Song Mo coughed lightly, and the courtyard immediately sprang to life.
Ruo Zhu came running over, curtsied to Song Mo, and respectfully addressed him as “Young Master.” Ruo Tong loudly announced, “The Young Master has returned.”
Song Mo walked straight towards the main hall.
Dou Zhao personally lifted the curtain to welcome him, greeting him with a smile, “You’re here!”
Song Mo nodded with a smile and asked, “Where’s Yuan’er?”
“His wet nurse is taking him on the swing in the back courtyard,” Dou Zhao said as they walked side by side into the hall.
Ji Yong was sitting casually in the master’s chair on the right. Seeing Song Mo enter, he took a sip of tea, stood up, and said to Dou Zhao, “I’ve told you everything I know. Make a decision soon about what you want to do. Don’t say later that I acted on my own. I’m leaving now, I’ll come to see Yuan’er in a few days.” Then he nodded to Song Mo and strode away.
Song Mo was furious but maintained a casual demeanor, smiling as he said, “This Ji Jianming has always been arrogant and overbearing, never restraining himself at any time. It’s truly an anomaly that he’s managed to navigate the official circles smoothly and safely until today.”
“Indeed,” Dou Zhao agreed with his words, saying, “His parents must have worried themselves sick over him!”
She thought about how Ji Yong was still unmarried. A couple of years ago, the elders of the Ji family still dared to scold him a bit, but as his imperial favor grew, fewer and fewer people in the Ji family could speak up to him. She couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.
Song Mo felt very uncomfortable seeing this and smiled, saying, “Is Yuan’er only accompanied by his wet nurse? Women aren’t very strong, if he falls or gets hurt it would be terrible. I’ll go check on him!”
“Song Luo and Gao Xing’s young son Gao Zan are both in the back courtyard with him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t feel at ease letting the wet nurse take him alone,” Dou Zhao said. “He can run and jump now, and even the usual servants can’t keep up with his energy, let alone his wet nurse. I was just thinking of discussing with you whether we should find a few clever young servants to accompany him, to ensure he has someone to play with.”
Dou Zhao was in a special condition now and couldn’t roughhouse with her son.
Song Mo smiled and said, “Then let’s look later and see which family’s boys are suitable. We can choose a few who are four or five years older than him to play with him.” Having said this, he was about to get up and go to the back courtyard.
But Dou Zhao said, “I have something else to tell you.” Then she took his hand and led him to the inner chamber. “Ji Jianming just came to tell me that his cousin Ji Lingze has accompanied his grandmother to the capital. He also said that on the very night Ji Lingze arrived in the capital, Twelfth Brother went to visit their home. He told me to be careful and remind Father to settle Twelfth Brother’s marriage soon, to avoid any complications that might arise if things drag on too long.”
When it rains, it pours. When a girl wants to marry, she’ll find a way.
This Ji Yong was meddling too much!
Song Mo grumbled inwardly, but outwardly he smiled and said, “You were saying just a few days ago to let things take their natural course. Why have you changed your mind now? After all, Twelfth Brother is the elder brother, and it’s his life to live. You’d better not interfere. If he marries this Miss Ji, wouldn’t you have to respectfully call Miss Ji ‘Sister-in-law’? If things go wrong, as his sister who’s already married off, how would it be your place to say anything?”
As he spoke, he led Dou Zhao by the hand to the large kang bed by the window and even helped her take off her shoes. “The most important thing for you now is to take good care of yourself during pregnancy. This child is much more mischievous than Yuan’er. Look at when you were pregnant with Yuan’er, you could eat and sleep well, but now you can’t even stand the scent of rose essence, and you’ve lost weight. Let’s not worry about outside matters. It’s more important that you take good care of your health.”
Hearing this, Dou Zhao couldn’t help but take a mirror and look at herself from different angles. “Have I lost weight? I feel like I’ve gained weight.”
Song Mo sat down beside her, casually took away her mirror, and tossed it aside, saying, “How can you tell from this mirror?” Then he brought up the topic of summer retreat. “If we go earlier this year, I suppose there won’t be much for relatives to say.”
The Song family had a villa in Xiangshan with beautiful scenery. Every summer when they went there to escape the heat, they would close their doors to visitors and enjoy some peace for a few days.
This child was indeed restless, so it would be good to go there for a rest.
Dou Zhao smiled and said, “You set a date, and I’ll prepare in advance. Then you can send us over when it’s time.”
Song Mo had official duties and couldn’t get away.
“I’ll try to ask for leave,” Song Mo said as he went to get the almanac. “Anyway, the Emperor will go to the Western Garden in summer. There aren’t as many rules there as in the palace, and all the princes and ministers will be trying their best to leave a good impression on the Emperor. If I step away, it might give some people more room, and I might be able to get left!” As he spoke, he turned to the 22nd day of the fifth month, which was marked as auspicious for travel. “How about this day? It’s just after the Dragon Boat Festival, and the weather will be getting hot.”
Dou Zhao pondered that in her previous life, Prince Liao had launched the palace coup in November, so it was still early. In her previous life, she had been too far from the imperial court and only learned about the Emperor’s illness and Prince Liao’s arrival in the capital after the fact. In this life, since she could often enter the palace and Song Mo was wary of Prince Liao, if there was anything unusual with the Emperor, she would certainly know. Xiangshan was only two hours away from the capital, so it would be easy to return if needed. She lazily leaned on Song Mo’s shoulder and said, “Whatever you decide is fine. I’ll listen to you.”
Seeing Dou Zhao’s exhausted face, Song Mo lowered his head to kiss her forehead and said softly, “Are you very tired? You should rest for a while. I’ll take care of Yuan’er!” He then took a pillow and helped her lie down.
Dou Zhao enjoyed Song Mo’s gentle care, holding his hand as she quickly fell asleep.
Song Mo smiled slightly, gazing at Dou Zhao’s peaceful sleeping face for a long while before getting up to go to the back courtyard.
A couple of days later, Dou Zhao had someone pass a message to Song Yichun, saying that she would take Yuan’er to stay at the villa in Xiangshan for two months after the Dragon Boat Festival.
Ever since learning that Dou Zhao was pregnant again, Song Yichun’s feelings have been complex. Hearing that Dou Zhao wanted to go for a summer retreat, he impatiently waved his hand, indicating that he understood.
Dou Zhao began preparing for the Dragon Boat Festival and the summer retreat.
Dou Dechang went missing.
When Madam Ji came to cry to her about it, she was dumbfounded and didn’t know what to say for a long time.
“Where do you think he could have gone? Seventh Uncle is nearly worried to death!” Madam Ji cried. “Everything was fine before. He agreed to the adoption, and that’s why we agreed to it. Seventh Uncle treated him like his own son…” As she spoke, she tightly grasped Dou Zhao’s hand. “Do you think he might have been kidnapped by criminals? After Seventh Uncle gave you a cartload of banknotes when you got married, many rumors were saying that the Dou family was the wealthiest in North Zhili, or even in the whole country…”
Dou Zhao knew the truth. She took out a handkerchief to wipe Madam Ji’s tears and said, “Does the Hanlin Academy know about Twelfth Brother’s disappearance? Who has Twelfth Brother been closest to these days? Perhaps they might know his whereabouts. Isn’t Wu Shan quite close to Twelfth Brother? They’re both from the same hometown and passed the same imperial examination. Have Sixth Uncle and Father sent someone to ask him?”
Her calm and collected voice soothed Madam Ji’s panicked heart. Madam Ji wiped her tears and said, “Seventh Uncle has already asked at the Hanlin Academy. Wu Shan is even helping Seventh Uncle look for him! Right now, there’s not a single clue…”
Hearing this, Dou Zhao couldn’t help but secretly blame Wu Shan.
If he didn’t explain to the elders at this point, how would Dou Dechang have the face to return to the Hanlin Academy when things blew up?
However, kidnapping was a good excuse.
She very much wanted to let Sixth Aunt announce that Dou Dechang had been kidnapped, but she was afraid Sixth Aunt might believe it to be true and worry herself sick. So she simply said, “I think it’s better to let the Young Master handle this matter. He has experience.”
Madam Ji’s eyes lit up as if she had found a savior. She repeatedly said “good” and eagerly wanted Dou Zhao to find Song Mo, saying, “How did I not think of this?”
When you’re too concerned, you lose your bearings!
Dou Zhao kept Madam Ji for lunch, sent someone to notify Song Mo, and had someone send messages to comfort those in Jing’an Temple Alley and Cat Alley.
Madam Ji hadn’t slept for two days and two nights. Now that she had someone to rely on, her fatigue became apparent. Dou Zhao instructed a young maid to clean out a guest room and coaxed Madam Ji to take a nap.
During this time, Song Mo had Liu Zhang bring a message to Dou Zhao: ” Miss Ji from the Ji family is also missing. Don’t worry, they won’t go far. We should be able to find them by tomorrow night at the latest.”
Dou Zhao felt relieved.
Ji Yong came running over, with his servant carrying a bamboo pole full of pinwheels behind him.
The colorful pinwheels whirred loudly in the courtyard, creating quite a spectacle.
He must have bought the entire stock, bamboo pole and all, from a pinwheel seller.
Dou Zhao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Yuan’er, however, clapped his hands in delight.
Ji Yong proudly said, “Isn’t it more fun with Uncle?”
Yuan’er nodded repeatedly, calling out “Uncle” in his clear voice.
Ji Yong was very pleased. He smiled and picked up Yuan’er, letting him choose his favorite pinwheel, then handed Yuan’er to his servant, saying, “Take the young master to play with the pinwheels.”
The servant respectfully answered “Yes” and led Yuan’er to a nearby covered walkway, inserting pinwheels wherever he could along the railing.
Yuan’er ran back and forth, very excited.
Ji Yong watched with satisfaction, nodding his head. He said to Dou Zhao, “Could Zixian have eloped with my cousin? My cousin is also missing.”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Ji Yong was too clever.
“It’s hard to say right now,” she said, now most afraid of Ji Yong acting rashly. “Yuan’er’s father has already sent people to investigate.”
Ji Yong nodded and called out to his servant in the distance, “Put a few on top of the rockery, the wind is stronger there.”
The servant acknowledged and carried Yuan’er up the Taihu rock garden.
Ji Yong turned back to Dou Zhao and said, “I’ll go ask Wu Shan – they’ve been close since childhood. I don’t believe Wu Shan doesn’t know anything.” At this point, he glanced at Dou Zhao. “He might even think he’s doing a good deed!”
What does that have to do with me?
Dou Zhao grumbled inwardly but said, “Sixth Aunt is here with me. Do you want to comfort her a bit?”
“What’s there to say?” Ji Yong said dismissively. “If we can’t find him, she’ll just cry. Anything I say won’t help. Let’s find him first and then talk.” He left his servant to play with Yuan’er and left Duke Ying’s mansion alone.
Fortunately, Dou Zhao was already used to his various eccentricities and skillfully explained to Madam Ji, arranging for the servant to return to the mansion…
Song Mo didn’t return until midnight.
The whirring pinwheels all over the courtyard made him pause and ask curiously, “Where did these come from? Did Madam go out today?”
“No,” Song Luo lowered her eyes. “The Ji family uncle bought them for the young master.”
Song Mo stood in the courtyard for a moment before stepping into the inner chamber.