Seeing his son-in-law taking his side, Dou Shiying felt secretly pleased and viewed him even more favorably. He said, “I heard your second brother is getting married. Have you set a date for the betrothal gifts? We’d like to join in the festivities when the time comes.”
Although Dou Shiying knew Song Han’s background was somewhat complicated, he felt that was a matter between the older generation and had nothing to do with Song Han. As long as Song Han remained Song Mo’s brother, Dou Shiying, as Song Mo’s father-in-law, wanted to show support for Song Mo.
Song Mo regarded Dou Shiying as a father and naturally didn’t want him involved in these sordid affairs. He quickly smiled and said, “Because of the imperial bestowed marriage, there are many formalities. The dates for sending betrothal gifts and proposing marriage must first be approved by the palace. It’s quite troublesome. I’ll have Liao Bifeng invite you when the time comes.”
The implication was for Dou Shiying not to concern himself with it.
Dou Shiying found Song Mo’s words reasonable. Being someone who disliked social obligations, he was satisfied with this arrangement.
Dou Zhao had returned to her maiden home for a short stay, residing in the eastern wing of the upper courtyard. Song Mo was arranged to stay in the small study of the eastern wing. With nothing to do, Dou Zhao had her maid bring needlework over. She sewed while listening to Dou Shiying and Song Mo chat.
Suddenly, Dou Shizhu came to visit.
Dou Shiying was very surprised and said, “At this hour?”
The city was already under curfew.
He handed the child to Dou Zhao and said, “I’ll go see.”
Song Mo rose to escort Dou Shiying, reassuring him, “The palace has been calm these past few days. Fifth Uncle might be looking for you for other matters.”
Dou Shiying nodded and went to the study in the outer courtyard.
Dou Shizhu, still in his official robes, sat drinking tea in the grand chair of the study. Seeing Dou Shiying enter, he got straight to the point without pleasantries: “The Emperor wants to begin education for the Crown Prince’s eldest son. I thought of recommending you to teach ‘Thousand Family Poems’. Are you confident you can do it?”
Dou Shiying, however, was unwilling to get involved in such matters. He frowned and said, “I have a solitary nature. Do you have any other candidates, Fifth Brother?”
“Sixth Brother won’t do!” Dou Shizhu said. “He may seem steady, but he’s careless about details. Sending him into the palace would be harmful to him.”
Dou Shiying felt this matter came too suddenly and wasn’t as simple as Dou Shizhu made it out to be. Thinking of Song Mo’s presence at his home, he couldn’t help but say, “Let me think this over carefully.”
After all, it was about educating the Crown Prince’s eldest son, the future heir apparent. Dou Shizhu hadn’t expected Dou Shiying to agree immediately, so he nodded, inquired about Dou Shiying’s studies, and then rose to leave.
Dou Shiying escorted him to the main gate.
Seeing the carriage stopped at the sedan hall, he suddenly remembered and slapped his forehead, saying, “Yan Tang came over?”
“Yes!” Dou Shiying’s face lit up with a smile at the mention of this son-in-law. “He came to see Shou Gu and Yuan’er. I invited him to stay the night. Since I didn’t know what you wanted to discuss with me, I didn’t have him join us.”
Dou Shizhu said, “It’s getting late. I won’t see him now. Just let him know I was here.” Then he hurriedly got into his sedan chair.
Dou Shiying kept this in mind and instructed a servant to follow.
The servant returned and reported, “Fifth Master went towards Chang’an Street.”
The Six Ministries, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicature and Revision were all located on Chang’an Street.
Dou Shiying gave a thoughtful “Hmm” and returned to the eastern wing, where he told Song Mo about Dou Shizhu’s intentions.
Song Mo broke out in a cold sweat.
If Dou Shiying agreed to educate the Crown Prince’s eldest son, he would be labeled as aligned with the Crown Prince. If Prince Liao succeeded in his ambitions, wouldn’t Dou Shiying be in danger?
He quickly said, “It’s fortunate that you, Father-in-law, are upright and unmoved by power and status, and didn’t immediately agree to Fifth Uncle’s request. Fifth Uncle’s urgency likely has to do with several ministers in the cabinet. Let me go to the palace tomorrow to gather some information, and then you can make your decision.”
Dou Shiying felt very pleased hearing this and nodded repeatedly. Seeing it was getting late, he repeatedly instructed them to take good care of Yuan’er before retiring to his room.
Dou Zhao pursed her lips in a smile and teased Song Mo, “Your father-in-law is upright and unmoved by power and status?”
Song Mo, however, replied seriously, “I meant every word! If it were someone else, knowing they might become an Imperial Tutor, they would likely agree immediately. Only someone like my father-in-law, who is indifferent to fame and fortune, would hesitate and deliberate.” He added, “I’m never wrong about people.”
Dou Zhao could only sigh.
It seems that even relationships between people are a matter of fate.
In her previous life, Wei Tingyu thought her father was weak and incompetent. In this life, Song Mo saw the same behavior as being indifferent to fame and fortune.
She put down her needlework and said softly, “You still need to go to the palace tomorrow. You should rest early. It’s not as close to Chang’an Street here as our home. You’ll probably need to get up at the Hour of the Tiger.”
Song Mo winked at her and said in a low voice, “Won’t you keep me company?”
Dou Zhao gently pinched his waist and said, “I’ll deal with you when we get home.”
Song Mo laughed heartily and returned to the southern room that had been converted into a small study.
Dou Zhao took the child and the wet nurse to rest in the northern room.
Early the next morning, while Dou Zhao and the child were still asleep, Song Mo and Dou Shiying had already left Jing’an Temple Alley together.
Dou Shiying went to the Hanlin Academy, while Song Mo went to the duty room of the Jinwu Guard in the palace.
Colleagues offered congratulations on Song Han’s imperial bestowed marriage.
Song Mo smiled and returned their greetings. Only Dong Qi gave Song Mo a meaningful look and said coolly, “The Song family truly has double blessings,” before going to his duty room.
Those with some background in their families all had their ways of gathering information, and the discord between Empress Dowager and Consort Miao was no secret. Everyone who knew the inside story thought Song Han’s marriage to Consort Miao’s great-niece was not a good match.
In the past, Song Mo would have racked his brains to sabotage this marriage, but now… he didn’t even give it a second thought.
After changing into his court robes and making a round of inspections in the palace, Song Mo was deliberating whether to directly inquire with Chief Eunuch Wang Yuan or to sit for a while in the Court of State Ceremonial when he encountered the Crown Prince’s sedan chair.
Song Mo moved to avoid it.
However, one of the Crown Prince’s attendants hurriedly approached and respectfully said, “Lord Song, His Highness the Crown Prince requests to speak with you.”
Song Mo stepped forward to pay his respects to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince smiled and said, “I just came from the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The Emperor and several ministers are discussing matters in the study. Why don’t you come with me to the Eastern Palace for a while?”
Three years ago, the Crown Prince had already begun to participate in government affairs, and when the Emperor went to the Eastern Gardens to escape the summer heat, he would also handle state affairs on behalf of the Emperor with the assistance of the cabinet ministers.
Song Mo smiled and said “Yes,” following the Crown Prince to the Eastern Palace.
The Crown Prince inquired about Song Han’s marriage: “I heard it was Grandmother Empress’s idea. Why would Grandmother Empress have such a notion? If Yan Tang is free, he could pay a visit to Grandmother Empress.”
The difference in status between the two families was too great; this was not a favor, but a slap in the face.
The Crown Prince was subtly suggesting that the Empress Dowager might have some misunderstanding about the Song family and that he should explain to her.
Song Mo had long wanted to distance himself from Song Han.
If not now, when?
He put on a faint, bitter smile and said respectfully, “The Empress Dowager has always been caring towards the Song family. It is heavenly grace to receive her favor with this bestowed marriage. I should go and kowtow to thank the Empress Dowager. Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness!”
Seeing no trace of joy in his expression, the Crown Prince felt it inappropriate to press further and instead spoke about Yuan’er and the third imperial grandson: “…It’s truly a coincidence! Not only are their birthdays just one day apart, but even their names are similar.”
Song Mo accompanied him in conversation for a while until the Crown Prince’s tutor came to urge him to his studies. Song Mo then took his leave from the Eastern Palace and went to the Department of Imperial Attendants.
The Crown Prince sent someone to inquire about Song Han’s bestowed marriage.
The Empress Dowager had no intention of concealing this matter, and Consort Shi, enjoying the Song family’s embarrassment, also helped spread the news. In less than half an hour, the story of Song Han reached the Crown Prince’s ears.
The Crown Prince was shocked.
After the initial shock, he secretly felt relieved that he hadn’t presumed to elevate Song Han’s status.
The Crown Prince thought of Prince Liao.
The Crown Prince’s birth mother had passed away early, and in his younger years, he had received care from Empress Wan. After Empress Wan became the mother figure of the empire, she treated him with the same respect and motherly love as before, and he regarded Empress Wan as his mother. But Prince Liao… had become increasingly aggressive in recent years. Sometimes he couldn’t help but wonder if Empress Wan was secretly pushing things behind the scenes. But this thought he dared only to bury in his heart, unable to tell anyone.
Including the Crown Princess, who was closest to him, he dared not speak of it.
The Crown Prince thought of Song Mo’s slightly bitter smile and suddenly felt a sense of shared misfortune with him.
Faced with such a situation, Song Mo indeed could only smile bitterly.
He paced in his study, thinking that if he had the chance to speak with Song Mo again, it would be good.
Song Mo had drunk a belly full of tea at the Department of Imperial Attendants, and it was now time for the midday meal.
The palace food was not as delicious as home-cooked meals, and he had no appetite.
After finishing his duties, he went to the Lu mansion — since Princess Ningde had secured such a good marriage for Song Han, it was only right for him to personally visit Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde to express his gratitude.
Princess Ningde was very pleased to see him and smiled, saying, “I did this for my benefit as well, so you needn’t take it to heart. Just focus on being a good heir, and don’t let others find any weakness to exploit.”
“We are family, after all,” Song Mo smiled and said, “I have no brothers, so my cousins are like my own brothers. If there’s anything, Princess, just have them instruct me.”
Princess Ningde was very satisfied with Song Mo’s words and asked about Jiang Yan’s situation: “Do you plan to keep her at home, or are you thinking of finding another son-in-law for her?”
Thinking of how the Princess had successfully arranged a marriage for Song Han, Song Mo spoke frankly, “She’s still young. If we could find her a suitable family to remarry into, that would be best.”
Princess Ningde nodded with a smile, keeping this matter in mind, and invited Song Mo to stay for dinner.
Song Mo, worried about his wife and child, made an excuse that he had eaten before coming and managed to leave, returning to Jing’an Temple Alley.
He first went to pay his respects to Dou Shiying.
But Dou Shiying was in the eastern wing.
He then went to the eastern wing and told Dou Shiying what he had learned at the Department of Imperial Attendants: “The Emperor wants to begin education for the Crown Prince’s eldest son. He Wendao recommended Du Jialun, but the Emperor felt Du Jialun was too rigid and favored Chen Rong from the Court of State Ceremonial. Chen Rong’s father was once a fellow candidate with Dai Jian, and they had a falling out over lecturing matters when they were in the Hanlin Academy. Chen Rong’s father even resigned and returned home because of this. Dai Jian then recommended you…”
Dou Shizhu saw this as a good opportunity and, pretending to know nothing, wanted to push Dou Shiying forward.
Hearing this, Dou Shiying immediately flew into a rage: “Isn’t this putting me on the hot seat? If I succeed, I’ll become enemies with Chen Rong; if I fail, I’ll be labeled as a sycophant. Wouldn’t that make me the laughingstock of my colleagues?”
From Dou Shiying’s perspective, Song Mo certainly felt that Dou Shizhu’s actions were inappropriate. However, from the standpoint of the Dou family clan, he felt Dou Shizhu’s approach was understandable.
He advised Dou Shiying: “Fifth Uncle is also thinking of your best interests. If you’re unwilling, you can simply decline.”
Dou Shiying nodded and said, “I’ll go to Huaishu Alley.”
Fearing that Dou Shiying might quarrel with Dou Shizhu, Song Mo said, “Let me accompany you.”