"Why did you think of visiting your great-aunt today?" The Second Lady asked Dou Zhao, holding her hand with a smile. The maids on duty in the Second Lady's room brought fruits, tea, or snacks, and entertained Dou Zhao with smiles on their faces.
Dou Zhao nodded and greeted several maids, and told the second lady about the trip to Zhending Prefecture to burn incense for Bie Gangyi: "...Send the Buddha to the west. I saw that the two elder sisters of the Bie family were helpless, so I promised Bie Gangyi that if he died of illness, his two daughters would take refuge with me. Bie Gangyi was fine before, so this matter was not made public, which was unlucky."
The industries of the East and West Dou families were still managed together and had not been formally separated. The Second Lady was the highest-ranking woman in the Dou family, and greeting her was a courtesy. It would also help the sisters Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan to have fewer troubles when moving around in the inner house in the future.
The Second Lady was a little surprised and asked thoughtfully, "Does your father know?"
Dou Zhao smiled and said, "I'll tell you first. If you agree, I'll tell my father right away. And as for Sixth Aunt, once the man enters the mansion, I'm afraid I'll have to ask Sixth Aunt to help explain the rules and regulations."
The Second Lady was very satisfied after hearing this. She smiled and said, "This is a good thing, a good thing for accumulating blessings. Why should I disagree? Just do as you said, and wait until Bie Gangyi reaches the age of 47, then let the two girls enter the mansion! Then you can bring them to me for a look."
Dou Zhao smiled and replied "yes", chatted with the Second Lady for a while, then stood up and said goodbye.
"First he opened his own shop, then he moved the Cui family members into the shop, and now he has accepted two more 'loyal servants'," Dou Shibang asked his mother, "What do you think of this matter..."
The Second Lady used the lid of the teacup to brush the tea leaves in the teacup and said calmly, "No matter who instigated her, with a shop and a few people, I'm afraid she won't be able to satisfy her. She will have other tricks up her sleeve. Let's not be impatient. Let's wait and see."
Dou Shibang nodded respectfully.
Dou Zhao went to Ji's place.
Wu Shan was taken back by his family to celebrate the New Year. The sun was shining warmly in the yard, and Dou Zhengchang was writing Spring Festival couplets in the yard alone, served by his personal servant.
This is the rule passed down from Dou Huancheng's generation.
Dou Huancheng retired and returned home at the age of 60. In the eyes of others, he passed the imperial examination when he was young, had many children and grandchildren, and was still deaf and blind at the age of 50. He was a blessed man. Therefore, every Spring Festival, many relatives and friends came to ask for Spring Festival couplets, hoping to get some of Dou Huancheng's blessings and a good omen. Dou Huancheng was a warm-hearted neighbor, so he would naturally respond to any request and write Spring Festival couplets for others with his own paper and ink. As time went by, more and more people came to ask for Spring Festival couplets. Dou Huancheng was in low spirits, so his two sons and three grandsons all helped him write Spring Festival couplets. Later, it developed to the point that as long as the children of the Dou family had practiced their calligraphy to a small level, they could write Spring Festival couplets for the villagers during the Spring Festival. This also became an important symbol of whether the children of the Dou family had achieved academic success.
Last year, the brothers Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang were qualified to write Spring Festival couplets.
Dou Zhaoqi asked, "Where is the twelfth brother?"
Dou Zhengchang was sweating profusely. He took the opportunity to wipe his forehead with a handkerchief while looking up to answer. "Fourth sister, you've come just in time. Please help me find Zhi'er. The two of us have to write 400 Spring Festival couplets today. How can I finish them all by myself?"
I don’t know if the sweat is caused by anxiety or heat?
Dou Zhao smiled and said, "Wait till I greet Sixth Aunt and then help Eleventh Brother find someone? Anyway, Eleventh Brother is not available to help at this time."
The warm curtain in the main room swayed, and Caishu walked out with a smile.
She knelt and bowed to Dou Zhao, smiling, "Madam said she seemed to hear the voice of the fourth young lady. We all thought she had misheard, but it was really the fourth young lady who came." As she spoke, she turned around and lifted the warm curtain to invite her in. "How is Aunt Cui? The daffodils and plums that the fourth young lady gave to our madam last time are all in bloom, filling the room with fragrance. I wonder how much Madam likes it!"
Because of Ji's relationship, the maids and old women in the sixth room all respected Aunt Cui very much.
"She's doing well." Dou Zhao said as he and Caishu entered the hall. They saw the two pots of plum blossoms that he had sent last time. The yellow flowers were crystal clear, as if carved from the finest topaz, cool and quiet.
The warm curtains in the inner room were opened, and Cai Lan, who was serving Ji Shi, who was wearing a pink vase-patterned jacket, came out with a smile. Seeing that she was only wearing a green lotus cloth cape, she held her hand and said angrily, "Child, don't wear more clothes. Your hands are cold." She asked the maid to bring her hand warmer to Dou Zhao, and then went into the inner room with Dou Zhao, "I was just about to go to your place." Then she asked, "Have you prepared all the New Year's goods?"
"With Aunt Cui around, everything has been prepared long ago." Dou Zhao smiled, got on the kang with Ji, and told her everything that had happened in the past few days.
Ji smiled and said, "You are a lucky child. Taking in these sisters is good for your reputation. You should do more such things in the future. Even if the people you take in are troublesome for a while, you can get rid of them after the storm. Don't worry." She added, "As for the shop, it doesn't matter if you lose a few thousand taels of silver at the beginning, as long as you can break even before you get married. We don't seek that kind of profit."
It's all about reputation.
Dou Zhao was embarrassed.
Ji laughed and asked her, "Have you ever gone to the Second Madam to report in person?"
"I went to the Second Madam's place first, and then came to you."
"That's good." Ji smiled and said, "Old people hate it most when young people don't take them seriously. If you have anything to say in the future, just tell the Second Madam more."
Dou Zhao already understood this principle, but he still nodded with a smile.
When she came out of Ji's room, Dou Dechang had already returned and was busy writing Spring Festival couplets with Dou Zhengchang.
"Where did Twelve Brother sneak back from?" Dou Zhao looked at the sunlight shining warmly on them, and went over to help them grind ink and casually bask in the sun.
"I went to the toilet." Dou Dechang said, "I didn't go anywhere."
real?
Dou Zhao looked towards Dou Zhengchang.
Dou Zhengchang still had some anger on his face, but he said, "He came back a long time ago!"
What the hell is this guy doing?
I've been feeling weird these days.
However, with Dou Qijun watching over us, nothing serious should happen.
Dou Zhao returned to the West Mansion muttering to himself.
After the Lantern Festival, Bie Gangyi also passed the seventh day of his death. The Bie sisters packed up and went to Xidou.
Ganlu and Sushen hurried over to help them pack.
Dou Zhao saw that although they were not wearing red, they were not wearing mourning, and said, "The second lady in the East Palace is a bit too strict, but you don't need to pay too much attention to the others."
When asking Dou Zhao for help, Chen Qushui had asked about Dou Zhao, and they also had some understanding of the situation of the Dou family.
Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan responded in unison, and they changed into moon-white cotton jackets and went to see Aunt Cui.
Aunt Cui first held the hands of the two and asked about their well-being. Then she pointed at Bie Suxin and said to Dou Zhao, "She is so pretty. How can she look like someone who has practiced martial arts?" She then pulled Bie Sulan and said, "This child is so beautiful!" Her tone was very sincere.
Dou Zhao pursed his lips and smiled.
Grandma likes strong children.
Bie Sulan, however, felt a little flattered.
When she stood with her sister, everyone praised her sister for her beauty, but no one ever praised her.
Although it was their first time dealing with each other, Bie Sulan immediately fell in love with her grandmother.
Bie Suxin also felt that her grandmother was kind and amiable. She couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. All the worries she had before coming here disappeared. She handed the key of the Bie family martial arts hall to Dou Zhao: "...You came here so that my father could have a place to stay when he passed away. We are already very grateful. Now that my father's funeral has been arranged, this house should be returned to you."
Dou Zhao was redeemed in the name of Bie Gangyi. She had no intention of taking the house at first, but she was still relieved when Bie Suxin expressed her intention to give up the house, so she took back the key.
Grandmother whispered to her: "That's someone's ancestral home, just give it to them. You don't need that little bit of money."
Dou Zhao smiled and said, "Of course I have to return it to them, but not now."
Grandmother was about to ask more, but Dou Zhao said, "Okay, okay, go change your clothes quickly. Tuo Niang and Cui Si will bring the child to see you later."
Because of my grandfather, the Cui family used to wait until after the Chinese New Year to come and pay New Year’s greetings to Aunt Cui. Now, although Aunt Cui has moved into the Dou family, the Cui family has gotten used to it and still waits until after the Chinese New Year to come and pay New Year’s greetings to Aunt Cui.
Grandmother smiled happily. Dou Zhao took the Bie sisters to see the second wife while the Cui family members were not there yet.
The Second Lady asked a few questions and was very satisfied to see that the two sisters were polite in their responses, neither humble nor overbearing. She told them a few words to serve Dou Zhao well, gave each of them a silver hairpin with the inscription "Happy Plum Branches", and then served them tea.
Dou Zhao took the two of them to visit his sixth aunt.
The yard of Sixth Aunt's place was full of people. Some were carrying boxes and baskets, some were holding porcelain vases, and some were carrying some small things. They were flowing into the east room in an endless stream.
Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan were shocked.
Dou Zhao smiled and said, "It's the fourth master of the Wu family who's back!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Wu Shan appeared from nowhere.
"Fourth sister, how are you spending the New Year?" He bowed to Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao smiled and returned the greeting: "Very good! How is the old lady of the Wu family?"
Wu Shan's great-grandmother is still alive.
"Very good, very good." Wu Shan smiled and called his personal servant, "Bring over the agarwood Go set I brought from home." Then he said to Dou Zhao, "The Go pieces are engraved with Arhats, with bright clothes and lifelike appearance. They are very interesting. Fourth sister will definitely like them."
He often gave Dou Zhao some small things, and Dou Zhao kept them in a box.
She thanked him with a smile and pointed out the Bie sisters to him.
He rewarded Bie Suxin and Bie Sulan with two jade pendants of extremely fine water content.
Bie Sulan was extremely happy. She hid the jade token in her box and said to Bie Suxin, "Mr. Wu is so generous! This jade token is probably worth forty or fifty taels of silver."
Bie Suxin smiled and patted her sister's head without saying anything. In her heart, she was thinking about the way Wu Shan looked at Dou Zhao. It seemed that he never left her side for even a moment. She just didn't know what the relationship between Wu Shan and the fourth young lady was. He looked very kind...
Just as she was thinking, Ganlu pushed the door open and walked in: "Sister Suxin, there's a guy named Chen Xiaofeng who says he's your relative and wants to see you for something."