Miao Anping stumbled out of the tavern, drunk and disoriented. Suddenly, a black cloth bag was thrown over his head, and he was dragged into a nearby alley where he was subjected to a brutal beating.
The punches and kicks landed precisely on his vital points, clearly intended to end his life.
Sobering up quickly, he pleaded for mercy while shouting, “I’m the elder brother-in-law of the Second Young Master of Duke Ying’s household! Spare me, and I’ll give you whatever you want – money, possessions, anything. I won’t go back on my word!”
His attackers paid no heed to his pleas.
Miao Anping’s heart turned ice-cold with fear. He trembled uncontrollably and lost control of his bladder.
Just as he was about to give up hope, a commotion of footsteps erupted nearby. Someone shouted, “Over here!” A group of people rushed in and began fighting with Miao Anping’s would-be killers.
Miao Anping tore off the black cloth bag from his head and realized that both groups were dressed identically in short jackets with their faces covered by black cloth. He couldn’t distinguish friend from foe.
Taking advantage of the chaos, he crawled out of the alley on all fours.
Passersby screamed at the sight of him. Some recognized him and quickly moved away.
Miao Anping stumbled and staggered back home.
His household erupted into chaos. His mother embraced him, weeping profusely. “What happened? Who dared to bully you? I’ll have your father report this to the magistrate immediately. If Magistrate Xie doesn’t give us a satisfactory explanation, we’ll take our complaint to the imperial court. We’ll make sure his superiors hear about this!”
Miao Anping, exasperated, pushed his mother away. “What do you know?” He bowed to his father and said, “Someone tried to kill me!”
He recounted the entire incident.
The Miao family members exchanged bewildered glances, unsure who Miao Anping had offended, who had saved him, and why they had done so.
Miao Anping, still shaken by the memory of the beating, couldn’t sit still. He stood up and said, “I need to find Sixth Sister. She might have some ideas!”
Miao’s father, still angry about Miao Ansu’s falling out with Song Han, scoffed, “What can she do? Without the Duke Ying’s household, she’s nothing.”
“What do you know!” Miao Anping couldn’t be bothered to argue with his father. “Sixth Sister now lives on Duke Ying’s estate, under the Young Master’s protection. As long as she remains chaste, her situation is far better than if she had stayed with Song Han.” Ignoring his father’s furious expression, he left for the estate where Miao Ansu resided.
Despite her brother’s faults, Miao Ansu couldn’t ignore his brush with death. They were, after all, born of the same mother.
Her heart raced as she listened to his story. She went to plead with Dou Zhao: “My brother is prone to causing trouble. If you could just assign two guards to protect him from ambushes, that would be enough. As for anything else, we can turn a blind eye.”
Miao Ansu only wanted to ensure her brother’s safety, not enable him to throw his weight around using the Duke Ying household’s name.
Dou Zhao considered for a moment before suggesting, “Even if I assign two guards to protect your brother, it’s not a long-term solution. I think the one who tied the bell should be the one to untie it. Why don’t you have your brother seek out the Second Young Master?”
At first, Miao Ansu didn’t understand Dou Zhao’s meaning. It wasn’t until she was in the carriage heading back to the estate that it dawned on her.
She let out an “Oh!” and instructed the driver, “Let’s go to Four Lanes Hutong instead.”
The carriage turned around and traveled for nearly half an hour before Miao Ansu’s dejected voice came from inside: “Never mind, let’s go back to the estate.”
The driver turned around once more.
Miao Ansu buried her face in a large pillow and cried silently, gritting her teeth in anger.
It was just a matter of a few hundred taels of silver, yet he was willing to take a life for it. It showed how cold-hearted he truly was. If she continued to be entangled with him like this, she might lose her life one day.
No, she had to find a way to leave Song Han as soon as possible.
As Miao Ansu pondered in the carriage, Dou Zhao received an invitation from Jing’an Temple Hutong: “The Seventh Master said to bring Young Master Yuan along when you come.”
The course of history hadn’t deviated much in this lifetime. Dou Dechang had still passed the provincial examination, and Dou Shiying decided to use this opportunity to gather all the Dou family members in the capital for a celebration.
Dou Zhao smiled as she accepted the invitation and told the messenger from Gao Sheng’s household, “Go back and inform my father that we’ll be there on the day off, both the Young Master and I.”
The messenger from Gao Sheng’s household responded with a beaming smile, and Dou Zhao had someone escort her to see Gao Xing.
Song Mo saw the invitation and joined Dou Zhao in the storehouse to select gifts for Dou Dechang. “I wonder if Sixth Uncle and Sixth Aunt will regret it—Eleventh Brother didn’t pass this time.”
Although Dou Zhengchang eventually passed the imperial examination, Sixth Uncle and Sixth Aunt didn’t know that at this point.
After arriving at Jing’an Temple Hutong, Dou Zhao couldn’t help but secretly observe the Sixth Aunt’s expression.
Ji noticed and pinched her nose, laughing, “You little rascal. You’re a mother now, yet still so mischievous!”
Dou Zhao rubbed her nose and asked, “How am I being mischievous?”
“I know exactly what you’re thinking,” Ji chided. “You’re worried that seeing your Twelfth Brother pass the provincial exam might make your Sixth Uncle and me regret our decision, aren’t you? Your Twelfth Brother was adopted by your father to uphold the family name. Now that he’s proven himself capable, I couldn’t be happier. Why would I regret it?” She continued, “Besides, I believe your Eleventh Brother is also hardworking and diligent. He won’t let his ten years of study go to waste.”
Dou Zhao was moved. She hugged Ji’s arm and said with a grin, “Sixth Aunt, you’re so magnanimous. I have so much to learn from you.”
“Stop flattering me!” Ji patted her hand as they continued their intimate conversation.
A maid came in to report, “The Fifth Madam and the ladies from Locust Tree Hutong have arrived with the young misses and young masters.”
Ji and Dou Zhao went to greet the guests.
After exchanging pleasantries, they all moved to the flower hall.
Ji and the Fifth Madam walked in front, discussing which officials’ sons had passed the provincial examination this time. Dou Zhao and the others followed behind.
Guo gave Dou Zhao a meaningful look.
Dou Zhao discreetly fell back a few steps. As the others entered the flower hall, the two of them stood under the veranda to talk.
“I followed your advice,” Guo whispered. “When my mother-in-law asked me to take in the two sons born to Bai, I refused. They are who they are, born to their mother. As long as their birth mother is alive, no matter how well I treat them, I’m still just a stepmother. Rather than competing with Bai over this, it’s better to treat them and their mother well, focus my energy on raising Jingyuan properly, and find her a good match in the future. That way, they won’t dare to slight me.”
Dou Zhao smiled slightly and said, “Exactly! Life is short, just a few decades. Why make yourself miserable?”
Guo nodded repeatedly, smiling as she and Dou Zhao entered the flower hall arm-in-arm.
Soon, the eldest sister-in-law and the others arrived, and the flower hall became lively.
Gao Sheng’s wife entered with an unusual expression and whispered in Dou Zhao’s ear, “Fourth Young Madam, Young Master Ji wants to see you!”
Ji Yong?
Dou Zhao was very surprised. She informed Ji and went to the study in the front courtyard.
Ji Yong was wearing a sapphire blue straight robe with a silk sash of the same color around his waist. His handsome face was creased with worry as he paced anxiously around the room.
“Hey!” Seeing Dou Zhao enter, he rudely addressed the servants in the room, “All of you, get out and close the door.”
The maids in the study looked alarmed and turned to Dou Zhao with fear in their eyes.
Dou Zhao, however, didn’t doubt him and said firmly, “All of you, withdraw.”
A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Ji Yong’s mouth.
The maids silently retreated.
Ji Yong took a few steps forward, coming close to Dou Zhao, and said in a low voice, “What’s going on with that young uncle-in-law of yours? He’s been getting very close to the Prince of Liao’s household lately. You should tell Song Mo to keep his adopted brother in check, lest he drag the whole family down.”
Dou Zhao’s heart began to race upon hearing this. She asked, “How do you know there’s something wrong with the Prince of Liao?”
Ji Yong’s gaze darkened as he slowly took two steps back. “It seems I worried for nothing. You already knew something was amiss.”
There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
The waiting was unbearable.
Dou Zhao felt that having one more person know would mean one more ally.
She candidly said, “It’s because Yantang is in charge of the Imperial Guard, so we couldn’t avoid it. As for others, we didn’t dare breathe a word.”
Ji Yong’s expression softened slightly, and he said proudly, “Who do you think I am? I spend every day analyzing the court’s personnel. If I couldn’t see this clearly, what business would I have aspiring to be a minister or entering the Hanlin Academy?” He sighed, “I originally planned to side with the Prince of Liao as a valuable asset, but it seems you’ve chosen to stand with the Crown Prince… Well, I might as well help the Crown Prince too—to prevent you all from becoming prisoners when I help the Prince of Liao ascend the throne.
The Prince of Liao is heaven’s favored son. Having suffered such a setback now, he’s had to lower his head significantly. When he ascends the throne, his temper will surely be tyrannical. And you, married to Song Mo, will stand out like a sore thumb. I fear that when the time comes, I might not be able to protect you and Yuan…”
His arrogant tone suggested that everything was under his control. Dou Zhao was speechless for a moment.
But she had to admit that Ji Yong’s insight was incredibly accurate.
In her previous life, after the Prince of Liao ascended the throne, he indeed became somewhat arbitrary and obstinate, not an easy emperor to deal with.
Still, she couldn’t help but tease him, “Are you sure you’re just a minor official in the Court of State Ceremonial and not a minister of the Grand Secretariat?”
Ji Yong had performed well in his last assignment, and the Emperor had casually appointed him to a position in the Court of State Ceremonial.
While his fellow jinshi graduates were either accumulating experience in the Hanlin Academy or just starting to work in the Six Ministries after leaving the academy, he had already changed positions three times. Young and capable, he was quite eye-catching.
Ji Yong gave Dou Zhao a contemptuous glance and said, “Do you know what the Court of State Ceremonial does? We are the Emperor’s close officials! Close officials! How can they stage a coup without going through the Court of State Ceremonial? You are short-sighted! I won’t waste any more words on you. Just remember to tell Song Mo what I said, lest he gets you killed.”
With that, he stormed off.
Dou Zhao stood alone in the small flower hall, her face flushed with anger. She took several deep breaths before finally calming down.
Song Mo entered, carrying Yuan.
From a distance, Yuan called out “Mother” and reached out for her to hold him.
Dou Zhao smiled and took her son, asking curiously, “Why are you here?”
Song Mo smiled and said, “Father wanted me to bring Yuan out for everyone to see, but he kept asking for you. I thought it would be better for you to hold him for a while first, to prevent him from crying when we get to the main hall…”
Before he could finish, Yuan pouted and said indignantly, “I didn’t cry, I didn’t cry!”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh. She stroked her son’s head and said, “Our Yuan is the best behaved. You didn’t cry, you didn’t cry.”
Only then did Yuan smile.
His smile was brighter than the summer sun.
Dou Zhao couldn’t resist kissing her son.