Song Mo raised an eyebrow.
This Ji Yong, clearly aware of the unrest surrounding the Crown Prince, still chose to associate with that faction. What was he up to?
The Dou family didn’t think to warn Ji Yong. After all, they belonged to different camps, and if the other side suffered misfortune, they might benefit from it.
The conversation gradually shifted to the Grand Secretaries of the Hanlin Academy. Dou Shizhu specifically mentioned Zhao Peijie: “…Not only is he of upright character, but he’s also steady and reliable, earning the Crown Prince’s trust. Although he keeps a low profile now, he’s certainly destined for the position of Prime Minister in the future.”
Song Mo remembered Dou Zhao mentioning this person before, so he listened attentively.
A young maid from the Ji family rushed in frantically, saying, “It’s terrible! Fourth Young Mistress has fainted!”
Song Mo felt a sudden pain in his heart as if his soul had been emptied. It took him a moment to regain his senses.
He immediately ran towards the inner courtyard.
Dou Shengying thought for a moment and followed him.
The others, unable to visit the inner courtyard, questioned the young maid: “How did Fourth Young Mistress faint? Who was with her at the time? Who was taking care of her when you left?”
The young maid spoke clearly and fluently: “This servant doesn’t know why Fourth Young Mistress fainted. At the time, the Fifth Madam, Sixth Madam, and First Young Madam were all there, talking. Fourth Young Mistress suddenly clutched her chest, saying she felt unwell. Sixth Madam quickly ordered someone to fetch a cooling pill. Fourth Young Mistress suddenly collapsed onto a nearby table. Sixth Madam was frightened and ordered this servant to fetch the Young Master. Fifth Madam instructed someone to call for a doctor.”
Everyone’s hearts were in their throats.
Dou Dechang and Wu Shan appeared at the study door.
Seeing the tense atmosphere in the study, they exchanged glances and asked in unison, “What’s happened?”
Dou Jichang explained the situation to Dou Dechang.
Before the doctor arrived, no one knew what was going on!
Dou Dechang thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go take a look!”
Wu Shan pondered briefly and left the courtyard with Dou Dechang.
Dou Zhao was placed on the large kang bed by the window in the resting room, with Madam Ji and others surrounding her.
The doctor hadn’t arrived yet, but she had regained consciousness and was lying pale-faced in Song Mo’s arms.
Song Mo, his heart aching, spoke somewhat harshly to Fifth Madam: “Fifth Aunt, don’t you think we should have a maid prepare some brown sugar water for her?”
“Oh!” Fifth Madam came to her senses and quickly instructed a maid to prepare brown sugar water—Song Mo’s earlier entrance had been so frightening that she only now felt her heart beating again.
Madam Ji gently said to First Young Madam and the others, “Why don’t you all sit in the warm room? Crowding around Shou Gu like this will only make her feel worse!”
More importantly, with Song Mo present, it was proper for them to withdraw.
Those in the resting room suddenly realized and followed the First Young Madam to the adjacent warm room, leaving only the Fifth Madam and Sixth Madam as elders.
Dou Dechang and Wu Shan lifted the curtain and entered.
Song Mo was secretly surprised.
Dou Dechang was Dou Zhao’s adopted brother, and they had grown up together. His rushing in out of panic was understandable, but Wu Shan…
He quickly glanced at Wu Shan.
He saw Wu Shan familiarly greeting Sixth Madam.
Sixth Madam seemed somewhat surprised but didn’t show much astonishment. Fifth Madam, however, looked bewildered upon seeing Wu Shan enter.
Song Mo noticed all this but remained expressionless as he held Dou Zhao tighter.
Dou Dechang and Wu Shan’s attention was focused on Dou Zhao, not noticing Song Mo’s expression. Dou Dechang anxiously asked, “How are you feeling now?”
Dou Zhao just felt tired, as if she couldn’t catch her breath.
She smiled, looking frail due to her pale complexion: “I’m fine, I just got up too quickly earlier…”
Dou Dechang and Wu Shan both sighed in relief.
A young maid brought in the brown sugar water.
Dou Dechang stepped aside, but Wu Shan hurriedly took the tray from the young maid, bypassing Sixth Aunt. He took a couple of steps forward before pausing, his expression slightly dazed, and handed the tray to a small maid standing next to Song Mo, saying, “Please take this brown sugar water to Fourth Young Mistress!”
The little maid acknowledged.
Song Mo’s eyelid twitched.
Madam Ji stepped forward to support Dou Zhao.
But Song Mo said, “I’ll do it!” politely declining Sixth Madam’s kind gesture.
Madam Ji looked at the couple before her, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, and stepped aside.
Dou Zhao smiled and nodded at Wu Shan.
Wu Shan returned a smile to Dou Zhao.
Song Mo lowered his eyes slightly, took the small blue and white bowl from the little maid’s hands, and gently fed Dou Zhao the water.
Dou Zhao was secretly surprised.
There was no doubt that Song Mo cared for her, but he was usually calm and reserved. In the presence of others, he was even more gentle and meticulous, with his affection only showing in subtle ways. This was the first time he had been so openly demonstrative, making her feel quite uncomfortable. But in front of Fifth Madam and the others, she didn’t want to embarrass Song Mo, so she could only endure her embarrassment and allow Song Mo to feed her the water.
Wu Shan appeared very surprised.
Dou Dechang looked rather uncomfortable and turned his face away.
Fifth Madam, however, knew that Song Mo was very fond of Dou Zhao and merely thought he had revealed his feelings in a moment of urgency. She didn’t pay much attention to it, instead turning around and repeatedly urging the maids, “Why hasn’t the doctor arrived yet?”
The little maid didn’t dare to be negligent and hurriedly ran out.
Song Mo took a handkerchief to wipe Dou Zhao’s mouth, asking softly, “Are you feeling better? Do you want the maid to prepare another bowl of brown sugar water? Is there anywhere else you’re feeling unwell?”
Dou Zhao felt as if there was a stagnant energy in her chest that she couldn’t expel, making her very uncomfortable. But not wanting Song Mo to worry, she smiled and shook her head, saying, “I’ll be fine after I rest for a while!”
Yet she remained softly leaning in Song Mo’s embrace.
Song Mo held Dou Zhao, gently kissed her forehead, and comforted her in a low voice: “Don’t be afraid, the doctor will be here soon. If he can’t diagnose anything, we’ll call for an imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Academy when we return.” He soothed her in a soft voice as if comforting a child.
Dou Zhao felt completely powerless and could only let Song Mo do as he pleased.
Dou Dechang’s face turned red. He gently tugged on Wu Shan’s sleeve, indicating that they should leave.
Wu Shan glanced at Dou Zhao with a complex expression before turning to follow Dou Dechang out the door.
Looking at the swaying door curtain, a cold glint flashed in Song Mo’s eyes, but when he looked down at Dou Zhao, his gaze was immediately filled with tenderness.
Gao Sheng led the doctor in at a quick pace.
Seeing Dou Dechang and Wu Shan standing anxiously under the corridor, he stepped forward and gave a salute, instructing a young maid to lead the doctor into the hall.
After a while, the doctor came out smiling, cupped his hands towards the three men under the corridor, and said, “Congratulations, the young mistress of your noble house has a pregnancy pulse!”
Dou Dechang was stunned for a moment before reacting excitedly, “A reward, a reward!”
Gao Sheng was also very happy. He gave the doctor a large red envelope and went off joyfully to congratulate Dou Shengying.
When Dou Zhao had fainted, it had frightened Yuan’er. Dou Shengying had taken Yuan’er to the small study and brought out all his collectibles to distract him. Upon hearing that Dou Zhao’s pulse indicated pregnancy, he stamped his foot and said, “She’s already so old, how could she not be more careful? What if something had gone wrong?” He quickly instructed Gao Sheng, “Hurry and open the storehouse. I remember we still have over ten catties of Blood swallow’s nests. Bring it all out to nourish Shou Gu’s body.”
Gao Sheng withdrew with a chuckle.
Dou Shengying, his joy evident, carried Yuan’er to the resting room.
All the relatives in the house had learned of this news and came to congratulate Song Mo and Dou Zhao.
Yuan’er, not knowing what had happened, saw that his mother was safe and sound, and reached out, demanding to be held by her.
Song Mo picked up Yuan’er and smiled, “Mother isn’t feeling well. Isn’t it good for Father to hold you?”
The scene of his mother fainting was still fresh in Yuan’er’s mind. He looked at his mother, then at his father, with an expression that suggested he wanted the best of both worlds, making Sixth Madam and the others laugh.
Dou Zhao also found her son amusing. She opened her arms and said, “I’m fine. Let Yuan’er stay by my side!”
But Song Mo still insisted on taking Yuan’er away, leaving the resting room to the group of women. He took his son to the outer study.
The study was bustling with activity.
Dou Shizhu suggested that everyone move to the small flower hall for a few more drinks.
Dou Shengying enthusiastically agreed.
The group moved to the small flower hall, where they set up three more tables, toasting and chatting merrily.
Song Mo found an opportunity to have a drink with Dou Qijun, then casually pointed at Wu Shan and asked, “What’s the real relationship with your family? I’d like to know how to treat him.”
Dou Qijun had drunk a bit too much today and said with a red face, “We’re old family friends. He studied at our family school since childhood. He’s a good person, it’s just that the elders in his family are a bit old-fashioned, so we’ve gradually grown apart in recent years.”
Song Mo narrowed his eyes, deciding to have Chen He investigate Wu Shan’s whereabouts in Zhending when he returned.
Although no one spoke much about the events of that year, they couldn’t escape the notice of those who cared to look.
To think that the Wu family looked down on Dou Zhao because of her strong personality!
Song Mo was indignant. But when he met Dou Zhao, he couldn’t help but say, “I heard that Wu Shan married his cousin, and they get along quite well. They just had a big, healthy boy a few days ago. There’s going to be a hundred-day celebration soon. Do you think we should send a gift?”
Dou Zhao had no interest in associating with the Wu family, or more accurately, she didn’t want to have any more interactions with the Bi family. She thought for a moment and smiled, “I think we’d better not. It’s enough for Twelfth Brother to send a gift. The Wu family is an old friend of the Dou family, not the Song family.”
There was no unusual expression on her face.
Song Mo felt relieved. In the end, he decided to send a congratulatory gift along with Dou Dechang. As for Wu Shan, Dou Zhao was nurturing her pregnancy these days and naturally couldn’t go running around. When Dou Zhao returned to her maiden home, he would accompany her each time, and that would be enough.
Thinking of this, he enthusiastically began practicing calligraphy in the study.
Who would have thought that just as he had written two characters, Ji Yong would come to visit Dou Zhao?
Song Mo frowned slightly and asked, “What is he here for?”
Wu Yi’s mouth was a bit dry as he said softly, “I don’t know! As soon as he arrived, he sent away all the servants attending to Madam, saying he had urgent matters to discuss with her…”
Song Mo had always respected Dou Zhao, and Dou Zhao had exceptional qualities. The maids and servants in the household treated Song Mo and Dou Zhao with equal deference.
They didn’t dare eavesdrop on Song Mo’s conversations, nor did they dare eavesdrop on Dou Zhao’s.
Song Mo couldn’t help but grumble inwardly.
When had Ji Yong ever come without claiming to have urgent matters?
Yet he really couldn’t see what was so urgent about these so-called important matters of his.
He finished writing a page before putting down his brush, washed his hands, changed his clothes, and went to the main room.
Just as Wu Yi had said, the maids and old women of the main room were all standing in the middle of the courtyard, the door curtain hanging still, the entire courtyard silent.