Jiang Baisun didn’t need to guess what Song Mo was thinking.
“I’ve already decided on this matter,” he said with a faint smile. “If it weren’t for your wife giving my sister a good idea if it weren’t for your proper arrangements, we would have all lost our lives by now. How could we talk about restoring our family’s reputation? Since we’ve already faced death once, what is there left to fear? Don’t try to stop me. I’ll speak to your aunt personally about this.” He then asked, “If I want to return to Liaodong, when can I depart?”
He was still technically under punishment, so even if he wanted to return, he’d need to inform the Crown Prince first.
“Fifth Uncle,” Song Mo frowned, “please don’t act rashly! The Crown Prince understands the situation this time, you’d only need to wait a few years at most…”
“And then what?” Jiang Baisun waved his hand, his brow adding a touch of solemnity. “Rely on my elder brother’s legacy to inherit the Duke Dingguo title and be a peaceful duke? You might think that’s best. But every time I think of my elder brother’s tragic death, and the humiliation my third and fourth brothers endured, I can’t sleep at night. I can’t avenge them, but I also don’t want people to say that my elder brother had a younger brother who lived idly waiting for death!”
He gazed at Song Mo, his eyes determined.
Song Mo smiled bitterly and said, “I’ve underestimated you, Fifth Uncle!”
Jiang Baisun laughed heartily, patting Song Mo’s shoulder. “You haven’t underestimated me. It’s just that over these past few years, you’ve gradually taken on the responsibility of supporting the family and have grown accustomed to taking care of people… Back then, your mother was worried you’d be spoiled, but in the blink of an eye, you’ve grown into a man of responsibility. If your mother knew this in the afterlife, I don’t know if she’d be more comforted or more heartbroken.”
Song Mo smiled slightly.
Jiang Baisun continued, “By the way, your wife is quite good. If your grandmother were still alive, she’d be overjoyed! As the saying goes, a good wife is half of one’s fortune. You should know to cherish her.”
Song Mo’s face reddened slightly, and he said bashfully, “I treat her very well.”
“Seeing that you’ve had two children in three years, you’re indeed doing well,” Jiang Baisun said, his notorious playboy demeanor resurfacing.
Song Mo’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot, and he quickly changed the subject: “Since Uncle has decided to return to Liaodong, it’s best to discuss it with Aunt soon. And Cousin Lizhu should come to pay her respects to you as well.”
Back when Jiang Meisun and the others were in Fujian, Jiang Baisun had stayed in the capital. With his cheerful personality and care for his nieces and nephews, the younger generation all liked him.
“I’ll see them before I leave,” Fifth Uncle said. “The Wu family is not bad either. If you can help them, give them a hand!”
Song Mo nodded and said, “With the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s office being completely overhauled this time, there are many positions available. I had Yuaner’s mother pass a message to Lizhu a few days ago. No matter which position the Wu family is interested in, it shouldn’t be a problem.” Thinking of this, he remembered his and Dou Zhao’s “matchmaking” and couldn’t help but smile, “Fifth Uncle, that child is still staying with the Tan family! When do you think we should bring him back?”
Jiang Baisun pondered for a while and said, “Let him stay with the Tan family. Being born into our family might not necessarily be a good thing. His mother is no longer here. If he can grow up safely, marry, and have children, that would be good. His mother, if she knew, would probably agree with my decision.”
While noble families enjoy prestige, they also face dangers. The Jiang family was not yet completely out of trouble, so it might be better for the child to stay with the Tan family. At most, he could look after the child more in the future.
He didn’t mention the child again.
Jiang Baisun asked about Song Han: “How do you plan to deal with him?”
With Prince Liao’s matter being kept secret, Song Han’s charges naturally wouldn’t stand.
“I plan to send him to the Northwest Camp,” Song Mo said tactfully. “Jiang Yi might be transferred to the Northwest Camp as an assistant prefect.”
“That’s great news!” Jiang Baisun said. “Although the Northwest Camp is harsh, the position of assistant prefect is of the third rank. That Jiang Yi has lucked out.”
Song Mo chuckled.
Jiang Baisun sighed and said, “Come to think of it, I practically raised Tian’en from childhood. I never thought things would end up like this.”
Song Mo hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, then asked, “Fifth Uncle, do you know why my father hated my mother so much?”
Jiang Baisun replied with some resignation, “It’s because your mother was too capable, making him feel like he lost face! Before our family’s downfall, although your father and mother would have arguments, they could be resolved with some persuasion, just like any other couple. Neither I nor your grandmother ever saw that your father’s hatred for your mother ran so deep. Otherwise, your mother wouldn’t have been schemed against by your father.”
Song Mo felt a pang of sadness.
Jiang Baisun’s expression darkened slightly, then he changed the subject to discuss the situation in Liaodong.
The Wu family received the news and after much discussion, felt that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had a fierce reputation, so it would be better to join the Imperial Guard.
Jiang Lizhu came to give Dou Zhao a reply and brought a few small jars of pickles personally prepared by Mrs. Wu, saying, “They’re very appetizing. Sister-in-law, please eat a little. It can stimulate your appetite.”
Dou Zhao enjoyed this kind of interaction with relatives. She had someone send a jar to Jiang Yan and told Jiang Lizhu about Jiang Baisun recuperating at home, apologizing, “We didn’t know the Emperor and Crown Prince’s intentions before, so we didn’t tell you.”
Jiang Lizhu was both surprised and delighted, saying, “Sister-in-law, please don’t worry about it. Our family has always been involved in leading troops and fighting battles. The men might be eating one moment and rushing off to receive orders the next. Who returns to the capital and who remains on the battlefield are things we can’t ask about or discuss. The women in our family are used to it.”
Her words were somewhat exaggerated but not entirely false.
Dou Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she led Jiang Lizhu to pay respects to Jiang Baisun.
Jiang Baisun was very happy to see Jiang Lizhu and teased her a bit before they began discussing what had happened since they last met.
Dou Zhao had her maid Ruozhu serve them tea.
The two talked until lunchtime, and Jiang Lizhu stayed to have lunch with Jiang Baisun before returning home.
The next day, she sent over daily necessities like clothes and socks.
Wu Liang also specifically brought Wu Zijie to visit Jiang Baisun.
The household suddenly became lively.
Dou Zhao was a bit worried and asked Song Mo, “Is this alright?”
The Emperor wanted to stay at the Western Garden Villa for an extended period, so the Crown Prince wanted to renovate the villa. However, in recent years, the Empress had taken a lot of money from the Emperor’s treasury to support Prince Liao, so there was no money left for the renovations. They had to draw funds from the Ministry of Revenue. The Ministry had been stretched thin in recent years, first with river work expenses and then with floods in Jiangnan. Where would they find money to renovate the Emperor’s villa? The Crown Prince closed his eyes to it and handed the matter over to Song Mo.
Song Mo invited a former Vice Minister of Revenue who had retired to come to the capital and audit the accounts.
This alarmed the Ministry of Revenue, and within half a month, they scraped together the money for renovating the villa. But when they saw Song Mo, they started to avoid him.
Dou Zhao knew nothing of this.
Song Mo smiled and said, “Fifth Uncle plans to take this opportunity to return to Huaizhou to pay respects at Grandmother’s grave. He’ll spend the Mid-Autumn Festival in Huaizhou before setting off for Liaodong. Even if there’s some commotion, it will only last a couple of days. It’s not a big deal.”
Mentioning the Mid-Autumn Festival reminded Dou Zhao of Madam Miao. She asked, “When will Song Han leave? After he’s gone, should we bring Madam Miao back?”
Song Mo had made up his mind to send Song Han to the Northwest Camp. Based on her understanding of Song Mo, she was sure he had something else planned. Even if Song Han kept his life, he would never set foot in the capital again. The house in the Four Alleys was given to Song Han by Song Yichun. Miao Ansu was Song Han’s first wife, so it was proper for her to live there while Song Han was away. How could they let Song Yichun take back the property?
Wouldn’t that be too convenient for Song Yichun?
Song Mo smiled and said, “You can decide on that.”
Dou Zhao sent a message to Miao Ansu.
Miao Ansu was somewhat puzzled and asked the messenger, “How did the Second Young Master agree to go to the Northwest Camp?”
The old woman didn’t know, and Dou Zhao was strict with her subordinates, so she dared not speak out of turn. She simply said she didn’t know, keeping her hands clean.
Miao Ansu didn’t dare to press further. She said she needed to think it over carefully and would reply to Dou Zhao once she had it figured out. She rewarded the old woman with one tael of silver and sent her away. Then she sat alone on the large kang by the window, turning the old woman’s words over in her mind. By dinnertime, she still seemed distracted.
Ji Hong couldn’t help but ask with concern if something had happened.
She told Ji Hong about Dou Zhao’s message and asked confusedly, “What do you think the Young Madam means? Could it be that the Second Young Master won’t return for the rest of his life?”
Ji Hong thought for a moment and said, “In the past, the Second Young Master was close to Prince Liao’s household. Do you think this might have something to do with Prince Liao? The Young Master doesn’t seem to like Prince Liao very much.”
Living in a separate courtyard and being women, they neither cared about nor knew of the events happening outside.
Miao Ansu’s heart suddenly came alive.
Could it be that Song Han had done something to offend Song Mo, and Song Mo had banished Song Han to the Northwest Camp, possibly never to return?
She paced restlessly in her room for half the night, and early the next morning, she had someone prepare a carriage and went to Duke Ying’s mansion.
Dou Zhao didn’t hide anything from her and told Miao Ansu the whole story.
Miao Ansu listened, drawing in sharp breaths. After a while, she came to her senses and exclaimed, “Truly, you reap what you sow!”
Dou Zhao said, “That place is still your property after all. Although the countryside estate is nice, it’s not as convenient as the city. It was only out of necessity before. Now that you can move back, it’s better to do so!”
Hearing this, Miao Ansu bit her lip and suddenly knelt before Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao was startled and quickly had Ruozhu help Miao Ansu up.
Miao Ansu refused to get up and said tearfully, “Sister-in-law, I have a request!”
“Whatever it is, please get up first, and then we’ll talk,” Dou Zhao had a vague premonition. She dismissed the servants in the room to speak privately with Miao Ansu.
“I want to accuse Song Han of adultery with his stepmother!” Her bright eyes were wide open, seeming to contain a burning fire. “I want him to be disgraced and die a miserable death!”
Dou Zhao had thought Miao Ansu wanted to divorce Song Han.
She was dumbfounded and said, “This accusation can’t possibly stand! First, the Duke doesn’t have any concubines, and second, Du Ruo and the others are no longer here. Without evidence, you’ll only anger the Duke and it will backfire on you.”
However, Miao Ansu raised her eyebrows and smiled, “It’s precisely because these people are no longer here that I can accuse Song Han of adultery with his stepmother!” She knelt before Dou Zhao again and said, “Sister-in-law, you must help me this time no matter what. I’d rather die than have any more connection with Song Han.”