’t matter if they’re precious varieties or not, as long as they look nice!”

Hong gu smiled and agreed.

Ji shi led grandmother to sit at the stone table under the grape trellis in the backyard.

“I came to see you,” she told grandmother about Mrs. Wu coming to find her, “…the Wu family is simple, with steady income. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wu are sincere people. Most importantly, Wu Shan has been wholeheartedly devoted to Shou gu all these years. Mrs. Wu personally came to ask, showing great sincerity. I think this marriage proposal is quite good. If you also think it’s suitable, I was thinking maybe we should invite Shou gu’s aunt to come take a look, so we can settle the marriage arrangements then.”

When grandmother learned of Ji shi’s intentions, she was already smiling so much her eyes became slits. When Ji shi asked, she nodded repeatedly: “Of course we should invite Shou gu’s aunt to come see the child. Her aunt has good judgment and won’t make mistakes in judging people.” She continued, “We’ve watched Wu Shan grow up. If Shou gu marries him, she won’t be at a disadvantage.”

“That’s what I think too,” Ji shi smiled, “However, please don’t tell Shou gu for now. We still don’t know if her uncle will agree or not.”

“I know, I know,” grandmother said with a smile. Just then, she saw Hong gu directing some servants to bring in several potted flowers, and quickly said, “If anyone asks, I’ll just say you came to get some flowers and plants.”

Ji shi laughed: “You and I think alike.”

Dou Zhao trusted her grandmother the most. She naturally wouldn’t place any spies around her grandmother. When she heard Ji shi came to take some potted plants, she naively asked: “Is it enough? If not, they can come get more.”

However, Wu Shan was always paying attention to his mother, and knew that Second Madam Yu had gone to Second Lady. He was overjoyed. As soon as his mother returned to the guest room, he served her tea, poured water, massaged her legs, and fanned her, flattering Mrs. Wu so much that Wu Ya said from the side: “Offering such eager service without reason – must be up to no good. Brother, what do you want from mother this time? Mother, you can’t be too biased! Whatever brother gets, I should get too!”

These words made Wu Shan laugh heartily.

Mrs. Wu was both amused and exasperated. She poked her daughter’s forehead: “Child, what nonsense are you spouting? What do you mean whatever your brother gets you should get too? You’re all grown up now, why do you still act like a child? When your sister-in-law arrives, will you speak to her this way too?”

“Once I have a sister-in-law, of course I won’t talk to brother this way!” Wu Ya pouted. “It’s just that there’s no sister-in-law yet, right?” As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes suddenly widened, “Mother, is brother going to get married?” Then she shouted loudly, “No, no! If brother is getting married, it has to be someone I like. Otherwise what if she doesn’t let me visit home?”

“You’re speaking more and more nonsense!” Mrs. Wu pretended to be angry and smacked her daughter.

Wu Ya shrank her shoulders in fear.

Everyone in the room burst out laughing.

Meanwhile, Second Madam Yu at Second Lady’s place was forcing a smile.

“…You all know best what happened back then,” Second Lady sighed, holding her hand. “Regarding Shou gu’s marriage, I’m afraid our Dou family can’t make the decision. If others came proposing marriage, I would definitely suspect they were after Shou gu’s dowry. But since it’s the Wu family proposing, not to mention Mr. Wu’s character and integrity, just based on the friendship between our families, this is an excellent match, and I would be happy to see it happen. But now, the Zhao family guards against us like thieves. If we still meddle in Shou gu’s marriage, I’m afraid that…” At this point, Second Lady shook her head helplessly.

How could Second Madam Yu not understand?

But that was half of West Dou’s property.

If Mrs. Wu hadn’t mentioned it, that would be fine, but now Mrs. Wu had clearly set her sights on Dou Zhao. Shouldn’t they fight for it somehow?

She didn’t want to give up, and asked: “Then what do you think I should do?” She passed the ball to the Lady, appearing very troubled, saying, “I was careless before and already promised auntie… I need to find a way to resolve this properly, right?”

Second Lady stared at Second Madam Yu’s seemingly innocent expression, burning with anger.

Don’t know what to do?

Probably already made up her mind long ago!

Originally thought the Wu family was quite decent, didn’t expect they were also hypocrites putting on a righteous front!

Want to marry Dou Zhao? Have to see if your Wu family has what it takes!

Now that one has made a move, the other families will probably start scheming too.

Need to plan ahead early and prevent things from getting worse.

If she openly confronted Second Madam Yu now, it would alert others, and might offend all the other families. Then if they all attacked together, she might not be able to suppress it.

Thinking of this, Second Lady took a deep breath, her smile becoming gentler, and said: “Don’t be anxious. Discussing marriage is just that – discussion. How could it be settled in just a few rounds? Moreover, with Wan Yuan in the capital and Zhao family’s uncle in the northwest, there’s no need to rush.” She paused, “Fortunately, Mr. Wu isn’t just anyone – your Seventh Great Uncle knows him too. I’ll write a letter to your Seventh Great Uncle first, and after he agrees, we can discuss it with Zhao family’s uncle. You are both a Dou family daughter-in-law and Wu family’s grand-aunt, so please explain things well to Mrs. Wu, don’t offend relatives.”

This was exactly why Second Madam Yu had come.

She gladly expressed thanks and went to report back to Mrs. Wu.

Second Lady’s face darkened as she called for Dou Shibang.

“Write a letter to Fifth Brother,” she told Dou Shibang about Wu family’s proposal to marry Dou Zhao, “If he thinks this marriage is feasible, then we can discuss it with Seventh Brother.”

Hearing his mother’s tone, Dou Shibang could tell she didn’t favor the Wu family, so he said: “I see that Wu Shan, though young, is very knowledgeable, acts with restraint yet is sharp and adaptable – he’s someone who can accomplish great things…”

“But what use is that?” Second Lady smiled bitterly, “By the time he has the ability to help Yuan Ji, Yuan Ji and that Wang Xingyi would have already determined victory or defeat.”

Dou Shibang fell silent.

Second Lady instructed him: “Send someone you trust to deliver the letter. If anyone asks, say the letter is for Seventh Master in the capital. Put the letter in another envelope addressed to Wan Yuan.”

Dou Shibang agreed.

Just as Second Lady expected, Second Madam Yu had someone watch the letter being sent to the capital, and only relaxed after personally seeing the envelope addressed “To Dou Wan Yuan.”

Meanwhile, Ji shi had a clerk from her shop deliver a letter to Zhao Si.

However, the people involved – Dou Zhao and Wu Shan – were completely unaware of all these undercurrents swirling around them. These days, Dou Zhao was learning to play the zither from Song Weimin. Learning the musical notes made her head spin. Wu Shan was in high spirits, smiling at everyone he saw. Taking advantage of his few remaining carefree days, he went to Baoding Prefecture with Dou Zhengde and others, and brought back a large red zither tassel with an auspicious knot for Dou Zhao.

Song Yan, who was learning the zither with Dou Zhao under Song Weimin, twitched his mouth and looked away.

It was indeed a bit gaudy, but Wu Shan didn’t mind.

In his pocket, he carried a red silk embroidered purse containing a small golden hairpin with an interlocking heart design, like burning flames making his chest feel hot.

That was what he really wanted to give Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao held the red tassel, looked at Wu Shan who stood before her smiling somewhat foolishly, then looked at Dou Dechang who came with Wu Shan but stood far away by the waterside pavilion like a wooden stake. She was completely confused, feeling like something had happened that everyone knew about except her.

She handed the red tassel to Bie Suxin who was serving beside her, and smiled thanking Wu Shan.

A servant boy came running from afar.

“Twelfth Young Master, Fourth Miss,” he was covered in sweat, “Sixth Madam asks you to return quickly. The Ji family’s young master has arrived.”

Everyone in the pavilion was stunned.

“Which young master from the Ji family?” Dou Dechang asked bewildered, “There are over twenty in my generation!”

The servant wiped his sweat: “It’s the Sixteenth Young Master of the Ji family.”

Dou Dechang was shocked: “What, Ji Yong came? When did he arrive? Who did he come with?” He looked like he had run into a creditor.

Now it was Dou Zhao and Wu Shan’s turn to be curious.

“What’s wrong?” Wu Shan asked him: “Do you have some grudge with this Ji Yong?”

“No!” Dou Dechang grimaced as if in toothache, “I just know him by reputation.”

Dou Zhao then asked: “Do I need to go too? Did Sixth Aunt want me to go as well?”

The servant nodded repeatedly: “That’s what Sixth Madam instructed.”

Dou Zhao looked at Dou Dechang.

Dou Dechang dragged his feet, clearly reluctant to return.

Dou Zhao sensed something was off and asked solemnly: “What’s really going on?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Dou Dechang said, unconsciously straightening his back. “Let’s hurry over, don’t keep the guest waiting.” His expression was tragic, like Jing Ke going to assassinate the King of Qin, with a sense of no return.

Wu Shan exchanged a glance with Dou Zhao: “I’ll go with you.”

Dou Zhao nodded, but Dou Dechang repeatedly said “no need,” telling Wu Shan: “You haven’t paid your respects to aunt since returning. Go see aunt first, we can meet up later.”

Wu Shan looked at Dou Zhao, then pulled Dou Dechang aside and said quietly: “Tell me honestly, do you owe Ji Yong money? I have four hundred taels of silver in my room, if you need it, take it first, and if it’s not enough I’ll figure something out.”

“No, really no!” Dou Dechang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and said, “Since winning against that bastard surnamed He in cockfighting last time, I gave away my Iron General – you know about this. I wouldn’t go back on my word, you should trust me.”

Wu Shan was half-believing: “I trust you about the cockfighting. But why are you afraid of Ji Yong?”

Dou Dechang’s expression changed slightly: “I’m not afraid of Ji Yong, I just don’t like seeing this person.”

Wu Shan was about to say something else when Dou Zhao, who had been openly eavesdropping on the side, gave a light cough.

Even between close friends, everyone has secrets they don’t want to share.

She smiled and said: “Twelfth Brother, wait for me a moment, I’ll go change clothes and return to the mansion with you.”

Dou Dechang nodded, but his brows were tightly furrowed into the shape of “?”.