The inner palace must not interfere with the court. 

This was a decree established by Emperor Taizong. 

It is said that a stone tablet inscribed with Emperor Taizong’s handwriting stands at the entrance of Kun Ning Palace. 

Yet, the empress can command the emperor’s guards! 

Is this why the Liao Wang harbored ambitions? Or did the Liao Wang’s ambitions prompt the empress to take action? 

When the time comes to use knowledge, one regrets having learned too little. 

At this moment, Dou Zhao regretted that she had paid too little attention to these matters in her previous life. 

When Song Mo finished washing up and came out, she smiled and poured him a cup of tea, placing it on the kang table. 

Song Mo readily sat down on the kang opposite Dou Zhao. 

Dou Zhao dismissed the serving maid and quietly asked him, “How does the empress manage to command your guards?” 

Song Mo was taken aback by her question but patiently explained, “In the spring of the ninth year of Chengping, the emperor suddenly fell into a coma while reviewing memorials. After careful treatment by the Imperial Medical Bureau, he recovered, but he was left with a chronic headache. At that time, Empress Shen had already passed away for four or five years, and Empress Wan had just taken charge of the harem. She learned the techniques of massage from the Imperial Medical Bureau and began to massage the emperor daily, gradually alleviating his headaches. 

In the eleventh year of Chengping, when the Yellow River flooded, the memorials arrived at the palace while the empress was massaging the emperor. Seeing him troubled over the selection of officials for disaster relief, she recommended Mu Chuan, who was then just a compiler at the Hanlin Academy. It was fortunate for Mu Chuan that Ye Shiping, the emperor’s favored candidate, fell ill with dysentery, leaving no suitable candidates available. The emperor summoned Mu Chuan to the palace for an audience and learned that Mu Chuan’s father had once served as the governor of Kaifeng. Growing up alongside his father in office, he had considerable knowledge of river management. The emperor appointed him as the disaster relief official.” 

“He performed exceptionally well, not only preventing unrest among the refugees but also proposing a comprehensive plan for managing the Yellow River. Ye Shiping was greatly impressed and adopted Mu Chuan’s methods, which successfully kept the river from flooding in recent years. As a result, Mu Chuan rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Minister of Works and a Grand Scholar.” 

“The emperor, recognizing the empress’s talent for identifying capable individuals, occasionally discussed court matters with her, and she consistently provided insightful comments. Over time, the emperor grew increasingly trusting of her.” 

At this point, Song Mo hesitated slightly, a rare look of uncertainty crossing his face before he continued softly, “Once, the emperor suddenly fell ill, and the empress, fearing that others would see him in a compromised state, ordered the palace maids to close the doors of Kun Ning Palace. However, the emperor accidentally pushed her to the ground, causing her forehead to hit the incense burner, leaving her bloodied… Yet the empress held onto the emperor tightly, refusing to let go until he calmed down and the imperial doctors arrived. They hastily cleaned her wound with salt water… Afterward, the emperor felt deeply guilty and granted the empress the authority to command the Jinwu Guard, Qishou Guard, and Shenshu Camp…” 

In her previous life, Dou Zhao had never heard that Mu Chuan was aligned with the empress. 

Dou Zhao was taken aback, “The emperor was that seriously ill?” 

It was now the sixteenth year of Chengping, meaning the emperor had been unwell for seven years! 

She began to understand why the Liao Wang’s coup had succeeded. 

Song Mo nodded, lowering his voice, “In previous years, he would only fall ill every two or three years, but this year he has fallen ill twice in quick succession.” His tone was filled with concern for the emperor’s health. 

Dou Zhao could only comfort him, “If the emperor is seriously ill, it will involve the matter of succession. You should be cautious; Duke Ying’s residence is highly regarded, and it’s best not to get involved. Who wouldn’t want to win over the court officials? This opportunity may seem like a chance for others, but for us, it’s merely icing on the cake.” 

Her words were gentle yet straightforward, a blend of honesty and reassurance that brightened Song Mo’s eyes, though he was puzzled, “How did you come to think of this?” 

“This morning, my sisters-in-law visited and mentioned an old story about half-brothers fighting over inheritance back home, which inspired my thoughts,” Dou Zhao replied quickly. “If they can fight over a few hundred taels of property, how much more for such a vast territory?” 

Song Mo chuckled, finding Dou Zhao’s suspicion amusing. Normally, someone like her wouldn’t easily trust anyone, yet for some reason, she had never doubted him… He couldn’t help but gaze at Dou Zhao. 

Dou Zhao wore a simple green jacket, her complexion rosy and vibrant. The pearls in her hair glimmered with a bright sheen, accentuating her delicate features and radiant beauty. 

“What’s wrong?” Dou Zhao touched her face, “Is there something on it?” 

“Nothing,” Song Mo replied, “I thought I saw a mark on your face, but it turned out to be the reflection of your hairpin… I must have misjudged.” 

“Oh!” Dou Zhao sighed in relief. 

Song Mo then asked, “What have you been doing at home these days?” 

Dou Zhao became interested and recounted how Tao Qi had tried to investigate her but was thwarted by Duan Gongyi and others. 

Song Mo was astonished, then burst into hearty laughter, “If you were born in the Spring and Autumn period, you might be the second Meng Changjun—clever and resourceful!” He added, “Duan Gongyi handled that well; you should reward him handsomely.” 

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile, mentioning that Mr. Chen and others would be coming to the capital in October: “When the time comes, I hope the heir can make some arrangements.” 

This was Dou Zhao’s maid, and Song Mo had no intention of keeping her for himself, especially since Song Yichun’s hostility toward him was evident. Dou Zhao needed someone to protect her. He suggested, “Why not let them stay in Yizhi Hall? You can leave the inner courtyard matters to them.” 

This was also Dou Zhao’s plan. “Outwardly, we can say they are my maids, but when the time comes, they can assist you. Mr. Yan and the others will be in the open, while Mr. Chen and his group will work in the shadows; that’s the best strategy.” 

Song Mo had always admired Chen Qushui’s cleverness and Duan Gongyi’s martial prowess, and he felt increasingly eager to try out Dou Zhao’s idea. 

However, it seemed like there were too many people! 

Perhaps due to the hurried preparations for her dowry, Dou Zhao’s gifts mostly consisted of gold, silver, jewels, antiques, and paintings, even some silver notes, but there were no estates or shops. Since they had decided on a dual approach, suddenly having so many people around required a reasonable explanation. 

He chuckled, “I’ll tell Mr. Yan to arrange for a few estates for you before October. We can say they are gifts from your father.” He couldn’t help but laugh, “With those silver notes as a cushion, no matter what outrageous things your father does, I doubt anyone would find it strange!” 

Dou Zhao pouted, “Don’t speak ill of my father!” Her sidelong glance held a hint of unintentional charm. 

Song Mo’s heart raced. 

“How could I dare?” he replied hastily, “I just think your father is a person of strong character, with no intention of mockery.” At this point, he was struck by a thought and smiled, “Since your father gave us such a generous gift, it’s only natural to send a few guards; it’s only right!” This could also explain why Dou Zhao had so many guards around her. 

Dou Zhao then understood why he was worried, a glint of mischief flashing in her eyes, “You don’t need to worry about that. When Mr. Chen and the others arrive, they will bring some properties with them, so no one will question why I have so many maids.” 

Her father had spent at least five or six thousand taels on Dou Zhao’s marriage; even if he supplemented her dowry with some properties, it wouldn’t be excessive. 

Song Mo didn’t dwell on it and asked about Duke Ying: “After I left, did my father call you in for questioning?” 

“No,” Dou Zhao laughed, “When my father-in-law left in the morning, I hadn’t gotten up yet. He usually has many social engagements after leaving the court, and by the time he returns, it’s already late, so I didn’t want to disturb him. I haven’t run into him these past few days.” 

Song Mo felt somewhat reassured and asked, “Have you not encountered Tian En?” 

“Two days ago, he sent a young servant to deliver two packets of poria powder,” Dou Zhao said, unable to suppress her laughter, “He said it would calm the mind and nourish the spirit, and that I should eat it before reporting back to him.” 

Song Mo couldn’t help but laugh as well, apologizing to Dou Zhao, “That’s just his nature; he’s been spoiled by his mother since childhood…” He couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental. 

Dou Zhao smiled, “I don’t have a younger brother, so I’ll treat him like my own brother; you can rest assured.” 

Indeed, with Dou Zhao by his side, what did he have to worry about? 

Song Mo shook off his earlier gloom and said, “By the way, I remember you have large flower gardens both in Zhen Ding and at home, and there’s a small garden behind Yizhi Hall. Tomorrow, I have a day off; why don’t I help you turn the soil and set up some frames for the flower garden? You can see where it’s suitable. Should we build a flower shed? I remember the flower farmers in Fengtai all have flower sheds. Should we add a few Taihu stones? Gu Yu happens to have business in Huai’an these days; I’ll ask him to help you pick out a couple of nice stones.” 

Dou Zhao was curious, “What are you going to Fengtai for?” 

Song Mo replied, “I have a friend working at the Fengtai garrison. I saw many flower farmers’ sheds on the way and was curious, so I went to ask.” He was the type to act on impulse, and as he spoke, he slipped on his shoes and headed with Dou Zhao to the small garden. 

Watching Song Mo’s enthusiastic demeanor, Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time, “Winter is approaching; when would be the right time to turn the soil and set up frames? If we want to work on the garden, it has to wait until spring!” 

“Really?” Song Mo asked, his feet frozen in place, his expression caught between embarrassment and indecision. 

Dou Zhao looked at him, feeling as if a stone had been thrown into her heart, sending ripples of emotion through her. 

As the heir to Duke Ying’s residence, what kind of friends would he have at the Fengtai garrison that would prompt him to visit personally? 

She seemed to see again that handsome young man, drenched in sweat, helping her dig chrysanthemum seedlings in the chrysanthemum field. 

“However,” Dou Zhao said with a bright smile, her eyes glinting with a hint of indulgence she hadn’t even noticed, “this is a good time to set up a flower shed; perhaps we can even plant a batch of water radishes. By the time the New Year comes, we can pack them in small bamboo baskets as perfect gifts for the festival.” 

Was she trying to extricate herself from a predicament, or could she plant a batch of water radishes? 

Song Mo gazed intently at Dou Zhao, his smile radiating from his eyes to his brows. 

“Can we plant water radishes in the flower shed?” He put on his shoes, “I’ve never heard of that before.” 

“That’s why you don’t understand farming!” Dou Zhao laughed, stepping out of the inner room alongside Song Mo, “Otherwise, where would water radishes and cucumbers come from in the middle of winter?” She spoke to him in a negotiating tone, “How about we try planting some this year? If we manage to grow them, we can send some to Princess Ningde and Old Madam Lu as gifts. What do you think?” 

“Sounds good!” Song Mo, who knew nothing about this, naturally followed Dou Zhao’s lead, “Should we invite someone to help…” 

As they chatted, they passed through the corridor and headed toward the small garden. 

Su Xin, following behind them, couldn’t help but lower her head and chuckle. 

The young lady was usually impatient with coaxing others, yet she always found herself unable to resist charming the heir.