When he heard that Dou Shibang had arrived, his father went to welcome him in person.

He was holding a basket of oranges. Since they were all family members, his mother and Aunt Ding did not avoid him. After everyone greeted each other, Dou Shibang pointed at the oranges and said to his grandfather with a smile: "My eldest brother sent them back. I took some for you to taste." Then he took an orange from the small basket and handed it to Dou Zhao: "Shou aunt, have an orange."

Dou Zhaoren was still a little dazed.

Mother poked her.

She murmured "thank you".

Dou Shibang smiled and touched Dou Zhao's head.

Grandfather said, "Come sit on the kang! I have a Dahongpao that Shenxing gave me."

Aunt Ding immediately turned around and went to the small tea room next door to make tea.

Dou Shibang didn't hesitate and sat cross-legged on the kang opposite his grandfather.

Dou Zhao held the orange, snuggled quietly in his mother's arms, and stared at Dou Shibang without blinking.

Her third uncle, who had passed away ten years ago, was now standing in front of her alive, and asked her to eat oranges!

When she was at the farm, my third uncle would visit my grandmother from time to time. Every time he went, he would bring her some small things, such as a new handkerchief, a beautiful hair ornament, or some rare food. Once, he even gave her a pair of Wuxi clay dolls. They had big eyes, round faces, and wore red and gold-painted jackets. They bowed with a smile, which made the children at the farm extremely jealous. She placed the dolls on the windowsill until she left the farm at the age of twelve. Then the dolls were put into a box and followed her from Ding County to Kyoto, staying in the Jining Marquis's mansion.

In those days, every visit of her third uncle was like a ray of sunshine shining on her, making her radiant and dazzling.

She never forgot.

Dou Zhao's vision was a little blurry. He heard Dou Shibang laugh and say, "...Big brother's health is getting worse day by day. Lang Ge'er wrote to me a few days ago, saying that big brother has had angina three times since the beginning of autumn. He dared not slack off because the river project was not completed. Big brother wrote to me, saying that after these days, he will resign and go home to study the Book of Changes with his uncle."

Grandfather laughed and said, "Although the career of an official is glorious, the paperwork is also hard. Who asked him to be an official?" As he spoke, his smile gradually faded, and he said seriously, "His heart pain is getting worse day by day. Have you asked a doctor to take a look?"

"We have consulted all the famous doctors in Jiangnan." Dou Zhengbang said, "but none of them can give us any good prescriptions. They just tell us to rest. Is Big Brother the kind of person who can rest..."

Dou Zhao listened at the side, but his thoughts were already drifting away.

My great uncle was Dou Shiyang, the eldest son of my great great-uncle. He was 39 years older than my father and four years younger than my grandfather. Like my grandfather, he studied with my great great-uncle since he was young. He and my grandfather were uncle and nephew, but in fact they were as close as brothers. When Dou Zhao recorded events, he had already passed away. It is said that he died of exhaustion while serving as the prefect of Yangzhou Prefecture in order to repair the river. His deeds were also written on the bluestone stele in the ancestral hall. In the fourth year of Jianwu, there was a flood in the south of the Yangtze River, and many river embankments were washed away. Only the section of the river embankment repaired by my great uncle when he was in office was safe and sound. My great uncle's political achievements were dug up again, and the emperor rewarded him with a special reward.

Lang Ge'er was the only son of my great uncle who was born when he was 43 years old. He passed the imperial examination at the age of 21, but failed again and again. The emperor, remembering his great uncle's merits, favored him as the chief clerk of Jurong County. When he came to Kyoto to thank the emperor, the Dou clan members in Kyoto came to welcome him. Dou Zhao was not close to the Dou family because of his stepmother, so he only sent someone to send a gift.

Should I remind my third uncle?

But will Third Uncle listen to what she says?

Dou Zhao hesitated.

Aunt Ding came in with two maids carrying tea and snacks.

Mother put her on the ground and helped Aunt Ding serve tea and snacks.

Dou Shibang took a sip from the teacup, praised it as "good tea", and then sighed: "This is really 'live by the mountain, eat by the mountain; live by the water, eat by the water'!"

Shenxing was the courtesy name of Dou Shiqi, Dou Zhao's second uncle, and the younger brother of Dou Shiyang, eight years younger than Dou Shiyang and four years older than Dou Shibang. He passed the imperial examination at the age of 26, and then served as an official outside the capital, eventually becoming an official in the position of governor of Jiangxi.

Dou Zhao had only heard of this man but had never seen him - when she was in Zhending, he was an official away; when he retired and returned to his hometown, she had already married and moved to Kyoto.

Dahongpao is produced in Wuyi. Judging from the tone of my third uncle, he should be an official in Fujian now.

Grandfather laughed and said, "'Live by the mountain, eat by the mountain; live by the water, eat by the water'. The key is the word 'live by'. How can we compare with you? We all rely on you for food!"

There were many members of the Dou family who served as officials outside the country, and even more who, for the sake of imperial examinations, "turned a deaf ear to world outside the window and focused on reading virtuous books."

Dou Shibang was in charge of the general affairs of the East and West Dou.

Hearing this, he chuckled twice, looking embarrassed.

Dou Zhao remembered it.

My third uncle not only took part in the provincial examination with my second uncle, fourth uncle, and fifth uncle, but also with my sixth uncle, father, eldest cousin Dou Wenchang, second cousin Dou Yuchang, third cousin Dou Xiuchang, and fourth cousin Dou Rongchang...it seemed that he never passed.

Seeing this, my father picked up the teacup and said in a loud voice, "Drink tea, drink tea!" He then told my mother loudly, "It's rare for my third brother to come. Go and tell the stove master to make some side dishes. I'll drink a couple of cups with my father and third brother."

"No, no." Dou Shibang glanced at his father and said with a smile, "My elder brother asked me to tell my younger uncle a few words. It's getting late, I'll go back after I pass the message." He added, "The New Year is coming soon, and there are still a lot of things waiting for me at home!"

"That doesn't mean we need to waste time." Grandfather said with a smile, but father pulled mother aside and said, "Since Third Brother has something to say to Dad, let's go back to the house first." He ignored mother's surprise and pushed her out of Heshou Hall, "Third Brother must have something important to tell you when you come here at this time."

Mother was relieved. She hadn't seen father for a long time. She looked at him with eyes as soft as vines: "Okay. I'll go back and serve my husband and rest early!"

"Okay, okay, okay." The father responded and turned his head to look towards Heshou Hall with an absent-minded look.

Dou Zhao followed his father's gaze and looked over.

It was quiet all around. The accumulated snow sparkled with cool rays under the moonlight. The orange light in my grandfather's study seemed especially warm.

Dou Zhao was suspicious.

But my mother was unaware of anything and went back to the upper room, chatting and laughing with my father all the way.

A servant with gray hair on the temples came up to them, bowing and calling out "Seventh Master" and "Seventh Madam".

She looked serious, but her eyes were gentle.

Dou Zhao took a liking to him at first sight.

Her mother handed her over to the woman and said, "Mother Yu, you can take Shougu to rest in the warm room today!"

Mother Yu smiled and replied “yes”.

The father asked curiously, "Where is Shougu's wet nurse?"

"She caught a cold," said the mother, going straight into the house. "I'm afraid she'll pass on her illness to Shougu."

The father had no choice but to follow.

The group entered the hall.

Father and mother went to the inner room, and Mother Yu carried Dou Zhao to the warm room behind the inner room.

How could she leave her mother like this when she hasn't even waited for that woman yet!

"Mother, mother!" She twisted her body in Mother Yu's arms.

"Fourth Miss, don't cry, don't cry!" Mother Yu coaxed her and quickened her pace. "Mother Yu will play tumbling with you, okay?"

The father hesitated and said, "How about letting Shougu sleep with us today?"

"This..." Mother looked at father with resentment.

The father seemed not to notice and told Yu's mother: "Bring Shougu here!"

Mother Yu hesitated, glanced at her mother, and seeing that her mother was biting her lip without saying anything, she smiled and said, "Seventh Master, you have had a hard time on the journey..."

"Just bring it here if I tell you to!" the father said displeasedly.

Mother Yu did not hesitate any longer and handed Dou Zhao over to her mother.

But his father took over and carried Dou Zhao into the inner room.

The maids brought in hot water and towels to help her wash and dress.

The mother served the father while the father teased Dou Zhao. Dou Zhao clung closely to his mother. It was a noisy scene, but there was a strange warmth and liveliness. Dou Zhao felt satisfied and happy in his heart.

After finally calming down, Dou Zhao held onto his mother's clothes and lay down between his parents.

Mother propped her chin up on her elbow and spoke softly to father: "Do you still live in the alley next to Jing'an Temple? Is Baoshan with you?" She passed Dou Zhao and gently stroked his arm. The bright red bellyband embroidered with lotus flowers was bright and beautiful under the light, and the snow-white and plump skin could not be concealed, revealing most of the mountain. Dou Zhao blushed and closed his eyes quickly, silently saying in his heart: Mother, I know that a short separation is better than a new marriage, I shouldn't ruin your good thing, but I have no choice. I will leave after I help you drive that woman away...

My father closed his eyes, snorted twice, and said, "Go to bed quickly! You will test me early tomorrow morning!" Then he turned over.

Mother's hand fell empty.

She pouted.

My father was snoring softly.

The house was even quieter.

The mother lay down, gently pinched Dou Zhao's nose, and whispered, "You little rascal!"

Such a mother, real yet innocent, made Dou Zhao almost laugh out loud.

A maid ran in with unsteady steps and reported through the tent: "Seventh Master, Seventh Madam, Aunt Ding is here and said that the old lady wants to see Seventh Master about something important and asked Seventh Master to come over immediately."

The mother was stunned.

The father who had fallen asleep suddenly jumped up and said, "What did you say? The old lady asked me to go over now?" His voice was tense.

The maid replied "yes".

My father hesitated for a moment.

Mother said, "Then you should go over quickly! Maybe it has something to do with what your eldest uncle asked your third uncle to take care of the child..." As she spoke, she sat up.

"Yes, yes!" my father murmured, lifted the quilt, put on his clothes and got out of bed. He ignored my mother who was shouting at him to put on more clothes, and hurriedly followed Aunt Ding to Heshou Hall.

Mother Yu walked over quietly and whispered, "Grandma Qi, do you want to send someone to take a look?"

"Let's not ask for it!" Mother said anxiously, "What if he talks about the court? That would be bad... Isn't there Aunt Ding? I'll ask her when the time comes."

Dou Zhao was filled with doubts.

Aunt Ding kept her head down from the moment she entered the room until she left, and she never looked my mother in the eye.