ATLAS TRANSLATES

After staying in the family for over a year without any signs of pregnancy, Lady Ding made Dou Zhao’s paternal grandmother very anxious.

One day, she heard about a family with the surname Cui at the Dou family estate who had eight sons and two daughters, all of whom survived. Because they had too many children to support, they had even sent two sons to be live-in sons-in-law for other families. Now they wanted to arrange a marriage exchange with their fourteen-year-old eldest daughter for their third son.

Dou Zhao’s paternal grandmother felt this was destiny. After meeting the Cui family’s eldest daughter, who although tall and robust, had delicate features, she spent two hundred silver taels to bring her into the family without consulting Dou Zhao’s grandfather.

Ten months later, Dou Zhao’s father was born.

Just after the baby’s hundred-day celebration, Dou Zhao’s grandfather summoned her paternal grandmother and pointed at Dou Shiying who was still in swaddling clothes: “You must raise this child yourself. Don’t let that illiterate Cui woman ruin him.”

And so, Madam Cui was sent to the Dou family’s small estate of just over a hundred mu in Dongji Village, where she remained until her death.

At her core, Madam Cui remained a village woman.

During the years Dou Zhao lived with her, Madam Cui not only taught her how to water the vegetable garden behind the house, catch insects, and pull weeds, but also showed her how to manage crops and raise chickens and pigs. As Madam Cui would say: “If you learn how to tend to crops, you’ll never starve wherever you go!”

Growing up in such an environment, Dou Zhao learned when to plant in spring, when to harvest in autumn, when to plant vegetables, when to hatch chicks, and could even predict the weather for the coming year based on winter conditions. She was more like the daughter of a rural gentry family than a young lady from a generations-old official family.

She first met Tuo Niang shortly after her tenth birthday. While the adults were busy with spring planting and her grandmother and the steward were in the fields, she stood with several maids under the elm tree in front of the house, watching village children pick elm seeds.

A caterpillar fell onto Dou Zhao’s shoulder, giving her quite a fright. She then caught the caterpillar and used it to scare her maids. Everyone pushed and shoved while screaming, creating chaos.

Tuo Niang appeared out of nowhere, rushing over like a madwoman to chase and beat her maids, shouting: “She is the young miss, the Dou family’s young miss! How dare you disrespect her? I’ll beat you to death, I’ll beat you to death…”

Thinking of these memories stirred emotions in Dou Zhao.

After her stepmother arrived, the servants who had attended to her mother were either sold due to insufficient seniority, released by the stepmother under the pretext of rewarding their service to her mother, or sent back to her uncle’s home. No one told her about her mother’s affairs. Even her loving grandmother repeatedly told her: “People should look forward. What’s the use of asking about such things? You should think more about your future life, think about how to please your mother-in-law after marrying into the Jining Marquis Manor.”

No one knew her inner fears.

How did her mother die?

Why was everyone so tight-lipped about it?

Her stepmother Wang’s personal maid Hu said her mother died because she gave birth to a daughter…

Didn’t that mean she was responsible for her mother’s death?

Was that why she was sent to live with her grandmother in the countryside?

When her mother was alive, did she ever resent her? Did she ever regret giving birth to her?

As she grew older, she became increasingly afraid to ask.

Her mother’s death became an eternal wound in Dou Zhao’s heart.

It was Tuo Niang who told her the truth, and even defended her position when questioned by her grandmother: “I don’t know about those grand principles. I only know that it was Madam Wang who killed the Seventh Madam. Madam Wang is Fourth Miss’s enemy, Fourth Miss cannot accept a murderer as her mother! What you’re doing isn’t helping Fourth Miss, it’s harming her, forcing her into filial impiety!”

Dou Zhao still remembers the shock on her grandmother’s face.

Afterward, her grandmother said nothing and kept Tuo Niang at the estate.

Among the many servants who had attended to her mother, only Tuo Niang spent eight years searching for her, and only Tuo Niang spoke up for her!

Her character was evident.

Now that Dou Zhao was in a difficult situation, she urgently needed someone who would obey her completely.

No one was more suitable than Tuo Niang!

Hearing this, Xiang Cao, despite Shuang Zhi’s objections, took the initiative to find Tuo Niang.

Tuo Niang stared blankly at Dou Zhao, nervous beneath her restraint, softly calling out “Fourth Miss.”

This Tuo Niang was young, rosy-cheeked, with a gentle and shy gaze, completely different from the haggard, disheveled woman in Dou Zhao’s memories.

Dou Zhao felt a twinge in her heart.

She asked Tuo Niang: “Do you… know… who I am?”

“Yes,” she replied quietly, “Xiang Cao just told me on the way here. You are Seventh Madam’s daughter, the Dou family’s Fourth Miss.”

It was good enough that she knew she was Seventh Madam’s daughter!

Dou Zhao nodded with a smile and reached out for Tuo Niang to carry her, saying: “Let’s… go… to… He Shou Hall. Shuang Zhi, lead the way.”

Tuo Niang picked up Dou Zhao without hesitation, but Shuang Zhi was hesitant, saying: “What if…”

“I… want… to go!” Dou Zhao glared at Shuang Zhi.

Shuang Zhi smiled sheepishly.

Xiang Cao quickly asked from the side: “What about me? Fourth Miss, what about me?”

One cannot have only one type of person by their side. Sometimes, strengths can become weaknesses, and weaknesses can become strengths.

“Follow along,” Dou Zhao smiled.

Xiang Cao happily responded “Yes,” and led the way.

Now Shuang Zhi had no choice but to go.

The group went to He Shou Hall.

A servant boy stopped them at the entrance: “The Old Master said no one is allowed in!”

Tuo Niang looked anxiously at Dou Zhao.

Shuang Zhi was at a loss, almost saying something like “I told you so.”

Xiang Cao smiled and went forward, joking and calling out “Brother,” saying: “We were ordered by Seventh Madam to bring Fourth Miss inside…” then winked toward He Shou Hall, “Isn’t everything in chaos inside? That’s why we’re bringing Fourth Miss over now. Brother, if you don’t believe us, why don’t you go in and announce us?”

The servant boy stopped insisting and let them through the courtyard gate.

Shuang Zhi whispered: “Aren’t you being too bold? What if he really goes to ask Seventh Madam…”

“He won’t!” Xiang Cao said confidently with a smile, “If we don’t dare approach He Shou Hall, how could they?”

Dou Zhao nodded silently.

From inside He Shou Hall came her mother’s somewhat hoarse and sharp voice: “…It’s too late for whatever you say now! If you wanted to take a concubine, why didn’t you tell me directly? You asked Third Uncle to speak to Father only because you knew yourself that what you’re doing wrongs me, lacks gentlemanly virtue, yet your thoughts are impure, bewitched by female beauty, wanting to ensure success by using elders to pressure me! Since that’s the case, let’s have the elders from both families come and discuss this properly…”

“Seventh Sister-in-law, Seventh Sister-in-law,” Third Uncle pleaded, “Taking a concubine or not is just a small matter. Since you don’t agree, let’s forget about it. Why make the elders of both families uneasy and become the laughingstock of the entire city? Wan Yuan, quickly apologize to your wife! Let’s end this matter here. If anyone is to blame, it’s all my fault. Please, Sister-in-law, for my sake, be understanding, be understanding!”

Wan Yuan was her father’s courtesy name.

Her mother fell silent, but her father continued mumbling something inaudible.

Dou Zhao quickly said: “Let’s… go… in!”

At this point, Xiang Cao and Shuang Zhi became somewhat frightened, but Tuo Niang, with determination on her face, carried Dou Zhao into the hall.

The people in He Shou Hall didn’t dare stop Dou Zhao.

“Who goes there?” Lady Ding, standing at the entrance, shouted loudly, her expression stern – something Dou Zhao had never seen before.

Tuo Niang’s shoulders shrank, but she quickly straightened up, her voice trembling yet respectful as she said: “It’s Fourth Miss, she asked me to carry her in…”

Hearing the commotion, her mother, sitting frost-faced in the master’s chair, and Third Uncle, who had been wringing his hands and pacing, looked over in surprise. Her father, who had been kneeling facing the main hall, jumped up and, embarrassed and angry, shouted at them: “What’s going on?”

Grandfather wasn’t in the hall.

Before Dou Zhao could speak, her mother gave a cold laugh and stood up.

“You made the mistake, why are you yelling at the child?” she said while walking over to take Dou Zhao in her arms, then asked gently, “What happened?” Her sharp gaze fixed on Tuo Niang.

Dou Zhao spoke before Tuo Niang could: “Mother… Mother… I want… Tuo Niang, I want… Tuo Niang!”

Her mother thought of the maids locked in the side room and frowned.

She didn’t recognize Tuo Niang.

Arranging for Tuo Niang to work as a rough maid in the mansion to earn her keep would be a simple matter for her, not something she would even remember.

A young maid came in trembling to report: “Third Madam has arrived!”

Third Uncle’s spirits lifted upon hearing this, wanting only to quickly dismiss Dou Zhao and the others so they could discuss important matters: “It’s just a maid, if Miss Shou wants her, just give her as a reward.” He gave her father a meaningful look.

Her father immediately said: “This Tuo Niang or whatever her name is, let’s give her to Shou’er.”

Third Aunt was cheerful by nature, witty in speech, and warm towards others. Although she wasn’t the family matriarch, everyone in the Dou household liked her, and they often sought her help as a mediator when issues arose. Her mother could guess some of the reason for Third Aunt’s sudden arrival.

She also wanted her father to give up the idea of taking a concubine soon.

After all, Tuo Niang was a maid from her own household, so there was no worry about her running away. With all of Miss Shou’s maids and servants locked up, letting this Tuo Niang temporarily take care of Miss Shou would be fine. She could properly investigate Tuo Niang’s background after she finished dealing with this current situation.

Her mother called Yu Ma Ma in: “Place this Tuo Niang in Miss Shou’s room.”

Yu Ma Ma looked confused, glanced at Tuo Niang twice, and respectfully complied.

With so many people around, including Yu Ma Ma, even if her mother wanted to die, someone would stop her.

Dou Zhao wasn’t worried. She tugged at Tuo Niang’s sleeve, signaling her to go back.

Tuo Niang was still lost in the bewilderment of suddenly changing from a rough laundry maid to a young lady’s personal maid. She hadn’t even expressed her gratitude before stumbling out of He Shou Hall with Dou Zhao.

Xiang Cao and Shuang Zhi had already received the news.

Shuang Zhi congratulated Tuo Niang, politely exchanging pleasantries: “…We’ll be serving together from now on.”

Xiang Cao hung her head in regret, her expression both remorseful and dejected.

Dou Zhao smiled slightly and pointed at Xiang Cao, saying to Yu Ma Ma: “I want… Xiang Cao.”

Xiang Cao was both surprised and delighted.

Yu Ma Ma now shared the same thoughts as Seventh Madam, and since Xiang Cao had originally served in Seventh Madam’s room, they knew her background and weren’t worried about her causing trouble. She instructed Xiang Cao: “Since Fourth Miss likes you, you’ll follow Fourth Miss then! Remember to serve well, don’t make Fourth Miss angry…”

Xiang Cao was so happy she couldn’t close her mouth.

With Fourth Miss’s servant women locked up for their offenses, given Seventh Madam’s temperament, they would surely never be used again. Having caught Fourth Miss’s eye, she might even become a first-rank maid in the future!

The more she thought about it, the brighter her future seemed. As soon as Yu Ma Ma turned around, she hurriedly thanked Dou Zhao: “Fourth Miss, I will definitely serve you well…”

Dou Zhao waved her hand at the chattering Xiang Cao, then pointed at He Shou Hall: “Listen… tell me.”