Dou Zhao smiled and said, “Mother-in-law comes from a military family, so her health should have been quite good. How did her body become so weak after giving birth to Second Young Master?”
Song Mo’s expression darkened. He said quietly, “My mother was closest to my second uncle. Cousin Hanzhu was my second uncle’s posthumous daughter. When my mother was pregnant with Tian’en, Cousin Hanzhu suddenly got chickenpox with a high fever that wouldn’t break. My mother was extremely worried and went to the palace specifically to ask the Empress Dowager for medicine. She then spent several days caring for Cousin Hanzhu without rest, which led to pregnancy complications. She had to stay in bed for over half a month to recover.”
“Later, when Grandfather passed away, although the palace sent eunuchs and court ladies to help with the funeral arrangements, Mother couldn’t completely step aside. This caused another pregnancy complication.”
“When it came time to give birth to Tian’en, Mother hemorrhaged severely and nearly lost her life. As a result, Tian’en was born very weak. He couldn’t even suckle milk for three days after birth. Grandmother was entirely focused on Mother at the time and couldn’t look after Tian’en, so she handed him over to Father. Father didn’t know how to care for a child, so he had to ask First Aunt to come and look after Tian’en for two or three months.”
“Mother also felt she had failed Tian’en greatly, so she was especially indulgent with him. She only wished for him to grow up healthy, safe, and peaceful, not daring to ask for more,” he said with a bitter smile. “Unfortunately, she overcompensated, and Tian’en has become what he is today!”
After over a hundred years since the founding of the dynasty, most children of meritorious families were like Song Han. If not for her experiences in her past life, Dou Zhao would have thought having a brother-in-law like Song Han wasn’t bad. However, she firmly believed Song Mo wouldn’t kill his father and brother without reason. Song Yichun and Song Han must have had some issues.
But she had no evidence at the moment.
Dou Zhao consoled Song Mo insincerely: “Each finger is a different length. You can’t expect Second Young Master to be as capable as you, can you? His foundation wasn’t as good as yours from the start. To have grown up safely to this age is already a blessing from heaven. You can’t be greedy and risk offending the heavens.”
Song Mo embraced her shoulders and smiled, kissing her cheek.
Dou Zhao changed the subject, saying, “What do you think about entrusting the matter of the Hanlin Academy to Boyan?”
“Boyan?” Song Mo was very surprised and hesitated, “Is that appropriate?”
“I think he’s quite suitable,” Dou Zhao said. “First, he has traveled to many places in recent years. He’s steady and composed, righteous and chivalrous, yet astute and adaptable. As a newly graduated jinshi, he won’t attract much attention when dealing with Zhao Peijie and Chen Songming, nor will he arouse their suspicions.” As she spoke, she adjusted Song Mo’s collar and smiled, “Secondly, I have a bit of a selfish motive – if things are as we suspect, given his status and eloquence, it will be easier for him to persuade Fifth Uncle to make the right choice, preventing the Dou family from being dragged down as well.”
No matter what, Dou Qijun was still one of their own.
Song Mo naturally preferred to use his people.
He pondered, “Then I’ll find an opportunity to talk to Boyan and sound him out first.”
With only three years left until the Liao Prince’s palace coup, time was becoming increasingly pressing.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but urge Song Mo: “You should talk to him soon then.”
Song Mo had a thought and said, “I wonder what the Liao Prince’s plans are? Waiting indefinitely like this is truly nerve-wracking.”
Dou Zhao reminded him: “He needs an opportunity to succeed, doesn’t he? As long as the Emperor remains healthy, he has no excuse to enter the capital.”
Song Mo’s eyes lit up at her words.
The next day, he invited Dou Qijun to dine at Zuixian Lou. Afterward, Song Mo went to the palace for his shift, while Dou Qijun, pale-faced, came to see Dou Zhao. He sat in her flower hall, hesitant to speak, his face full of unease.
Dou Zhao sighed and decided to be straightforward with him: “This is just our speculation, but we fear it might be true. With large families on both sides, it’s better to prevent potential problems early.”
Dou Qijun nodded, still looking somewhat dazed.
Dou Zhao asked Chen Qushui to escort Dou Qijun back to Yuqiao Hutong.
Halfway through the carriage ride, Dou Qijun finally came to his senses. He looked up to see Chen Qushui’s calm face in the flickering lamplight. Startled, he lifted the carriage curtain to see Duan Gongyi and Chen Xiaofeng’s agile figures outside.
He suddenly realized that his fourth aunt was quite extraordinary. It seemed that she had prepared for today’s events long ago.
The thought flashed through his mind, and he couldn’t help but laugh at himself.
How old was Fourth Aunt back then? The Liao Prince hadn’t even established his household yet. How could things be as he imagined?
He had been frightened today and was overthinking things.
Smiling, he thanked Chen Qushui and jumped out of the carriage. He waved casually to Chen Qushui and strode through his front door.
Chen Qushui watched his retreating figure with a slight smile and instructed the driver to return to the manor.
Dou Zhao, however, became increasingly interested in the old affairs between Madam Jiang and Song Yichun.
After Buddha’s birthday, Dou Qijun passed the examination for Hanlin Academy scholars. The palace again bestowed Five Poison sachets and medicinal pills. Taking advantage of Dou Shengying’s day off, Dou Zhao returned to Jing’an Temple Hutong. In addition to bringing her father Dragon Boat Festival gifts, she also brought him two bottles of the medicinal pills bestowed by the palace.
Delighted to see his daughter, Dou Shengying naturally kept her for lunch and then checked her calligraphy in his study. He rewarded her with two pieces of fine Shoushan stone for seal carving.
Dou Zhao smiled, “Father remembers so well, always giving me the same gift.”
Dou Shengying said proudly, “You’ve liked this since you were little. How could I forget?”
Looking at the silver strands at her father’s temples, Dou Zhao thought for a moment and said, “Father, do you and Seventh Madam plan to drag things out for a lifetime? Haven’t you thought about finding someone to take care of your daily needs?”
Embarrassed to be asked about his private affairs by his daughter, Dou Shengying coughed violently and changed the subject: “Where has Yantang gone? Why hasn’t he come to pick you up?”
Dou Zhao didn’t want to press the matter further and smiled, “Ma Youming dragged him to the Divine Machine Camp. He won’t be back until dusk. I told him I’d return early, so he doesn’t need to come pick me up.”
This reminded Dou Shengying of Dou Ming.
He sighed inwardly, his enthusiasm for conversation with Dou Zhao diminishing.
Thinking her father was tired, Dou Zhao chatted for a few more moments before rising to take her leave.
Dou Shengying didn’t try to keep her, saying, “Since Yantang isn’t coming to pick you up, it’s best you return early.” He saw her sedan chair off at the main gate.
With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, Jing’an Temple was crowded with worshippers. Fearing to offend Dou Zhao, the Duke Ying manor’s sedan bearers took a detour through Stone Tablet Hutong behind Jing’an Temple. However, there was a wedding in Stone Tablet Hutong with continuous firecrackers, so the bearers had to bypass it and go through Fucheng Street to Xuanwu Street and then through Yuqiao Street.
The sedan chair swayed gently as it moved forward.
Bored, Dou Zhao lifted the curtain to look outside and caught sight of the tall spire of Wanming Temple.
Her heart stirred, and she said to Duan Gongyi beside the sedan, “I’d like to go offer incense at Wanming Temple.”
“That won’t do!” Duan Gongyi said with a smile. “There are people offering incense everywhere today. You can’t squeeze in now. If you want to go, let me discuss it with Mr. Yan when I get back tonight. We’ll send someone to arrange it with the abbot of Wanming Temple first, then I’ll accompany you to offer incense.” He added, “It’s not that I’ve become particular since coming to Beijing and entering Duke Ying’s manor. It’s that you’re different now and can’t bear such strain.”
Dou Zhao smiled slightly and said, “Well then, let’s find a quiet place near Wanming Temple to sit for a while. I have something I want you to inquire about.”
Duan Gongyi instructed the sedan bearers to stop by the roadside. He sent someone ahead to find a small teahouse two streets away from Wanming Temple and settled Dou Zhao in a private room there.
Dou Zhao said, “There was a family surnamed Li living in the second hutong nearby. A widowed mother with a son and daughter. They moved away seventeen years ago. Could you help me inquire if any old neighbors know where they moved to? If anyone asks, just say you’re a distant relative coming to seek help. Don’t arouse suspicion.”
The Li family had lived there since the previous dynasty. Even if they had moved away, it was unlikely that all connections with old neighbors had been completely severed. At the time, tensions might have prevented contact with old neighbors, but now that over a decade had passed, some old neighbors might know their whereabouts.
Duan Gongyi was full of doubts but didn’t ask anything. He agreed and left.
Dou Zhao sat behind the bamboo curtain of the second-floor private room, observing the crowds on the street below.
No wonder Song Yichun had set up his love nest near Wanming Temple back then. There was a narrow street here specializing in rouge and powder, bustling with people, mostly women. With Wanming Temple regularly attracting female worshippers and being close to the Li family’s home, neither Song Yichun nor Li Tiaoniang would have attracted much attention coming and going here.
She sat down and had two cups of tea before Duan Gongyi returned.
His expression was somewhat embarrassed as he said, “The neighbors said that after the Li family’s daughter died suddenly, they sold their ancestral home and moved away. I asked where they moved to, but no one knew. However, the family currently living in the Li family’s ancestral home seemed to know a lot about the Li family. They asked me many questions, and I felt I was about to give myself away, so I had to flee.” He said with a red face, “Madam, I’m sorry I couldn’t complete the task you assigned.”
Dou Zhao was somewhat surprised and asked, “Did you find out who is living in the Li family’s ancestral home now?”
“I did ask,” Duan Gongyi said. “They said it was a long-time neighbor of the Li family who bought the house when they sold it cheaply. They also mentioned that a couple of years ago, someone else came asking about the Li family. They didn’t expect that after more than a decade, someone would come asking about the Li family again.”
Dou Zhao was startled and asked, “Did you find out who came asking about the Li family?”
“I did ask,” Duan Gongyi said sheepishly. “But that family became suspicious of me, saying that Mother Li was from Beijing, how could she have relatives from as far as Hebei… I didn’t dare to ask further.”
It seems this kind of task requires a professional!
Dou Zhao smiled and comforted him with a few words, feeling somewhat disappointed as she headed back to the manor.
Just as she stepped through the door, a servant came to report: “The wife of Mr. Chen from the Imperial Guard has come to deliver Dragon Boat Festival gifts. She’s waiting outside the door, hoping to pay her respects to you. Would you like to see her or not?”
After all, they had found her two skilled maids. This much face should be given.
Dou Zhao smiled and said, “Then let her in!”
The servant smiled and said “Yes,” turning to lead the person in.
It was just a matter of kowtowing twice on Chen Jia’s behalf and saying a few auspicious words.
Seeing that the woman was good-looking, conducted herself with propriety, and spoke politely and appropriately, Dou Zhao felt some goodwill towards her. She had someone reward the woman with two high-quality red envelopes.