Dou Zhao felt that he might not live long.

The older generation often says that if you dream of death, you will be reborn, and if you dream of life, you will die.

These days she always dreamed that she was back to her childhood, sitting under a flower stand covered with wisteria flowers, swinging her two plump legs, and her plump wet nurse who looked like a steamed bun was feeding her.

When the wind blows, the hanging wisteria vines are crowded together, and the stacked wisteria flowers rustle, like a group of little girls gathered together and whispering.

She found it interesting, ran over with a smile, grabbed a vine, and plucked a blooming wisteria flower.

The nurse ran after her and said, "Fourth Miss, be good. Eat this meal. Seventh Master will be back from the capital soon. He will bring you lots of delicious food and some nice shoes and socks..."

Without even looking at the nurse, she dodged the silver spoon she extended to her and grabbed a vine and plucked a wisteria flower.

A clear and pleasant female voice came to my ears: "What? Miss Four is disobedient again?"

When the nurse heard the voice, she immediately turned around, bent her knees, bowed in the direction of the voice, and respectfully called out "Seventh Grandma".

She rushed over holding a wisteria flower in her hand: "Mother, Mother..."

The young woman hugged her tenderly.

She showed the wisteria flowers in her hand to her mother like a treasure.

The spring sunshine shone on the red-gold boutonniere in her mother's hair and her bright red sleeves streaked with gold, reflecting a dazzling light. Her mother's body seemed to be coated with a layer of gold foil, which stung her eyes, and her mother's face melted in the golden halo, making it impossible for her to see her expression.

"Mother, mother..." She suppressed the bitterness in her eyes and raised her head high, trying to see her mother clearly.

But my mother's face became increasingly blurred.

A little maid ran over and reported happily: "Seventh Madam, Seventh Master has returned from the capital!"

"Really!" Mother stood up in surprise and joy, picked up her skirt and ran out.

She ran after him with her short, fat legs clacking, "Mother, Mother!"

But my mother walked faster and faster, and was about to disappear in the spring light.

She became anxious and shouted at her mother's joyful back: "Mom, Mom, Dad didn't come back alone, he brought a woman with him! She will take away your position as your legal wife, and force you to have no other choice but to hang yourself..."

But for some reason, these crucial words kept lingering in her mind and on the tip of her tongue, but she could not make any sound. She could only watch her mother's figure gradually disappear from her sight.

She was extremely anxious and looked for her mother everywhere.

In the white light, there was a group of adults arguing endlessly.

She ran over.

While pushing through the crowd, he anxiously asked, "Have you seen my mother? Have you seen my mother?"

They were all busy arguing and no one paid any attention to her.

Mother, where did you go?

She looked around in confusion.

Suddenly I saw a flower hall with latticed windows inlaid with colorful glazed tiles. The door of the hall was half-open, and it seemed that there was a shadow swaying there.

Is my mother hiding there?

She ran over happily and pushed open the door with a creaky sound.

The half-length red Xiang skirt with gold all over it fluttered in the air, revealing two feet under the skirt. One foot was only wearing snow-white silk stockings, and the other foot was wearing a red silk embroidered shoe with a pattern of dolls playing in the water...

She screamed loudly and woke up from her dream in a sweat.

What comes into view is still the familiar octagonal palace lantern, standing quietly in the corner of the wall, emitting bright yet soft light.

The room was silent. Cui Leng, the head maid, was taking a nap on a small stool at the head of the bed.

Dou Zhao took a deep breath.

It turns out that the scream was also in a dream!

She suppressed her fear and uneasiness.

My illness has put everyone in my family in a state of panic, especially the maids who serve me closely. They have to take turns to work day and night without even blinking an eye. They must be extremely tired.

Dou Zhao did not alarm Cui Leng. Looking at the light in the corner, he couldn't help but think of his dream just now.

She was only one year and eleven months old when her mother died. She didn't remember anything. If her mother's loyal servant Tuoniang hadn't found her later, she wouldn't even know how her mother died, so how could she know these details?

It can be seen that these were all what she thought about during the day and dreamed about at night. After listening to Tuo Niang's words, she must have made them up!

Dou Zhao felt suffocated and uncomfortable, and could not help turning over.

The rustling sound of clothes rubbing against each other seemed particularly clear and loud in the silent night.

Cui Leng was immediately awakened. Thinking that she had fallen asleep while on duty, she shouted "Madam" in panic.

Dou Zhaoan smiled at her and said, "I'm a little thirsty."

"I'll pour you some tea right away." Cui Leng jumped up, took a long breath, and felt relieved.

Dou Zhao drank a sip of hot tea and asked her, "What time is it now? Has the Marquis returned?"

"It's just past midnight." Cui Leng said in a low voice, "My Lord, he hasn't come back yet." She seemed very nervous.

Dou Zhao's eyes couldn't help but darken.

She caught a cold when she went to her aunt's house, the wife of the prince of Jingguo, Wei Yanzhen, to admire chrysanthemums on the Double Ninth Festival. After that, she had a fever. At first, no one took it seriously, including Dou Zhao. She thought that she would be cured after consulting a doctor and taking a few doses of medicine. Who knew that after taking a few doses of medicine, her illness not only did not get better, but became more serious. Ten days ago, she was bedridden. The family panicked and invited doctors, performed rituals, and worshiped Bodhisattvas. The situation was chaotic. Her husband, Wei Tingyu, the Marquis of Jining, even asked the maid to set up a couch behind the screen and rest there every night, serving her tea.

Yesterday afternoon, Wang Qinghai, the fourth master of Ting'an Marquis's family, came to see Wei Tingyu. The two of them whispered for a long time outside. Wei Tingyu used the excuse of going out to eat with Wang Qinghai and has not returned yet.

Wang Qinghai, courtesy name Dahe, and Wei Tingyu were from the same family of officials. They grew up together and both liked riding and shooting and playing Cuju. They had a particularly good relationship and often played polo, Cuju, hunting, and horse racing together. If it were normal, Dou Zhao would definitely not care and continue to sleep peacefully. But just half a month ago, Wang Qinghai's father-in-law, Zhou Shaochuan, the Earl of Dongping, was confiscated and deprived of his title by the emperor for corruption and was imprisoned. Wang Qinghai was running around for his father-in-law, and she was afraid that Wei Tingyu would also get involved.

"Ask the maid on duty at the second gate to go to the outer courtyard and see if the Marquis is resting in the study." Dou Zhao said worriedly, "If the Marquis is not in the study, tell the person on duty at the main gate to ask him to go back to the upper room as soon as he comes back."

Cui Leng responded and left.

But after a cup of tea, she hurried back: "Madam, the Marquis is back!" She paused and added, "The Marquis just came back from outside, and he went straight to your room."

"I understand." Dou Zhao struggled to sit up.

Cui Leng was just about to help her tie her hair back into place when Wei Tingyu had already entered the inner room.

Although he was over thirty, Wei Tingyu was not like those dukes and ministers who lived a comfortable life like him, who were either listless due to alcohol and sex, or obese due to a big belly. He was tall and straight, with handsome and elegant features, agile movements, full of energy in every move, and even more energetic than when he was young. At first glance, he was only twenty-five or twenty-six years old, a famous handsome man in Kyoto.

Seeing Dou Zhao sitting with his clothes on, he asked in surprise, "Why haven't you slept yet?"

Dou Zhao asked, "What does Fourth Master Wang want to see Master Hou about?"

"Oh!" Wei Tingyu's eyes were a little evasive, "Nothing, I'm just feeling depressed, so I came to have a drink..."

"My Lord!" Dou Zhao raised her voice and interrupted Wei Tingyu rudely, "Master Wang is here to ask for your help, right? Have you ever thought carefully about why the Duke of Dongping was imprisoned? What trouble will you get into if you wade into this trouble? Even if you don't pity me, my mother-in-law is old and the children are still young, will you just ignore them?"

"Don't always treat me like a three-year-old child." Wei Tingyu said with a smile, "The Duke of Dongping just said a few nonsense words after drinking and offended the emperor, so he was sent to prison. Not to mention me, who in Kyoto doesn't know about it? Don't worry, I have my own opinion on this matter and will not drag you and the children down." The tone was perfunctory.

The current emperor ascended the throne through a palace coup and is most concerned about others discussing this matter in private. The so-called Dongping Earl's drunken nonsense may have arisen from this.

As a couple for more than ten years, Dou Zhao knew Wei Tingyu's temper very well.

Dou Zhao became even more worried after hearing what he said, and she insisted that Wei Tingyu make a promise to her: "...you will not interfere in anything related to the Zhou family!"

Wei Tingyu was getting angry at what she said, and said unhappily, "What do you mean? Dahe is my best friend. If I just sit back and do nothing when he's in trouble, would I still be a human being?" Then he sneered, "Fortunately, Dahe didn't ask me to ask my father-in-law for help, otherwise, you would have killed me!"

Dou Zhao's father, Dou Shiying, was the president of the Hanlin Academy and the junior secretary of the Zhanshi Palace. Although he was only a fourth-rank official, he was highly regarded by the emperor and was often summoned to the palace to give lectures to the crown prince and other princes.

Hearing these hurtful words, she was so angry that she almost passed out.

Wei Tingyu felt guilty when he saw this, and whispered, "Do you know why Dahe asked me to do this?" As he spoke, he couldn't help but glare and said angrily, "Song Mo, that bastard, actually took Miss Zhou's Thirteen and Miss Zhou into his room!"

Dou Zhao was shocked: "What about Madam Zhou?"

"Also in the mansion." Wei Tingyu's voice was as soft as a mosquito, and his expression was embarrassed.

Dou Zhao took a breath of cool air.

Madam Zhou is the second wife of the Earl of Dongping and the niece of Cao Jie, the commander of the Miyun Guard. She is only 32 years old this year and has an outstanding appearance. The thirteenth and fourteenth daughters of the Zhou family are a pair of beautiful sisters born to Madam Zhou. They are better than their mother and even before they reach the age of 15, people proposing marriage have already knocked on the door.

"He has abandoned his virtue and power and has done evil things. Doesn't the emperor care?"

Wei Tingyu sneered: "He killed his father and brother, and the emperor only fined him three years of salary, dismissed him from his official position, and let him make meritorious contributions. Do you think the emperor will blame him for this?"

Dou Zhao remained silent.