Seeing the loving expression on Dou Zhao’s face, Song Mo’s eyes flickered. He put his arm around Dou Zhao’s shoulders and said with a smile, “Let’s take Yuan to the front hall!” He didn’t ask about Dou Zhao’s conversation with Ji Yong.
However, Dou Zhao felt that Ji Yong’s words were important.
She told Song Mo every detail of her conversation with Ji Yong.
Song Mo was somewhat surprised. His brow furrowed briefly but quickly smoothed out. He praised, “He truly deserves his reputation for intelligence. With minimal contact with the Prince of Liao, he saw through his ambitions at a glance.”
Ji Yong’s intelligence was undeniable. Dou Zhao nodded and asked with concern, “Is Song Han getting close to the Prince of Liao’s household?”
The last time Song Han ambushed Miao Anping, he was discovered by the people Song Mo had assigned to monitor him. They reported it to Song Mo, which is how Miao Anping’s life was saved.
Song Mo made an affirmative sound and said with a smile, “I was just wondering how to subtly guide Song Han onto the Prince of Liao’s ship. But he’s done well, running over there without me having to lift a finger. This is an unexpected gain.”
Dou Zhao vaguely understood Song Mo’s intentions.
She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Whether in her past life or this one, Song Mo had no intention of letting Song Han off the hook.
However, Song Han was indeed not a good person. Although Miao Anping wasn’t a good man either, he didn’t deserve to die. Song Han’s willingness to take a life over a minor grievance was excessively cruel.
The family of three left the study.
They were met with the sight of Ji Yong standing in the middle of the courtyard, coldly watching them.
Dou Zhao was startled and said, “You haven’t left yet?”
Ji Yong, however, seemed to ignore her, his gaze fixed directly on Song Mo. He said, “In the blink of an eye, Yuan is already talking.”
Song Mo responded with a “Yes,” his smile was warm and composed. But for some reason, Dou Zhao felt that Song Mo was like a cat encountering a natural predator, his hackles raised in alertness.
She couldn’t help but softly call out, “Yantang.”
Song Mo turned his head, giving her a reassuring smile, then turned back to exchange pleasantries with Ji Yong: “I heard that His Majesty has been keeping you in the Qianqing Palace for conversations these days. How is it that you have time to come to Jing’an Temple Hutong today?”
Ji Yong sneered, “Dou Dechang is my cousin. Why shouldn’t I come?” His whole demeanor was prickly.
Song Mo didn’t seem to mind and said with a smile, “It’s kind of you to come, Master Ji. We’ve prepared wine and refreshments in the front hall. If you don’t mind, please stay for a few drinks later.” He acted every bit the host.
A vein popped on Ji Yong’s forehead. Just as Dou Zhao thought he was about to say something irritating again, he suddenly smiled, all hostility vanishing. He reached out and plucked a camellia flower, walking up to Yuan.
“Isn’t it pretty?” he asked Yuan with a smile, handing the flower to the child. “Take it and give it to your maternal grandfather. He’ll be very happy.”
Yuan didn’t know Ji Yong, but Ji Yong’s smile was very kind. He turned to look at Dou Zhao.
Song Mo’s lips tightened slightly, and he held the child a bit closer.
Dou Zhao was torn between laughter and exasperation. She chided, “Cousin Ji, flowers are for admiring, not for picking. Don’t teach the child to pick flowers.”
Ji Yong scoffed, “Whether for admiring or for wearing, as long as it serves its purpose, it’s not a waste. Yuan, don’t listen to your mother. She’s always nagging without getting to the point. If you listen to your mother, you’ll surely become a pedantic scholar in the future. Keep this flower. If your mother dares to give you a hard time about it, come find me—I’m your uncle!”
What kind of uncle was he supposed to be?
Dou Zhao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Ji Yong had already given the flower to Yuan, patted the child’s head, then turned and strode out of the courtyard.
Song Mo had barely managed to control himself from swatting away Ji Yong’s hand when he touched their son’s head. Now that Ji Yong had left, he casually took the camellia flower Ji Yong had given Yuan and placed it on a nearby chair in the corridor. He said to Dou Zhao, “Let’s go,” and carried Yuan towards the front hall.
Dou Zhao was a perceptive person and felt that Song Mo seemed somewhat sensitive about Ji Yong.
She wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Song Mo about it, but unfortunately, as soon as they reached the front hall, they encountered an unexpected person—Kuang Zhuoran from Panyu.
He had come to Beijing to participate in next year’s spring imperial examination. Arriving in the capital so early was to pay his respects to Dou Qijun, Dou Dechang, and Song Mo.
Dou Dechang had a good impression of Kuang Zhuoran and grabbed his arm, saying, “We might become exam-mates!”
The people in the front hall were surprised to hear this and asked, “Are you going to take the exam again next year?”
Usually, in situations like Dou Dechang’s, without absolute confidence, one would take a break for one session. If they ended up as fellow jinshi graduates, it would be no laughing matter.
Dou Dechang hadn’t discussed this with anyone before and now felt a bit uneasy. He said, “I want to strike while the iron is hot!”
Dou Shiheng and Dou Shiying both looked disapproving, but Song Mo felt it wasn’t the right time to discuss this. He changed the subject with a smile, asking Kuang Zhuoran, “When did you arrive in Beijing? Where are you staying now?”
Kuang Zhuoran was already a sharp person, and after experiencing family upheaval, he had become even more astute. He quickly replied with a smile, “I just arrived yesterday. I’m staying at an inn for now. I wanted to visit Boyan and the elders first before renting a house…”
Dou Qijun chimed in from the side, “Why rent a house? Come stay at my place!”
For the moment, Dou Dechang’s matter was set aside.
Dou Dechang’s eyes flickered as he took Yuan to watch the fish in the courtyard pond.
Song Mo looked thoughtful. That night, he mentioned this to Dou Zhao, saying, “Do you think it might have something to do with that Ji family’s young lady?”
Dou Zhao’s heart skipped a beat when she heard this. She asked, “How did you come to think of that?”
Song Mo smiled and said, “When a man suddenly wants to be independent, what else could it be for if not a woman?”
Dou Zhao felt embarrassed.
There was Song Mo before her and Ji Yong behind her.
If she hadn’t glimpsed the events of this life, she probably wouldn’t have noticed anything about the palace coup. This showed that no matter how the world changed, formidable people remained formidable wherever they were placed.
Kuang Zhuoran moved to stay temporarily at Dou Qijun’s place, while Dou Dechang shut himself in to study. Apart from visiting Kuang Zhuoran once, he didn’t step out of Jing’an Temple Hutong again.
Dou Zhao knew he would achieve success in the imperial examinations, so she didn’t pay much attention to Dou Dechang’s changes.
She had Liu Zhang keep an eye on Song Han’s movements.
Tao Er’s wife came to deliver a message that Jiang Yan had been diagnosed with pregnancy.
Dou Zhao was overjoyed and brought half a cart of gifts, big and small, to visit Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan was confined to the inner chambers by Chen Jia and not allowed to go anywhere. When she saw Dou Zhao, her face turned bright red with embarrassment, and she mumbled, not knowing what to say.
Dou Zhao smiled brightly and chatted with Jiang Yan about various domestic matters for a long time. She had dinner at the Chen household and, upon returning home, sent the nanny who had attended to her during her childbirth and postpartum period to Yuqiao Hutong.
Song Mo frowned and asked, “Doesn’t Chen Jia know how to take care of Ayan?”
“It’s not that he doesn’t know how to take care of her, but that he’s taking too good care of her,” Dou Zhao said with a smile. “I’m worried that sister Yan will suffer during childbirth.”
Jiang Yan was already somewhat weak, and if she spent her time just lying around eating and sleeping, how would she have the strength when it came time to give birth?
After learning this, Song Mo instructed Wu Yi to summon Chen Jia.
Dou Zhao stopped Wu Yi and said to Song Mo, “Don’t try to interfere in everything. Let Ayan live her own life.”
Song Mo barely managed to restrain himself from mentioning this matter to Chen Jia.
The next time Dou Zhao visited, she saw Chen Jia supporting Jiang Yan as they took a walk in the courtyard.
She couldn’t stop smiling.
After returning home, she told Song Mo about this and said, “See? I told you they would live their own lives!”
Song Mo didn’t say anything, but when he next saw Chen Jia, his expression softened slightly.
Liu Zhang informed Dou Zhao: “Someone has been causing trouble in the countryside and killed a person. They’ve been detained at the yamen and want to use the Second Young Master’s connections to change the sentence to a fine. The Second Young Master has been running around for this matter these days!”
Dou Zhao sneered.
This Song Han was indeed up to no good.
She instructed Liu Zhang, “Don’t let him succeed!”
However, Song Mo said, “If he manages to appeal to the Prince of Liao’s household, and they’re willing to intervene on his behalf, we shouldn’t interfere.”
Dou Zhao didn’t understand.
Song Mo calmly explained, “When he’s been rebuffed everywhere else and realizes that only the Prince of Liao’s household can help him, that’s when he’ll throw himself wholeheartedly into the Prince of Liao’s service!”
This was indeed a good strategy!
Dou Zhao smiled brightly, which made her think of Song Yichun.
She reminded Song Mo, “Do you think the Duke will help Song Han?”
“That depends on his luck!” Song Mo said with a hint of sarcasm. “Given his character, he certainly wouldn’t miss an opportunity to strike at me.”
When the Prince of Liao’s plot failed, the fate of Song Han and Song Yichun was predictable.
Dou Zhao grasped Song Mo’s hand.
Song Mo smiled slightly and led Dou Zhao to Yuan’s room.
Yuan was playing cuju (an ancient Chinese ball game) with a young maid. Seeing his parents enter, he ran over with the ball, pattering, and handed it to Song Mo, saying, “Father, play!”
Song Mo chuckled and took the ball from his son’s hands.
Dou Zhao went to the main courtyard.
With just over a month until the New Year, she still had many things to do.
Cai suddenly came to visit.
Dou Zhao met her in the warm room, full of suspicion.
Cai asked mysteriously, “There’s a rumor going around outside that your family’s Second Young Master had an affair with the Duke’s concubine, and the Duke killed both concubines because of it. Is this true? If not, you should find a way to dispel these rumors! They’re spreading with vivid details outside.”
Had the news finally reached Cai?
One concubine had become two in the rumors.
Dou Zhao could barely keep herself from laughing.
She sighed and said, “How can we dispel such rumors? My sister-in-law is still living on the estate! They say she won’t even come back for the New Year.”
Cai’s eyes widened like brass bells.
She exclaimed, “Could this be true?”
Dou Zhao neither confirmed nor denied it.
Cai left, dumbfounded.
As Song Mo had predicted, Song Han couldn’t pull any strings anywhere. The person who had asked for his help kept flattering him, saying he was “the Second Young Master of Duke Ying’s household, even the Empress treats you like a nephew,” and offered five thousand taels of silver for him to use. Gritting his teeth, Song Han sought help from the Prince of Liao’s household.
Soon, the family of the person who had committed the murder settled the matter with a payment of one thousand taels of silver.
Song Han’s reputation spread because of this.
Four Lanes Hutong suddenly became bustling with activity.
However, with the New Year approaching, Song Yichun, Song Mo, and Dou Zhao would all be going to the palace for the reunion dinner.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but think maliciously that it would be good if someone asked about Song Han’s affairs.