"This kind of thing should be left to someone who can write and calculate, right?" Dòu Zhāo smiled and said, "Gǒu Shèng only knows how to write his own name. I think it's better to let Cuī Shísān help Bó Yuàn with the calculations, isn't he studying at the county school?"

  She knew that her grandmother didn't like the Cui family getting involved in the Dou family's affairs, fearing that others would say that the Cui family was taking advantage of the Dou family. In terms of talent and virtue, Cui Shi San was more suitable than Zhao Liangbi.

  Besides, she has decided not to marry again in this life, so she should find a way out for Cui Thirteen!

  Grandma listened and was indeed very hesitant.

  Dòu Qǐjùn was a very flexible person, and as soon as he turned his brain around, he understood that Dòu Zhāo was trying to promote the Cui family, so naturally there was no reason to refuse.

  "That's settled then." He smiled, "I'll also trouble Fourth Aunt to send someone to bring Cui Thirteen to me in the next two days. After the Double Ninth Festival, I will start working on this matter."

  Dòu Zhāo smiled and replied.

  Grandma would have opposed it again, and it would have seemed petty. So she didn't bring it up again, and everyone talked about the scene of watching the sunrise at the Dafang Temple: "... In the middle of the night, we were startled awake by the sound of gongs and drums, and someone had brought a troupe of child actors to perform 'The Story of Han Yu' in front of the main hall. We watched together with the temple's masters and incense guests. When the sky began to brighten, that person went ahead and behind us to watch the sunrise at the Double Swan Pagoda of Dafang Temple. Only when we came down from the pagoda, that person was nowhere to be seen. It would have been great if we could have made friends with him."

  Dòu Qǐjùn is extremely regretful.

  Wu Shan disagreed: "That man is dressed in finery and has a child and a courtesan with him, I think he's not a good person, it's better if we don't know him."

  Dòu Qǐjùn said: "That person's language is elegant and refined, their demeanor is elegant and free-spirited, I think they are a romantic."

  "Alright, alright, no need to lose harmony over a stranger." Duan Zhengchang spoke in a conciliatory tone, smiling. "Are we still going to Fayuan Temple tomorrow?"

  Dong Zhaqi said: "What are you doing going to Fayuan Temple?"

  Dong Zhengchang said: "There is a hundred-year-old osmanthus tree in Fayuan Temple, which was destroyed by lightning last year. I heard that new branches have grown recently, and we want to go see it."

  Dong Zhaoda laughed loudly: "A few days ago, Bo Yan boasted in front of my father that you were all at home hanging from the beams and piercing your thighs. Was it originally used to deal with adults?"

  "It's true that I was at home reading books these past few days." Wu Shan hurriedly said, "Du Fu has gone out to visit friends and gave us a seven-day holiday, so we're just strolling around everywhere now."

  Dòu Zhāo is very envious.

  "Then let's go to Fayuan Temple tomorrow too!"

  "The Fahyuan Temple is built on the mountain top," said Wu Shanmang, "there are 999 steps from the mountain gate to the main hall. If you want to go tomorrow, I'll hire a sedan chair for you?"

  "No need, no need." Grandma said with a smile, "It's just 999 steps, I can still climb it."

  Dòu Qǐjùn and others couldn't help but have their doubts, so the next day they still called for two sedan chairs to follow.

  Dou Zhao followed his grandmother and climbed to the top of the mountain in one breath, while Wu Shan and several others were still panting at the turn.

  She couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  The sound was as clear and pleasant to the ear as a string of pearls falling onto a jade plate, causing Huan Xiang and others waiting in front of the Grand Temple to involuntarily glance at Du Zhao's eyes.

  Someone beside him let out an "eh".

  Dong Zhao couldn't help but follow the sound and look over, suddenly feeling a bright light in front of his eyes.

  Not far away, under a cypress tree stood a young man, about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a face as white as jade and a pair of eyes that were both clear and bright. He wore a straight robe made of celadon-colored brocade, with a white jade hairpin on his head, and at his waist hung a silk pouch, a jade pendant, an incense bag, and a folding fan, standing there quietly, his elegant demeanor captivating all who saw him.

  Behind him were two young boys, both no more than twelve or thirteen years old, yet they all looked refined and elegant. They exuded a strong scholarly aura that made people dare not underestimate them.

  Jian Douzhao walked over with a smile, cupped his hands in greeting, and had an elegant demeanor.

  Dong Zhao couldn't help but smile slightly and nodded at him.

  The grandmother was somewhat displeased.

  "Yesterday when I received your esteemed letter, this young master had already retired for the night."

  It means it's not good to drive people away.

  Fortunately, her grandmother was not a strict person and nodded with a smile. Let bygones be bygones, she stood beside Du Zhao waiting for Du Qijun and the others.

  That young master asked Master Túyìn: "I don't know where that hundred-year-old Osmanthus tree with withered branches has rebirthed?"

  It turned out he was also here to see that osmanthus tree.

  Dong Zhaoli leaned in and listened carefully with his ears perked up.

  "Right behind the Da Xiong Treasure Hall." Master Tufei said with a smile, "I'll have someone bring you over right away."

  The young master thanked him and followed the two boys with the housekeeper to the back hall.

  Dou Qijun and others crawled up with their waists bent.

  "Chui Yiniang works in the fields every day, I give up," said Dou Dechang. "But Fourth Sister either sits on the kang embroidering flowers or bends over her desk writing, how can she climb so fast?"

  Dong Zhao smiled complacently: "You think doing needlework and writing doesn't take effort?" But in her heart, she was grateful to her grandmother for taking her out for a walk every day.

  Dòu Déchāng and several others did not believe it.

  Dong Zhao smiled and said: "So are you going or not to see the Osmanthus tree? Someone has already gone ahead of us to the back of the Daxiong Hall."

  "Who is that?" Dou Zhengchang and several others discussed, "He can think of the same thing as us, it's clear he's not an ordinary person. Why don't we invite him to lunch together."

  They brought their own vegetarian dishes made by the chef of the Temple Kitchen up the mountain.

  "Where is Fourth Sister?"

  Everyone was disheartened at once.

  Dòu Zhāoyě felt somewhat disheartened.

  Dòu Qǐjùn said: "Fourth sister is following us out again, it's better to dress up as a young servant."

  Dou Zhaixin's heart moved and she quickly glanced at her grandmother.

  The grandmother seemed not to have heard, standing aside with a smile, measuring a green pine.

  Dong Zhaoheng couldn't help but rush forward and tightly hug her grandmother.

  They went behind the Dahongbao Hall.

  A withered old tree branch sprouts a new bud, its leaves are emerald green and full of vitality. It is surrounded by a wooden fence, and has already produced some tender yellow flower buds. Not a single person is in sight.

  "Didn't you say someone was ahead of us?" Dou Dechang asked Dou Zhao while looking around.

  Dong Zhaoye was full of doubts: "If you don't believe me, you can ask Aunt Cui."

  "Maybe he went down the mountain from a small path on the side."

  Dong Zhao only then discovered a small path beside the grand hall.

  This person is quite polite.

  She thought to herself as Dou Zhengchang and others listened to Tú Yìn Fāngzhàng talk about the origin of this tree.

  ※※※※※

  After two days of traveling outside, although Grandma's spirit was still very good, Du Zhao was still worried and did not participate in the third day's boat trip on the lake, but instead rested at home with her grandmother.

  "Really let Cui Thirteen follow Bo Yan?"

  "It's just lending a hand." Dòu Zhāo smiled and said, "It's not like we're going to rely on him!" He also said, "Bó Yuàn has great ambitions, and if Cuī Shísān can establish a relationship with him, it will be beneficial for him in the future."

  Grandma was about to say something, but Dòu Zhāo had already smiled and said: "Bó Yuàn's monthly allowance is only five taels of silver, and Cuī Shísān follows him. Who is helping who, I'm not so sure."

  The children of Dòu's family, after getting married, their monthly allowance would only increase to twenty taels.

  The grandmother smiled with a chuckle.

  Dong Zhao then called Cui Shi San into the government office and told him about this matter.

  Chui Thirteen's eyes lit up at once and asked when he would go see Dou Qijun.

  Dong Zhao called a maid to see if Dong Qijun was at home and left Cui Thirteen and his grandmother talking.

  After a while, the maid came back and said: "The fifth young master has not returned from his trip to the lake yet, but he instructed the people below. He said that if Cui Thirteen comes, let him wait for a while, he will definitely return to the house before dinner."

  Dou Zhao thought that Cui Thirteen was after all the nephew of her grandmother, and this matter was also brought up by herself. Instead of sending someone to send him off, it would be better for her to accompany Cui Thirteen on a trip. Those maidservants would see that even if they wanted to give Cui Thirteen a hard time, they would have to weigh their options carefully first. She could also take this opportunity to visit Sixth Aunt - her father's sister. She had been learning painting from Sixth Aunt before, but stopped because of her concern for her grandmother. Now that autumn was approaching, it was time for her studies to gradually resume as well.

  She took Cui Thirteen to the East Mansion.

  The two doorkeepers' wives, seeing that it was Diao Zhao's carriage, ran up to greet her as soon as they saw her.

  "Fourth Miss, you haven't come for a whole summer." She carefully helped Du Zhao take off her shoes and said, "It's got the several madams and ladies of our estate worried sick." As she spoke, she caught sight of Cui Thirteen and saw that he was wearing a fine linen robe, not looking like a servant at all. Immediately, she smiled fawningly and asked, "Oh my, who is this young master?"

  Dong Zhao smiled slightly and said briefly: "He is Cui Thirteen, Fifth Master asked him to come over to help."

  The old woman's eyes narrowed slightly.

  Cui?

  Xī Fǔ Cuī Yí Nǎi Nai de Niáng Jiā Rén?

  Translation:

  Is she a maternal relative of Madame Cui from the Western Mansion?

  "Who was it? He looked quite handsome, and it turned out to be the young master of the Cui family." The old woman said with flattery.

  Dong Zhao smiled and walked in.

  Cui Thirteen followed behind her and whispered: "You're usually quiet, I didn't expect you to be doing quite well in the Duan family."

  Dong Zhao smiled and didn't say anything.

  She can get the favor of the second lady, who dares not to fawn on her?

  Unfortunately, she unintentionally rectified the Western Mansion. Otherwise, if she had ruled supreme in the Western Mansion, her life would have been even more carefree than it is now - the Western Mansion didn't know how many people were flattering the Eastern Mansion's people while holding the Western Mansion's bowl.

  She felt a sudden movement in her heart at this thought.

  Why not take over grandmother's farm earlier and settle some people there?

  In her past life, she grew up with Ganluo and Suxi from a young age. Although they had the names of master and servant, they were as close as siblings. After their grandmother passed away, they relied on each other for survival, struggling to make ends meet, until they finally achieved their current status. However, in this life, she grew up in Dongtou, and when she found Ganluo and Suxi again, they had already gained some experience of the world. Although they didn't need her to worry about things, no matter how close she was with the two, they still maintained a cautious distance from her as master and servant. Sometimes, when she spoke too deeply, they would even reveal a hint of fear - where was the closeness of their past life?

  There is no gain without loss!

  After some deliberation, he arrived at the third house.

  San Tang's sister-in-law personally welcomed her at the door.

  "How did you come over?" She smiled and held onto Du Zhao's hand, "Didn't you say you were going to accompany Auntie Cui? If there was something, you could have just sent someone to say it, why did you personally run over here?"

  "It was Bohan's arrangement." Duan Zhaoshortly explained the meaning of his visit and smiled, "Where is Sister Shu?"

  "Hehe, He Yi's sister and Jiu Di Mei are learning embroidery together!" San Tang Sao smiled and sat down with Dou Zhao on the heated brick bed by the window in the main room. "Those two aren't young anymore, Er Tai Fu Ren said that since we have a ready-made master at home, why bother inviting someone from outside? It's not necessarily true that they would be as skilled as Jiu Di Mei."

  Wu Zhaolüe thought for a moment before understanding.

  Yi Jie and Shu Jie are both twelve years old this year, according to the rules of large families, they should be married.

  ※

  Will I make it in time to post before 12 o'clock?

  ~~~~(_

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