.

  Dowager Concubine Shun and Dowager Concubine Zhao consulted with each other: "What do you think we should do?"

  The eldest daughter, although young in years, often has a confident tone when speaking that can give him unparalleled confidence.

  Dong Zhao didn't know how to treat Dong Ming better either.

  Staying by the side of the Second Lady to learn etiquette, it's inevitable to avoid those cold words and phrases; going to Kyoto to live with the royal family for a long time, in the previous life, Duan Ming was spoiled by Xu Furen, and finally got involved with Wang Nan.

  "Why don't you ask his wife? She is Du Ming's birth mother."

  With Wang Yingxue around, no one dares to intervene, even if it's for Du Ming's own good. The natural bond between mother and son might ultimately lead to Du Ming resenting her.

  Dòu Shìyīng hesitated.

  A little maid panted and ran in, saw Du Shiying, and wanted to tiptoe back out.

  "What's going on?"

  The little maid looked up at Du Zhao with a pleading expression.

  Dong Zhao couldn't think of anything he needed to hide from Dong Shiying, so he nodded at the little maid.

  The little maid murmured: "Seventh Aunt is packing her trunk, saying she's going to take Fifth Miss to Kyoto."

  Dou Shiying was furious and left in a hurry.

  Dong Zhao shouted for Hai Tang to come in: "Bring the needlework I did a few days ago, and change into another set of clothes for me. We're going to see Jiu Tang's wife."

  In February this year, Dou Huan Chang married a daughter of Huang Shi from Huai'an.

  This marriage was arranged by the great uncle when he was alive, and Huang's grandfather and great uncle were of the same age. Huang has a cousin who is now the abbot of the Great Temple.

  Huang and Duan Huanchang were of the same age. She was gentle in appearance, kind in temperament, skilled in needlework, and deeply liked by her elder sister-in-law, who more than once praised her daughter-in-law in front of the Duan family members.

  As a daughter-in-law from Jiangnan, people couldn't help but compare her with Madame Ji.

  Ji's elegance and Huang's gentleness both exude the refined charm of Jiangnan's water towns.

  "Look at Liu Yiniang and Jia Lian's wife, we've all become kitchen drudges."

  Ji and Huang naturally had to be humble for a while, but the two also got very close because of this, and Huang was also closer to Dou Zhao than others.

  Rumors have been circulating recently that Huang is pregnant.

  Dong Zha thought of going to her place to hide for a while - Eldest Aunt's widowhood residence. Huang Shi was still less than three months pregnant, and no one would normally go to disturb the main house, it was the quietest place.

  Someone accompanied him, and it was also extremely considerate and thoughtful of Du Zhao. Huang Shi naturally welcomed him with open arms.

  Dong Zhao lingered in the main house until afternoon, and only returned to the west wing after dinner.

  As soon as I entered, I saw a little groom from the stable squatting there and hammering at the wheel.

  Dong Zhao let out a soft sigh.

  .

  With her experience from her past life, Wang Xushi would keep Dou Ming staying at the Wang's residence for a long time as soon as she saw him.

  She returned to the main house, where her father was sitting with a book in his hand, looking very displeased.

  "I heard you went to Ji Xian's place." Dou Shiying greeted her daughter, "How was it? Was there any gain?"

  Ji Xiang is the courtesy name of Jiudang Ge's elder brother, Hou Canghai.

  "Jiutang's sister taught me how to embroider the eyes of small birds," said Dou Zhao with a smile as she entered the house, changed her clothes, washed up, and sat down on the kang by the window with her father. "I think it's similar to painting techniques, no wonder Liu Bo Mu's aunt can still embroider long scrolls."

  One sentence made Du Shiying's mood much better. Speaking of Du Ming: "...the prosperous scenery of Kyoto is loved by adults, let alone children. Do you want to go with Du Ming to Kyoto for a few days?"

  Then let her pay respects to the Wang family as a junior?

  Forget it!

  Dong Zhao smiled and said: "She can't bear to part with her maternal grandmother, I couldn't bear to part with my Aunt Cui."

  Dong Shiying lost her smile and pondered for a moment before asking tentatively, "When you're at home with Aunt Cui, aren't you afraid?"

  Dòu Zhāo immediately became delighted.

  It seems that Father is going to Kyoto with Wang Yingshuang and Dou Ming together.

  Or maybe it's because she has no more resentment. Her current state of mind is very calm, unlike in her previous life, where seeing her father with Wang Yingxue, Dou Ming and Dou Xiao together would make her furious, to the point of being half-dead.

  At this moment, she only thought of her grandmother.

  "So you agree that I can bring Aunt Cui back home for a while?" asked Du Zhao with a smile.

  "When did I disagree?" Dou Shiying smiled and said. Then her expression began to be somewhat disheartened, "I just feel that without Aunt Cui, the Pang family wouldn't dare come to our door either."

  So you're sulking and refusing to go to Kyoto?

  Dong Zuo was somewhat indignant and amused at the same time.

  Fortunately, this matter has been settled, she doesn't want to argue with her father on this topic anymore, and asks when he will set off.

  "The day after tomorrow!" Du Shiying smiled and said, "Tomorrow we'll go pick up your Aunt Cui."

  Dong Zhao smiled and nodded repeatedly, consulting with his father: "Isn't the East Wing just renovated? Why not let Cui Niangniang live in the Qing Shuang Xuan of the East Wing? The trees are lush and it's the coolest place."

  "Come on," said Father, getting up with enthusiasm, "let's go and have a look."

  The two of them didn't even have dinner, and together they went through the entire Clear and Refreshing Pavilion, deciding where to put the inner chambers, where to put the banquet hall, where to store the trunks, and where the maids would sleep... After making all these arrangements, they finally returned to the main house. The next morning, at dawn, they hitched up their carriage and headed towards the countryside estate.

  Hu's nanny, who was packing boxes with Wang Yingshuang, looked worried: "It's easy to invite the gods, but hard to send them away. Look at this matter..."

  Wang Yingshuai's mood suddenly became agitated as she listened.

  She knew that Zhao Guqiu's death was a thorn in Du Shiying's heart, but the deceased is gone, and the living must continue to live on. She thought that as time passed, she would be more careful and accommodating, and this thorn would naturally come loose.

  Who would have known that things turned out contrary to his wishes.

  So many years have passed, and Dou Shiying has not only not forgotten Zhao Guqiu, but also become increasingly distant from him, no longer as close as before.

  Opportunities always favor those who are prepared.

  Just like Dou Ming's heartache.

  In True Definition, at Duan's family, Duan Ming's legitimate and concubine status was unclear, she would forever be a minor wife who was promoted to the position of legitimate wife.

  Thinking of these, she couldn't help but grit her teeth.

  She and Dou Shiying have to start all over again.

  Beijing is a place where people from other provinces come and go like fish crossing the river, no one knows anyone's bottom line. They went to Kyoto, Dou Shiying entered the court as an official, and there were also relatives like Dou Shizhou, in-laws like Wangshi, they could completely settle in Kyoto. No longer returning to Zhending, Dou Ming can also grow up happily and freely in Kyoto, marry a clean and honest person.

  "It's not the time to worry about these things now." Wang Yingshu said in a low voice to Hu Niangniang, "Seventh Master is still in his prime, even if we return to Zhending, it will be at least ten or twenty years later. Can Aunt Cui still live until then?"

  Whether Wang Yingshuo can stay in Kyoto for a long time or not is still uncertain, and she doesn't dare to say too much.

  The old nun thought for a moment and then smiled: "It seems I was overthinking."

  "Where," Wang Yingshuo grasped Hu's hand, saying sincerely. "In these years, if it weren't for you by my side, how could I have held on?"

  "Madam can scold me to death." Hu-niang dared not utter a word.

  The master and servant spoke, both with some excitement, Hu Niangniang supported Wang Yingshu into the inner room, just to see Duan Ming holding a large pillow, staring blankly at the window sill, while the maids and old women in the house were busy cleaning up, but she didn't seem to notice.

  Wang Yingshu's heart skipped a beat as she hastily went forward and hugged her daughter: "Ming Jie, Ming Jie!"

  Dong Ming turned his head back. The light also returned to his eyes bit by bit.

  Wang Yingshu took a deep breath and led her to speak: "Do you want to go see if there's anything else that needs to be taken to Kyoto..."

  "Nothing at all!" Du Ming's voice was extremely high-pitched and sounded particularly sharp, "Even my grandmother would buy it for me, I don't want anything!"

  Wang Yingshu's eyes moistened as she hugged her daughter, unable to utter a word for a long time.

  ※※※※※

  Grandma asked Du Shiying to sit down in the main room. She personally poured him a cup of tea and said, bewildered: "You want to take me to live in the city for a few days?"

  Dong Shiying felt a bit awkward and tactfully told her grandmother about Peng Jixiu and Wu Shan's affair.

  Grandma chuckled and said, "A family with a daughter is sought after by a hundred families. Our Shougu looks beautiful and has a good temperament. In the future, you'll have headaches because of her." Then she briskly ordered Honggu to pack up their things, and everything went so smoothly that even Du Shiying and Du Zhao were momentarily stunned. Du Zhao couldn't help but secretly marvel at how Grandma could smile and respond kindly to Pang Jixiu's thoughtful words - was it due to her pure heart or because she had seen through the ways of the world?

  Returned to True Definition, but at dusk.

  Wang Yingxue welcomed her grandmother and Du Shiying, Du Zhao at the second gate.

  Dong Shiying asked: "Where is Ming Jie?"

  "She's feeling a bit unwell, seems like she's got heatstroke or something. I gave her some Agastache aurantiaca to drink and she just fell asleep. Thinking of getting a doctor to come take a look at her later."

  Grandma heard and wanted to go see Du Ming.

  Wang Yingshuai hastily said: "The weather is hot, you've had a hard journey, so rest for a while first, lest you get heatstroke too."

  The grandmother thought for a moment, then smiled and no longer insisted, following Dou Zhao to Qing Shuang Xuan.

  The wall of the Qingxuan Temple is covered with wisteria, and thick moss grows beside the steps. Small, unknown flowers bloom at the edge of the stone path, and a wild interest abounds.

  Grandma likes it very much.

  In the evening, Du Zhao moved over and lived with her grandmother.

  Haitang whispered to her: "Seventh Master is scolding Madame and Fifth Miss."

  They can make as much noise as they want, as long as it doesn't disturb her life.

  "Don't tell Grandma," Dou Zhao instructed Hai Tang.

  The camellia nodded.

  Dong Zhao shouted loudly at Ganluo, telling her to cut up the watermelon that was cooling in the well.

  ※※※※※

  The next day, Father bid farewell to Grandma and Second Aunt, returned to the North Building to sacrifice his ancestors, and took Wang Yingshuang and Dou Ming to Kyoto.

  In the evening, Second Auntie invited Grandma over for dinner.

  "Grandma asked Du Zhao: 'Are you saying I should go or not go?'"

  In her past life, it was always her grandmother who stood in front of her like a mountain, but in this life, she became the one to shield and protect her grandmother. Duan Zhao found it very refreshing, yet also felt a subtle sense of responsibility and pride.

  "I'll go with you," said Du Zhao with a smile. "Relatives at home always need to be greeted. If you like, come and go more often; if not, come and stay less. Anyway, we live in two places."

  Grandma listened and thought it made sense, so she went with Du Zhao to have dinner together.

  Only Big Aunt accompanied them during the meal, and after everyone finished eating, they chatted about old times while snacking on melons and fruits before dispersing.

  Grandma liked it very much and lived in the Qingxuan Pavilion with peace of mind. Every morning, she would get up and walk around the fake mountain for seven or eight laps until she was sweating profusely before resting.

  Dou Zhao was frightened and accompanied his grandmother on her daily walks.

  At first, grandma walked two circles and she walked one circle. Gradually, grandma walked one circle and she could also walk one circle. At first, full of soreness, lifting hands and feet were laborious, gradually people were refreshed and movements were light and sensitive.

  "Look at this little face, it's red and looks so spirited!"

  Dong Zhao smiled and pursed his lips.

  When autumn arrived, she found that the horse-faced skirts made in spring were all hung up, revealing her yellow satin shoes.

  ※

  It's still okay, not too late... o(n_n)o~

  ※