The pearl hairpin, the size of a lotus seed, radiated a soft, lustrous glow—subtle yet luxurious. It was so striking that those with a slightly weaker presence could hardly compete, making it difficult to see the wearer behind the brilliance of the pearls. However, Dou Zhao’s tall and graceful figure, combined with her striking features, meant that the pearls did not obscure her beauty; instead, they softened her facial contours, making her look radiant and captivating.
The Empress Dowager couldn’t help but silently exclaim, “Good,” and smiled, saying, “This child knows how to dress well.”
Dou Zhao gracefully bent her knees in a curtsy to express her gratitude. Her demeanor was poised and confident as if she had experienced such occasions countless times before, exuding elegance and grace.
The Empress Dowager nodded repeatedly, openly showing her admiration.
Song Mo couldn’t help but smile.
The Empress looked on, covering her mouth with her sleeve as she laughed, then leaned closer to the Empress Dowager to whisper a few words. The Empress Dowager was taken aback and glanced at Song Mo, then burst into laughter.
Dou Zhao was puzzled and shot a glance at Song Mo, who wore a confused expression as he looked at the two ladies.
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager laughed even more heartily and instructed Aunt Lan, “Go and bring out the orange cakes that were sent from Fujian a few days ago for Yantang and his wife to taste.”
Aunt Lan was momentarily surprised but quickly responded with a smile, “Yes,” and retreated.
Song Mo and Dou Zhao stepped forward to express their thanks.
The Empress Dowager pointed to a nearby embroidered stool and said, “Yantang has grown up under our watch. Since you have married him, you are family now. Please, sit down and talk!” Her tone was warm and friendly.
Song Mo smiled and thanked her before taking a seat.
Dou Zhao followed suit.
Aunt Lan led several palace maids to serve tea and snacks. In addition to the orange cakes mentioned by the Empress Dowager, there were also snacks like donkey rolls and pea cakes.
Dou Zhao thanked Aunt Lan.
The Empress Dowager then asked Dou Zhao, “How old are you this year? How many siblings do you have at home?”
Dou Zhao stood up and respectfully replied, “I am seventeen this year, and I have only one younger sister.”
“Sit down and talk, sit down and talk,” the Empress Dowager said with a smile. “You seem so generous, yet why do you act so modestly?” As she spoke, she cast a beaming glance at Song Mo and added, “You are a year older than our Yantang!”
Dou Zhao nearly broke into a sweat.
In her previous life, she had looked just like this and had responded with the same level of respect and courtesy, whether to the Empress Dowager or the Empress, yet neither had ever said she was too respectful!
Dou Zhao smiled slightly and succinctly replied, “Yes.”
The Empress Dowager appreciated her straightforwardness and asked Dou Zhao what books she had read, what pastimes she enjoyed at home, whether she was accustomed to life in Duke Ying’s residence, and if she had learned any household management skills while living with her family. Her tone was kind, like that of a neighborly elder.
Dou Zhao recalled what Princess Ningde had said and cheerfully answered each question in turn.
The Empress cast a glance at Song Mo, her expression thoughtful.
The Empress Dowager was quite pleased with Dou Zhao’s responses and suddenly remarked, “Your mother-in-law was quite capable; it’s a pity she passed away too early…”
Dou Zhao noticed the Empress wiping her eyes, and Song Mo fell silent.
She suddenly realized that Jiang Shi must have been very much favored by the Empress Dowager.
Sure enough, Aunt Lan quickly stepped forward to comfort the Empress Dowager.
After a moment, the Empress Dowager regained her composure and resumed chatting with Dou Zhao, Song Mo, and the Empress.
An inner court attendant entered and reported, “The Emperor has finished his court session and inquired whether the Duke Ying’s heir and Dou Shi have arrived. If they have, he wishes to see them in Qianqing Palace.”
Everyone was surprised, and the Empress asked the attendant, “Is Dou Shi going as well?”
The attendant replied, “Yes.”
The Empress glanced at the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment and said, “Then let’s go!”
Song Mo and Dou Zhao quickly stood to take their leave.
The Empress Dowager instructed them, “Don’t keep the Emperor waiting.” She then told Aunt Lan, “Give Dou Shi the string of red agate beads that the Emperor gifted me a few days ago—young people look good wearing such bright things!”
The Empress then added, “Since that’s the case, I’ll join in the fun too.” She called out, “Yun Ying,” and a plain-looking palace maid in her thirties stepped forward. The Empress said, “Gift Dou Shi a pair of jade hairpins!”
This had been prearranged.
Song Mo and Dou Zhao knelt to express their gratitude.
The Empress Dowager then said to Song Mo, “Yantang, when you have time, bring your wife to the palace to play. I heard from Ningde that Dou Shi plays cards very well; you should come and join us. The concubines in the palace are afraid of losing money and worry that I won’t be pleased if they win, so playing cards is not much fun…” Her tone was filled with complaints.
Everyone laughed.
Taking the opportunity, Song Mo and Dou Zhao bid farewell to the Empress Dowager and the Empress and headed to Qianqing Palace.
Outside the study, several men dressed in crimson official robes stood under the corridor, waiting.
Upon seeing Song Mo and Dou Zhao approach, they looked up in surprise.
One of them exclaimed, “Oh!”
Dou Zhao caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye.
A tall, well-built man with fair skin and bright eyes, wearing a smile that resembled a spring breeze, turned out to be her fifth uncle!
Dou Zhao was taken aback and raised her gaze.
Their eyes met in the air.
Dou Shishu’s expression suddenly appeared somewhat dazed.
As Dou Zhao contemplated whether to smile and greet him, an inner court attendant came out, smiling, and said, “The Emperor was just asking why the heir hasn’t arrived yet. Let me urge them… I will report back right away.” With that, he returned to the study.
She could only blink at Dou Shishu, standing there with her eyes on her nose and her nose on her heart, waiting.
The surroundings fell silent.
A tall, plump minister wearing a crane-patterned robe emerged from the study, his brow tightly furrowed.
Upon seeing Dou Zhao, he looked bewildered and somewhat at a loss.
Song Mo quietly whispered to Dou Zhao, “That’s Mu Chuan.” He then smiled at Mu Chuan.
Dou Zhao’s eyes widened.
So this is what Mu Chuan looks like.
Mu Chuan gaped, pointed at Dou Zhao, then slowly lowered his hand, suppressing his astonishment, and nodded solemnly, walking past them with his chest held high.
Now it was Dou Zhao’s turn to be astonished.
Another person emerged from the study.
“Young Master, Madam,” he greeted Song Mo and Dou Zhao with a smile, “The Emperor requests that you both come in to speak.”
Dou Zhao focused her gaze and realized it was Wang Ge.
She didn’t have time to address the error in his title and entered the study with Song Mo.
The Emperor, in his forties, was of average height and, like many middle-aged men, had begun to gain weight. However, traces of his youthful handsomeness were still visible in his features.
He scrutinized Dou Zhao for a few moments and said to Song Mo, “Now that you are married, you are an adult. You must uphold the dignity of Duke Ying’s residence, think carefully in your dealings, and act with greater caution. Do not tarnish the century-old reputation of the Duke Ying’s family.”
Song Mo respectfully replied, “Yes.”
The Emperor nodded and said, “You may leave!”
Dou Zhao was secretly astonished.
Is that all?
Did they come to the palace early in the morning just to hear these few words?
She followed Song Mo in bowing to express their gratitude and exited the study.
Dou Shishu was waiting outside. Upon seeing them, he quickly asked in a low voice, “What did the Emperor call you in for?” His voice was urgent, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
“Nothing much,” Song Mo replied briefly. “He just acknowledged our marriage and advised us to live well.”
Dou Shishu was shocked.
The Emperor dismissed all his loyal ministers and called Song Mo to the study just to remind him to live well.
His face was filled with skepticism, and he wanted to ask more, but Wang Ge had already smiled and said, “Lord Dou, the Emperor summons you inside.”
Dou Shishu glanced at Dou Zhao and hurriedly followed Wang Ge into the study.
The Emperor reclined on a large kang by the window, watching as Dou Shishu bowed to him. He remarked, “Your niece resembles you quite a bit.”
Dou Shishu broke into a cold sweat, unsure of what the Emperor meant by this, and hurriedly replied, “My brothers and I all look quite alike.”
The Emperor grunted, and an attendant beside him handed a memorial to Dou Shishu.
“Take a look,” the Emperor said. “This is a memorial from Huai’an. It mentions a scholar named Wu Sheng who lured a virtuous woman to become his concubine. He was imprisoned three years ago and died of illness in jail. However, earlier this year, Wu Sheng’s concubine was implicated in another case, revealing that she was not a virtuous woman at all. You should send someone to work with the Ministry of Justice to re-examine this case…” He shifted to discussing official matters.
Dou Shishu quickly gathered his thoughts and listened attentively.
But once he left the palace, he felt compelled to return to Huai Shu Hutong.
“Go check on Shou Gu,” he instructed his wife. “And ask her what the Emperor asked her in Qianqing Palace.”
The fifth lady was startled and exclaimed, “Shou Gu went to Qianqing Palace?”
Dou Shishu recounted his encounter with Dou Zhao outside the study.
The fifth lady was dumbfounded and after a long pause said, “But Shou Gu just got married; she only celebrated her ninth day yesterday…”
As an elder, it would be inappropriate for her to visit her niece at this time without reason.
Dou Shishu frowned.
The fifth lady suggested, “How about letting Cai Shi go take a look?” Although this might seem a bit irregular and could imply trying to curry favor with the Song family, it was certainly better than her visiting as an elder.
Dou Shishu replied, “Let her find out what the Emperor said to them. Young people often lack understanding; sometimes, the Emperor’s casual remarks carry deeper meanings that they might not grasp.”
“I understand,” the fifth lady said, and she went to Cai Shi to instruct her to visit Dou Zhao.
Upon hearing that Dou Zhao had entered the palace and had been summoned to Qianqing Palace, Cai Shi was initially shocked, followed by a look of envy. She quickly agreed, but once the fifth lady left, she began to apply powder and style her hair while sending someone to inform her mother, Madam Cai, about the matter. Once she was ready, she headed to the Duke Ying’s residence.
At the Duke Ying’s residence, firecrackers were crackling loudly.
Song Mo and Dou Zhao left the palace at noon, and before the first hour had passed, an imperial decree arrived, bestowing the title of “Young Master’s Wife” upon Dou Zhao, elevating her to a first-rank status.
“Truly, the Emperor’s will is unpredictable!” Su Xin, who knew the details of Dou Zhao’s palace visit, clasped her hands together and bowed towards the west, gratefully saying, “You said the Emperor only glanced at you and didn’t ask you a single question. I was worried about what the Emperor was thinking, but unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, he issued an imperial decree. This is truly a blessing from the Bodhisattva!” She bowed again.
Dou Zhao, however, was lost in thought about Wang Ge’s use of the term “Madam.”
Was it intentional or unintentional?