Hearing this, Song Yichun almost couldn’t catch his breath. Dou Zhao’s straight back as she walked away, her calm expression and tone while speaking, exuded a sense of disdainful indifference that chilled his heart.
Prince Liao was now his weakness, so he didn’t dare to confront Dou Zhao directly.
Song Yichun gritted his teeth and called out “Stop!” in a low voice just before Dou Zhao left the hall. He said, “Is this how you speak to your father-in-law?”
Dou Zhao smiled slightly, appearing respectful, but her expression revealed a hint of disdain.
Being looked down upon by his daughter-in-law like this made Song Yichun’s face burn. He fled, saying as he walked out, “Come with me to the study to talk.”
Dou Zhao followed with a smile.
The servants in the room exhaled deeply, exchanging glances with amusement in their eyes.
The Duke always tried to assert himself over the Young Madam, but each time she effortlessly deflected his attempts. Yet the Duke never learned, always trying again when given the chance, and this time he had lost again.
They dispersed in small groups, their fear and respect for Song Yichun diminishing once more.
Of course, Song Yichun was unaware of this.
He dismissed the attendants in the study and asked Dou Zhao directly, “What happened to Prince Liao?”
Dou Zhao, not bothering to mince words, said, “The Emperor feels disgraced, so he’s publicly claiming that Prince Liao has come to the capital to attend to his illness, but in reality, he’s confined Prince Liao by his side. According to the Young Master, they’ll wait until the Emperor moves to Xiyuan before arranging for someone to interrogate Prince Liao. I’m here about Song Han’s matter. With him speaking so recklessly, even if the Young Master wants to protect him, I’m afraid he won’t be able to protect the Duke. I think you should take preemptive action and expel Song Han from the family registry for attempting to behave improperly toward his stepmother. This way, even if he speaks nonsense, others will just think he’s resentful because you kicked him out of the family…”
Song Yichun listened with a shocked expression.
He hadn’t expected Dou Zhao to approach him about this matter.
What was even more unexpected was that Dou Zhao spoke of such a vicious plan as casually as if she were discussing what dishes she had cooked or what embroidery she had done.
Had he always underestimated Dou Zhao?
Song Yichun couldn’t help but examine his daughter-in-law carefully.
Her upright posture, her bright and lively eyes, wearing a rose-purple brocade jacket with gold flowers, a hint of moon-white standing collar adorned with a red gold and jewel-encrusted camellia flower. She looked both radiant and spirited, elegant yet magnificent. Standing there silently, she gave him a sense of overwhelming pressure.
Inexplicably, Song Yichun thought of a beautiful snake!
Wasn’t the woman before him just like a beautiful snake? How could he have thought she was just a shrew?
Song Han had wronged her, so she wanted to remove him from the family. He had also played a part in that incident; was she planning to deal with him as well?
Song Yichun’s throat tightened, and he unconsciously took a few steps back, his gaze towards Dou Zhao becoming cautious.
“That won’t do!” he said, steeling himself. “If we do this, the reputation of Duke Ying’s household will be ruined. The title will eventually pass to Yuaner; surely you don’t want him to inherit a disgraced dukedom?”
He had heard that Dou Zhao personally nursed Yuaner. By invoking Yuaner’s name, she should restrain herself a bit, right?
To his surprise, Dou Zhao remained unfazed and replied calmly, “If I wasn’t considering this, I would have already had the Second Madam file a complaint at the Shuntian Prefecture. I’m just suggesting that you go to the palace and speak to the Emperor. As long as the Emperor agrees, what others say doesn’t matter. You can use this opportunity to show your loyalty to the Emperor. It’s a win-win situation, so why not do it?”
She was forcing him to drive Song Han out of the family!
Song Yichun was at his wits’ end. He said, “This kind of thing requires opening the ancestral hall. Once we do that, it can’t be kept secret. It’s not as simple as you make it sound.”
Dou Zhao sneered, “When you wanted to remove the Young Master from the family registry, the First Master, Third Master and Fourth Master didn’t say anything. Why is it that when it comes to Song Han, these masters suddenly become so bold? You’re reluctant to let Song Han go, aren’t you? It makes sense, without Song Han, how will you irritate the Young Master? But at this point, you need to think clearly. Is irritating the Young Master more important, or is saving your own life more important? The Young Master has the merit of supporting the crown prince.
If something happens to you, at worst it will balance out his merits and faults, and he’ll remain the heir of Duke Ying’s household. No, perhaps the Emperor will strip you of your title in anger and hand Duke Ying’s household directly to the Young Master…” She said with a somewhat gloating smile, “Anyway, I’ve said all I can. Whether you listen or not is up to you.” She stood up, “I’ll leave first, the Young Master will be back soon, and I need to serve him dinner!”
Song Yichun’s hair stood on end.
How did Dou Zhao know about what happened back then?
Could it be from Song Mo?
Song Han was already in Song Mo’s hands. Even if Song Han confessed everything, Song Mo could fabricate a false confession and push all the responsibility onto him.
Whether to sacrifice Song Han or himself, Song Yichun quickly made his decision.
He called out loudly to Dou Zhao as she was leaving, “Did Song Mo tell you to come and say this to me?”
Without Song Mo’s approval, how could Dou Zhao, a mere woman, dare to confront him like this?
Dou Zhao smiled without answering and left the study.
Song Yichun became more certain that this was Song Mo’s intention.
However, Dou Zhao’s calm and composed demeanor throughout showed that she wasn’t to be underestimated. Perhaps she had also helped Song Mo come up with many ideas.
Thinking of this, he was startled.
Although Song Mo might be ruthless, he was still his son and wouldn’t dare to do anything too extreme to him. But Dou Zhao was an outsider, and Song Mo was deeply in love with her. If she were to cause trouble…
Song Yichun couldn’t help but rub his forehead, pacing around the room.
Why did Dou Zhao hate Song Han so much? Besides Song Han causing her great humiliation, it was probably also related to his favoring of Song Han and Dou Zhao’s concern that he might pass the title to Song Han.
If Song Mo had a concubine-born son who was smarter, more lively, healthier, and more favored by Song Mo than Dou Zhao’s son… Wouldn’t Dou Zhao surely deal with Song Mo as well?
Back then, when Li Yaoniang was pregnant, wasn’t it because Madam Jiang was worried that Li Yaoniang’s son might harm Song Mo that she turned a blind eye to his father’s treatment of Li Yaoniang?
Thinking of this, Song Yichun’s mood suddenly improved.
Although it wasn’t apparent now, Song Mo hadn’t even come of age yet, and he still had decades to live. Who could predict what might happen in the future?
He couldn’t help but chuckle, suddenly feeling that Song Han might not be as important to him as he thought.
In Yizhi Hall, Dou Zhao was sitting on the large kang by the window, making a net.
She occasionally looked up at Song Mo, who was teaching Yuaner to write large characters.
Song Mo couldn’t continue writing under her gaze and looked up, asking, “What is it?”
Dou Zhao said, “Isn’t it too early to teach Yuaner to recognize characters at this age?”
“It’s just letting him casually recognize a few,” Song Mo smiled and said. “This is what your father taught me. He said that Dou family children start recognizing characters as soon as they can speak, so when it’s time for formal education, they read faster than other children. He told me not to focus solely on official business and neglect the children’s studies.”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but laugh.
Song Mo then stroked Yuaner’s black hair and said, “Although our Yuaner doesn’t need to take the imperial examinations, reading more books is always good.”
Dou Zhao agreed with this point.
She looked up and saw that Yuaner had somehow gotten hold of the ink stick and was vigorously scribbling on the inkstone, imitating how Song Mo had ground the ink earlier.
Ink splattered everywhere, not only on the piece of calligraphy Song Mo had just written but also all over Yuaner’s hands and clothes.
“Yuaner!” She quickly got off the kang and took the ink stick from Yuaner’s hand.
Yuaner looked up at Dou Zhao with a puzzled expression, appearing a bit timid.
Dou Zhao regretted her reaction and quickly softened her voice, saying, “This is not for playing. Look at you, your hands are all inky.”
Yuaner looked at his little hands, seeming to find it interesting, and giggled.
Song Mo also laughed, comforting Dou Zhao, “It’s alright, he’s still young. He’ll understand when he’s older.” He kissed Yuaner, showing no anger at all, and called for a maid to bring water to clean Yuaner’s hands and change his clothes.
Yuaner suddenly had an idea and pressed his hand on the rice paper, leaving several fingerprints.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly turned and pressed his hand on Song Mo’s chest.
Song Mo was wearing a grey-blue Hangzhou silk robe. As soon as Yuaner’s hand touched his clothes, the ink quickly seeped in, leaving a very noticeable mark.
Dou Zhao was stunned.
Yuaner, however, looked at Song Mo somewhat proudly and said, “Chicken feet.”
Both Dou Zhao and Song Mo’s gazes fell on the small dots, unable to see any resemblance between the ink spots and chicken feet.
Yuaner pointed his little finger and made a few more dots on Song Mo’s chest, saying, “The chicken is walking.”
Song Mo looked at the small ink dots that seemed to extend into the distance and became excited. He said to Dou Zhao, “You know, it does look like chicken footprints!”
Dou Zhao couldn’t see it, but she laughed for a while and helped the father and son change their clothes.
Yuaner still wanted to write, but seeing that it was getting late, Dou Zhao coaxed him to go to sleep, saying, “Tomorrow you can write in the sunlight, it will be clearer.”
Song Mo also coaxed him, “Tomorrow, Father will come back early.”
Yuaner cuddled with Song Mo for a while before finally going back to his room with the wet nurse.
Song Mo sat leisurely in the armchair and smiled, “Tell me, what’s the matter?”
Was she that obvious?
Dou Zhao smiled sheepishly.
Song Mo laughed, “Every time you have something serious to tell me, your expression becomes particularly solemn.”
Is that so?
Dou Zhao’s eyes widened.
Song Mo smiled and pulled her to sit on his lap, teasing, “Hurry and tell me what it is, or I’m going to bed.”
Dou Zhao laughed heartily and told Song Mo everything about how Miao Ansu came to find her, how she spoke with Mr. Chen, and how she went to see Song Yichun.
As Song Mo listened, his expression grew increasingly grave. By the time Dou Zhao finished speaking, his face was cold as ice.
Dou Zhao felt a bit uneasy and hesitantly asked, “Do you think I went too far?”
Even if he did, she didn’t regret it.
“No!” Song Mo shook his head coldly and said, “This should have been my responsibility…” He turned his head, staring intently into her eyes, “Shou Gu, in the future, let me handle these kinds of matters. Don’t ruin your reputation.”
But if he handled it, wouldn’t it ruin his reputation?
For some reason, Dou Zhao’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.