Wang Yingshu's family rushed over, and the Dou family was just discussing with the Wang family about Wang Yingshu entering their household.

  Dou Zhaocrouched in the backyard's Yu Jiting pavilion, overlooking the entire Xidu, and whispered to Tuo Niang: "...... I'm going back, do you remember what I told you?"

  Fourth Miss wants to go where?

  "Don't worry about it." Du Zhao said with a sigh, "My lifelong wish has been fulfilled, even if it's just an illusion, it's comforting for this life. I still have my responsibilities and duties, being able to take this trip is already lucky. You must remember, never leave my mother, never let her do anything foolish. Being alive is always better than being dead!"

  Fourth Miss, rest assured, I remember. Whether there's something or nothing, I'll keep an eye on Seventh Granny and not let her be alone.

  Dòu Zhāo nodded and reached out to touch Tuo Niang's hair, only to realize that the two were squatting shoulder to shoulder, with Tuo Niang being a head taller than himself.

  She smiled awkwardly and went back to her room to sleep.

  The golden crow falls, the jade rabbit rises, the Dipper turns and the stars shift. Dong Zhaowu opens his eyes to find that everything in front of him is still those heavy black lacquer furniture and the smiling faces of Chuncao with a warm and friendly expression.

  "How could this be? How could this be?" She broke out in large beads of sweat on her forehead, grabbed the quilt and covered her head, "I want to sleep, I want to sleep..."

  Fall asleep and you can go back!

  But she couldn't sleep no matter what, and when she finally fell asleep, as soon as she opened her eyes again, she was still in the same room, lying on the same heated kang.

  "Fourth Miss, what's wrong with you? Get up and have dinner quickly?"

  "No, no, no!" Du Zhao's face was flustered. "I want to go back. I haven't seen Wei Ge get married yet, and I haven't arranged for Yin Jie's marriage... I have to go back, I have to go back!"

  The maids all looked at each other in shock, and Xiang Cao let out a sharp cry as she rushed out: "Fourth Miss has been possessed by an evil spirit! Fourth Miss has been possessed by an evil spirit!"

  Her father and mother were both shocked, even her grandfather, supported by Auntie Ding, appeared in her room with a solemn expression.

  "Why don't we invite Xu Daolong from Sanqing Temple to take a look?" said Auntie Ding in a low voice.

  He had barely finished speaking when his grandfather glared at him fiercely, just about to scold him a few words, but caught sight of the sparkle in his daughter-in-law Zhao's eyes and swallowed his words instead.

  Dòu Shìyīng knew that his father disliked such supernatural things the most. Seeing that his father didn't make a sound, he knew that his father had already given tacit consent. He glanced at his wife and whispered: "Why don't we invite Xu Daozhang from Sanqing Temple to take a look?"

  Zhao Guqiu held his daughter, who looked a bit silly with her dull eyes, and regretted what he had done.

  These days she's been too busy quarreling with Du Shiying to pay attention to her daughter's daily life. If something were to happen to her daughter... she didn't dare think about it.

  "It's better not to delay!" said his mother. "Why don't we send someone to invite Xu the Taoist from Sanqing Temple right now?"

  Grandfather didn't make a scene.

  His father immediately sent someone to summon Gao Sheng and instructed him for a while.

  Mother stayed with Dou Zhao.

  Dong Zhao couldn't sleep, she repeatedly rubbed her mother's hand.

  Warm, soft, delicate and elastic... This is not something that can be imagined out of thin air.

  There's still sugar in the mouth, and the crumbs of cookies on the kang!

  Did she really go back to the past?

  Back to childhood?

  What about her past then?

  What is the pain of childbirth?

  Dong Zhao was extremely bewildered and at a loss for what to do.

  Xu Daolong caught a fox spirit at the Duan family's place.

  Hosshin-ji's chief priest said she was possessed by an onryo and needed to perform a 49-day ritual.

  The Fa Lin Fang Tao of Niangniang Temple said that she was cursed by a wicked person and needed to light the Longming lamp for 99 days to eliminate the disaster.

  Mother and Aunt Ding even secretly invited a Taoist priest, Peng Xiangnu, to perform an exorcism at home behind Grandfather's and Father's backs, and only then did Du Zhao's illness gradually improve.

  Everyone at home breathed a sigh of relief.

  Her mother put aside the family chores and stayed with her day and night, fearing she would be lonely. She also arranged for four young maidservants of similar age to accompany her and play with her. A goldsmith was summoned to make jewelry for her at home, and a tailor was invited to make clothes for her at home. The house of Du Zhao was bustling with people coming and going, more lively than during the Chinese New Year.

  Dong Zhao was indulged for the first time and his eyes were about to well up with tears.

  Her mother held her in her arms and gently patted her back: "Shou girl, where are you uncomfortable? Do you want Xiangcao to play with you?"

  Ever since the series of incidents occurred in Du Zhao's residence, except for Tuo Niang who took care of Du Zhao day and night without undressing, everyone else had been replaced, including Xiang Cao who was just assigned to her side.

  Dong Zhao shook his head.

  Mother thought for a moment, poured out the box of pearls on the hot kang: "Does it look good? Make a pearl shirt for our Shou girl, okay?"

  Round pearls rolling on the kang, shining brightly in all directions.

  The eaves shine with dew, and the pearls fall drop by drop like rain.

  She has been Mrs. Hou for fifteen years and has never been so extravagant.

  Mother smiled.

  Hugged her to Fayuan Temple to fulfill his vows.

  Fayuan Temple's Master Huafang saw that she was spirited and had a sparkle in her eyes, and advised her mother to donate funds for the printing of 1,000 copies of the Lotus Sutra at Fayuan Temple: "This is also for the Fourth Miss' blessings!"

  His mother agreed without hesitation and said, "Then print 2,000 copies!"

  Tu Yin Fang Zhang couldn't hide the joy on his face, and with both hands clasped together, he invited his mother to a nearby Zen room to select a blessed Buddhist instrument.

  Mother hugged Du Zhao and went forward.

  Dong Zhao chose a piece of white agate pendant with a hidden back.

  Mother was delighted, and with Yinfang accompanying her to watch the Goose Pagoda at Fayuan Temple which had just broken ground not long ago, she said: "If it were all donated by me, would the Bodhisattva be able to bless Shougu as safe and peaceful from now on, with good fortune and longevity?"

  "Can, can, can!" Tu Yin Fang Zhang laughed with gleeful eyes, "How can't it be? This Goose Tower was originally for praying for blessings for kind-hearted people like Seventh Granny."

  Mother was welcomed by Tu Yin Fang Zhang into the wing room for tea and discussed how to build a wild goose tower.

  Dou Zhao stood under the corridor, gazing at the magnificent Shakyamuni Buddha enshrined in the grand hall of Dahongbao, and his heart surged with inexplicable excitement.

  She ran into the Grand Hall of Taihe with a thud, and knelt down gently on the cushion.

  "Bodhisattva, if this is just a fleeting dream, I beg of you, let me never awaken from it!" She knelt down devoutly. "If this is the karma of past and present lives, I beg of you, allow me to peacefully care for my mother until her hundredth birthday!"

  The Bodhisattva smiles and looks down on all living beings with peace, quietness, kindness and compassion.

  ※※※※※

  Returning home, maid Yu Zan came in and reported: "The lady from the Wang family of Nanwa has come to visit Fourth Miss!"

  Dou Zhao, who was being held by his mother, listened in a daze.

  The grandma of Wang's family in Nanhua is referring to Wang Yingxue's sister-in-law!

  As it happens, she is familiar with Wang Yingxue's two sisters-in-law, Gao and Pang.

  Gao's father, Gao Yuanzheng, was skilled in calligraphy and had been a colleague of Wang Xingyi. Later, he worked with his father Dou Shiying and sixth uncle Dou Shiheng at the Hanlin Academy. The Gao family had a deep foundation in learning, not only were they good at writing, but they also had a broad knowledge of the Four Books and Five Classics. During the ten years when her husband Wang Zhihe accompanied his father Wang Xingyi to be exiled to Xining Wei, she took charge of managing the household, taking care of her mother-in-law, and taught her eldest son Wang Nan to read and write. Wang Nan passed the imperial examination at the age of 15, became a juren at 19, and a jinshi at 21. The womenfolk of official families would all praise this daughter-in-law of the Wang family, calling her "xian liang shu de" (virtuous and talented).

  Pang's daughter, Yulou, was originally the daughter of a merchant in the town. She was born beautiful and outstanding, skilled in needlework, household management, and accounting. Pang's father couldn't bear to marry off his daughter casually. Seeing that Wang Zhiyuan was over twenty years old and still unmarried, he admired Wang Xiyu's integrity and envied the fact that the Wangs were a family of scholars. He prepared a dowry of 500 taels of silver and took the initiative to form an alliance with the Wang family.

  Pang Yulou initially looked down on Wang Zhiyue, who was handsome but dull in his actions. Later, when Wang Xingyi revived, she finally settled down and lived with Wang Zhiyue, coaxing him into submission, making him dare not disobey her, and putting her father's and brother's words after hers.

  It was all thanks to Du Zhao that she knew about Wang Yingxue's plan and was able to ruin the marriage of her brother, Du Xiao.

  Calculating the time, at this point, Pangzi should have already married Wang Zhiyue.

  I just don't know whether it's Gao or Pang this time?

  Dong Zhao suddenly missed Pang Tong a little bit.

  If it's her, with her greediness, she might just put on a good show for Wang Yingxue.

  Dou Zhao smiled with pursed lips and saw Yu Zan leading Gao Shi walking in with a serious and gentle expression.

  She suddenly felt bored.

  Gao bowed his knees and gave Zhao a courtesy: "Seventh Auntie, Fourth Miss is feeling better?"

  She anxiously looked towards Dòu Zhāo.

  Dou Zhaolou lowered her eyelids.

  The mother said faintly: "Thank you, Madam Wang, for your concern. Shou Gu has recovered." Then she ordered the maid to bring over an embroidered stool for Madame Gao.

  Gao's family thanked them, sitting upright on the embroidered stool, and said in a soft voice: "I've been out for some days now, and with the New Year approaching, my family has either old or young people at home, and my younger brother and sister have just entered the house. There are many things waiting for me to do. I was thinking of returning after two days. As for Yingxue's matter, it is still as before - since our family does not need a dowry, your family also doesn't need to prepare betrothal gifts. Grandma has set the date, and when the time comes, please notify us, although the journey is long, we brothers and sisters will definitely come to see her off. At that time, please also prepare two more tables of wine for us."

  The most straightforward and upright words are the most powerful.

  Dong Zhao was shocked.

  Gao's family has virtue and morality, how can they be so righteous and severe in Wang Yuxue's case?

  Her mother smiled slightly and did not comment, only saying "Then I won't send the eldest lady of the Wang family", with a tone of perfunctoriness.

  Gao's face changed slightly, his chest heaved up and down, and it took a while to calm down. He said with a hint of meaning: "Seventh lady, why must women make things difficult for other women? I understand my younger sister, she is not that kind of person who doesn't know etiquette or shame. If you have any grievances, you might as well ask Duan Yuanwan about it, my younger sister was also forced into it." After finishing speaking, he turned around and left with a gloomy face.

  As soon as her mother saw that there was no one else in the house, she immediately returned to her true nature. She was furious: "What does she mean by this? Is it Wang Yinxue's fault today or is it Su Yuanwan's fault?"

  Dong Zhao let out a "pu pu" sound and almost burst out laughing.

  Do you understand? What do you understand?

  If you understood, why didn't you agree to let Du Ming be your daughter-in-law fifteen years later?

  If it weren't for Duan Ming's marriage suddenly falling through, how would Wang Yingxue have set her sights on Wei Tingyu?

  I don't know what Wang Yingshuang said in front of Gao's family, but she was able to make Gao's family speak up for her with a clear conscience.

  Dong Zhao thought of his younger brother Dong Xiao, who was five years younger than himself and two years younger than Dong Ming.

  It seems I still don't understand this stepmother well enough!

  Dou's mouth corners slightly hooked.

  In the past, she was ignorant of everything and could make Wang Yingshuang look disheveled, now that she knows what will happen next, with the pearl in her grasp, is she still afraid of her?

  Thinking of this, Du Zhao's head felt hot.

  ※

  Sorry, don't know why I couldn't log in, it's just back to normal now, a bit late for an update.

  Sweat...

  ※