Back in the main room, Father told Du Zhao to write his own name.

  Dong Zhaofei had followed her grandfather to study with an old Confucian scholar for a few years, reading "The Legend of Lienü" and "Admonitions for Women", she could read ledgers but didn't have any real learning.

  She admired her father's elegant and beautiful handwriting.

  Father smiled and bent down to find a few sheets of red paper from the bottom layer of the bookcase in Duobao Pavilion, spread them on the desk, and held Suo Zhao's hand to tell her how to use the brush.

  Qin Fang from Wang's side has arrived and asked when Seventh Master will go over for dinner.

  Father glanced at the sunset outside the window and smiled: "Aunt Wang is in confinement, Fifth Miss also needs to rest, I go over there again, need to set up the table again, it's too much trouble...I won't go, dinner will be served in the main house with Fourth Miss."

  Smiling, he backed away and left.

  Dong Zhao was somewhat surprised, but he didn't take it to heart. After accompanying his father for dinner, he smiled and moved the lamp in, and the two of them wrote some more characters. His father then rested in the main room.

  Two days later, Feng Baoshan came to visit his father.

  He was about twenty-four or five years old, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes. His raven-black hair was tied up with a sheep-fat jade hairpin, and he wore a straight robe made of dark green lotus-patterned Hangzhou silk, elegant and refined, with a hint of nobility.

  Is this the FENG Bao Shan who is a good-for-nothing and indulges in drinking, whoring and gambling as described by his mother?

  Sitting beside the big book, Duan Zhao painted a red dot and opened his mouth wide, closing it only after a moment.

  Feng Baoshan came to find his father: "...... The lotus flowers in Yingcheng's house have all bloomed. During the mourning period, we won't disturb others, just you, me and Yingcheng, three of us, to admire the flowers, chat, you can also go out for some fresh air and clear your mind."

  "Dad shook his head: 'It's too hot outside, I don't want to go out. Your kindness is appreciated.'"

  "It's not even June yet, what's the hurry?" Feng Baoshan said, as if he suddenly remembered something, his tone paused, and his eyes looked at his father with suspicion, "You, you won't be thinking of keeping a year's mourning for Zhao's family, will you?"

  His father did not make a sound and lowered his eyelids.

  "Really?!" Feng Baoshan jumped up extremely ungracefully, his eyes wide like copper bells.

  After a while, she huffed and puffed as she turned around the room several times, saying: "Forget it, I'm too lazy to bother with you. I'll go find Zhong Zhi to play with." Then, with a "slam", she flung open the bamboo curtain and went out the door.

  Father didn't get annoyed or angry, his face as usual, softly calling "Shou Gu", reminding her: "Don't look around, practice writing!"

  Dong Zhao busily lowered his head and carefully painted the red.

  For a whole month, Father did not step out of the house half a step, reading books and writing articles at home, telling Dòu Zhāo to write characters.

  Dongming's full moon gift was only set up in two tables at home due to his mother's mourning period.

  The Wang family sent some children's clothes as a full moon gift, but did not send anyone to congratulate them. As the outer family of Zhao, they neither came to drink the full moon wine nor came to give the full moon gift.

  The Dous were somewhat embarrassed, while Wang Yingshu was both angry and annoyed, ashamed and resentful.

  When the cicadas were chirping loudly, news came from Kyoto that Uncle Zhao had been appointed as the county magistrate of Ganquan County in Yan'an Prefecture.

  In his previous life, his uncle became the prefect of Qingyang Prefecture, a position of the fourth rank.

  This life, Uncle has again taken the vacancy of the northwest.

  Dong Zhao was delighted for his uncle, but he also felt a hint of disappointment in his heart.

  Grandfather commented on uncle: "Can't see, still have such means. Ganquan County is poor and barren, but once went to be the main official, although not selected as a scholar, the starting point is still very high."

  Third Uncle became even more uneasy: "Yuanji also said so."

  Yuanji is Duan Zhao's fifth uncle Duan Shijiu, and this news was what he had sent back from Kyoto.

  Like three generations looking at clothes and four generations looking at food, the glory of several generations of hard work in the Duan family is concentrated on Duan Shixiong.

  He entered school at the age of thirteen, passed the imperial examination as a juren at sixteen, and became a jinshi at twenty-two. As a shengyuan, he observed politics in the Ministry of Personnel, then started his career from the Ministry of Personnel's givings. Before Dou Zhaoyi fell ill, he had already become the University Chancellor of Wuying Hall and concurrently served as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

  He was the first member of the Dou family to enter the cabinet as a chief minister.

  Also because Wang Xingyi, the Grand Secretary of Dongge University and Minister of Rites, and Chen Rong, the Grand Secretary of Wenquan Hall and Minister of Punishment, were both from Northern Zhili, they were jokingly called "Northern Half".

  Grandfather smiled faintly, with a hint of arrogance in his smile: "Unless one is a jinshi, they cannot enter the Hanlin Academy; unless one enters the Hanlin Academy, they cannot enter the Grand Council. Yuanji and you are born of the same mother, what do you have to be afraid of?"

  Third Uncle wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed: "Isn't it because I didn't read much myself, so I feel a bit inferior in front of scholars?"

  Grandfather burst out laughing.

  Dong Zhaoren ordered Tuo Niang to take stock of her own belongings in the house.

  It seems that her aunt will come to pick her up soon.

  According to past experience, things will be exposed soon, and there will definitely be twists and turns. It's better for her to prepare ahead of time.

  Her father laughed at her: "Shou Guo is so young and already knows how to hide things."

  Dong Zhao took advantage of the opportunity to grab the jade pen from his father's desk and hold it in his arms: "This is also mine."

  Anyway, when the new stepmother enters the house, all these public things will be re-registered and recorded to distinguish them from mother's dowry. It's better to put away what you like and confuse the distinction, making it your own.

  Father laughed and pointed at two jade utensils on his treasure shelf: "Do you like this one?"

  "I like it!" Du Zhao nodded in agreement.

  "Alright, I'll have it moved away and hidden too!"

  Dong Zhao laughed with her eyes curved like a crescent moon and pointed to the embroidered box on her father's kang: "I also want that red stone!"

  Inside, there were two pieces of top-quality chicken blood stone, with bright colors, naturally forming a landscape of mountains and misty peaks. Du Zhao liked it very much and was thinking of finding a famous craftsman to help him carve a square seal in the future.

  Father stroked the nose of Dun Zhao: "You little clever ghost, that is father's private collection, what do you want to do? When you get married, I will personally carve a block of idle chapter and give it to your husband as your dowry. There are also several good inkstones, which will be given to you at that time."

  Dong Zhao smiled, but in her heart she was worried: would she still have to marry Wei Tingyu? He wasn't a scholar, and those few fine inkstones would probably just be stored away in his warehouse.

  Just then, a loud commotion came from outside.

  Father didn't care, he carried Du Zhao to the front of the desk and told her to practice writing: "I've already ordered it, a set of flower pear wood desk and chair will be made according to your height, just put it next to Dad's, when the time comes you can sit on the chair and practice writing."

  Before he had finished speaking, a smiling servant rushed in: "Seventh Master, Auntie has arrived!"

  Father was taken aback and said: "Aunt has arrived, what's there to be flustered about?"

  Dong Zhao's heart secretly guessed a few points.

  The matter finally came to light.

  Who leaked it out? And who informed the Dugu family?

  "The aunt said that she would take the fourth miss to live with her for a few days, but the old master did not agree and asked Ding nurse to talk to the aunt. Just as they had spoken two sentences, the third madam rushed over and refused to let the aunt take the fourth miss away, saying that the fourth miss was a girl from the Duan family and that it was unreasonable for her to be raised by the uncle's family since she still had a father and grandfather. The smile on her face was full of anxiety, as the two families were about to turn against each other, and those who would suffer the most were the ones who had been married into the family.

  According to the law, Zhao Guo Qiu's dowry should be left for Duan Zhao, and since Duan Zhao was a daughter of the Duan family, she naturally belonged to the Duan family. However, Duan Zhao was too young and couldn't take care of herself, so they had to stay in the Duan household. The people in the Duan household wouldn't give them a good face; if they wanted to return to the Zhao household, they would have to wait for the Duan household's approval.

  The third madam also said that when the fourth miss grew up, she would still have to get married, and whose reputation would be at stake then - the Zhao family's or the Duan family's? If the Zhao family truly cared about the fourth miss, they wouldn't come up with such a foolish idea. The aunt couldn't just ignore her niece's dignity because of the grudge between the two families.

  She paused for a moment and continued: 'The old madam had already received news that the entire Zhao household was preparing to move to their new post, and everything was packed and ready to go as soon as they picked up the fourth miss. But the aunt flatly denied it. The old master said that no matter what, the fourth miss couldn't follow the aunt to An Xiang...'

  Dou Shiying's eyebrows were tightly locked as she interrupted Han Xiang's words, instructing Tuo Niang: "You stay here and watch over Fourth Miss." Then to Han Xiang, she said: "Take me to see!"

  Smiling awkwardly, he hastily agreed and followed Du Shiying out the door.

  Dong Zhaoting sat quietly in the armchair, waiting for someone to come and find her.

  Sunlight shines through the window lattice and comes in, with tiny dust particles dancing in the air.

  The girl's soft voice was as gentle as the breeze.

  Footsteps are getting closer and closer.

  The bamboo curtain was lifted.

  A woman wearing a pale green qipao walked in with light steps.

  She softly called Dou Zhao: "Shou girl, your aunt has arrived. I'll help you dress up and we'll go see your aunt, okay?"

  Dòu Zhāo dìng dì wàng zhe tā, zì cháo ér xiào de hǎn le shēng "dīng niáng nǎi".

  Translation:

  Dou Zhao stared at her fixedly and laughed self-mockingly as he shouted "Auntie Ding".

  "Ah!" She smiled and responded, calling Yu Zan and Tuo Niang, "Tell the little maid to bring in some water, I'll help the fourth young lady wash up, change her clothes, and then go see the guests."

  Yu Chuan hastily relayed Grandma Ding's words.

  Fourth Aunt helped Dou Zhao wash her face, and ordered Tuo Niang to hand over this and Yu Chuan to fetch that, the two maidservants were busy running around.

  She softly asked Dou Zhao: "Does Shougu miss her mother?"

  Dòu Zhāo Xiào: "Think!"

  "Then do you want to see your mother?"

  "Think!" Duan Zhao said loudly.

  "We're so lucky!" Aunt Ding kissed Dou Zhao's cheek and carried him to the main hall.

  The maids around her crowded around her and Dou Zhao, keeping Yu Chan and Tuo Niang far apart.

  Beyond the big locust tree with a canopy-like shape is the main hall.

  "Shougu, your aunt has come to take you away. Whatever you do, don't go with her, or she'll sell you off to the old mountain valley and you'll never see your mother again, nor eat any more osmanthus cakes, nor see Tuo Niang, Yu Chuan, or your grandfather and father."

  Dong Zhao nodded.

  Ding's aunt was somewhat surprised.

  I didn't expect Shou Gu to be so easy to coax!

  She smiled and stroked Dun Zhao's hair: "Good, after meeting your aunt, Auntie Ding will take you to find your mother, okay?"

  "Good!" replied Du Zhao.

  Ding's wife walked past the big Chinese scholar tree and entered the hall.

  Like two armies facing each other, Aunt Xiang and Peng Ya stood in the middle of the hall, while Third Aunt and several unfamiliar women stood under the central hall.

  At the sound, both parties' eyes turned over.

  Third Aunt smiled and beckoned to Du Zhao: "Come, Shougu, come here to Third Aunt!"

  The aunt's smile was somewhat forced. She softly called out to Du Zhao: "Shougu, let Aunt hold you!"

  Fourth Aunt hastily placed Du Zhao on the ground and whispered in her ear, "You've been sold to Lao Shangou where you'll be beaten every day. Hurry to your Third Aunt's place!"

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  O(∩_∩)O~

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