Dou Zhao smiled slightly, her confidence shining through her eyes and brows, making her appear radiant and captivating.

“When I read historical texts, I feel that the Emperor fears nothing more than a general with too much power,” she said casually. “The Duke Ding has been accused of killing loyal subjects to claim their achievements and of nurturing rebels. That’s a serious charge, isn’t it?”

Surely, anyone educated would know this.

Yan Chaoqing chuckled, “Indeed, it’s a bit troublesome,” his tone dismissive.

Dou Zhao seemed unfazed, continuing slowly, “Ordinary people who are wronged will cry out to the heavens, presenting facts and evidence, or they might call upon neighbors to testify on their behalf.”

Yan Chaoqing paused and glanced at Song Mo.

He noticed that Song Mo, who had been absentmindedly rubbing the lid of his teacup, suddenly stopped, while Dou Zhao’s clear voice continued to resonate, “If officials are discerning, the truth will soon come to light. But if they are muddled, they might suffer punishment and still be wronged. Moreover, the Emperor is not the one who decides these cases!”

Both men leaned in to listen.

“No matter how wise the Son of Heaven may be, he has his selfish motives,” Dou Zhao stated calmly. “Often, if you are said to be loyal to the Emperor and love the people, then you are; if you are accused of harboring ill intentions, then you are.”

Her words struck a chord…

Yan Chaoqing wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

Meanwhile, Song Mo sat up straight, his gaze fixed on Dou Zhao, his eyes suddenly sparkling with a bright light.

Dou Zhao’s attention remained solely on Yan Chaoqing, oblivious to Song Mo’s reaction, and continued at her leisurely pace, “Han Xin, in his arrogance, lost all military power and became incapable of rebellion, leading to his execution by Empress Lü. Xiao He controlled the finances and administration of the Han, yet he sought land and property, and the Han King suspected nothing. Wang Jian led the nation’s troops into battle, repeatedly sending envoys to the Qin King for wealth and land, and the Qin King merely laughed. Yet I’ve heard that the Duke Ding is diligent, loves the people, and is a pillar of the nation, a trusted minister in court. Is this true?”

Yan Chaoqing stared at Dou Zhao, shock written all over his face.

The Duke Ding was being questioned, and everyone felt he was wronged. His wife had already contacted some of his former subordinates to prepare to plead his case.

Some had suggested similar ideas to Dou Zhao, but his wife felt that such actions would not only tarnish the Duke’s reputation but also risk the Emperor believing the accusations.

This proposal was quickly drowned out by other voices.

Could it be that they had misjudged the situation?

What the Emperor truly cared about was not the accusations made by the censors against the Duke Ding or what he had done, but rather how the Duke’s growing reputation would affect him and the court.

If those petitions pleading for the Duke’s innocence were submitted…

The thought sent a chill through him as if he had just drunk a bowl of cold water in the dead of winter.

Song Mo, however, fell into deep thought.

As a child, his mother often took him back to her family home. His earliest memory was standing in the Jiang family’s martial arts hall, playing with his cousins.

When his uncle was questioned, his mother was frantic, not only running around the inner palace but also frequently contacting various noble families. Since he admired his uncle the most, his mother feared that his involvement would lead others to mistakenly believe it was his father’s intention, potentially implicating his father with the Emperor and leaving his uncle without anyone to shelter him. Thus, she decided to have Yan Chaoqing accompany him to escort his uncle’s child south.

They thought he knew nothing.

In reality, he was well aware.

He had originally planned to hand the child over to the person designated by his uncle and return to the capital to rally support for his uncles…

As he looked at the child that Dou Zhao had taken away, he hesitated.

His uncle had once served as the Emperor’s guard. Surely the Emperor knew who his uncle was?

How could he easily believe the censors’ accusations and question his uncle?

Perhaps he should reconsider the matter more carefully?

Chen Qu Shui gazed at Dou Zhao’s smiling face, filled with astonishment.

Before Song Mo and Yan Chaoqing arrived, she had discussed this matter with him, suggesting that the only way to resolve the deadlock was to present a letter of allegiance to Song Mo.

He agreed with this notion.

However, it was easier said than done.

If they wanted to present a letter of allegiance to Song Mo, it depended on whether he would accept it and if he needed it!

Thus, he proposed that they act as hostages: “I’ll represent the young lady to go to the capital, and they can send someone to follow her, pretending to be a guard. After all, these guards are all hired by you; one more or one less, Dong Dou wouldn’t notice. As long as the young lady can safely return to the Dou family, that’s what matters.”

Surely they wouldn’t dare to act against the Dou family?

Even if the person following the young lady wanted to harm her, it would depend on whether the guards around her would agree.

But Dou Zhao countered, “What if the Duke Ding’s entire family is executed?”

That child would become the only heir of the Jiang family.

She feared that even if she hid to the ends of the earth, Song Mo would still come for her.

He was stunned, murmuring, “That shouldn’t be the case, right?” Yet he understood in his heart that if it weren’t a matter of life and death, how could the Duchess of Ying send the child of Lord Jiang to be raised by others and even send her son to escort him…

But Dou Zhao’s hypothesis was too shocking!

He couldn’t help but say, “Even so, the Duke Ding’s residence is filled with experts and strategists. Duke Ying can enter the court and leave the palace, yet they are powerless against this. What right do we have to turn the tide?”

Dou Zhao smiled but remained silent.

Chen Qu Shui realized she had made up her mind.

He knew that while Dou Zhao sometimes acted impulsively, she was meticulous and thorough, so he didn’t press further.

He hadn’t expected her to have such a plan!

Although the suggestion was simple and everyone could think of it, the key was how to choose!

To have a powerful regional official like the Duke Ding questioned was no longer a simple matter of guilt or innocence; it involved various interests and relationships, and even Duke Ying could not find the hidden hand behind it. This showed how deep the waters were, and even he, who had immersed himself in political intrigue for most of his life, dared not speak lightly, let alone a young girl who had never left Zhen Ding County…

Thinking of this, he shifted uneasily.

Hopefully, the Fourth Miss is right!

Otherwise, this storm of blood and gore might drag her in, putting her life in jeopardy!

In the silence, it seemed that only Dou Zhao was the most certain one.

In his past life, whenever people mentioned the Duke Ding, they would also recall the thousands of words written in blood by the people of Fujian after the Duke’s death, pleading for the Jiang family.

Since this method was ineffective, they would have to find another way.

Perhaps there would be some change.

Yan Chaoqing felt he could not stay a moment longer.

He needed to quickly inform the Duchess, so she could discuss this matter thoroughly with the advisors in the residence and come to a decision.

He felt a panic that time was not on his side and urgently called out, “Young Master.”

However, before Yan Chaoqing’s words had finished, the silent Chen Qu Shui suddenly stood up and loudly called out, “Young Master,” bowing respectfully, “Now we can still say that the young lady suspects your movements, thinking you have abducted a child from a wealthy family, and since you see we are numerous and skilled, you believe you have fallen into a den of thieves. The young lady wants to rescue the child, and you want to escape, which has led to this misunderstanding. But if we wait for reinforcements to arrive, this matter will be hard to conceal. Why not let me accompany you to the capital, and you can send someone to escort our young lady back to Zhen Ding? When the person comes to collect the child, we can hand the child directly to them…”

Though he didn’t know the reason, he keenly sensed the change in Song Mo and Yan Chaoqing.

Since there was a change, they should quickly send the Fourth Miss back to the Dou residence!

He decided to add fuel to the fire and stepped forward at the right moment…

Dou Zhao was somewhat surprised by Chen Qu Shui’s decisiveness, but since he had already spoken, she couldn’t say anything further.

Yet Song Mo was not an ordinary person; she was uncertain whether he would accept it and glanced at him.

In an instant, everyone’s gaze fell upon Song Mo.

The rain poured heavily, and the sky was dark as if it might collapse at any moment.

Not far from the Dou family’s estate, two men wearing bamboo hats and cloaks stood on a slope, gazing at Dou Zhao’s estate. One was tall and robust, while the other had a well-proportioned build. Behind them stood over thirty strong men dressed in black cloaks, their faces covered with black cloth, appearing like charred wooden stakes from a distance.

A twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, agile as a grasshopper, jumped to the side of the well-built man and respectfully reported, “Sixth Master, I’ve contacted the Young Master’s people. However, the situation is a bit dire— the child has been kidnapped, and the Young Master and Mr. Yan are negotiating with the kidnappers.”

“How is that possible!” The robust man looked up in shock, revealing a face that was both handsome and unremarkable. “Who kidnapped the child?”

“It was the homeowner!” the boy replied. “I heard that the caretaker was struck by the rain’s needle-like hail, and everyone is helping him remove the needles.”

The well-built man expressed interest, exclaiming, “Really? Is there still someone with that kind of thing?” He then asked, “Who is the homeowner?”

The boy glanced at the robust man and whispered, “It’s the Dou family’s estate. It seems they encountered the Fourth Miss…” His voice grew softer.

The well-built man was taken aback, exclaiming, “How could it be the Fourth Miss of the Dou family? In such heavy rain, why would she come here instead of staying at home?”

The boy, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation, replied, “This is the Fourth Miss’s estate! With the prolonged rain, she’s worried about the crops in the fields…”

Then the robust man noticed the well-built man’s face turning pale and red in succession, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Do you have a past with that Fourth Miss?”

“I don’t know her,” the well-built man said, his face slightly green, his voice hoarse. “But the Fourth Miss of the Dou family is known for her chivalry. When a brother of ours was wrongfully accused, it was the Fourth Miss who helped clear his name. Later, when that brother succumbed to his injuries, it was also the Fourth Miss who provided money and effort for his burial and took in his family.

Many of our brothers in the underworld went to the Dou family to serve as guards because of the Fourth Miss’s righteousness. One of them is from my sect…” He bit his teeth and added, “We agreed beforehand that whatever grievances you have, you resolve them yourselves. We will only help you keep watch from the outside. But now that it concerns the Fourth Miss of the Dou family… I kindly ask you to inform the Young Master that I, Tan, wish to mediate for the Fourth Miss of the Dou family…”

The robust man was left dumbfounded.