Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Ji Family

  Dou Zhao leaned against the windowsill, watching as the sky gradually turned white.

  The maids who came in to serve Miss Ji were startled and exclaimed in a low voice, "Fourth Miss, why did you get up so early?"

  Ji was startled awake and hastily lifted the white gauze canopy: "Shou Gu, you woke up but didn't call Sixth Mother?" As she spoke, she couldn't help but cover her mouth to stifle a yawn.

  Last night, she and Dou Shixiang talked for half a night and confirmed Wang Xingyi's promotion.

  Dun Shi was also startled awake, rubbing his sleepy eyes and saying: "Who was on night watch last night? How did Shou Gu wake up without anyone knowing?" He then forced himself to sit up straight, "Fortunately, Shou Gu listened. If she had run off somewhere, how would we explain it to Seventh Brother?" He scolded the Ji family.

  It was the night that the apricot-eyed and peach-cheeked maid, named Cai Lan, who was the head maid by Sixth Aunt's side. She didn't know why, but when she woke up from her sleep, Duan Zhao, who had been sleeping with her in the green silk bed, was nowhere to be found.

  "It's this servant's fault." She stood trembling at the head of the bed of the Ji family, "This servant was muddle-headed and didn't discover that Fourth Miss had woken up.

  When Sixth Uncle stayed in Sixth Aunt's house at night, she would often take turns keeping watch, mostly with Sixth Uncle's concubine.

  Dong Zhao thought for a moment, then smiled and said: "I quietly got out of bed, Cai Lan didn't know. Cai Lan felt relieved, looking at Dong Zhao's gaze was much softer than yesterday.

  Ji scolded Cai Lan a few words and let her go down to rest.

  The maidservants came in to attend to Ji Shi, Dou Shihong and Dou Zhao as they washed their faces.

  "Or you can sleep in the study for a few days? At night, I'll arrange for Shougu's maid to be on duty."

  Sixth Uncle looked somewhat displeased and said: "I'm leaving the day after tomorrow."

  Ji's face turned slightly red.

  "Or else let Shougu and Huige sleep together?"

  Huige is the eldest son of Liu BoFu.

  "That won't do!" Mrs. Ji opposed, "Shou Gu has just moved here and is going to move again, she will be scared."

  "What do you suggest we do?" Sixth Uncle said with some impatience.

  Dong Zhao really wanted to say that she was not afraid, and she wanted a separate house, but she couldn't say anything, and could only pretend not to understand as the maids helped her get dressed.

  "Then I'll go with you to the study room," said Liu Bo Mu in a low voice. "Let Shou Gu rest in the main house first."

  The sixth uncle shouted at the servant girl: "Go ask, when did the old master of the Western Mansion leave?"

  Yesterday evening, until they went to bed, there were still people who hadn't dispersed from the second mistress's place.

  The maid went out at the sound. Liu Bo Mu ordered another maid named Cai Shu to instruct her daughter-in-law to set up breakfast, and two big-eyed children walked in under the escort of the maids and aunts.

  The elder is Huige'r, academic name Tuo Zhengchang, 9 years old this year. The younger is Zhige'r, academic name Tuo Dechang, 7 years old this year.

  Dòu Zhāo glanced at Dòu Déchāng. Elegant words and emotions were about to be expressed.

  In his previous life, Dou Dechang was an outcast of the Dou family.

  While others were studying, he was causing trouble everywhere; while others were getting married, he had eloped with the elder sister of Ji Dagu's cousin; while others were establishing their careers, he was already raising crickets in the Hanlin Academy and was a notorious rogue in the capital city.

  After bowing to his parents, Dun Dechang ignored his brother who was standing respectfully beside him and rushed into his mother's arms.

  Ji's wife smiled indulgently and pulled her little son out of her arms: "You're already in school, you're not a child anymore, be careful or your fourth sister will laugh at you."

  Yesterday, they had already met and went to Third Uncle's house for dinner together. On the way, Dun Dechang secretly pulled her braid, but stopped after being stared at fiercely by Dun Zhengchang.

  He didn't think much of it and rushed towards Dong Zhao shouting "Fourth Sister", then giggled and snuggled into his mother's arms.

  Ji was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

  Dòu Zhāo turned his face away.

  She thought of her two sons...

  Sixth Uncle asked about Du Zhengchang's homework: "What did the teacher say yesterday?"

  "The Master said: 'I do not worry that people will not know me; I worry that I shall not know people.'"

  "What's the solution?"

  "Others may not know me, but that doesn't harm me; if I don't know others, then the wise and foolish are indistinguishable, good and evil are not differentiated, which is enough to bring about failure and downfall."

  Sixth Uncle nodded in satisfaction and looked at Dou Dechang.

  Dòu Déchāng stood up straight and smartly.

  Despite this, Sixth Uncle's face still looked a bit unsightly. He asked in a low voice: "What did the gentleman say yesterday?"

  Su Mingyun, 27 years old. He started with a burst of anger and read books. He answered quickly, just one glance and you could tell he was familiar with the content.

  "What's the solution?"

  "We can still read books when we are twenty-seven years old, it's not too late."

  The sixth uncle slapped his hand on the house with a "slap" and his face turned iron blue.

  Dòu Zhèngchāng lowered his head and shrugged his shoulders repeatedly.

  Dòu Déchāng looked at Ji Zhī with a pleading expression.

  Ji's face was even more severe than Du Shi Hong's.

  Dòu Déchāng shrank his head and said obediently: "Sū Míngyǔn, also known as Sū Xùn, alias Lǎo Quán, from Méizhōu Méishān..."

  Sixth Uncle's face was slightly cloudy.

  The maid who was sent by Sixth Uncle earlier returned and reported: "The gathering at Eldest Madam's place has not dispersed yet."

  Sixth Uncle was shocked and said to Sixth Aunt: "I'll go take a look!"

  "Have you had breakfast before going?" Sixth Aunt asked. Sixth Uncle had already waved his hand and hastily went out the door.

  Dou Zhengchang and Dou Dechang's expressions both relaxed, Dou Dechang even jumped onto the chair in a few quick steps, waving at Dou Zhao: "Fourth sister quickly come, today there is leek box. Our family's cook makes delicious leek boxes. She was brought by my mother from Yixing, her leek boxes are different from those made by grandmother and third aunt, you must not have eaten them before."

  Sixth Aunt is a Southerner, unaccustomed to using a kang table, so Sixth House eats meals using tables and chairs.

  "You're like a monkey, can't sit still for a moment!" Ji Shi scolded with a smile, placing Dou Zhao in the circular chair in front of the table. Afraid that Dou Zhao wasn't used to it, she instructed a maid to support him.

  Dòu Déchāng made a face at his mother.

  Ji and Dou Zhengchang both burst out laughing.

  Although everyone follows the etiquette of "not speaking while eating and not talking while sleeping" during breakfast, the atmosphere is very good with everyone smiling.

  After dinner, the two brothers respectfully bid farewell to their mother and went to the clan school.

  Ji took Du Zhao to pay respects to the second lady of the house.

  Dou Zhao gazed at the towering trees along the road, thinking about what he had heard last night.

  Two months later, Wang Xingyi was promoted to the Right Servant of the Ministry of War and concurrently served as the Governor of Gansu Province, responsible for horse markets. A year later, the Mongols invaded, and Wang Xingyi defeated the Mongol Khan Lu Du, capturing 5,000 war horses and killing over 30,000 enemies, and was promoted to the Governor of Shaanxi Province.

  Afterwards, Wang Xingyi repeatedly repelled the Mongols, with great military achievements. As a result, Wang Zhi was granted the title of Sima of Miyunwei, 4th rank commander.

  And her fifth uncle, still struggling in the position of Shilang in the Ministry of Justice, did not enter the Grand Council until seven years later when Zeng Yifen died. He took charge of the Ministry of Justice with the support of He Wenda. However, compared to Wang Xiangyi, he was not only inferior in reputation but also less important than Wang Xiangyi's department, and his ranking was always below Wang Xiangyi.

  In this life, her rebirth broke through the existing trajectory, would things be different again?

  Dong Zhao smiled and stopped in front of the Second Lady's door with Liu Bo Mu.

  Mrs. Liu, the most capable of the two madams, gave a signal to Sixth Aunt in front of Old Madam: "Old Madam has something to discuss with the old master of the Western Mansion, so today's morning and evening greetings are excused for several madams and ladies."

  Liu Bo Mu and Er Tiao Sao's family laughed as they left the courtyard where Er Tai Fu lived.

  Second Aunt asked Sixth Aunt in a low voice, "Do you know what happened?"

  Sixth Aunt shook her head and said: "If you heard any sound, remember to tell me."

  "That's natural." Er Tang Sao smiled and nodded, stretching out both hands to Dun Zhao, "Come, Shou Gu, give Er Tang Sao a hug."

  Dou Zhao was moved from Liu Bo Mu's arms to Er Tang Sao's arms, and Er Tang Sao instructed the grandson who followed her to pay respects to Er Tai Fu Ren to "quickly call aunt".

  Two boys and a girl, aged five, four and two respectively, with sparkling eyes curiously staring at Du Zhao, shouting "Auntie".

  Second Auntie put Du Zhao on the ground and said with a smile: "Go play with your nephews!"

  The sixth aunt pulled Du Zhao's hand: "We still need to go to the eldest sister-in-law's place to ask for peace, and then we will visit your place later."

  Second Aunt smiled and agreed, parting ways with them under the hundred-year-old Osmanthus tree in the east wing courtyard.

  The sixth aunt hugged her and slowly walked towards where she lived.

  Dòu Zhāo has something strange about him.

  The sixth aunt suddenly stopped in her tracks.

  The maidservants following behind them all stopped in their tracks.

  Sixth Aunt took her alone to a nearby waterside pavilion.

  "Shòu gū," she put Du Zhao on the stone floor of the water pavilion, squatted down and looked at him with a serious expression, asking in a low voice, "Do you want to read books?"

  Dòu Zhāo was stunned.

  The grandfather of Liu Bo Mu's husband was a great literary figure. The family learning of Liu Bo Mu's family originated from afar, not only was she well-versed in music but also wrote excellent poetry. It is said that sometimes she would discuss the art of writing with her husband. In Jiangnan, the strict separation between men and women was more prevalent than in the north, where girls from families who valued literature would follow their mothers or aunts to read books, only newly rich families would hire an old scholar as a private tutor.

  Could it be that Sixth Aunt wanted her to study but wasn't successful?

  In the past, she only thought that her words were not as good as those of the educated ladies who had read books. Yesterday, after listening to Sixth Aunt's words, she realized that she was far inferior to those truly knowledgeable women.

  It would be great if I could follow Sixth Aunt to read books.

  She nodded vigorously twice.

  Ji smiled and said softly, "Good child, remember that people become clever from books."

  Is she pitiful for being used as a pawn and still having to be grateful to those who manipulated her?

  Dou Zhao felt a lump in his throat.

  They went back into the house.

  Several old women were waiting for Sixth Aunt to make a move.

  The sixth aunt did not respond.

  She carefully looked at Du Zhao's copy, and instructed Cai Shu: "Bring me the 'Mao Song Ge' calligraphy model from my study." Turning around to see Du Zhao staring at her with wide eyes, she smiled: "'Mao Song Ge' is a calligraphy model that my aunt wrote for me when I was young, it's more suitable for girls to practice. You can start by copying it, and this afternoon I'll tell you in detail how to use your brush."

  He completely denied his father's words.

  Dong Zhaoyi smiled awkwardly.

  The Sixth Lady finally allowed the servant waiting under the corridor to come in and report on matters.

  Dou Zhaizhen was taken by Dou Cai to the study of the Ji family.

  The bookroom had wall-to-wall shelves that were as tall as a person, packed tightly with books of poetry. In the center of the room was placed a large desk and two armchairs.

  Next to the painting table was placed a very large old inkstone, filled with all sorts of scrolls. On the painting table itself was placed an old ink cylinder, holding a handful of used brushes. Next to it was a porcelain box with inlaid lotus patterns, its colors bright and its craftsmanship exquisite, but inside was a half-used old ink stone, and on top of the ink stone lay a small piece of black ink about the size of a thumb.

  Dòu Zhāo sat in front of his painting desk, and before he even started grinding the ink, he could smell the faint scent of jasmine.

  This is the decoration of a deep-rooted family.

  She couldn't help but secretly praise her in her heart.

  Sisters, here is the second update, seeking pink tickets.

  PS: For the first month after posting a new article, 30 pink tickets will be rewarded with an extra update.

  OK!