After their passionate lovemaking, Dou Zhao fell into a deep sleep in Song Mo’s arms.
Song Mo, however, remained awake, absently tracing Dou Zhao’s delicate curves. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts about the King of Liao’s intentions.
Liaodong was rich in resources, with its white mountains and black waters. Far from the capital, it boasted a large army and was practically self-sufficient. The Emperor had carefully considered all factors before granting the fiefdom.
If the King merely needed money, he could have easily claimed the coal mines beyond the Great Wall. If he feared court disputes might affect his relationship with the Emperor, he could have regularly expressed filial piety through the Empress…
Could it be, as Dou Zhao had speculated, that the Emperor was gravely ill? Was the King of Liao preparing for the possibility that the Crown Prince might turn against him after ascending the throne?
Or did he have other plans?
The thought of “other plans” made Song Mo sit up abruptly, startled.
The blanket slipped, letting in a cold draft that caused the sleeping Dou Zhao to whimper. Song Mo quickly covered her and gently patted her back. Seeing her roll over and fall back asleep, he let out a long sigh.
He wished Dou Zhao would wake up so they could talk.
Song Mo leaned down to kiss her temple, earning a disgruntled murmur in response. He chuckled, his mood lifting. Donning a robe, he leaned against the headboard, lost in thought.
Gradually, light began to fill the inner chamber.
Outside, the sounds of maids rising and getting ready for the day could be heard.
Dou Zhao, accustomed to waking at dawn, opened her eyes to find Song Mo sitting quietly beside her.
His expression was solemn, his bright eyes twinkling like stars in the dim light of the bed curtains, bringing his entire face to life with a serene beauty.
Dou Zhao admired him silently for a while before shifting position.
Hearing her move, Song Mo looked down to see Dou Zhao’s sparkling eyes.
He smiled and asked, “You’re awake? Would you like some warm water?”
“Yes!” Dou Zhao enjoyed being pampered.
Still naked, Song Mo got up with a smile to pour her a cup of tea.
Dou Zhao’s gaze briefly lingered on his waist and lower body before she pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile.
“What’s so funny?” Song Mo handed her the water, sitting on the bed’s edge as she drank. He took the cup back when she finished.
“Nothing,” Dou Zhao lay back down, smiling up at him. She then asked about yesterday’s events, “How did your talk with Duke Dongping go?”
“Quite well,” Song Mo replied. “He treated me like an inexperienced young noble, advising against rash actions. He said he’d discuss it with Official Huang before deciding whether Duke Ying’s household should offer a large reward. To prevent them from passing the buck, I’ve decided to visit the palace today and request the Emperor’s permission to grant some military post appointments.”
Before meeting Duke Dongping, he had discussed the idea of offering a substantial reward to Dou Zhao.
“Duke Dongping’s concerns are not unfounded,” she said. “Some people might kill for a mere meal, let alone a reward and the chance to be recommended for a military post with imperial provisions. You must be cautious.”
Song Mo nodded, smiling. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it carefully.”
Trusting in Song Mo’s abilities as always, Dou Zhao didn’t press further. Instead, she urged him, “Quick, put on some clothes before you catch a cold. I need to call the maids in to help me dress.”
Song Mo chuckled, patting her head. “Rest a bit longer. There are no elders at home to mind. I’ll have breakfast and then head to the palace. If anyone asks about my whereabouts, just tell them directly.”
“I understand,” Dou Zhao indeed didn’t want to get up. “You want the news to spread, right?”
“Clever girl!” Song Mo chatted with her about trivial matters that nonetheless fascinated him. “It seems I should discuss everything with you from now on. As they say, three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang. Perhaps the two of us together could match his wisdom…”
After chattering for a while, he finally dressed and went to have breakfast.
Dou Zhao lay in bed, smiling, and enjoyed a sweet, drowsy morning nap.
As expected, Duke Dongping and Huang Qi sent people to inquire about Song Mo’s whereabouts. Learning he had gone to the palace, both men waited at their respective offices.
By afternoon, news from the palace arrived: the Emperor had granted Song Mo three Junior Captain positions in the Five Guards.
Both men drew sharp breaths. One, face ashen, instructed his servant to send an invitation to Duke Dongping for a meal at the Donglaishun Restaurant. The other hurriedly sent his servant to invite Huang Qi for drinks at the Zuixianlou.
Meanwhile, Ji Yong was sitting in a private room at Donglaishun, dining with a burly man.
The man, surnamed Xun and given the name Zhong, owned Beijing’s largest escort agency, “Ping’an Escort Agency.” He was one of the various connections the Ji family had cultivated in Beijing, usually helping them gather information about the capital.
Since passing the imperial examination, Ji Yong could now legitimately use these family connections in Beijing.
Hearing Ji Yong’s request to help find information about the thieves who robbed Duke Ying’s mansion, Xun Zhong couldn’t help but smile wryly. “Sir, if anyone knew anything about those thieves, they’d have already gone to claim the reward from Duke Ying’s household. How could there be any leftovers for us?”
Ji Yong was taken aback. “What do you mean?”
“By now, word has spread throughout Beijing,” Xun Zhong explained. “The young master of Duke Ying’s household is offering a substantial reward for information on the fugitive thieves. The starting price is 1,000 taels of silver, with a chance of being recommended for military service. Martial artists in Beijing, both from the underworld and legitimate circles, are leaving the city in droves. Some fear being wrongly arrested as thieves and are fleeing to avoid trouble. Others are heading to Cangzhou to seek information about the thieves, hoping for a chance at promotion and wealth. There are even rumors of a 3,000-tael reward for a thief’s corpse, just for a chance to speak with the young master of Duke Ying’s household… Beijing is in chaos now, with old rules broken. Few still care about the code of honor among martial artists!”
Xun Zhong advised Ji Yong earnestly, “Sir, at this time, anyone who gets involved risks misfortune. Though the Dou family is related to ours by marriage, we must consider the gravity of the situation. The Dou family has been established in Beijing for years and surely has their channels. I urge you to reconsider your actions.”
He assumed Ji Yong was acting on behalf of the Dou family to gather information about the thieves.
It was unexpected that Song Mo could stir up such chaos, using money and power to turn Beijing upside down.
Ji Yong fell silent, pondering this.
A young man, dressed like an escort agency worker, rushed in. He quickly bowed to Ji Yong before whispering urgently into Xun Zhong’s ear.
Xun Zhong’s expression immediately darkened.
“Sir!” He looked at Ji Yong solemnly. “We just received news from Cangzhou. Countless martial arts experts have flooded into the city in the past few days, resulting in several murders. Both the local authorities and the underworld in Cangzhou are now aware of Duke Ying’s household’s reward. While the officials haven’t reacted yet, three respected elder martial artists in Cangzhou have jointly invited masters from Shaolin, Wudang, and other schools to come to Cangzhou. They’re asking fellow martial artists not to engage in armed conflicts in Cangzhou to prevent bloodshed or deaths. However, they’ve promised to investigate and identify the thieves themselves. They’ll post the information on the main gate of Guanyin Temple, ten miles outside the city. Whoever captures the culprits can claim the reward, but all martial artists in Cangzhou are forbidden from participating.”
Ji Yong was stunned. “Will the martial artists in Cangzhou agree? This means they’ll lose their chance to claim Duke Ying’s household’s reward!”
Xun Zhong looked at the young worker.
The worker quickly added, “They have no choice but to agree. There was already internal strife in Cangzhou, and the three elders emerged victorious, giving them the authority to speak. Now, many people are gathered at Guanyin Temple, questioning the authenticity of the thieves’ information provided by the three elders… I’m afraid there might be more bloodshed in Cangzhou.” He shuddered as if recalling the bloody scenes.
Ji Yong, however, didn’t notice this detail. He muttered, his eyes unfocused, “What a clever move to ‘divert trouble eastward’! No wonder he’s so favored at such a young age…” His eyes suddenly blazed with a dazzling light. “It’s no surprise Zhou Gongji said, ‘Having been born with Yu, why was Liang born?'”
A fighting spirit gradually coalesced in his brow, making his aura as sharp as a blade’s edge.
Xun Zhong felt a shock run through him.
Another worker came to report, “Boss, both the Shuntian Prefecture and the Five-Cities Military Command have announced that the Emperor has granted the young master of Duke Ying’s household three Junior Captain positions in the Imperial Guard.”
“What?” Xun Zhong exclaimed in disbelief. “Is this true?”
“It couldn’t be more true,” the worker replied, looking dejected. “The Six Divisions of Police are in an uproar. They’ve all gone to the Deputy Prefect, asking if they can claim Duke Ying’s household’s reward if they find the culprits. The Deputy Prefect is sweating profusely, unable to find Prefect Huang. The Shuntian Prefecture is in complete disarray!”
“It’s over, it’s all over!” Xun Zhong said, looking distraught. “Duke Dongping has just taken office and has no way to control the Five-Cities Military Command…” Suddenly remembering himself, he turned to Ji Yong and bowed, “Sir, our escort agency often moves between the underworld and official circles. We’ll likely be pressured by both sides to gather information. We need to lay low for a while… Time is of the essence, I must go make arrangements. Please forgive me. If you need anything else from me, just send a message to a waiter named Xiao Liuzi at the teahouse at the entrance of Yuqiao Hutong. I must leave now before things get worse.”
Having learned what he needed to know, Ji Yong waved his hand dismissively.
Xun Zhong bowed respectfully to Ji Yong and hurriedly left with his two workers to return to the escort agency.
Ji Yong, lost in thought, spent the afternoon alone at a teahouse.
Upon hearing the news, Gu Yu was extremely excited.
He immediately rushed to Yizhi Hall.
Song Mo was talking with Yan Chaoqin and others.
Gu Yu burst into the study, waving a contract bearing Dou Shiying’s seal.
Yan Chaoqin and the others were startled.
Gu Yu, looking as if he couldn’t wait to see the world in chaos, exclaimed, “Brother Tianci, why didn’t you tell me you were going to deal with those bastards in Beijing?” He handed the contract to Song Mo. “How did I do? Not bad, right?” He looked like a child seeking praise, making it hard for Yan Chaoqin and the others to be angry.
Song Mo didn’t disappoint him, offering a few words of praise before gesturing for him to sit down. He then continued his previous conversation with Yan Chaoqin and the others: “…Since things are already this chaotic, I suppose a bit more disorder won’t hurt. I’ll set a time limit. I believe the Emperor gave the Shuntian Prefecture and the Five-Cities Military Command a two-month deadline… Let’s use that as our limit. If all the thieves are caught within two months, the full reward will be given. If any thieves remain at large after two months, the reward will be halved. What do you think?”