Dou Zhao watched as Song Mo, who had just been trembling with anger, quickly regained control of his emotions. A mix of feelings swirled within her, leaving her at a loss for words.
Those who achieve great things possess immense willpower. Only such individuals can remain unshaken in the face of prosperity and steadfast in solitude.
At just thirteen years old, Song Mo was at an age where the fearless spirit of youth made him bold and ambitious. She had not only forced him to retreat in disgrace but had also mockingly ridiculed him. A mature and composed adult might have struggled to endure such humiliation, yet he managed to cast aside his shame and reassess his situation within the span of a single tea break.
Could she truly escape unscathed from an adversary as formidable as him?
This child was Song Mo’s Achilles’ heel. His murderous intent toward them stemmed from a desire to protect the child’s whereabouts from being revealed. If she exposed their identities, what reservations would Song Mo have left?
In a desperate situation, with the mindset of Duan Gong Yi and the others, what chance would they have of success?
Moreover, in her previous life, although the Duke Ding’s estate was raided and his title stripped, Duke Ying’s estate remained intact, enjoying the Emperor’s favor. Unless she could quietly eliminate Song Mo and erase all evidence, the principle of retribution would surely lead Duke Ying to seek vengeance for Song Mo.
Did she possess that capability?
The notion of having Su Xin report to the authorities was merely a means to intimidate Song Mo, not a weapon to strike him. She knew this, and she believed he did too. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have calmed down so quickly.
Yet, precisely because of this, Dou Zhao felt a greater sense of confidence in persuading him—given his rationality, he should be able to discern that their interests aligned: cooperation would benefit both, while conflict would lead to mutual destruction.
Now, she had demonstrated her abilities and strength to him; it was time for them to sit down and discuss matters seriously.
Dou Zhao’s mind raced, and before Song Mo could speak, she said firmly, “Young Master Mei, I have something I wish to discuss with you privately!”
Song Mo was slightly taken aback.
There were only eight people in the hall, all of whom were the most trusted individuals. What could she possibly want to discuss with him alone?
As this thought crossed his mind, Dou Zhao stood up, cradling the child. As she walked toward the study in the west wing, she instructed Duan Gong Yi, “Duan guard, please stay at the door with Su Lan. No one is allowed to approach the study.”
What she was about to say and do was crucial, and the fewer people who knew, the better.
Moreover, this matter was quite risky. Although she appeared confident on the surface, she felt a deep sense of unease inside.
Chen Qu Shui and Yan Chao Qing had both served as advisors to high-ranking officials, especially Yan Chao Qing, who had been a trusted aide to the Duke Ding. Accompanying Song Mo to escort the child demonstrated the trust placed in him by both the Jiang and Song families, indicating he was no ordinary person.
No matter how well she planned, it was still just theory; and no matter how capable Song Mo was, he lacked experience. If she could gain the support of these two, her chances of success would increase significantly.
Without hesitation, Song Mo stood up and instructed Zhao Ming, “You stay here and help Duan guard at the door.”
Confronting Dou Zhao was not advantageous for him.
His mother had repeatedly warned him before he left home that the martial world was filled with hidden talents, urging him to be cautious and to consult with Mr. Yan on all matters. However, he had gradually dismissed her advice, believing he had accounted for everything along the way. This carelessness had led to his current predicament, trapped in this small estate in Zhen Ding County by a seemingly ordinary young lady, while the child and his loyal followers were in danger.
More importantly, he had already sent Shi An to seek reinforcements.
According to the original plan, they were to act together at the hour of Hai.
If the other party failed to notice anything unusual about the estate and took action, Dou Zhao would surely drag the authorities into the matter to save her life. If, by chance, they did notice something amiss and chose to wait and see, the rain might stop, and the villagers would come out, making it even harder to conceal their movements.
Could he order a massacre of the village?
What would that make him, if not akin to the bandits?
Furthermore, Dou Zhao knew who he was yet continued to refer to him as Young Master Mei, leaving a sliver of leeway, indicating she did not wish to turn against them.
He might as well take this opportunity to have a proper conversation with Dou Zhao; perhaps they could find a way to resolve their predicament.
Chen Qu Shui and Yan Chao Qing entered the study one after the other.
The four of them took their seats, facing each other.
Su Lan served tea and quietly withdrew, closing the study door behind her.
Dou Zhao got straight to the point, “I have always admired the Duke Ding. My father and two uncles serve in the capital, yet I have not heard any news regarding the Duke’s situation. What has happened to him?”
Her tone was sincere and straightforward.
Song Mo regarded Dou Zhao with newfound respect.
The child’s fate was not the primary concern; the future of the Duke Ding’s estate was what truly mattered. If the estate could weather this storm, the child would naturally be safe. Conversely, if disaster struck the Duke’s estate, the child’s whereabouts would inevitably be tied to his survival.
This Miss Dou was indeed remarkable; she had immediately grasped the crux of the matter.
But could she be trusted?
Song Mo found himself gazing into Dou Zhao’s eyes.
He noticed for the first time how beautiful her eyes were.
They were clear and bright, like the most brilliant stars in the night sky, their light undimmed by the clouds and gloom, instilling a sense of courage in him.
He lowered his eyelids and picked up the teacup, blowing gently on the tea leaves floating on the surface.
Yan Chao Qing glanced at Song Mo and, seeing he had no objections, said, “There is an official who has accused the Duke Ding of killing innocents for personal gain and harboring bandits. We received word that the Emperor was furious and ordered the Jinyiwei to escort the Duke back to the capital for interrogation. However, we cannot find the mastermind behind this. Our lady fears the situation is dire, and coincidentally, Mr. Jiang’s new concubine, whom he secretly took without informing Madam Jiang, is about to give birth.
Our lady decided to hide her. Three days ago, an imperial edict arrived, and the Duke Ding, General Jiang, and Assistant Jiang were all summoned for questioning. Mr. Jiang is being interrogated by the Jinyiwei. Our lady went to the palace but could not gather any information. Fearing the situation would worsen, she ordered me to accompany the young master to entrust this child to a friend of Mr. Jiang’s for adoption.”
Song Mo’s third uncle was a general, and his fourth uncle was an assistant.
No wonder they had not heard any rumors.
Dou Zhao said, “So, the imperial edict has just been issued, and Duke Ying is still in Fujian. This is merely precautionary, then?”
It sounded as if they were being overly cautious.
Yan Chao Qing pondered, “The Emperor is a man who, the more polite he is when speaking to you, the angrier he is inside; the more casual he is, the less he cares.” To ensure Dou Zhao understood, he explained gently, “Our lady has always had a good relationship with the Empress and the Dowager Empress. When our lady went to the palace to plead with the Empress, the Empress was completely unaware of the situation and even asked the Emperor about it. The Emperor said that the Duke Ding had been in Fujian for too long and held too much power, which would inevitably make others envious. The coastal winds of Fujian are harsh; calling the Duke back now would allow him to rest and recuperate for a few years…”
Among all the noble families, Duke Ying’s estate was somewhat unique.
His ancestor, Song Wu, had been sworn brothers with the founding Emperor and had followed him into battle, dying on the battlefield. Song Wu’s posthumous son, Song Gong, was adopted by the founding Emperor and granted the imperial surname. After the establishment of the nation, the founding Emperor rewarded Song Gong for his contributions and conferred upon him the title of Duke Ying, restoring his original surname since Song Wu had only this one son.
Thus, Duke Ying’s estate had a particularly close relationship with the royal family.
When Emperor Taizong sought to depose the Crown Prince, it was Duke Ying who advised him to preserve the Crown Prince.
When Emperor Renzong wanted to depose the Empress and elevate his favored concubine, it was Duke Ying who persuaded the Dowager Empress on his behalf.
When Emperor Wuzong squandered the national treasury and his wealth through endless warfare, it was Duke Ying who bore the blame, sitting in the position of salt transport commissioner in Huai’an for ten years, allowing Emperor Wuzong to finally begin constructing his mausoleum.
It could be said that before the Liao King ascended the throne, Duke Ying had always been the Emperor’s trusted confidants and favorites, even more so than many royal relatives. If Duke Ying’s wife could not gather any information upon entering the palace, the severity of the situation was evident. Previous events had proven that the concerns of Duke Ying’s wife were indeed well-founded.
However, recalling that in her previous life, Song Mo had mentioned that the Jiang family had no heirs, Dou Zhao could not help but ask, “Can the Tan family be trusted?”
Everyone stared at Dou Zhao in shock, and Song Mo’s expression lost its previous ease.
“How do you know this?” Yan Chao Qing asked, his voice tense.
Dou Zhao forced a smile.
Although she had resolved not to get too deeply involved, she had inadvertently let the words slip.
She was simply too worried about the infant in her arms!
In her previous life, Song Mo had stated that the Jiang family had no heirs when responding to the Liao King.
“After all, I am a local of Zhen Ding,” Dou Zhao said, steeling herself. “Upon reflection, the only family with the means to adopt this child would be the Tan family. Given the current situation with the Duke Ding, I was just a bit concerned, so I asked.”
“Miss Dou is not only intelligent but also foresighted,” Yan Chao Qing sighed, his tone sincere. “The entrusted person was personally designated by Mr. Jiang…”
The implication was that he did not know much about this person and was somewhat worried.
“If even the Tan family cannot be trusted, then there is no one left to rely on!” Song Mo interjected, his tone calm and concise, cutting off Yan Chao Qing.
Yan Chao Qing lowered his head slightly.
Dou Zhao felt it was best not to say anything further. She recalled that Yan Chao Qing’s words were all about Duke Ying’s wife, Jiang, yet he had not mentioned Duke Ying at all. She redirected the conversation back to the Duke Ding, asking, “What does Duke Ying say about the situation with the Duke Ding?”
Yan Chao Qing replied subtly, “The current situation is unclear. Even if Duke Ying wants to intervene, he must have something substantial to say.”
He would let his wife probe the royal family’s sentiments and act accordingly.
If she did not know what had happened in her previous life, Dou Zhao would have thought that Duke Ying, Song Yichun, was acting perfectly normally and correctly. However, from the subsequent events, it was clear that Duke Ying was lacking something.
Doubts from both lives swirled in her mind, but Dou Zhao could not reveal a word.
Those events had not occurred in this life, and compared to her previous life, everything had changed dramatically. For instance, in her previous life, at this time, while Song Mo was in Zhen Ding, she was in the capital, and there had been no intersection between them. In this life, she had taken the initiative, preserved her grandmother’s life, and thus remained in Zhen Ding, encountering Song Mo. She had also been trapped in the estate due to inviting Chen Si Shui as an advisor… What would happen next? Who could guarantee anything?
She straightened her posture and said seriously, “I believe the entrusted guardianship is merely part of your lady’s plan. The key is how to ensure the Duke Ding’s safety. I wonder what your lady intends to do about this?”
Yan Chao Qing glanced at Song Mo, seeing that he remained silent, and asked, “What insights does Miss Dou have?” His gaze held a hint of amusement, clearly thinking her suggestion was somewhat presumptuous.