She couldn’t very well say she was happy because he had taken another step away from the Prince of Liao, could she?
Dou Zhao mused inwardly, finding the situation both amusing and absurd. She decided to give Song Mo a coy sidelong glance, responding with a flirtatious “You’ve only just realized?”
Song Mo was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.
Being with Dou Zhao always brought him joy.
He stretched out his arms and scooped her up, whispering in her ear, “Let’s go have dinner.”
Caught off guard, Dou Zhao let out a surprised yelp and quickly wrapped her arms around Song Mo’s neck, only then realizing she was in his embrace.
“Put me down!” she exclaimed, her face flushed. “The lamps aren’t even lit yet. How can you be so mischievous?!”
Her attempt to maintain composure while flustered only made Song Mo laugh more. He blew hot air on her neck and said suggestively, “So if the lamps were lit, would it be alright to be mischievous?”
This guy really could say anything!
The more embarrassed you became, the more he seemed to enjoy it.
How could people outside think he was calculating and ruthless?
As Dou Zhao inwardly grumbled, Song Mo effortlessly carried her to the dining room.
Ganlu and the others busied themselves setting the table, pretending not to have seen anything.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.
The two sat down facing each other for dinner.
Song Mo occasionally glanced up at Dou Zhao, moving the extra food she had picked for him closer to her side.
Dou Zhao felt an inexplicable sweetness welling up inside her.
After dinner, they sat on the large kang by the window, drinking tea and talking.
“I met with Chen Jia after you left,” Dou Zhao recounted the situation to Song Mo.
Song Mo laughed and said, “He’s quite astute, knowing to approach you!”
Hearing the implication in his words, Dou Zhao asked, “So, Chen Jia did encounter those robbers by chance?”
Song Mo nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes like shattered ice.
He glanced towards Xixiang Court and said in a low voice, “It was his handiwork!”
Dou Zhao was shocked and blurted out, “How could it be…” As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how unreasonable her question was.
Who else in the world would hate Song Mo as much as Song Yichun?
Even if it was aimed at her, it was merely a roundabout way to get to Song Mo.
But under the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, even in a case of father-son conflict, Song Yichun couldn’t be so blatant! He couldn’t bear the consequences of killing his son without reason. Otherwise, he could have simply taken a knife and pursued Song Mo himself. Why go to such lengths?
But why did Song Yichun choose to act now, and in this manner?
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but ponder, “What happened? His actions are too unusual!”
Song Mo’s expression turned cold as he said gravely, “The identities of those two suicide agents have been confirmed. As for why he’s acting this way, we’re still investigating. We should have results in a day or two.”
Dou Zhao looked at Song Mo’s face, as cold and serene as snow, and felt a pang in her heart.
She would rather he joke and laugh with her as he had earlier.
That was how normal people lived!
Dou Zhao fell silent, wrapping her arms around Song Mo’s waist and resting her head on his shoulder.
As if by doing so, she could offer him some warmth, making him feel less alone and cold.
Song Mo, however, smiled and tapped her nose, whispering, “What’s wrong? Do you miss me already? I promise I’ll serve you with all my heart until my dying breath…”
This rascal!
Ever since they married, he hadn’t had a single moment of seriousness.
Dou Zhao punched him hard.
Song Mo blinked at her, feigning innocence as if to say, “I didn’t say anything wrong, why are you hitting me?”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
The gloom and heartache from earlier vanished like smoke.
Dou Zhao paused.
Perhaps this was Song Mo’s intention all along?
To keep her from feeling sad…
She looked at Song Mo seriously.
Song Mo gazed back at her intently, his eyes filled with undisguised amusement.
Dou Zhao leaned in and kissed him tenderly on the lips, soft and lingering.
Song Mo was surprised but responded passionately.
However, Dou Zhao didn’t let Song Mo have his way: “I’m not feeling well, you’ll have to be patient…”
Song Mo pressed further, guiding her hand to his arousal: “Then help me out.”
In both her lives, Dou Zhao had never done such a thing.
She felt it was too brazen.
Song Mo held her and called her “Shou Gu,” his body hot as boiling water.
Dou Zhao buried her face in Song Mo’s chest, her face red, eyes closed, pretending not to notice as she allowed him to do as he pleased.
Early the next morning, Song Mo got up refreshed to practice his martial arts, while Dou Zhao remained wrapped in the blankets, not wanting to move at all.
Ganlu, her face flushed, reminded Dou Zhao, “It’s already the fifth watch (5-7 am).”
Usually, by this time, she would be sitting in the tea room of Xixiang Court doing needlework.
But today, she didn’t even have the mood to deal with Song Yichun.
“Find a clever servant to keep watch at the main gate,” Dou Zhao lazily instructed Ganlu. “If anyone comes to visit the Duke, have him report to me immediately. We can go sit in the tea room of Xixiang Court later.”
Ganlu was speechless for a moment before saying, “I’m afraid the stewardesses in the mansion will gossip.”
If word got out, Dou Zhao would be labeled as unfilial.
Dou Zhao smiled languidly, “Then spread my words. It’s a good opportunity to see who likes to stir up trouble.”
Ganlu felt uneasy but dared not disobey Dou Zhao’s wishes. She quickly spread the message.
The Duke Ying’s mansion was in an uproar, but considering the undercurrents between Dou Zhao and the First Madam Song, the influential stewardesses and perceptive senior maids maintained an eerie silence.
Dou Zhao sighed, “The servants in Duke Ying’s mansion are indeed better mannered. If this were in Zhengding, wouldn’t their spit be flying everywhere by now?”
Ganlu, who was serving Dou Zhao tea, couldn’t help but pout, “We’re all scared to death, and you still have the mood to joke.”
Suxin was about to get married. She had devoted all her attention to Dou Zhao these past few years and hadn’t prepared anything for herself. Dou Zhao had Liao Bifeng arrange for a capable steward to accompany the Bie sisters in purchasing the dowry. Ganlu and Sujuan took over Suxin and Sulan’s duties, serving Dou Zhao closely.
If only these two weren’t about to get married as well!
Dou Zhao sighed inwardly and instructed Ganlu to take out two sets of bedding from her dowry.
Ganlu thought they were for Suxin and brought out one set with a big red phoenix design and another with an emerald green hundred-bird pattern.
But Dou Zhao said, “They’re for the Young Master.”
Ganlu’s mouth fell open.
When Song Mo returned that evening and saw the bedding on the kang, he was even more surprised than Ganlu. He grinned sheepishly and said, “You’re not angry about this, are you?” He then whispered in her ear, “Who was it that wouldn’t let go of me for a moment last night?”
Thinking of the passionate moments from the previous night, Dou Zhao’s cheeks gradually turned red, but her attitude remained firm: “Either you sleep on the kang, or you go sleep in the study.”
Song Mo finally stopped smiling and said seriously, “Shou Gu, tell me the truth, what’s wrong?”
Dou Zhao, unsure whether she was more annoyed at Song Mo’s audacity or her inability to resist his temptations, glared at him and said, “You’re asking me? How can you be so unrestrained?”
Song Mo sheepishly rubbed his nose.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t control himself; he just enjoyed seeing Dou Zhao lose control beneath him.
However, thinking of Dou Zhao’s swollen flower, he felt a bit guilty and didn’t dare say more. He obediently went to rest on the kang.
Dou Zhao’s heart melted at the sight. She prepared tea for him, moved a lamp over, and sat by his kang, murmuring, “I’ll be fine in a couple of days.”
Song Mo took her hand and said, “Then sleep with me on the kang. I promise I won’t try anything.”
How was that any different from sleeping in the bed?
Dou Zhao was exasperated and said, “So you admit you can’t keep your hands to yourself.”
She ignored Song Mo and went straight to bed.
Waking up thirsty in the middle of the night, she found that Song Mo had somehow climbed into bed and was curled up beside her, sleeping soundly.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile.
She gently tucked the blanket around Song Mo.
The next day, she ordered Ganlu to put the two sets of bedding back in the trunk.
Song Mo pretended not to notice and rested in bed as usual, though he behaved much better.
Dou Zhao turned her attention to Suxin’s wedding preparations.
The dowry house, farms, shops, jewelry, utensils… nothing could be overlooked. She had to oversee every detail, no matter how small.
When the second and third young madams of the Lu family came to visit, they laughed so hard they could barely stand straight, teasing her, “Are you marrying off a maid or a daughter?”
Dou Zhao truly felt like she was marrying off a daughter.
But she couldn’t explain this to these young madams who had led such smooth lives.
She simply avoided the topic and smiled, “What wind has blown you two sisters-in-law here today?” Then she instructed Ganlu, “Go tell the kitchen that I’m keeping the two young madams for lunch.”
Ganlu acknowledged and left.
The second young madam of the Lu family was the wife of Lu Han, the eldest grandson of Princess Ningde, while the third young madam was the wife of Lu Qin, the second grandson. Neither stood on ceremony with Dou Zhao, graciously thanking her and saying in unison that they looked forward to tasting the cooking of her kitchen staff.
Dou Zhao was secretly puzzled.
The two young madams came from prestigious backgrounds, and she had just married into Duke Ying’s family. They didn’t have much of a relationship, so why were they being so warm and friendly, as if intentionally trying to get close to her?
She engaged with them casually, hiding her suspicions.
The third young madam brought up the birthday of Duke Jing’s wife early next month: “Shall we go together?”
In her previous life, she had frequently visited Duke Jing’s mansion, but never with pleasant memories. In this life, she had no interest in Duke Jing’s family.
“We’ll see when the time comes!” Dou Zhao smiled and explained, “The Duke is still ill!”
Both young madams looked astonished: “The Duke hasn’t recovered yet?”
Song Yichun couldn’t very well tell outsiders that he had fallen ill because the Dou family had given too much dowry to their daughter-in-law, could he? So Duke Ying’s family uniformly claimed that Song Yichun had caught a cold.
Dou Zhao mumbled a vague response and changed the subject to gossip about the capital.
The two Lu young madams were perceptive people. Since Dou Zhao was unwilling to say more, they didn’t press the issue. The conversation turned to household matters, and the atmosphere became jovial, filled with laughter.
However, in the afternoon, a maid came in to report: “My lady, there’s an elderly woman here to see you. She says she’s from the household of Chen, a Censor from the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He went to Tianjin on official business a few days ago and brought back several baskets of pomegranates. He specifically sent some for you to enjoy.”