Zhao Zhang had missed the child’s third-day and full-month celebrations, so Dou Zhao busily prepared for the hundred-day ceremony.
Song Mo, however, decided to provoke Wang Yuan once more.
In mid-March, the Commander of Shaanxi Military Region returned to the capital to report. To commend his efforts against the Mongols, the Emperor awarded him 100 taels of gold, 10 hu of pearls, and 100 bolts of fine silk. He also granted the Commander’s heir a hereditary position as Deputy Commander with the fourth rank.
Such high-profile tasks were usually handled by Wang Yuan. This time, however, Wang Yuan slipped while attending to the Emperor’s grooming, nearly spilling a basin of water. The Emperor laughed heartily and pointed to the younger, more vigorous Wang Ge to deliver the edict, remarking to Wang Yuan, “You’re getting old, my good man.”
The more Wang Yuan thought about it, the more he felt someone had pushed him. But as he looked around suspiciously, he saw only his godson and favored apprentices. Try as he might, he couldn’t identify the culprit. Wang Ge, on the other hand, was responsible for the Imperial Study and shouldn’t have been present during the Emperor’s grooming. Yet not only was he in the Emperor’s chambers, but after Wang Yuan’s slip, Wang Ge opportunely brought in several ink sticks to assist the Emperor with his calligraphy.
Wang Yuan quietly instructed his apprentice to hide a memorial about the Jiangzhe floods under the kang mattress.
When the Grand Secretariat urgently awaited the Emperor’s vermilion comments, Liang Jifen personally submitted a memorial requesting an audience. Only then did the Emperor realize the memorial that should have been sent to the Grand Secretariat was missing.
The Emperor flew into a rage, and Wang Ge was sentenced to twenty lashes.
But before the punishment could be carried out, the Empress appeared.
In the end, Wang Ge still received twenty lashes, but they merely caused some superficial wounds. Compared to the honor of receiving a bottle of wound medicine from the Empress, those twenty lashes were hardly worth mentioning. If anything, they made Wang Ge even more arrogant.
This was highly unusual.
Wang Yuan knew that one major reason for the Emperor’s trust in Empress Wan was her unwavering loyalty. She never formed factions or went against the Emperor’s wishes.
With a gloomy expression, he returned to his residence and paced in his study for a long while before summoning the Jinyiwei Zhenfu from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Liu Yu came rushing over and respectfully greeted him.
Only then did Wang Yuan remember that the Zhenfu had long been replaced by Shi Chuan’s man.
Wang Yuan felt a pang of regret.
He dismissed Liu Yu and called for someone from the Eastern Depot to investigate Wang Ge.
The investigation shocked him.
Even before Prince Liao’s enfeoffment, Wang Ge had already been working for the prince.
Wang Yuan suddenly understood.
Thinking of how the Emperor had been treating him like a frail old man these past few days made his blood boil.
Back at the palace, Wang Ge’s apprentice was haughtily scolding some young eunuchs who had made mistakes.
Wang Yuan felt even more disheartened.
So when he saw Song Mo coming out of the Imperial Study, he smiled at him.
Song Mo cupped his hands in greeting and said, “When will you be leaving the palace, sir? I’d like to treat you to a drink.”
Wang Yuan immediately suspected Song Mo might have had a hand in recent events.
But looking at Song Mo’s open and righteous face, he thought it unlikely and that he was being paranoid.
“Certainly!” he smiled and nodded. “Let’s set a date with the young lord!”
Song Mo smiled, nodded, and left.
Wang Yuan glared viciously at Wang Ge’s resting quarters before hunching over and slowly entering the study.
By the time he had another chance to drink with Song Mo, the events of that year unfolded before Song Mo’s eyes: “…The Emperor was often ill then, and the Imperial Hospital only dared prescribe mild remedies. Believing he didn’t have long to live, the Emperor prepared to choose between the Shaanxi Military Commander and Duke Ding. The Empress thought Duke Ding was better, saying he came from a noble family and was related by marriage to Duke Ying, making him one of their own… Later, when Duke Ding was arrested, several Grand Secretaries pleaded for him. Some powerful officials from Zhedong also impeached Duke Ding for his private connections with court officials. The Emperor was extremely displeased and had the Jinyiwei interrogate him… The censors’ secret memorials only mentioned the Jinyiwei’s arrogance in daring to torture such an important minister but said nothing about Duke Ding’s torture or injuries. The Emperor withheld action and ignored it. But just a few days later, news came of Duke Ding’s death.”
“The Emperor was furious. He summoned Shi Chuan to the palace and berated him severely, ordering him to investigate the truth within ten days.”
“Then came the memorials impeaching Duke Ding.”
“The Emperor was so angry his liver ached. He said, ‘Duke Ding was upright and honest. When he was alive, everyone called him a pillar of the state. Now that he’s dead before even the seventh day of mourning has passed, they’re throwing all sorts of mud at him. They’re all just opportunists!'”
“He wanted to clear Duke Ding’s name.”
“Unexpectedly, the Empress advised the Emperor that pardoning Duke Ding now would be admitting the Emperor’s fault in his death.”
“The Emperor began to hesitate.”
“The Empress then said, ‘Besides Duke Ding, the Jiang family has Jiang Zhusun and Jiang Lansun. Since you’ve decided to leave the Jiang family for the Crown Prince to use, why not let them suffer a bit? Exile the adult males to Liaodong and demote the women and children to commoners, sending them back to their ancestral home. The Jiang family still has their ancestral house and sacrificial lands. If they’re truly grateful for Your Majesty’s grace, they’ll live well enough. If they harbor resentment, even if Your Majesty pardons them now, they’ll still feel wronged and bitter. Both punishment and favor are expressions of the Emperor’s grace. This is a good opportunity to see if the Jiang family’s loyalty is genuine or false.'”
“The Emperor thought the Empress’s words made sense.”
“Soon, an imperial edict was issued, exiling Jiang males over five years old to Liaodong and demoting the elderly, weak, women, and children to commoners, sending them back to Huzhou.”
“As for the Jiang family’s third and fifth masters, I know the Empress’s eunuch once met with Zhong Qiao, but I didn’t dare ask what was said.”
Song Mo stared at the wine cup in his hand, his heart filled with bitterness. After a long while, he said quietly, “If those officials had pleaded for Duke Ding instead of impeaching my uncle, what would the Emperor have done?”
Wang Yuan sighed and said, “Execution of the entire clan would have been merciful. They might have been implicated to the third degree of kinship!”
Song Mo thought of Dou Zhao.
If he hadn’t met Dou Zhao, what would have become of the Jiang family and himself?
He returned to Yizhi Hall. The child was already asleep, and Dou Zhao sat by the lamp, drawing patterns.
Hearing movement, she looked up and smiled at him, saying, “You’re back!”
Her clear gaze was like spring water, reflecting only his image.
Like surging tides, it beat against his chest, making his heart race so much he couldn’t speak.
He stepped forward and embraced Dou Zhao.
“Shou Gu, what would I have become without you?” he closed his eyes and buried his face in her dark hair.
Without her rebirth, this life’s Song Mo would likely have been as lonely and cynical as in his previous life.
Dou Zhao’s heart immediately melted.
She gently patted Song Mo’s shoulder and said with a smile, “Without me, you would certainly have married a gentle and considerate wife, taken several talented and beautiful concubines, and had several lively and adorable children…”
“No!” Song Mo objected, “I only like you, I don’t want anyone else!”
No? Did he mean he wouldn’t marry a gentle and considerate wife? Or that he wouldn’t take concubines?
Dou Zhao chuckled.
No matter what, Song Mo was doing well now.
Wealthy, powerful, and with a bright future!
She hugged him tightly and said with a smile, “You’ve been drinking today? Do you want me to have the kitchen make you some sobering soup?”
Song Mo let go of her, shook his head, and said, “Just call a maid to help me wash up.”
Dou Zhao nodded and said, “Alright.”
After washing up, Song Mo pulled Dou Zhao to sit with him on the large kang by the window.
He held her hand and told her about his meeting with Wang Yuan.
Dou Zhao was stunned, then lost in thought.
Song Mo always valued Dou Zhao’s opinion. Seeing her distracted, he quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something amiss?”
Dou Zhao came back to herself.
“No,” she said after a pause. “I was just thinking, if everyone had submitted memorials pleading for Duke Ding back then, angering the Emperor, would the Empress have added fuel to the fire…”
“She wouldn’t have,” Song Mo said calmly. “She always acts virtuous and magnanimous in front of the Emperor. The Jiang family was already in trouble, so she wouldn’t have risked causing trouble for herself and needlessly offending people. The reason she interfered this time was that since she had already offended the Jiang family, she might as well go all the way and eliminate them as a future threat.” At this point, he gave a cold laugh. “She’s truly capable of great things, turning on people without hesitation! At that time, my mother was worried sick, and she was comforting her. My mother was grateful to tears, not knowing it was her who harmed my uncle! Just because he didn’t side with Prince Liao, she could be so ruthless. If someone were to oppose her, wouldn’t they end up worse than dead?”
So in her previous life, the Empress hadn’t moved against the Jiang family!
Dou Zhao felt relieved hearing this, but another thought occurred to her.
She carefully said, “Yan Tang, have you considered that if the Empress could go to such lengths to eliminate Duke Ding just for not siding with Prince Liao, wouldn’t she want to utterly destroy those who politely refused her?”
Song Mo was stunned.
Dou Zhao continued, “We’ve all noticed Prince Liao’s ambition, but no one dares tell the Emperor. It’s partly because we lack evidence, and partly because we fear the Emperor won’t believe us and we’ll end up in trouble. But if it were Duke Ding telling the Emperor this, what do you think the Emperor’s reaction would be?”
Song Mo’s expression changed dramatically.
If it were Duke Ding, even if the Emperor trusted the Empress and Prince Liao implicitly, he would still have doubts!
This was the real reason the Empress wanted to deal with Duke Ding and the Jiang family.
She feared that Duke Ding’s death might lead Jiang Zhusun and Jiang Lansun to say something unfavorable about Prince Liao.
Song Mo’s eyes grew moist: “It’s infuriating that my Fifth Uncle knows nothing of this now, and is helping the enemy and aiding the wicked!”
Dou Zhao was also disturbed by her deduction.
She said, “Should we give Fifth Uncle a hint?”
Song Mo nodded and hurried to his study.
Dou Zhao looked at the half-cup of cold tea still on the table and sighed deeply.
A small change in this life had caused earth-shattering changes to what had happened in her previous life.
This was something she hadn’t anticipated when she first met Song Mo.
How many more such changes would she encounter in the future?
Would the certainties of her past life still occur in this one?
Dou Zhao felt perplexed.