In the study, Suxin meticulously recounted the events to Song Mo and Dou Zhao, then stood at attention with hands lowered, ready to answer Song Mo’s inquiries.
Song Mo, however, remained silent. He picked up his teacup and took a quiet sip, his calm expression tinged with a hint of sternness.
Dou Zhao also kept quiet, secretly pondering whether this incident was aimed at Song Mo or herself. If it targeted Mo, what was the motive? If it was directed at her, whom had she offended?
For a moment, the room was eerily silent, the atmosphere oppressive.
Suxin hesitated to speak.
Realizing she was Dou Zhao’s right-hand woman, Song Mo’s expression softened slightly as he said, “There are no outsiders here. Feel free to speak your mind.”
Suxin responded with a soft “Yes” and continued, “I find it rather convenient that the Imperial Guard officer, Lord Chen, arrived when he did.”
Song Mo asked, “You suspect he might be the thief crying ‘stop thief’?”
Having been appointed as the heir to Duke Ying’s estate at the age of five, Song Mo had encountered countless individuals seeking his favor through various means. He had long since grown accustomed to such schemes, believing there was no limit to what people would do.
Hearing this, Dou Zhao sat up straight.
Suxin hesitated for a moment before replying, “I just find it a bit strange. I don’t necessarily think Lord Chen orchestrated it himself—the price would have been too high. He not only injured those thieves but also captured two of them alive…”
Song Mo let out a cold laugh and asked, “Has Lord Chen left yet?”
Suxin hesitated for a long while before mumbling, “No.”
If he were truly a gentleman, he would have left after escorting the people back to the estate and handing the thieves over to the guards of Yizhi Hall. Yet, Lord Chen was still sitting in the gatehouse of Yizhi Hall.
Xia Lian requested an audience.
Song Mo received him in the study.
Seeing Dou Zhao and Suxin, Xia Lian showed no surprise. He respectfully greeted Dou Zhao before reporting to Song Mo without hesitation: “Young Master, the situation seems suspicious. I’ve questioned Chen Jia thoroughly, and he insists it was a chance encounter. I couldn’t find any flaws in his story. However, those two thieves had poison hidden in their teeth. As soon as Chen Jia handed them over to us, they bit down and took their own lives, as if they knew there was no escape once they entered Yizhi Hall.”
This was typical behavior for suicide agents.
In the capital, only a handful of households could afford to maintain such agents.
Dou Zhao furrowed her brow.
The corner of Song Mo’s mouth twitched, a hint of mockery flashing across his features. He said, “Give Chen Jia fifty taels of silver as a reward for saving the lady’s maid. As for investigating the thieves, I’ll leave that to you.”
Xia Lian acknowledged the order and left.
Song Mo took Dou Zhao’s hand and said softly, “I’ll get to the bottom of this. Don’t worry. If you need to go out in the next few days, take more guards with you.”
Since only Suxin and a few others were going to the farm in Daxing, Yizhi Hall had only assigned four guards to accompany them.
Dou Zhao nodded and helped straighten Song Mo’s collar, saying, “You need to go to the palace soon. Hurry and have your lunch!”
Song Mo responded with a soft “Mm” and went with Dou Zhao to the inner chamber.
Chen Jia, who had received fifty taels of silver, was both surprised and delighted.
He was surprised that after all his careful planning, he had been dismissed so easily; he was delighted that Song Mo had lent his carriage to Dou’s maid, indicating that he had bet on the right horse.
Standing at the entrance of Duke Ying’s alley, he pondered for a while before turning back to Yizhi Hall to request an audience with the injured guard Zhou.
After lunch, Dou Zhao personally saw Song Mo off to his carriage, then went to check on Ruodan and Ruozhu’s injuries before retiring to her room for a short rest.
When she opened her eyes, the sky had already darkened.
“Why didn’t anyone wake me?” Dou Zhao asked Sujuan, who was attending to her, her voice hoarse.
Sujuan smiled as she poured Dou Zhao a cup of warm water, saying, “You were sleeping so peacefully, we didn’t have the heart to wake you.”
Dou Zhao drank the warm water, feeling much better.
The young maid Ruotong was peeking in at the door.
Sujuan smiled and asked, “Is something the matter?”
Ruotong grinned sheepishly and said, “Sister Suxin asked me to check if the lady had woken up.”
“Tell her I’m awake now.” Perhaps it was because she had slept well, but Dou Zhao was in a good mood. She smiled at Ruotong as she leaned back against the large pillow, allowing Sujuan to help her freshen up. She asked if Song Mo had returned and inquired about the arrival of the official matchmaker requested by the Zhao family.
Sujuan giggled, “My lady, you seem more eager than the Zhao family! They only sent the invitation today. The earliest the matchmaker could arrive would be tomorrow morning!”
Dou Zhao laughed.
As Sujuan helped Dou Zhao with her hair, she said, “The Young Master hasn’t returned yet. I’ve already instructed the gatehouse to inform us as soon as he arrives.”
The ladies-in-waiting were pleased to see the relationship between their mistress and the Young Master improving.
Dou Zhao felt somewhat worried about Song Mo.
A message arrived from Suxin.
“My lady,” she seemed rather concerned, “that Lord Chen has been talking with Guard Zhou and the others in the west wing for quite some time. He even invited Master Duan and Master Chen for a meal. Master Duan asked me to seek your guidance on how to handle this situation.”
Dou Zhao was surprised, further confirming that Chen Jia’s rescue of Suxin was not as simple as it seemed. At the very least, Chen Jia had his agenda.
After pondering for a moment, she said, “Bring Chen Jia to the small flower hall. I want to meet him.”
Suxin hesitated briefly but followed her instructions and went to summon Chen Jia.
As for Xia Lian, upon hearing that Dou Zhao wanted to meet Chen Jia, he immediately brought two skilled guards and quietly hid behind the screen in the small flower hall.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but feel emotional.
When would this life of constant vigilance come to an end?
As the thought crossed her mind, her hand unconsciously moved to her abdomen. Her expression became slightly tense as she instructed Suxin to bring Chen Jia in.
Chen Jia didn’t dare raise his head and performed a respectful kowtow to Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao graciously accepted his greeting and got straight to the point, asking, “Why did you save my maid?”
It was difficult to gauge the temperament of women in the inner court. He responded formally, “This humble official was merely passing by. It was my duty—”
Dou Zhao smiled and interrupted him, “I’ve already given you a chance. If you can’t seize it, I have nothing more to say.” She then picked up her tea, and Suxin called out, “See the guest out.”
Beads of sweat rolled down Chen Jia’s forehead.
Lady Dou was indeed no ordinary woman!
No longer caring about propriety, he fell to his knees in the center of the small flower hall and cried out, “Please, my lady, save my life!”
Dou Zhao ignored him and stood up, preparing to leave the flower hall by walking around the screen behind her.
This was his only chance. If he lost it, he might never have another opportunity.
“My lady, my lady!” Chen Jia called out urgently, “I have a request for you. I’ve been trying to find an opportunity to speak with you. When I saw the Young Master’s carriage being escorted by your guards, I thought you were inside, so I followed. I never expected to encounter thieves…”
Dou Zhao was secretly surprised and stopped in her tracks. “You wanted to see me?”
Chen Jia felt a sense of relief, followed by an urgent feeling that this might be his last chance. Faced with the intelligent and perceptive Dou Zhao, he decided it was best to be honest. Perhaps there was still hope for a favorable outcome.
“Thanks to the Young Master’s great kindness, Lord Wang no longer harbors any ill will towards me, and the Commander of the Imperial Guard, Lord Shi, also holds me in high regard.” He anxiously explained his predicament to Dou Zhao in a roundabout way, saying, “This humble official hopes that my lady could put in a good word for me with the Young Master.” As he spoke, he repeatedly kowtowed to Dou Zhao, saying, “My lady’s great kindness will never be forgotten. If my lady has any commands, this humble official will spare no effort, even at the cost of my life.”
Dou Zhao’s gaze remained cold as she looked at Chen Jia.
That would depend on whether we can confirm your involvement in this matter!
If you truly are the thief crying “Stop thief,” even sacrificing your life might not be enough!
“I understand!” Dou Zhao said coldly before leaving the flower hall.
Only then did Chen Jia dare to raise his head.
He stared blankly at the screen depicting a hundred butterflies frolicking in spring, his heart filled with unease.
Lady Dou was more difficult to deal with than he had imagined. Would she help him?
If she did him this favor, could he ever repay it?
Was taking this shortcut through Lady Dou the right choice or not?
Fortunately, he was a man of strong resolve. He quickly composed himself and followed the servant out of the flower hall with determined steps.
Meanwhile, Dou Zhao stood by the Taihu rock garden outside the small flower hall and asked Xia Lian, “Have you identified those people?”
“Not yet,” Xia Lian replied, embarrassed.
Dou Zhao said, “Report to me as soon as you find out.”
Xia Lian respectfully acknowledged her order.
Dou Zhao was secretly puzzled.
In the past, Xia Lian had interacted with her, but he had never been this respectful. Had Song Mo given them some instructions?
Shaking her head, she returned to her inner chamber and sat on the kang bed, her thoughts turning to Chen Jia. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice when Song Mo returned, startling her. She scolded Sujuan, who was on duty, “Why didn’t you say anything when the Young Master returned?!”
Sujuan blushed and lowered her head.
“I told them not to make a sound,” said Song Mo, who had freshened up and changed his clothes. He smiled, “I wanted to see what you were doing alone at home.” He sat on the edge of the bed and continued, “I didn’t expect to find you daydreaming by yourself. Are you bored? When I have a day off, I’ll take you to West Mountain to enjoy the chrysanthemums.”
Dou Zhao didn’t dare ride in a carriage. She smiled, pressing her lips together, and said, “What’s so special about chrysanthemums? Why don’t we go admire the plum blossoms after it snows?”
By that time, she would know for certain whether she was pregnant or not.
After all, her father-in-law Song Yichun couldn’t control her as a daughter-in-law.
“Alright!” Since Dou Zhao was interested, Song Mo also became enthusiastic. He said, “It will be very cold on West Mountain by then. You should make a few thick fur coats in advance.” He then called Chen He in, “Go open the storehouse and let the lady choose some furs she likes.”
Dou Zhao tugged at Song Mo’s arm, “It’s too late today. Let’s do it tomorrow!” She then composed herself and asked about his visit to the palace.
“You guessed it right,” Song Mo tapped Dou Zhao’s nose. “The Empress wants me to go to Liaodong. However, I used the excuse that the investigation into the fire at Duke Ying’s mansion is not yet complete and recommended Gu Yu instead. He’s currently under house arrest, isn’t he? With the Empress’s support, His Majesty will surely turn a blind eye. It’s a good opportunity for him to gain some experience in Liaodong. Always staying within the wealthy and prosperous circles of the capital can make even a good man narrow-minded.”
Dou Zhao’s eyes widened in surprise.
Song Mo’s mind worked so quickly!
For the Liaodong mission, there was no better choice than Gu Yu.
With this, the matter should be considered settled, right?
A great weight lifted from Dou Zhao’s heart, and a hint of joy appeared at the corners of her eyes and brows.
Seeing her reaction, Song Mo was moved. He leaned in and whispered in her ear with a low chuckle, “Are you this happy just because I’ve come home?”